A/N: That fast enough for you BK?

Chapter 13

Jayne was ruttin' tired of waking up in his clothes. It was becomin' a habit lately. He winced, the arm that was under River and Inara was sound asleep. He smiled at the small woman snuggled up to his chest and kissed her on the forehead. It was amazin' that she even retained the capacity for sanity after all she had been through, never mind the surgeries.

Reaching over with his free hand he tugged Inara's dark curls back from her face and watched her sleep. Slowly, he slid his trapped arm out from under the women, stopping when they stirred and waiting for them to resettle. He bit back a curse of frustration when they shifted to snuggle into each other and he got a handful of breast. He quickly pulled his arm the rest of the way out while they were still settling.

He glared at them as he put his boots on. Ai Ya, someone somewhere was sure as dìyù laughing their pì gu off at him. Ta put him in a situation of havin' ta sleep with two beautiful women he couldn't touch. His face softened as he watched them, then frowned as he realized he had just thought of River as a beautiful woman.

"Ah, hell no!" He snarled softly as in his frustration he tried to stomp softly out of the shuttle.

Inara's eyes opened halfway at the snarl and she frowned, wondering what Jayne was upset about, then drifted back to sleep.

With the cold water of the shower pounding against his body, Jayne fumed. She wasn't a woman yet, not really. But then after hearing her story wasn't nobody gonna tell him she wasn't an adult. She hadn't been a child in a long time. An if she was an adult, she was a woman.

Well, didn't matter anyway. She weren't touchable no matter what she was. Damn near broke his heart to hear about her first time sexin'. He hoped that some day she'd be able to find someone she wanted to show her the pleasure in it. She'd said it weren't rape and maybe she was right but he'd an idea it'd hurt her more inside than she knew.

Trying to change where his thoughts were headed he thought about his shoulder. He needed to get his weight bench set back up today. He'd let it slide enough and now that he was needin' to rehab his arm, may as well get back into the swing of things. Sides he had a powerful lot of frustration he needed to burn off today. Probably for more than a few days ahead too.

Jayne dressed and headed out of his bunk to get some breakfast. As he stepped off the ladder, an angry voice cut through his thoughts.

"I couldn't find River last night," Simon stated coldly.

Jayne's hand dropped to his gun as he turned to look at Simon. "Best not be thinkin' a comin' at me again. Ain't got no patience left," Jayne said in his mildest growl.

Embarrassment caused Simon's face to flush but he retained his pugnacious attitude. "Zoe ordered me to let it go last night when I asked her if she had seen River, and I'm willing to hear your explanation. But I want that explanation now."

"Ain't got one other than we can't seem ta sleep apart." Jayne clarified, "All three of us and it's just sleeping. If'n ya want more you'll have ta wait for them to get up, could be one of them can explain better."

Simon's glare didn't waver. "I would appreciate it if you would wake them then."

"No." Jayne snarled.

Jayne interrupted Simon before he could sputter an angry response. "Ain't nothin' gonna change in an hour or however long it takes em' and I ain't wakin' them just cuz your panties are in a twist." Jayne knew he was pushin' Simon's buttons but he didn't care, the little fei fei de piyan had been a bigger pain than he was worth the last couple of days and Jayne was still more than a little pissed at havin' his shoulder sliced open. 'Sides for all that he was River's brother he needed to get the idea out of his head that he could be jerkin' her this way and that over what she did. Weren't rightly his business anymore.

Jayne disrupted Simon's attempt to stare him down, "Why'nt you head out where ever ya want to go, Doc, so I can be gettin' some food. Ain't much for havin' ya behind me right now."

Simon glared a few seconds more before he turned to head back to the infirmary. "Fine but this is not over yet." Simon hid a small smile, Jayne finally took him seriously. It was the first time he had expressed any concern at something Simon might do outside of the infirmary.

Jayne grunted, then took off towards the galley. "Reckon it ain't gonna be over for a long while."

Inara woke to find River sitting cross legged next to her in bed. She reached out to rub River's back, "Good morning, mei mei."

