TITLE: Out of Gas – River's Timeline

AUTHOR: PapayaK

CATEGORY: Hurt/comfort

Disclaimer: I get nothing but pleasure from this

oO0Oo
oO0Oo

Simon headed for the bridge as quickly as he could. Wash stayed with Zoe, but River tagged along after. Not knowing what to expect, he was ready for anything – even the possibility that his sister really was crazy and Mal was fine…

…'Course, the fact that the air and heat were working spoke to a change – one that hadn't included calling them back. So unless Mal had used the whole thing as a ruse to get rid of them all – which he seriously doubted – Something was very wrong.

The sight of Mal on the floor in a pool of blood confirmed, and Simon knelt beside the injured man and went into doctor mode: emotion set aside, knowledge and training brought forth.

"No pulse," he told his sister who had followed and now stood in the doorway behind him. He rolled the injured man carefully onto his back and started compressions; expeditiously placing a pressure bandage on the wound as he did so. Much to his surprise, his 'crazy' sister knelt by Mal's head, and tilted his chin perfectly, as if she were a trained medic with years of experience.

Together, the two of them kept their captain and savior among the living until Jayne and Book arrived with a stretcher and hauled him to the infirmary in a hurry.

Once there, Simon cleared the room and went to work.

Meanwhile, Jayne went to help Zoe into the infirmary, too.

The rest of the crew were gathered outside, watching silently through the windows.

"Do we have any idea what went on here?" Book finally asked. From the bloody handprints Mal had left during his stumble through his boat, they had a basic idea, but…

Kaylee, newly arrived from the engine room, could, at least, explain the change in their circumstances: "Got a new catalyzer. Cap'n must 'a installed it himself. There's plenty 'a blood on the engine… But Serenity's just fine!" Her back-and-forth from happy to worry was dizzying. "Cap'n gonna be okay?"

No one knew how to answer her.

"Dry." River spoke from the landing where she crouched, staring down into the infirmary, "Well's run low. Not enough to live on. Have to drill a new hole."

They looked at her uncomprehendingly as they usually did.

Hours later, Simon came to the door, wiping his hands, his apron bloody. "Bullet's out. Wound's closed."

Inara spoke up, "That's good… right?" She asked because something told her it wasn't…

"It would be…" Simon paused, then gave them the truth with a sigh: "He's lost too much blood. I doubt I can save him."

"There has to be something…" Kaylee pleaded.

"There might be," Simon offered, "If someone on board has the same blood type. No one does – at least – no one I've treated. Inara, you and Wash are the only ones that haven't darkened my door – I can check, but the Captain's blood type is fairly rare. The chances of one of you-"

"Please. Check us," Inara insisted, already rolling up her sleeve.

Fifteen short minutes later, Simon had set up Wash as a direct donor, saving the Captain's life.

Wash looked warily at the bandage on his arm, "You sure this is going to work?"

Simon smiled slightly as he checked Mal's vitals once again.

Kaylee was confident, "Cap' gonna be an amazing pilot too? After this?" she gestured at the tube connecting the two men.

At that, Simon did smile, "No – I'm pretty sure his piloting skills will stay the same… but he'll live. That I'm certain of." He looked around at them all, making sure they all heard.

There was, almost literally, a collective sigh of relief.

Kaylee went back to the engine room to reassure herself once again that Serenity was really okay.

Inara chatted with Book about the probability of Wash being the same blood type.

Jayne leaned against the wall nearby.

Once again noticing the bloody handprints Mal had left on his ragged journey through the ship, Book suggested, "I feel like maybe we should do something about all the blood. I don't think it's something he should see when he wakes up."

At that, Jayne pushed himself off the wall, "He seen blood before. Lots of it."

Inara barely refrained from rolling her eyes, "Yes, I'm certain that's true, but sometimes
it seems different when it's one's own blood."

Jayne was not convinced, "Well I didn't shoot him, so don't look at me for the scrubbin' of it."

At that, Inara lost the battle and rolled her eyes, "No one's asking you to scrub anything.
Although a bath wouldn't kill you."

Inside the infirmary, Zoe was still filling in the blanks, "I guess it's a fair bet to say I missed
birthday cake."

Wash smiled, still just glad to know she was okay, "It's okay, honey. Nobody got to have any. It's still on the floor and some of the walls upstairs, though. If you want I'll run up there and scrape up a piece."

Zoe smiled back, "You'd do that for me?"

"I'd do anything for you. You know that."

.oO0Oo.

"Welcome back, sir."

"I go someplace? "

"Very nearly. "

"We thought we lost you. "

"Well, I've been right here… Wash, you okay?"

"Yeah, Mal, I'm fine."

"You got a thing in your arm."

"Yeah."

"Try not to speak. You're heavily medicated and you've lost a lot of blood."

"Oh…Thought I ordered you all off the ship? I call you back?"

"No, Mal. You didn't. "

"I take full responsibility, Cap."

"The decision saved your life."

"Won't happen again, sir."

"Good... And thanks... I'm grateful."

oOo

"All right. I have to insist. The captain needs to rest."

"Yeah. Think the doc might not be wrong about that one. Just gonna need a few... You all gonna be here when I wake up?"

"We'll be here."

.oO0Oo.

When Simon had tidied up the infirmary, done one last check on his patients – twice – and lowered the lights, he finally left to go catch a few hours sleep.

River had not left her perch. She still watched from the window. She had left it for a moment when the Captain had woken; gliding gently into the room, mostly just to let him know she was near. She had seen him check – he noted each of the eight faces – making sure they were there, and whole - but then she had returned to the landing – to watch.

Now that all was quiet, she slid gracefully, silently into the infirmary. She hated this room – too many needles – but the rest of the ship had not enough Mal.

She stopped near the Captain's left shoulder, Zoe sleeping behind her.

He opened his eyes slightly, feeling her presence, "Our girl's okay." He whispered to her.

She tilted her head, her lips slid into a smile, "Jigsaw's finished. Every piece in place."

He nodded, "Tha's good. You okay?"

"We're still flyin'."

He nodded, dozing, "It's enough."

She smiled again, watching him sleep,

and danced out into the dark.

The End.

Thanks ever so much for reading, and please review if you have the time. Even if this was posted years ago, I guarantee I am still checking that e-mail! J