HEALING - twenty-nine in The Little Things series
Title: HEALING
Author: Michmak
Rating: Teen / Mature
Characters: Jayne, River, Simon, Mal, Kaylee
Pairings: Jayne/River
Disclaimers: Not mine.
Summary: “Simon,” she says, “Simon - he’s awake!”
A/N: Did you really think I'd kill him?
This follows CURRENTS, which can be found here: CURRENTS
HEALING
He didn’t wake up for almost three days and when he finally cracked open his eyes he almost wished he was dead. Felt like someone had ripped him up and tore him open, he had never felt pain so bad ‘afore.
Even the steady thrum ‘a blood through his veins hurt him; made his body throb. He shut his eyes against the stabbin’ white lights and tilted his head to the side, bitin’ back a groan.
“Jayne-bird?” Her voice is soft and hoarse, like she somehow got a cold. He can feel her hand touch his own tentatively and his fingers grip it compulsively. The feel ‘a her palm against his own brings a good pain, and he opens his eyes again and looks at her.
Someone done made his girl cry and when he can move without feelin’ like he’s dyin’, he’s gonna find the hun dan that did it and make ‘em pay. He tries to say her name but realizes he can’t because there’s somethin’ in his mouth preventin’ it. All he can manage is a weak gaggin’ sound, but it makes her smile.
“Simon,” she says, “Simon - he’s awake!”
Doc is there suddenly, floatin’ on the edges ‘a his vision. He looks drawn, like he ain’t slept in a week but he smiles when he steps closer to his sister and peers at Jayne over her shoulder.
“Jayne,” he murmurs. “It’s good to see you awake.”
“Told you,” River smiles, “told you he wasn’t leaving me.”
“Yes you did,” Simon agrees. He looks at Jayne again and puts a hand on the larger man’s knee. “Don’t try to talk, Jayne. You’ve got a tube down your throat helping you breathe. I’ve sedated you quite heavily, so if you feel groggy and confused it’s from the drugs. They’ll keep you from moving too much as well - we need to keep you from ripping the stitches accidently.”
‘Stitches?’ Jayne thinks, ‘What?’
“He wants to know what happened to him,” River states.
Simon nods, “Of course he does.” He smiles at Jayne suddenly and the larger man realizes - for the first time - how much the Doc and his girl look alike when they smile. Lights up their whole faces. “You saved Kaylee’s life, is what you did. You remember? You’d gone to get the mule back.”
Jayne blinks and grunts around the tube down his throat. ‘No.’
“No,” River says for him. Her hand squeezes his just a little bit tighter.
Doc continues, “Mal was with you and about twenty other men. You’d gotten the mule out of the dirt and set on the ground and Kaylee climbed up to see if she could assess the damage. Apparently the mule had been placed too close to where it had been buried. A sink hole formed and the mule started sliding back into it. You somehow managed to jump on, get hold of Kaylee and throw her at Mal before the whole thing tipped over and went back into the hole, on top of you.”
‘’Member…Mal…’
“He remembers now,” River echoes his thoughts. “The Captain hauled him out. He thought he was dying and would never see his Crazy-girl again. Regretted so many things, but mostly that he would never kiss her again.”
“Plenty of time for that,” Doc reassures them both. “River knew something had happened. We’d just gotten the tarps off Serenity when she fired her up and flew her straight to where they were trying to get you onto one of the working mules. You had a punctured lung, a perforated spleen…liver damage…uhm, several broken ribs. You’re lucky to be alive.”
Jayne closes his eyes. Simon squeezes his knee again to get his attention. “Jayne…thank you. For saving Kaylee. I mean…I…just thank you.”
* * * * *
He don’t remember fallin’ asleep, but when he wakes up River and Simon are still both there. His girl is still holdin’ his hand, but she’s sittin’ in a chair beside the bed and her head is restin’ awkwardly near his shoulder. He can feel her breath on his neck.
Doc is standin’ at the counter, enterin’ somethin’ into his data pad. “He’s going to be fine,” Simon is reassurin’ someone just outta the line ‘a his vision. “It will be a while before he’s in fighting condition, though. He really is lucky to be alive.”
