Rayne Fic: Reborn - Home
Title: Home
Series: Reborn
Author: nutmeg610
Rating: PG - 13
Summary: Jayne and River move to a new home.
Notes: This series deals with River and Jayne living by themselves off the ship. So I guess you could call that AU if you want. If you don't like that sort of thing, feel free to skip on by. :)
Round Up Post
The all terrain Mule stopped along the dusty road and Jayne slid off the back, grabbing his duffel to swing the strap across his chest. Next to him, River hopped down and started sliding her heavy suitcase towards herself.
"I got it." Jayne said, easily lifting it down. Tipping his hat to the driver, he said, "Much obliged."
The older man gave a nod. "Anything fer a Cobb. Ya tell yer family I said hello."
"Will do." Jayne answered before the man lifted off the brake and went down the left fork in the road, Jayne and River starting down the right fork. "It's only 'bout half a mile's walk from here." he said, clasping her hand in his as they began to walk.
It hadn't taken them as long to save the platinum to get transport to Jayne's home moon as he thought it would. He had gotten the feeling early on that River would cut corners here and there, like when she'd buy groceries and tell him she didn't have any change to give back to him. Most likely that money had ended up in their money jar, but it was better going there than back in his pocket, when he would have probably spent it on something worthless. Her saving methods had been worth it. Almost eight months had passed since Jayne's mother had invited them to come work on the family ranch, and they were finally here.
The goodbyes back in that mining town had been heartfelt and sad for River, as she had made good friends there, and though Jayne would never admit it out loud, he had too. But there was nothing to do but move forward with their lives and write letters from time to time.
As they walked down the road, Jayne could suddenly feel River tremble through her fingertips. "What's the matter?"
"I was considering the possibility that they may not like me." she replied timidly.
"Aww, c'mon now, that ain't gonna happen."
"It could!" River protested, looking up at him with wide eyes. "Are you sure your family understands my-- me. Do they know everything?"
Jayne shrugged. "Told 'em you was a Reader. They ain't too worried 'bout that. Said way back that you was... well, crazy, but I said that you ain't like you was before."
"Do they know what happened to my brain?"
"Uh, well... no."
River tugged on his hand until he looked at her. "You mean they think I have a diagnosed mental disorder? They don't know that pieces are missing?"
"Well..."
"Jayne!"
"Well, c'mon! You try explainin' that ta yer mother in a letter. 'Oh, an' by the way, my girlfriend had pieces of her brain cut out.' My ma might have a faintin' spell she hears that!"
"Couldn't we tell her in person though?" River asked, her hair falling down to hide her face as she looked at her feet. "Together?"
"Ya wanna do that?" he replied, glancing at her curiously.
She nodded solemnly. "I want them to know."
"'Kay, we could do that tonight."
"'Kay." she echoed, giving him a tiny smile. He squeezed her hand as they crested a hill. In the distance the Cobb Ranch beckoned them.
"Whoa." Jayne said before letting out a whistle. "Place has sure built up since I last visited."
There was a two-story white house with a wrap-around porch, both bleached out from years of sun damage. To the right, set back a bit, was a plain barn, unpainted, just the simple brown wood, but large. Off behind the barn ran a split-rail wooden fence, and off in the distance they could see cattle grazing on the yellow-green grass.
They turned off onto the long, winding driveway, Jayne's smile turning into a grin. River could feel his excitement as if it was a pot of water that was boiling over. She shared his happiness and squeezed his hand, letting out a giggle.
"My Cowboy is finally happy."
"Whaddaya mean, 'finally?'"
"Weren't happy at the mines. You're happy now."
"Well, I can't argue with that." Jayne answered. Off in the distance, a screen door squeaked. They looked up to see Jayne's brother Mattie walk out onto the porch, his hands stuffed in his pockets. He trudged down the steps, his smile visible even from far away. He started walking out to meet them, it turning into a jog halfway through before he reached them and threw his arms around his older brother.
Jayne released River's hand to hug him back, patting his back in a manly fashion. River took the opportunity to catalogue Mattie's features. Jayne had told her that he was twelve years older than Mattie, and as Jayne was almost forty-one, that placed Mattie's age at twenty-eight or twenty-nine, depending on his birthdate.
