A/N: A big thank you to Kispexi2 for being my beta reader once again! You've been a huge help! Any errors remaining are strictly my own.

DISCLAIMER: Don't own it, never did, never will--just having fun playing.

Feedback is shiny!

EXHAUSTION

Simon was exhausted. He'd been up half the night with River, trying to calm her after one of her frequent nightmares. After her terror had abated, she hadn't wanted to go back to sleep, and who could blame her. He'd hated the idea of sedating her again, so they'd sat up for several hours until she fell asleep in his arms. He'd settled her in her bed, but by then was too wired to sleep himself. Instead he went to the infirmary to browse the Cortex for anything new he might find regarding her condition. He may have dozed for a while, but it hadn't been a restful sleep.

Later that day they'd made planetfall to deliver, and take payment for, their latest job. Unfortunately, the job had gone south--again. Fortunately, no one's injuries had been too severe, but it had taken all his energy to get everyone patched up--again. On the way to the kitchen for some tea, he'd spotted the couch in the lounge, and thought how inviting it looked. "Oh, why not?" he'd thought. "Dinner will be soon, and I'm not sure I can make it to my bunk, anyway. Might as well take a nap here." The thought becoming the deed, he lay down, and promptly fell asleep.

***

Voices come to him, as if through a tunnel, the sounds of dinner in the background, but he can't rouse himself enough to join his shipmates at the table. Instead, he lies there and lets the sounds wash over him.

"Shouldn't we wake him, Cap'n? He's gonna miss dinner."

"Boy knows where the food is, lil' Kaylee. Don't you fret, won't hurt him none to miss one meal."

"I think I heard him up late last night with River," says Book. "Sleep will do him good."

"You keepin' my doctor up late again, girl?"

"He's doing it backwards; walking up the downslide."

"Hey, keep your gorram hands off my food, moon-brain!"

"Jay