All the Math in the 'Verse: ...Is Gonna Kill Ya (Chapter 2)
Title: ...Is Gonna Kill Ya (Chapter 2)
Series: All The Math in the ‘Verse
Author: just_unravel
Disclaimer: No money lining these pockets from these characters.
Rating: PG-13
Pairings: Mostly canon, pre-Rayne
A/N: I found my muse! She was hiding...in Jayne's shower. Again, thanks to romanceguru for the plot bunny. And a round of applause to two great betas: thecricket and angel932. No...really...start clapping.
Previous Chapters: 1: The Fall
River stares through Serenity's windows to see the Black extend out in front of her. Without focusing on anything, she allows herself to get lost in the vastness. Since the job on Whitefall, she has been spending most of her time alone on the bridge, avoiding the rest of the crew. They force their worries and concerns into her mind and she cannot help but to go crazy. Her time with the Black, now, has become her solace; here, she can escape her emotions, along with everyone else's, and just become empty.
Mal's guilt drifts into the bridge long before he steps through the entry way. Despite assurances from Inara that he was not at fault, he feels responsible for what happened to the girl. At first, he tried to resume life as normal--challenging her to another bet or leaving himself open to be teased--but she resisted his attempts. She distanced herself from him and he allowed her to continue on. She blames me, he repeats in his mind every time he is in the same room with her.
"Dinner's ready, albatross."
"Thank you, captain." She puts Serenity on autopilot and carefully lifts herself out of the chair.
"You need any help, li'l one?" He asks as she limps past him.
"I'm fine. Thank you."
When River walks into the mess, the rest of the crew has already taken their seats and Kaylee gestures her over to the empty one next to Simon. River obliges, knowing that the only other seat available was the one next to the captain. The mechanic hands her a plate and she takes her place at the table. The food is passed around and she loads her plate with the bare minimum. She never looks up as she mechanically eats the food in front of her.
Mal, Jayne, and Zoe begin to discuss the specifics of the next day's job, though there isn't much to discuss. Since that day, Mal has been taking up mostly legal jobs to keep the crew out of trouble. This time, they were just dropping off grain--paid for and registered--on Persephone. There was no chance of anything falling through the cracks, but Mal wanted to be sure. He looks over towards River and asks her a question about the flight time.
She barely registers his voice and answers his question in a small whisper. "Yes, it should only be sixteen more hours until we break atmo, Captain."
After supplying her answer, she returns to finishing her meal in silence. River could feel them all watching over her, but she shrugs off their concern. When she is done eating, she whispers a request to leave the table, places her dishes in the sink, and exits the room. Kaylee watches her friend, feeling useless to help her through this. She knows how it feels to shoulder the burden of caring for someone who doesn't feel the same.
"How's your sister fairin', doc?" Mal asks once he knows River is out of earshot.
"Her leg has healed remarkably fast. The limp should fade in the next few weeks or so," Simon replies in his doctor voice.
"That's good," the captain comments. "That's good."
Kaylee senses that Mal wants to dig deeper so she interjects. "See cap'n, nothin' to fret about. She's fine."
"She don't seem too fine, Kaylee," says Mal, turning his attention to her. "She ain't actin' like her normal 'soup-in-our-hair' self. I swear I haven't even heard her laugh since Whitefall."
"Well, what do you expect, cap'n? She's dealin' with a broken heart, she just needs a bit more time." Kaylee realizes that she just slipped up and silently hopes the captain didn't notice. No such luck.
"I thought she got shot. How'd she end up with a broken heart?"
Kaylee looks down at her lap, trying to avoid Mal's gaze. But he keeps pushing.
"Kaylee..." He draws out. "What do you know?"
"Nothing," she lies as she glances up to see Mal giving her a death glare. "Well, she may have seen you and 'Nara kissin' and it may have hurt her."
"She tell you this?"
"No. Simon saw you, too. He was askin' my advice on what to do." Kaylee continues, trying to make light of the situation, "Don't get me wrong, I think it's shiny that you two finally did somethin' and I'm not blamin' you at all. It's just...River's never had to deal with this before and I feel bad for her."