Mattie was tall, but still an inch or so shorter than Jayne, with the same dark brown hair, though Mattie wore his a bit longer, and it was starting to curl. As he pulled back, River saw he shared Jayne's blue eyes and nose, though their jawlines were different. No one had her Jayne's distinct, strong jaw. He wasn't built like Jayne either, being much slimmer with less muscle. River remembered Jayne saying once that Mattie was a sickly child, and was still sometimes weak, so it was understandable.
Mattie clapped Jayne on the shoulder and laughed. "S'pose it'd be too obvious ta say 'the prodigal son returns,' huh?"
"It would." Jayne answered with a smirk. "Look at you. Actually been out in the sun?"
Mattie chuckled and nodded. "Yup. Been workin' on the ranch with Uncle Jonas fer a few years now. Can't do too much heavy stuff, but the fresh air does me good." He then turned and his eyes met River's. "And you gotta be River. Nice ta meet ya." He stuck out his hand and River smiled warmly, shaking it.
"Hello." she said, afraid to say too much too soon.
"Well, c'mon, Ma'll have my hide if she knew I keep y'all out here all afternoon chattin'. She's made loads 'a food, 'a course. The Human Vacuum's home now."
"Hey!" Jayne yelled. "Shut it!"
Mattie chuckled again as he led the way. "How'd ya keep him fed?" he asked River. "No wonder yer so skinny."
"Mattie..." Jayne began warningly.
"Ok, I'm done." Mattie said, turning to walk backwards with his hands raised. "Hell, if I can't tease my ge ge after damn near ten years without a visit then what do I got left?"
"Ain't been that long." Jayne grumbled as they reached the porch.
"Oh, trust me, it has." Mattie replied, opening the screen door. "Ma marked the date an' ev'rythin'." Walking into the house, he called out, "Ma! Guess who's here!"
From the kitchen, which couldn't be seen from the front door, they heard a squeal and the clatter of a metal pan. A moment later, a tiny woman with dark gray hair appeared, wiping her hands on her floral apron. "Ohhhhh! My Jayney-boy's finally home ta stay!" She launched herself at him, and Jayne lifted her off the ground into a bear hug after setting River's suitcase down.
"Oh, you put yer mother down now! Ya wanna break sumthin'?" she scolded lightly as she pressed a kiss to his jaw.
"Sorry, Ma." he said, setting her down carefully.
"And take that hat off." she continued. "Yer indoors, an' I didn't raise no wild animal." Jayne cleared his throat discreetly and slipped his cowboy hat off.
Mrs. Cobb then turned her attention over to River, clasping her hands in front of her as she cooed. "Oh, Jayne! This River? She's so shuai! Oh, lemme get a proper look at ya, hun!" She held her hands out and River walked uncertainly up to her, staring at Jayne with question in her eyes. Jayne just shrugged and nodded encouragingly as his mother urged River to turn around in a circle.
"Such long hair too! You boys remember when my hair was that long? Well, Mattie, you wouldn't, but Jayne: you remember when my hair was that long?"
She was babbling on at a light year a minute, but Jayne just smiled and nodded, placing a gentle hand on River's back to stop her from turning in another circle.
"Well, what am I carryin' on 'bout?" she continued. "Gimme a hug, girl!" She pulled River into a strong hug, saying, "So tall too! Why I remember the boys' pa had ta lift me offa the ground ta peck me on the cheek, I'm so short. Jayne's as tall as he was, God rest his soul."
Jayne shared a scowl with Mattie over their mother's head at the mention of their father, which River caught as well. Mrs. Cobb finally pulled back and said, "Well, what am I thinkin', havin' ya stand in the doorway like strangers! C'mon into the kitchen an' git some food. Mattie, you take their bags up ta their rooms now." She hurried off into the entranceway set back to the right that led into the kitchen.
River's blood practically froze in her veins, as she sucked in a breath. "Rooms?" she whispered to Jayne, clutching his hand.
"Hold up, Mattie." Jayne muttered, as his brother collected their bags. They followed their mother into the kitchen where she was taking cookies off the baking pan she must have dropped on the counter earlier. "Uh, Ma?" he asked, setting his hat on the table.
"Yes, dear?"
"Uh... did you say rooms?"
