Act II cont – Carson's Moon

Most everyone found it difficult to drift off that night. Words and pictures were tumbling through almost every mind, and the overflow made Freya wakeful until she eventually gave in. She turned over in bed, poked Mal in the side and said, "I need something to help me sleep."

"Mnffgng?"

She leaned over his ear. "I need something to help me sleep."

Her husband pried open one eye. "So you woke me up to tell me?"

"I thought you might be a gentleman and get it for me."

"Whatever gave you the impression there were gentlemen on this boat?"

She sighed and pushed the covers back. "Looks like I was sadly mistaken."

He put his arm across her, keeping her from getting up. "How come you can't sleep anyway?" he asked, lifting himself onto his other elbow and peering at her.

"Too many dreams."

His face softened, and he smiled. "And you decided to share that nugget of information with a man who was actually enjoying some himself?"

"Thought I'd be generous."

"Thanks." He could feel her pulse under his hand by her breast. "So what do you want?"

"Ibenofin. 10ccs." She smiled. "Think you can manage that?"

"Hey, did I say I was going? Just asked what you wanted."

The smile froze. "Fine. I'll get it –"

He grinned and kissed the tip of her nose. "No. I will. Might take me one or two goes to get it right, but … anything for the woman I love." He slid out of bed, grabbing his pants and tugging them on, barely doing up enough buttons to make sure they didn't slide off his hips. "But if I find you've dozed off when I get back, I'll be mightily peeved," he added, climbing the ladder in his bare feet. Her laughter followed him into the corridor.

He didn't dawdle, the metal decking being somewhat chill this time of night with the EC turned down. Hurrying through the darkened galley and down the stairs he realised the lights were on in the infirmary, and a figure he recognised was lurking inside.

"Jayne? You doing something I ought to be worried about?" he asked, stepping into the blue room and feeling even colder.

The big man, clad only in a pair of shorts, grunted and pulled a bottle of pills from inside a cupboard. "River couldn't sleep. Sent me down for something." He glanced over his shoulder. "You too?"

"Frey."

"Yeah. All these goings-on ain't likely to be conducive to resting well."

"Conducive?" Mal smiled. "I think you've been spending far too much time hanging around Theo. Or maybe Dana."

Jayne shook two tablets from the bottle into the palm of his hand. "Dana?"

"Don't act so innocent. I'm fair sure you've seen how she's been looking at you."

"Can't stop someone looking." He paused for a microsecond. "Well, you can, but it's messy. I mean, there's total removal of –"

"Nice try."

"Huh?"

"At changing the subject." Mal leaned on the medbed and crossed his arms. "Come on. You must've noticed."

"Hey, I'm human," Jayne blustered a little. "Sure I noticed. Bit hard not to when she's trying to hang on your arm."

"I thought Theo was going to have a word with her."

"Figure he did, but she ain't listening."

"Jayne, you know what'll happen if River notices."

The big man slumped a little. "She already has."

"Oh?"

"Asked me about it tonight. One of the reason I ain't asleep either."

Mal felt his lips twitch. "And?"

"And what?"

"What did you say? I mean, I figured Dana was just your type."

"My type?"

"Female and breathing."

Jayne looked disgusted. "Mal, you know I ain't gone with no-one since River worked on me. Don't ever intend to, neither."

"That's a big undertaking, Jayne."

"S'what happens when you love someone."

Now Mal did smile. "Yeah, I worked that one out myself too."

Jayne sighed. "Aw, Mal, I ain't gonna do anything. River's too important to me to mess it up."

"That doesn't mean Dana isn't going to try. And you know what hormones can do."

"Yeah. I do." He looked down ruefully at the tablets he still held. "Don't have to worry about me, Mal. And I'll try and keep an eye on moonbrain."

"See that you do. I don't think Theo'd be very pleased if he found he was missing an actress, and the outer bay doors just happened to be open."

Jayne chuckled. "Might be worth seeing, but no. Prob'ly not." He stood straight. "Better get these to River 'fore they melt."

"Better had." Mal watched the big man stalk out of the infirmary, then busied himself getting Freya's drug of choice. The smile still played about his lips: he really hoped she hadn't gone to sleep, since he was pretty sure she'd love to hear about that little conversation.

---

Janith slid the plans she'd drawn out from the bottom of her underwear drawer. She'd made sure everyone was occupied, even Mikel, and locked her door, but she still listened for a moment before unfolding the sheets. Finally she was happy, and laid them flat on her bed. A slim finger traced the power lines and water pipes into the Bose estate, and she was pretty sure they were accurate. Her memory had always been good, and she'd trained it over the years to be able to call things to mind from just a single glance.

