Getting Shot

"Ya'll up to bein' bad guys today?" Mal asked of River and Jayne at breakfast. "Got a job of the not-so legal variety and I'm thinking it's gonna be fun."

Zoë noticed the fact that Mal was trying to appeal to the couple's sense of thrill, but they both looked like hell. This job would not be fun if these two were off their game.

"Be ready to hit the dirt in two hours. Both o' ya," Mal finished.

River was distraught; Simon didn't come up for breakfast. Kaylee came in for a moment grabbing a few things and left the room. River would have a hard time being together for a job. Since she was so strung out on the emotions from the ship, she felt like she hadn't slept at all. When she did, she was plagued with nightmares, once she even caught bits of Simon's nightmare.

She knew Jayne couldn't be much better off, he had slept holding her and River could feel his concern. It was a new emotion to him and he had a hard time controlling it, making it easier for River to read.

"Alright, little witch, let's go get ready," Jayne nudged her, rubbing his eyes. "Gotta clean some of those guns 'fore we go planet side."

-----

"Right, so we're just meetin' up with the disreputable folk, gettin' the details, then headin' out to the coordinates for the crime portion," Mal explained. "Zoë and I gonna do the chatting, Jayne, you set up by the door, River, you stay by the bar. Both o' you do your thing with the head counts an' feelings and all that."

"Oughta go smooth," Jayne murmured. "Ya know, til' it don't."

They all followed Mal into the bar. Jayne stopped at the door grabbing a close table. Mal and Zoë continued on into the depths of the bar and settled at a booth. Jayne made a mental note of where they rested, and then turned back to the bar to see River. She was tired and Jayne felt he needed to be on his toes. Just in case. He didn't know how those hun dans had trained her to do their killin' but he wasn't sure if she worked well tired like she was. Needin' to be at the top of his game, Jayne declined the offer of drink from the bar maid.

An hour passed before Jayne noticed Mal and Zoë heading toward him.

"We're good to go, feel free to have a drink," Mal offered on his way out the door. "But you and River be back at the boat in an hour."

As Mal and Zoë started to head out a man turned and punched Jayne in the gut where he stood. Zoë pulled out her gun but was disarmed by another man. Mal went to reach for his firearm, but the man who had punched Jayne had two guns pulled, one on Jayne, the other on Mal.

"What seems to be the problem folks?" Mal asked. "We just came for a drink, didn't plan on stayin' for a fight."

"Don't mind though, if'n it was a fair fist fight," Jayne interjected. "Like to take some of my problems out on your face."

"Jayne," Zoë prodded. "Don't think these men are lookin' to let you hit them."

"They ain't gonna, but River will convince them to let me."

"We're ta hold you till our boss gets here," The man holding Zoë replied. "She'll be along in a bit. Sides we ain't got a river round here, you feng le."

"Yu ben de called you crazy!" Mal laughed. "River, you hear that?"

"Jayne's not crazy," River stated as she cocked a gun behind the man holding Jayne and Mal at gun point. "That's my job."

At River's appearance, Zoë elbowed the man holding her and grabbed her gun back from him. Jayne took his gun back from the man River held at gun point.

"Wo de ma! Ain't nothin' prettier than you holdin' a gun," Jayne told River. "I'll give ya first pick, but I'm leanin' toward punching this one. He's got no style."

"Ya'll just wait a minute," Mal said. "Who's your boss, and when's he comin'?"

"On the way," River spoke. "Better go. Lookin' for something."

The words came out of her mouth and all hell broke loose. Two men jumped from the bar and disarmed the four of them simultaneously. Tackling them to the ground, other patrons began brawling and a chair had been thrown at Mal as he started to get up. River wiggled under the grasp of the man that was holding her and started to head out the door.

"Must go now," River urgently yelled. "Coming for us."

The others broke free of the tussle and headed towards River at the door. Jayne walked out ahead of her and ran smack into a woman. Pushing her out of the way he grabbed River's hand and started to run. They weren't but ten feet from the door when River heard the gun cock and then the shot came. She stopped and turned, watching Mal and Zoë run past her and then halt in confusion.

"River, let's get!" Jayne hollered. "What the…?"

Jayne saw the gun and then saw the bullet pierce River.

River didn't fall. She just ran for the woman with the gun. Jayne couldn't catch her, but then he didn't want to. River had just punched the woman in the face.

"You shot me!" River screamed; then she fainted.

Jayne caught her as Mal pulled his gun on the woman.

"Sir, I'm thinkin' now would be the time to fall back," Zoë noted. "The woman's disarmed now, but the fight seems to be comin' this way."

Minutes later Zoë was pulling the mule out of town and heading quickly for Serenity.

"Kaylee," Mal yelled into the comm. "Get the ship ready to burn, and tell Simon to meet us in the bay."

