Rubble Rayne.
Mal liked to keep his crew busy. After the war he'd kept himself and Zoe busy, busy kept your mind from maudlin. He'd seen maudlin turn to something altogether darker in some poor souls.
Miranda had been tough on everyone, himself included.
It was an odd time in the verse. The alliance, or what was left of it had put a pretty price on their heads, so pretty it made it hard to trust anyone, even so called old friends.
They stayed low key, scavenging on ghost planets long deserted. A little trade here and there, nothing big, nothing fancy until the internal war between the Grey Coats played out, then they could try to get back to normal. Whatever normal was now.
It had seemed like a pretty simple deal. Mal trusted Fredrick as much as he could trust anybody, and frankly they needed the work. The job was child's play anyway, just pick up some bootleg hooch and deliver it to his fine establishment, the Liberty Belle, a drinking hole favoured by the greatest and most colourful degenerates Mal had ever had the pleasure of meeting.
The Belle had done good business with the crew of Serenity in the past. They'd brokered deals there, broken heads there and spent many of their hard earned profits sampling said merchandise.
Now, as River guided them down onto the crumbling mess of a planet that distilled their score, the captain marvelled how any of them were still alive after drinking anything that came from such a hell-forsaken place.
There wasn't a building left that stood complete. War had hit this part of the verse hard.
Everyone had left in a hurry, the people that stayed were long dead, the only people who inhabited the rock now were there for the seclusion it offered them and their questionable business.
The exchange only needed a couple of hands. Mal and Zoe would be enough to take the bars of protein they'd brought from Fredrick and swap them for the liquor. The Doc would come along too, they needed to test that the hooch was safe to drink, previous batches had contained polluted water, a problem the supplier had assured them was now solved.
Mal looked around as he stepped down from Serenity. He wasn't surprised the booze had gone bad, everything on this planet looked tainted.
He turned to his crew, "Kaylee you keep the engine running, I don't want to be on this planet a second longer than we have to."
Then to Jayne, "Take a look around see if you can scavenge anything useful." Jayne nodded. Mal reasoned he should add, " Useful like foodstufs, weapons, currency..."
The merc frowned, " I know." He huffed as he started to head out.
"Wait," Mal looked back into the ship. River stood keenly eyeing their new surroundings. "Take our little pilot with you,"
Jayne looked ready to argue so Mal made his tone more captainy " You may need help carrying whatever you find."
He looked offended and his teeth clenched together hard but he didn't protest. " Great," Mal said cheerily, then calling over his shoulder to River " How'd you fancy going on a treasure hunt moonbeam?"
Jayne stalked away, his irritation clear.
Her smile was wide as she skipped after him and Mal couldn't help smiling too as he watched. He loved causing Cobb discomfort, he knew it was wrong but boy did that big galoot deserved it.
It used to be a city, now it was just a mess of wrecked buildings. Houses torn to shreds from shelling. Slowly Jayne picked through them, careful not to disturb anything that could cause another collapse.
River chose to stay outside. There was so much emotion left behind in this place, darkness mostly.
She turned and peered up the street. Warmth pricked at her skin.
That wasn't a bleak feeling. No, that was something different.
Drawn by the lightness, River moved closer. She clambered over bricks and steel until she found it.
The room was half gone, a few walls and a broken wooden floor, boards creaking as she stood on them. She took great care not to lend her weight to anywhere that would fracture the delicate balance of the damaged building.
She looked around and felt it again. What was it?
Happiness.
Yes. But more than that.
Love.
At one time this room had been full of Love.
Slowly she wrapped her arms around herself.
"What is it, Whad' ya find?" Jayne clambered up into the room behind her.
She turned and tried to tell him to to stop,that the building couldn't stand the weight of both of them at once, but it was too late. The wood creaked and the stone shifted around her. River threw herself at Jayne trying to push him back out of the collapsing room, as she reached him the floor gave way swallowing them both.
Falling together they dropped like a stone, Jayne caught a glancing blow on some timber and was knocked unconscious . They landed hard in the basement with a thud, River slamming down on top of him. She clung on tight as the structure fell down around them.
After a short while the bricks stopped falling and the dust started to settle.