Turning around, she brushed the crumbs from her fingertips onto her apron and nodded. "Yeah. You'll be in yer old room, an' River'll take Mattie's room. He'll sleep down on the couch til we see about ya takin' that house Jonas built. Mattie don't mind."
River whimpered and clutched tightly onto Jayne's hand with both of hers. "Can't. Can't be separated. They'll come for her if he isn't there."
Jayne nodded and said, "Look, Ma, River gits these bad nightmares when she's alone so we gotta share a bed."
His mother's eyes widened. "Are you sayin' that you two been sharin' a bed an' you ain't married?"
"Ma, c'mon--"
"Oh, no sir! I don't care how ya did things out in the Black or off on that moon, but under this roof I don't allow that sorta thing!"
River could feel Mrs. Cobb's anger and disappointment, coupled with Mattie's confusion and Jayne's frustration. Added to that was her own fear, and that made everything almost too much to bear.
"No!" she cried out, throwing herself against Jayne's chest. "Don't leave me alone! They'll know, and they'll come, and they'll take me away from you."
Jayne wrapped his arms around her and rocked her soothingly. "'S gonna be ok. We'll sort this all out."
"If you leave me alone, the ghosts will take me with them! I'll be dead by morning!" She looked up at him with startled eyes. "Only you can keep them away. Please." She turned and looked over her shoulder at his mother, who had a hand over her mouth in shock. Not the first impression River was hoping for, but she couldn't worry about that when there were more pressing matters. "Please?" she begged his mother. "Please let me stay with him. I need him to keep the ghosts from taking me."
Jayne cleared his throat. "C'mon Ma. Trust me, it's easier this way. Ya don't wanna be woken up ev'ry night by her screamin'."
Mrs. Cobb nodded, her eyes pulling away from River to her son's. "Alright, that's fine. Mattie, you put their luggage in Jayne's room, an' you can keep yer room."
Mattie nodded and quickly climbed the stairs as River kept sniffling against Jayne's chest. "They're afraid of me." she whispered to him.
"No one's afraid 'a ya, Moonbeam."
"They are," she nodded, "and they should be." She whimpered again and collapsed against him, like she'd lost control of her limbs.
"Nah, they ain't." Jayne said, nudging her to stand on her own. "What's say you an' me go out back an' git some fresh air? Then we'll come back an' e't." He gently turned her towards the back door, her head down and wringing her hands.
"We have to tell them." she said firmly, keeping her eyes on the ground as Jayne exchanged a look with his mother.
"Tell 'em what?"
"That I'm not normal crazy. That I'm a different kind of crazy, and it's not my fault."
"They know it ain't yer fault." Jayne said, opening the door for her. "An' we'll tell 'em after dinner." River nodded and stepped out onto the wrap-around porch, now on the side of the house instead of the front. Taking her hand, Jayne led her down the steps and over towards the fence. He looked out across the grass at the cattle grazing. The last time he'd been home, his father and uncle were talking about starting the ranch if it looked like the grass was going to last. That was ten years ago. A lot had been done in that time, Jayne thought to himself.
River attached herself to him, arms wrapped around his back, face buried in his chest. "They hate me."
"No, they don't." he answered, rubbing her shaking back.
"Well, they don't like me very much then." she declared stubbornly.
"Oh, yeah, ya gettin' that from their heads? 'Cause I don't believe it."
"No," River answered slowly. "They feel sorry for me. They're... worried about me."
"See? There ain't no hatin' ya, 'er not likin' ya going on up in their heads."
"But--" River faltered suddenly, rubbing her cheek against the soft fabric of his shirt for comfort.
"But?"
"I'm not family. I don't belong."
Jayne sighed wearily. "Yer family, hun. Trust me."
Shaking her head, River looked up at him with a devastated look. "We're not pretend married anymore. I don't belong to your family. Who am I?"
Bending down, Jayne pressed a kiss to her forehead, brushing her hair back as he did so. "Yer my girl."
"But not your wife." she said, face scrunched up and red.
"Don't need ta be my wife. Yer my only girl. It's the same thing."
River lowered her head and shook it slightly, before looking off to the side and watching the cattle in the distance. "Little souls..." she whispered.
Sighing again, Jayne pressed another kiss to the top of her head. "Ya ready ta go back in yet?"
