A small continuance of "Lost But Never Forgotten", as before unedited so excuse any mistakes.

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Several weeks had past since the heart-wrenching scene at the Glenrowan Tavern. The young woman's tears had subsided and now a determined and questioning stare appeared upon her face.

She seeked answers to the questions that consumed her mind. What went wrong at Serenity Valley? Why did so many men and women lose their lives that day? Why? Why? Why?

She was a strong willed woman who vowed to find the answers to these questions. Even if it meant risking her life in the process.

In her attempts, she had stormed the parlimentary gates of the Independants, but they merely turned her away and simply saying the loss was justified. The word justified, encouraged her more to find the answers.

She questioned the survivors of the horrendous battle at the local war hospital, but the mere sight of the wounded soldiers brought tears to her eyes again, as she collapsed upon her knees and sobbed, slowly washing the horrid pictures of the men from her eyes.

A hand fell upon her shoulder and guided her to an empty bed. She could not bare to look upon the eyes of the hands owner, as she dug her chin into her chest, avoiding his caring stare. She felt ashamed that she had stumbled in her quest to find the truth.

The hands owner crouched down to eye level with her and gently lifted her chin to reveal her now reddened eyes.

She looked at his face, it was saddened and tired. It was obvious to her, that the man had seen the effects of the war first hand. His eyes watched her with a sense of heartache, a sense of understanding, as she wiped away the tears from her face.

"You've come searching for answers, haven't you?" the young man asked, as he brushed aside a lock of hair that was stuck to her face by the dried tears.

"Yes," she almost silently whispered, "Yes I have."

"Then answers you'll get, ma'am. My name is Malcolm Reynolds, but please call me Mal. I'll tell you all you need to know," Mal replied.

The pair sat there talking for a good hour or so, as Mal explained to her what had happened. He did not know all the facts about what happened but it was the start that she needed to complete her quest. The quest for answers.