Author's note: This is my first fanfic ever, so don't be too harsh - but constructive criticism is welcomed!
He couldn't trust him anymore. That was what hurt the most. He could trust the rest of the crew - even River who could kill them all whenever she wanted to.
He couldn't trust his merc.
In the old days he couldn't trust him either. The only reason he had come on board was that Mal offered him a percentage that Jayne couldn't refuse. Mal planned on dumping him at their next stop, but something always came up. Now, Mal had long since given up being a praying man, but some part of him, the part that he often considered ridiculous, told him it was something like fate.
So Jayne stayed. And somehow, became a part of his crew. He had even somehow began to trust him.
Then Ariel happened. Sure, he was able to get over it enough to look at the man every day, but he he couldn't bear to look him in the eye.
The only reason he let him out of that airlock was because that stupid merc seemed to still give a damn what his crew thought of him.
Maybe it was a lie. But for Mal it was something.
Just not enough to trust him again.
Not yet.