This is in response to Romanceguru's plot bunny requesting fic's where either River or Jayne has a rival for the others affections.

I'm still short of a beta, but I'm trying very hard :-

Title - Interference
Type - Oneshot
Rating - PG13, mild sexual references
Pairing - River/Jayne
Disclaimer - don't owe them, didn't get paid (not likely), please don't sue.

Since the possibility of any actual sexual activity is only implied I don't think this needs a warning.

Interference

Mal and Zoë kept their hands near their guns. Kaylee looked back and forth between all the faces around her, worried and wanting someone, anyone, to fix this problem that was beyond her skill.

Simon was trying to feel bad for his sister but too much of him was feeling hopeful. Maybe River would come to her senses, maybe the big ape had finally gone too far, maybe he'd be so mad he'd leave the ship, maybe she'd be so mad she'd kill him! Simon quashed that thought as being far too ignoble for a Doctor committed to healing. It was hard work.

The air sizzled with tension in the eight-foot gap between the table at which the crew, other than Jayne, were sitting and the bar that Jayne was propping up. He was sucking down whiskey with the fixed intention of getting drunk as quickly as possible; whilst pretending the others were not there. Specifically he was ignoring River.

River made no pretence, her angry eyes bored into the back of Jayne's skull.

She noticed a woman approach the bar, instinctively she recognised her as a threat.

River took a look inside the woman's head and her breath hissed out through her teeth. The woman's name was Anna and she was someone who found life delicious, she ate up every experience like Kaylee ate strawberries. Her mind was full of mischief.

Anna had a curly mop of dark hair that kissed her shoulders. Her sleeveless shirt showed the neatly defined muscles of her arms and without being skintight clung here and there to assets that River could only wish for, and that she knew would appeal to Jayne.

She had huge eyes, bright blue, nearly a match for Jayne's. Her mouth was full and red and begged for kissing.

River watched her lean back on the bar, elbows behind her, propping herself up. Her stance designed to emphasise her curves.

The place was hushed, most of the town at worship. Every word from the bar was clearly audible and everyone at the table was frozen, listening.

"Is that your girl over there looking daggers at you?" Anna asked, amused, nodding towards River.

Jayne turned to snarl at the nosey interloper but he bit back the harsh words as he looked into her dancing, knowing eyes. He looked her up and down in a way that removed every stitch of her clothing. Then he grinned, that devastating, bone melting, I can show you the time of your life and you're gonna beg me for more grin that could melt the heart of the most seasoned whore.

River could see Anna clearly and the smile on her face held every bit as much promise as Jayne's, and maybe more. She felt herself begin to tremble.

"Jayne, no," Kaylee whispered, distressed. Jayne's eyes flickered to Kaylee's face and he sneered. River saw Mal's hand tighten round his whiskey glass.

The Mercenary turned back to Anna, his body language open and encouraging, his grin back in place.

"Might' a bin my girl half an hour ago. Reckon that's all debatable just now. Reckon there's an opportunity up fer grab's ifen you wanna take it."

The woman's smile got wider, "Good," she said. She got up.

"Hey," snarled Jayne, "where d'ya think yer goin'?"

The woman patted him on the cheek and strolled over to the jukebox. She took her time choosing a track with a heavy sensuous beat.

There was a scrape of a chair as Simon tried to jump to his feet, face furious. Jayne yelling at his sister was one thing, in his book splitting up with her would be fine, but blatantly intending to cheat right in front of her was something else entirely. Zoë clamped his arm in a vice like grip and yanked him down into his chair where Kaylee grabbed on to him to keep him there.

Jayne watched Anna's every move with smug concentration. She was dancing in front of the Jukebox with her back to him, doing a slow wiggle. The dance was not up to River's standards, (which was not something he wanted to think about right now) but it was working for him just fine.

As Mal had a full and fatherly desire to shoot Jayne one of his hands was tight on the butt of his pistol. The other had found its way to River's shoulder, not to hold her down, just there for comfort. He could feel her shaking. He noticed Zoë staring at River, her eyebrows up. Mal looked down at his little 'Tross and what he saw puzzled him. She wasn't distressed, she was laughing. Every body round the table looked at River bemused as she giggled silently.

Anna smiled a smile to stop your breath and warm your blood, but it wasn't at Jayne. The penny dropped along with Jayne's heart, right into his boots. Anna walked over to the table where the rest of Serenity's crew was sitting and held out an inviting hand to River.

"Want to dance beautiful girl?"