Disclaimers: Everything belongs to Joss, except for one character of my creation ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- As Jayne carried Alex down the stairs and through the common area, River rose from the corner where she had been huddled. She followed Jayne into the infirmary, her eyes fixed anxiously on Alex’s limp form. “Did you get them?” she asked. Jayne looked at her scornfully. Simon cut in. “He only brought one, River. Just Alex, the nurse. Remember Alex?” River didn’t respond, just continued to stare. “We can’t help everybody,” Simon said gently. “Other people are taking care of the rest.” He gave River’s shoulders an encouraging squeeze then turned his attention to Alex. The other crewmembers began to pile in behind Jayne as he laid Alex on the exam table. Simon assessed Alex quickly and then began barking out orders to the others. “I need an IV setup and lactated ringers,” he commanded Kaylee. She looked at him blankly, and he pointed to where the supplies were kept. “Jayne, get her coat and gloves off. I need a thermometer, blankets, and my stethoscope. Someone get my med kit outta my room.” He was moving quickly about as he spoke. “I could really use a nurse right now...” he mumbled. Inara and Book ran out to grab the bag and blankets. Simon began assembling syringes and collection vials. He quickly wrapped a tourniquet around Alex’s arm and felt for a vein, then drew a blood sample. “She needs a transfusion,” Simon said to the group as a whole. “Anyone a universal donor? I don’t have time to type her.” Zoë stepped up. “I am.” “Will you?” Simon asked her, and she quickly nodded and rolled up a sleeve. Simon began assembling the transfusion supplies. River frowned again and looked from Alex to Zoë, and then at Simon, the worried look back. “Does she have enough for both of them?” she asked. “It’s fine, River,” Simon said reassuringly. “She'll have plenty. People give blood all the time.” Book came back with blankets and a chair for Zoë, and Inara returned with Simon’s bag. Simon handed the blood samples he had drawn to Jayne. “What’m I s’posed to do with these?” Jayne asked, eyeing the samples squeamishly. “Spin ‘em down for me so I can get them running,” Simon answered. He pointed to the centrifuge on the counter. Jayne looked at him uncomprehendingly. Book quickly grabbed the blood from him and put it in the machine. Simon sighed gratefully. The others watched Simon work, marveling as they had so often at how skilled he was. With seemingly no effort at all he found a vein in Alex’s freezing cold arm and placed the IV catheter. Then he set up the transfusion and got that underway. Finally he took a pair of scissors and began cutting Alex’s frozen, bloody clothing off her. “Maybe some of you should—“he began, then stopped in mid-sentence, staring. His brow furrowed. “What the...?” His voice trailed off. The others, who had begun to disperse, crowded back in. River craned her neck to see. Kaylee looked down at Alex, then up at Simon. “Is that...what I think?” she asked uncertainly. She looked to Inara, who was obviously puzzled. “Uh oh...” said Zoë. “Oh my!” said Book. Jayne looked around blankly at the rest. “What?” River pushed her way to the front until she was looking directly down at Alex. The corners of her mouth were slowly turning up. She looked up at Simon and, for the first time in several days, her features opened out into a wide smile. “Told you!” she said. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Go to Chapter 14.

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