Disclaimers: Mutant Enemy and Joss Whedon own it all.

Reviews: Feedback very welcomed and appreciated

Timeline: Takes place during Safe, only this time Jayne gets snatched

Pairings: Jayne/ River, naturally; Zoe/ Wash

Rating: M for all the usual reasons

"Husband?" River's voice was whispering softly into his ear. "Jayne?" She was insistent.

"Mmmmm…" Jayne pulled her closer to him, his hands resting on her back side, lightly squeezing. "Oh baby….mmmm." He nuzzled the female neck, taking in its sweet smell. In the back of his mind he realized this wasn't the scent of the whores he usually visited, too clean. But the soft warmth invaded his senses and he was having a difficult time recognizing just where he was.

River giggled as his tongue traced a line to her ear. "Jayne, wake up. People are waiting for our presence." She ran a hand over his cheek.

Jayne's eyes flew open as he remembered just where he was and with who. "Lao tyen yeh!" He pushed away from River, his eyes wide open and panicked. "I didn't…I mean…merciful Buddha!" Jayne fell back against his pillow and closed his eyes.

"Do not worry zhang fu, in the early hours of the morning the sexual drive is increased in many males, females as well." She smiled up at him.

"You don't be talkin' 'bout no sexual drives, you hear me?" Jayne got up from bed and followed River's gaze down to his tented sleep pants. "And you don't be lookin' at me that way either. Dong ma?" He quickly turned and went into the main room to retrieve his underwear.

River shrugged and rose as well. The floor was cold but she was still warm from sharing the bed with Jayne. She smiled and took a deep breath. This was an adventure she was anticipating.

"Jayne, the woman called Erin will be coming soon to take us to the common room for breakfast." She called out to her 'husband'. River smiled at her thoughts.

Jayne poked his head in the door. "Yeah, well I brought some water in, go ahead and wash first, I'll use it after you." River nodded at him. She thought for a moment on the life style of this village. A bowl of water to wash in, a hole in the ground with four walls to evacuate bodily wastes, all needs were met simply. So different from her core upbringing, but much preferable to her life with the Alliance. She shivered. Her thoughts then shifted to the mercenary, he came from a rim moon as well, but his people were not as savage, even though he could be. But he adapted, he knew what these people were and accepted. She could also see that Jayne wouldn't hesitate to kill any one of them if he or his 'charges' were threatened. This surprised her, he was a self-centered man. His first thoughts were of his needs, but when the captain gave him an order, 'watch 'em, take care of 'em, or else', that became his priority. Even if he did complain and grouse about it. He was protective of his Serenity family, of this she was sure. The big man would never admit it, but even in his most selfish mode, he would consider them. She and Simon were not a part of that family yet, but still he followed Mal's orders. He was a contradiction, much more complicated than anyone would ever give him credit for. She shook herself out of her stupor and grabbed the clothes Erin had left for her.

Simon woke early and lay in the bed provided for him. How had this happened? He wasn't just thinking of this latest episode in the saga of the Tam siblings either. How had the universe allow his sweet sister to be swept up in the diabolical mechanism of the Alliance? The Alliance, the foundation of civility that he grew up on. His whole point of reference had been shattered. And that had been ground to dust by his parents refusal to recognize what had happened to River.

He took a deep breathe and swung his legs out of bed. Jayne, now he was a puzzlement. The ape gone wrong was their protector. The man who would just as soon shoot them in their sleep for a few credits was attempting to keep them safe until Serenity could return and rescue them. He had to ask himself again, how had this happened? A knock at the door shook him out of his reverie.

"Doctor?" Doralee knocked again. "Doctor? Time to be rising, we'll be breaking the fast in short order. I'll be next door in the sick room, come and get me and I'll take you to the common room, you'll be able to see your family there."

"Yes Doralee, just give me a few minutes and I'll be over." Simon jumped out of bed, anxious to see River.

All eyes were on the newest arrivals as they took a small table for themselves. Jayne's plate was piled with fresh scrambled eggs and several pieces of bread as he sat next to River.

Simon rolled his eyes. "Do you think you could've fit anymore on your plate? These are poor people and you're eating most of their resources."

Jayne stopped half way to shoveling food into his mouth to respond. "Hey, if these hwoon dahns are gonna kidnap me the least they can do is feed me. I'm a big guy and I eat a lot. It's not like they're gonna let me just sit around with tea and crumpets. I'll be expected to work, and the kinda work they're gonna be expectin' ain't doctorin'. Dong ma?" He filled his mouth and chewed, keeping an eye on the rest of the room.

"I suppose your right." Simon agreed. If a laborer was needed, they went out and got one. And with Jayne's size and strength, he'd be doing some hard labor if it was called for. "What about River? What will they expect from her?"

