In Chapter 1 and Chapter 2 a freak accident has given River her sanity back. So if you haven't read the beginning: get cracking!

In Chapter 3 River reintroduces herself to the crew happily, with the exception of one...

In Chapter 4 things take a downward turn, but there's a story about pubes, so it's cool...River is explaining to Mal and Simon her current predicament...

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ACT FOUR

INT. SERENITY INFIRMARY - CONTINUOUS

Mal, Simon, and River are just as we left them.

MAL "When you say changing back...?"

RIVER "I mean all the way back. What you saw yesterday, you’ll see tomorrow."

SIMON "There has to be something we can do."

RIVER "I doubt I’ll be able to think of it any time soon."

SIMON (re: needle) "Let me give you this for the pain and we can start."

RIVER "No, you can’t." (off his look) "Do you know nothing of my condition?" (another look) "They did all their work on me when I was sleeping."

MAL "So..."

RIVER "So if you put me to sleep, or give me any kind of drugs it’s just going to accelerate the process."

SIMON "I can’t have you running around in pain."

RIVER "I’m listening if you have a better idea."

SIMON "Well, we have to do something."

RIVER "You can start by putting that damn thing away, letting me up, and showing me what you have so far."

The men exchange a nod and release River. Simon hands her a chart as she stands. Before she looks at it, she looks to the door.

RIVER "Oh, crap."

MAL SIMON "What?" "What?"

RIVER (to Mal) "You’re needed outside."

Mal gives River a puzzled look as he exits.

SIMON "What was that about?"

RIVER "Something we don’t have time for."

Simon steps to the door and looks outside.

CUT TO:

INT. SERENITY HALLWAY - CONTINUOUS

We hear Mal whispering something to the crew. They react as one. Zoe and Jayne go more stoic as usual, while Inara covers her mouth and Kaylee shakes her head in tears.

Simon sighs and re-enters the infirmary.

CUT BACK TO:

INT. SERENITY INFIRMARY - CONTINUOUS

Simon turns to see River reading her charts at an incredibly fast rate.

SIMON "They really care about you."

RIVER (flatly) "Good to know."

SIMON "You should...you know...with them."

RIVER "Well, since I only have a limited amount of waking time left, I think I’ll spend it here."

SIMON "River, I can do all this."

RIVER "No offense, but not as well as me." (off his gloom) "If it were you and your mind was going, what would you do?"

SIMON (thinks a beat, then) "Let’s have a look at the brain scan I took of you."

They turn to a computer screen as we

FADE CUT TO:

INT. INFIRMARY - SOME TIME LATER

Simon and River stare at the computer screen and argue.

SIMON "Why not? It’s a simple procedure."

RIVER "Because my condition is adaptive. The solution wouldn’t be that easy."

SIMON "It’s still a better idea than 'let’s have Mal shoot me again...'”

FADE CUT TO:

INT. INFIRMARY - LATER

Simon and River sit, sip coffee, and argue some more.

RIVER "Let’s just pretend that keeping me awake indefinitely won’t kill me, which it will. How would we do it?"

SIMON "We would just need some stimulants and a few inhibitors."

RIVER "And what would we buy them with? Board game money?"

FADE CUT TO:

INT. INFIRMARY - LATER

River’s brain scan has been enlarged. Simon points to an area.

SIMON "If we could just re-grow this part."

RIVER "It would be easier to get a hand to re-grow a finger."

SIMON "I was thinking more of a transplant."

RIVER "A brain transplant? That would make things worse not better."

SIMON "You don’t know that."

FADE CUT TO:

INT. INFIRMARY - LATER

Simon has clearly had it with River. She looks worse than ever and will continue to until the end. He is shoving her out the door as he speaks.

SIMON "Look, other than telling me what not to do, we haven’t accomplished anything. Just take a break or something. You can come back later if you want."

RIVER "Simon, I’m sorry I’m so..."

SIMON "Me too." (sighs) "I’ll be here when you get back. I’m not going anywhere."

