“White. Everything is white. But it's not winter. And everyone's happy. They're dancing, drinking, eating, talking...you're happy. And you are. But you, and you, and you, and you, aren't. And you're confused. And you, and you, aren't there at all. I'm there, I think. Why? Where am I? I know this place, I've been here. It's all faded, like it's never been. Faded, in mist...the mist is white too...drowning everything, no! I want to see it! No!”

River tossed and turned, half-awake. Mal put his arm around her. “River...are you all right?”

Shaking, she clung to him. “I don't know what it meant...I saw us all, all of us wearing white...then it faded into fog...it hurt to think about...”

“It's all right, you're here on Serenity,” Mal said.

“I'm here...it was only a vision,” River whispered. “I get visions sometimes.”

“Did you...could you have sensed someone? Yo-saf-bridge still as asleep?” Mal asked.

River nodded. “The sedatives Simon gave Alexandra won't wear off until tomorrow.”

Mal kissed her cheek. “That's reassuring,” he said. “Can you go back to sleep?”

“No,” River said, “Not at the moment.”

“Anything I can do to help?”

River shook her head. “Nothing I can think of. Not yet.”

“Wake me if you need anything, then,” he said, turning over.

“I will,” River said, staring at the ceiling.

****************************************

The infirmary was quiet this morning, Simon noted. River had often slept there, sometimes with the help of his drugs, and usually went there after waking up otherwise. Now...he supposed it would be different. Besides, both beds were taken.

First he looked in on Kaylee, asleep on the central examining bed. The long cut on her calf was healing well, patched by a dermal patch. She hadn't quite gotten a concussion, but the bang on her head had been sufficient to black her out for a minute, so he'd hooked her up to the monitors overnight. She was doing fine, it looked like, and about ready to wake up. Before waking her, he went over