Kaylee was too tired to laugh, and simply climbed up on to the bed too and started to tug River’s clothes off. River protested a little, but, after a moment, tried to help not hinder at least – even helped her when Kaylee was trying to get her own clothes off. She tossed all of the garments in a corner and got under the covers with River at last. It wasn’t a shower, but at least with their clothes off it wouldn’t be too gross or uncomfortable for them to get to sleep.

Kaylee thought to maybe say something nice or girlfriend like to River before fallin’ off, but as soon as River’s head hit the pillow, she was out like a light, snuggled into Kaylee’s arms happy as you please, apparently, from the look of peace that seemed to wash over her face. She looked… really beautiful… sleepin’ like this – not that she always didn’t, but… Kaylee sighed and yawned, holding her girlfriend to her and finding it very easy to fall off to sleep (pass out really) right after her.

Her last thought, was that River had said… she was in love with her.

Despite that this, what she’d seen and all the bodies she’d carried, probably made this one of the most horrible days of her life thus far, that fact seemed to somehow make up for it… well, at least as far as anything rightly could make up for something like that, which, she had to admit, maybe wasn’t really all that far when you got down to it.

Still, it made her feel a good deal better, more hopeful, which was something she was dearly grateful for right about then.

———-

In the morning, well past dawn, Kaylee woke to find herself pretty much in the same position as when she’d gone to sleep, holding River in her arms. She touched River’s hair a little and that one small action seemed to cause River to stir, blink her eyes open, and kiss her. Just a peck really, but it make Kaylee smile a little, and feel just a bit shy also.

”Hey, you.” She said softly.

”Hay is for horses, not people…” River spoke sleepily.

”…Then why’d my mom and dad feed it to me in the mornin’s back home so of’en?” She asked back in jest.