She nods and exits. CUT TO:

INT. SERENITY ENGINE ROOM - LATER

River enters to find Kaylee doing maintenance. She sees River enter and immediately stands.

KAYLEE "River..."

RIVER "You’re calibrating the pistons? You just did that."

KAYLEE "I know. It's just that, I can fix this damn ship, but I can’t..."

RIVER "You could answer a question. You and Simon?"

KAYLEE "Is that a problem?"

RIVER "Can I be honest with you?" (Kaylee nods) "You’re not the sort of woman Simon wants."

KAYLEE "Oh...I didn’t realize--"

RIVER "But you’re the sort of woman he needs."

KAYLEE "Does he know that?"

RIVER "He’s a guy. He doesn’t know anything beyond the here and now. The question is: do you want him?"

KAYLEE "River, I can’t tell you that."

RIVER "Oh please, don’t. I have more than enough 'information' on the two of you. I just thought you should know how he--how we--feel about you."

KAYLEE "I know, honey. Everything you want to tell me I already know."

River is moved by this. She walks to the engine and puts a hand on it.

RIVER "There’s a parts depot close to Whitefalls. They sell this filter that would fit this engine and it would really cut fuel consumption. It’s a little more expensive--"

KAYLEE "We don’t have to talk about--"

RIVER (continues) "But it’ll pay for itself in a few weeks. You also shouldn’t jump to full burn so fast. If you did it in half the time it would save wear and..."

KAYLEE "There are better things to talk about than this ship."

RIVER "I’ve just held that in for so long. And it’s been horrible feeling like some kind of burden to everyone."

KAYLEE (puts her arms around River) "Oh, we all suck in one way or another. At least you couldn’t help it."

CUT TO:

INT. SERENITY BRIDGE - LATER

Mal and Zoe sit at the controls.

ZOE "We’re arguing in circles. If we both shot her in the arm, she might have still been able to kill Kaylee."

MAL "But I didn’t. I went for the kill and you had the naiveté to go for the wound."

ZOE "Oh no, I knew what I was doing." (looks at the door and back) "I’m just saying it’s not your fault." (stands to leave) "And I’m not the only one."

Zoe exits leaving Mal at the wheel.

MAL "You agree with that?"

We see River at the door.

RIVER "If Zoe said it, yes." (looks at control board) "That our course?"

MAL (curiously) "Yeah?"

RIVER (types something into computer) "If you take this one it’ll save forty-five minutes."

MAL (looks at new course) "Thanks."

RIVER "Your course planning drives me crazy."

MAL "You? Crazy?" (she nods) "Well, Wash, was better at--"

RIVER "No, he was just as bad."

MAL "Well, I know a thing or two about bad."

RIVER "I’ve had worse done to me by worse people."

MAL "Just because I do things...that I have to, doesn’t mean I enjoy them. River, if there was another way I never would have--"

RIVER "Mal, don’t apologize for giving me the best day of my adult life." (off his look) "If I die today at least I would have been able to tell you all how I feel and...know that those people can never touch me again."

MAL "I just wish things had turned out differently."

RIVER "Me too." (stands to leave) "Is that the time?" (he nods) "I should get back to Simon before..."

MAL (as she leaves) "Hey, you always have a place on my ship. Especially knowing what I know now."

River looks horrible but manages to whisper--

RIVER "Thank you."

CUT TO:

INT. SERENITY CARGO BAY - SECONDS LATER

Jayne is working in the cargo bay, while Inara and Zoe are having a conversation above.

ZOE "She’s making amends. That’s not a good sign."

INARA "Did she say anything about me?"

ZOE "No. Why?"

River enters below.

INARA (on seeing River) "Excuse me." (heads for shuttle)

Below Jayne approaches River.

JAYNE "Hey, you’ve been running all over this boat and I just want to know how long a guy has to wait for an apology?"

River looks like she is about to retort when she keels over. Zoe rushes over as Inara stops in her tracks, sees River fall, and hurries away.

