Jayne sat on his weight bench, his dumbbells carefully arranged around him on the floor. He had finished his latest set and was considering doing benchpresses, except he had no one to spot him. Ever since the Shepherd had left and then died, exercising was a mite lonely. Not that it mattered to him much, he had done it before the Shepherd, he would continue to do it after. Grunting, he bent over and lifted a dumbbell off the floor to begin another set of bicep curls.

Jayne was strong and he knew it. He was the perfect specimen of physical strength. He prided himself in keeping his body in top shape, just like his weapons.

Maybe he could convince Crazy girl to exercise with him. He'd seen the way she moved. She was like a weapon. A fine-tuned piece of everything shiny that had managed to take down a whole ship of Reavers ready to tear out her throat. Damn, but she was a sight to behold, covered in blood and looking all dangerous like.

Jayne had thought he knew what strength was, but in that moment it hit him. Hell, he had physical strength, could beat almost anyone in a bar fight. But he didn't have the strength to fly through those doors to save everyone else. He didn't have the strength to risk his own life for something bigger than himself.

For a moment, he wondered if maybe Crazy girl would show him how to have that kind of strength and he'd show her what strength he had in return.

He looked up as Mal and River walked into the cargo bay, hand in hand. Mal was saying something to the girl and she was smiling up at him, eyes shining and hanging off his every word. River let go of Mal's hand and twirled around, putting on a little show for Mal's amusement. Jayne gritted his teeth when he heard Mal's laughter ring through the cargo bay.

As he rose from the weight bench, Jayne was vaguely aware of Mal's voice telling him to go prep for their latest job. He brushed past the laughing couple with an incomprehensible mumble and stalked off to his bunk.

As strong as he was, Jayne realized he would never have the strength River needed.