The Long Night – Chapter Four

Author owns no rights to Firefly, and no copyright infringement is intended.

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"Zoe says set a course for Beaumond, little bit," Jayne said, walking up onto the bridge.

"So we got the job?" River asked, making the needed course correction.

"Guess so," Jayne shrugged. "Didn't rightly say."

"Why are you angry?" River asked suddenly, eyeing him carefully.

"I ain't," he said at once, and she gave him what Jayne thought of as the 'boob' look.

"I ain't, mei mei," he promised, and River beamed at the term. "Me and Mal just needed to come to an understanding 'bout his health and well bein', is all."

"Meaning he angered you, and you threatened to kill him," she grinned. He shrugged.

"Mighta went somethin' like that, yeah," he admitted finally.

"Accuses you of wrong doing where Kaylee and I are concerned," she said thoughtfully, no longer smiling.

"Mighta been," Jayne shrugged again. "Ain't nothin'."

"I disagree," River said at once. "But I will not argue with you," she added.

"I'll go see if Kaylee needs any help," Jayne said. "Reckon she might need me to get that hydraulic fluid down to the engine room for her."

River watched him go, wondering again at the change in Jayne's demeanor during her absence. She had worried that he would not react well to her returning. Yet, not only had he welcomed her, but had remarked to the others that he wished she were around.

Interesting.

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"Here's your fluid, mei mei," Jayne told River as he hauled the large containers into the engine room. "Guess Mal and Zoe picked it up on the way in," he grinned.

"Thanks, Jayne," Kaylee smiled. "You care to set'em on that rack, over there?"

"Nope," Jayne hauled the drums over to the rack, setting one astride the rack and the other behind it, securing it with tie-downs.

"Thanks, Jayne," Kaylee said again.

"Sure thing," he smiled, and headed out.

"In a hurry to leave?" she called out, and he stopped.

"No, just gonna try and see what's goin' on," he told her. "Need somethin'?"

"Just thought ya might keep me comp'ny s'all," she shrugged.

"Well, let me see what's goin' on, and I'll come back and visit a spell, how's that?"

"Shiny!"

Jayne left the engine room, shaking his head as he went.

When he reached the galley, Zoe was waiting for him.

"Jayne," she said at once. "I'm sorry about that, in the bay."

"Wasn't your doin'," Jayne eyed her. "Ain't no need of apologizin' for it."

"Well, I am, anyway," she told him. "Mal's got it in his head that you're tryin' to take advantage of my 'vulnerability'," she snorted.

"Like you got any such," Jayne snorted at that as well. "Hell, Zoe, good lookin' as you are, you're still tougher'n many a man I've knowed that thought they was somethin'." Zoe grinned at that.

"That's a compliment, right?" she asked jokingly.

"Two of'em," Jayne nodded, smiling. "Can I ask did we get the job? And what it is, if'n we did?"

"We got it," Zoe nodded. "That's what the shootin' was about. Fortunately we ain't gotta come back here for it. We're 'sposed to pick up a cargo on Beaumond, and haul it out to Wilver's Moon."

"Hm," Jayne frowned. "What's the cargo?"

"Don't rightly know," she admitted. "Guess we'll see when we get there."

"Ever been to Wilver's Moon, Zoe?" Jayne asked, still frowning.

"No. You?"

"Long time back, 'fore I joined Serenity," he nodded. "Ain't what you'd call a peaceable place. Wasn't back then, anyhow."

"Figures," Zoe sighed. "Well, we got half up front, so we'll have to take it."

"Ain't no problem takin' it," Jayne assured her. "Just want to be watchful when we get there, that's all."

"Right," she nodded. "Well, I need to get all this dust off me."

"All right."

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River strolled back to the engine room, having set the autopilot once they were well away. She entered just as Jayne was leaving.

"Don't run off on my account," she smiled.

"Ain't," he grinned back. "Been settin' a while. Mal'll be hollerin' fore long and. . ."

