Disclaimer: You know the drill, not mine and never will be (but they won't take the sky from me!)

A/N: I finally got around the editing/revising this ficlet (01/02/14) because I am moving some of my old favs onto my AO3 account. I love this pairing and I love this sad little ficlet, it really is dear to my heart. I was always drawn to this ship and think that if the show had been given more time it might have become canon -seeing as we will never know you can enjoy this fiction instead!

"Jayne-" her voice gurgled, blood slipping past her beautiful lips to dribble down her chin. Everything felt so cold to her, and she could still hear the faint sounds of gun shots raining down around her as if she were in the middle a meteor shower made of metal.

"Stay with me gorramit! " Jayne was doin' his best to keep the soddin' bastards off of him and the young mechanic. To young, way to young for anything like this. He'd kill her himself before he let these men get her.

"It hurts." Kaylee whimpered, more crimson blood spilling out of her mouth and staining her pink flower shirt.

"I know Kaylee girl, but you gatta hang on!" his voice broke as he realized there really wasn't much point in her hangin' on like he said. Simon simply wasn't to going to get to her on time, and he deffinitly wasn't no fancy gorram doctor - with this knowledge he did the only thing he could do.

"Hold on, this is ganna hurt!" Jayne warned and with all the strength in his body he threw little Kaylee over his broad left shoulder. In a swift motion rivaling that of a panther he was back on his feet, her over his shoulder, firing bullets from a gun in each hand all while nearly running backwards. It was chaotic at best, but it was the only option left to him.

When he felt they were finally out of immediate danger, at least for a little while, he carefully sat his precious cargo gently on the snow covered ground, propping her up against a rock covered in ice. It wasn't the optimal choice to take cover, but it was all they had so it would have to do.

"You saved me," She beamed, coughing up some more blood, the rich color tainting the snow around her. It seemed that regardless of her dire state, her doe eyes were filled with nothing but gratefullness and pride. She was proud of Jayne. Even in what were clearly her last moments, she was still thinking of others. His little ray of sunshine.

"Not quite girl." he murmered sadly, 'not quite' he thought again, his heart breaking at the reality. He raised a calloused rough hand to her cheek and brushed some of the snow soaked hair from her face. She was freezing to the touch. He smiled sadly.

"Yes you did." She insisted, managing a very weak smile for him. Regardless of the small size it still held just as much of that trademark Kaylee brightness that any of her smiles always seemed to have. At one time that sunshine would have made Jayne sick to his stomach, as it were now, it only made him want to cry out for her. She didn't deserve this, none of this. It should have been him that had taken those bullets to the chest. His life was worthless compared to her beautiful soul - but there was no changing things no matter how hard he wished for it.

"Kaylee," Jayne quickly looked over his shoulders cautiously to make sure they were still safe, at least for a bit longer. He could hear the fight slowly makin' its way closer to their makeshift hidin' spot "I-"

"I love you, Jayne Cobb." Kaylee suddenly interupted, hot tears streaming down her face mixing with her blood and the snow. Jayne hadn't even realized she'd started crying. "I'd never found the right time to tell you." she appologized weakly.

"Hush now, Kaylee girl." Jayne soothed in, moving her body and his so that he was cradling her atop his lap, his strong arms wrapped around her small frame. She looked so helpless, covered in blood, crying, so small and fragile. Jayne did the only thing he knew how and kissed her briefly on the lips. He never kisses girls on the lips - she knows this cuz he said so.

"Glad I told you," Her voice was getting softer and weaker by the second. Suddenly Jayne didn't want to let her go. He was Angry at the world for takin' one of the best things in the verse from everyone, from him.

"Stay with me Kaylee," It was a desperate plea, and his eye's started waterin' up somethin' fierce.

"Gatta go." She gave him one last giant smile "You don't kiss girls on the lips." It wasn't a question or an inquiry, she was simply stating in her own little way that she knew that he loved her too. Even if he couldn't bear to say it aloud. His heart had already been hurtin' to see her injured, but to know a possible future had been stolen from them as well, he just couldn't bring himself to say the words aloud. He was thankful that he didn't have to, because it was reflected back at him in her eyes. She knew he loved her.

When the light seemed to finally fade from her eyes Jayne shook her slightly, horrified when he didn't get a response. "Kaylee!" He shook her a little harder but it was to no avail. "Gorramit girl you wake up right now! Dongma!" it was an order she couldn't hear and tears were starting to soak through his shirt, he hadn't even realized he had started cryin' so hard. He had known she was goin' die, known it in his gut the second she had cried out from the pain of being hit. No way she'd of survived her wounds, even if the doc had been close by. Just too many holes, too many bulletts.

Didn't change the fact that it hurt.

Hurt like gorram hell.

"I love you girl," Jayne finally admitted in a strangled whisper as he placed her body down gently in the snow, closin' her eyelids and brushin' her hair away from her pretty face. "See you around soon." He promised, before he stood up with vengeance in his eyes and a lust for revenge in his heart.

Those men in blue just might take him out tonight. This he knew.

In fact he just might let them.

Actually, right now he counted on it.

But he was dammed sure ganna take a good dozen out with him before he went down.

At least a dozen. At least that many for him.

At least that many for his sweet girl.

There you have it, please be kind and remember to Read and Review ;)

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