Round and blue, round and blue, roundandblueroundandblue. Wet. Roundandbluewetroundbluewet.

"Wet," she says.

"Yes." The brother looks at her. He's so kind, too kind, kind, poor boy.

"Poor boy," she says, and touches his face. "Poor boy."

"River," he says, and he laughs -- no, he doesn't know he's laughing.

Coalesce: "Go, Simon. I'm fine. I'm fine." He nods his head and smiles at her and says, "I'll be back soon." River shakes her head. "Take your time. Take the time with you."

Good, he's gone, finally. Empty space, quiet. Serenity is still. River's feet are empty.

Roundbluewet dripping. Poor boy, he never knows. Poor boy, he's empty.

Wet, squish, wet, squish.

Coalesce: River turns to look back at Serenity, so smooth and pretty, shiny, shining. Her fingers fit comfortably on her gun, the ground squishes under her feet. Oops, she forgot shoes.

Noise noise people keep thinking, why don't they ever stop thinking? Why can't they ever be quiet, why do they care so much about their ridiculous tiny lives -- they think and think, I wonder if he knows what I'm doing Pengyou? I hope mom and dad don't find out Mei mei, it's okay, he's never coming back darling, baobei, don't cry, nin zao, we're traders, Ni chile ma?

Seeking seeking Bring her to me! Bring her to me, dong ma -- bring her to me.

Found him, the bad man. She turns, fast, quickly, move, into the complex, disappearing like the light --

BANG.

loudloudloudloudbloodoooooohhhh

keep moving keep moving

wet wet wet

run no time to think of blood

Coalesce: No one's coming. She runs through the forest, she's away. They don't see her, no one sees her, no one sees her. Where is Simon, where is the ship? She's out of the complex, there's a bug in her mouth, it's raining, she's okay -- where is Simon? "Fang-xin, ge ge, I'm fine," she whispers. Poor boy, poor boy, he doesn't know yet what will happen.

quiet. quiet. Serenity.

"Hello," says River as she steps onto the silence.

"Hello," says the ship, it flows under her feet to take her where she needs to be.

Where is Simon?

Silence.

Where is Simon?

Silence.

Wo hao xiang zai na li jian guo ni ma -- No, we've never -- Yes -- hao, hao -- you're that doctor wanted by the Alliance -- Hao le ma! Now, sir, if you're goin to be insultin to my crew I'm afraid our business is gonna come to a swift and unpleasant conclusion --

"Stupid," says River, and lays down. Serenity takes the metal away, River can sleep. Dry. Sleep. Wet. Dry.

Yelling.

THOSE HUNDAN TRIED TO CHEAT US! GET THE SHIP READY! COME ON, WASH, POWER UP. QU TAMADE! WE'RE TAKING OFF, CAPTAIN. WHERE'S RIVER? MEI MEI?

Coalesce: "It didn't go well, did it?" River comes down the stairs. Serenity, don't hiccup. Simon looks up at her. "No, meimei, it didn't go well." She sighs. Poor boy. "Poor boy." She clucks her tongue at him. "It's fine, Simon." The captain laughs on his way to fly, River can feel Kaylee with the engine, humming, humming, "Simon," says River. "Simon." He's there, arms tight. "Oh, meimei, you're all wet. Did you go into the rain?" "Most water doesn't fall from the sky. There has to be a velocity that exceeds the updraft." Simon looks confused. River says, "I got wet." Simon laughs, squeezes, then gone. River sighs, lays down again. No one wants to know what she did while they couldn't get a job. She could get a job.

Hum sigh, hum, sigh, goodbye roundbluewetroundwetblue squish.