Before Mal could say anything, Jayne gets up with a growl. He's grown tired of the conversation revolving around the crazy girl's feelings and he needs to get away from it. So the girl was hurt, but he doesn't think that they all need to sit around talking about it. He heads towards the cargo bay, thinking he can get a good workout in before going to sleep.
* * * * * * * * *
After eavesdropping on the conversation in the mess, River decides she needs to find a way to get the crew to stop feeling sorry for her. She knows she is no longer a child and wants the others to see that as well. So, within a few minutes, she comes up with a plan. River walks into the cargo bay without a sound, as she is known to do, just as Jayne is finishing the last of his reps on the weight bench. He will do, she concludes as she steps forward.
Jayne finally notices her watching him when he sits up. She's looking at him with focused eyes and he cannot help but wonder if she's going to slice him up again.
"Whatcha lookin' at, Crazy?"
"You," she replies with coolness. "You are a very strong man."
"Yeah, what's yer point?"
"No point, just pointing."
"Well, git. I got things to do and you lookin' at me ain't helpin' at all."
He walks away from the bench to collect his things on a nearby crate. She moves in closer like a predator hunting for prey. When he turns around, she is standing only inches from him.
"You mind if I look, but would you mind if I touch?" She reaches out a hand and traces it down his arm. Jayne smirks at the action and brings his own hand to tip up her chin.
"You gotta crush on me now, girl?" He asks with a smirk.
"I could." Her body tenses but she doesn't let her discomfort show.
Without warning, Jayne's hands grab her waist and he picks her up. Spinning them around, he props her against the crate with his own body. His hands trail down, grab her thighs, and pull her legs up around his waist. He leans in so close that his lips brush against her ear.
"You sure about that?" Jayne asks with a husky voice.
She is scared. She did not expect this from him and does not know how to proceed. "No," she finally whimpers out.
"Yeah, thought so." Jayne quickly drops her to her feet and walks away. "Go on and git, Crazy. I ain't one to play games."
River grabs out to his retreating form. "This is not a game."
"You mean you ain't tryin' to get Mal jealous by seducin' me?" Her silence and bowed head gives him her answer. "Like I said, I don't play games." He exits the cargo bay, leaving River with failed plans.
* * * * * * * * * *
Zoe, Simon and Kaylee leave soon after they are done with their meals--an obvious attempt to give the captain and companion time to talk. For the first few moments, neither of them speak, both trying to avoid each other's eyes. In truth, they haven't discussed what happened between them and now were forced to deal with the consequences.
"I don't know what to feel worse about--gettin' her shot or breakin' her heart," Mal says, trying to lighten the mood.
"So, you regret what happened?" Inara asks out of innocent confusion.
"Yeah...I mean no. Just feel bad for the girl. She shouldn't have to go through any more pain than she already has."
Inara isn't satisfied with his answer. She understands his guilt, but is afraid that he'll use it to shut her out.
"This is why I always said that shipboard romances were a problem. Just causes too much drama for one man."
Stunned at his aloof comment, Inara speaks out of anger. "No, it isn't the drama that bothers you, Mal. What really bothers you is the thought that you may actually be happy with something."
She gets up after her tirade and tries to make it to her room before the tears start flowing down her face. Mal continues to sit there, wondering how he always manages to say the wrong thing.
* * * * * * * * * *
During his morning shower, Jayne gives a second thought to what happened in the cargo bay. He knew the girl's game the instant she tried to seduce him, so he didn't see the harm in messing with her. But when he remembers the feeling of her strong legs wrapped around him, his thoughts stumble to his own arousal. Not that he has any intentions towards the girl, but it's been a while since he had a warm body that close to him and he is just a man.
He turns the water to cold and spends the rest of his shower dealing with the blood rushing down to his nethers. After he finishes, he grabs the towel hanging over the door and wraps it around his waist. When he steps out of the stall, he is surprised at the sight before him. Crazy was sitting on his bed...smirking.
"What the gorram hell are you doing in here?! You tryin' to get me in trouble?"
"I am here to propose..."
Jayne cuts her off at that word. "Propose?! I ain't marryin' you just to get Mal jealous."
River looks at him with a blank face. "Are you through, ape-man?"
Why she insultin' me if she wants to get married?, the mercenary questions in his mind.
Rolling her eyes, River continues. "As I was saying, I would like to propose a job prospect."
