River waited until everyone had left the kitchen and the common room, and had gone off to their bunks for the evening when she crept into the pantry and reached up onto the top shelf. She quietly snuck four pieces of fudge and three cookies that she, Kaylee, Inara and Zoe had made that evening and put them on a small plate. She quickly shoved the plate into the utensil drawer where it would be least likely to be discovered. They had all put their credits together to buy real milk-chocolate pieces, condensed milk and marshmallows as well as sugar, flour and butter. They were able to make five dozen batches of goodies but had all agreed to carefully hide everything, and only the bakers themselves, would be allowed to steal small amounts if they felt the need. And River, was definitely feeling the need.

She had been flirting with Jayne all day and had enjoyed it. Now, she found herself eagerly awaiting his return. She let a pot simmer on the stove with hot apple cider and went to her room to retrieve her quilt so she could sip some cider on the couch by the Christmas tree and read as she waited for him.

She felt tingly with excitement. She had rather brazenly offered to share her warmth with him when he returned and now was excited at the thought. While she'd let him take the lead, she thought back to how good it had felt to be wrapped safely under his arm that afternoon and could think of nothing better than cuddling next to him on the couch in front of the Christmas tree. How they'd gotten this far was a mystery to her, but their relationship had done nothing but improve over the past year and now, after today, it had shifted again and was now heading towards something exciting and romantic.

She heard the bay door open and could hear the mule come in and power down. Her heart rate increased a bit in anticipation as she heard them securing the mule. 'Stay calm River, it's just Jayne,' she said to herself. After an excruciating half hour wait as they stowed supplies, she could hear Simon come up the steps into the common room and for once she really didn't want to see him. Jayne had walked by and completely passed the room altogether, leaving her slightly disappointed, but she figured he'd need to take off his coat and gloves and weapon down. She hugged Simon, inwardly chastising herself for the small bit of irritation that had reared it's ugly head a moment before.

"So did you get everything you needed this time?"

"Oh yes, and much more," Simon replied with a broad grin on his face.

"You're eye's are twinkling Simon. What were you really up to?"

"Unless you decide to read my mind, mei mei, you'll just have to wait and see."

Now her curiosity was peaked and she wondered what they'd really been up to. Jayne had seemed a bit to relaxed about going back out that evening and Simon seemed more excited and just a tad nervous, so River assumed it must have had something to do with Christmas shopping. She briefly thought about taking a quick peak into her brothers mind, but decided against it. She only did that with permission, or in an emergency, so she'd have to do just as he suggested, and wait.

Simon gave her another hug goodnight and headed to his bunk where Kaylee was waiting.

River could feel his exuberance, and it made her smile. Now she heard Jayne's heavy footsteps heading towards her and she could swear he was whistling something familiar. She cocked her head to the side and listened carefully. He was whistling an old Christmas Carol that was one of her favorites, "Santa Clause Is Coming To Town."

He walked into the room and she could feel his energy. It was a force to be reckoned with. Her insides fluttered as she looked up from the couch. He swaggered up to her, exuding confidence as she looked at him with a coy smile.

"Well hey there, little crazy, you're lookin' mighty cozy all curled up and warm. I seem to remember you tellin' me you was gonna share some of that with me, and, I reckon I'll take you up on that right about now."

She giggled as he swept the blanket away from her and sat down next to her on the couch and pulled the blanket back over them both. He propped his sock clad feet on the coffee table in front of them and turned to face her.

"Now that's better. So, why don't you tell me why it smells so gorram good in here?"

"We baked Christmas goodies today," she replied.

"Did ya now? No wonder it smells so good. I could smell it as soon as the bay doors opened."

River pushed the blanket onto his lap as she stood and walked to the galley.

"Hey, I thought you was gonna keep me warm?" he protested.

"I have treats," was all she said.

"Yeah, I'm beginning to notice," he said as he watched her walk away from him.

She grinned at him and walked into the galley to retrieve the plate of goodies she'd hidden in the utility drawer. She then poured a large mug of the steaming cider and walked back to him. He smiled as she set the small plate down and settled in again next to him on the couch.

"You made all of this today?"

"Yes, we all worked very hard so you can only have a tiny bit as we're saving the rest for tomorrow night."

Jayne took his time enjoying the treats she was sharing with him. She settled back on the couch and he yanked the blanket back over them.

River was not used to making small talk, nor used to anyone listening to her try and make small talk and neither was Jayne. They ate the treats quietly, both not sure quite what to say. River finally broke the ice partly because the quiet was starting to travel into awkward territory and also because she was very curious as to what her brother and Jayne had been up to. Knowing that Jayne was hypersensitive about being read by her, she was cautious in her query.

"So, was the medical supply shop still open?"

"Huh?"

"I didn't realize that Simon could get supplies this late in the evening."