“Pichonet says it was the sand that kept him from being crushed,” the Captain says, and steps closer to the Doc. Mal looks tired, too. “Says it acted like a cushion and helped him absorb the weight a bit more easy. Our little Albatross is finally sleeping, I see?”
Both men turn to look at River and see Jayne watchin’ them. Mal smiles, “Hey, look who’s up.” Doc is immediately by his side, fussin’ around him and Jayne grunts irritably. The glare he sends both men plainly says, ‘Don’t wake my girl up.’
Mal squeezes his foot. “Don’t think a legion of Reavers could wake her up,” he reassures. “She ain’t slept since you been hurt - ain’t left your side, neither. Couldn’t see before how you two would ever work, but I see it now. You’re a lucky man, Jayne Cobb.”
Jayne’s expression softens and he twists his head a bit so that he can see her better. Mal continues, “You had us all worried. Little Kaylee’s been beside herself, thinking it’s her fault you got hurt.”
The large Merc glares at that and shakes his head slightly. The Captain lifts his hands in a placatin’ manner, “I know, I know - we all told her it was an accident, but I think she’ll feel better once she sees you’re awake. She was as bad as River, haunting the infirmary the last few days. Finally had to send her back to the settlement with your Ma. Told her to get some sleep and get our mule working - the tinkering will keep her mind occupied.”
“Everyone in Prospero will be glad to hear you’re finally awake,” Simon adds. He slices a glance at the Captain and grins, “Seems you’re a big damn hero.”
“Last I heard, there was talk of a statue,” Mal teases. Jayne grimaces and the other two men chuckle. Captain squeezes his foot again, “I’m leaving now. Gonna go fill your Ma and everyone else in, but Doc will be staying here with you. And your girl, of course. Guess you’ll get to see her naked after all.”
The fiery blush that blooms up Jayne’s neck and face send both men off into fresh gales ‘a laughter. Jayne would chuckle his own self, despite his embarrassment, if he didn’t have a gorram tube down his throat.
After a few moments, Simon wipes at his eyes and grips the big man’s shoulder, grinning, “She’s already seen you naked, you know. She’s the one that decided she was in charge of all your sponge baths.”
* * * * *
“He wants the gorram tube out of his mouth,” River says for him, the next day. There’d been a steady stream ‘a people through the infirmary to say hello and he’s exhausted and sore and wants to swallow without gaggin’.
“I imagine so,” Simon replies, “but he’s going to have to wait at least one more day. His vitals still aren’t where I would like them to be and it was hard enough, intubating him the first time around.”
Jayne and River scowl.
“Tomorrow,” Doc assures. He checks Jayne’s pulse and monitors his heart beat, smilin’. “You’re doing well, Jayne. Incredibly well, for a man who had two tons of mule crushing him.”
Jayne rolls his eyes, but before his Crazy-girl can speak for him, Kaylee sticks her head into the infirmary. “Jayne?” she says tentatively. The large man turns his head and looks at her.
“Kaylee!” River smiles, “We were wondering when you were going to come visit.”
The mechanic hangs back, by the door. Jayne sighs.
“You can come in, you know,” Doc says, holding out his hand to her.
“It ain’t your fault,” Crazy says. She actually sounds like Jayne a bit when she says this; same vocal inflections and gruff tone. The effect is ruined somewhat by the fact her voice is so much higher than his, but Jayne smiles a bit when Kaylee blinks in shock.
“River speaks for him right now, since he can’t,” Simon states as he walks over to her and escorts her into the room. “She sounds just like him too, which is slightly creepifying.”
“I think it’s sweet,” Kaylee replies softly. She stands awkwardly at the foot ‘a his bed with the Doc, lookin’ at him and tryin’ not to cry.
“Ain’t your fault,” River repeats, louder and a little bit testier. “Glad it weren’t you, crushed under the mule, ‘cause ya wouldn’t have survived. I’m fine - got a hard head. Too stubborn to die. Would ‘a never forgiven myself, if’n ya’d gone under.”
“But it would never have happened if I hadn’t…”
“Knock it off. We all thought it was safe. Think Mal would ‘a let ya climb up there if he din’t? Think I would ‘a? No gorram way!”
“You saved my life,” the little mechanic states.
