"Come on boy," Jayne said, "Let's get on wit your trainin'."
After gathering some guns and throwing knives, Jayne and Cory set up some bull's-eyes in the cargo bay. Serenity had landed on Whitefall, and, miraculously, Inara had found a client here last time they came. She was coming back to the ship when she saw Jayne with his arms around Cory, showing him how to hold a machine gun properly.
Her face was frozen in fear. "Who is that?" she asked.
"Cory," said Jayne distractedly, "He's my new apparantise."
"Your apprentice?" Inara looked even more frightened. "Can you even teach? Why did you invite someone on board without Mal's permission? He wouldn't allow this!"
"He would if it's Zoe's son we're talking about," Jayne replied. Cory blushed.
"Zoe's what?"
It was luck that brought Zoe into the room right then. "My what?"
Cory looked at both of the women and wrenched from Jayne's grasp.
"Mom, Inara was-"
"Oh, right."
Inara looked puzzled. Had she blacked out and missed, what, twelve whole years of Serenity life?
Zoe put her arm around Inara, and started to explain as she hustled her out of the room. River snuck in to watch the lesson, unbeknownst to student and teacher. Jayne put his arm around Cory again.
"An' you put your eye to the magnifier," Jayne continued from his earlier lesson, "An' make sure your aim is right before you pull the trigger."
A loud ring reverberated throughout the cargo bay as a few shots were fired through the bull's-eye and into the bullet-proof sheet behind it.
"Well, I guess that's enough for the machine guns." Jayne looked a little down. "Tomorrow you'll learn the art of throwing knives."
"Throwing? I didn't know you could throw knives," Cory said, having seen no use of hacking at someone with a knife when guns were around. Jayne looked a little more excited. River took this as an opportunity to enter.
She gave Cory a little peck on the lips and left. Jayne shuddered.
"Boy just what do you see in that crazy girl?" Jayne asked.
Cory looked like he'd been slapped across the face. "Why do ask that, can't you see it, see why?"
"If I knew would I be askin'?"
Cory sighed, a dreamy expression on his face.
"She's wonderful. She's smart, she's funny…"
"Yeah, if you like long rants and words no one can understand except the Doc and the moonbrain herself." Jayne snorted
"She's no moonbrain. She's kind and sweet and, can I use these?" Cory asked seeing the weights and lying down on the bench Shepard Book always used.
Jayne nodded.
Cory started lifting the weights with ease. "She's easy to understand, simple and complex all at the same time…"
"Alright, alright just hush up boy I didn't want to hear the whole story," Jayne said cutting Cory off.
Cory smiled to himself. He knew what Jayne meant; he just wanted to mess with him. After all, he was Zoe's kid; therefore Jayne couldn't hurt him without, later on, being beat by Zoe.
"Where did you get to lifting weights like that?" Jayne asked half surprised that only one drop of sweat was on the boy's brow.
"Almost every night I come out and lift a few sets, only Book's though because I'm not strong enough yet to try yours." Cory said giving Jayne a goofy smile that reminded Jayne strongly of Wash.
Wow this boy sure reminded Jayne of Wash. He had the same twinkle in his eyes, the same goofy smile, the same everything. There was only one thing that someone could plainly see how Cory was related to Zoe; and that was his ability to fight with a fire-arm.
"Gorramit boy, it's late we have to lay down for while. I don't need you bein' tired tomorrow, apperen-ta-tena… whatever." Jayne said leaving and walking through the doors to his bunk leaving the boy to walk to his own quarters alone.