Jayne let go of River’s hand as they neared the ship. She spread her fingers. Turned them over, examining them for traces of him. She lifted them to her nose.

There he was. He’d rubbed off on her.

Jayne put his hands in his pockets. She folded hers in front of her, saving the smell of tobacco and leather and sadness for later.

The Captain had the mule waiting for them. Inara was sitting in the front seat, her eyes still a little red and her hand close enough to the driver’s seat that the Captain could have touched it if he’d wanted to.

River knew he wanted to. But he wouldn’t

River climbed into the back, squishing herself between the wall and Simon. Kaylee was trying not to cry anymore. Simon was holding her hand, stroking it from her wrist to her knuckles and back again.

River watched it until it occurred to her that the mule wasn’t moving. She looked at Jayne, who was still standing with his hands in his pockets.

He was looking at the Captain. “Mule can’t carry more th’n five.”

“We ain’t got a payload. Should be fine, if ya don’t mind hangin’ on.”

“Nah.” Jayne nodded at a spot over River’s shoulder. River turned. She could see the town on the horizon—black specks barely higher than the ground.

“I kin walk. Ain’t too far.”

River’s eyes went from the pepper specks on the horizon back to Jayne.

He was looking at her.

She caught a flash of light. A shooting pain. Being pulled from somewhere.

Fear.

Hands. Lips. A white arm.

Fear.

Sinking. A laugh. A moan.

River’s skin jumped.

“You okay?”

She turned toward the voice. Simon was looking at her now.

She nodded because she didn’t know what else to do.

“We’ve got rooms at the Blue House.” Mal had started the engine. They were drifting forward. “Plannin’ on meetin’ up with Zoe in town ‘round suppertime, if yer interested.”

Jayne nodded, but he wasn’t looking at Mal. He wasn’t looking at River, either. He was just looking. At the pepper specks.

River turned again to se