"A job?" Jayne asks out of morbid curiosity with a little fear mixed in.
"Yes. You and I can enter an agreement where you do as I ask and we both benefit."
"Benefit? As in coin?"
Without breaking their eye contact, she dumps the contents of the bag she has been holding in her lap onto the bed. The big man's eyes widen when he sees the amount the girl is offering to him; it's probably enough to keep him stocked up on booze and cigars for a few months, with some to spare for decent trim. But he knows any job that Crazy comes up with will go against everything he stands for (which isn't much, but that's not the point) or get him spaced.
He looks at the girl and then back at the money. The girl. The money. The money. The girl. And without careful consideration, Jayne asks, "So, what's the job?"
* * * * * * * * * *
He's been sitting on the bridge all night. He drifted in and out of sleep, but his mind was too clouded with all the mistakes he made since that job on Whitefall. It always goes back to that day when everything stopped being normal. That's all he wants to happen; for things to return to normal. That's all he knows how to live with.
After the night alone with the Black and Serenity, Mal understands why River spends so much of her time here. He didn't have to deal with anyone, even though at the time they were all asleep, and he didn't have to have an immediate answer to all that was going on. But in the morning, his brief interlude away from everything stops with the sound of footsteps coming towards him.
"Mal?" Inara asks hesitantly from the door. "Did you sleep?"
"No."
"Can we at least...talk some more?"
"I don't know what to say to you, Inara. I know I got my flaws, but they're my flaws and I don't apologize for 'em. I can't change that...or be the person you want me to be."
"I know. I just want to know what is going on between us. We can't keep walking around everything. I'm not a little girl, just tell me."
Their conversation is interrupted by a quiet knock behind them. The two look around to see River standing timidly outside, waiting for approval to step onto the bridge. Inara quickly averts her eyes downwards and walks towards to the door. Giving the pilot a barely audible greeting, she exits without finishing her conversation with Mal.
River quietly takes her place in the co-pilot's chair and prepares to land Serenity on Persephone. Mal mentions how well the job should go and she just nods her head. Once they land, he makes his way to the cargo bay and gets on the prepped mule. He tells Kaylee to keep everyone on the boat in case the three going on the job run into trouble, but it's unlikely.
* * * * * * * * * *
The three guns return sooner than expected, only because the job went smoother than expected and no one ended up shot. On their return, the Captain calls everyone to the cargo bay, saying he has an announcement to make. Once the entire crew gathers around him, he tells them they are all allowed to wander around for a few hours after they get the supplies needed for Serenity.
After making his announcement, Kaylee jumps up with a squeal and tackles him in a tight embrace. Apparently, he’s had them on the boat a little too long. He admits to himself that he has been over-protective of the entire crew, forcing them to remain on the boat while Serenity is planetside. He just feels better knowing that everyone is together and safe, but he can't shelther them forever.
"Captain, I would like to accompany Jayne to the ammunition store," River says to Mal's surprise.
"Don’t you think you’d have a better time if you went out with your brother and Kaylee?"
"I would rather go with Jayne."
"Jayne, you okay with that?"
Expecting Jayne’s utter refusal to let the girl tag along, Mal is flabbergasted when the mercenary just shrugs and hands her the khaki bag they use to bring back the ammo.
"Might as well come along," Jayne starts to explain after seeing the Captain with a dropped jaw. "She’s knows the inventory better than anyone. May make the trip go faster."
River and Jayne walk out together to the shock of everyone else.
"Should I be worried?" Simon asks at their retreating forms.
Mal doesn't know how to feel about letting those two go out together, especially since they have a penchant for fights, either with those around them or each other. But then he hears something he hasn’t heard in a while; River was laughing. Jayne made her laugh? That is just downright unsettling.
"Don't right know, doc," Mal replies.
* * * * * * * * * * *
"Did you see his face?!" River squeals. "It’s already working."
Jayne grunts in acknowledgement. Just because he's working for the girl doesn't mean he has to get excited about it. The terms they agreed on were simple enough and not hard to follow. For the most part, he just had to make it seem that he and girl were on (more than) friendly terms and follow her lead without complaint. Meaning, if she wanted to tag along, he had to let her. No name-calling. No touching. Anything extra from him will cost her kitchen detail or something similar. Simple enough.
