Back to the present…

"I'm tellin' you. That girl is a witch! She drives me crazy…" Jayne laughed.

"I get the point!" Mal finally yelled. He was sick of hearing about their sex life. He was angry enough and the play by play of what she did to him wasn't a pretty visual.

"You're jus' testy 'cause 'Nara won't give you anythin'."

"She does! It's none of your business what we do and it ain't my business what you do either so stop sharin'!"

Jayne grew silent and took another sip of his whiskey. Zoe appeared and sat down beside Mal.

"No sign of him," she said quietly.

"Are you thinkin' what I am?" Mal asked.

"I believe so, Sir."

"Trap."

"Trap," she agreed.

"Trap?" Jayne asked.

"He's twenty minutes late. This place is in the middle of nowhere. Closed windows, small place, loud door. We can't get outta here without someone knowin' that we're leavin'," Mal explained their reasoning.

"Why would he wanna trap us?" Jayne asked.

"I don't know. To hand us to the Feds or maybe just to kill us."

"Wouldn't we be dead already?" Jayne asked.

"Not necessarily. He's just waitin' for the right moment…" Mal looked around trying to find someone that stood out. He saw a familiar face. "I think it was a set up…" he announced.

"Sir?"

"At the bar. Blonde hair, blue jacket."

She looked. "Ain't that one of Marco's men?"

"I think so. Marco got the rich guy to offer us a deal and set up a meet. Rich guy gets paid, we get dead."

Marco was a man they went into business with to steal some cargo once, only he got pinched and they got away. He wasn't happy about it and made it abundantly clear that they'd cross paths again.

"Do we have a plan?" Zoe asked.

Mal kept searching. He picked out at least four more of Marco's guys. "There's five of 'em I think. Did you see any other way out of here?"

"There's the bathrooms," Zoe suggested. "They've got windows that open."

"We go one at a time. Slowly, like nothin' is wrong. Zoe, go first. We'll follow. Jayne go next. I've got rear guard. Let's go…"

Zoe causally got up and walked through the room to a narrow hallway. Jayne waited a bit before following. Mal stayed back.

He waited and then followed. He saw the blonde at the counter raise his hand a few of the other men got up. They were discovered. Mal decided that being discreet wouldn't do anything except get him killed, so he bolted and their bullets followed him.

"GO GO GO GO!" he shouted as he reached the bathroom. They climbed out of the window with gunfire trailing them.

Jayne shot back as they ran for the mule. His leg was grazed, however it wasn't serious. Mal and Zoe retaliated as well. They were almost at the mule when Mal took a bullet in the shoulder. He shot the hundan that shot him before applying pressure to the wound.

They piled into the mule and made their escape back to Serenity. They were relying on the money from that job, so they'd have to find another job and fast. First things first though. Mal needed to get patched up. He wasn't happy with the amount of blood pouring out.

Inara, River, and Kaylee had just gotten back to the ship when they saw the mule come speeding towards the cargo bay. They moved aside so it would enter without taking them out with it.

"Gorramit! We needed that job!" Jayne hissed.

"We'll find another," Mal said calmly. He moved to get out of the mule, but a sharp hot pain surged through his shoulder. He clutched it tighter.

"What happened?" Inara asked as she ran to his side. River watched her tenderly help him get out. She ignored the jealousy and went over to check on Jayne.

"It was a trap. Marco set it up," Zoe explained as she gracefully slid down onto the cargo bay floor.

"Marco?" Inara asked.

"The guy we's left 'n got pinched, Marco?" Kaylee asked. Mal nodded. He looked a mite pale. "I'll get Simon," Kaylee hurried off to find him.

"Are you the only one that was injured?" Inara asked worriedly.

"Na, I got grazed on my leg…" Jayne grunted as he painfully stood. Maybe it wasn't such a harmless graze after all.

River steadied him and they started to slowly move towards the infirmary. Inara and Mal followed. Simon darted into the cargo bay to see how bad it was. He saw Jayne and River looking awfully cozy and overheard their conversation.

"How bad is it?" River asked.

"Aw not too bad. I've been worse. No worries. It won't mess with our plans," he leered.

"What's going on here?" Simon inquired. He wasn't the most astute man in the 'verse, but he could tell that something was up with the trained ape without the training and his mei mei.

"We're sleeping together," River stated nonchalantly as they continued walking.

"WHAT? YOU SON OF A WHORE!" Simon moved towards Jayne with a fist ready.

"I hate to interrupt, but Mal is bleeding over here!" Inara called.

"This conversation is not over, River." Simon's was deceptively calm.

Inara and Mal went into the infirmary with Jayne and River close behind. Mal climbed onto the table. Simon cut open his shirt to examine the wound.

"Hey! That's a new shirt!" Mal complained.

"Sorry, Captain. I have to. I need some space to work."

"I'm better off. I'll jus' wait out here," Jayne offered. River went to help him walk, but Simon's voice stopped her.

"River, I need to talk to you. Everyone else out."

Inara smiled reassuringly at Mal and gave him a quick kiss before leaving with Jayne. River stood on one side of Mal while Simon stood on the other, working on the wound.

"Explain," Simon said plainly.

"Why should I? This is my life," River shot back.

"Please. I think you owe me that much!"

"Jayne and I are sleeping together."

"I got that. So are you two exclusive or what?"

"I don't see how this is your business, but no. It's just sex."

"Just sex?"

"I don't need a lecture, Simon."

