It wasn't supposed to be like this. Kaylee... Simon. They weren't supposed to go. Was supposd to be her what got taken. The plan was in ruins. Niska had taken him, and now- No. No, Kaylee, don't, don't you DARE- No. Too late. He's broken. Can't be fixed. Brother by blood, sister by love. Family by battle. All sins forgiven. All love is lost. Everyone dies alone. But Simon is not alone. Gonna save him. They are all lost without them. One to heal the ship, one to heal themselves, both to save eachother. Gonna save them. Can't fail. *** "Pull the trigger." Niska was breathing down her neck, baiting her and prodding her down along this road that she had never intended to go along at all. Just a picnic... just fun. Sweet, innocent fun 'twixt two who have been together for only a month now. It wasn't supposed to be like this. Her hand was on the trigger. Sealing his doom and death and dark- No. No, Kaylee, don't you DARE- No. Too late. No, never too late. Slowly, her finger eases off the trigger. The gun falls to her side. "No. I can't... can't do it. You can't make me." Niska smiles his evil smile at her, the one that makes her skin crawl in revulsion. "Is that so, my pretty flower? Is that so?" He advances on her, ready to take away the gun. Can't take her from me. Baobei, my Kaylee... you can't- "NOOOOOOOOOO-" Boom. "Simon!" *** Just then, Mal, Jayne, Zoe, Inara and River all burst into the small room that had held Mal and Wash... so long ago. They shoot at the guards surrounding Simon and Kaylee. When the smoke settles, all of the guards are dead. They were too surprised to put up a fight. Niska is dead. A life for a life. The color drains from Mal's face. "Is that-" Simon cradles Kaylee's head in his lap, blood straeming out of the wound on her chest. One bullet... She sputters, and coughs up a little more blood. She's dying. Dying in his arms. She weakly reaches up her hand and strokes his face, now haggard from the tortures he's been through. She whispers, "Simon... Simon, don't let me go. Please, Si-" She coughs again, and more blood spills out. "... jus'... don't... lemme...go..." Tears are rushing down Simon's face. He leans over and kisses her brow. "Never, Kaylee. Never again."