The Doctor and the Mercenary
by The Lady Elizabeth

"Please, Kaylee, I just don't have time!" Simon snapped and Kaylee felt the words lash through her. She bit down hard on her lower lip for composure and hated the way he suddenly looked guilty. "Oh, Kaylee, please don't cry. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to-"

"Yes, you did, Simon," she said with a sigh. "Yes, you did."

She turned and walked out of the infirmary, right into Jayne Cobb, who looked down at her like she was something strange and new. She straightened her back and tossed her hair.

"Excuse me, Jayne," she said, fearing that she might start crying before she could get back to her bunk. She pushed passed him and was surprised to hear his combat boots following after her. She stopped at the entrance of her bunk and stared at him. "What?"

He looked her over again and Kaylee felt a strange thrill go through her. Nothing like when the doctor looked her over. She swallowed.

"Can I talk to you?" he asked.

Kaylee nodded. She stared up at him and he stared down at her. Jayne sighed.

"No, in private, I mean."

She blinked. "Well, yes, I suppose so. Your bunk or mine?"

"Mine," he said instantly, grabbing onto her wrist and pulling her down to where his bunk's entrance was. He opened it with his other hand and Kaylee was half-afraid that he was going to just toss her down into it. She jerked out of his grip and climbed down the ladder rungs to the bottom. She almost laughed to see Jayne slide down, his hands barely touching the ladder.

"In a hurry?" she asked.

"Absolutely," he said, closing the entrance back up and locking it. Kaylee stared at him for a long moment and finally Jayne moved close to her, standing right in front of her. She started to back up, but he grabbed hold of her upper arms and held her steady.

"What are you doing?" she asked, aware of the sudden tremble in her voice.

His answer was a kiss. It was, by far, the best kiss that she had ever had and Kaylee found her eyes closing and her knees giving way underneath it. One of his hands caught the small of her back and held her up. She allowed this for a few moments before turning her head away, gasping for air.

"What are you doing?" she repeated, too astonished to be angry.

Jayne took hold of her hips and pushed her backwards, hard, and Kaylee felt herself slam against the wall of the cramped room. The air rushed out of her lungs in surprise and from the force of it and she glanced up at Jayne with widened eyes.

"God, Kaylee," Jayne practically moaned, capturing her mouth for an equally rough kiss that left her panting. "You're driving me crazy."

"I don't know why," Kaylee said quietly. "I mean, why doesn't Zoe make you crazy? She's so much more your type."

"She's married to Wash."

"And you care?" Kaylee asked incredulously.

Jayne tangled his fingers into Kaylee's hair and tipped her head back, exposing her white throat. She swallowed in apprehension and was surprised to feel Jayne's lips kissing gentle patterns on it. Jayne murmured something against her skin and she shivered. She could feel herself growing aroused by this seduction scene and felt a wave of guilt wash over her. She was glad that there was no evidence that Jayne could feel to tell that she was starting to find his touches exciting. However, she sure as hell could feel Jayne's erection through the thin fabric separating their bodies. She tried to wiggle away and felt Jayne's teeth snap at her skin. She froze, her heart pounding excitedly in her chest.

"There's just something about you," Jayne said. His voice was just as quiet, a tone of conspiracy between the two. He released Kaylee's hair and the mechanic lowered her chin to look Jayne in the face. "Maybe it's just now, too, but I've got to have you."

"That's flattering," Kaylee whispered, her throat dry. "What about Simon?"

"Damn Simon," Jayne hissed. His eyes were over bright, the eyes of a predator hunting. "If I want something, there ain't nothing in this 'verse that's gonna stop me."

Jayne began to unbutton her coverall's and the mechanic's quick hands came up to wrap around his wrists. Jayne paused.

"What about me?" Kaylee asked. "Don't I get a say in this?"

"Do you want a say?" Jayne countered.

She opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. She shook her head, not knowing exactly what she was saying no to. Jayne leaned forward and bit down gently on her lower lip for a moment before releasing her. His face mere inches away, Jayne smiled.

"Think of yourself as a hot commodity," Jayne whispered. "Everyone on this ship wants you."

Kaylee returned his smile and released his wrists. Immediately Jayne finished unbuttoning her coveralls and let them slid to the floor. She felt naked already, though she still had a layer of clothing left before she was technically there. She swallowed hard and pressed herself against the wall, very aware of the fact that Jayne's hands were playing with the elastic top of her panties.

"Not everyone," she whispered, feeling her head start to spin with her own breathlessness. "Not Book."

"So not the shepherd," he replied, slipping his fingers into the sides of her underwear and slipping them down. He let go and Kaylee gave a slight wiggle so that they fell to the ground. She kicked them away, wondering why it was so easy to give in to Jayne when she had been waiting for so long for Simon. "You're wantin' the shepherd to be wantin' you?"

"No, it's just the principle of the thing," Kaylee told him. "Just the principle. Oh!"