River started, then gave Inara a smile. "Morning."

"Must be some very deep thoughts going on for me to startle you like that." Inara raised her hands over her head, stretching and writhing like a cat. I think you and Jayne are going to have to leave some sleeping clothes up here. I am getting tired of sleeping in my regular clothes."

"You could have changed, neither of us would have minded." River grinned, "Especially Jayne."

Inara snickered, "Since no one was in a mood to go and get theirs it just didn't seem polite."

Inara got up and began her morning ablutions. "So? What were the deep thoughts about?"

River flopped down on her side with her head propped up by her hand. "They won't ever stop coming after me and if they ever find out about the three of us they will be after you two as well."

Inara stopped in mid-motion. "The Operative told Mal that all of the warrants have been canceled."

River shrugged one shoulder. "Doesn't matter. It is important of course, at least bounty hunters and the obvious representatives of the Alliance won't be after us, but unless The Operative killed everyone that participated or was willing to explore that type of research, there will still be those that are after me. He is certainly capable of killing them, but I doubt that he did. Every one of those scientists have invested their lives in 'making people better', they will find someone else to finance their experiments and the power my skills represent is a large inducement for them to attempt a shortcut to a return on their money. There is also the likelihood that some of the members of Parliament will find a way to restart the program under a different budget."

Inara finished slipping her dress on and sat down to do her hair and makeup while she thought about River's statements. Inara was quite politically aware. Not just of the outward politics but of how powerful people worked behind the scenes and River was simply stating facts. There were a great number of people that knew about River and many may be unemployed if the Academy really had been shut down. At least some of them would provide that information to new employers. It wouldn't be surprising if more than one group would be interested in acquiring her services.

She wondered if the project were truly shut down or if it had simply lost its funding. She hadn't considered that distinction before. Often government contractors would continue lines of research in the hopes of making a breakthrough that would put them back on the government payroll. River's stability in light of their bond would definitely constitute such a breakthrough.

She caught River's eye in the mirror. "I guess we'll just have to make sure we are prepared for anything won't we."

As she considered her finished look in the mirror she realized that she had used much less makeup than was at all normal for her. By her standards she barely had any on at all.

She saw River in the mirror watching her. "Would you like me to do your hair, mei mei?"

River's grin was blinding, "Very much!" She jumped off of the bed and nearly danced her way over to take Inara's seat. "Having my hair brushed is one of my greatest pleasures."

As she gently and thoroughly brushed out River's tangled mess of hair Inara watched as River looked at herself in the mirror. She became concerned when River's gaze became more focused and a small furrow appeared between her eyebrows.

When Inara asked her if she would like to have her makeup done as well, River realized she was sorting through Inara's makeup. She waited as Inara completed the thick braid. She then leaned forward and with a few deft twitches of her wrist and fingertips she changed the face in the mirror. The colors were not quite as she wished so she dipped her fingertips into other colors and blended them directly on the existing colors.

Inara gaped at the transformation, while seemingly such a small thing, the skill level required to make such a dramatic change so quickly was enormous. The young woman in the mirror now looked about five years older and the effect was stunningly sensual. While River had told them she was trained in such things, Inara had not really acknowledged in herself the level of training that was likely. She, with all of her knowledge and experience, could not have improved on the color choice or rapidity of the application. This was not done by rote.

After meeting Inara's eyes in the mirror, River again leaned forward. Using a cleansing cloth, she deftly removed some and added others. The result was much more like herself, a little cuter and less childlike but without the drastic change.

Inara backed up and sat on the bed stunned. Where Jayne had been forced to acknowledge the sort of person River was at the Maidenhead and again when the blast doors opened, Inara did not have the background in violence to fully appreciate the vast difference between River's skill level and others.

Doing makeup at that level of expertise was on par with fine art. Inara recalled the offhand way River had described her training in seduction, as if it were among the very least of her skills and this was probably the least of those skills. Inara forced herself to reevaluate the young woman in front of her. Despite all she had been told and seen of her, it was necessary to admit that she hadn't been giving River her full due. She blushed at how she tended to think of the young woman.

