"Jayne," she said forwardly, "why are you mad at me?"

He snapped Vera to the wall. "You came all the way down here to bug me about why I'm in a mood? Seems stupid, you ask me."

"You're avoiding the question."

"Mayhap."

"Jayne!" she cried, exasperated. "Come on. You're not usually this cold at me. What'd I do?"

"Why you buggin me 'bout this, anyway? We already hashed it out."

"Cuz River said I hurt your feelings-"

"What're you listenin to her for? You listen to everythin that girl says, your head'll explode. Nothin but crazy babble don't mean nothin."

"Would explain why you been actin so mean."

"I ain't been mean!" he snapped, realizing about four seconds too late he'd just been mean again. Kaylee gave him a look. "I ain't!" he said again. "Just got not much to talk to you about s'all. No big thing."

"You used to be nice to me mos' the time. Then we did it an' now you're all-"

"I ain't nothin! How many time I gotta drill into ya the same thing? We did it one time and that's all there's gonna be. I ain't the kinda guy to consider twice, am I? An' I just needed you for but the one night. So I ain't gonna dig this up again, clear on that?"

I ain't the kind of guy you consider twice, am I? Kaylee finally understood. Jayne was the one feeling like the one night stand, and he hadn't meant to. Well it was a fine time to show a girl your interest in her-when you were both drunk beyond reason. "Jayne," she said gently, "I didn't mean to-"

"I'ma 'bout done with this here conversation, so I'll be takin my leave, if that's just shiny with ya." He didn't stay to find out if Kaylee found it shiny or not- he just left.

Kaylee had herself a good, long think. What did she think about Jayne, anyhow? She wished Inara were here to talk to, although she was pretty sure what Inara would do- she'd shudder and say something like 'Why in the verse would you pick Jayne?' But there weren't nothing wrong with him, was there? Aside from his brashness, he was a decent guy. Who named his guns. And said something cynical every chance he got. "Don't matter now anyway," she told herself. "New rule says no relationships with crew." And Kaylee was pretty good about following the rules. Most the time.


"Wash, that won't work."

Zoe peeked her head in, having listened to Forrest talk to himself (or Wash, apparently) for the past fifteen minutes.

"She can't just forget about you, it doesn't work that way… Don't be dumb… Yes, yes you are…Are too!… Are too!… Are too are too are TOO!" Forrest scowled at an empty space in the air. "Fine," he scoffed in his five year old moodiness. "But I won't tell her that… No… No… Tell me where captain keeps the cookies and maybe I will… Not those, I already found them. The chocolate ones…"

"Top shelf," Zoe said from the doorway. Forrest spun around, looking caught. "Keeps 'em up there so little guys can't find 'em."

"Oh." He looked depressed as hell. "Can you get one for me?"

"Maybe," she said, "if you tell me who you were talkin to."

"Wash."

"What'd he say?"

Forrest looked to the left of his chair, then back to Zoe. "Was just sayin some stuff."

"Like?"

Don't say a word.> "Like how he misses you, but he heard what you said to Kaylee about bein sad that he's here." Damnit, kid!> "He wishes he could make you forget him."

"Is… is he still here?"

"Can I have a cookie?"

She had to smile. "Sure. Is he?"

"Yes. Chocolate chip, please."

She retrieved the sacred cookie from its resting place, handed it down to the eager child and got out a glass of water and dehydrated milk powder. "Now tell me what you boys were talking about," she said, stirring the powder with a flimsy tin spoon.

"You, mostly," Forrest confessed. "Stuff like what you used to do, how nice you are. Things like that." He eagerly took the sort-of milk and gulped it down, chewing heartily on cookie. "He said you'd make a good mom."

Zoe paused. "He said that?"

"Sure." Forrest, enough!> "He said that's why he led the ship to Aarius. So you could take care of me." Oh, he chusheng zajiao de zanghuo.>

"He…" She stared at Forrest for a moment, contemplative. "But… but what about River?"

"I dunno," he shrugged. "Can I have another cookie?"

"Huh? Sure, I guess." She stupidly handed him the bag. Off he ran, giggly wildly and trailing crumbs all over the floor. Zoe took a seat in the chair Forrest had previously been occupying and looked around the room. If she could see him, talk to him, it might help. Communications between them using a five year old was difficult and unreliable. Would you want to see him, if you could?> Of that she was not sure.

Wash placed a hand on his wife's shoulder. She didn't move at his touch, and he in turn didn't feel her skin. You wouldn't want to see me,> he told her, looking at his pale and shimmery silhouette. Not anymore.>


Jayne dropped down into his bunk, feeling satisfied. It'd been a good day- not great, but good enough. Food had been cooked by Zoe, and for some reason that woman was the best at making something from nothing. Not as good as Wash had been, but she'd picked up some secrets obviously. Could never tell that was year old macaroni and dehydrated cheese food powder. He pulled off his boots, shirt and pants in that order and prepared himself for sleeping like a rock sprawled out in his small but comfortable enough bed. Except that bed was occupied by a mechanic.

"Uh…" he said, standing there in his boxer briefs and socks.

"Hi," she said coyly. The blanket was pulled up to her shoulders, which looked to be bare.

"There a reason you're… in my room? And bed?"

"Wanted to talk to you."

Oi, not again. "I told you, I ain't got much to say."

"But I do." She wiggled herself against the wall, making room for him to sit. He remained standing. "I wanted to apologize for-"

"Not this again, c'mon, Kaylee."

"Let me finish! Wanted to say I'm sorry for makin you think you weren't good enough for the likes 'a me. Cuz you are."

"I'm… you… what's happenin now?"

"Jayne, do you like me?"

Was this a trick question? It was a trick question. Had to be. "Uh, that's a trick question, innit?"

"No. I really wanna know."

"Ah… sure, I like ya just fine."

"Like me enough to get in this here bed?"

"Well… it's my bed, so I guess I'll be getting in it eventually anyways, so…"

"I mean with me in it."

Was this a trick? It had to be a trick. It ain't a damn trick, moron! She's trying to sleep with you. Get in the damn bed already.> "Little Kaylee," he said uncertainly, "whatcha got on under that there blanket?"

"Find out." Her eyes were screaming with sex, and Jayne did indeed want to find out what she was or wasn't hiding. But that terrible demon conscience got to him before raging hormones did.

"Ain't s'posta," he told her. "'Sides, don't want you thinkin I'm just usin you for one night again. Don't need you in another slump like last time."

"I ain't planning on one night," she said smoothly. "Though about what you said, 'bout being only considered one night. And I decided that you ain't just a one time thing. Kinda like to keep you around every night."

He was dumbfounded. "You mean… like…"

"I mean just like."

Like a boyfriend.> Boyfriend? The hell was he supposed to do with that? He hardly knew the first thing about relationships with stamina over more than a few hours. "Reckon you didn't think this through," he told her honestly.

"Reckon I did. Now get over here."

He did as he was told, sitting carefully on the edge of his bed. She looked up at him, all cute and innocent, and he wanted to fuck the innocent right outta that smile. Captain had said no sex. Fuck the captain. Hell, if someone did fuck the captain, he'd probably lift the rule. "Little Kaylee," he said fondly, "you're breakin a rule just made this morning."

"Sure am," she said proudly, sitting up to come face to face with him. The blanket slipped down into her lap. Yeah, she was naked, all right. He reached out and rubbed his finger on her smooth belly, smiling to himself. Sure was a pretty girl.

"What do you suppose captain'll do if-" He didn't get to finish his sentence. Kaylee kissed him roughly, her tongue slipping past his lips. He wrapped his arms around her and laid her down on her back, following on top of her. They broke the rule three times that night.