Jayne shrugged and swallowed. "Well, with her bein' your sister and my wife, prob'ly stuff in the kitchen. Easy stuff. Don't worry." He looked deeply at River and spoke quietly. "Just keep your mouth shut, dong ma? Don't you go readin' people. These folks are back water and superstitious as hell. You go spookin' 'em their likely to string ya up." Jayne turned to face her and took her shoulders to face him. "You understand me girl?"

"Yes, she does. She is not an idiot. I will do my best. But…sometimes…I can't help it…" Her voice faltered as she looked into Jayne's eyes.

"You just gotta help it!" He turned back to his meal and spoke to Simon without looking up. "You tell her doc, she starts her spooky shit and there ain't a whole lot I can do to help her." He finally looked up from his plate. "Dong ma?"

Simon blinked several times, unaccustomed to Jayne's attempt at advice and concern. "Why are you doing this Jayne? You don't even like us."

The big man shrugged. "It's my job. Mal told me to look out for you, 'course didn't plan on the two of you genius core folk bein' so gorram stupid as to get snatched. Just doin' my job doc. Mal'll be here before long and if one of you gets dead he's gonna be pist." Jayne stood up and put his hand out for River. "She's gotta come with me for now, I'll see if'n they'll let her come stay with you. First I gotta see what in the gorram hell they got planned for me." He looked over River's head at Simon. "You're gonna owe me when this is over doc."

"Yes, I suppose I already do Jayne." Simon stared after the retreating figures, River turned and quickly ran up to her brother, she leaned up and kissed his cheek.

"Don't worry Simon, all things happen for a reason." She laughed and ran back to Jayne.

River sat in front of the fire, running a comb through her wet hair as Jayne watched her. The past two weeks had fallen into a pattern. They woke up in bed together, Jayne fighting his baser instincts and trying to keep his privates from River's curious eyes. After washing and getting dressed, they headed out to breakfast with Simon. River would follow Simon to the sick room while Jayne headed out with the work crew. He was used to hard labor so he could handle it, they would fall trees and bring wood back to the village. Some would be chopped and stored for household use, the larger logs would be stored for the odd building. His thoughts returned to his first day out.

Stark and Jayne were in the process of splitting a large log when he looked up at Jayne. "Soon we'll be headin' up to harvest. We got ourselves a few acres of land, nothing too fancy, but we got some 'taters, beans, carrots. A few fruit trees too. Not a bad life, not really." He handed a water jug over to Jayne.

Jayne stopped in his task and took it. "Yeah, whatever ya say. But it would be kinda nice to have a choice." He handed the jug back.

"Yeah, well." Stark looked at the ground. "You wouldn't a chose it and sometimes a body does what has to be done. Dong ma?"

"Hey, if it helps you sleep at night..." The big man shrugged.

"Just so you know, we'll always have your wife and her brother in the village. If you start any trouble, we'll do what we have to do to keep the doctor." Stark said in a strained voice.

"Well, that just makes me feel all kindsa welcome. But don't you worry, I won't do nothing to get my wife or her brother in any kinda danger. You just keep that boy away from her." Jayne turned and returned to the log he was taking apart.

River turned up from the fire to look at Jayne, feeling his thoughts. "The boy has left this girl alone, his thoughts betray him, but he takes no action." She came to sit in front of him and handed him her comb. He took and began to comb out the tangles.

"Girl, I told you to stay outta my head. It's gorram creepafyin'." Jayne held onto her hair as he attacked a knot. "How do you get this so tangled anyway?"

She just smiled and shrugged. "Don't know, just happens. Will you take me to the river to bathe tomorrow? It's very difficult to get clean with just a few pitchers of water." Jayne had taken her to bathe once a week and it had only been a few days

"We jus' went, maybe you…" He hesitated as he saw the disappointment in her face and he acquiesced. "Can't go 'til I get back from that damn mountain and the water's sure to be cold." He hesitated.

"Please? I don't mind, I need to bathe." River begged.

"Yeah, okay, just be ready when I get back." Jayne finally finished untangling her hair and put it in a braid at the back of her neck. "Done. Now get to bed, I'll be in soon enough."

River smiled and turned to face Jayne. "Thank you Jayne. Time for repayment." Before Jayne could reply, River had bent down and placed a soft kiss on his lips, lingering for just a moment to savor his taste. She sighed and went into the bedroom.

Taking a deep, controlling breath, the big merc shook his head. It was getting harder to not respond to the girl. The more time they spent together the harder it was not to see her as a woman, a young woman, but still a woman. She was beautiful, warm and as she came more to her senses, not to difficult to be around.