Jayne smirked and slid his hand onto Kaylee's thigh. With a rough grip, he hoisted her onto his hip, forcing her legs apart as he did so. Kaylee stared at him for a long moment, the two were completely still, before nodding her consent. She could feel her body's readiness to accept him and though she wasn't surprised when he had to push harder than she liked, she still let out a soft cry of pain.

His mouth was on hers, quickly kissing away the pain. His lower body stilled and Kaylee became lost in what he was doing to her mouth. He certainly was good at what he did, she could freely admit. His hand came up to cup her chin, squeezing her face ever so slightly as he did. Kaylee brushed her hands past his jaw line and back around his upper neck. She was kissing back now with an almost feverish pace.

Slowly, they began to move. Kaylee gasped again and Jayne swallowed the small noise with a deep, penetrating kiss. He was rocking up into her and, gods, did it feel absolutely perfect. She closed her eyes and tried to imagine it was Simon who was pressing her against the wall, but the familiar scent in her nose wouldn't let her pretend. She inhaled deeply before opening her eyes and watching Jayne's face. She realized she rather liked the way he looked when he was concentrating on something.

"Jayne," she breathed.

He slid his strong hands around to the tops of her thighs and lifted her lightly, as though she were nothing more than a feather to him, and moved away from the wall. They were kissing so much, so hard and desperately, that Kaylee squeaked in surprised when Jayne tossed her on his thin, one person bed. She stared up at him in surprised and he laughed.

"You squeaked," he accused.

"You dropped me."

"Let me make it up to you," he replied, quickly climbing on the bed and straddling her. Kaylee started to giggle as he brushed a feather light touch up her side and Jayne rolled his eyes. "You're killing me here."

"Well, then stop tickling me, for crying out loud," Kaylee giggled.

Jayne shook his head and leaned down for a kiss. His tongue slipped past her lips easily and was in her mouth, touching and tasting her. She lay limp for a moment, allowing him to do as he pleased before she pushed her own tongue against his and cupped his face in her hands. When they would break apart moments for air, Kaylee could feel his smile against her skin. She wiggled out from under him and spread out her legs, inviting him to finish what he had started.

This time, she did not gasp in pain when he entered her, only moaned aloud as his body scraped right past a very sensitive spot. She bucked her hips upwards against his, impatient to feel that spark of pleasure once more. Quickly, they found a rhythm that left them both gasping and breathless. Kaylee didn't know how long she could hold onto this pace, but she was game to try and see just how long she could last.

Then, abruptly and with little warning, the world went white. Kaylee tried to call out for Jayne, tried to cling onto him desperately in this sudden orgasm, but there was nothing to see therefore nothing to hold onto. She found herself floating through this beautiful world of pearls and whites and decided to sink into rather than try and fight it. She was absolutely on top of the world and there wasn't anything on her mind but this perfect bliss.

When she started to come back down, she could hear his labored breathing on the bed, beside her. Jayne must've finished, too, she suspected. She slowly opened her eyes and turned to the mercenary. He was propped up on one elbow and looked very satisfied with himself or perhaps just with life itself. Kaylee leaned over and planted a strangely chaste kiss to his beet red lips.

"Thank you," she whispered. "It had been too long."

"What now?" he asked her softly. She shook her head.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, are you going to start being with me now or are you going to keep chasing after that idiot doctor with his moonbrained sister?"

That stung. Kaylee pulled the blanket on the bed around her hips and sat up. Jayne's hand was instantly on the small of her back, supporting her. She didn't know whether to believe his words or the comforting touch of his body.

"I love Simon," she whispered.

"I figured," Jayne in a sad voice. Kaylee spun to look into his eyes, but they had already hardened. "That's all right, Kay. I just wanted to know."

"You already knew that this was going to hurt you, didn't you?" No answer. No big surprise. "I'm real sorry."

"It's all right; I got sexed, so everything will be just fine, huh?"

Kaylee kissed him gently on the lips, cradling his face gently as she did so. "This didn't mean nothing."

"Yeah, well, it ain't gonna mean something."

They dressed in silence and Kaylee slipped out of Jayne's bunk quickly.

She walked to the infirmary, where Simon was alphabetizing the medications. Again. She sat down on the edge of the examining table. Simon hardly glanced up.

"Hello, Kaylee," he said in his sweet, gentle doctor's voice. Kaylee felt a strong ache hit in the middle and it was all she could do not to bend over and sob.

"Hey, Simon. Alphabetizing again?"

He shook his head in annoyance. "Yes. You know, I get everything sorted out and then some joker comes in here and messes it all up again. Do you know what that's like?"

To have someone mess up everything that you had set up like a tower of blocks? She did, so she nodded.

"I know what you mean. Well, about Serenity. Something I feel like a space monkey gets in there or something."

"Well, maybe your space monkey should meet mine and wreck up the whole ship," Simon said bitterly. "Honestly, who think this is funny?"

Jayne.

"Who knows? It's not like anyone's going to confess, right?"

"Yeah," Simon said, setting down a couple of vials. He looked at her and smiled. It was an apologetic smile. Oh, that seems like lifetimes ago. "Do you want to eat dinner with me?"

Kaylee's heart skipped a beat.

"I'd love to."