Disclaimer: These characters belong to Joss. And they're haunting me.

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WARNING If you don't want to be spoiled for “The Train Job”, don't read this. Contains dialogue taken from the episode.

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TRAUMA MEDICINE: Chapter Seven,

Sit down and hang onto something.

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Simon has ridden rollercoasters just often enough to know he hates them. He hates that feeling of falling, of being out of control. Hates the dizzying, short-lived highs and the headlong plummetting into the lows. The all-consuming fear of death. No, rollercoasters are definitely not his thing.

Which makes this all manner of ironic.

“Come on, Doctor,” Kaylee pleads, tugging at his hand. “Just for me.”

Kaylee loves rollercoasters. She loves the way her stomach drops away as the ride hurtles downwards. The way her heart thumps in her chest. The G-force that presses her back into her seat. And the feel of the wind in her hair. Rollercoasters make her feel vibrantly alive. The sky looks bluer and the grass greener. The only thing that feels better is being in love. Coming here was her idea. Mal was so relieved she survived Dobson's bullet he allowed her to talk him into letting Serenity's crew take a trip to the funfair on Sundown and, now they're here, Kaylee's determined to enjoy every minute of it. And part of her enjoyment depends on Simon sitting next to her.

“Ain't scared Doc, are ya?” Jayne jeers, jealous that Kaylee didn't ask him to ride with her but all manner of smug that his rival for her affections is lettin' himself down by bein' all weak an' cowardly about gettin' into the carriage. Jayne can handle rollercoasters. Gotta get yourself in the right frame of mind is all. Imagine you're launchin' yourself into the fight of your life. Grit your teeth and clench your fists and just gorram well do it! Once that adrenalin gets flowin' you don't need to think about a damn thing.

Jayne barges Simon aside and takes a seat beside Wash and Zoe who are already strapped in. Zoe can take