Kaylee regarded River a moment. ”You got a way a’… know’n things. You really think she’s alive?” She asked hopefully.

”Who can say?” River looked off in the distance somewhere.

”Was afraid you’d say that.” Kaylee spoke, rolling the words from her lips in that way that she could.

River looked back at Kaylee and brought a hand to brush through her bangs. ”She’s tied to the world by strings we’ve woven. They aren’t as easy to break as others.” She said.

The look in her eyes Kaylee saw seemed somehow ageless and wise in a way it was hard to define, but somehow Kaylee found herself believing in those eyes again. ”You work miracles.” Kaylee whispered, in almost reverent fashion.

A bright sort of teasing and playful smile came to River’s face at that. ”Now, see? You weren’t supposed to figure that out yet.” River laughed and kissed her on the forehead before getting up to continue her cleaning efforts.

Kaylee just looked after her, not realizing the sigh she’d sighed until she sighed it.

Rest was a good thing, and so she closed her eyes and listened to River hum some song. [Pretty.]

———-

In her mind, she dreamed of falling, of flying, and of her family left behind on Isis Colony. Her sister was telling her something about how to fix a plow, which seemed passing odd to her sense she knew for certain it had gone the other way ’round. She blinked her eyes open though, her mind losing the dream and telling her she was being poked at. ”Mm?”

”Stay still.” River told her distractedly.

Kaylee looked down her body to see her current ’roommate’ checking over her injured ribs with a look of determined concentration on her face. [Cute expression.] Kaylee smiled inwardly. ”River?” She asked. ”Am I alright, you think?” She asked, laying her head back as straining her neck did not feel like a thing to continue doing right at that moment.

”Checking it.” River replied, looking up to meet her eyes. ”You have soft skin.”

Kaylee laughed, though it caused her ribs to ache a little. ”Well, I am a girl after all. We’re all supposed to. Probably all the engine grease.” She mused.

River smiled. ”I made food.” She offered. ”Are you hungry?”