“I knows it,” River-Jayne replies, a little more softly this time. “But how many times have ya saved all ‘a ours, keepin’ the boat flyin’ on nothin’ but spit and a promise? I’m glad I finally done somethin’ good for ya.”
Kaylee sidles closer and reaches out, takin’ Jayne’s free hand. He squeezes her fingers gently and she smiles at him.
“No more tears. I can’t stand seein’ a woman cry. Makes her face all puffy and red, and the snot ain’t attractive, neither.”
Kaylee giggles when River says, in her normal voice, “Jayne! That’s not nice.”
The larger man shrugs as much as he can without hurtin’ himself and winks at them. River doesn’t need to speak for him this time - they can all read that expression clear as day - ‘Ain’t nice, but it’s true’.
* * * * *
“I don’t want any ‘a that stuff ‘Nara dropped off for me,” Jayne growls at River a few days later. “Smells like flowers and I don’t care if’n it makes the scars heal faster - they don’t bother me none.”
River is sittin’ near his hip, facin’ him. He’s been moved out of the infirmary and into one ‘a the quarters for payin’ passengers because there weren’t no way anyone could get him down the ladder to his bunk.
His Crazy-girl wrings out the clothe she’d been rubbin’ gently across his chest and smiles at him. “Gives her a reason to touch you,” she sighs dreamily.
Jayne’s belly tightens and he curses under his breath. He don’t think he can handle more ‘a her touches without losin’ his mind. He must be feelin’ better, the way those touches effect him. Can’t do anythin’ about it, ‘a course. Still hurts to move around too much but ren-ci de Fo-zu, won’t be no holdin’ back as soon as he’s up to it.
“Wants you too,” River sighs, “so badly. It’s like an ache, deep in the pit of her belly.” Her hand has lifted, free ‘a the cloth, and rubs his chest lightly. He can feel one ‘a her fingers scratch over his left nipple and a jolt ‘a heat drives straight to his groin. His head falls back on to his pillow and he groans.
“Why do you do that,” he gasps, as her fingers glide down one ‘a his fresh scars. “I want to know what you feel.”
“You do,” she whispers. “You know.” She is leanin’ forward, pressin’ light kisses along the same path her hand has just traced. “Overwhelmed; going under. Burning, aching, empty. She needs to be filled.” Her voice provides to the sensory overload he’s feelin’. His hands are in her hair, fistin’ it as he draws her closer.
“Gorram, baby. You’re killin’ me.”
One ‘a her hands has dropped to his leg and is rubbin’ the interior ‘a his thigh through the sheets coverin’ him before travelin’ higher, grazin’ his belly-button and sliding lower again. He closes his eye and bites the inside ‘a his cheek when he feels her small hand circle him through the material coverin’ him. The involuntary buck ‘a his hips burns, but all the good feelin’s are outweighin’ the pain.
She nips the underside ‘a his jaw bone, before pressin’ her mouth against his and kissin’ him. Her mouth is hot and wet and her hand is tight. He groans into her mouth and she sighs back, “Wants you.”
“Soon, little butterfly,” he gasps. The hand not wrapped around his cock flutters against the side ‘a his face, her fingers lacin’ through his hair. His heart is poundin’ and he can hear the rush ‘a his blood as it sings through his body.
Her tongue slides inta his mouth again. “Needs you.”
“Need you too, Crazy,” he bucks against her hand again and her grip tightens. There are little spots swimmin’ in front ‘a his eyes now. His hands have dropped to his sides, ineffectually grippin’ the sheets as she works him over. He’s gonna explode but it feels so good and hurts so bad he don’t really want to stop her.
“Doesn’t want to stop,” she murmurs in his ear. “Wants Jayne-bird to fly again.”
“Gorramit,” he pants. “Gorramit, gorramit, gorramit. Yes….”
She’s moanin’ too, softly in his ear and against his mouth. “She’s flying too,” she whispers. “Her Jayne-bird is teaching her how to be free again. I love you.”
It’s the ‘I love you’ which sends him over the edge. When the explosion is over and his heart is beatin’ at a normal rhythm again, he holds her against his chest. “I love you too, little butterfly.”
She snuggles against him, careful ‘a his stitches and scars, and yawns. “You need another bath.”