She wondered if Jayne understood.

"Yes." River stated unequivocally. "For some reason, Jayne understands perfectly well what I am. Sometimes, I think, better than I do."

"Do you always listen in on people?" Inara inquired without rancor.

River gave her a small grin, "These days, primarily when I am trying to explain something. There is no need for embarrassment, you have understood much easier than any but Jayne ever will. Most will only see the package." She held out her hands displaying her petite form and giving Inara an impish, girly grin.

Inara returned the grin and went to take River in her arms. "Well, that is a mistake I don't intend to make again."

"These last few weeks, from the time The Operative arrived at the Guild training house, have shown me that I am woefully unprepared for what might be coming our way. I will need a great deal of training." Inara said.

River pulled back to look up at Inara. "Jayne will help. The sum of the three will be much greater than any one of us alone."

Jayne was sitting on his weight bench resting from getting it set back up. His bad shoulder wasn't quite up to heavy usage and the bench was awkward to move around one handed. Normally he would have just pushed through and used the bad arm but that might a sent him back to Simon and he wanted to avoid that for awhile yet. He figured another day and he could start getting it back into shape.

At the sound of cheerful voices he turned to see his women headed down the catwalk toward him. He pondered the thought, 'his women', it was a mite discomforting how ... comfortin' he found the thought. Didn't even mean it in a sexin' manner.

"Simon find you yet?" He asked when they stopped in front of him. "He's bein' kinda streaky, guess he figured out we was all sleepin' together last night. Told him it was just sleepin' but..." Jayne shrugged.

They shook their heads. "No. But we came to discuss training with you." River said.

"Watcha mean?"

Inara gave Jayne an overview of River's thoughts regarding the people that may still come after them.

"The better we can each protect ourselves and fight together the safer we will be." River concluded.

"Makes sense." Jayne agreed. "You know anything about fighting?" Jayne asked Inara.

"Well, until I came out into the black on this ship I would have said I was fairly well versed." Inara said depreciatingly. "But from your stand point I would have to say, not much. And even less about firearms."

"Ya know plenty about usin' that bow of yours, thats a start and ya got the temperament for it. Ya know, stayin' calm and doin' what needs." Jayne said thoughtfully.

Inara flushed with unexpected pleasure at his approval. His very next comment dissipated the pleasure immediately.

"Gonna have ta do something about yer body though, ain't in much shape for it."

She stood stunned. NO ONE had ever in Inara's life implied that her body was anything less than perfect. The heat of anger quickly replaced the flush of approval.

Flustered at the expression on the ex-Companion's face, Jayne rushed to clarify. "Ain't sayin' yer not, well I mean ... ain't sayin' anything about how ya look," and feel, Jayne added to himself. "Just saying ya need some toughening is all."

Once past her initial reaction to having her body criticized, Inara knew Jayne was correct. "It fine, Jayne, I understand. I just..."

He smirked, "You just ain't used to having anyone criticize ya, and for good reason too."

Oh, fēng le shăguā, she felt herself flush again at the obvious approval in his voice and eyes. She was going to have to get a grip on herself.

"I'm sure you can put together an exercise program to put my body to rights easily enough." She gave him a knowing grin that changed to one of delight at the pole-axed expression on his face. It was quite obvious where his mind had gone.

River watched the interplay with interest. "Time to end the undercurrents, a streaky ge ge approaches."

Jayne growled at having to deal with Simon yet again and made as if to get up.

"Should stay. We should speak to him whole, not as fragments. He has other questions as well." River commented.

Jayne groaned and sat back down. "'Spect we should at that."

The three turned to watch for Simon's approach.

Simon slowed his determined approach when he saw the three looking at him. Although their expressions couldn't be described as the same, there was an eerie similarity to their gazes. He stopped in front of them.

"I imagine Jayne has informed you of my ... less than pleased attitude regarding the sleeping arrangements. He indicated that one of you," his gaze moved from Inara to River, "might be able to be more forthcoming about why it is necessary."