"River, sex is a special thing-"

"I know."

"He's over twice your age!"

"So?"

"You're only seventeen!"

"Eighteen. My birthday was last week."

"Still!"

"I don't care. He doesn't care."

"I know and that bothers me!"

"What are you going to do about it? I'm not going to stop because you tell me to. He's not going to stop because you tell him to. We're going to do this no matter what. And don't even think about hurting him."

"Do you have feelings for him?"

"No."

"How can you just have meaningless sex?"

"Because it's enjoyable."

"I can't believe I'm hearing this…" Simon muttered.

Mal found the entire conversation interesting until-

"I don't know what has you so worked up! It's not like he's my first or anything!"

Simon pulled a little too hard as he was stitching Mal up. He winced and was about to butt into the conversation, but he didn't have to.

"What?" Simon asked the same question that was on Mal's mind.

"You heard me."

"I can't believe this!"

"Do you remember Victor Luxembourg?"

"Bourgie? My best friend from upper school Bourgie?" she nodded. "What about him?"

She looked at Simon. His surgical instrument slipped and Mal yelped.

"Ouch!" Mal cried.

"You and Bourgie? He was the one that you…?"

"Yes."

"When?"

"Before I left."

"You mean the reason he showed up the night before you went away to the Academy wasn't because he left his school books?"

"No. He only said that because you caught him coming back."

"Back?"

"He was there that afternoon waiting for you to come home, but you had your Latin classes. One thing led to another…"

"I'm not hearing this!"

"You are."

"Son of a bitch! He was always talking about you, but I thought that it was just because you were friends…"

"Not quite."

"I can't believe this! Bourgie, and now Jayne?"

"Simon, I'm having a good time. Be happy for me."

With that, she walked over to the door and then turned around. "A really good time."

She left them both stunned. Simon finished sewing Mal up in silence. They were both shocked by all of the information that she just gave them. Their minds were having trouble processing it all.

"You're good to go," Simon said quietly.

"Thanks, Doc."

He got up and walked towards the door.

"Captain."

"Yes?"

"What should I do?"

"About?"

"River and Jayne."

The evil side of Mal was shouting, Interfere! Kill Jayne! The decent side of him eventually won his inner struggle.

"Respect her decision. Don't have to be happy 'bout it. Just let it be. But if she gets hurt, I'm givin' you permission to deal with Jayne."

"Thank you."

"No problem."

Mal nodded and walked out of the infirmary. He'd have to follow his own advice too. But if he did hurt her, he wouldn't give Simon time to deal with him. He'd do it his-own-self. Something slow and painful, not like the airlock this time.

Inara walked over to him.

"How are you?" her voice was filled with concern.

"I'm okay. A little freaked out, but okay."

"What?"

"I got a little too much information," a strange burning in his chest appeared. He couldn't figure out what it was.

"I'm sorry to hear that. I have to go meet a client."

She kissed him sweetly and gently caressed his cheek.

"Feel better. I'll be back tonight."

"Okay. I'll try."

She smiled and walked away towards her shuttle. He ignored the usual pang of jealousy and anger that accompanied her departure. He shook his head, disappointed in himself for feeling that way.

It felt almost like insecurity. He didn't have to be. True her clients were rich and powerful, but there was a reason why they had to pay for her services. He was never one to feel insecure about anything. Unsure maybe, afraid yes, but he was always okay with who he was and if he wasn't good enough to hell with them. A leopard can't change its spots.

He decided to wander up to the kitchen to self-medicate with some of Kaylee's engine wine. When he got into the kitchen, he saw River taking care of Jayne's leg.

Jayne was leaning back on the couch with his leg up on the coffee table while River sat beside his leg. She examined it carefully. When she touched it he drew in a sharp breath.

"Gorramit girl! Go easy!"

"Do you want Simon to examine you?"

"Where'd the fun be in that?"

She touched his leg again. He pulled it away from her with a yelp.

"It's not serious. You'll be fine. The bleeding has already stopped. You just need something for the pain."

"Whiskey sounds good."

"I was thinking more along the lines of medication."

"I got my meds right here, moonbrain."

They were about to kiss when Mal decided to announce his presence.

"I was thinkin' that we should get outta here real soon seein' as Marco's gonna be comin' after us. Set a course for Beaumonde. Maybehaps Fanty and Mingo will have some work for us. Set down someplace nearby but hidden 'till Inara gets back."

Jayne scowled since their moment was interrupted. River nodded.

"Yes, Captain."

He grabbed a mug and pulled the jug of wine out from its place under the counter. River got up and went down to the bridge. They felt the ship take off right after that.

"Damnit Mal! You kinda interrupted somethin'…" Jayne snapped.

"Did I? Sorry. I didn't know that it was bad for the captain to give orders to his crew."

"Don't get testy."

"I'm not!"

"Sure seem testy to me."

"Well I ain't!"

Jayne dropped it and went back to relaxing on the couch. Mal guzzled down all of the contents in his mug before going to his bunk to rest.

Going down the ladder was pretty rough with the injury, but he managed. He climbed into bed for some much needed sleep. He stayed awake for a bit, slightly confused as to why he was almost always alone. Some nights he was with Inara, but even then she usually left before morning. A sense of loneliness, confusion, and anger filled him.

He felt lonely. He was confused about why he was lonely. He was also angry that he was confused and confused becausehe was angry.

Finally exhausted from the day, blood loss, pain, and alcohol, he drifted into a light slumber.