River nodded, and turned, holding her hand out for his. Together they walked back into the kitchen, where Mattie was sitting and Mrs. Cobb was setting a plate of cookies on the table. Jayne's hat had been moved to a peg on the wall, because his mother didn't allow hats at the table. Glasses of milk, real milk, not the powdered stuff, were sitting out for them. River sat down across from Mattie and gave him a shaky smile. He smiled back as he reached across and snagged a cookie. "Yer gonna love these cookies. Ma's are the best in the 'verse." He stuffed it into his mouth as his mother bustled around, preparing for the evening meal.
"Dinner should be ready in 'bout an hour." she called over her shoulder. "Then you two can tell us what ya wanted to afterwards."
Jayne glanced at River carefully as he sat down next to her, but she smiled back at him, sure of herself.
*******************************************************
After dinner they sat in the living room, as the two, but mostly Jayne, related to his family about what had happened to her. Early on, River had curled up next to Jayne on the couch, pressing her face into his chest and letting her long hair hide her face.
Finally, Jayne decided that he had said enough to explain it all, especially since his mother held a hankerchief up to her mouth, looking horrified and a little green, while Mattie sat with his mouth hanging open.
"But..." Mattie started feebly, "she's so thin. How can they make an assassin outta a little girl the size of a blade 'a grass?"
River shook in Jayne's arms, her voice muffled as she answered him. "The perfect candidate. Small, unassuming, graceful beyond all others. A creature of extraordinary grace. A dancer."
"Oh." Mattie replied quietly.
"I don't mean it." she said. "Hearing things, feelings things. Don't mean too. Can't help it. Can't push it back."
Mrs. Cobb lowered her handerchief and swallowed heavily. "We understand, dear. We know it ain't yer fault. Don't ya think fer one second that we blame ya none, 'kay?"
River nodded, finally pulling her head away from Jayne's chest to reveal the giant wet mark on his t-shirt that her tears had left. "'Kay. I never go snooping anymore. Won't dig for thoughts. But I can't help seeing what's on the surface; what you're thinking or feeling at that moment."
Mattie and Mrs. Cobb nodded in understanding. There was silence throughout the room before Jayne rubbed River's back quickly and sat up a bit. "Well, we been up since early mornin' tryin' ta git here, so I think we'll hit the sack early."
River untangled her limbs from around him and stood, Jayne following to stretch his arms over his head. His mother stood as well, thinking it best to get going on those dishes in the sink. "There's fresh sheets on the bed fer you two. Ya sure you'll both fit? It's only a full mattress."
"Yeah, we'll be fine. Night."
"Night." Mattie said, their ma adding "Sweet dreams."
"Those who dream by day are cognizant of many things which escape those who dream only by night.*" River said, earning her confused smiles from the others, before she and Jayne climbed the stairs and Jayne pointed out his room. River pushed open the door to see a small room, dominated by the large bed, a nightstand, a dresser, and several boxes filled with Jayne's old things. Jayne sat on the edge of the bed to remove his boots while River unpacked a nightgown. She paused before putting it on to run her hand along the wall gently.
"Many memories in this room." she said to him. "Some good, some bad. It's all coming back to you."
"Yeah." Jayne answered, taking off his belt and tossing it on the floor before untucking his shirt.
River slipped her dress off over her head, knowing that Jayne was watching her. "Will we make good memories in this room together?"
Jayne smirked. "Not in the way I want to. Ma's just across the hall, ya know."
River giggled and pulled on her nightie, straightening it out along her knees before climbing under the covers. Jayne switched off the light and got back into bed. "But I'll talk ta Uncle Jonas when I see him tomorrow. Prob'ly be able ta take that empty place he's got off his hands." He slid his arms around her and pulled her back against his chest. "Then we can do whatever we want, an' it won't matter how loud we are."
River giggled again, and Jayne pressed a kiss to her cheek. "Gonna be able ta sleep ok, ya think?"
Letting out a content sigh, River rubbed her hands across his. "Yes, as long as you're here."
Pressing one last kiss to her shoulder he answered, "'Kay, night."
"Goodnight, I love you."
"Love ya too." Jayne mumbled, already half asleep. River smiled at his sleepy tone, but said no more. He needed his rest, after all. They had taken a long journey, but they were finally home.