Once finished with their errand, Jayne and River find themselves treading through the mass of people around the marketplace. He is looking around for the tell-tale signs of a brothel.
"So, I don't hafta spend the entire time wit ya, right? 'Cause I have some business of my own to take care of," he says absent-mindedly, concentrating on the whorehouse he spots ahead of them.
"No, according to our agreement, we only need to be together when in the presence of others. You are free to purchase your company. I will just wait in the lobby," she replies, following him to his destination.
He comes to a dead stop when he gets what she said. "Wait, what? Yer gonna wait while I get some trim?"
"Yes. We need to return together or they will think we split ways and the plan will not work. Since I have nowhere else to be, I will wait."
Okay, no longer simple, Jayne concludes. How is he supposed to enjoy his time when he knows the feng le girl is downstairs waiting for him to finish? Even thinking about it now makes him squirm uncomfortably.
"Can't you just wander around and hide somewhere? Yer good at that."
"No, can't risk being seen alone by the others. Don't worry, I do not mind."
Defeated, Jayne turns around and heads towards the bar they passed a couple blocks back. River does not know why he changed his mind, since she knew he was looking for female company. She doesn't question it though because, truthfully, she did not enjoy the idea of sitting in a whorehouse.
* * * * * * * * * *
"I think I am better than you," River states as she bounces the round coin into the shot glass sitting between her and Jayne.
"You's ain't better. I's lettin' you win on account you's a beginner," Jayne slurs as he takes another shot.
They have been sitting in the booth for over an hour playing the drinking game and he is quickly making his way to complete intoxication. River cannot help but giggle at the sight. Jayne fails miserably at his attempt to get the coin into the glass.
"Is not fair; yer only drinkin' half shots of cider whiles I'm drinkin' whiskey."
"Does not change the fact that I am winning."
When Mal walks into the bar, he immediately goes to them after he notices River with a shot glass in front of her. He's suppose to be watching over her, not getting her drunk, he complains to himself. River is the only one to notice the Captain's presence immediately and looks at him with innocent eyes.
"Jayne, what in the gorram hell are you doin'?"
The inebriated man finally looks in the Captain's general direction. "Hi ya's Mal. Me and the li'l bit are playin' 'Quarters.' But she ain't winning 'cause she's only drinking 16 proof alcohol and I'm lettin' her win..."
Jayne continues to ramble incoherently while Mal addresses his pilot.
"You okay, Albatross?"
"I am fine. Though I am worried that this drinking game has incapacitated Jayne's ability to walk home."
With a roll of his eyes, Mal grabs Jayne's arm and lifts him out of the booth. River goes to pay their tab and joins the two men at the exit.
"Wasn tha funnn, li'l bit?" Jayne mumbles as the captain and pilot carry him through town.
"That is the last time he's teachin' you a drinkin' game, Albatross," Mal orders, stumbling with the weight of the over-grown mercenary.
"I apologize, captain. I did not realize how much alcohol I forced him to consume," River grunts, holding Jayne up on his other side.
The trip to Serenity is slow and difficult with Jayne barely conscious enough to walk on his own. Once inside, they make it to the lounge outside the infirmary and plop Jayne's passed-out body on the couch. Zoe hears the bay doors open and joins them to see what took them so long to get back. After a short appraisal of the dead-weight, River exits the room, leaving Mal and Zoe to come up with a plan to get him into his bunk.
"Zoe, would you say we're good friends or great friends?"
"I ain't helping you move his body, sir," the first mate deadpans.
"Good friends, then."
River returns with a couple of blankets and pillows in her arms. Mal and Zoe watch with curiosity and shock as she places the blanket over the merc and lifts his head to slide the pillow under. Then, she proceeds to get comfortable in the chair next to the sofa. The two ex-soldiers look at each other with the same question behind their eyes.
"Whatcha doin', li'l witch?"
"Jayne will need assistance later when his body starts rejecting the alcohol. He would prefer no one else see him in that state." With that, she closes her eyes and tries to find sleep.
Mal shakes his head in disbelief and worry. When River declares her intention to spend the night at Jayne's side, he realizes that she cares for the hard-hearted mercenary. She is actually doting on him, like she once did on him. But what really worries Mal is that Jayne doesn't seem to mind.
