InsaneJournal

A Little Help (Open)
There were a great deal of things wrong with the City, even Kaylee knew that, but it did provide when she really needed something. She was starving hours ago and when she rolled out from under the engine she found a sandwich waiting for her. Whenever she got thirsty there was always strawberry lemonade waiting for her to drink in her glass, even if she emptied it the last time she drank from it. She liked having everything provided for her. But at the same time, as much as she hoped for Serenity to spring to life it wasn't happening. Her mechanical know how was pretty useless when the city was living in the dark ages as far as she was concerned. Mal had his guns, Wash was alive, Simon had the hospital, and Kaylee had a dead engine and more repairs to do to Serenity than she'd ever done before. It was like her baby went through hell and back to get here.

It was enough to make anyone frustrated.

It just felt three hundred times worse with Kaylee. Serenity always talked to her, always told her what was wrong. Even when the engine died and they couldn't break atmo. Serenity talked to her and it was as if Serenity was just too tired these days to say one gorram thing. Kaylee sighed to herself as she hung over the side of the engine, grease all over her coveralls and hair a complete mess. Kaylee was ready to call it quits for the day again. They were lucky to have some power. She'd rigged a few batteries and even more electricity to the main power line and got the lights working. But the panel hadn't lit yet, just the normal lights.

Which meant her bunk at least had some power. So she could lay in her bed instead of laying in the hammock beside the poor dead engine. Kaylee felt all but useless this time. Mal really wanted it to work. She really wanted it to work. Serenity was their home. Wash had Zoe. Simon had the hospital. River had.. well she hadn't seen river yet, but River always had Simon. She didn't have Simon anymore because Simon wasn't her Simon. Inara had a really nice apartment in this place, and Inara could blend in anywhere. But Mal and Kaylee? Serenity was it, they both felt awkward outside of it. Kaylee had to fix it, for them. If the others didn't come, well.. It'd be her and Mal. Kaylee could live with that.

"Damn!" She muttered as she pulled her hand out of engine. She'd hit something and the wrench clattered to the floor beneath the engine. Kaylee got down on her hands and knees and started to look for it.

As if this day could be any worse.