Title: End of the Story
Author: Rigella
Characters: River/Jayne
Prompt: "new"
Rating: PG (T)? no warnings, its all safe.
Word Count: 400
Disclaimer: I own the words, Joss owns the people, places, and generally all the cool stuff. And I am so not worth suing...

Author's Notes: Set after the BDM. Quadruple-drabble (400 words), written for Romanceguru in Firefly100 over on Livejournal. I have never come close to this pairing before, so please forgive me for the amature-ish-ness. I would really love some concrit! So if you R&R, could you say one thing to improve on for every nice thing you say? Ta :)

End of the Story

I'd never thought she'd be one ta cry. Sure, she bawls plenty when she's bein' crazy, but I ain't never thought ta see her sobbin' over somethin' real.

First time I see her like that, I look away real quick, even though my eyes want ta stare. Don't seem right, watchin' the crazy cry. But next time, I know it ain't over no ripped dress or nothing like that.

I kinda hang around her door. I ain't never been much for comfortin' women, not like how she needs.

Then I figure, she knows I can see. She don't turn around, though, so maybe I should go. But she don't tell me ta leave neither. Poor little crazy, I think, ain't been right since the Shepherd and Wash kicked. Well, I ain't ever known her ta be right in the head, but she ain't been right in her heart an' that's what gets me. Sweet little smile o' hers is gone.

Anyhow, I go in, and she don't move away when I touch her. Her skin's soft, like a little baby's. My fingers get kinda clumsy trying ta brush back her hair.

An' then she looks up with crazy eyes an' her face is all red an' wet, an' I feel kinda crazy myself puttin' an arm around her.

"Come on, little crazy, can't have you cryin' on us." My voice sounds kinda choked an' I know I said the wrong thing. She's starin' at me and her eyes ain't crazy so much as pretty.

"There now, bao bei. S'alright."

She kinda cuddles against me, an' I can feel her heart flutterin' 'gainst my chest like a little bird. "End of the story," she says. "No more funny man. No more preacher." She looks up, like she's just thought o' somethin'. "No more story…" She puts her head back down. "All gone, now…"

"Silly crazy. 'Course there's a story." I lift her head an' touch her lips. "We just gotta make a new one."

"What kind of story?"

I look at her for a spell. I can feel m' heartbeat thuddin' more'n usual.

"Just a new one." No sense bein' sappy.

Her eyes get sad again.

I make her look at me. I kiss the side o' her mouth. "Spose… could be a love story if ya want, little crazy," I whisper.

My reward is a smile more rich'n any paycheck.