Series: All The Math in the ‘Verse
Author: just_unravel
Disclaimer: No money lining these pockets from these characters.
Rating: PG-13
Pairings: Mostly canon, pre-Rayne
A/N: I found my muse! She was hiding...in Jayne's shower. Again, thanks to romanceguru for the plot bunny. And a round of applause to two great betas: thecricket and angel932. No...really...start clapping.
Previous Chapters: 1: The Fall
River stares through Serenity's windows to see the Black extend out in front of her. Without focusing on anything, she allows herself to get lost in the vastness. Since the job on Whitefall, she has been spending most of her time alone on the bridge, avoiding the rest of the crew. They force their worries and concerns into her mind and she cannot help but to go crazy. Her time with the Black, now, has become her solace; here, she can escape her emotions, along with everyone else's, and just become empty.
Mal's guilt drifts into the bridge long before he steps through the entry way. Despite assurances from Inara that he was not at fault, he feels responsible for what happened to the girl. At first, he tried to resume life as normal--challenging her to another bet or leaving himself open to be teased--but she resisted his attempts. She distanced herself from him and he allowed her to continue on. She blames me, he repeats in his mind every time he is in the same room with her.
"Dinner's ready, albatross."
"Thank you, captain." She puts Serenity on autopilot and carefully lifts herself out of the chair.
"You need any help, li'l one?" He asks as she limps past him.
"I'm fine. Thank you."
When River walks into the mess, the rest of the crew has already taken their seats and Kaylee gestures her over to the empty one next to Simon. River obliges, knowing that the only other seat available was the one next to the captain. The mechanic hands her a plate and she takes her place at the table. The food is passed around and she loads her plate with the bare minimum. She never looks up as she mechanically eats the food in front of her.
Mal, Jayne, and Zoe begin to discuss the specifics of the next day's job, though there isn't much to discuss. Since that day, Mal has been taking up mostly legal jobs to keep the crew out of trouble. This time, they were just dropping off grain--paid for and registered--on Persephone. There was no chance of anything falling through the cracks, but Mal wanted to be sure. He looks over towards River and asks her a question about the flight time.
She barely registers his voice and answers his question in a small whisper. "Yes, it should only be sixteen more hours until we break atmo, Captain."
After supplying her answer, she returns to finishing her meal in silence. River could feel them all watching over her, but she shrugs off their concern. When she is done eating, she whispers a request to leave the table, places her dishes in the sink, and exits the room. Kaylee watches her friend, feeling useless to help her through this. She knows how it feels to shoulder the burden of caring for someone who doesn't feel the same.
"How's your sister fairin', doc?" Mal asks once he knows River is out of earshot.
"Her leg has healed remarkably fast. The limp should fade in the next few weeks or so," Simon replies in his doctor voice.
"That's good," the captain comments. "That's good."
Kaylee senses that Mal wants to dig deeper so she interjects. "See cap'n, nothin' to fret about. She's fine."
"She don't seem too fine, Kaylee," says Mal, turning his attention to her. "She ain't actin' like her normal 'soup-in-our-hair' self. I swear I haven't even heard her laugh since Whitefall."
"Well, what do you expect, cap'n? She's dealin' with a broken heart, she just needs a bit more time." Kaylee realizes that she just slipped up and silently hopes the captain didn't notice. No such luck.
"I thought she got shot. How'd she end up with a broken heart?"
Kaylee looks down at her lap, trying to avoid Mal's gaze. But he keeps pushing.
"Kaylee..." He draws out. "What do you know?"
"Nothing," she lies as she glances up to see Mal giving her a death glare. "Well, she may have seen you and 'Nara kissin' and it may have hurt her."
"She tell you this?"
"No. Simon saw you, too. He was askin' my advice on what to do." Kaylee continues, trying to make light of the situation, "Don't get me wrong, I think it's shiny that you two finally did somethin' and I'm not blamin' you at all. It's just...River's never had to deal with this before and I feel bad for her."
Before Mal could say anything, Jayne gets up with a growl. He's grown tired of the conversation revolving around the crazy girl's feelings and he needs to get away from it. So the girl was hurt, but he doesn't think that they all need to sit around talking about it. He heads towards the cargo bay, thinking he can get a good workout in before going to sleep.