Author: Michmak
Rating: Teen / Mature
Characters: Jayne, River, Simon, Mal, Kaylee
Pairings: Jayne/River
Disclaimers: Not mine.
Summary: “Simon,” she says, “Simon - he’s awake!”
A/N: Did you really think I'd kill him?
This follows CURRENTS, which can be found here: CURRENTS
HEALING
He didn’t wake up for almost three days and when he finally cracked open his eyes he almost wished he was dead. Felt like someone had ripped him up and tore him open, he had never felt pain so bad ‘afore.
Even the steady thrum ‘a blood through his veins hurt him; made his body throb. He shut his eyes against the stabbin’ white lights and tilted his head to the side, bitin’ back a groan.
“Jayne-bird?” Her voice is soft and hoarse, like she somehow got a cold. He can feel her hand touch his own tentatively and his fingers grip it compulsively. The feel ‘a her palm against his own brings a good pain, and he opens his eyes again and looks at her.
Someone done made his girl cry and when he can move without feelin’ like he’s dyin’, he’s gonna find the hun dan that did it and make ‘em pay. He tries to say her name but realizes he can’t because there’s somethin’ in his mouth preventin’ it. All he can manage is a weak gaggin’ sound, but it makes her smile.
“Simon,” she says, “Simon - he’s awake!”
Doc is there suddenly, floatin’ on the edges ‘a his vision. He looks drawn, like he ain’t slept in a week but he smiles when he steps closer to his sister and peers at Jayne over her shoulder.
“Jayne,” he murmurs. “It’s good to see you awake.”
“Told you,” River smiles, “told you he wasn’t leaving me.”
“Yes you did,” Simon agrees. He looks at Jayne again and puts a hand on the larger man’s knee. “Don’t try to talk, Jayne. You’ve got a tube down your throat helping you breathe. I’ve sedated you quite heavily, so if you feel groggy and confused it’s from the drugs. They’ll keep you from moving too much as well - we need to keep you from ripping the stitches accidently.”
‘Stitches?’ Jayne thinks, ‘What?’
“He wants to know what happened to him,” River states.
Simon nods, “Of course he does.” He smiles at Jayne suddenly and the larger man realizes - for the first time - how much the Doc and his girl look alike when they smile. Lights up their whole faces. “You saved Kaylee’s life, is what you did. You remember? You’d gone to get the mule back.”
Jayne blinks and grunts around the tube down his throat. ‘No.’
“No,” River says for him. Her hand squeezes his just a little bit tighter.
Doc continues, “Mal was with you and about twenty other men. You’d gotten the mule out of the dirt and set on the ground and Kaylee climbed up to see if she could assess the damage. Apparently the mule had been placed too close to where it had been buried. A sink hole formed and the mule started sliding back into it. You somehow managed to jump on, get hold of Kaylee and throw her at Mal before the whole thing tipped over and went back into the hole, on top of you.”
‘’Member…Mal…’
“He remembers now,” River echoes his thoughts. “The Captain hauled him out. He thought he was dying and would never see his Crazy-girl again. Regretted so many things, but mostly that he would never kiss her again.”
“Plenty of time for that,” Doc reassures them both. “River knew something had happened. We’d just gotten the tarps off Serenity when she fired her up and flew her straight to where they were trying to get you onto one of the working mules. You had a punctured lung, a perforated spleen…liver damage…uhm, several broken ribs. You’re lucky to be alive.”
Jayne closes his eyes. Simon squeezes his knee again to get his attention. “Jayne…thank you. For saving Kaylee. I mean…I…just thank you.”
* * * * *
He don’t remember fallin’ asleep, but when he wakes up River and Simon are still both there. His girl is still holdin’ his hand, but she’s sittin’ in a chair beside the bed and her head is restin’ awkwardly near his shoulder. He can feel her breath on his neck.
Doc is standin’ at the counter, enterin’ somethin’ into his data pad. “He’s going to be fine,” Simon is reassurin’ someone just outta the line ‘a his vision. “It will be a while before he’s in fighting condition, though. He really is lucky to be alive.”