"Jayne, get your pi gu down to the bay," the com crackled.

"See?" he laughed, and left. River watched him go, then turned to Kaylee.

"So what was the head shaking about earlier?" she asked. Kaylee shrugged.

"Just that Jayne don't really go off like that no more," she replied. "He stopped, really, 'fore Miranda, I reckon. And ain't started back. Like he just. . .quit, ya know? Don't drink near as much no more, neither."

"Curiouser and curiouser," River murmured. "What's brought on this change in our hardened mercenary?" she asked Kaylee.

"No idea," Kaylee admitted. "Ain't said nothin'. But I ain't complainin'," she grinned. "Kinda like the new Jayne better'n the older one."

"It is quite an improvement," River nodded. "I still wonder what brought it about, however."

"Good luck findin' out," Kaylee grinned. "Course, you might be able to get to it another way," she added slyly.

"I don't like to do that," River frowned. "But there are always methods of discovering hidden facts," she grinned. "We'll try plying him with food, first."

"Good idea!" Kaylee grinned. "Cookies?"

"Cookies," River nodded firmly.

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"What'cha need, Mal?" Jayne asked, walking into the bay.

"Where were you?" Mal demanded.

"In the engine room, helpin' Kaylee," Jayne replied. "And I carried that fluid down there," he added.

"Well," Mal huffed. "Reckon you can quit jawin' with my mechanic long enough to clean this bay out? Looks like a pig sty."

"Get right on it," Jayne agreed amiably, and turned to go get the broom.

"I ain't done!" Mal stormed, and Jayne looked back at him.

"Once that's done, the storage needs to be re-worked. Need it done by tomorrow," he added, eyeing Jayne closely.

"Okay," Jayne nodded. "Where ya want me to put the stuff that's in there?"

"What?" Mal was caught off guard. He had only added that task hoping to provoke Jayne into an argument.

"Where do I put the stuff that's in there?" Jayne asked again, slower.

"I don't want it put nowhere!" Mal exclaimed. "Just rework it, make it more organized!"

"Okay," Jayne nodded, and turned again to go collect the broom.

"Quit walkin' off when I'm talkin' to ya!" Mal almost yelled, and Jayne turned with a resigned sigh.

"Sorry, Cap'n," he said easily. "Though you was done."

"Well, I wasn't!" Mal said irritably. "Mule needs cleanin', too."

"Okay, I'll get that first, then." Jayne stood still, waiting.

"Well, what are you waitin' for?" Mal demanded.

"For you to say that's all, and I can get started," Jayne said reasonably.

"Fine, get started," Mal huffed, storming out of the bay. Jayne resisted the urge to chuckle as he watched Mal stomp away. He then went to lower the mule, and get started.

Neither man had seen Zoe standing on the catwalk. She withdrew silently as Mal started for the stairs.

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"Why are you tryin' to provoke Jayne?" Zoe asked from her seat when Mal walked into the galley.

"What?" The question brought Mal up short.

"Why are you deliberately tryin' to set Jayne off, sir?" Zoe asked again, her voice calm.

"What gives you that idea?" Mal asked.

"I was watchin' just now, when you were goin' on about what all needed doin'," she replied grimly. "That ain't right, sir," she added.

"Reckon as I'm the Captain, I'll be the judge o' what's right," Mal tried to brazen it out.

"You want him gone, then fire him," Zoe said rising. "This ain't right, Mal. And you know it. You were a better man than that, once upon a time." With that she walked out of the galley, toward the cargo bay.

"Where you goin'?" Mal demanded.

"To help Jayne," Zoe tossed back over her shoulder.

"He don't need no help!" Mal said hotly.

"Don't mean I can't help, anyway."

Mal watched her go, fuming. He had been trying to set Jayne off, in order to justify firing him. If he didn't have a decent reason, the women would have a fit. He hadn't seen Zoe standing there, or he would have gone about it different.