It had always come in handy, none more so than for her current venture. Being able to remember lines, moves, even the dance routines Rolly had insisted on putting into one of their repertory plays, made her cover seem like a breeze. And of course just playing the part was very gratifying, when no-one had any idea who she really was.

She ran her hand through her hair, slightly abstracted as she stared at the sewer system. Not a nice way in or out, but if necessary she'd do it. There'd been times she'd been up to her ears in crud, although it wasn't her most favourite position. She smiled. That was on top, smiling like the cat who'd eaten the whole aviary and not just the canary. Now, if only he'd play the birdie in question …

---

Act III – The Black (Part II)

By ten the next morning they were out of atmo and heading for Amity, a little less than thirty hours distant. Theo was as good as his word and had most of them in the cargo bay rehearsing the extra scenes.

Most, because Jayne was in the galley, grabbing some late breakfast. Someone had left a pot of oatmeal on a low heat, and he stirred it well before spooning some into a bowl and adding sweetener.

"I think you're sweet enough," Dana said from the doorway, looking at him with her head on one side.

"Ain't interested," Jayne said roughly, leaning on the counter and eating.

"Now, that's not nice," she accused, pouting.

"Sorry if I hurt your feelings, but I'm taken." He didn't sound sorry at all.

"So I understand. Theo told me. By River." She smiled and walked towards him.

"Yep. Got that right."

"But she's a girl." Dana smiled, standing close to him and putting her hand on his arm, feeling his muscles. "Strong man like you needs a real woman. Someone who won't break when you touch her."

"Figuring you don't know River," Jayne said around a mouthful of food.

"And you don't know me." She bounced a little and hitched herself onto the counter. She began to swing her legs, her skirt getting higher with every kick. "I tend to get what I want."

"I ain't for sale." He went to move past her but she put her legs out straight, effectively trapping him.

"No?"

Jayne looked down at their length, their shapeliness, the small butterfly tattooed on her ankle, and for just a single moment felt the flash of temptation. Then he shook his head. "Nope. Got me a woman and believe me when I say I don't wanna handle any more than that. Thanks for the offer, and all, but you ain't what I need."

"Are you sure about that?" She rubbed one foot up his thigh towards his crotch.

He put his bowl down and took hold of her ankles, moving them to one side. "Pretty much."

She slid to the ground and pressed her body against him, close enough so that she knew he could feel her heat through their clothes. "When you change your mind I'll be waiting in my room."

"Girl, you ever hear when someone says no?"

"Not when they mean yes."

Jayne stared at her then laughed. "Well, hear it now. I'm saying no, Dana. Not interested." He grabbed the last spoonful of oatmeal and thrust it into his mouth. "Gotta go," he said, slightly indistinctly. "Got work to do." He strode out of the kitchen towards the cargo bay.

Dana sighed, twisting her red hair on her finger, not hearing the light footsteps coming from the other doorway.

"Leave him alone," River said softly.

The actress turned quickly, finding the young woman standing very close. "As far as I'm concerned there's no wedding ring on his finger, so he's fair game."

"You don't know …" River sighed. "You can't."

Dana stared at her, narrowing her eyes. "What are you talking about?"

"Darkness. Taking advantage. Can't see the wood for the trees, won't see the danger until it's too late."

"Are you threatening me?" Dana asked, almost laughing.

"Why threaten when you can promise?"

For a very long moment Dana just stared, then asked, "Are you totally crazy?"

"Mostly," River admitted. "But who isn't, these days? And you won't have him."

"Sweetie, why don't we just see who wins?"

"I will."

"Dana," Etta called, her voice projecting through Serenity. "Rehearsals. Now."

"Time to be wonderful," Dana said, and flounced out of the galley.

River stood for a moment, chewing on her lip, then followed, her mind well ahead of herself.

"Nice of you to grace us with your presence," Toby said, leaning back on a crate, managing to look relaxed as he glanced up at Dana coming through the top doorway. "Although I'm sure you think your interpretation of Helena is so perfect you don't need to rehearse like the rest of us."

She scowled at him, the look marring her natural beauty, as she headed down the stairs. "Why don't you go and -"

"Dana," Theo said commandingly. "Behave."

"I didn't start it," she insisted. "Toby did."

"Well, I'm finishing it."

"That just isn't –" She'd almost reached the bottom of the stairs when she seemed to falter, her foot stumbling on the step, and she pitched forward. She tried to regain her balance, but came down heavily on her left foot, and everyone in the bay heard the crack. She screamed and fell to the floor. Immediately Mal and Simon moved forward, Freya and Zoe only a step behind, while Theo and his troupe were still in shock.