“Pichonet says it was the sand that kept him from being crushed,” the Captain says, and steps closer to the Doc. Mal looks tired, too. “Says it acted like a cushion and helped him absorb the weight a bit more easy. Our little Albatross is finally sleeping, I see?”
Both men turn to look at River and see Jayne watchin’ them. Mal smiles, “Hey, look who’s up.” Doc is immediately by his side, fussin’ around him and Jayne grunts irritably. The glare he sends both men plainly says, ‘Don’t wake my girl up.’
Mal squeezes his foot. “Don’t think a legion of Reavers could wake her up,” he reassures. “She ain’t slept since you been hurt - ain’t left your side, neither. Couldn’t see before how you two would ever work, but I see it now. You’re a lucky man, Jayne Cobb.”
Jayne’s expression softens and he twists his head a bit so that he can see her better. Mal continues, “You had us all worried. Little Kaylee’s been beside herself, thinking it’s her fault you got hurt.”
The large Merc glares at that and shakes his head slightly. The Captain lifts his hands in a placatin’ manner, “I know, I know - we all told her it was an accident, but I think she’ll feel better once she sees you’re awake. She was as bad as River, haunting the infirmary the last few days. Finally had to send her back to the settlement with your Ma. Told her to get some sleep and get our mule working - the tinkering will keep her mind occupied.”
“Everyone in Prospero will be glad to hear you’re finally awake,” Simon adds. He slices a glance at the Captain and grins, “Seems you’re a big damn hero.”
“Last I heard, there was talk of a statue,” Mal teases. Jayne grimaces and the other two men chuckle. Captain squeezes his foot again, “I’m leaving now. Gonna go fill your Ma and everyone else in, but Doc will be staying here with you. And your girl, of course. Guess you’ll get to see her naked after all.”
The fiery blush that blooms up Jayne’s neck and face send both men off into fresh gales ‘a laughter. Jayne would chuckle his own self, despite his embarrassment, if he didn’t have a gorram tube down his throat.
After a few moments, Simon wipes at his eyes and grips the big man’s shoulder, grinning, “She’s already seen you naked, you know. She’s the one that decided she was in charge of all your sponge baths.”
* * * * *
“He wants the gorram tube out of his mouth,” River says for him, the next day. There’d been a steady stream ‘a people through the infirmary to say hello and he’s exhausted and sore and wants to swallow without gaggin’.
“I imagine so,” Simon replies, “but he’s going to have to wait at least one more day. His vitals still aren’t where I would like them to be and it was hard enough, intubating him the first time around.”
Jayne and River scowl.
“Tomorrow,” Doc assures. He checks Jayne’s pulse and monitors his heart beat, smilin’. “You’re doing well, Jayne. Incredibly well, for a man who had two tons of mule crushing him.”
Jayne rolls his eyes, but before his Crazy-girl can speak for him, Kaylee sticks her head into the infirmary. “Jayne?” she says tentatively. The large man turns his head and looks at her.
“Kaylee!” River smiles, “We were wondering when you were going to come visit.”
The mechanic hangs back, by the door. Jayne sighs.
“You can come in, you know,” Doc says, holding out his hand to her.
“It ain’t your fault,” Crazy says. She actually sounds like Jayne a bit when she says this; same vocal inflections and gruff tone. The effect is ruined somewhat by the fact her voice is so much higher than his, but Jayne smiles a bit when Kaylee blinks in shock.
“River speaks for him right now, since he can’t,” Simon states as he walks over to her and escorts her into the room. “She sounds just like him too, which is slightly creepifying.”
“I think it’s sweet,” Kaylee replies softly. She stands awkwardly at the foot ‘a his bed with the Doc, lookin’ at him and tryin’ not to cry.
“Ain’t your fault,” River repeats, louder and a little bit testier. “Glad it weren’t you, crushed under the mule, ‘cause ya wouldn’t have survived. I’m fine - got a hard head. Too stubborn to die. Would ‘a never forgiven myself, if’n ya’d gone under.”
“But it would never have happened if I hadn’t…”
“Knock it off. We all thought it was safe. Think Mal would ‘a let ya climb up there if he din’t? Think I would ‘a? No gorram way!”
“You saved my life,” the little mechanic states.
