****This is my first fan fic, if it goes anywhere I didn't see it coming. Tell me what you think. I have yet to decide when it takes place though I was saddened by Wash's untimely demise (keep that in mind) If 'they' show up you'll know****

Footsteps. The soft scuffle of bare feet on the cold white tile, drowned out by the overhead lights. A harsh white that flicked occasionally, or was she blinking? She couldn’t tell, didn’t have time to devote her mind to answering the question. It would take minutes to sort out, minutes she didn’t have. Even so her mind had trouble moving around it and when she caught herself waiting for the flicker her eyes would squeeze shut her pace quicken. The compound had no windows, or maybe it did somewhere. The size of the place was vacant in her mind. Black spots of possibility on a small map compiled of the places she’d seen, outlined with that crushing black space. Shaded areas. Questions lurked around corners, possibilities hiding behind doors. She could be anywhere; underground, on a ship, dreaming this entire escape up, it was all too plausible. If it wasn’t happening now had it happened before? The halls held familiar sights, but in what way? Was she buried so deep in a memory that reality ceased to exist? A pipe running along the roof where did it lead? Why did it matter? She felt a sense of pride in the pipe, at its recognition. Reality was such a fleeting concept; once she got a hold of it she had never been fully grasping it in the first place. This, this was real. It had to be real; she needed to be stalking down the hallway, walking on eggshells. It was important to be walking, turning the corners, facing the room. She needed to be facing the door to enter it, to talk to the person on the other side. To inform, or was it warn? Such circumstances were fleeting. The keypad outside the door demanded the password. Numbers reached her fingertips, where had they come from? It had taken her a long while to realize she had them, buried in her brain, enclosed in her fingertips and the keypad beeped merrily with recognition the door sliding open. Light cast into the dwelling. Bombarding the room with an obnoxious strength. Her foot reached forward awkwardly testing the ground in front of her before she entered the room. She was brought across it easily, her instinct (or was it memory) guiding her through the darkness. A small form twisted under the covers provided by the bed. River darted upright stalk and stiff. “I found you.” She whispered to River’s eyes. Before she could continue the keypad beeped once again with recognition. Their eyes met momentarily before she was swallowed by darkness. The door slid open shedding little light on the situation at hand. A doctor entered the room a guard on either side. Their bright white uniforms glowing in the dark room. The wall steadied her back as she slid cautiously toward the intruders. The sound of her breath disturbingly loud, every detail intensified. The good doctor stepped away from the guards and closer toward her River. River moaned slightly pushing up against the wall her bed was rested against in a fruitless attempt of putting space between her and the inclosing pain. Their eyes met across the room, or they would have if not for the darkness little light filtered in from the doorway, less than she had thought. Her feet reached out before her; caressing the tile with her skin, hoping to gain the grounds trust. Her movements were silent and swift. The first guards neck cracked, the most noise caused by his limp limbs as they slouched toward the ground. The second guard turned to look at the empty space once occupied by his partner. Then the darkness took him. By this time the doctor had reached River’s bed. Screaming with a dread short lived as the good doctor slumped to the floor the metal confusion hitting the ground clanking in a way only a needle could. River gazed upon the dark heaps before her then fearfully upon the cause. Clasping River’s arm she dragged her to her feet. Face to face, River was shaken violently by her saviour. Was she her saviour? “River! River lets go. It’s time to go.” “No, I’m not-“ “Common.” and guided River out of the room.

The corners appeared sooner than usual, the doors a blur as they passed them by. Sights melded, the floor spun, their footsteps clapped against the tiles, the only evidence she had that they were still moving. No time to backtrack. “We make it to the oak tree and we’re safe!” River yelled a while back, perhaps a whole wing, or did she say it just now? Did she say it at all? A piercing noise overtook the humming of the lights, the pattering of their feet. At once the guards were deployed, flooding the hallway as if a dam of soldiers had sprung a leak. The first few that spotted them were dead before they could blink. She attacked fervently while River watched a confused expression consuming her face. Her friend fought for their freedom. Bones cracked, muscles bled, skin bruised. A strong something grabbed River from behind causing her to shriek in surprise. “Azura!” Twirling around Azura’s eyes met River’s as five bullets cascaded into her back. Azura exhaled swiftly as breath escaped her lungs, which gasped and sputtered in search of oxygen. Her eyes widened viewing everything and nothing in a single instant before coming to rest on River, whose teary face blurred then disappeared. “No, no,” River gasped violently shaking her head. Watching as Azura’s blood spilled out over the smooth tile, matting her dark hair draining her complexion her life flowing away. “It’s no surprise. Her model was due for a few kinks; there were strange reactions to the tests lately.” They gave a knowing nod. “Yes I noticed that too. What a waste though, River is the only success we have left it would appear.” They turned their fake smiles upon her, their gazes piercing through her. She screamed. ~*~*~*~ It was dark; the slight rumbling of Serenity calmly reminded her where she was, where she no longer was. River rubbed her forehead, beaded with sweat from her wretched sleep. Somewhere in the darkness came a small rustling stopping River in mid breath focusing her ears. She was no longer alone. A scream wound its way up into her throat; a quick scuffle of steps and a hand forced the noise into the confines of River’s mouth. “Found you.”