* Quote from Edgar Allan Poe's, "Eleonora"
Previous: The Beginning :: Next: Question
Series: Reborn
Author: nutmeg610
Rating: PG - 13
Summary: Jayne and River move to a new home.
Notes: This series deals with River and Jayne living by themselves off the ship. So I guess you could call that AU if you want. If you don't like that sort of thing, feel free to skip on by. :)
Round Up Post
The all terrain Mule stopped along the dusty road and Jayne slid off the back, grabbing his duffel to swing the strap across his chest. Next to him, River hopped down and started sliding her heavy suitcase towards herself.
"I got it." Jayne said, easily lifting it down. Tipping his hat to the driver, he said, "Much obliged."
The older man gave a nod. "Anything fer a Cobb. Ya tell yer family I said hello."
"Will do." Jayne answered before the man lifted off the brake and went down the left fork in the road, Jayne and River starting down the right fork. "It's only 'bout half a mile's walk from here." he said, clasping her hand in his as they began to walk.
It hadn't taken them as long to save the platinum to get transport to Jayne's home moon as he thought it would. He had gotten the feeling early on that River would cut corners here and there, like when she'd buy groceries and tell him she didn't have any change to give back to him. Most likely that money had ended up in their money jar, but it was better going there than back in his pocket, when he would have probably spent it on something worthless. Her saving methods had been worth it. Almost eight months had passed since Jayne's mother had invited them to come work on the family ranch, and they were finally here.
The goodbyes back in that mining town had been heartfelt and sad for River, as she had made good friends there, and though Jayne would never admit it out loud, he had too. But there was nothing to do but move forward with their lives and write letters from time to time.
As they walked down the road, Jayne could suddenly feel River tremble through her fingertips. "What's the matter?"
"I was considering the possibility that they may not like me." she replied timidly.
"Aww, c'mon now, that ain't gonna happen."
"It could!" River protested, looking up at him with wide eyes. "Are you sure your family understands my-- me. Do they know everything?"
Jayne shrugged. "Told 'em you was a Reader. They ain't too worried 'bout that. Said way back that you was... well, crazy, but I said that you ain't like you was before."
"Do they know what happened to my brain?"
"Uh, well... no."
River tugged on his hand until he looked at her. "You mean they think I have a diagnosed mental disorder? They don't know that pieces are missing?"
"Well..."
"Jayne!"
"Well, c'mon! You try explainin' that ta yer mother in a letter. 'Oh, an' by the way, my girlfriend had pieces of her brain cut out.' My ma might have a faintin' spell she hears that!"
"Couldn't we tell her in person though?" River asked, her hair falling down to hide her face as she looked at her feet. "Together?"
"Ya wanna do that?" he replied, glancing at her curiously.
She nodded solemnly. "I want them to know."
"'Kay, we could do that tonight."
"'Kay." she echoed, giving him a tiny smile. He squeezed her hand as they crested a hill. In the distance the Cobb Ranch beckoned them.
"Whoa." Jayne said before letting out a whistle. "Place has sure built up since I last visited."
There was a two-story white house with a wrap-around porch, both bleached out from years of sun damage. To the right, set back a bit, was a plain barn, unpainted, just the simple brown wood, but large. Off behind the barn ran a split-rail wooden fence, and off in the distance they could see cattle grazing on the yellow-green grass.
They turned off onto the long, winding driveway, Jayne's smile turning into a grin. River could feel his excitement as if it was a pot of water that was boiling over. She shared his happiness and squeezed his hand, letting out a giggle.
"My Cowboy is finally happy."
"Whaddaya mean, 'finally?'"
"Weren't happy at the mines. You're happy now."
"Well, I can't argue with that." Jayne answered. Off in the distance, a screen door squeaked. They looked up to see Jayne's brother Mattie walk out onto the porch, his hands stuffed in his pockets. He trudged down the steps, his smile visible even from far away. He started walking out to meet them, it turning into a jog halfway through before he reached them and threw his arms around his older brother.
Jayne released River's hand to hug him back, patting his back in a manly fashion. River took the opportunity to catalogue Mattie's features. Jayne had told her that he was twelve years older than Mattie, and as Jayne was almost forty-one, that placed Mattie's age at twenty-eight or twenty-nine, depending on his birthdate.
