It was the lack of pressure that alerted her

It was the lack of pressure that alerted her. River lifted her head, finding her eyes unusually hard to open. In the meagre light she saw just one thing.

Madeline was gone.

River jumped to her feet; the world spun and she collapsed on the floor. Her eyes flickered, she tried to speak.

“Ma…dm..mm…”

Her head ached; River realised they must have drugged her before Taking Madeline. She scrambled up, only to fall again and become tangled in her own legs. River lay there, waiting for her head to stop pounding and the rush of her ears to cease. Finally she gripped the bed and pulled herself up, testing her legs. Hugging the wall, she took her first ungainly steps out of the room.

River’s head was still spinning as she made her way to door to the communal area. She leant against it as her legs gave way. She banged her fist feebly at the door.

“Ma…. Mei. Mani!” she squeezed her eyes shut and tried again.

“Gnamei!” she hit the door again. Her eyes flickered; she tried to fight the blanket of exhaustion threatening to engulf her. But the drug was too strong. River fell into a foggy numbness as her system succumbed to the poison in her body.

She was surprised when she woke up and saw with comparable clarity. The room was full of children now, and River assumed it must be some time in the morning. She was still feeling groggy but nothing like she was before. She closed her eyes and attempted to speak.

“Maddy...” the word formed well enough, but her speech was a little slurred. River pulled herself up and began to pound on the door.

“Maddy! Mei-mei! Lao-tyen, boo! Bring her back!” Her voice rasped, it was the most she had spoken at such a volume for a long time. River hit at it again and again, calling for Madeline’s return. Her knuckles were bleeding by the time a nurse pulled the door open. Madeline was sitting in a wheelchair, hunched over and crying shakily.

“Kao!” the nurse cried when she saw River. River ignored her and pulled Madeline out of the chair and cradled her in her arms. The nurse jumped and tried to take her back, but River’s glare kept her away. Madeline’s eyes were half open, her face was full of light tear tracks.

“River?” she asked. River sat down in a corner and rocked her slowly, kissing her forehead.

“I’m here, Mei-mei,” River whispered.

“They made me see things…” Madeline’s crying intensified.

“Shh…” River hugged her tighter, “go to sleep.” Madeline’s eyes began to close. River stroked her hair and began to sing an old lullaby softly to her.

“O baby mine, close your eyes

And I will sing to you

Dream of stars and summer days

O baby mine, the day is new

O baby mine, I love you so,

You are the keeper of my heart

I promise you that we will stay

O baby mine, never apart.

If you have any fear

Let it go, I’ll keep you safe

O baby mine, come to me,

O baby mine.”

River looked up to see all the children in the room staring at her. She looked down as Madeline, who was now sleeping fitfully in her arms. The scar between her eyes was still bleeding slightly. Trying to avoid the looking at the other children; who she could feel were still watching her from the way her neck prickled, River lifted Madeline and began to walk into their room. She only slipped a couple of times from the after affects of the drug. She settled Madeline onto the bed and, ignoring the wounds on her hands, sat silently watching over her. Her hands slid absentmindedly to a spot on her neck that stung. From that day onward she learned to sleep with her eyes open.

Serenity touched down at the South Maibel docks at three am. Osiris was a maze of lights. Mal’s hair ruffled; a strong breeze was forced down from ships passing overhead.

“Okay campers!” Mal turned to face his crew, rubbing his hands together, “let’s get this done! Kaylee contact the most jing-tzahng mei yong duh repair crew you can find; we don’t need this done in a hurry. Meet us back here in ten. Rest of you, get your gear together. We’re going on a bear hunt.”

Mal strode back through Serenity’s open hatch. Wash drove the quad bike down.

“Getting’ the protective wear?” Mal asked. Zoe straddled the bike behind her husband.

“Be back soon, sir,” She said. Wash waved. Mal looked around the ship and sighed.

“She hears you,” A small voice said. Mal turned. River was walking along, running her fingers over Serenity’s hull.

“Really?” Mal asked. “She… saying anything back?”

“She’s humming,” River closed her eyes, “she hums for you… she thinks you hand out the slipper to easily, but she loves you for it. She wishes you well.”

Mal nodded, “she’s a good boat. Just a little serenity in the air.” He strode over and took River by the shoulder.

“You get along now, kiddo. Go boss your brother ‘round ‘til he gets his act together.” River smiled and wandered off. Mal looked around Serenity and brushed the cool metal himself.

“You’re a good boat,” he muttered, “take care o’ yourself, don’t let those hwun dan contractors loot nothin’ from you.” Mal walked around the cargo hold. He kicked the lid off the crate and began loading his guns.