Who: Simon, Kaylee Where: Serenity- Simon's room When: May 8th, 10AM Why: Breakfast being brought by the lovely mechanic Rating?: PG Status: Complete
civilizedman_st Simon was lying on his bed staring up at the ceiling. He'd already checked on River, he didn't like the fact of the familiar face and not knowing her reasons for being here. The doctor hadn't slept all night, he was thinking about what to be done about it. River already knew to stay out of sight, so he hadn't gone to tell her yet. He was scared, that's what it was. Scared of what would happen now. It was stupid of Mal to bring strangers aboard. Why'd he need passengers, or co-pilots? Though he had no place to even question it he guessed, Simon and River were nothing but strangers once. Simon said nothing about anything to Book the night before when he brought food. But somehow he thought the Shepherd picked up on his feelings, and fear. Simon wasn't expecting anyone and he hadn't even realized how late in the morning it was getting, so at the knock on the door he jumped a little startled like.
kaylee_frye Kaylee was only too happy to deliver breakfast to Simon and River. Honestly, she'd missed both of them at dinner last night and again at breakfast but with the new people on ship they couldn't take chances until after they were sure that nobody was going to try and turn the Tams in for cashy money - or worse.
Kaylee took the plates of eggs (okay - egg substitute, but you could hardly tell the difference and it wasn't molded protein!) and a pitcher of water down to Simon's room. She juggled the tray and pitcher so that she could knock on the door. "Hey, you awake in there?" she asked brightly.
civilizedman_st Simon relaxed a little at the sound of Kaylee's voice. "Yes." He answered as he pulled himself up from the bed. The man threw on a shirt as he moved over to the door; he slid it open for her. When Simon saw Kaylee struggling with the tray, he took the pitcher from her so she wouldn't drop it. He smiled softly at her, his eyes looked tired and a bit stranded.
kaylee_frye "Thanks," she said, walking in to his room to set the tray down. "There we go. Good breakfast today, thanks to the fact that we were somewhere long enough to shop for real food." At that she turned to face him again and looked him over. "You look tired, like you ain't slep- well, I guess you haven't," she interrupted herself, looking at the bed that remained unslept in.
civilizedman_st "It smells good." He placed the pitcher down next to the tray. He shrugged some at the mention of him sleeping, or rather him not sleeping. He slid the door closed after peek into the hall. He didn't see anyone, and he turned back around with a sigh. Part of him wanted to tell her why he didn't sleep, part of him just wanted to take River's food across the hall, and a small part of him just wanted to sit with Kaylee and talk about nothing important except how lovely she looked. Except he didn't think he could actually say that, without fuddling it up.
"No, I didn't sleep." He said simply. "I wasn't tired..." Alright so that was a clear lie. "... I mean ... I couldn't sleep."
kaylee_frye "Aw," she said sympathetically. He did look extremely tired and she felt badly for him and River. They were so comfortable with one another - speaking in the general, of course - that sometimes Kaylee forgot, when they were cruising in the black, that the Tams were wanted and the Alliance was willing to put out a lot of credits for turning them in. "Well, it won't be too long. We just gotta make sure it's safe."
civilizedman_st "And what..." He looked at her with all seriousness. "What if it's not safe?" He asked thinking of Dina. She was a nice girl, he remembered her for Med Academy. The two never really formed a friendship, but she was still a good gal; except she was for the Core. And he had no idea why she was now here. She didn't seem to know of River or even him being wanted. But how was that possible.
Simon was pacing across the floor again, it's how he spent most his night. He knew as soon as he saw her, he should have gone to the captain. But what if she wasn't there to hurt River or him, at the same time he didn’t want to turn her over to the captain or the rest of there uncivilized manners if she was just here for no other reason than to see the Verse. Not that Simon understood why she would be, he wouldn't have. If... if it wasn't for what happened.
kaylee_frye Kaylee took a seat on the edge of the bed, leaning easily back on her hands. "Cap'n ain't goin' to let anything happen, not while we're out here. Neither's anyone else," she said. Even though she didn't want to think about it, she had a strong suspicion that if something did happen they were going to find themselves becoming one with the black in a very violent manner. "Not doin' any good to worry endlessly about it, anyway. You'll just get yourself sick."
civilizedman_st Simon knew she was right, but he also couldn't not think about it. Simply asking her would have fixed everything, but that wasn't the kind of thing he could just ask a person. "Let me take River her food." He told Kaylee softly, he poured her a glass from the pitcher and moved to the door with it and the second plate. Simon moved across to his sister's room quietly so nobody else would really notice. After a few minutes he came back, hoping Kaylee was still sitting inside.