"Jayne was unable to explain more because it wasn't until last night that I was able to make reasonable deductions as to the cause." River explained. "When we sleep is when we heal and the close proximity is needed for that process."

"Heal?" Simon questioned. "You say that as though you were all healing, I had understood this to be about you, not so much healing I guess, but using parts of their brain to stabilize yourself."

"You have this image of me in your mind as broken. The thing you fail to acknowledge is that everyone is broken, Simon. You, the captain, Zoe, Kaylee, even those not part of our crew. Everyone. And while your assumption was accurate, it was accurate only to a point. Of course that is not your fault as I did not have as much information to give you as I do now."

"Does that mean that the link will fade when you are better?" Simon couldn't keep the hopeful tone from his voice.

"You forget that part of my damage is physical. I will always require support for those functions." River held his gaze. "It may not be easy for you to do, but you must let go of your need for the link to go away. You will only harm yourself and us as well." River's voice held a hint of pleading.

Simon winced inwardly as he realized he had let his emotions cause him to forget that one crucial point.

Turning to Inara he said, "While I don't like this ... arrangement, I see that I can't effect it; however, I would like your word that nothing inappropriate will occur." His gaze flickered to Jayne and back.

Inara placed her hand on Jayne's shoulder causing his anger at Simon's obvious thought he would do something wrong to River, to bleed away before he had even registered it's presence. She knew she had two choices. She could agree and then down the road argue the meaning of 'appropriate' should something happen between Jayne and River. After all no one would be surprised if her definition of 'appropriate' wasn't consistent with theirs. Or she could make it plain that it was not and never would be up to Simon.

She decided that it was more compassionate to be clear now. "I understand why you want this agreement but I can't give it to you." She pressed on, ignoring his outraged expression. "Not because anything other than sleeping is occurring, simply because we don't know what is in store for us. There may never be a reason for things to go that direction. Or things may change and it might be absolutely necessary to the link." Her eyes crinkled with a light humor. "Promising you anything would be similar to my telling clients when I will arrive with Mal in charge of the ship. Of no value at all."

Simon's anger at her refusal was blunted by her analogy. He restrained the chuckle that arose into a snort of agreement. Shaping his face back into a stern expression, he attempted to force the issue again. He was becoming very frustrated at having some intangible thing thrown in his face every time he tried to nail things down to some sort of expectation.

"I just..."

Jayne interrupted, overcome with an unexpected compassion for Simon, "Look, Doc, I ain't too happy with your insinuation that I'd do something wrong by River, but I'll tell ya this. Ain't a gorram thing gonna happen that ain't sussed out pretty thorough between the three of us. Won't be on the spur a the moment, won't be unimportant and it won't be hurtful." Jayne considered what had come to him to say. Seemed Inara-like in it's meanin'.

Simon was rocked back on his mental heels by Jayne's simple statement. He had addressed precisely the concerns Simon had about the situation. The pain in Jayne's eyes caught his attention. Simon's eyes flew to River.

"Something happened to her." He stated flatly. "Mei Mei, what happened?"

River dropped her head forward, forgetting that her hair was in a braid and couldn't shield the pain on her face from Simon. She shook her head.

Inara drew Simon around to face her. When he refused to turn his head away from River, she held his chin with her fingertips and forced him to look at her. "There are things about her experiences that, for now, will only be between the three of us. They serve no purpose for others and in truth would hurt you too much to know."

"I deserve..." Simon began.

Again, it was Jayne that interrupted. "No. No you don't." Jayne waved off Simon's burgeoning anger and his eyes glazed into a thousand yard stare. "Ain't sayin' that in a mean way. You know how much I dislike you, Doc, but mean as I am, I'd shoot you before I'd put that on you."

His eyes softened as Inara squeezed his shoulder and he took River into his lap, folding his arms around her. "Shhhh, ain't no call ta be sorry. We had to know." He muttered to her as he stroked her hair and kissed her softly on the top of her head. He returned his gaze to Simon.

