Title: Love Changes Everything
Series Title: Love …
Author: Jayneswoman
Rating: PG13
Fandom: Firefly
Word Count: 1302
Summary: Jayne and River and Maggie
Warning: Full of Jayne goodness. Beware if you don’t enjoy non-canon pairings.
Disclaimer: Joss is Boss. I’m just borrowing his characters for fun!!
Authors Note: Thanks to
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bookaddict43 for betaing. (I made some changes since - blame me for any mistakes!)
And
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troy_gal - Thanks for the plot bunny. This fanfics for you!
Previous Chapters Here The final part at last.... Enjoy!
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Love Changes Everything
Jayne glanced around the bar, looking to see if there was any tasty trim to be had.
He shook his head, remembering Maggie, hoping that that feng le girl was wrong, and that Maggie would come back. Crazy was messing with his head more than he would like, making him doubt what he and Maggie had shared.
Jayne breathed deep and downed the last of his whiskey. Striding over to the bar, he slammed the glass down asked for another.
“Ya’d better slow down there, Jayne,” the Captain warned.
“Ya ain’t never bin concerned ‘bout how much I drink before.”
“Ya ain’t never had a woman who’s on her way to ya right now, and who I don’t think will be right pleased if she finds ya drop down dead drunk.”
Jayne cradled his glass and sighed, “Maggie!”
“That’s right, Maggie.”
“She ain’t comin’ back. She’s staying with that hun dan fiancé o’ hers, settlin’ down an’ raising a whole passel o’ critters…”
“What’s gotten into you, Jayne? Ya bin drivin’ River crazy the way ya and Maggie moon around each other. Now ya just giving up?”
“Who said anythin’ ‘bout giving her up?”
“Well, ya practically cryin’ into ya whiskey over her.”
“No, I ain’t!” Jayne growled.
“Well, ya better pick yerself up, an’ throw some cold water on ya face ta sober yerself up quick.”
*************************
River walked around the bar, watching Jayne. She felt ripples of emotion coming off him.
Her words had confused him and made him doubt Maggie’s feelings for him, but she didn’t feel happy about this. A new emotion was cutting through her hurt and anger: guilt. Jayne was so happy when he was with Maggie. Did she really have any right to cloud the issue?
River felt the eyes of men watching her as she moved around the room. Their thoughts were like Jayne’s when he looked around a whorehouse for some trim: all hot and heavy with desire. But one mind was different. His thoughts were softer, less demanding. In his mind she was beautiful. The innocent girl she had once been.
She turned and looked right at him. He looked right back.
“I haven’t seen you here before,” he said. “My name’s Jack.”
Her eyes were lost in his brown ones. She gulped. “River,” was all she could say in return.
“Pardon?”
“River,” she repeated. “My name is River.”
“Well, pleased to meet you, River. You don’t come from round here, do you?”
River looked up and gasped. “How can you tell?”
He shrugged. “Your clothes, your accent.”
“I’m from Osiris, but I live on a boat, Serenity: Firefly class.”
Jack nodded. “I’ve seen it in the dock. I love those old boats.”
“Me, too,” River let a smile play around her lips, “I’m the pilot, you know.”
“Beautiful and talented,” he smiled back.
River blushed and looked down.
“You seeing anybody?” he asked.
She shook her head.
“Men on your crew must have rocks in their heads!” he flirted.
River giggled. “We’re going, as soon as one more crew member returns.”
“Well then, I’d better ask you right away. Will you go out with me?”
River shook her head. “Not enough time.”
“What if we started that date right now?”
“Yes!” River answered, and then stopped herself in case she appeared too eager. “I mean I’d love to.”
“Me too, River. Me too.”
*************************
Simon nudged Kaylee.
“What is it?”
“Look over there.” He nodded his head towards River, sitting at a table with a handsome young man who was obviously flirting with her, and she was flirting back.
“Oh, thank Buddha! That’s the end of the story of River and Jayne,” sighed Kaylee.
