Disclaimer: See Chapter 1 for legal disclaimer.

A/n: OK! So sorry for being AWOL, been busy with life (work, new baby, etc.). So, here's the next chapter that you've all been waiting for. Also: please do not hate me for changing Jayne a slight bit. So here we go!

Dressed in an one-shoulder, dark navy blue backless dress with heels to match, Cassie was waiting in the foyer for her escort to arrive. Her hair was done in a half do with a braid running across the back of her head and two face-framing strands hung loose, lightly covering her eyes a bit. Her lavender eyes were made up in a complimentary coloring while the rest of her face was in a natural look. She wrung her hands a bit, wondering where her date was located.

"If you keep that up, you'll ruin your hands that way," a woman's voice said from Cassie's left.

"I know…but, where are they? You'd think that they both would be here by now," the petite replied back.

"Come, dear—Aidan said that he was on his way not too long ago…"The plump courtesan replied back. "Besides, it's not like you haven't seen your significant other all day."

"Easier said than done—and you should be talking, Hilde. So, when are there gonna be a little liumang (rascal) for the Guild?"

"I got two already, wo de furen (my lady). And the oldest wants to join."

"And, what's wrong with that?"

"He's 5."

Cassie shook her head as she grinned. If there was one thing the reader liked of the courtesan, Mathilda always knew when to allow her to break free of the mold society put on her at such a young age. The plump woman looked behind the reader and smiled as two men slowly made their way over to them. The first of the two was dressed in silks of a deep navy color to match his eye color and his gelled back, dark hair wasn't out of place: this was Mathilda's husband, Aidan. He smiled as he crossed over to his wife and they both shared a chaste kiss.

However, it was the second man that caught the young Reynold's attention the most. This one was about the same height as her Jayne…however, it was NOT the same person. This person seemed to give off a confidence that was, in a way, intoxicating for Cassie…it drew her in like a moth to light. His slight dark hair was slightly spiked as his come-hither dark eyes stared into Cassie's unique amethyst eyes. He gave a soft grin to the petite Reynolds as he walked right up to her, took one of her lithe hands and gave a ghost of a kiss to the back of said hand. Cassie could not even tell that this was the same Jayne she had come to known, even after the code phase she agreed on prior to him leaving her earlier that afternoon.

"'First time he kissed me, he but only kissed The fingers of this hand wherewith I write; And ever since, it grew more clean and White…'"

Needless to say, Cassie was completely and utterly speechless by the velvety-smooth baritone voice that washed over her like a warm blanket. It took only Mathilda's light laughter that got the reader out of her daze-like daydream.

"Well damn, Aidan—if I didn't know any better, I'd say that he was like your younger brother with his charm over Cassandra," she said as she hugged her husband's arm to her chest.

"Sonnet 38 by Elizabeth Barret Browning…it's amazing that it's one of Black Phoenix's favorite sonnets," the equally good looking man replied as Cassie felt a flush on her cheeks.

"Milady," Jayne said, catching Cassie's attention back to the present.

"Tonight, it's Aaron, not Jayne. Best we keep this from Mal and Kaylee," he added in a whisper as he leaned forward and kissed her cheek, lingering a bit longer than intended.

"And it's either Lady Cassandra or Mistress Reynolds. My birth name is well known in these circles, so it's easier for me to blend in with these snobs of a peer," she replied back as Jayne slowly pulled back from the innocent kiss on her cheek.

"Well, you know that I'm beyond colored impressed. You sure that Gray Fox's ok with Jayne using his face?"

"Are you kidding?! Shaun's just happy to be away from all of this—you know that he'd hate to be stuck in something like this, let alone be yan xingjao (eye fucked) by the harlots that call themselves ladies," Aidan said as he patted his wife's hand with tender love. "Besides, you're a breath of fresh air among the small handful of women attending tonight."

Cassie was about to reply back when Jayne offered his arm to her, an eyebrow raised in question. She nodded her head as she took it and the merc led Cassie to where there was a porter announcing those entering.

"One of these days, you have to tell me all the fancy titles and whatnot to me," he said once they got in line to be announced.

"And you may never know, tianxin (sweetheart)."

"Lady Cassandra Reynolds of Shadowmoon and escort!" the porter announced once the two were in the front of the line.

The two made it inside the ballroom, attracting all that were inside already. This was especially for three pairs of eyes: two were wide-eyed at the appearance of the Reader while the last was merely surprised that she even attended. Inara's eyebrows were at her hairline while Mal's jaw was slightly agape in mere shock.

"'Lady'?!" Mal all but shouted as he managed to get over to Cassie and Jayne. "Are you for real, meimei?"

"Hello, gege. Those pants are WAY too tight—no wonder Kaylee called ya 'Captain Tightpants'," Cassie replied as she smiled at her older brother.

"Cass, you DO know that—"

"Relax, Malcolm. My given name is squeaky clean in these circles—using blackmail and my actual position with the Guild does have its perks of anonymity."

"Oh, really? Well, in that case, please explain to me the following."

"Shoot."

"Why are you here? Not that I'm not happy to see you here, Cass, but I'm kind of confused. Also, what's with the hua shi (fancy) title and arm candy? Does Jayne know that you're here and with someone else that's not him?"

