[River-Simon, re: Three Hills]

[river_meimei]

Dinner will be soon. It's Wash's turn to cook. (Naomi's helping, in the way where she gets to sit on Zoe's lap and babble.)

River is lying on her back in the corridor of the passenger section.

Her knees are bent up, feet tidily together. Her arms, extended, just brush the walls.

Comments

[simon_doctor]

There are feet approaching down the corridor.

(If you know somebody long enough, you can recognize them in sounds that wouldn't strike you as distinctive in anyone else; the sound of a cough, a breath, a knock on a door. A footfall.)

"River?"

[river_meimei]

A breath. In, out.

"Simon."

Beat -- and then her head lifts.

[simon_doctor]

He sits down near her head, close enough to touch but not touching.

"How're you feeling?"

[river_meimei]

River is silent.

"Come to talk," she tells his knee, eventually.

[simon_doctor]

"Yes."

A beat.

"I spoke to Kitty, earlier."

Kate, he reminds himself.

[river_meimei]

River's head turns away from him, her hair spreading in a wide tangled veil across the floor.

"Changes her spots," she says softly.

[simon_doctor]

"She says she'll watch you while Kaylee and I are away."

It's a little tentative.

[river_meimei]

River doesn't say anything.

Doesn't move.

Her face is tight.

[simon_doctor]

He puts a hand on her arm.

"It's only for a few days."

[river_meimei]

River is silent.

Then: "You're coming back."

It's a statement. But her voice is soft and dispirited, and her eyes don't meet Simon's.

[simon_doctor]

"Of course we are, meimei."

[river_meimei]

River nods, and her eyes slowly close.




"I'll be good."

[simon_doctor]

"I know you will."

A beat.

"If you need to talk to us for anything, we're close enough to wave."

[river_meimei]

River's head turns slowly. She looks as if she's about to say something, but her eyes drop again for a moment and her mouth closes, and she's silent.

"Send up the signal flag," she says instead after a minute, with a wavering attempt at a smile.

[simon_doctor]

Simon returns the smile.

(His attempt isn't quite as wavery.)

"Come on," he says after a moment, and takes hold of her hand as though to help her sit up. "Dinner's going to be ready soon."

[river_meimei]

River's gaze falls to the floor where her hair tumbles across it.

"Not hungry," she says softly, but she lets Simon take her hand.

[simon_doctor]

"Then come and keep us company?"

[river_meimei]

A moment. A breath: in, out.

And then River gives in and smiles a little, and her hand closes around Simon's.

[simon_doctor]

He gets to his feet, and helps her to hers.

(He doesn't need to help her. They both know this.)

[river_meimei]

She lets him anyway.

And lets him draw her after him down the hall, towards the kitchen and the sound of laughter.