Mattie was tall, but still an inch or so shorter than Jayne, with the same dark brown hair, though Mattie wore his a bit longer, and it was starting to curl. As he pulled back, River saw he shared Jayne's blue eyes and nose, though their jawlines were different. No one had her Jayne's distinct, strong jaw. He wasn't built like Jayne either, being much slimmer with less muscle. River remembered Jayne saying once that Mattie was a sickly child, and was still sometimes weak, so it was understandable.
Mattie clapped Jayne on the shoulder and laughed. "S'pose it'd be too obvious ta say 'the prodigal son returns,' huh?"
"It would." Jayne answered with a smirk. "Look at you. Actually been out in the sun?"
Mattie chuckled and nodded. "Yup. Been workin' on the ranch with Uncle Jonas fer a few years now. Can't do too much heavy stuff, but the fresh air does me good." He then turned and his eyes met River's. "And you gotta be River. Nice ta meet ya." He stuck out his hand and River smiled warmly, shaking it.
"Hello." she said, afraid to say too much too soon.
"Well, c'mon, Ma'll have my hide if she knew I keep y'all out here all afternoon chattin'. She's made loads 'a food, 'a course. The Human Vacuum's home now."
"Hey!" Jayne yelled. "Shut it!"
Mattie chuckled again as he led the way. "How'd ya keep him fed?" he asked River. "No wonder yer so skinny."
"Mattie..." Jayne began warningly.
"Ok, I'm done." Mattie said, turning to walk backwards with his hands raised. "Hell, if I can't tease my ge ge after damn near ten years without a visit then what do I got left?"
"Ain't been that long." Jayne grumbled as they reached the porch.
"Oh, trust me, it has." Mattie replied, opening the screen door. "Ma marked the date an' ev'rythin'." Walking into the house, he called out, "Ma! Guess who's here!"
From the kitchen, which couldn't be seen from the front door, they heard a squeal and the clatter of a metal pan. A moment later, a tiny woman with dark gray hair appeared, wiping her hands on her floral apron. "Ohhhhh! My Jayney-boy's finally home ta stay!" She launched herself at him, and Jayne lifted her off the ground into a bear hug after setting River's suitcase down.
"Oh, you put yer mother down now! Ya wanna break sumthin'?" she scolded lightly as she pressed a kiss to his jaw.
"Sorry, Ma." he said, setting her down carefully.
"And take that hat off." she continued. "Yer indoors, an' I didn't raise no wild animal." Jayne cleared his throat discreetly and slipped his cowboy hat off.
Mrs. Cobb then turned her attention over to River, clasping her hands in front of her as she cooed. "Oh, Jayne! This River? She's so shuai! Oh, lemme get a proper look at ya, hun!" She held her hands out and River walked uncertainly up to her, staring at Jayne with question in her eyes. Jayne just shrugged and nodded encouragingly as his mother urged River to turn around in a circle.
"Such long hair too! You boys remember when my hair was that long? Well, Mattie, you wouldn't, but Jayne: you remember when my hair was that long?"
She was babbling on at a light year a minute, but Jayne just smiled and nodded, placing a gentle hand on River's back to stop her from turning in another circle.
"Well, what am I carryin' on 'bout?" she continued. "Gimme a hug, girl!" She pulled River into a strong hug, saying, "So tall too! Why I remember the boys' pa had ta lift me offa the ground ta peck me on the cheek, I'm so short. Jayne's as tall as he was, God rest his soul."
Jayne shared a scowl with Mattie over their mother's head at the mention of their father, which River caught as well. Mrs. Cobb finally pulled back and said, "Well, what am I thinkin', havin' ya stand in the doorway like strangers! C'mon into the kitchen an' git some food. Mattie, you take their bags up ta their rooms now." She hurried off into the entranceway set back to the right that led into the kitchen.
River's blood practically froze in her veins, as she sucked in a breath. "Rooms?" she whispered to Jayne, clutching his hand.
"Hold up, Mattie." Jayne muttered, as his brother collected their bags. They followed their mother into the kitchen where she was taking cookies off the baking pan she must have dropped on the counter earlier. "Uh, Ma?" he asked, setting his hat on the table.
"Yes, dear?"
"Uh... did you say rooms?"
