A/N: I've had this in my head for ages and finally decided to put it down. Just a little post BDM one-shot with a little pre Rayne goodness.

Disclaimer: I do not own Firefly

There was something very very loud annoying Mal. His head was fuzzy and he really wanted to sleep, but this noise was breaking into his sleep and was not putting him in the best if moods. He was also completely unsure of where he was or how he got there. In fact he was pretty unsure of anything that had happened in the last few hours, and the only real thing right now was this gorram annoying noise.

Hnnuk…………………hnnuk…………………hnnuk

What was that? He took a deep breath and opened his eyes. Ignoring the continuing annoying noise he took in his surroundings. He was lying in a totally white room, hooked up to more drips and machines than Simon had ever managed to convince him to buy for Serenity. So he couldn't be there..

When he thought about Serenity it all came flooding back with amazing clarity. Mr Universe. Getting the message out. The way River looked when those doors finally opened. Sliding to the floor and collapsing. And Wash..

Hnnuk………………..hhnuk……………………hhnuk

He closed his eyes again blocking out the ever-present noise. "I think I liked the fuzzy better," he thought. Losing one of his crew was a difficult concept for Mal to take. Sure he'd lost men in the war, but this was different. He had lived with Wash, fought alongside him and no one flew his baby better.

"Zoe," Mal said her name without thinking. He looked to his right automatically and let out a long breathe he didn't know he was holding. Zoe was lying on a hospital bed directly next to his. She was face down with her head turned away from him and obviously fast asleep. If Mal lifted himself up slightly he could see Kaylee and Simon in identical beds on the other side of Zoe. Both were sleeping and their beds were pulled close together so that they were able to hold hands across the two beds. Mal found it kinda touching, in a sweet yet disturbing way

Hhnuk……………….hhnuk……………………..hhnuk

Mal needed a little time to think. Clear his head and plan their next move. He wasn't sure yet how things were going to play out with the Operative and he knew that his crew needed a good few quiet, drama free months. What Mal needed now was a good few quiet minutes.

"What in the hell is that gorram noise!"

This time Mal spoke to the room at large. The noise took on a slightly different tone, then settled back into hhnuk…………………..hhnuk…………………….hhnuk

Mal looked towards the source of the noise, which was coming from next to the only door in the room. Jayne was sitting on a long metal bench and it became obvious to Mal that the noise that had been damaging his calm for the last two minutes was Jayne's incessant and noisy snoring.

He took in the picture in front of him, because Jayne was not alone on the bench. He was sleeping in the middle of the bench, sitting bolt upright. His good arm was draped over the back of the bench and he was clutching Vera in his hand. This hand was pointing towards the door and his finger was on the trigger. Even in sleep Jayne was not trusting of anyone, especially not the Alliance.

Inara was sleeping on Jayne's right hand side. Her head was lying on Jayne's shoulder just above his bandaged arm and her legs were tucked up underneath her. She was fast sleep and Mal noticed, jealously, that her right hand was clamped around Jayne's wrist, as if she was worried he was going somewhere. This was as much of a shock to Mal as anything, because Inara never normally needed anyone to look after her. It showed Mal exactly what she might have lost when her belief in the system was shattered.

What shocked Mal more was the small, slight figure sleeping on Jayne's other side. River was curled up on the bench like a cat, with her head in Jayne's lap and one of her hands resting lightly on his knee. She was wearing an Alliance uniform that was at least two sizes too big for her and she was moving slightly in her sleep. She suddenly made a little, scared noise and without opening his eyes or letting go of Vera, Jayne reached down and patted her on the shoulder. River fell silent at his touch and nestled her head further into his thigh.

Mal was beginning to think that he was still under the influence of many many drugs because what happened next could not possibly happen in the real, not fuzzy world.

Jayne opened his eyes and looked down at River with a look of abject love and devotion that Mal had only ever seen him bestow upon guns.

"Well that's just great."

Mal knew then that far from being out of trouble and drama for a while, his crew were about to throw him into a whole new set of problems.