Kaylee considered this. ”Yeah.” She agreed.

”Be right back.” River got to her feet and moved silently to the other side of the shuttle.

Kaylee watched her as she fussed over her cookings. Sun was shining in through the windows and it made Inara’s shuttle look like a magical place, laced with gold. River looked like a character out of a novel like she was, the light making her glow in a way that was nice to look at. Why did she feel kind of hazy about things though? And shouldn’t it be hurting more? [Pain killers.] She reasoned. [Must be.]

River was soon back at her side, offering her a plate of meat flavored tofu from a can, biscuits, a packet of orange juice, and what looked like fresh berries. ”Here.” River set the plate down and made to help her sit up at an angle a little (the better to eat from of course).

”You gave me a shot of somethin’, didn’t you?” Kaylee questioned.

”For the pain.” River said absently. ”Made you sleepy.” She further explained.

”You could have told me, you know?” Kaylee was slightly put out by this. When had she done it anyway? She tried to remember but couldn’t catch a memory of it.

”Why?” River asked, silent for a moment. ”…What you don’t see, can’t bother you.” Her voice was more softly introspective in saying this.

Kaylee pondered that, then shook her head. ”You’re right. I should be saying thank yous, I should. You… you’re really lookin’ after me, aren’t you? It means a lot.” She took hold of River’s hand lightly.

River just smiled and kissed her quickly on her knuckles. She then moved to retrieve the food for her. ”Sustenance.” Was all she said.

Kaylee just looked at her and then down at her food. ”Where’d the berries come from?” She asked, taking a nibble of the bred and deciding it was too dry. She sipped at her orange juice and decided to eat the bread with the much moister tofu meat stuff next time, it had sauce on it.

”I went walking.” River replied, she’d sat cross-legged on the floor, leaning against the side of the bed were Kaylee lay and was selecting bites off her own plate in what seemed to be a very systematical way. ”The lake spoke to me, said to choose the orange colored ones.” River looked back up at her in all seriousness. ”The other colors aren’t safe here.” She informed her.