He takes so much looking after.

Jubal Early: 

All right, that's all the hide-and-seek I got time for. I know you're on this ship, little girl, so here's how this goes. 

You show yourself, we finish this exchange, 

or your brother's brains will be flying every which-a-way. 

You understand, I'm sort of on the clock here. It's frustrating.

River: You're wrong, Early.

Jubal Early: 

I'm not wrong, dumpling, 

I will shoot your brother dead if you don't...

River: 

Wrong about River. River's not on The Ship. 

They didn't want her here, 

but she couldn't make herself to leave. 

So she melted. Melted away. 

They didn't know she could do that, but she did.

Jubal Early: I'm not sure I take your meaning there.

River: I'm not on the ship. I'm in the ship. I am the ship.

Simon: River...

River: 

River's gone.

Jubal Early: Then who exactly are we talking to?

River: You're talking to "Serenity." And Early, "Serenity" is very unhappy.

River Tam: 

Permission to come aboard?

Mal: 

You know, you ain't quite right.

River Tam: It's the popular theory.

Mal: Go on, get in there. Give your brother a thrashing for messing up your plan.

River Tam: He takes so much looking after...

Jubal Early: I only hurt people because they keep getting in the way of me finding you. Tell her.

Simon: What am I? Your advocate?

Jubal Early: You are starting now.

Simon: He's really very... gentle... and fuzzy. We're becoming fast friends.

[River laughs] 

Jubal Early: You folks are all insane.

Simon: Well, my sister's a ship. We had a complicated childhood.

River: 

You're not welcome here anymore, Early.

Do you think I'm gonna

leave here empty-handed?

I know it.

Yeah, well, you know me real well.

Wish I didn't.

You like to hurt folk.

It's part of the job.

It's why you took the job.

Power. Control. Pain.

Your Mother knew.

Sadness in her when she waved good-bye.

She's relieved.

Saw Darkness in you.

You're not well.

You'll be wanting to shut up now.

Big golden retriever sitting on the lawn.

Never took to you, smelling you.

The neighbor's pet.

You did things to him.

Cleaned up after.

Shined and polished.

Everything in here gleams.

Well, I'll be a son of a whore.

You're not in my gorram mind.

You're on my gorram ship!

[ Laughing ]

It's very interesting,

all these buttons.

Okay! We're not

touching those, okay?

- How the hell did she get on my ship?

- Put the gun away.

Okay. I'm putting it away.

No, he's not.

I'm putting it away

because we're all reasonable people.

Don't want to be

doing anything rash...

fiddling with any dials.

You're not right, Early.

You're not righteous.

You've got issues.

No. Or yes.

I could have that.

You might have me figured out then.

Good job.

I'm not a hundred percent.

- You talk too much.

- I'm flawed in that way. I sometimes go on.

- It's been said--

- It's okay, Early.

- I'm going with you.

- River, what are you--

Don't belong.

Dangerous like you.

Can't be controlled.

Can't be trusted.

Everyone could just go on without me

and not just have to worry.

People could be

what they wanted to be...

could be with

the people they wanted.

Could live simple.

No secrets.

No.

I'll be fine.

I'll be your bounty, Jubal Early...

and I'll just fade away.

Well, finally something

goes according to--

Simon?

[ Screams ]

See? That's what it feels like.

Just hang tight, darlin'.

Early's on the move.