ZOE "River?"

River has broken into a cold sweat and begins trembling all over.

JAYNE "I didn’t do it."

ZOE "Stay with her while I go get Simon."

Zoe exits leaving a confused Jayne with River. He cautiously kneels next to her.

JAYNE "Your brother will be here any second."

River pulls herself together for a second and looks at him. She mouths the words “I’m sorry.”

A beat and she puts her hand on his knee. He stares at it for a second before he puts his over hers.

This is how we find them when Simon and Zoe return. The commotion has also drawn Mal and Kaylee out.

Simon rushes over with a med kit to find River far gone. Her eyes have rolled back and she has broken into convulsions.

SIMON "River? River!"

The crew surrounds River as her condition worsens while Simon helplessly looks on. He takes a syringe out of his med kit and puts it to her arm.

SIMON "I never even got to say--"

INARA (O.S.) "Wait!"

The crew turns to see Inara running with what looks like an eye dropper. She rushes over and holds it out to Simon.

INARA "Put a few drops under her tongue." (off Simon’s confusion) "It’ll dull her pain and stimulate her at the same time."

SIMON "Could it make her worse?"

INARA (re: River’s convulsions) "Worse than that?"

Simon takes the dropper and gives it to River. Within seconds her convulsions stop and a little color comes back to her face.

RIVER (softly) "stay...stay..."

SIMON "I’m not going anywhere."

River is able to pull herself together, sit up, shove her brother away, and back into a corner.

RIVER (upset) "Stay back. Don’t you learn?"

SIMON "What are you talking--"

RIVER (upset and angry) "I’m scared. I’m in pain. And I’m not in control. This is a very bad time to be in my personal space. All of you."

SIMON "River, we just want to help."

RIVER "You need to listen! You have no idea what I am."

MAL "What are you?"

RIVER "I’m what they made me. What I let them make me."

KAYLEE "You didn’t have a choice in that."

RIVER "I chose to go there. And at first I loved it. It was the school of my dreams where I could learn everything and study anything I wanted to. And that’s just what I did. And one day I was experimenting with frequencies. There are millions and millions of them, so imagine my surprise when I half figured out/half stumbled onto the frequency for the human nervous system."

JAYNE "Why is that important?"

SIMON "Everything vibrates on a frequency and when you find it and match it you can...what’s a good word for shatter?"

RIVER "Then the blue boys went and made a weapon out of it. They were so happy with it they pulled me aside to demonstrate how well it worked on a live victim..." River puts her head in her hands and sobs a few times.

ZOE "You can’t possibly think that was your fault."

RIVER "No, it wasn’t. I may have found the frequency, but I never intended it to go that direction. Maybe that’s not enough, but that’s how I deal with it...And if that was all, I think I could be okay with it."

SIMON "Something else happened?"

RIVER "It was Biology and they said I could dissect anything I wanted. So I said I wanted to dissect everything. Even after what happened before. And they gave me everything: from invertebrates to cows, one time I got a small whale, but my favorite by far was cadavers. I was overjoyed every time I got one. So much so that I never realized the tattoos that they had...or the brown coats they had come out of." We see a reaction from Zoe and Mal. River begins to laugh out of sheer desperation to finish her story.

RIVER "By the time I realized they weren’t dead when I cut into them it was way too late."

INARA "Those monsters..."

RIVER "And the best part is: I was so into what I was doing I didn’t care. It didn’t stop me in the least."

SIMON "You can’t possibly believe it was you that was doing those things."

RIVER "I know they changed me, but not everything. Some of it--no matter how big or small--some of it was me."

SIMON "I know you, River. I know you would never do something like that."

RIVER "You knew me. You don’t know me now. Earlier today, when I snapped, I was going to kill you. All. And then I was going to jump behind the wheel of this ship and look for more people to kill. You have to promise me you won’t let that happen."

Mal walks over to River. She shrinks away, but maintains herself as he puts his hand on her shoulder. He leans in so only she can hear.