Now, instead of keeping Zoe away from Jayne, he had pushed her right at him.

"Ai ya," he swore, stalking toward the bridge.

He'd have to put more thought into this.

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"Need help, Jayne?" Zoe asked, stepping off the stairs.

"Nah," he smiled. "I got it. Won't take long."

"I watched while that was goin' on," she told him. "Handled yourself well, with Mal."

"He ain't so much," Jayne shrugged. "Just tryin' to rile me. Don't know why, though," he added. "I ain't done nothin' wrong in a good while, I know of."

"No, you haven't," Zoe smiled. "He's just bein' Mal."

"Reckon," Jayne wasn't really payin' attention to her, concentrating on lowering the mule. "Don't matter none, anyhow. Ain't no different than usual. If he was nice, then I'd worry," he chuckled.

"He ain't always that bad, Jayne," Zoe admonished gently.

"Not to the rest o' you, no," Jayne allowed. "He's always had it that way for me, though. Guess that's why I gave him such a hard time, early on. He hires me to keep me from shootin' him, and then treats me like go se," he shook his head.

"But it ain't no different than I'd expect from a man like him," he nodded. "People like him are always that way. Way they think."

"People like him?" Zoe frowned. "What's that mean?"

"Thinks he's the only one what ever lost somethin'," Jayne told her. "And that whatever he does is right, no matter what. Here we are, stealing and what not all around the 'verse, yet he acts like he's so much better than anyone else what does it. Back home, we called that bein' a hypocrite," he laughed. "Reckon Mal calls it somethin' else."

"Jayne, he only does what's necessary," Zoe defended her Captain.

"But only when it suits him to do it, or when it suits his purpose," Jayne countered. "Like I said, don't make me no never mind. It's his ship."

"If that's how you feel, then why stay?" Zoe demanded. Jayne stopped what he was doing, and looked at her.

"That's a good question," he nodded. "Wondered that myself, time or two." He turned back to his work.

"And?" she pressed.

"And what?" he shrugged. "It's my job."

"That don't seem like a good enough reason to stay, Jayne," Zoe observed. He stopped again, and looked at her once more.

"You wantin' me gone, Zoe?" he asked calmly. "Is that what this is?"

"I never said that!" Zoe replied heatedly. "You're the one said you wondered why you stayed."

"And I have, more'n once," he nodded. "Never said I'd thought on leavin'."

"So what do you think on?" she shot back. "Besides gettin' trim and booze?"

As soon as the words left her mouth, Zoe regretted them. But she couldn't call them back. Jayne looked at her, and Zoe's breath left her in a rush at the flicker of hurt that flashed in his eyes. Then, suddenly, that flicker was replaced by a cold indifference that was all too familiar.

"I guess I'll need to be thinkin' on gettin' my work done," he said evenly, and returned to his work.

"Jayne, I didn't. . . ."

"I got this, Zoe, thanks," Jayne cut her off. "Won't take long."

"Jayne, I wasn't tryin' to. . . ."

But he wasn't listening, Zoe realized. She had stung him, and now he was just going through the motions. Just like he did with Mal.

"I'm sorry, Jayne," she said finally.

"Don't be," he shrugged. "Don't mean nothin'."

"I hurt you, Jayne, and I'm sorry," Zoe insisted. Jayne snorted, and she realized with a start that he sounded more like the 'old' Jayne, suddenly.

"Take more'n a few words to hurt me," he told her. "Ain't like I care what none o' you think, anyway," he added scornfully.

Zoe turned and walked away, before she made it worse.

Behind her, Jayne swore bitterly.

All just a buncha go se, he thought to himself. That's what I get for tryin' to help. All this time I thought this bunch was different. But I don't need them. Don't need no one. And I damn sure don't need this job, or the headache that comes with it.

In a few short sentences, Zoe had undone six months of soul searching on Jayne's part, without even trying.

