fandom_clinic | FTEC, Friday morning

Blood gushed forth as River punctured the skin and tore it open. The next thing she knew a pile of guts was on the floor and the man to whom they belonged collapsed on top of them. She couldn't make out his face. With the knife still in her hand she spun around and used the force of the movement to slit the throat of the man behind her. His head flipped backwards and River felt the warm blood hit her face. She crouched down preparing the next move...

River opened her eyes and stared up at the ceiling. She reached up and touched her face. Wet. She shuddered and looked at her fingers. Tears, not blood.

Jane poked her head into Exam 1 with her hat in her hand and something hidden behind her back.

There was someone in the room. Familiar thoughts. "The head didn't come of. He just died," River mumbled.

Jane decided to let that comment go.

"Hey there River girl. You up for some company?"

Blair was humming the pen song and holding a piece of paper as he came up to the door. "River? You awake?"

"Jane." River tried to smile. "Bloody dreams."

River was muttering to herself: "Unsharpen the knives. Can't cut like that. Mustn't."

Blair blinked and stepped up beside River, this muttering thing seemed familiar and not in a good way. "Hey, hey, hey. What's wrong?"

River looked up at Blair. "There was bleeding and intestines falling out," she began, her eyes wide.

"Here?" Blair was ashamed of being afraid, but he peeked under the bed and looked at River's hands for a moment to check for signs of violence.

"Ah well shit. You ain't the first to have those River girl." Jane said coming in, still hiding something behind her back. "Won't be the last either I s'ppose. Though you shouldn't have to worry 'bout such things at your age... Not that it's so fucking rare a thing either. Ta have r any age for that matter. "

"In my head," River clarified, putting her hands over her forehead.

"You have something behind your back," River said. It was a better subject after all.

"Oh." Blair reached out and placed his good hand over River's on her forehead. "Let's get them out of your head. Can you think of something else?"

Blair wasn't sure if she was reading him, but he worked hard to focus on thoughts of the two of them dancing in the common room.

River smiled weakly. "Dancing with you is good," she said. "Tell me other good things."

"That's right I do." she said. "Guess which hand."

Of course she only had one hand behind her back.

"I ate chocolate covered raisins yesterday and got saved from the sewers by the uplifting power of the gospels." Blair grinned. "The air smells fresh and clean this morning and we're together again today."

"And we're not drenched in blood and guts." Rier sighed with relief.

"The hand behind your back," River said, rolling her eyes and poking Jane's arm.

"That would be the bad thinking again." Blair shook his head. "Here, I brought you something you can think about. Flowers!"

Blair held out a drawing of pink and yellow flowers that was nowhere near River's talent level.

River smiled as she looked at the drawing. There was something about Blair that was just all sweetness and kindness. Of course, he couldn't see inside her head, which was probably just as well.

"Thank you," she said. "It's nice."

"Thanks, it's not fine art, but at least it's recognizable." Blair grinned.

"I'm not going to be able to come by tomorrow till the evening. I got stuck with detention for protesting."

"Against hunting. Not fair," River said, frowning. She squeezed Blair's hand.

"It's okay." Blair smiled and squeezed her hand back. "I knew it was bound to happen sometime. I just wish it wasn't while you were still in the clinic. I hate that I won't be able to come down to see you all day."

"River?"

Simon had been told which room was River's and that she had a visitor. He entered quietly, a worried look on his face. His meimei lay on the bed under an unwashed blanket and looked pale. He glanced quickly and nodded to her visitor before reaching out for River's hand.

Blair looked up from talking to River at the newcomer and frowned. This wasn't someone he recognized. "Um, excuse me, man...are you allowed to be back here?"

"Simon," River said, her face relaxing. "You came! I asked Parker to find you."

Not knowing who Parker was, it was good to hear that River was happy to have him around. "Of course I did," he said, returning her smile, then he looked up at the other visitor. "I'm Simon, River's brother. And you are?"

"Simon!" Blair bounced and held out his good hand. "It's good to meet you, man. I've heard lots about you from River. I'm Blair Sandburg."

The bouncing confused Simon a little, but this was obviously a friend of River's. "It's good to meet you too, Blair." He turned to River again. "How are you feeling?"

"Bad dreams. I attacked people. You heard?"

"Yes, I heard." He'd really prefer talking to River in private and hear her version of the story.

"So you're from space, huh?" Blair bounced again and took a deep breath. "That's totally awesome, man! River drew me a picture of Serenity and told me about the ship which was pretty cool, did you fly here in it or just take some sort of space taxicab thing? You're here to make River feel better right, because she's had a lousy week and I just want to make sure that you're not going to be taking her away or anything because we still haven't had our date and lots of her friends would be sad if she left."

Simon blinked and pulled his hand through his hair, unsure where to start. It was good to hear that River's friends wanted her to stay. And while he wondered a little at the word 'date', his sister was old enough to decide that for herself.

"I'll see if there's anything I can do to help," he said, then looked at River. "I have some ideas, meimei, but I need to run some tests first. Zoe mentioned this clinic had some basic equipment.

"I want to stay," River said, knowing Simon didn't want to ask that question. "But I hurt people. Most of them I have apologised to."

"Yup, and we forgave her." Blair nodded and tried not to think of Nadia's response the other day. "Are the tests going to hurt her?"

Simon looked at River. "Just blood samples. Not very painful, I guess."

Turning to Blair again, he continued: "I need to talk to River in private for a moment. But I was thinking that perhaps you could show me where the hotel is? I had trouble enought finding my way here."

"No problem, man. I can take you over there." Blair bounced and turned to River, brushing a lock of her hair back before squeezing her hand. "I'll see you tomorrow, River. Remember to think of dancing, okay?"

Jane held out the hand behind her back, revealing a hat much like hers, minus the feathers.

"Turns out the Doctor has a whole room full of crazy clothing... And hats."

A wide grin appeared on River's face. She carefully took the hat and placed it on her head. "A hat! Thank you."

"Well that looks right handsome." Jane said leaning back to take it all in. "It didn't have any feathers in it like mine, but Indian tradition says ya gotta find your own."

River nodded. "Perhaps I could ask the ducks."

"Duck feathers look especially nice in Indian Scout hats."

FTEC, Friday morning

Exam Room 1: River Tam

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