Simon assembled the various pieces of equipment for Daniel’s surgery, pleased to see that River had gotten everything needed and more besides. Setting the additional things aside, he turned to Zoe. “I’ll need you to scrub in, if you would,” he said kindly. “You have the steadiest hands other than my own, and I want Daniel to have the best I can offer.”
Zoe nodded, immediately beginning to get herself ready, as Simon called for Kaylee to bring Daniel to the table. Blessedly, the child was asleep, worn out by the seizures that had plagued him on and off for the entire day. Having already calculated dosages and prepared the injections needed, Simon quickly attached Daniel to the monitors and administered the anesthetic.
Turning to Kaylee, he said gently, “It’s best you wait outside now, ai ren.”
Kaylee nodded, moving to the outside of the infirmary and pressing her nose against the glass.
Simon took a deep breath, and became the surgeon he needed to be instead of the father he was. Shaving the soft down from a small area of Daniel’s head, he looked up at Zoe. “Ready?” he asked.
She simply nodded, picking up a swab to blot the area as Simon made the small incision into Daniel’s scalp. Using the tiny saw River had retrieved from the pediatric unit, Simon cut through bone to expose the area which needed repair. Carefully lifting the small skull fragment out, he put it on the tray Zoe provided, and turned back to his work.
Zoe watched carefully, providing suction to the site as needed, as Simon began the meticulous work of reconstructing the malformation. Standing under the bright light, Zoe began to see spots of black, and she swayed a little. Simon looked up quickly, just in time to see her slump to the ground in a boneless heap. “Get Jayne and Inara,” he yelled at Kaylee, unable to take his hands away from the site of Daniel’s problem. “We need help, now.”
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A commotion in the hallway startled River into full wakefulness. “Sorry, ma’am,” a security guard said, as he burst into the room. “There’s been a theft in the pediatric unit and we just need to make sure everyone’s safe.”
River nodded, trying to look appropriately frightened. “We’re fine,” she answered. “No one has been in here.”
The guard checked the room thoroughly. “Don’t mean to imply you ain’t tellin’ the truth, ma’am,” he apologized. “But if’n there was a criminal in here, he or she might be makin’ you say that.”
River smiled encouragingly. “It’s all right,” she said. “I understand you’re just doing your job.”
The guard smiled gratefully, quite unaccustomed to such excitement on his shift. Ducking his head, he said, “I thank you kindly, ma’am, and I hope your little one there will be just fine.” So saying, he left the room and headed down the corridor in search of the perpetrator.
Adam stirred restlessly. “Everything shiny, Mama?” he asked, his words slurred with sleep.
River kissed his forehead. “Everything’s shiny, baby of mine,” she said softly.
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Inara took in the scene in the infirmary, and her mouth went dry at the sight. “What do you need me to do?” she asked immediately.
“Scrub in,” Simon said, not able to even look up at her. “Zoe passed out, and I need a surgical nurse.”
Inara nodded, running to the sink to prepare herself. She had done this on rare occasions before, but never with one of Serenity’s children. Offering a prayer to Buddha that she would be able to help, she moved quickly to the table and took up the suctioning equipment.
Jayne lifted Zoe onto the other table, and looked at her carefully. “Any idea as to why she passed out?” he asked worriedly.
“None,” Simon said shortly. “But she’ll have to wait. I can only look at one patient at a time.”
“Course,” Jayne said gruffly. “Anything I can do to help?”
Simon’s tone softened. “You’ve been very helpful in getting her up on the table for me. I’ll see to her as soon as can.” He paused, feeling something else was needed. “I’d appreciate it if you’d wait with Kaylee. She’s pretty shaken up.”
Jayne nodded, grateful for something to do, and stepped outside to stand beside Kaylee. Pulling her into an embrace, he held her as the minutes continued to tick by. Minutes turned to hours, and he maneuvered Kaylee to a chair when he felt her legs begin to tremble.
“Seems like it’s takin’ a long time,” Kaylee said shakily.
“Reckon that’s to be expected,” Jayne said. “Doc’s doin’ some delicate work.”
Kaylee nodded, and laid her head on Jayne’s massive shoulder. “Don’t know what I’ll do if it don’t work out,” she admitted softly.
Jayne’s arm tightened around her. “It’ll work out. Little squirt’s a fighter, and the doc’s a regular wonder at fixin’ us up. Don’t worry none. That child will be just fine.”
Kaylee smiled weakly, and twisted her wedding ring around her finger nervously. “I know you’re right,” she said. “Thanks for sayin’.”
“Ain’t said nothin’ but the truth,” Jayne said roughly, uncomfortable with the tender moment.
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As daylight came to Osiris, Simon and Inara stepped out of the infirmary, stretching backs that had been bent over their work for the entire night. Kaylee rose to hear the news, and Simon smiled tiredly. “Daniel’s fine,” he said. “The surgery went very well, and I expect he’ll make a full recovery. We’ll just have to monitor him for a few days, but everything looks good.”
Kaylee burst into tears of relief as Jayne asked, “What about Zoe?”
“She was bleeding internally,” Simon said. “Not much, but she must have been bleeding since the crash. The meds I gave her to boost blood production masked the symptoms, but I found the bleeder, and repaired it. She should be fine now.” Smiling at Inara, he added, “Thank you for all your help. I literally couldn’t have done it without you.”
