Back from the Black.
By Lady Cleo
All disclaimers apply.
The much mulled over sequel to "Beyond the Black." Feel free to point out any out of out of character slips or oddities. This is by no means a literary endeavor such as Lessons in Latin or Copper for a Kiss, just a fun relaxing story for me to write.
Chapter Six: Just a Little Family Dispute-
The small child darted across the clearing, running swiftly over to her father she ducked behind his legs, watching the exchange of cold glares with a calm air of assurance.
Zoe shifted a nervous hand down to the carbine at her side, "Sir, I think we're out gunned."
"I can see that," Mal whispered. Clearing his throat, the captain took a nervous step forward. "Jayne," he began, spreading his hands out before him. "I ain't taking anyone away. Just want some answers-"
"Always knew you'd show up sooner or later." The former mercenary declared wearily. "Course, I never could quite figure how it was gonna play off in the end."
Pushing past the Captain, Simon ignored the several armed ranch hands, "Where's River," he demanded.
Mal reached out, putting a restraining hand on the doctor's arm to keep the man from further charging the mercenary and his hired hands. "Don't do somethin' that's gonna get you killed, doc."
Jayne shifted, a hand falling to rest on the weapon at his side. "Reckon she's still sleeping off last night's nightmare, doc. Either that or she's downstairs making breakfast. Don' t matter much, now does it, cuz I'm here and I ain't intendin' on causing her anymore pain by makin' her listen to ya holler. Reckon we can settle this family dispute now, here in the open."
"Family dispute-" Simon began, "Are you saying-"
Jayne snorted, glancing briefly down at the child suctioned to his legs he smirked. "Dumb, ain't they?" Mercy nodded and Jayne turned back to the crowd. "What the hell were you thinking? That I just faked her death so's I could dump her back to the alliance? Hell no, ain't enough money in the verse that'd make me sell her back to the feds. Turning in your wife is akin ta turning in your mother, it just ain't done unless you're a dirty son of a bitch!"
"Married," The shouts rose from at least half of the crew. Simon lost all the color in his face as Kaylee covered her mouth trying hard to contain her excited squeal.
"Told ya," Jamie smirked happily, "I told ya they was tumblin' together. Was the only thing that made sense-"
"Jamie, shut it."
Jayne raised a weary eyebrow, "What the hell ya'll do, just decide to drop in?"
"Well not exactly-" Mal began.
"See, what happened-" Jamie interrupted, "was this old buzzard showed up claiming all spooky like that 'the past weren't dead, and if'n ya unbury it you'll find it' or something long them lines. So the doc wanted to dig up the body, but well Mal ain't into grave robbing. Anyway, doc convinced him and we dug up the body up only ta find there weren't no body, course you'd know that, seein as how you dug her up and all. Anyway, Mal weren't too happy about that and says, 'we ought to go visitin' with Jayne,' cuz you up and vanished round the girl's death." Jamie nodded confidently. "See they was all thinkin' why you would haul off a dead girl's body and that maybe she weren't dead. And I said you was tumbling with your respectable missus and they all called me a-"
"Jamie!" The younger man snapped his mouth shut.
Jayne raised an eyebrow at the young man, "Where'd you pick up the kid-" Simon stepped forward, fist swinging forward to impact with Jayne's face. Mercy shrieked, clutching her father's legs as the resounding click of arming weapons filled the air.
"Didn't see that coming." Mal's hands shot up in defense as he took an involuntary step away from the several dozen weapons pointed in his direction. "Woah now, just a little bit of a family feud. I'm sure this can be settled civilized like, ain't that right doc?"
"What the hell did you do with my sister?"
Swinging back around, Jayne removed his hand from his bleeding lip. "Goddamn it ta hell. I oughtta-" Reaching out he grabbed the doc by the collar, "What the hell do you know about anything," Jayne demanded. Shoving Simon backward, he watched the doc fall to the dirt. "Your sister was ruttin' broken- damaged merchandise. All you were doin' was bringing back the pain. If'n I hadn't found her about ta put a bullet through her brainpan this here conversation wouldn't be happening."
Simon pushed himself back to his feet, his hands trembling in rage, "That's a lie, I would've known something. I would've seen-"
"It ain't a lie, doc, you just didn't wanna see what was happening, you were blind, you were all blind ta what was happening. If you'd have opened your goddamned eyes for a second ya would've seen a hurt little girl finally facin' up to the past and the pain. Hell, the whole falling in love part weren't planned, just happened, didn't help the situation none. While you were laughing about little River's crush on the hired hand, we did the only thing we ruttin' could." Jayne's head jerked back for a second as he wiped the blood from his lip, "Still ain't sure how death got worked into the mess."
Mal shook his head, his gaze narrowing in on Jayne, "That don't-"
"Past is the past," Flexing his shoulders Jayne grimaced, "Nathan, get Mercy outta here." The younger cowhand nodded. Reaching down, he pulled the three year old into his arms and moved away from the group. "What I got here ain't changing, least ways, not if I can help."
"You have no right," Simon yelled, face flushed with anger. "No right to deny me-"
"We'll see about that-" The bullet flew past Jayne's head, imbedding in a distant barn door. "What the hell?" Jayne's eyes flashed over the equally startled crew across from him. "That don't make no sense."
"Mitchell's men," the strained voice of his second pulled the color from Jayne's face. "Gotta be Mitchell's men."
"Shit," the color rapidly returned to Jayne's face, "Well, don't that just make my day. Spread out boys, we got company coming," Jayne hollered, scattering the cluster of ranch hands. Turning toward the nearest trusted face, the foreman glanced worriedly over at the cluster of buildings, "Go tell the missus and then the main house." Spinning back to Serenity's crew, Jayne snorted, "You want to keep your hides intact you'd best be moving."
