Chapter 12

Regan stood glaring at her two children; River was hiding behind Simon and still had her hand against her cheek where Regan had slapped her. Velia was following River's gaze and stopped cold when she saw Blue Gloves.

"You're brother and sister, how could you?" Regan shouted at them, "You grew up together. Simon, didn't we teach you anything?"

Velia was snapped out of her paralyzed state and stood between Simon and River. "Unless you have COMPLETELY lost your sight or your mind, you will notice they are adults capable of making their own decisions. You are to leave my sight immediately or will be forced to suffer social embarrassment when you go to jail for disrupting the peace."

Regan stood amazed and confused at this young woman who stood between her and her children. She softly backed away with tears in her eyes; she murmured an apology before disappearing completely into the crowd.

Velia glanced around at the crowd again and noticed more Blue Gloves and Alliance than pedestrians, her heart started to beat furiously as she assessed the situation and was softly unleashing the monster inside of her. Velia attacked them with all of the anger, hate, hunger, and despair she kept lock away and was winning, not to mention the gun that Kaylee gave her in the "hug". River was gaining confidence as Velia battled them and even started to join in on the fight. When only one person remained, a Blue Glove, he took out a small metallic device and it started vibrating in a high-pitched fervor. When Velia heard the squeal of the object, she pounced on the person with the small device and killed him, putting a bullet between his eyes, and then taking hold of the mechanism, she snapped it in half, concluding the fight.

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After the fight, Velia, River, and Simon, ran away from the scene, arrived where they needed to go, got the cargo and returned to the ship without a hitch. Everyone had gone toward their respected business as Serenity lifted off of Osiris' docks and toward the unconquered darkness of the 'Verse. Jayne was polishing his vast collection of weapons, Wash was piloting while Zoë was watching and protecting, Kaylee was hidden under Serenity's heart with Mal close by and Inara sitting on the hammock, Velia was finally able to enjoy some time alone with her husband without having her hunger and fear seize her.

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River was waiting patiently as Simon bandaged her hands, her bruised and bloody hands, from the fight. He finished and softly wiped away a tear that ran unchecked from her eyes. He kissed her; with all the tenderness and sweetness that he felt she deserved and always tried to deliver. River pushed him away, catching him off guard as she slid down towards the floor in a sobbing whirlwind.

"What's wrong, River?" Simon asked, worry seeping through his words and voice and he sat down next to her and wrapped his arms around her. At least he tried to embrace her, she kept pushing him away.

She hesitated before asking, "Simon, why are we together?"

"Because we love each other," Simon answered, unsure about where this was coming from, "because we belong together."

"Then why can't people understand it?" she wept, her vision blurring with tears. She couldn't stand their distance anymore and curled up on his side; he smiled and brought her closer to him, wrapping his arms around her in a comforting embrace.

"Their opinions never mattered before," Simon stated with a flourish of his 'doctor' hand before laying it back down on her shoulder and giving her a small, soft squeeze. "Why do they matter now?"

"Our mother is one of them," she reminded softly, her voice seemingly small and childlike.

He gritted his teeth, pulling her closer to try to protect her from the horrible thoughts that plagued her mind daily. "Wô de äi, you shouldn't worry about what mother says or thinks. She doesn't know us anymore. She doesn't know how we truly feel about each other."

She looked at him, a sad, lost look in her eyes, "If our own mother cannot see what we have, what makes you sure that what we have is right?"

Simon looked down at her, "River, I wouldn't trade what we have for anything."

"But-"

"But nothing," He interrupted her gently, "River, I don't care what others think. Not anymore. I love you, dummy."

She smiled softly, resting her head on his shoulder as she relaxed in his arms. He just held her, content with just having his darling wife and sister in his arms. He kissed the top of her head before asking her, "How are you feeling?"

She nodded hazily, her eyes starting to feel heavy. He picked her up in his arms, her head on his shoulder and her legs wrapped around his waist as he held her close before setting her down on the infirmary bed. He made sure her bandages were wrapped securely on her small hands. He kissed her forehead before getting her regular dose of medicine. When he turned to her, she was looking at him, her eyes tearful mixed with a twinge of fear.

His heart wretched painfully at what he saw when he looked at her. He kneeled beside her bed, pushing back her hair. He rested his hand on her cheek, wiping at the tears that fell. He leaned in, kissing her softly before whispering softly, "I'm sorry, Zuì qīn'ài de ài."

He lifted the syringe, injecting her in her arm as tenderly as he could, before letting its' contents spill into her veins. He watched as she lost her fight against sleeping, her eyes closing, her dark lashes glimmering with captured tears.

He capped the syringe, setting it on the small wash bin, before lifting her up once more and carrying her to their bunk. He rested her on their bed, tucking her in before he got in beside her. As he held her close, falling into his own deep sleep, the proximity alarms started to blare. Through the intercom, Wash's panicked voice blared, "We got trouble! Reavers!"