"Doc," Mal said.

Simon nodded and went down onto his knees, beginning to examine the affected limb. "Sit still," he ordered, somewhat unnecessarily, as Dana showed no signs of trying to move.

Theo had regained use of his body and voice. "Oh, my. Dana, dear, are you all right?"

"Apparently not," she said, tears forming in her eyes, then yelled, very loudly.

"It's broken," Simon said, rolling his jaw to try and alleviate the ringing in his ears. "I'll need to set it, but … sorry, Dana, you won't be doing anything much for the next few days."

"But I have …" She took a sharp breath as pain shot up her leg. "Have to work."

"Seems to me the doc said that ain't gonna happen," Mal put in.

"Mal, can you help me?" Simon said, getting his shoulder under Dana's left arm.

"Sure."

Between then they carried the young woman into the infirmary, Theo and Etta fussing as they went.

"But what happened?" he was asking. "I don't believe you could just –"

"I don't know," Dana admitted, biting her lip against the pain. "I just … I don't know. It hurts."

As they put her onto the medbed, Simon quickly reached for an analgesic.

Freya hadn't followed all the others into the common area, but stood looking up at the top catwalk. River was standing there, gazing down. She caught the other woman's eye, an odd look on her face, then turned and hurried into her shuttle.

Freya ran up the stairs two at a time. "River." She ducked through the hatchway.

The young psychic turned innocent eyes on her. "Yes, Freya?"

"What did you do?"

"What did I do to whom?"

"To Dana."

River shrugged. "Nothing. I wasn't even there."

"River, don't lie to me. You know it doesn't work."

The young woman paused a moment, as if holding an internal debate, then said, "She was trying to make Jayne want her."

"That's no excuse for hurting her!"

"She did that to herself."

"Then why are you …" Freya's eyes darkened a little. "What did you do?"

River looked down at her bare feet. "I might have …" Her voice trailed into nothing.

"What, River?"

River's head came up, and the innocence had gone, replaced by bare defiance. "I suggested she might like to lose her balance."

"Suggested." Freya took a deep breath, trying to control the anger building up inside her. "You don't do that."

"She was after Jayne!"

"I don't care." Freya shook her head. "River, what we have, what we can do … there's responsibility with that. I know I don't always follow the rules myself, but … you could have killed her."

"It was only a couple of steps." Her brows raised a little. "I didn't actually expect her to break anything."

"Why, zi nu? If you were that worried, why didn't you just talk to Jayne?"

"I did. He laughed. Said he wasn't interested in her."

"Then why didn't you believe him?"

"Because he's a man!" Suddenly tears were pouring down River's face. "She was throwing herself at him … did you know she cornered him in the kitchen? Just now?"

"No, I didn't. Did he respond?"

"No!"

"Then why did you?"

River didn't answer immediately, just dropped onto the bed, her hair falling down around her face. "I don't know!" she wailed.

Freya could feel the sorrow and anguish pouring off her, and sat down next to her. "River." There was no response, just more crying. "River." She took her hand, holding it tightly even when the young woman tried to pull it away. "Control it, River. I know it's hard, and I know you wouldn't have done this if you weren't pregnant."

"Might."

"No. You wouldn't. Not any more. Maybe before, before you grew up, but now … no. It's the pregnancy."

River sniffed and looked up. "I … there was just something telling me to …"

"Your baby?"

"No. I don't think so. There's no conscious thought, not yet."

"Then it was the imp."

"The imp?" River looked confused.

"The imp on your shoulder. I have one. Mal does, and so does Jayne. We all do. It tells us to be bad, to take that one extra step we know damn well we shouldn't, whispering in our ear that it won't matter, not this once."

River was nodding. "Yes. Like that."

"You don't have to listen. That's the whole point of control. To be the one who decides."

"Not the imp."

"Exactly."

River sighed and laid her head in Freya's lap. "I'm sorry."

"Not me you should be apologising to."

The girl froze. "You think I should?"

"Honestly, no. Dana won't understand, and neither would Theo or any of the others. They'd just be afraid of us, and that wouldn't help you at all. Just … don't do it again."

"I won't." She paused for a moment then suddenly giggled.

"What?"

"Theo. He's an actor short. To play Helena."

"Well, yes, but …" Freya's eyes widened. "No."

"I think he's heading this way."

"No, River, I'm not going to –"

"Mrs Reynolds, could I have a word?" Theo boomed from the doorway to the shuttle.