Simon winced as a stab of pain and not a little jealousy shot through him when River sought the comfort from Jayne that a short time ago would have brought her to him.

Inara knelt at Jayne's side and wrapped one arm around his back, then taking Simon's hand, she pulled him down next to her near River. Inara wrapped her arm around him including him in the shared hug.

At Inara's look, Jayne loosened his embrace of River, giving Simon access to her. Simon touched his sister gently on the back and she released her hold on Jayne's neck, twisting to grab him. As she hugged him, he wondered at the warmth he felt, beginning to have just a mere inkling of what was developing between the three. Then he lost himself in holding his beloved sister.

Zoe stood in the doorway to the cargo bay watching. For once there were no Alliance repair people running around as they didn't have anything more to do until the new thruster arrived. She and Kaylee had spent the morning running tests on the internal systems.

After they had finished the tests, she had gone to see Simon in the infirmary and check on Mal. Not finding Simon she had headed to the bay to see what the rest of the crew were doing. Despite the pervading numbness that gripped her, she found herself shocked once again by the unlikely trio.

Not wishing to intrude, or more accurately, she admitted to herself, not wishing to deal with an emotional scene, she turned back. She reckoned that scene would have silenced even her man. Tears filled her eyes as she imagined his jaw dropped in shock. Well not silenced, but he would have sputtered a good long while. Only one thing had managed to silence him.

Jayne let them cry for awhile. Then, as the tears subsided to sniffles, his discomfort at all the emotion came out. He pushed at them gently. "Ok, enough of this go se, injured man here, gerrof me," He growled.

River snickered, "Jayne's patience is at an end, violence to come shortly." She kissed Simon on the nose. "Love you, ge ge."

Simon kissed her back, "Love you too, mei mei."

Jayne groaned and pushed at them again.

Chuckling, Simon let go of his sister and stood, offering his hand to help Inara up.

"I guess I'll have to let this go." He looked at Jayne. If he hadn't experienced it himself he would have never believed it within Jayne's capacity to be caring. "I can barely believe I'm saying this but it seems you have convinced me of your good intentions." He couldn't resist one last barb. "Just don't forget what they say about that."

Jayne frowned in confusion.

"I have one last request. I would like to begin documenting the changes in this ... link, for want of a better term. Subject it to a somewhat scientific observation with some testing so that I can develop an idea of what is happening between you."

"Aw, Hell No." Jayne exploded. "Ain't no way in hell we're gonna turn this into some sort of experiment. Not for any of us, but especially not for River! She's been treated like an experiment long enough as it is."

Simon was shocked by Jayne's vehement response. He had expected some resistance but nothing so strong. Surprisingly, he was also relieved to see that although the laws of nature had evidently wobbled enough to allow Jayne to accept the emotional scene just past, they hadn't been contravened completely.

He had, however, managed to learn from his experiences of the last few days and he restrained his impulse to respond angrily at Jayne for implying he was in any way similar to the animals that had had River. He understood that the only way to counter Jayne's refusal would be to get River on his side.

"Please, mei mei. I understand how this could be uncomfortable for you, but I would think that if anyone could see the benefit of having benchmarks that allowed you to see the changes, not just feel them, you could." He allowed a pleading note into his voice, "Also, you have asked me to let go of my negative feelings for the link. I am willing to try and do that, but I need something tangible to look at in order to do so. I can't just throw my arms up and say 'everything is fine' simply because I'm told it is.

River examined his face. "We will need to discuss this before we can answer. We will let you know later."

"Ain't nothin' to discuss." Jayne stated with finality, crossing his arms and clenching his jaw in his best mulish look.

Unfortunately, he looked, to the women at least, more like a little boy pouting and they had to be very careful to not look at each other for fear of bursting into laughter.

Never one to let something go even if it looked good for what he wanted, Simon pushed. "Later today?"

She rolled her eyes at him. "Later, Simon, but not too long."

Simon looked at her as if trying to will the outcome of the discussion, then nodded. "I suppose I should check on the captain."

