.020 [Video]

[aint_comin_back]

[The footsteps are urgent. There's smoke rising into the bright sky. Smoke and dust and death: in the background, the settlement is what amounts to a war zone. Mal rounds the embankment, skidding as he turns to see the thing he almost expected and never wanted. He stops long enough to bark an order at Jayne, behind him:] Get the Doc. [He doesn't

Comments

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[notquitegeisha]

[Inara is just staring at the screen in horror. Her mouth moves to say something, but she can't even find the words she wants to say. Doesn't know what to say. That can't be real... Can it?

She swallows and finds that her hands are shaking and she's blinking back tears.]

W-What is that? Mal, tell me that's not real.

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[aint_comin_back]

[There's a few minutes before he answers. At first his voice is thick, then turning harder in realization.] Yeah. It's real. ...You and I. We ain't from the same time, are we?

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[notquitegeisha]

How...? [She shakes her head slowly, trying to wrap her mind around what she'd just watched being real. Shepard Book, dead.

Her gaze drops down and then it snaps back up.]

I- I. I guess. Mal, when did that happen?

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[aint_comin_back]

The Alliance came down on us, lookin' for River. They were tryin' to flush us out. Did a damn good job of it, too.

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[notquitegeisha]

Oh, Mal. Duìbùqǐ.

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[aint_comin_back]

We took it back to 'em. Found the secret River'd been carryin' with her and sent it into the black. 'Can't stop the signal' is what Mr. Universe said. Hopin' it's true. We lost Wash, too.

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[notquitegeisha]

[Inara's bottom lip trembles and she quickly sits and bows her head. When she speaks again, it's in a soft murmur.] Wǒ tīng bù dǒng. I'd only just told you I was leaving... How could this have all happened?

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[aint_comin_back]

It's been some time since.

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[notquitegeisha]

[She had so many questions, but... She knew it wasn't the time for such things.]

So it seems.

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[aint_comin_back]

I'm sorry, Inara. [He means it. He really means it.]

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[notquitegeisha]

It's not your fault, Mal. [She even tries to offer him a small smile.]

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[aint_comin_back]

The rest of us; we made it, though. Close thing for some of us. Had Reavers and Alliance both on us.

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[notquitegeisha]

[Despire saying the rest had made it through, she visibily pales at the mention of Reavers.] Were you hurt?

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[aint_comin_back]

Well. Not by the Reavers. Gorram Alliance had one hell of a man on us, though. Ran into him more'n once. You were there for one of 'em; saved my ass. [Pause] Not that I needed it.

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[notquitegeisha]

[She presses the palm of her hand against her forehead. This is just a lot to take in. ] Didn't I leave? What about Kaylee? And Simon? [She shakes her head, dropping her hand. She feels sick to her stomach, but she draws in a deep breath.]

Mal, I don't even know what to say.

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[aint_comin_back]

You did. You were also bait. I gotta say it: flash bombs disguised as incense is pretty ingenious. [A breath. It's not that been that long ago, all things considered.] Kaylee's fine. Simon and River... they're good. I mean it, too. River's lot more stable. Zoe's tore up. Jayne's... Jayne.