kaylee_frye She nodded in response, as if she would do anything else. She sat quietly and picked at some of the grease that was perpetually embedded underneath her fingernails, waiting for him to return. She heard the door slide open again, and she looked up at him to give him a tentative smile.
civilizedman_st Simon smiled back softly. He took a seat on the side of the bed next to Kaylee, his plate in his lap. "How many passengers are there?" He asked, and then took a bite of his eggs. Simon only knew who the one was, had no idea who else had gotten on Serenity.
kaylee_frye "We got three, the two ladies and the man," she said, swinging her legs gently. "Morgona's just ridin' and seein' the verse, I guess, but she can pay 'n that makes cap happy. The man - Lance - is sorta strange, but the other lady, Dina... she's pretty friendly." Indeed, Kaylee had taken an immediate liking to her on the docks. "They both wanna work, I dunno what cap's thinkin' about that."
civilizedman_st He perked a brow, "Strange how?" Simon smiled a bit at the mention of Dina being friendly, he hoped that was true. Simon he knew she was, but he just hoped it was genuine. Simon shrugged a bit, "I wouldn't have any idea what he'd think." He looked thoughtful, "So what does, Dina... what's she asking to do... far as working I mean." It was odd, wasn't much need for a Psychiatrist on a civilian cargo ship, or even smuggling ship. Though many on Serenity could use her especially Jayne, and... that's when Simon's face lite up. Dina could really help River, if she wasn't here to turn her over that is.
kaylee_frye "I don't know," she answered slowly, considering it. "I just don't get much of a vibe off him, you know? Dina, she was wantin' to fly. Pilot, you know."
civilizedman_st Simon nodded. No he actually wasn't sure, but he said nothing. "Dina flying?" Yes it was sort of a question, more to himself than anything else. "Ahh, does Mal need another pilot?" He sounded slightly confused.
kaylee_frye "Don't really think so," she said. "Then again, who can really tell. Nothin's been said about it, not to me anyway."
civilizedman_st Simon nodded at that, he finished eating his eggs in silence. He didn't know what else to say to Kaylee, and he didn't want to talk about the passengers anymore. He didn't want to worry about, although it wasn't like he wouldn't. He knew he needed to say something. "...Kaylee" He looked up at her, the tone of his voice was soft and he let his concern bleed through.
kaylee_frye Kaylee was more than willing to sit there in the silence - sometimes that's what people really needed more than any words. She looked up when he said her name, unsure of what to say in response, or really, how to say it. "Yeah?" she asked back in a similar tone.
civilizedman_st It took him a moment, "Dina went to Med Academy with me. I didn't know her personally... But she knows who I am. She remembers I have a sister, but hasn't spoken a word about River. I don't see how she couldn't realize that we're fugitives." Simon told Kaylee, his words practically running into each other. "Heard somebody in the infirmary and I followed her to the lounge. She recognized me." Simon sort of explained, feeling like he'd hurl his breakfast, especially when Mal finds out.
kaylee_frye Kaylee's face changed perceptively as she listened to Simon, and once he finished she said, "Well you gotta tell the captain! If she could call the purple bellies and get you both turned in, we gotta be able to stop that before it happens!" she pressed. That sort of thing usually involved weapons, and Jayne getting that look in his eye. Kaylee hated those moments and would have sworn up and down that Dina didn't seem like the type and had been so nice, but with memories of Tracey and Jubal Early still fresh in her mind, she was less likely to out loud give someone the benefit of the doubt - at least this early on.
civilizedman_st Simon stood again. "I know, Kaylee." He had that look of strained tired thought again. "I thought about it all night, couldn't sleep due to going over all the ways Mal would take news like this." He started pacing again. "And I was going to tell him, but then I got to thinking. And I know he'll do anything to keep u..." Simon made a face stopping abruptly. He was going to say us, but then his brain didn't quite believe that to the fullest of extent, he did leave him and River once already. But he'd also come to save the both of them at the same time. So he was really uncertain, and he shook his head realizing he was now standing and staring at Kaylee oddly.
"I know Mal will do anything he feels is deserving in this situation; which is why I haven't spoken to him yet. I got to thinking, what if Dina isn't here to hand us over. I don't imagine her not knowing about us and the Alliance wanting River, but I'm just not sure if she would turn us into them. And what if she wouldn't, what will Mal do to her just with the idea that she might, if she's just here to enjoy the black and traveling in it. So then having Mal and Zoe on her back, what'll that do to her? I mean... I don't know what to think." He had seriously started walking a hole into the haul again. The man was rambling on, not making his usual calm sense. Fact being he had over thought the whole matter.
