Disclaimer: Joss Whedon FTW!

A/N: Good gosh, I think I'm gonna start posting like there's no tomorrow!

River stood on top of the table. She was twirling, being free. She had ignored Jayne when he told her to place her roots on the ground. Jayne was a bad influence. She didn't have to listen to him. River listened to Simon because she had a broken brain and he was fixing it. She may be smarter than him, but she didn't trust herself. So, she did what she was told. River listened to the captain because Simon told her to. She listened to Zoe because the captain told her to. Vicious cycles.

River didn't stop spinning when Simon entered. Nor when Jayne repeated himself; "Git off the ruttin' table girl!"

"Mei mei?"

River halted and looked down at her brother. "Yes, ge ge?"

"Do as Jayne says; get off the table."

River felt her jaw drop as if she no longer controlled her motor functions. "She has to do what Jayne says?"

Simon sighed as he walked out. "Off the table."

River grumbled, but lithely stepped off the table, all the while glaring at Jayne. He met her glare and told her to 'git outta his space.' She sighed, but did as she was told, even though the galley was not his space.

Simon told her to obey Jayne, and she did not want to upset her progress.

"Gimme the salt." The order weren't fer nobody in particular-like, so Jayne was mighty surprised when Crazy got up, walked all the way 'round the table ta git the salt for him. He didn't thank her, but jus' looked at her like she done went an' growed herself another head.

Over the next few days, Jayne noticed that Moonbrain kept doin' what he told 'er. It were nice an' all, but Jayne kept waitin' fer the other shoe to drop. Jayne sighed to hisself ans continued liftin' weights. Course she had ta interrupt him. She came down the stairs an' just started dancin.' Whatever. He didn't care so long as she left him 'lone.

Girl twirled past 'im with her skirt spinnin.' Ruttin' thing twirled high enough that it was up 'round her waist, flashin' Jayne a peek at her white panties. Qing wa cao de liumang.

"Gorramit, girlie!" She were gonna get him dead. "Pull yer skirt down."

She stopped spinnin' an' looked at him all incredulous-like. "Does she have to?"

Her skirt settled 'round her legs again an' Jayne grunted his approval. "Just keep yer skirt down, dong ma?"

Jayne's eyes got real wide when, 'stead of leavin' her skirt be, she pulled it off and stepped outta it. "What the guai are you doin!?'" She just kept lookin' at 'im. "Put yer ma de skirt back on!"

Moony jus' grabbed her skirt an' ran out, mutterin' somethin.'

"Gorramit, girlie! Pull yer skirt down."

What? There was only one reason for her to pull her skirt down. Jayne wanted to use her as a free source of sex and she had to let him. She had known something was going to happen!

"Does she have to?"

"Just keep yer skirt down, dong ma?"

Keep it down? Yes, she knew exactly what Jayne wanted. But she had to do it. She was making progress and and she had to do what Jayne told her. She didn't want to be the way she was. Crazy.

Trying to hide her embarrassment, she slid the skirt down her legs and stepped out. River was very aware of Jayne's eyes on her.

"What the guai are you doin!?' Put yer ma de skirt back on!"

River was grateful he had changed his mind. But, she was confused, and a little annoyed. She retrieved her skirt and ran to her room.

"He should make up his mind," she grumbled.

Jayne didn't know fer long he sat there, dumbstruck. Had she really just...? What were wrong with her? Girl might be feng le but she should know not ta be yankin' her clothes off 'round men. Ain't right.

He should prob'ly have the doc explain it to her, but how was he s'posed ta bring it up? 'Hey, Doc, can ya tell yer sister not to strip in front of me no more?' Yeah. Like that weren't gonna get 'im shot.

Jayne sighed at hisself an' stood up, headin' for Moonbrain's room. He guessed he'd just hafta explain it ta her.

River laid on her bed, burrowed beneath a pile of blankets and pillows, hiding. She knew that it was irrational, but it made her feel safe. River sat bolt upright when her door slid open. Jayne entered, closing the door behind him.

River whimpered internally. It appeared as though he had changed his mind again. Deciding it would be best to simply get it over and done with, she stood and quickly shed her clothing. Her face heated with shame as Jayne gawked at her naked body.

Jayne opened an' closed his mouth a few times. Crazy was standin' in front of him, nekkid as the day she done popped outta her box. It took a helluva lotta willpower to look up at 'er face fer even a second.

"Zao gao! What're you all nekkid fer?!"

The girl just looked down an' shifted her weight all uncomfortable-like. "She is readied for him; as he was about to order."

"Jesus, girlie! I weren't gonna ask ya strip fer me!"

"He wasn't?"

"Course not! Hell, I was comin' here ta teach the importance of keepin' yer gorram clothes on! Not that I ain't enjoyin' the view." That much were true. Girl had a fine lookin' form. "'Sides, yer a mind-readin' genius. Wouldn't you know what I was here for?"

"No. This girl does not intentionally breach privacy anymore."

Huh. Jayne felt a weight lift off 'is chest. He didn't like the idea of no one hearin' what he was thinkin.'

"Is she allowed to clothe herself?"

Allowed to? Gorram girl was kuangzhe de. Jayne jus' nodded and, when she was dressed, gestured fer her ta sit on the bed.

River was nervous. Jayne sat beside her on the bed. She didn't know why he had her put her clothes back on. She knew he was going to make her do things that she didn't want to. However, they all required her to have her clothes off.

Except... River felt her eyes glance nervously at his crotch. She felt her jaws lock with the intention to never open again. She didn't want to do that. But she had to. If that's what it took to be a normal girl again, River would do it. She felt a tear slide down her cheek.

"What're ya cryin' for!? I done told ya I ain't gonna make ya do nuthin!'" His panicked voice gave way to an angry one. "I ain't that kinda man, dong ma?"

He was lying. Trying to lull her into a false sense of security. "He is."

"Ye su! Why do ya think I'd make ya do anythin!'"

"He made her pull her skirt down." River felt her face heat with humiliation.

River wasn't sure what she expected, but it wasn't the response she received. Jayne laughed.

"Didn't mean fer ya to actually strip!" Jayne forced out between guffaws. "Yer skirt was up 'round yer waist when you was twirlin!' I jus' meant fer you ta cover up yer panties! I was gettin' an eyeful there, Crazy."

River felt relief wash over her. "He really is not going to force her?"

"Course not! Ain't like ya hafta do what I say anyway, Moony."

"Yes, she does. He knows this. She thought he was taking advantage of her obedience."

"River-girl." His voice was gentle, like he was trying to sooth a frantic child. "You ain't gotta listen ta no one. Yer a grown woman, can make yer own choices, y'hear?"

"She has to. She listens to Simon because he is fixing her. She listens to Jayne because her ge ge told her to!"

"Pretty sure that's the opposite of what yer prissy brother'd want."

River shook her head. He was there. He should remember. "When she was on the table and he told her to get off, Simon said, 'Do as Jayne says; get off the table.' See? He told her to obey Jayne! Remember?"

Jayne chuckled. "Pretty ruttin' sure he was only talkin' 'bout that one time, Moonbrain."

"He was?"

"Think it through, girlie. Ya really think yer brother'd want ya listenin' to me?"

River heard herself giggle. She liked how it sounded and decided to take up giggling. "So, she doesn't have to do as Jayne tells her?"

"Course not. Would be nice now an' then, but you ain't a slave." He got up and left, pausing at the door to look back at her, his blue eyes serious in a way they rarely were. "Don't be takin' no crap."