Now, Jayne knew folks didn't always think he was brightest bulb in the bunch, but he knew this called for quick thinking and he knew exactly what she was doing.

"Man can get just about anything if he knows where to find it and has the money to pay."

River, noting that Jayne watched her with a glint in his eye, couldn't handle it any longer and sat up on her knees in excitement, the blanket pooling on her lap as she faced Jayne.

"Oh, Jayne, what were you two doing? Simon wouldn't share anything with me. Is it Christmas related? or is he going to propose to Kaylee and you helped him with something-"

Jayne guffawed as he looked at her excited, inquisitive face. "Now, what in the seven hells would make you think I'd help your brother with anything related to Kaylee?"

River frowned, again, being made aware that Jayne wasn't giving up any clues. She lowered herself again and he grinned and placed the blanket on top of them again.

"Now, you're gonna need to be nice, and not naughty, or Santa's gonna leave you a lump a coal, girlie."

She sniffed and grabbed the last cookie off the plate just as he reached for it.

"Now that weren't very nice. I see a big black lump a coal in your future," he playfully added as she lightly smacked him on the arm.

They sat for another half hour or so, watching some inane movie about talking fish when they both fell asleep, cuddled under the quilt together.

--

Jayne awoke with a crick in his neck and cursed a blue streak until he felt something move next to him. His growling and cursing came to a halt when he looked down on River, as she slept like a bug in a rug next to him under the blanket. He grinned and looked at the clock on the wall and decided it was time for good girls, who had the propensity to be naughty when they were slaying Reavers, but nice when they were holding a plate of Christmas goodies, to be in bed sleeping. After all, he had to get a good nights sleep as well, as he would be making it look a lot like Christmas come tomorrow night. He bent and scooped her up with her blanket and took her to her room.

--

The next morning, Jayne and Simon tried their best to act normal but were both readying their plan. Each time Mal would leave the ship, they'd scramble to a crate and unpack some of their loot and take it back to their bunks. Simon had coats and blankets and Jayne had the rolling crate with all of the things for River and Kaylee. The plan was when the crew saw the large mounted cortex screen hanging in the common room, they'd all settle in for a movie and Simon would then be able to distract Kaylee so Jayne could quickly set out the food and booze in the cargo bay. When the crew came down to the cargo bay for their surprise feast, Jayne would sneak away and leave the spoils he'd gotten for River in her room.

As they predicted, the crew was enthralled with the large cortex screen that Jayne had mounted on the wall. Inara and Kaylee pulled out the home made Christmas treats and set out the small but tasty spread as the crew examined, fiddled and eventually watched a film on the cortex. Jayne went into the bay and set up the long folding table and chairs and opened the cold storage crate and was pulling out the trays of food when River surprised him.

"Gorram, girl, you sneak around like a spider. Scared the crap outta me and that ain't no good," he growled.

"Very sorry, but-" she gasped when she saw the spread of trays he'd placed on the table.

"Where...what is all this?"

"Looks like food, girl."

"She knows that, but where did it come from! This is an enormous amount of food, Jayne."

"Well, remember your brother saying how you'd have to wait and see what he was up to last night? well, this is it."

"Wow, this is really neat!"

"Did you just say neat, genius?"

She grinned up at him. "Wait here a minute." He watched as she ran to a crate labeled "Holiday Stuff" in Mal's writing on the other side of the bay and dug through the contents to procure a large green table cloth and several holiday candles and wreaths for the table.

"Here," she gestured and set the pile in his arms.

"What the hell am I supposed to do with this go-se?"

"Make a pretty table."

"I don't make no pretty nothing! You do it." He stepped back and moved the trays off the table so she could spread out the table cloth. He put the trays of food back down and she set out the candles and wreaths. Jayne went to another crate and pulled out several bottles of expensive wines and liquors.

River stepped back and smiled. "They will be so surprised, Jayne."

"Well let's hope so."

River ran up to the galley and came back with their finest glassware and napkins and cutlery. None of it matched, but the eclectic mix somehow worked nicely. "We need music," she pondered. "I'll go get Inara's portable player."

"Nah, I got that, you just settle down here. You can help me and hand this stuff up to me so I can hang it up."

River watched him in amazement as he pulled a complete, and very high end music system out of a crate. She began to understand how he'd acquired all of this, and smiled at the thought of Simon "assisting" him. She watched him as he grabbed his tool box and hung the eight speakers high in the rafters where they'd pick up the signal from the wireless receiver that he mounted to the wall of the bay.

"So, I don't want no fuss, so I'm gonna go grab a quick shower, why don't you go get all of 'em and bring 'em down here in a few minutes."

"She'll do that." Then she surprised him when she ran up to him and stood on her tip-toes and placed a kiss on his cheek, earning a smirk that turned into a smile as she ran off.