Inara smiled, relieved beyond measure that the ordeal was over. “I was glad to help,” she said softly. “But I think, if you don’t mind, I’ll stick to my chosen profession from now on.”
Looking down at his bloody apron, Simon said, “I can’t say that I blame you.”
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Mal lay on his stomach on the cold slab in the operating room. It felt strange that his upper half should be so cold, and his lower half should feel nothing at all, and he pushed away the treacherous thought that if the surgery was unsuccessful, this would be the way of his life forever. “You sure Adam’s all right?” he asked the nurse for the third time.
She smiled encouragingly, used in her profession to comforting nervous people. “Your son is fine, Mr. Bowden,” she said. “He came through with flying colors this morning, and he’s resting in Recovery as we speak. As soon as he’s a little more alert, we’ll move him back into his regular room, and his mother can be with him.”
Mal nodded, reassured for the moment. He heard rather than saw Dr. Chin come into the room. “Mr. Bowden,” the doctor said pleasantly. “We’ve retrieved the stem cells from your son, and they look very good. The genetic manipulation has been completed, and we should be ready to begin in just a few minutes. Are there any questions or concerns before we start?”
Mal swallowed nervously. “Don’t think so,” he replied. “You were pretty clear on everything last night.”
“Good,” Dr. Chin said. “In that case, I’d like you to relax. We’re just going to give you something to help you sleep, and when you wake up, it should all be over.”
Mal nodded, trying not to flinch as the nurse inserted the IV into his arm. Memories of other needles and the torture associated with them flashed in his mind, and he suppressed them ruthlessly. No need to dredge up that sort of go se. What was right here was enough of a grim thought for one day, he thought, as the nurse injected the sedative into the IV. In scant minutes, he began to feel a certain lassitude overtake him, and he closed his eyes and fell into a deep sleep.
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River walked down to the surgical waiting area to check on Mal. Adam had not been returned to his room yet, and she had become restless with the thought of her husband’s surgery taking place without her. Jim looked up from the magazine he was reading, and gave her a tired smile.
“Any news?” she asked, slipping into the chair beside him.
“Not really,” he replied. “One of the technicians came out about a half hour ago to say that things are progressing well. But Chin said the surgery would last for at least three hours, and it’s only been two so far.” He paused for a moment, then added, “How’s the little guy?”
“Still in Recovery,” River answered. “He should be out in a few minutes. I just wanted to come and check on Mal while I still could.”
Jim took her hand and patted it softly. “He’ll be fine, River. And if there’s even a hint of a problem, I’ll come and get you. I know it must be hard on you to be torn between the two of them.”
River nodded, comforted more by the feelings emanating from the man than his actual words. “I’m glad you’re on our crew,” she said softly.
Jim sighed. “Me too,” he said. “Hope after all this is over, I’ll be allowed to stay.”
River did not bother to even pretend she didn’t know what he was referring to. “He’ll let you stay. Wouldn’t take you away from Anya. Wants what’s best for her, regardless of his feelings.”
Jim looked at her bleakly. “And his feelings---are they horrible now? Does he hate me?”
“No, not hate,” River answered solemnly. “Badly hurt, confused. Hard to picture how the man that did those things turned into the man he knows.” She smiled thinly. “But he’ll figure it out, and you’ll be there to help him, just like you are now.”
“And you,” Jim asked softly. “How do you feel about me now that you know?”
“Always knew,” River said simply. “And I understand becoming something other than yourself and the pain it brings, better than you might imagine. The ‘verse is a cruel mistress, and we are often her poor slaves.”
Jim’s smile did not quite reach his eyes. “That was downright poetical, River.”
River smiled, rising to go. “There’s a certain kind of poetry to everything, don’t you think?” she asked softly, leaving him to watch her graceful exit.
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By the time River returned to Adam’s room, Regan Tam was already there, perching anxiously on a chair in the corner behind the door.
“Good morning, Mother,” River said, sitting down in the chair closer to Adam’s bed.
Regan’s mouth was dry, and she cleared her throat to speak. “Good morning, River,” she said. “Your son…is he well this morning?”
“His name is Adam, and he’s in Recovery right now. Should be back before too long.”
“What’s…what’s wrong with him?” Regan asked hesitantly.
“Nothing,” River said. “He is here as a donor for his father. There was an accident, a horrible accident, and my husband was injured badly. He’s paralyzed, and the most optimistic chance he has of regaining the use of his legs is the cells that Adam was willing to provide.”
“How old is Adam?” Regan asked, trying to picture a child of River’s.
“Two years old,” River said.
“Two years,” Regan repeated, imagining having a grandchild for two years and not even knowing it. She fiddled with her rings nervously. “And the father…your husband, who is he?”
“His name is Malcolm Reynolds, and he’s the man that took us in when Simon got me out of the Academy.”
“Malcolm Reynolds?” Regan asked, her mind racing as she remembered the name from the news. “The terrorist who escaped from the Salisbury prison? The man who broadcast the Miranda Wave?”
“Yes,” River replied simply. “The very same.” At Regan’s shocked expression, she continued, “Don’t look so shocked. You must know, Mother, that there is much more to the story than the Cortex reveals.”
“There always is,” Regan said dryly, trying to maintain a little composure. “I’m eager to hear the rest of the story.”
River sighed. “I wish I could say I am eager to tell it.” So saying, she began at the beginning and told her mother the harrowing story of her Academy days and her time spent on Serenity.
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To be continued