“Do you think he seems respectable?”
“Well, we’re on a core planet, so there’s a good chance…”
“Do you think I ought to go and have a word with him?”
“No, Simon! Ya might scare him off, an’ I don’t think River would ever forgive ya that.”
“You’re right,” admitted Simon.
“Just let her flirt, an’ git over a little of the hurt she feels over Jayne. She’ll probably never see this man again…”
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Jayne walked out into the street, to get some fresh air and clear his head a little.
Looking down the street, he saw Maggie running and then stopping as she watched Serenity take off. Tears filled her eyes, and he heard her sigh his name.
He smiled and moved silently behind her. When she turned she practically bumped into him.
“Jayne!” she cried, wrapping her arms around him. “I thought you’d gone.”
“No, Maggie girl,” Jayne whispered in her ear. “Captain an’ Zoe just left with Wash ta pick up supplies fer another job.”
“I thought I’d lost you.”
Jayne held her closer and ran his hand down her back, comforting her. “Don’cha know, ya can’t lose me?”
“Oh, Jayne.”
“Aw, Maggie girl.”
Jayne eased her away from him and pressed a soft kiss to her lips. She responded, but Jayne held back. “Let’s go inside. Don’t feel right doing this so public. The rest of the crew are inside.”
“Eddie’s!”
“It’s our favourite bar here on Londinium.”
“Mine too.”
Jayne grinned. “Knew there was a reason I chose ya.”
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“What’s yer poison?” Jayne asked.
Maggie pressed into his side and pulled him down into a soft kiss. She eased his lips open and tasted him.
“What have you been drinking?” she asked.
Jayne grinned. “Whiskey.”
“Tastes nice,” Maggie teased. “I’ll have some of that.”
“Dong ma, bao-bei.” He smacked her on the behind as she made her way over to where Inara, Kaylee and Simon were sitting.
Kaylee gave her a big hug. “I’m glad ya came back, Maggie. I don’t think we coulda coped with a moody Merc, if ya didn’t.”
“Was there really any doubt?” Maggie asked.
“Jayne seemed ta think there was.”
“Let me guess, River said something.”
“She did, but she seems real happy right now.” Kaylee indicated the table where River was still flirting with her young man.
“Thank God!”
“I think we all feel that way, Maggie.” Inara said, giving her a welcoming hug.
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“Do you know who that woman is?” asked the barman.
“Her name’s Maggie, and she’s ma woman.”
“I can see that, but I’m sure I know her.”
“Says this is her local bar. She comes from round here.”
“Who’s her family?”
“Name of Hale. She just broke up with her fiancé ta be with me.” Jayne puffed out his chest and pulled himself up to his full height.
“Congratulations! Who was her fiancé?”
“Fella by the name of Tom.”
“Tom Fairfax?”
“That’s the fella!”
“Lord Thomas Fairfax.”
“Didn’t know he was no Lord.”
“And what do you do?”
“I’m on the crew of Serenity.”
“A spaceship? Do you have any idea what that woman has given up to be with you?”
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Jayne brought the drinks over and scooted next to Maggie.
“Eddie’s bin tellin’ me some real interestin’ things ‘bout you,” he whispered in her ear.
Maggie turned a question in her eyes.
“Told me what kinda life ya given up ta be with me on Serenity.”
Maggie took his hand and led him to a quiet part of the bar.
“Tom is the richest man on Londinium. Lord Fairfax. But he treated me like I meant nothing to him. I would have been miserable with him. I couldn’t be married to a man like that.”
“So ya gave up a whole lot ta be with me.”
Maggie reached up a hand and caressed his cheek. “I happen ta think ya worth it.”
“I’d better not mess it up then.”
“As long as you keep your eyes on me and your pants securely fastened when you’re not.” she teased.
“I reckon I can do that,” he answered, a twinkle in his eyes.
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The End…. Or is it? To be continued in another story…