(Untitled)

[crazyspacegirl]

River had no idea how many days had passed since she'd woken up in a bed that was cold despite the return of the island's tropical weather. It still didn't seem quite real to her that Mal could be gone. Other people had left, everyone it sometimes seemed, but never him. No matter what might have happened on the island, he'd always been home for

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[plntfood]

"River?" Mathias asks gently, seeing her on the blanket with Zoe and the dog nearby. Hal and King are sniffing the sand, sniffing the bed with Simon Chicago, and then Hal goes to River, sniffing at her hair gently before she curls up right in front of her.

He's heard that Mal is gone. Although they never really spoke -- he realizes more and more how few people he really knows on the island -- he still hurts for River and Zoe. Coming closer, he sits down in the sand beside her, never really sure of what to say, so he says nothing.

[crazyspacegirl]

River leaned forward to bury her face in Hal's fur. It seemed like a very short time since she and Simon Chicago had been squirmy puppies together, but at the same time she felt impossibly far away from something so happy.

"Poor Hal," she said quietly, letting go before her hugging could try the dog's patience. "She keeps losing all her people, too."

[plntfood]

The dog takes it willingly, her eyes closed, her head lifted slightly and although Mathias has never really been a dog person, these two animals are changing that, because he thinks Hal knows what's happening. He thinks she understands and he thinks she chose to lay in front of River on purpose.

"I'm so sorry, River," he says softly, hesitating only briefly before he reaches over to take her hand. Touching has always been easier than speaking for him.

[crazyspacegirl]

River hadn't known any dogs before she'd come to the island, but in that time she'd learned to never question their ability to try to make her feel better. She knew it wasn't going to work, but she appreciated the attempt.

She appreciated Mathias' attempt as well. She let him take her hand, but it took her a moment to return the grasp. "I'm sorry, too," she said, though she knew she hadn't done anything other than let herself be happy.

[neptune_sleuth]

Veronica was bad at this, always had been, taking care of other people when they needed it, but for River's sake, she didn't think twice about trying. She just kept a quiet eye on her, trying to be present without being overwhelming about it, just in case she was needed. There was always someone for her to leave Sam with if she needed to so that the child would be with people she knew; today Eden had agreed to keep an eye on her while Veronica put together a quick lunch to bring to Serenity, in addition to some cookies and sandwiches. She doubted River would be in any mood to eat, let alone cook for herself. Someone had to see to it she was fed.

She'd expected them to be inside when she arrived, though. "Hey," she said. "What are those?"

[crazyspacegirl]

"Le se presents we don't want," River answered, her voice uncharacteristically bitter. She didn't have to try to be okay for Veronica like she did for Zoe. "I don't want them, anyway. Zoe likes the blocks, and she and Simon Chicago both seem to like his new bed. I don't want anything from this island anymore."

Hearing his name, Simon raised his head and thumped his tail in greeting. Zoe didn't fully wake up, but she made a sleepy grab for it. River watched and was grateful that they could still act normal even if she couldn't.

[Le se: garbage]

[neptune_sleuth]

Veronica knew from experience that times like that were, really, when she wanted things the most: for Lilly to be alive, for her mom to come back, for the people she had cared about to be returned to her, as if she could demand anything of this place and have it delivered. She'd never fully accepted the sense of powerlessness this place left her with. She never really could. This was as bad as any of the rest of it, knowing there was nothing she could do. So she sat down, bundle beside her, and reached out to look at the tea set. "They're always like bribes," she said. "Really cool, pretty bribes that are sometimes really useful, but still bribes. Not that I'd give things back, but it doesn't really make anything better."

[crazyspacegirl]

"I would give them back, if I could. I'd give everything back. I never wanted anything except Mal." Before the island, River had only wanted to have a home on Serenity, and Mal had been the one to give her that, always. "He promised he wouldn't leave, and I believed him. I always knew that kind of promise doesn't mean anything here, but I still believe him. He'd have stayed if he could."

Not that her continued faith in Mal made her feel any better. Only the island could bring him back, and even if it did he wouldn't remember all the years that he had loved her. She was glad Zoe still slept; she'd had to see her mother cry enough already.

[stoicsidekick]

"My, hasn't she grown now." Bush spoke gently as he quietly approached the small and painfully incomplete family group, not wishing to trouble either the sleeping babe or her mother. Word traveled swiftly on the island, and though he had never gotten to know River's husband personally, he had heard that Mal had gone missing some days before. He had been on the lookout for the poor girl since he had caught wind of the news, but this was the first time he had seen her.

He crouched beside her and smiled weakly. "Have you eaten today?"

[crazyspacegirl]

"Practically an adult," River answered, though she knew nothing was further from the truth. Zoe might be growing quickly, but she was still terrifyingly small in relation to the world.

She had to think about the question, because food was close to the last thing she was interested in these past few days. "Yes. Zoe shared her banana with me."

[stoicsidekick]

"Well, that was sweet of her," William said. "But how about you come with me to the kitchen and find you something a little more substantial. Won't do to starve yourself."

[crazyspacegirl]

"She's very generous, as far as babies go." Not that River knew a great many to compare her to, but she was pretty sure Zoe was among the best. "I'm not starving. I'm not hungry at all. I'm too full of sadness to have room for anything else."