He knew he wasn't saying what his real concern was, and that was for Dina's safety, he feared for River's by far more. And Dina wasn't exactly a friend, but she was somebody from home that had during school seemed a sweet enough girl and pleasant company the few times he had seen her at group functions, so that made her mean something to him; Something smaller than River, and even smaller than Kaylee, but something. Simon was simply conflicted with the safety of River and the crew, particularly Kaylee. And the safely of Dina if she was completely harmless.
kaylee_frye She pulled her legs up to sit cross-legged on the bed and twisted a strand of hair around one finger in thought. "Well," Kaylee said contemplatively, "just because she ain't here to turn you in don't mean that she couldn't." It was an unusually pessimistic statement from her, but she didn't think she was incorrect in her caution. She wanted to think that Mal could be reasonable about this and on their side (she really thought of it as their side, didn't she? She tried not to blush), but Simon sort of had a point.
"Well," she started again. "You're probably right about her knowing about you and River - I think the whole 'verse has gotta know, but the reports don't come across the cortex often as they did! I guess we just gotta... play safe - maybe you should sit down. You look kinda ghosty," she added the realization.
civilizedman_st After pacing a few more times he finally took a seat on the bed again, next to Kaylee. He was quite, he was thinking again. Knowing she was right, but knowing so was he. He was so lost at what should be done; Simon thought maybe he should talk to Shepard about it. That he could give unbiased advice. In a very delayed reaction, "Ghostly... You really think?" He smiled a sad smile at her; only then realizing how close he was sitting next to her. "It's not just River I'm worried about, you know?" He added, it coming almost out of no where.
kaylee_frye "Yeah, just kind of pale," she replied, feeling her own cheeks flush pink with his proximity. Very close; any closer and she would... she told herself not to get to far into that, now. "You worry lots, you know."
civilizedman_st "I worry because I must. I don't want to see people I care about hurt. I don't want River taken again. I won't let that happen. No matter how much I need to worry to stop that." He smiled a bit again. He would do whatever it took. Even if Dina was a friend once upon a time, well sorta a friend. He couldn't trust anybody except those already on Serenity. And well that actually wasn't true. Wasn't everyone here that should be trusted? Was somebody in particular; but it was also in the same breath hard for Simon not to trust people and there words. He'd started out thinking nobody had a reason to lie, but the more time he spends out in the 'Verse the more he realizes he can't be such an easy mark.
Kaylee smelled lovely; that scent of engine grease that was unique to her lingered over her. Right then he didn't know what to say, was just looking at her with a small smile; enjoying her presence.
kaylee_frye "Yeah, I know all that," she said, nudging him playfully, half a smile on her lips. "An' I mean, it's not like you ain't got reason. But sometimes you just gotta relax. You know?" she said. Hinting at something? She wasn't even sure. But if it worked, she would be the last one to complain.
civilizedman_st "I know. It isn't good to be so stressed, causes all sorts of medical concerns even." He wasn't getting what Kaylee was hinting at, at all. Simon knew that he was the most relax with Kaylee. She brought out his smile the most, well her and River. But with River he was usually sad since he missed the way the two use to be. They didn't have normal conversations anymore. They still played, but she was sick a lot. And he also worried about her health too.
"I don't like making River stay confined in her room. Not that it's me... It's Zoe and Mal. But still I have to keep her out of sight. I don't like it. She shouldn't be caged." Simon just could focus on what was right in front of him; literally at the moment. He quite actually needed a push, because he'd concern himself with River till the end of time, not having what he wanted, long as she was unhappy, ill, or so on. It was true, he was a boob. Although usually his thoughts always came back to Kaylee, like how he wanted to kiss her just now. But wouldn't.
kaylee_frye "No," she agreed softly. She was mostly used to the fact that Simon could, at times, be downright clueless and stupid about any and all signals that she could send. The additional fact was that she didn't want to do things wrong. She did not want to screw things up with Simon. "Simon," she started, and instead of continuing, she leaned in and kissed him briefly.
civilizedman_st When Kaylee's lips brushed his; all manner of thoughts completely froze in his head. When the kiss broke, he was looking a bit surprised yet in a pleasing manner. Before he'd let his brain mess everything up, before he'd say something to totally ruin the moment. He leaned in kissing her, his hand coming softly to the side of her face. He lost every fear he'd had currently. Uncertain of why he'd given in to it at this particular moment; other than of course Kaylee kissing him first.
kaylee_frye Mostly glad that she had not been rebuffed and that there had been no chance for either of them to mess it up, Kaylee responded in kind as one hand went to the hair at the nape of his neck and another around his middle. It was amazing - it was more or less quite as she'd imagined it would be. But better because she wasn't daydreaming in the engine room. She pulled back once breathing became important, and grinned. "See, don'cha feel better?"