River says the sky is falling. That's how it starts. Watch it crumble, she whispers, and laughs.

-----

"They're coming!" she screams. "They're coming and it's too late to run."

Simon grabs her wrists, trying to still her, trying to get her to focus on him. "It's okay. I'm not going to let anything happen to you. Go with Kaylee, she'll take you back to the ship."

River's eyes flicker to Kaylee for a moment. She's standing off to the side. She's shaking, but she smiles like its okay. It's not.

"Would you shut that gorram girl up?" Jayne hisses. "I got a mind to shoot her."

Simon glares at him, but doesn't waste time with angry words. Jayne won't shoot her. He knows he'd be next, the way Mal and Zoe are glaring at him with pistols in their hands. "River, go with Kaylee. I'll be right behind you. It's going to be okay."

"You lie," River says, sobbing. "You're lying to me. You think I can't tell, but I know."

Simon shook his head. "I'm not lying," he promises. "Now go."

"You only think you're not lying," River tells him tearfully. Kaylee grabs her hand and starts to pull her away. Zoe takes the rear, her eyes scanning everything. "Only tell them the truth, Simon," she calls back desperately. "Tell them everything they ask. I'll be nearer than you think."

Once Kaylee, River and Zoe were out of sight, Jayne turns to glare at him. "That girl's giving me a headache. I don't like people screaming about how we're all gonna die."

"Imagine that," Simon says dryly. Mal grabs his arm before he can say anything else, and spins him around.

"What exactly is the plan here, Doc?" he snaps.

Simon frowns. "I thought we were clear on that. You're going to head back to Serenity and get my sister as far from here as you can."

"And just where do you fit into that?" Mal demands.

"Do we care?" Jayne asks thinly, but is ignored.

"I'm going to draw them away," Simon tells them. "I'm the only one besides River that can, because they don't want any of you. If we all leave they'll chas