simon_doctor | (no subject)

(no subject)

He isn't surprised at River's decision.

He may have to keep reminding himself that he isn't surprised, but he isn't.

It's in this frame of mind that he steps into the room he and Kaylee share, later that night.

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Her hair's getting long.

She's brushing it out before bed; some nights it makes her feel old, some nights it makes her feel young, but it usually makes her feel good.

She's pretty tired.

So is he.

"Hey, ai ren." Soft.

Kaylee glances up.

She gives him a faint, warm smile. "Hey yourself, handsome."

His return smile is a little watery, as he comes to sit next to her on the bed.

Slowly, Kaylee puts down the brush.

Quiet: "What?"

A slow breath; in, and out.

"I talked to River, tonight."

Kaylee clasps her hands loosely in her lap.

It's not rocket science, she thinks vaguely, it's all over his face.

"And she's not gonna come. Is she."

He shakes his head.

"I didn't think she would," he whispers. "And it, it's probably better that she doesn't."

After a moment she rests a hand on his back.

He leans toward her until their shoulders touch, his head bowed.

Low, as she rubs in slow circles: "We'll keep a room for her. Whenever and however."

Simon swallows, and nods. His arm slips around Kaylee's waist.

"And she'll be all right. She doesn't...."

She turns her head toward him, slightly, and waits.

It's a whisper.

"She'll be all right without me."

Kaylee leans her head against his. "It's gonna be an adjustment for both of you." Still quiet, and firm. "And you're both gonna be okay. And it's not goodbye forever."

He nods, fractionally so as not to dislodge her. "I know," he murmurs. "And so does she. We talked about that."

"And probably neither of you's gonna be okay with it overnight."

That's just a little wry.

Simon lets out a short breath of something that isn't quite laughter.

"No, I don't think so."

"But you will be okay. Eventually."

"We will," he repeats. "Both of us."

A beat.

"...Each of us."

"All of us," Kaylee amends.

And wonders what their parents will think of it.

Wonders if Simon's thought about that, at all.

Now isn't the time to ask.

"All of us," he repeats, as though echoing a toast.

The arm around her waist moves up to her shoulders, and tightens in a half-hug.

"...And it's a good thing," he says. "That River's well enough to, to start being more on her own."

"Means you did a good job, handsome." With an audible smile.

He looks at her, briefly nonplussed, before he starts to smile.

Soft: "...I hadn't thought of it that way."

"Figured." She's still got her hand on his shoulder. "That's why I said it."

Simon closes his eyes briefly and leans his forehead against hers.

"Thank you, xin gan." Softer still. "I needed to hear it."

I thought you might, she doesn't say.

She shifts, drawing him into a hug.

"Job's over," she murmurs. "Don't make you any less her brother, though."

He hugs her back, tightly, and rests his head against her shoulder.

Job's over.

And the next job's about to begin.

She slides her hand in his hair, rocking back and forth a little. "Gonna be just fine." Near-whispered. "All of us. Every one."

After a long moment, Simon raises his head enough to press a kiss to Kaylee's cheek and a slightly longer one to her lips, and then draws back.

"All right," he says, quietly. "Okay. I think ..."

Gonna be just fine.

"I think that was the last thing I was holding for. River's decision."

Kaylee nods a little. "You gonna send it now?"

He draws a breath.

Straightens.

"Yes."

"Mm."

She pulls back a little, leaning back on her hands.

"Well. All right."

He breathes out, and stands up, and heads for the desk to pick up his datareader.

The message has been prepared and ready for close to two weeks, needing only a touched-in command to send it on its way.

While he does it, Kaylee looks at the brush, picks it up.

She runs a hand through her hair, and puts the brush on the nightstand.

The SEND command glows on the screen, light on light.

It's a simple thing. It doesn't require holding his breath, or closing his eyes, or any such melodrama.

He takes a breath anyway, and lifts a finger, and touches SEND.

"All right," he says again, lifting his head.

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