TITLE: "DAMAGE CONTROL"

AUTHOR: Alison M. DOBELL

FANDOM: "FIREFLY"

PAIRING: No specific pairing.

RATING: PG-13.

STATUS: SEQUEL to "BLAME"

ARCHIVE: Yes. Just let me know where.

FEEDBACK: Welcomed.

EMAIL: AlisonMDobell@aol.com

WEBSITE: http://carlajane.50megs.com/Ali00.html

SUMMARY: "The Captain tries to smooth things over with

Kaylee. River begins to suspect her memories are not what

they seem."

The usual disclaimers apply. The characters and 'Firefly'

are the property and gift of Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy.

No infringement of copyright is intended.

"DAMAGE CONTROL"

"Firefly" story

Written by Alison M. DOBELL

* * * * *

Again with the crying. Captain Reynolds paused outside Kaylee's bunk. Wishing there was something he could say or do to fix this but he knew he was not the person Kaylee really wanted to see. *Diyu*, way she had been acting it was like she never wanted to set eyes on her Captain again. It hurt, in ways he had no intention of letting folk see. Taking a moment or two to sort out what he was going to say Mal knocked on her hatch then swung it inward and began to climb down the rungs before she had a chance to tell him to keep the hell out.

As soon as his feet touched the last rung he found himself floundering for words. Kaylee lay face down on her bunk sobbing her heart out. Only when he reached up and clanged the hatch shut for privacy did she look up to see who it was. Seeing the Captain she turned her head away.

"Kaylee, this's gotta stop, *dong ma*?"

"Not talkin' to you."

He sighed and walked over to the bed. Kaylee sat up and shifted round so that she had her back to him at the far end of it. He sat tentatively at the other end. So. Still mad at him. "Kaylee," His voice was soft, low. The way she had heard him speak a hundred times before when trying to calm River or stop folk going *shenjingbing* before all the facts were on the table. "I didn't