Turning around, she brushed the crumbs from her fingertips onto her apron and nodded. "Yeah. You'll be in yer old room, an' River'll take Mattie's room. He'll sleep down on the couch til we see about ya takin' that house Jonas built. Mattie don't mind."
River whimpered and clutched tightly onto Jayne's hand with both of hers. "Can't. Can't be separated. They'll come for her if he isn't there."
Jayne nodded and said, "Look, Ma, River gits these bad nightmares when she's alone so we gotta share a bed."
His mother's eyes widened. "Are you sayin' that you two been sharin' a bed an' you ain't married?"
"Ma, c'mon--"
"Oh, no sir! I don't care how ya did things out in the Black or off on that moon, but under this roof I don't allow that sorta thing!"
River could feel Mrs. Cobb's anger and disappointment, coupled with Mattie's confusion and Jayne's frustration. Added to that was her own fear, and that made everything almost too much to bear.
"No!" she cried out, throwing herself against Jayne's chest. "Don't leave me alone! They'll know, and they'll come, and they'll take me away from you."
Jayne wrapped his arms around her and rocked her soothingly. "'S gonna be ok. We'll sort this all out."
"If you leave me alone, the ghosts will take me with them! I'll be dead by morning!" She looked up at him with startled eyes. "Only you can keep them away. Please." She turned and looked over her shoulder at his mother, who had a hand over her mouth in shock. Not the first impression River was hoping for, but she couldn't worry about that when there were more pressing matters. "Please?" she begged his mother. "Please let me stay with him. I need him to keep the ghosts from taking me."
Jayne cleared his throat. "C'mon Ma. Trust me, it's easier this way. Ya don't wanna be woken up ev'ry night by her screamin'."
Mrs. Cobb nodded, her eyes pulling away from River to her son's. "Alright, that's fine. Mattie, you put their luggage in Jayne's room, an' you can keep yer room."
Mattie nodded and quickly climbed the stairs as River kept sniffling against Jayne's chest. "They're afraid of me." she whispered to him.
"No one's afraid 'a ya, Moonbeam."
"They are," she nodded, "and they should be." She whimpered again and collapsed against him, like she'd lost control of her limbs.
"Nah, they ain't." Jayne said, nudging her to stand on her own. "What's say you an' me go out back an' git some fresh air? Then we'll come back an' e't." He gently turned her towards the back door, her head down and wringing her hands.
"We have to tell them." she said firmly, keeping her eyes on the ground as Jayne exchanged a look with his mother.
"Tell 'em what?"
"That I'm not normal crazy. That I'm a different kind of crazy, and it's not my fault."
"They know it ain't yer fault." Jayne said, opening the door for her. "An' we'll tell 'em after dinner." River nodded and stepped out onto the wrap-around porch, now on the side of the house instead of the front. Taking her hand, Jayne led her down the steps and over towards the fence. He looked out across the grass at the cattle grazing. The last time he'd been home, his father and uncle were talking about starting the ranch if it looked like the grass was going to last. That was ten years ago. A lot had been done in that time, Jayne thought to himself.
River attached herself to him, arms wrapped around his back, face buried in his chest. "They hate me."
"No, they don't." he answered, rubbing her shaking back.
"Well, they don't like me very much then." she declared stubbornly.
"Oh, yeah, ya gettin' that from their heads? 'Cause I don't believe it."
"No," River answered slowly. "They feel sorry for me. They're... worried about me."
"See? There ain't no hatin' ya, 'er not likin' ya going on up in their heads."
"But--" River faltered suddenly, rubbing her cheek against the soft fabric of his shirt for comfort.
"But?"
"I'm not family. I don't belong."
Jayne sighed wearily. "Yer family, hun. Trust me."
Shaking her head, River looked up at him with a devastated look. "We're not pretend married anymore. I don't belong to your family. Who am I?"
Bending down, Jayne pressed a kiss to her forehead, brushing her hair back as he did so. "Yer my girl."
"But not your wife." she said, face scrunched up and red.
"Don't need ta be my wife. Yer my only girl. It's the same thing."
River lowered her head and shook it slightly, before looking off to the side and watching the cattle in the distance. "Little souls..." she whispered.
Sighing again, Jayne pressed another kiss to the top of her head. "Ya ready ta go back in yet?"