MAL "Everyone on this boat is safe. You and them. Do you believe me?" (off her nod) "How much time do you have?" (she shakes her head) "They want to say goodbye. That okay?"

She nods. Mal takes her hand and leads her to the others. She’s wobbly and can barely keep her eyes open, but manages. Kaylee is the first to step in and throw her arms around River.

KAYLEE "What can we do to help you?"

RIVER "I feel like...like I’m not a burden whenever I’m around you, like I’m not even sick. I feel so normal. Don’t ever change that."

Kaylee nods and gives off a few sobs as she pulls away. River moves to Zoe.

RIVER "If you and Wash had a child...it would have been...so lucky..."

We see a rare flash of emotion from Zoe as she strokes River’s hair in a “thank you.” She turns to Mal.

RIVER "Being 'bad' is just a name. I may not have one, but you, Mal, you always have a choice."

He folds his arms, nods, and is about to speak when--

JAYNE "What about me?"

RIVER (turns to him) "Stay out of my personal space. Really."

Overwhelmed by a dizzy spell, River falls to her knees. Simon rushes over to her, but she puts up a hand.

INARA "We should leave you two alone." (turns)

RIVER "No! Wait."

Inara turns back with an 'oh shit, where's she gonna tear me a new one?' look.

RIVER "When I first came here, I was naked and Mal had let me out of some strange smuggling container. The first thing I saw was a bunch of people staring at me. I thought I was being sold at some kind of sick auction. And then you came over and gave me your robe. And I knew I was wrong. That one little act made me feel so much better." (locks eyes with Inara) "Thank you."

Inara bends over and kisses the top of River’s head. As she does--

RIVER (whispers) "There’s only one person on this ship who would know how to brew that stimulant."

With a smile, Inara gives a slight bow as she straightens up.

Even though she is on her knees, River begins to sway.

RIVER "Simon..."

He moves in with tears in his eyes as he takes her hands.

RIVER "I never got a chance to write to Mom and Dad."

SIMON (angry) "They left you there to--how could you want anything to do with them?"

RIVER "I know. But, Simon, I may never get a chance to speak to them again. Ever. Just write to them...tell them we’re fine."

SIMON "You mean lie?"

RIVER "Exactly." (sobbing) "Simon, there’s so much I didn’t get to do...so much I never said..."

SIMON "I know. You will. You’ll get to. River, look at me." (she does) "I’m never going to stop trying."

She nods as she puts her head on his shoulder.

RIVER "You can do it, Simon. I know you can."

Simon strokes her hair as she drifts off.

SIMON "And then we can do all the things you want to do. And I’ll make fun of you so much for all the things you did before." (soft laugh from River) "And we can even see Mom and Dad if you want."

He continues to make promises to River as we softly...

FADE OUT.

FADE IN.

INT. SERENITY CARGO BAY - NEXT DAY

It’s business as usual as the crew prepares for the day. In a corner Zoe is speaking to Kaylee.

ZOE "Make sure everything is here."

KAYLEE "It is. Jeez, would you just relax?"

ZOE "Well, I’ve never been on a picnic before and I don’t want it to be as lame as it sounds."

INARA (passing by) "You’ll love it."

MAL (also passing by) "I can’t imagine you and your clients do much picnicking."

INARA (points off screen) "She’s got more imagination in her little finger."

As the crew continues their preparations we follow to where Inara was pointing.

On her knees and in one of her flowery dresses, we see River working away on something. Moving in closer, we can see that she is drawing a picture with Jayne’s face paints. It’s a colorful landscape full of trees and flowers. She’s not smiling, but River seems happy nonetheless.

Pull out to see Simon in conversation. He seems angry and frustrated. Pull out some more to see him putting a considerable stack of coins into Jayne’s open and waiting hand.

END OF ACT FOUR

THE END

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And I will now take my humble bow. Hope you guys had as much fun reading as I did writing. If you liked (or even if you didn't) leave me some love/hate below. Any suggestions for a sequel/future endeavor would also be welcome.