The usual disclaimer: They're not mine (though I wish Jayne was), and I'm making no $$$ off of this.

Credit for the plot bunny goes to my husband Andy. Thanks, Baby!

Feedback is greatly appreciated! Leave me lots, good or bad. Your encouragement/criticism is what keeps me going. :)

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Another job had gone south, and Mal had yelled over the comm. for River to have the ship ready to go as soon as they returned. Simon manned the control panel for the cargo hold doors waiting for River's signal to open her up, and Kaylee was tweaking Serenity's engine to make sure the ship wouldn't balk on takeoff.

He was surprised then, when his sister came clattering down the stairs. "River! You're supposed to be on the bridge!"

She shot him a wild look then yelled, "Too many of them...they're going to need help. Now open the doors, and get out of the way!" He hit the button, then she pushed him towards the stairs, "Get up there!" Simon hastily climbed up the stairs, and into Kaylee who'd heard the shouting. They stood by, and watched events unfold.

As the doors opened, Mal, Jayne, and Zoe sped in on the mule, with the men after them too close on their tails to shake. The men hopped off of their motorbikes and streamed after the crew into the cargo bay with guns blazing. While Mal and Jayne returned fire, Zoe dragged the goods off the back of the mule. It was fragile cargo, and with all the bullets flying around, they couldn't afford for it to be damaged.

That's when River got into the action. She leapt off the staircase rail and pummeled the nearest gunman, then with a flurry of kicks, ducks, and dives, took out two more. Just as the crew was getting the upper hand, River got caught in the crossfire and a bullet found its way to her, piercing her through the throat. It struck her carotid artery, and a torrent of blood began spray out, and down the front of her dress.

"River!" Simon yelled, then realized too late that he'd made a grave mistake. The gunmen, who hadn't paid any mind to the figures on the catwalk above, now turned their gazes upwards toward Simon and Kaylee. The two were unarmed, but they had no way of knowing that. Using the temporary diversion, Mal and Jayne managed to shoot the last three of their assailants, but not before one of them got off a clean shot in Kaylee's direction.

Simon reacted, but not quickly enough. He tried to push Kaylee out of the way but the bullet struck, shattering through his right hand and into her chest.

Zoe had run to River's side, and was putting pressure on the girl's neck to staunch the bleeding.

Mal spun around, "Doc! Where are you? River's bleedin' out!" When he looked up at Simon, however, he noticed the young doctor seemed to be in a state of shock, "Doc! You hearin' me? Get your ass down here!"

Simon headed down the stairs as quickly as he could manage. "Kaylee's been shot too," he whispered.

Mal noticed the doctor's ruined hand, "Ta ma de." Jayne bolted for the stairs, and he carried a gasping Kaylee down to the cargo bay floor.

"Doc...DOC!" Mal yelled, to get the stunned young man's attention, "What do we do?" When Simon only stammered, Mal smacked him across the face, "Doc, I need you to focus, can you fix 'em?"

By that time River had turned ashen, and began to choke on her own blood. Simon went to her, "Mei mei..."

River looked up at him with frightened eyes, "Simon?"

He'd never felt so helpless. His years of training told him that River was beyond help, and that Kaylee had suffered a punctured lung at the very least. River grabbed for him, "It's OK, Simon. Go to her, I'll be fine. I'll always be..."

Her head lolled to the side, and Zoe looked at him steadily. "Doc, Kaylee needs you now."

He tore himself away from his sister, and somehow managed to gain some composure, "Take Kaylee to the infirmary."

Jayne carried her into the infirmary as instructed, and placed her carefully on the table. Simon entered, and Kaylee looked up at him frantically, "Simon...can't...breathe." He put the pulse oximeter on her finger, then tried to get a chest tube in her but his left hand was clumsy, and it slipped. Kaylee cried out in pain, which only added to the his feelings of futility.

Mal grabbed it away, "Try and walk me through it, Doc."

Simon tried to ignore the throbbing pain in his hand, but it was so difficult. Kaylee coughed, and a stream of blood leaked from her lips. "Oh God," he thought, "she's bleeding internally." He shook himself, and managed to talk the captain through the procedure.

Mal got the chest tube in but was startled when a great gout of blood came out of the tube and onto his pants. He glanced worriedly at Simon, "Doc, this ain't workin'."

"I need...a scan...to see what's wrong."

"We ain't got time for that, Doc! You gotta do something!" Mal yelled, a tinge of hysteria coloring his voice. Simon knew the only way to help Kaylee immediately would be to crack her chest but they hadn't the tools. He tried to pick up a scalpel, but the broken bones and frayed tendons in his hand wouldn't let him hold onto it.

Kaylee was fading, and fast. The bullet had struck her heart, and it was pumping her life's blood into her chest cavity, and out of the tube. Meanwhile, Simon knew he was going into shock, and his mind wouldn't let him process what needed to be done.

As Kaylee's pulse got consistently weaker, she went into a seizure. Jayne and Mal did the best they could to hold her still. And then...flat line.

Simon awoke then, his eyes wide. It was his worst nightmare, to have the two most precious things in his life taken away from him while he stood by helplessly. He instinctively rubbed his right hand noting that it was, in fact, whole and unharmed.

He slipped out of bed, and crossed the hall to his sister's room. He slid the door open and found her sleeping quietly. The smoother he'd given her earlier had kept his fright from her, and for that he was thankful.

He then went in search of Kaylee, and found her tucked in her hammock in the engine room, with a trashy romance novel open on her chest. He smiled down at her, and if sensing his presence she opened her eyes. She returned the smile, "Hey, Simon."

Simon knelt down beside her, "What are you doing up here, bao bei? It's late, you should come to bed."

Kaylee knit her brows, sensing that something was wrong, "You OK, Simon? You seem a little spooked."

He took her hand in his and gave it a squeeze. "I'm fine now. Everything is just fine."

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