Jumping from the mule with River secure in his arms, Jayne ran for the infirmary. Meeting Simon halfway he started to talk very fast.

"She stopped, just stopped and let the woman shoot her. I been holdin' my hand over the hole, but she ain't awake. Ya gotta fix it Doc, it ain't bad right? Tell me it ain't bad."

Simon would have noticed how Jayne was falling apart, if he himself hadn't been so horrified for River.

"Put her on the table, quickly!" Simon ordered. "How long has she been unconscious?"

"After she decked the girl for shootin' her, she started to wobble," Jayne explained. "Caught her 'fore she hit the ground, but she's been out 'bout five, six minutes."

"She punched the woman who shot her?" Simon asked astonished. "Did she use her right hand?"

"Yeah," Jayne questioned. "Ya reckon that's why she passed out?"

"Probably," Simon replied as he gathered syringes and other medical supplies. "Jayne, go help the captain take off, I don't need you here."

"I ain't leavin' her Doc," Jayne growled. "Do your stuff, I can help if'n ya need it, but I ain't goin' nowhere."

It shocked Simon to see the man turn from scared to the fierce protective bear. Jayne stood up straight, with the intent of intimidating. His form filled the whole room and Simon couldn't help but hold his breath.

"Fine, but, stay out of my way," Simon ordered. "And, wash your hands."

As Simon focused on removing the bullet from River's shoulder, Jayne washed his hands then took his place on the opposite side of River holding her hand. He was scared, and anxious, but he knew Simon wouldn't let her die. Jayne had seen worse bullet holes in his self. Still, seeing River laying there, his stomach lurched.

-----

Zoë held Fuss as she sat in Wash's old chair. Mal sat opposite her pulling the ship out of atmo.

"Isn't much of an injury, sir," Zoë spoke. "Simon will get her fixed up like new."

"Not worryin' 'bout that," Mal said. "It's the way Jayne was all over her. Scared merc don't work well."

"Sir, you been doin' well with the changes, really," she acknowledged. "I know change ain't your strong suit, but it'll work itself out."

"Why do I feel like I ain't in control of this boat anymore?" Mal asked. "Captain's orders should be law."

"You are the captain, but you are also the head of this family," Zoë replied, bouncing a cranky Fuss on her knee. "The family part tends to win out these days."

"River's sleepin'," Kaylee said as she popped onto the bridge. "Thanks Zoë, Imma go feed Fuss."

As Zoë handed over the baby, she smiled. "Nice to have the best doc in the 'verse all to ourselves."

-----

River could feel the anxiety in the room. She was in the infirmary, she could tell because Simon's feelings floated here, even though he was outside the room. Jayne was sleeping next to her; he had curled himself around her on the exam table. He was too big to fit, River could feel him using all his muscles to stay huddled next to her, but she was comforted by his presence. His thoughts were jumbled, busy, and loud.

Jayne's thoughts were never difficult to decipher if she tried. River never tried. She didn't want to. He was her protector and he didn't want her 'pokin' around in his mind. Right now, though Jayne was practically screaming into her mind, he had been doing that since the fight with Simon. River felt loved; he was concerned, scared and impatient. Feeling the impatience, she started to wiggle and wake.

It was then that the events of the day came back to her. She was in Simon's space because a woman had shot her. A shiver of fear hit her. Something was wrong.

"Simon!" River screeched. "Where's the bullet?"

"Mei mei, I got it out," Simon said as he rushed into the room to calm her. "You're fine. But you need to rest."

River had to make Simon understand. She pushed Jayne off the table making him yelp in pain as he hit the floor. River glanced about the infirmary frantically.

"Now, whatcha do that for, River?" Jayne asked as he stood up. "I think ya bruised my tail bone."

"Bullet track!" River hissed. "Where's the bullet?"

"It's right here," Simon said, holding it out to her. "You're lucky you didn't hurt yourself worse punching that woman after she shot you."

"Break it!" River said.

"How we gonna break a bullet, little witch?" Jayne questioned. He was glad to see her awake, but not thrilled to see her so scatterbrained.

"Space it, melt it," River was shaking. "Open it up to see it's secrets, then break it! Track!"

"What does 'track' have to do with anything?" Simon interrupted River's rant.

"Jayne track, bullet track!" River screamed, she was desperate to get her point across, but her brain was jumbled. "Break bullet!"

"Wait," Jayne stepped in. "You mean the bullet has a tracker in it?"

"Yes!" River jumped up and hugged him, then turned to the bullet still in Simon's hand. "Now, break!"

"A bullet is tracking us?" Simon asked. "A bullet can do that?"

"It's an old trick," Jayne answered, still holding River in his arms. "Lots of folks don't use it though, gotta be a good shot, otherwise you kill the person, ain't no need to track 'em then."

Simon paled. "Someone's trying to get River again?"

"Not River, Jayne," River replied. "Now, break it!"