“I knows it,” River-Jayne replies, a little more softly this time. “But how many times have ya saved all ‘a ours, keepin’ the boat flyin’ on nothin’ but spit and a promise? I’m glad I finally done somethin’ good for ya.”
Kaylee sidles closer and reaches out, takin’ Jayne’s free hand. He squeezes her fingers gently and she smiles at him.
“No more tears. I can’t stand seein’ a woman cry. Makes her face all puffy and red, and the snot ain’t attractive, neither.”
Kaylee giggles when River says, in her normal voice, “Jayne! That’s not nice.”
The larger man shrugs as much as he can without hurtin’ himself and winks at them. River doesn’t need to speak for him this time - they can all read that expression clear as day - ‘Ain’t nice, but it’s true’.
* * * * *
“I don’t want any ‘a that stuff ‘Nara dropped off for me,” Jayne growls at River a few days later. “Smells like flowers and I don’t care if’n it makes the scars heal faster - they don’t bother me none.”
River is sittin’ near his hip, facin’ him. He’s been moved out of the infirmary and into one ‘a the quarters for payin’ passengers because there weren’t no way anyone could get him down the ladder to his bunk.
His Crazy-girl wrings out the clothe she’d been rubbin’ gently across his chest and smiles at him. “Gives her a reason to touch you,” she sighs dreamily.
Jayne’s belly tightens and he curses under his breath. He don’t think he can handle more ‘a her touches without losin’ his mind. He must be feelin’ better, the way those touches effect him. Can’t do anythin’ about it, ‘a course. Still hurts to move around too much but ren-ci de Fo-zu, won’t be no holdin’ back as soon as he’s up to it.
“Wants you too,” River sighs, “so badly. It’s like an ache, deep in the pit of her belly.” Her hand has lifted, free ‘a the cloth, and rubs his chest lightly. He can feel one ‘a her fingers scratch over his left nipple and a jolt ‘a heat drives straight to his groin. His head falls back on to his pillow and he groans.
“Why do you do that,” he gasps, as her fingers glide down one ‘a his fresh scars. “I want to know what you feel.”
“You do,” she whispers. “You know.” She is leanin’ forward, pressin’ light kisses along the same path her hand has just traced. “Overwhelmed; going under. Burning, aching, empty. She needs to be filled.” Her voice provides to the sensory overload he’s feelin’. His hands are in her hair, fistin’ it as he draws her closer.
“Gorram, baby. You’re killin’ me.”
One ‘a her hands has dropped to his leg and is rubbin’ the interior ‘a his thigh through the sheets coverin’ him before travelin’ higher, grazin’ his belly-button and sliding lower again. He closes his eye and bites the inside ‘a his cheek when he feels her small hand circle him through the material coverin’ him. The involuntary buck ‘a his hips burns, but all the good feelin’s are outweighin’ the pain.
She nips the underside ‘a his jaw bone, before pressin’ her mouth against his and kissin’ him. Her mouth is hot and wet and her hand is tight. He groans into her mouth and she sighs back, “Wants you.”
“Soon, little butterfly,” he gasps. The hand not wrapped around his cock flutters against the side ‘a his face, her fingers lacin’ through his hair. His heart is poundin’ and he can hear the rush ‘a his blood as it sings through his body.
Her tongue slides inta his mouth again. “Needs you.”
“Need you too, Crazy,” he bucks against her hand again and her grip tightens. There are little spots swimmin’ in front ‘a his eyes now. His hands have dropped to his sides, ineffectually grippin’ the sheets as she works him over. He’s gonna explode but it feels so good and hurts so bad he don’t really want to stop her.
“Doesn’t want to stop,” she murmurs in his ear. “Wants Jayne-bird to fly again.”
“Gorramit,” he pants. “Gorramit, gorramit, gorramit. Yes….”
She’s moanin’ too, softly in his ear and against his mouth. “She’s flying too,” she whispers. “Her Jayne-bird is teaching her how to be free again. I love you.”
It’s the ‘I love you’ which sends him over the edge. When the explosion is over and his heart is beatin’ at a normal rhythm again, he holds her against his chest. “I love you too, little butterfly.”
She snuggles against him, careful ‘a his stitches and scars, and yawns. “You need another bath.”