Opening her eyes a little she peeked about. They had been lucky, landing wedged in a small pocket of space that was spared the crushing wreckage. Not much room for manoeuvre though. She looked above them cautiously; in fact, if either of them moved too much it might bring the rest of the house down.
She felt stirring beneath her. Jayne groaned "Are we dead?"
He tried to move and River pushed him back down "Stay still."
He peered around them focusing slowly, taking in the rubble cocooning them, his features filled with determination. "To hell with this, I'm digging a way out."
Before she could reply, Jayne had started to claw at the brick in a desperate attempt to move himself from beneath her. Dust and debris started to tumble down on them.
River's hand shot out grasping his face, "look!"
She moved his head and pointed it in the direction of their problem. "That beam is supporting that big concrete and metal mass," she moved his face accordingly, "a weight more than sufficient to kill us both." Her mind wandered. "Squash us like bugs, squish, squashed, flat."
Jayne's look of horror brought her back on track, "the beam is held up by the rubble, if you move it that slab will fall and crush us both".
Jayne's face was puckered up in her grip, his look of horror had turned to anger. He grabbed Rivers hand and roughly pulled it away.
"So, your plan is to just lie here nice an peaceful like an wait fur this building to fall down on us some more?" He turned his face away scanning their tomb "I haint fixin to die in no run down gǒushǐ hole planet like this."
She could tell he felt better for ranting at her, but his jaw still jut out in defiance.
River explained the only viable option for escape. "We have to wait until someone finds us, we'll need help to get out, a winch to lift..."
Jayne cut across her sentence, "Gorram crazy brained nightmare is what ya are, wonderin off getting us all collapsed upon." He glowered at her. "When we get outta here one way or nother you and me are partin ways for good."
He relaxed back feeling satisfied that he'd said his piece. She sighed, a tired feeling passing over her. No matter what had happened in the past, or maybe because of it, his distaste for her remained the same.
His thoughts were so clear to her he might as well have spoken them out loud.
He disliked her because she was clever, and was 'stuck up with it' to. With that witch brain of hers, she'd probably found out things about him that he'd never ever wanted anybody to know. Then there was Miranda, he tried not to think about that much on a account of the cold sweat that broke out each time he went a recollecting. Mostly though, he disliked her because it pained him when Mal listened to her, 'a crazy' over him.
She understood it for what it really was at the core though, he was scared of her because she was different from other people. Everyone else knew it and tried to ignore it, at least Jayne had the common decency to be upfront about how he felt.
River lowered her head to Jayne's chest with a sigh.
"Hey, what'cha doing?"
She looked up at him, "We may be here a while, I'm getting comfortable."
His response was a trademark growl, which she ignored as she always did.
They lay in silence for a long while, then Jayne, hating having to lay idle and so close to her, could stand it no longer.
"Lyin here like a gorram cushion for you when it's your fault were stuck down here. Don't seem fair, Ya'll should be under me."
He wished he'd thought of a better way to say it almost instantly. His mind filled with images of his words, and they turned quickly from being wholesome to downright lustful. River was shocked when she glimpsed herself beneath Jayne, sweaty and naked with her legs wrapped round his back, a moan erupting from between her lips. She felt a bolt of something, a current tingling through her skin. As quickly as she'd seen it he had whisked that thought away from her, thinking instead of weights and Vera, familiar things to occupy his mind. Still, It had startled her, caught her off guard.
Curious, she replayed the image, her face flushing as she studied it.
Jayne grasped for a change of topic.
"Think they're even lookin fur us yet?"
River snapped herself back to reality.
"Simon will come find me, he always does."
"Huh" Jayne shrugged below her a smirk spreading across his face "these days the only thing th' doc's innerested in findin is what Kaylee's hidin under them overalls of hers."
River ignored him. She peered up through the rubble to the crack of sky that was visible, the clear blue was now a much darker shade, night was on it's way.
They lay quietly, the merc shifting his legs now and then, cricking his neck in agitation.
She decided that waiting in silence was probably best. Jayne wasn't much for conversation at the best of times, neither was she truth be told. Cobb after being knocked unconscious and wedged under a building would not be interested in passing the time in anything resembling cordial company.