Jayne rolled his eyes. Mal, he thought, you 'bes be getting' your ass down here soon or I ain't gonna be responsible for what happens to the crazy girl.

River clapped her hands together and began to disrobe.

"Hey there moon brain, what the gorram hell ya think your doin'?" Jayne wasn't in the mood to spend another sleepless night with dreams of a naked River. Over two weeks of sharin' a bed with a girl he had always thought of as mainly feng le and his thoughts were strayin' to her womanly curves. Their diet consisted of plenty of fresh foods and the girl had put on a few needed pounds, and those pounds settled in all the right places. And he didn't ever think of her in that way. So, okay, when she came out of that box all naked, well his John Thomas stood at attention, he was only human after all. But this sleepin' with the girl, she was soft and smelled good, even when she only took a spit bath, it was tryin' him something awful.

She turned to him. "She has to take her clothes off to clean herself silly." River turned back around and tossed the rest of her clothes aside and jumped in. But not before Jayne got an eyeful of her firm behind. River let out a shriek, causing Jayne to make a mad dash to the river's edge.

"What's wrong?" He demanded, beginning to remove his boots.

"Cold…really cold." She looked up at him. "Please hand me the soap."

Jayne nodded and passed it down to her. "Okay, you be quick, don't want you catchin' a cold and keepin' me up all night snorin'. I'm gonna head on down stream a piece and have myself a bath as well." He turned to leave as River called out to him.

"Jayne, no. Bathe here, with me. I don't know if anyone else might come, I'd be very embarrassed to be seen unclothed by any of the villagers." She cocked her head to one side. "Please?"

He groaned inwardly, she had no idea how painful this all was to him. Luckily the water was colder 'n a witch's tit. "Yeah, alright. You just turn your head now." He took off his clothes and gingerly entered the water. It was cold, but not as cold as he thought. Jayne turned to find River close in front of him. "Little girl, you just back up a bit here."

"Silly, turn around and I'll soap your back up. Feels good." He complied because he was afraid she'd start to soap up his front and he knew his control couldn't handle it. She lathered the soap in her hands and began to make circles on his shoulder and back. She inwardly moaned, she loved to look at his body, so muscular, so firm. It made her stomach feel fluttery. The chance to touch him was something she couldn't pass up. "Feel good?" She asked huskily.

"Ummm, right good." Jayne closed his eyes and let River massage the tension from his shoulders. Her hands had moved down to his waist as she continued her circular motions. Jayne moaned as her hands began to move lower. "You bes' be stoppin' right there if you know what's good for ya." Jayne turned and held her hands in his and took the soap. He took a few steps back, finished soapin' up his body and hair and dunked himself to rinse. He shakily handed the soap back to her. "Finish up and come on out, I'll have a towel ready for ya'." Jayne waded to the river's edge and dried off, his thoughts a riot of emotions as he dressed.

"Don't worry so much my Jayne. It was bound to happen eventually." River took the towel from his hand and began to dry herself with it.

"What was bound to happen?" He took the towel trying to avert his eyes and handed her a dry one.

"Thank you." She smiled. "We were bound to happen. It may have transpired a bit sooner than anticipated, but this isn't a negative occurrence." River walked from him and dressed in her clean clothes. Picking up her and Jayne's discarded things, she went to the river's edge and washed them.

Jayne took in the girl as she did the simplest domestic chore and made it look like a ballet or somethin'. How did she do that, he thought. We were bound to happen? Since when? He hated the Tams. "What the gorram hell you talkin' 'bout girl? If I were to ever touch you I'd have a date with the airlock faster'n you could go ape shit on us."

"Oh Jayne." She stood with her wet, clean bundle. "I know things, some things are a little more clear." River shrugged. "We are destined to be. Maybe you aren't ready for it yet, but you will be." She started the walk back to the smithy's cabin with Jayne trailing close behind, a confused frown on his face

River came out of the bedroom and knelt before the fire handing Jayne her hairbrush. "Please?"

He took the brush she held out to him and pulled her closer to him. She leaned her cheek against his thigh as he brushed her hair. Jayne ground his teeth and sucked in a deep breath. She smelled so damn good. How could anyone smell that good usin' plain old home made soap? She gave a deep sigh as she snuggled closer to him.

"Girl, you bes' stop playin' this here game with me. How old are ya anyway?" He stopped mid-stroke to ask.

"Ummm, 18 in a couple of weeks. Actually, one week and 5 days." She replied lazily. "Please continue the grooming, it relaxes her."

"How come you talk jus' fine sometimes and others it's like you're talkin' about yourself, like you're another person?" He was distracted.

He felt her shrug. "Not really sure. Sometimes the brain misfires and the words tumble. But I feel much more stable being here with you." She yawned as Jayne finished braiding her hair. "And I'm not playin'. It's real, you just aren't ready yet. But I can wait." She stood and held out her hand. "Bedtime."