* * * * * * * * *
After eavesdropping on the conversation in the mess, River decides she needs to find a way to get the crew to stop feeling sorry for her. She knows she is no longer a child and wants the others to see that as well. So, within a few minutes, she comes up with a plan. River walks into the cargo bay without a sound, as she is known to do, just as Jayne is finishing the last of his reps on the weight bench. He will do, she concludes as she steps forward.
Jayne finally notices her watching him when he sits up. She's looking at him with focused eyes and he cannot help but wonder if she's going to slice him up again.
"Whatcha lookin' at, Crazy?"
"You," she replies with coolness. "You are a very strong man."
"Yeah, what's yer point?"
"No point, just pointing."
"Well, git. I got things to do and you lookin' at me ain't helpin' at all."
He walks away from the bench to collect his things on a nearby crate. She moves in closer like a predator hunting for prey. When he turns around, she is standing only inches from him.
"You mind if I look, but would you mind if I touch?" She reaches out a hand and traces it down his arm. Jayne smirks at the action and brings his own hand to tip up her chin.
"You gotta crush on me now, girl?" He asks with a smirk.
"I could." Her body tenses but she doesn't let her discomfort show.
Without warning, Jayne's hands grab her waist and he picks her up. Spinning them around, he props her against the crate with his own body. His hands trail down, grab her thighs, and pull her legs up around his waist. He leans in so close that his lips brush against her ear.
"You sure about that?" Jayne asks with a husky voice.
She is scared. She did not expect this from him and does not know how to proceed. "No," she finally whimpers out.
"Yeah, thought so." Jayne quickly drops her to her feet and walks away. "Go on and git, Crazy. I ain't one to play games."
River grabs out to his retreating form. "This is not a game."
"You mean you ain't tryin' to get Mal jealous by seducin' me?" Her silence and bowed head gives him her answer. "Like I said, I don't play games." He exits the cargo bay, leaving River with failed plans.
* * * * * * * * * *
Zoe, Simon and Kaylee leave soon after they are done with their meals--an obvious attempt to give the captain and companion time to talk. For the first few moments, neither of them speak, both trying to avoid each other's eyes. In truth, they haven't discussed what happened between them and now were forced to deal with the consequences.
"I don't know what to feel worse about--gettin' her shot or breakin' her heart," Mal says, trying to lighten the mood.
"So, you regret what happened?" Inara asks out of innocent confusion.
"Yeah...I mean no. Just feel bad for the girl. She shouldn't have to go through any more pain than she already has."
Inara isn't satisfied with his answer. She understands his guilt, but is afraid that he'll use it to shut her out.
"This is why I always said that shipboard romances were a problem. Just causes too much drama for one man."
Stunned at his aloof comment, Inara speaks out of anger. "No, it isn't the drama that bothers you, Mal. What really bothers you is the thought that you may actually be happy with something."
She gets up after her tirade and tries to make it to her room before the tears start flowing down her face. Mal continues to sit there, wondering how he always manages to say the wrong thing.
* * * * * * * * * *
During his morning shower, Jayne gives a second thought to what happened in the cargo bay. He knew the girl's game the instant she tried to seduce him, so he didn't see the harm in messing with her. But when he remembers the feeling of her strong legs wrapped around him, his thoughts stumble to his own arousal. Not that he has any intentions towards the girl, but it's been a while since he had a warm body that close to him and he is just a man.
He turns the water to cold and spends the rest of his shower dealing with the blood rushing down to his nethers. After he finishes, he grabs the towel hanging over the door and wraps it around his waist. When he steps out of the stall, he is surprised at the sight before him. Crazy was sitting on his bed...smirking.
"What the gorram hell are you doing in here?! You tryin' to get me in trouble?"
"I am here to propose..."
Jayne cuts her off at that word. "Propose?! I ain't marryin' you just to get Mal jealous."
River looks at him with a blank face. "Are you through, ape-man?"
Why she insultin' me if she wants to get married?, the mercenary questions in his mind.
Rolling her eyes, River continues. "As I was saying, I would like to propose a job prospect."
"A job?" Jayne asks out of morbid curiosity with a little fear mixed in.