As the light dimmed outside the temperature dropped drastically, still there was no sign of rescue. River shivered as she felt an icy draft blow down over her bare arms, goosebumps rose on her alabaster skin and her teeth chattered softly.
She had felt colder. The lab was sometimes cruelly cold and she winced as she remembered that terrifying place. " Not there, not there," she muttered. She closed her eyes " The cold is not the same, the cold is not the same."
She felt Cobb sigh his annoyance, and she quieted. " Not the same" she whispered to herself for final reassurance.
Jayne, on the other hand felt warm beneath her, in fact he seemed immune to the elements. She was finally glad for his company, his warmth was something to cling to.
The night grew darker.
It was no use, her body shook, her dress no match for the chill of the nigh time air. She listened to Jaynes thoughts to take her mind off the discomfort.
It didn't help, Jayne was thinking that she felt like a block of ice on his chest.
River frowned her words tumbling from her mouth before she could stop them. " But you can see right through!" She giggled as her teeth chattered some more, her voice became soft and clear " Cold inside and out," her smile faltered, "and then we melt away."
Jayne squinted down at her in the dark, he looked irritated.
She moved her face so that he couldn't see her eyes, which were suddenly filled with tears and threatening to spill all over his chest.
With no warning but a huff Jayne started to pull roughly at his jacket extending it as far around himself and River as it would allow, closing her inside it with him. He wrapped his arms around her in a bear hug to hold the coat in place, it was done with reluctance and she could tell he resented the fact that he couldn't just simply let her freeze.
"If we don't git squashed, buy some gorram dresses with sleeves."
The jacket was large even for Jayne and it almost covered her completely.
She felt uncomfortable at first, but then the consolation of the warmth relaxed her.
River lay motionless, the feeling of Jayne's arms wrapped around her was strange. She realized that apart from her brother no other man had held her in such a way.
She listened to his heart beat at a steady pace. The weight of his arms around her felt comforting. She breathed him in. He smelt of dust and sweat, no surprise really, still it made her head fuzzy in a way that was totally new and puzzling.
Jayne stirred suddenly. "Don't go tellin your brother about this," he paused, thinking. "Or the captain," he paused again, " or Zoe, or Kayl... look just dont be tellin people I was holdin ya, they might get the wrong idea."
River looked up at him and wrinkled her brow, " Like the idea you had earlier?"
Jayne looked puzzled. " What?"
"When I was under you."
Jayne's eyes went wide as he realized her meaning. His face flushed with a mix of fear, shame, then anger. His tone was cold.
"I told you, don't be reading my brain! It ain't none of your business." Fury had really taken hold of him now, his grip around her tightened like a vice. " You do that again and I'll squeeze your freak head right off your shoulders."
He whipped his arms from around her pulling his coat and the warmth it provided away in one quick defiant motion.
She knew this look well, his jaw set like granite and his fists balled at his sides. River was often the cause of it.
She didn't fear him and knew that only added to his ire. The slip of a girl with spooky super powers that always got the better of him lay quietly on top of him.
'Well, let her freeze' he though and River sighed as she contemplated the long cold night ahead.
Silence, Ironically, was a rare commodity aboard the improbably named Serenity.
With so much noise around her River could some times lose track of her own thoughts. Now there was nothing to hinder her, no noise to clog her brain.
She liked the peace here; it was clean, it relaxed her and was a respite from the constant hum of the ship and the minds trapped inside.
There was just one brain whirring now. Thankfully Jayne's musings always had a nice simplicity to them. His forthrightness had always made it easy to be around him, she found it effortless to tune him out, even if his thoughts were mostly always ornery, hostile ones.
River recalled his earlier thought. Was that hostile?
She let her mind wander back to the scene plundered from his subconscious. His hands large, gripping her, holding her down, pinning her. Maybe? But then his face nuzzled gently against her neck. She tried to focus, to remember more but she was so cold. Her body shook with every icy draught that blew across her skin, she felt herself slowly succumbing to it's distracting and numbing effects. Her fingers grew stiff and she clenched her hands shut tight.
River closed her eyes, maybe she could control this.
She imagined herself as water running down into the warmth of Jayne.
Over his chest, his arms, shoulders. Washing against him.