River nodded, and turned, holding her hand out for his. Together they walked back into the kitchen, where Mattie was sitting and Mrs. Cobb was setting a plate of cookies on the table. Jayne's hat had been moved to a peg on the wall, because his mother didn't allow hats at the table. Glasses of milk, real milk, not the powdered stuff, were sitting out for them. River sat down across from Mattie and gave him a shaky smile. He smiled back as he reached across and snagged a cookie. "Yer gonna love these cookies. Ma's are the best in the 'verse." He stuffed it into his mouth as his mother bustled around, preparing for the evening meal.
"Dinner should be ready in 'bout an hour." she called over her shoulder. "Then you two can tell us what ya wanted to afterwards."
Jayne glanced at River carefully as he sat down next to her, but she smiled back at him, sure of herself.
*******************************************************
After dinner they sat in the living room, as the two, but mostly Jayne, related to his family about what had happened to her. Early on, River had curled up next to Jayne on the couch, pressing her face into his chest and letting her long hair hide her face.
Finally, Jayne decided that he had said enough to explain it all, especially since his mother held a hankerchief up to her mouth, looking horrified and a little green, while Mattie sat with his mouth hanging open.
"But..." Mattie started feebly, "she's so thin. How can they make an assassin outta a little girl the size of a blade 'a grass?"
River shook in Jayne's arms, her voice muffled as she answered him. "The perfect candidate. Small, unassuming, graceful beyond all others. A creature of extraordinary grace. A dancer."
"Oh." Mattie replied quietly.
"I don't mean it." she said. "Hearing things, feelings things. Don't mean too. Can't help it. Can't push it back."
Mrs. Cobb lowered her handerchief and swallowed heavily. "We understand, dear. We know it ain't yer fault. Don't ya think fer one second that we blame ya none, 'kay?"
River nodded, finally pulling her head away from Jayne's chest to reveal the giant wet mark on his t-shirt that her tears had left. "'Kay. I never go snooping anymore. Won't dig for thoughts. But I can't help seeing what's on the surface; what you're thinking or feeling at that moment."
Mattie and Mrs. Cobb nodded in understanding. There was silence throughout the room before Jayne rubbed River's back quickly and sat up a bit. "Well, we been up since early mornin' tryin' ta git here, so I think we'll hit the sack early."
River untangled her limbs from around him and stood, Jayne following to stretch his arms over his head. His mother stood as well, thinking it best to get going on those dishes in the sink. "There's fresh sheets on the bed fer you two. Ya sure you'll both fit? It's only a full mattress."
"Yeah, we'll be fine. Night."
"Night." Mattie said, their ma adding "Sweet dreams."
"Those who dream by day are cognizant of many things which escape those who dream only by night.*" River said, earning her confused smiles from the others, before she and Jayne climbed the stairs and Jayne pointed out his room. River pushed open the door to see a small room, dominated by the large bed, a nightstand, a dresser, and several boxes filled with Jayne's old things. Jayne sat on the edge of the bed to remove his boots while River unpacked a nightgown. She paused before putting it on to run her hand along the wall gently.
"Many memories in this room." she said to him. "Some good, some bad. It's all coming back to you."
"Yeah." Jayne answered, taking off his belt and tossing it on the floor before untucking his shirt.
River slipped her dress off over her head, knowing that Jayne was watching her. "Will we make good memories in this room together?"
Jayne smirked. "Not in the way I want to. Ma's just across the hall, ya know."
River giggled and pulled on her nightie, straightening it out along her knees before climbing under the covers. Jayne switched off the light and got back into bed. "But I'll talk ta Uncle Jonas when I see him tomorrow. Prob'ly be able ta take that empty place he's got off his hands." He slid his arms around her and pulled her back against his chest. "Then we can do whatever we want, an' it won't matter how loud we are."
River giggled again, and Jayne pressed a kiss to her cheek. "Gonna be able ta sleep ok, ya think?"
Letting out a content sigh, River rubbed her hands across his. "Yes, as long as you're here."
Pressing one last kiss to her shoulder he answered, "'Kay, night."
"Goodnight, I love you."
"Love ya too." Jayne mumbled, already half asleep. River smiled at his sleepy tone, but said no more. He needed his rest, after all. They had taken a long journey, but they were finally home.
* Quote from Edgar Allan Poe's, "Eleonora"
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