"You go on, I'm thinkin' I should just sleep out here…"

"No!" She cut him off. "We are supposed to be married and I already told you that boy, Caleb, he wants me. If you give him any kind of excuse…" Her lip quivered.

"River, don't cry. Alright, bed. To sleep." He hated this. If he wanted to sex up a girl he just did it. And she seemed to be wantin' it. But that little girl look on her face just made him feel like a dirty old man. Damn it all anyway!

She dug herself into his arms and smiled. Yes, she would always get her way with him, once she won him over. "You are not an old man Jayne. You are a shwai one, Erin said so."

"I'm an old man compared to you sweetheart." He sighed.

River pulled away and looked up into his eyes. She loved the blue color, like the blue of earth that was. "You are perfect Jayne, just the right age for you." She took his hand and led him to bed and he let her.

Jayne was finishing up his breakfast when Simon sat next to him. Without really looking at him, he spoke to the doc. "It's her birthday in a few days, ya know?"

Simon furrowed his brow. "Why yes, it is. I almost forgot. How did you know?"

"She told me, how else? Anyway, spoke to Erin and she said she'd bake us a little cake, we can have it in the cabin. Said we could take dinner in there for a special occasion. Okay with you?"

More than a little confused by the mercenary's thoughtfulness, Simon finally spoke. "Umm, yes, that will be fine." He shook his head and continued. "I'm not comfortable with this Jayne."

Jayne rolled his eyes. "Comfortable with what? A little birthday cake for your sis?"

"No, I'm fine with that. And thank you. It's you and my sister, living together in that shack." He whispered.

Taking a deep breathe, Jayne turned towards the young doctor. "Well, I ain't exactly jumpin' for joy that I got snatched and have to pretend to be her husband, but you don't hear me bitchin' now do you?" He whispered back.

Simon looked over at his sister, who was helping Erin clear off tables. "No, I suppose not. I know I should be grateful to you, and I am, really Jayne. I'm just…I, we need to get out of here. Where's Serenity? Are they coming back for us? Have we been abandoned?" Simon's voice was tense.

Jayne exhaled, glad talk of River was over. "No, they'll be back soon as they can. And once they get planet side, they gotta find us. This ain't a big moon, but there's plenty 'a settlements." He moved in closer to Simon. "I got me an idea, gonna need your help though…"

River looked over at her brother and Jayne, heads close together as they discussed escape plans.

"River honey, how's about you take this stack 'a dishes out to the tub? It'll give your old man and your brother a chance to make up and come to terms. Brothers-in-law don't usually get along, so let's give 'em some room." Erin handed the young girl the pile and inwardly smiled, she thought the big man was the sweetest thing, arrangin' a little party for his young wife. What a lucky young girl she was.

"Yes, Erin, an excellent and perceptive proposal." She smiled at the older woman and made her way out the back of the building. Caleb and a few of his friends were hanging out back as well. When he saw River with her arms full, he ran over to relieve her of her load.

"Here miss, I can take those for you." River hesitated, but let him take the dishes from her hands.

"Thank you." She was still uncomfortable around the boy, his thoughts never strayed far from imagining her naked. River backed off, but was stopped by another of the young men.

"You don't have to be runnin' back in so quick little lady. I'm thinkin' you could take a little break out here with us." He winked over at Caleb, who gave a leer at River's back.

"Erin needs my help with the clearing of the soiled cutlery, thank you anyway." River tried to walk around, but was thwarted by yet another member of the group.

"Erin's been handlin' all that jus' fine 'fore you got here, 'spect she can do it again." This boy was a bit bolder and took a strand of her hair between his fingers. "Purdy color."

"Yeah, purdy color and it's mine." Jayne growled from the back door. "Unless you want your hand pulled outta your wrist and shoved down your throat, you 'bes be takin' it offa m'wife." He walked up next to River and pulled her behind him.

One of the boys began to protest, but Jayne cut him off. "You got somethin' to say boy? 'Cause iffn' you do, you 'bes be prepared to back it up." His voice was very quiet, almost calm, but the glint in his eyes was colder than anything any of the young men had ever seen.

"No, nothin'. Just bein' sociable is all." Caleb answered for all of them.

"No need to be sociable to my wife. We clear?" Jayne came to within an inch of the boy's face.

Caleb stuttered. "Yeah…umm…clear."

"Fine, touch what's mine and you die." Jayne took River's hand and led her back into the common room, River looking up at her 'husband' as if he hung the moon.

Translations:

Lao tyen yeh: Oh my God

zhang fu: husband

hwoon dahns: bastards

feng le: crazy