Suddenly she couldn't stop herself from reaching out, searching for his thoughts.
His mind was at war with itself. His mama had brought him up to treat ladies better... he countered, she weren't no real lady though was she.
Mal sure would be pissed if she froze to death... but then life would be a hell of a lot sweeter on Serenity sans one eerie murderising freak on board. No more little lost loony floating about th' place like a ghost, spouting gibberish, popping up out of nowhere to give him half a heart attack.
Hmm, Doc'd be pissed too. He might get to paralyzing again. That was something Jayne did not want to experience ever again, being all helpless and defenceless like weren't his thing.
He should keep her warm.
Hell, before she froze to death she'd probably kill him and take his coat anyhow.
Jayne slowly pulled the coat back around Rivers body, " You can thank me fur saving your life by giving me half of your food rations for the next month, OK?"
The warmth felt good. "This is an acceptable barter."
Jayne grunted. " Good. Now I'm gonna git some sleep so be peaceful like and don't be getting in any of your weird whacked out fits." He closed his eyes. "Oh, an keep a listen out fur help."
River smiled. "OK, your the boss."
She knew stroking his ego wasn't necessary but she just couldn't help herself. She heard his smug 'Your damn right', felt his arms tighten around her and smiled in satisfaction. Snug and warm, her grin widened.
For a long, long time they lay together in silence.
He didn't sleep, he pretended to, but he wasn't sleeping. Jayne even tried to fake a snore every now and then just to avoid having to interact with her.
After a while River had grown bored, " I believe a bedtime story is a useful aid in helping somebody fall asleep, or counting sheep?"
She felt the steady rise of his chest fluctuate as he realized his ruse was done.
"It also helps if you ain't got a crazy person stuck t'yer front." He sighed. "I ain't much for counting and I don't want no pickle brained story of yers giving me nightmares."
River wrinkled her brow, " I'm sure I know a lot of stories, there must be one that..."
"Nope, hain innerested." Silence for a moment. "You know who used to tell real good stories?"
She peeked up at him, his face had a soft smile on it, a genuine one, one she rarely saw.
"Th' Preacher. Man he had some Good stories. There was learning to em too."
River found herself smiling with him, "Tell me one."
Jayne frowned for a moment, contemplating this " I don't remember em all, but there was one, it stuck with me, I reckon I can tell it."
He took a deep breath.
"Once upon ah time there was an old farmer. One day his prize horse got loose an ran away. His neighbour came by an said "That's mighty bad luck".
"Perhaps," the farmer replied.
The next morning the horse returned, bringing with it three other wild horses. This time the neighbour yalled "What great luck!"
"Perhaps," replied the farmer.
The next day, the farmer's son tried to ride one of th' untamed horses, was thrown, and broke his leg, bone sticking out an everythin, real horrifyin like. The neighbor again came by to offer his sympathy on his misfortunes "terrible bad luck" he said.
"Perhaps," answered the farmer.
The day after, army came to the village to draft young men. Seeing that the son's leg was broken, they passed him by. The neighbour congratulated the farmer on how well things had turned out.
"Perhaps," said the farmer...
River looked up at Jayne "It's a device to explain the complexities of random effect within situational parameters," she grinned, "It's designed to make you ponder chaos theory, the butterfly effect, cautional analysis..."
Jayne interrupted, "Well when the preacher told it t' me the only thin I wuz ponderin wuz why that farmer hadn't socked that gorram nosey ass neighbour in the mouth."
River giggled, her laugh springing from her with surprising glee. Jayne, somewhat mystified as to why she found that particular anecdote so funny, joined in, his chest vibrating below River's cheek as he chuckled. She felt an overwhelming surge of warmth and wrapped her arms up around his shoulders, pulling herself closer, flattening herself to him, burying her face even deeper into his chest.
Jayne tensed, momentarily lifting his arms slightly, before relaxing and returning them.
River closed her eyes and smiled. Why was lying this close to Jayne Cobb making her so happy?
"Stupid endorphins" she breathed.
"Stupid in dwarf'n what!?" he grunted "Heck girl, I don't understand half the stuff that comes outta that crazy mouth of yers."
Then she heard it, soft on the breeze, her name being called by her brother.