Cassie could feel her lover sweel with pride or anger; she couldn't tell, but her grip on his arm tighten a bit before loosening, letting him know that she had control over the situation.

"First off, I'm here for the same reason you're here along with Kaylee—by the by, how long till you caved in on the lifu (dress) that Kaylee's been eyeing this morning? Much have cost ya a pretty penny in order to appease her a bit, especially after what you and Jayne told her of not having it. Speaking of which, I might have to punish him for upsetting her," Cassie said, the last part she looked up at the ceiling, knowing that Jayne heard the slight tease in her tone. "So, no need to feel intimidated by my presence here, gege. Second, the seller you're looking for is over there with the red sash across his chest—shows his lordship title, so don't play dumb by not knowing that tidbit. I'm sure that Badger might have forgotten to mention that detail to you when you got the task from him.

"Third—oh, ta ma di diyu (fucking hell). Excuse me for just a moment," Cassie said as she spotted Kaylee with a group of young women over by the swan ice sculpture.

"You ought to see your girl…she's not very good. She made you a dress that looks like you bought it in a store," one of the young women that was ganging up on the mechanic said just as Cassie slid right next to her.

"Why, Banning Miller…what a vision you are in that fine dress. It must have taken a dozen slaves a dozen days to get you into that qichuang (getup)…'course, your father did mention that it takes only a school boy's wink to get you out of it," Cassie smoothly articulated as she glanced at the dress, putting a comforting hand on Kaylee's shoulder. "I say, isn't that last season's fashion you're wearing? At least my girls get ahead of the latest fashions by at least two, if not three seasons. Then again, my girls are mere psychics and a rare gem in the fashion world, perhaps you've heard of them—the Posh sisters?" she added as she gave the judgmental girl a sly intimidating grin.

This caused the other woman to leave in a huff followed by her entourage. Kaylee heard the reader give a sigh of relief as her escort made his way over to the two.

"Sorry for that, Kaylee. I swear, the younger generation is getting more and more catty every time I make an appearance at these soirees…and I wonder how I remain calm around you guys when I rather just let it out with these shehui yuben de renlei (dimwits of society)," the petite of the two women said tiredly.

"At least you came here…why did you come again, dajie (big sister)?"

Before Cassie could reply, an older gentleman came over and whisked the mechanic away, talking to her in a low voice about the woman that just left. Cassie smiled, knowing that Kaylee would be better off with the group of gentleman that was in mid-discussion of best and worst ship parts. Knowing that the crisis was averted, Cassie glanced over at the dance floor. Seeing the look of want on his lover's face, he stepped in front of Cassie and held out his hand for her to take. He tilted his head and his eyebrows raised in question that Cassie took with a grin and a nod as she took his hand in hers. Leading her to the dance floor, he took a deep breath before leading the reader in the dance that everyone else was partaking. Cassie didn't know whether she should be shocked or surprised that Jayne was able to move smoothly with the music, but she didn't question it before she saw a brief flash of what was to come before fading out. Biting her lower lip, she looked up at Jayne, the unspoken words died in her throat. Jayne narrowed his eyes a bit before sighing.

"Go do what you do best, wo de ai (my love). Just be careful," he said as he stopped and kissed her knuckles.

Nodding, Cassie turned on her heel and glided over to where Atherton was grasping Inara's wrist in his hand a bit too tight for the reader's liking.

"Excuse me, she's not here with you, Captain. She's mine," the richer of the two men stated as Inara saw that Cassie was right behind Atherton.

"Yours? She doesn't belong to nobody," Mal replied as he too saw that his younger sister behind the ruder of the two men.

"Money changed hands, which makes her mine tonight. And no matter how you dress her up, she's still—"

But, Atherton didn't get to finish what he was saying before he got a tap on his shoulder. As he turned to shrug off whoever decided to interrupt him, Cassie delivered a mean right hook into his perfect cheek. He went down with an ungracefully crash, grasping his cheek with a hand. Cassie looked like she barely broke a sweat, let alone looked bored enough to those that didn't get to see her eyes burning with anger of a scorned woman.

"By the way, that's for calling Miss Annabeth a whore—her aunt was quite upset hearing that you were the one that slandered her good name," Cassie said, not phased by the gasps coming from those around the small group.

Atherton looked up, expecting to have been Mal that punched him, but was a bit taken back by a young woman that looked like Mal but with eyes of amethyst looking down at him with hate. He spat out the small amount of blood that formed in his mouth.

"I accept…granted you have a—"

"Oh, there's no need. After all, why ask a man to do a woman's job? Granted, I know that you're proficient with a sword…well, I have my second over there that can back up that I am also proficient with the way of the sword," Cassie said, pointing to Mathilda, who looked on with a slight grin at her mistress.

Atherton didn't know what to do, now that Cassie had shown her hand. But, to save his pride, he straighten up a bit once he was at his feet and nodded his head.

"Very well. Dawn?"

"What else? Sides, if rules didn't hold me back, I'd say now, but I have to abide to the laws of the duels itself," she said as she shrugged her shoulders.

A/N: Ok, sorry for last version-it wasn't done properly. So, please R+R and I'll try to get more chapters done before I end up going AWOL again. Thanks! -JO-