Jayne woke up, his head hurting all to hell. His vision was foggy as he slowly woke up and took in his surroundings. Jayne could feel cold hard metal under him, he also felt unnaturally cold. He lifted his head and saw River sitting across from him, her head sitting on her knees. It took him a few more minutes to realize "go-se" he was in the airlock. He knew this was going to happen, since him and River started making a go at it. For a few months they had been throwing around in the sheets, but they kept it a secret for the obvious outcome of Jayne getting thrown in the airlock. Jayne sat up, his head pounding; he was only in his boxers. Last thing he remembered was him and River sexing, then a firm grip on his shoulder and something hard against his head.

"What happened?" Jayne asked as he rubbed his head. River looked liked she was about to cry, but she didn't say anything just looked at a walkie-talkie sitting in the middle of the floor. Jayne stood up with the walkie-talkie to stare out the window. He saw something that wasn't good for him, Mal standing there looking mighty furious.

"I see you decided to wake up," Mal was talking into the comm., with a hand on the controls for the door.

"What's going on here, Mal?" Jayne was still trying to wake up.

"What's going on here? I told you not to get involved with the girl," Mal's eyes were slanted, and he seemed to be boiling he was so mad.

"Mal, come on," Jayne thought he was overreacting a bit.

"How long has this been going on? You decide not to sell her back to the feds?" Jayne sighed and put his head down, his gaze going to River. She had to have known he was going to sell her back, he just felt like an idiot when he heard it out loud. River looked up at him with tears in her eyes.

"Mal Why are we in here?"

"Why? You broke my rule, you've been taking advantage of a young girl," Jayne sighed again. Mal sure was furious, ain't no way he was gonna save his ass.

"Then why is she in here?" Jayne starred Mal down through the tiny window.

"She's been a much a part of this as you. Gonna get rid of both of ya," Mal seemed like he wasn't going to trust them.

"Mal, she ain't done nothing, like you said taking advantage, let her out," River stood up and grabbed Jayne's waist.

"No, she has done something," River was crying furiously into Jayne's chest. "She has killed her Jayne, wrote the death sentence," She looked up at him, tears finally drying. Jayne looked back to Mal who was nodding.

"Riv, you ain't done nothing," Jayne told her in a way to get her to play along, if he wasn't gonna be able to save his sorry ass he was gonna save hers. Jayne talked into the comm., once again. "Her brothers gonna have your head when he finds out you killed his mei-mei,"

"Oh Simon's angry, but I can handle him." Mal's face was right up to the small window. Jayne winced, looking down at River, why was she going to have to suffer because of him.

"Mal your cruel. Why the airlock, why can't ya let us off on some planet?" Jayne's arm was now wrapped around River whose face was pressed up against his chest. Mal just shook his head.

"You got 5 minutes," Mal said finally into the comm. Jayne dropped his in disbelief. He felt happy once his life, and now that was all going to fly away. He wrapped River totally in his arms, she wasn't sobbing and he was trying to hold back tears.

"I am sorry," River said, as she looked up at her big man. He didn't look down at for a second, but when he did he had a furious look on his face.

"You don't say that, you ain't got nothing to be sorry for," Jayne stroked River's hair, to move her head backwards. He bent down and kissed her hard. They stood there for their last seconds, kissing and holding each other. Jayne heard a familiar buzz of the comm.

"You love her?" This time it wasn't Mal but Simon, sure Mal was still there standing by the controls. Jayne snatched up the comm.

"Yes," Jayne hadn't been sure for a while but looking at her now he knew, and he wasn't even sure he knew what love was.

"If you could, would you save her, if it meant sacrificing yourself?" Simon asked.

"Yes, yes!" Jayne yelled, of course he would, he told Mal he would before.

"Are you sure?" Simon asked again.

"Yes I am ruttin sure,"

"Give the comm., to River," Jayne handed it to her, not letting her go.

"River,"

"Simon,"

"What? What are doing with him?" Simon's eyes were filled with concern for his little mei-mei getting involved with an absolute brute.

"He's different, he's quiet, we understand each other," River stopped looking at Simon and her gaze was devouring Jayne. After a few seconds he grabbed the comm.

"You gonna let her out now?" Jayne broke away from looking at River but was still in her grasp.

"I'd be making peace with you maker," Mal had grabbed the comm.; from Simon his hand was hovering above a certain orange button. Jayne's eyes filled with fury, he dropped the comm., to hold River tightly.

"I love you, you know," He said almost laughing, River was smiling as well.

"I love you too Jayne," River's hand were running along his back her eyes filling up with tears. Jayne moved them around to he could get sucked out first, figuring maybe he could block the doorway so River would have a chance. They braced together when they heard a mechanical whirring sound. Jayne didn't feel like he was being pulled apart or sucked out the airlock. Jayne thought for a moment that maybe that's what dieing felt like but he realized his feet were still on the metal floor. He opened one tightly clenched eye. The airlock was open but he could see trees and lights below. River had her eyes open to; she looked out the doors and laughed. Serenity was hovering maybe 8 to 10 feet above the ground, of a planet. Jayne felt a breeze of the cargo bay doors opening. They turned still holding each other. Mal was standing there, smirking. Zoë was beside him not looking at all happy. Jayne's mouth fell open, so it was one of Mal sick jokes.

"You, you…" Jayne was speechless, he was happy he was alive, but infuriated that Mal had tricked him. Mal let out a little laugh, one he couldn't contain. River walked out of Jayne's arms and walked right up and slapped Mal. Zoë finally laughed at Mal's bewildered look. River stomped past him, Jayne following snickering at Mal. Mal turned to Zoë and smiled proud of himself.

"Well at least we know it's serious,"

Mal watched in disbelieve as Jayne and River were making out right outside her bunk, they obviously hadn't noticed him. Jayne and River stumbled into River's bunk; Mal followed unsure what to do. Mal stood looking at a closed door. Simon stepped out of his bunk and right into Captain Reynolds.

"Captain, what are you…" Simon was cut off by Mal shushing him with his finger. Mal leaned into the door; yup they were still going at it. Mal brought Simon down the hallway before he spoke again.

"I think Jayne and River might be going at it," Mal held onto Simon, so he wouldn't go charging in that room.

"What?!" Simon thought maybe this was one of the Captain's tricks.

"I got a plan, get a needle to drug River with, we need to ambush them," Simon paused until Mal patted his arm. Mal looked back down the hallway very smug, he had a great idea.