"Yes. You and I can enter an agreement where you do as I ask and we both benefit."
"Benefit? As in coin?"
Without breaking their eye contact, she dumps the contents of the bag she has been holding in her lap onto the bed. The big man's eyes widen when he sees the amount the girl is offering to him; it's probably enough to keep him stocked up on booze and cigars for a few months, with some to spare for decent trim. But he knows any job that Crazy comes up with will go against everything he stands for (which isn't much, but that's not the point) or get him spaced.
He looks at the girl and then back at the money. The girl. The money. The money. The girl. And without careful consideration, Jayne asks, "So, what's the job?"
* * * * * * * * * *
He's been sitting on the bridge all night. He drifted in and out of sleep, but his mind was too clouded with all the mistakes he made since that job on Whitefall. It always goes back to that day when everything stopped being normal. That's all he wants to happen; for things to return to normal. That's all he knows how to live with.
After the night alone with the Black and Serenity, Mal understands why River spends so much of her time here. He didn't have to deal with anyone, even though at the time they were all asleep, and he didn't have to have an immediate answer to all that was going on. But in the morning, his brief interlude away from everything stops with the sound of footsteps coming towards him.
"Mal?" Inara asks hesitantly from the door. "Did you sleep?"
"No."
"Can we at least...talk some more?"
"I don't know what to say to you, Inara. I know I got my flaws, but they're my flaws and I don't apologize for 'em. I can't change that...or be the person you want me to be."
"I know. I just want to know what is going on between us. We can't keep walking around everything. I'm not a little girl, just tell me."
Their conversation is interrupted by a quiet knock behind them. The two look around to see River standing timidly outside, waiting for approval to step onto the bridge. Inara quickly averts her eyes downwards and walks towards to the door. Giving the pilot a barely audible greeting, she exits without finishing her conversation with Mal.
River quietly takes her place in the co-pilot's chair and prepares to land Serenity on Persephone. Mal mentions how well the job should go and she just nods her head. Once they land, he makes his way to the cargo bay and gets on the prepped mule. He tells Kaylee to keep everyone on the boat in case the three going on the job run into trouble, but it's unlikely.
* * * * * * * * * *
The three guns return sooner than expected, only because the job went smoother than expected and no one ended up shot. On their return, the Captain calls everyone to the cargo bay, saying he has an announcement to make. Once the entire crew gathers around him, he tells them they are all allowed to wander around for a few hours after they get the supplies needed for Serenity.
After making his announcement, Kaylee jumps up with a squeal and tackles him in a tight embrace. Apparently, he’s had them on the boat a little too long. He admits to himself that he has been over-protective of the entire crew, forcing them to remain on the boat while Serenity is planetside. He just feels better knowing that everyone is together and safe, but he can't shelther them forever.
"Captain, I would like to accompany Jayne to the ammunition store," River says to Mal's surprise.
"Don’t you think you’d have a better time if you went out with your brother and Kaylee?"
"I would rather go with Jayne."
"Jayne, you okay with that?"
Expecting Jayne’s utter refusal to let the girl tag along, Mal is flabbergasted when the mercenary just shrugs and hands her the khaki bag they use to bring back the ammo.
"Might as well come along," Jayne starts to explain after seeing the Captain with a dropped jaw. "She’s knows the inventory better than anyone. May make the trip go faster."
River and Jayne walk out together to the shock of everyone else.
"Should I be worried?" Simon asks at their retreating forms.
Mal doesn't know how to feel about letting those two go out together, especially since they have a penchant for fights, either with those around them or each other. But then he hears something he hasn’t heard in a while; River was laughing. Jayne made her laugh? That is just downright unsettling.
"Don't right know, doc," Mal replies.
* * * * * * * * * * *
"Did you see his face?!" River squeals. "It’s already working."
Jayne grunts in acknowledgement. Just because he's working for the girl doesn't mean he has to get excited about it. The terms they agreed on were simple enough and not hard to follow. For the most part, he just had to make it seem that he and girl were on (more than) friendly terms and follow her lead without complaint. Meaning, if she wanted to tag along, he had to let her. No name-calling. No touching. Anything extra from him will cost her kitchen detail or something similar. Simple enough.
