twelfth problem [ dictated ]

[withmymind]

Didn't think it would last. One after another, all gone. It's quiet even with the noise.

[ Have you missed this nonsense lately, Paradisa? For anyone confused about what she may be talking about it's quite simple really: she's alone. Kaylee left a while ago, and now Zoe has, and now she's all alone, last of the crew ]

They can't be blamed. They might not be here but it's not home, and still not safe.

[ There's a small pause ]

They're safe now.

[ Meaning: she's here. Without her they're free from the Alliance chasing her ]

Comments

[gottaknockhard]

[Spike catches this by chance, and then finds himself stuck on the page. He's used to River's way of speaking enough to dissect what she means.

It isn't like he's any stranger to people leaving, it just always seems to happen when his back is turned. The second he stops paying attention, they're already gone. To home or not.]

... I don't know how much she would have liked camp anyway.

[withmymind]

It would have been different.

[gottaknockhard]

Usually it's not worth the change of scenery.

[withmymind]

It was nice, peaceful. [ It was where River had been, anyway, which made a change ]

[gottaknockhard]

[Sure, if you're not getting yourself in fist fights...]

I guess there's been worse.

[withmymind]

She could have stayed. [ Maybe she hadn't wanted to, maybe that was why the castle sent her back. River liked the safety away from the Alliance here, she didn't want to go back to that ]

[gottaknockhard]

Luck of the draw.

[withmymind]

She's better gone. She's safe. [ Pause ] Just was nice.

[gottaknockhard]

[He's not the best person to offer comfort, so he suddenly feels out of place. But, he's the only one around. Sometimes you have to make do with what's available.]

Yeah.

[withmymind]

She won't be forgotton. [ Not while people here remember her. And then there's River - she couldn't forget ]

[gottaknockhard]

... Not unless the history books get erased.

[withmymind]

They can't take everything.

[gottaknockhard]

You'd hope so.

[withmymind]

Know so. Something always stays.

[gottaknockhard]

That's a relief.

[withmymind]

Don't be afraid. [ Not scared, but afraid - afraid of losing, or rather worrying ]

[gottaknockhard]

... [That throws him for a second. Enough that he gets stuck on figuring out what she thinks she sees.]

There wouldn't be much point in that.

[withmymind]

It doesn't stop people being afraid. [ And everyone always gets afraid at some point ]

[gottaknockhard]

[She always tends to take conversations to weird places. Which is dangerous, considering where his mind tends to travel.]

What's left to be afraid of?

[withmymind]

What they don't know. The castle. Leaving.

[gottaknockhard]

Some things are better left unknown.