Luck had nothing to do with how Stefan came upon the corner of Serenity that River managed to hide herself in. He'd successfully ducked past the other resident on board several times, that man who was part of this ship's crew and from River's own world, using tricks he'd learned for hunting that had later been adapted for evasion to continue to allude the stranger he didn't quite know how to address yet. Stefan's a sociable person when he wants to be, and right now he's not sure if he does. Things are complicated and confusing and such a mess, and he's here because River's one of the few people (outside of Katherine, of course) who seems to enjoy his company anymore.

River, who he found by following the sounds of a heartbeat beating far too fast - like some cornered and afraid; like someone who was being hunted and knew they were prey - and was currently flinching in her sleep in a way Stefan wasn't comfortable with continuing to watch.

He shakes her - gently at first, one hand on one shoulder accompanied by her name, his, and an urging for her to awaken. When nothing happens, he tries again, a little rougher, but not so much as to hurt her in the hopes of jostling her awake from what appears to be a bad dream.

"River. River, wake up. It's Stefan. River."