Once finished with their errand, Jayne and River find themselves treading through the mass of people around the marketplace. He is looking around for the tell-tale signs of a brothel.
"So, I don't hafta spend the entire time wit ya, right? 'Cause I have some business of my own to take care of," he says absent-mindedly, concentrating on the whorehouse he spots ahead of them.
"No, according to our agreement, we only need to be together when in the presence of others. You are free to purchase your company. I will just wait in the lobby," she replies, following him to his destination.
He comes to a dead stop when he gets what she said. "Wait, what? Yer gonna wait while I get some trim?"
"Yes. We need to return together or they will think we split ways and the plan will not work. Since I have nowhere else to be, I will wait."
Okay, no longer simple, Jayne concludes. How is he supposed to enjoy his time when he knows the feng le girl is downstairs waiting for him to finish? Even thinking about it now makes him squirm uncomfortably.
"Can't you just wander around and hide somewhere? Yer good at that."
"No, can't risk being seen alone by the others. Don't worry, I do not mind."
Defeated, Jayne turns around and heads towards the bar they passed a couple blocks back. River does not know why he changed his mind, since she knew he was looking for female company. She doesn't question it though because, truthfully, she did not enjoy the idea of sitting in a whorehouse.
* * * * * * * * * *
"I think I am better than you," River states as she bounces the round coin into the shot glass sitting between her and Jayne.
"You's ain't better. I's lettin' you win on account you's a beginner," Jayne slurs as he takes another shot.
They have been sitting in the booth for over an hour playing the drinking game and he is quickly making his way to complete intoxication. River cannot help but giggle at the sight. Jayne fails miserably at his attempt to get the coin into the glass.
"Is not fair; yer only drinkin' half shots of cider whiles I'm drinkin' whiskey."
"Does not change the fact that I am winning."
When Mal walks into the bar, he immediately goes to them after he notices River with a shot glass in front of her. He's suppose to be watching over her, not getting her drunk, he complains to himself. River is the only one to notice the Captain's presence immediately and looks at him with innocent eyes.
"Jayne, what in the gorram hell are you doin'?"
The inebriated man finally looks in the Captain's general direction. "Hi ya's Mal. Me and the li'l bit are playin' 'Quarters.' But she ain't winning 'cause she's only drinking 16 proof alcohol and I'm lettin' her win..."
Jayne continues to ramble incoherently while Mal addresses his pilot.
"You okay, Albatross?"
"I am fine. Though I am worried that this drinking game has incapacitated Jayne's ability to walk home."
With a roll of his eyes, Mal grabs Jayne's arm and lifts him out of the booth. River goes to pay their tab and joins the two men at the exit.
"Wasn tha funnn, li'l bit?" Jayne mumbles as the captain and pilot carry him through town.
"That is the last time he's teachin' you a drinkin' game, Albatross," Mal orders, stumbling with the weight of the over-grown mercenary.
"I apologize, captain. I did not realize how much alcohol I forced him to consume," River grunts, holding Jayne up on his other side.
The trip to Serenity is slow and difficult with Jayne barely conscious enough to walk on his own. Once inside, they make it to the lounge outside the infirmary and plop Jayne's passed-out body on the couch. Zoe hears the bay doors open and joins them to see what took them so long to get back. After a short appraisal of the dead-weight, River exits the room, leaving Mal and Zoe to come up with a plan to get him into his bunk.
"Zoe, would you say we're good friends or great friends?"
"I ain't helping you move his body, sir," the first mate deadpans.
"Good friends, then."
River returns with a couple of blankets and pillows in her arms. Mal and Zoe watch with curiosity and shock as she places the blanket over the merc and lifts his head to slide the pillow under. Then, she proceeds to get comfortable in the chair next to the sofa. The two ex-soldiers look at each other with the same question behind their eyes.
"Whatcha doin', li'l witch?"
"Jayne will need assistance later when his body starts rejecting the alcohol. He would prefer no one else see him in that state." With that, she closes her eyes and tries to find sleep.
Mal shakes his head in disbelief and worry. When River declares her intention to spend the night at Jayne's side, he realizes that she cares for the hard-hearted mercenary. She is actually doting on him, like she once did on him. But what really worries Mal is that Jayne doesn't seem to mind.