Post-Academy
It's not ship's night yet -- hard as it is to believe, it's barely been an hour since everything ended -- but the infirmary lights are dim anyway and Simon has chased almost everyone out, in order to let his patients get some much-needed rest.
Crowley, though he looks the worst damaged of them all, is recovering the fastest; he's been moved from the secondary bed to a cot. Mal is asleep on the secondary bed; his color and breathing are already improved, and his heartbeat's strong. Inara sits half-asleep in a chair beside him, eyes closed, head canted against the wall, his hand clasped in her own.
On the main bed, Cuthbert's somewhere between a drugged unconsciousness and a more natural sleep. Susan sits beside him, awake but as quiet as Inara. Alain's gone to get coffee for her and himself; he should be back soon.
Simon draws a deep breath, and attempts for the third time to read the page of data from Dr. Lin's files that he's been staring at for ten minutes.
Crowley, though he looks the worst damaged of them all, is recovering the fastest; he's been moved from the secondary bed to a cot. Mal is asleep on the secondary bed; his color and breathing are already improved, and his heartbeat's strong. Inara sits half-asleep in a chair beside him, eyes closed, head canted against the wall, his hand clasped in her own.
On the main bed, Cuthbert's somewhere between a drugged unconsciousness and a more natural sleep. Susan sits beside him, awake but as quiet as Inara. Alain's gone to get coffee for her and himself; he should be back soon.
Simon draws a deep breath, and attempts for the third time to read the page of data from Dr. Lin's files that he's been staring at for ten minutes.