Mal would be happy, she thought sourly. Jayne would be back to his old self.

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"What's wrong with you?" Mal demanded. "Jayne finally make a pass at you?"

He looked at Zoe from the floor, wondering how he came to be there. She stood over him, loomed over him might have been more accurate.

"You're a real class act, ain't you, sir," Zoe sneered. "No, he didn't make a pass at me. He was actually very nice to me, until I started defending you being a complete hundan. After that it went downhill."

"But if it makes you happy, and I'm sure it will, Jayne's back to being his old self, it looks like. Hopefully you'll follow his example."

Without waiting for a reply, Zoe stalked away.

Mal rubbed his jaw, resisting the urge to smile. He'd known that Jayne was after her. Now, he could get rid of him, protect her.

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Jayne clomped into the galley at dinner time, sitting heavily into his chair.

"Hello, Jayne," River smiled.

"Whatever," Jayne answered sullenly, dishing up his plate. River was startled for a minute, but recovered in time to keep anyone from noticing.

"Jayne," Kaylee scolded. "Ain't no way to be," she smiled.

"Don't let it bother ya," Jayne shot back, shoveling food into his mouth like he had done so often in the past. Zoe sighed, but said nothing. Mal was almost gloating.

"Seems our mercenary's reverted to his old self, finally," he snickered. Jayne looked up at him.

"Makes you all kinds o' happy, I'm sure," he said, turning at once back to his plate.

"Jayne, if you ain't gonna be fit company, you can just leave," Mal warned, fighting a smile. Jayne didn't bother to reply, just kept on eating.

"I said, if you ain't. . . ."

"I heard what ya said," Jayne shot back. "I'm quiet, and eatin'. Is that fit comp'ny?"

"Reckon you need to be headin' on, Jayne," Mal said darkly. "Ain't gonna have all that at my table."

"Suits me," Jayne nodded, standing. "Hate to lower myself to eat with the likes o' you, anyhow." With that Jayne headed straight out the door, into the bay, leaving Mal spluttering behind him, red faced.

"What's got into him?" Kaylee wondered, looking to where Jayne had departed.

"I'd say he's actin' about normal," Mal groused.

"He ain't been that way in a long while, Cap'n, and you know it!" Kaylee shot back. "You musta done somethin', or said somethin' to him!"

"If I did, I 'spect it needed sayin'," Mal told her bluntly.

"Captain did not like Jayne sitting with us in the bay while he was out," River told Kaylee, her voice tinged with anger. "Accused Jayne of improper behavior and ulterior motives." Kaylee's face grew dark with anger, and she looked at him.

"That true, Captain?" she demanded.

"And if it is?" Mal shot back.

"Then it's plain wrong," Kaylee told him hotly. "He ain't been no way improper. Was him heard the shootin' even 'fore we did, and had us get ready to leave, whilst he went to cover you and Zoe. Until then, he'd been sittin' in a chair, bein' sociable."

"Jayne? Sociable?" Mal scoffed.

Before anyone else could speak, Zoe stood abruptly, and walked out of the galley, heading to her bunk. Mal watched her go, and smiled before he thought.

"So you wanted things to happen this way," River said softly, seeing the look on his face. "Why?"

"Don't know what you're talkin' 'bout," Mal smothered his smile.

"It's true what they say," River sighed, getting to her feet.

"What's that?" Kaylee asked, still huffing over Mal's attitude.

"You cannot go home again. It will not be as you remember it." With that, River drifted out of the galley, toward the cargo bay.

"Cap'n, why you gotta be this way?" Kaylee asked sadly. "Jayne ain't done nothin' wrong, been nice to us all for a long time, helpin' us all out. And you have to go and ruin it," she was almost crying.

"Ain't we lost enough, Cap'n?" She got up and left the table as well.

Mal ate in silence, stubbornly refusing to concede that he might have been wrong.