After Simon was out of earshot, Jayne, who hadn't missed their hidden mirth, glared at the two women. "Can tell already I'm gonna be wrong. Can't hardly ever be right with one woman, with two I ain't never gonna be right again am I?"

"Well," Inara said consideringly, "I suppose we could let you be right once every, oh, lets say fifth Thursday of the month." Inara and River's eyes met as they gave in to their mirth.

"Well, bein' wrong ain't never been something I let change my mind. I'm tellin' ya now, we ain't doin' it!" Jayne tried to growl, but the sight of them laughing, even if it was at him, was just too nice to maintain the necessary mood for proper growling. Ai ya, they were gonna turn him into a wimp. His mood softened even further. He'd never won an argument with Nettie and Sarah when the teamed up on him either.

"Jayne, I am reluctant myself but Simon has a point. It will be very useful to have an outside view of what changes occur. It can get very difficult to be objective about things happening to one's self." River explained.

Inara added, "We will also benefit if there appear to be any ... well, abilities, I guess. Such as reading each other or other people. I think a person such as Simon would be uniquely helpful for our development."

Jayne started at Inara's comment. It was one aspect of the link he hadn't considered very far.

Noticing Jayne's reaction and River's sudden heightened focus, she shrugged. "I only mention it because there were moments during that conversation where I could have sworn I knew what Simon was thinking. And, Jayne, you spoke to him and said, in your own words, exactly what I would have suggested, if I could have."

Jayne nodded, still frowning but his scowl much lessened. "I think I know when ya mean. I thought at the time it felt like somethin' you'd say."

Jayne released a huge sigh showing just how put upon he felt. "Alright, but he's gotta have some limits, man can be a right hai chong when he's got something under his skin. Ain't gonna have him natterin' at me all hours of the day." His scowl was back now that he had an argument he could sink his teeth into.

River grinned sympathetically. "Yes he is, he has followed me into the shower without realizing when he had something he wanted to talk about."

"How about 30 minutes a day? For discussions that is." Inara suggested. Then quickly added when Jayne's expression lightened. "With each of us."

Jayne's face fell at the modification. He'd thought ten minutes each was about right. His face found it's way back into a familiar grimace. "I 'spose that would be ok, but I ain't givin' him one second more. And I don't want him following me all over the place to do his observin'."

River nodded her agreement. "If we find there is something specific we wish his help with, we can ask him for more time. It isn't as though he will refuse. And while he can observe us as a natural part of us being around him, no following. I wish to take my showers in private."

Inara laughed and Jayne snorted, "Gorram right."

"I will inform him." River kissed Jayne on the cheek then stood from his lap and hugged Inara, kissing her cheek as well. "Thank you for including him, it meant more than you imagine to both of us."

When River released her and left to find Simon, Inara's hand unconsciously drifted down to sit on the nape of Jayne's neck. He stifled a groan and closed his eyes when her fingers began to tangle with his hair.

"Have you seen Kaylee today?" Inara asked him, finally noticing what her fingers were doing. Smiling at his closed eyes, she tugged on his shoulders getting him to turn his back to her.

"Naw." He groaned as she tangled her hand more firmly in his hair and gave a gentle tug. She then smoothed the hair down and began kneading his neck. She gave in more completely and let her hands explore his neck, tracing his collarbone out to the tips of his broad shoulders while being careful of his wound.

Fisting her hand in his hair she tugged his head back against her and placed a gentle kiss on his forehead. "I think I'll go check on her. I haven't seen her yet today and I doubt that is a good thing. I have a feeling Simon is not paying attention to anything but us right now."

Jayne shivered as she walked away. That had seemed promising. He frowned. But then again maybe not. River had kissed them both before she left so it might a been the same. He growled to himself. Waitin' to see what stuff meant wasn't his way. He went with what was in front of him and let things work themselves out later if he was wrong. He shook his head and ran his hand over his face. Only time he ever had any patience was hunting. He'd have to look on it as hunting. Ya didn't chase the game to get it if you could help it. Had to wait for it to come to you. After all, he couldn't afford to be wrong about this.