Chapter 21

Jayne

If he'd had his way River wouldn't be going anywhere near Serenity. But he'd been around long enough to know that he wasn't going to always get his way. Hell, he was lucky to get his way a quarter of the time. Worked out fine, considering there was four of them. It was when what River called 'outside events' interfered that his way, her way and everyone else's but the enemy's way went by the wayside.

This was one of the times that nobody was going to quite get their own way. Badger had been irritated as a drunken skunk that Mal had kidnapped one of their crew. Especially when said crew had a job from him that needed doing and were in the habit of getting things done in a timely and profitable fashion with a minimum of fuss.

River had explained the issue and Jayne's idea of blackballing Serenity. Badger had really liked that idea, proclaiming that he knew River had kept Jayne around for more than his hulking good looks. Jayne got the impression that Badger was ready to pretty much cut all connections with Mal no matter what.

"What's wrong with the man?" Badger wanted to know as they walked through the darkness of the docks towards Serenity. "Liu kou shui de biao zi he hou zi de ben er zi. Someone ought to yank that stick out of his arse and beat him about the head with it."

"That's plan B," Jayne told him with a smirk.

Badger chuckled, "Wish I could keep you folks around more. I do have the best time when you're here."

"You just like screwin' with Mal," Jayne did a walking double-check of his weapons and put his eyes on River once again. Riddick was walking soundlessly behind them, while River was walking slightly ahead of Badger and his men. If he hadn't trusted Riddick implicitly it might have made Jayne a bit nervous to have him at their backs. The man was ready to kill anyone who kept him from getting to Jack. Not that Jayne could blame him. Mal had really gone too far this time.

"It cannot be denied that I do savor these moments," The little kingpin was grinning ear to ear from the sound of his voice. Serenity loomed over them in the shadows of the docks at night. Her lights were on but she was utterly still and Jayne figured Kaylee and Wash hadn't been able to fix whatever Riddick had done.

Badger rapped on Serenity's hull with the walking stick he'd decided to affect and stepped back. The ramp lowering spilled gold light over the ground, outlining River's slender figure along with the short crime boss and the much larger silhouettes or Jayne, Riddick and Badger's men. "Halooo…" Badger called in a way that was guaranteed to get Mal's goat. "Might I trouble you for the cargo I've bought and paid for?"

"Yeah, yeah," Mal came striding forward only to stop dead at the sight of River in front of all the men. "River."

"Came to retrieve my sister," River told him coldly. She turned and looked at the shadow that was Riddick, "She's in my old bunk, awake, unharmed. The merc is still in the infirmary. Simon is there too."

Jayne watched as Riddick moved in a soundless run up the ramp, the only acknowledgement he gave Mal was a snarl of fury. Moments later Simon squawked an unhappy and then pained protest; there was a loud thump and crash that sounded like a fist and then instruments falling to the deck. The scent of rich blood filled the air.

Jayne kept his eyes on Mal and River. Mal scarcely knew which way to turn, though Simon's noise did get him glancing backwards for a moment. It wasn't even five minutes before Riddick came back out just as quickly, Jack in his arms. He set her on her feet once they were safely off Serenity. "You ever touch my woman again and I'll kill every last one of you."

Simon came limping out, fury in every line of his body, his lip was bloody and his eye was already beginning to bruise, "You yú chǔn zì jiāo de dà zi ròu… He…" He finally stopped sputtering and got the words out, "Marcus is dead."

"And you're lucky you aren't," River informed him flatly. "I am not yours. I'm well past the legal age considered the threshold of adulthood. I choose to partner with Jayne. And Rick and Jack. You have nothing to say about it. And if you come after me or any of my friends again Simon, I will kill you."

"You—"

He didn't get more than one word out before River cut him off, "I'd be sad to do it. And sorry for hurting Kaylee and leaving Serenity without a doctor. But if it gives me my freedom I'll do it."

"Your freedom, River, you belong here," Mal sounded hurt, actually hurt that she used that word.

"What'd ya expect Mal?" Jayne shook his head, "You an' Simon always tellin' her what to do, what she can' an' cain't do, no real job, ain't allowed out, don't even let her have her own guns. Why don't you just dose her up with the Pax and she'll stay right where you put her."

That hit Mal like a blow to the throat and he took a step back. "No, that ain't…"

"That is what you were doing," River was clear and crisp and unflinching. "You don't respect me. You were happy enough to use my abilities, my skills, but you have no respect for me as a person. As an independent woman. The Operative had more respect for me than you do. Nǐ dào dǐ dǒng bù dǒng?"

"River!" Kaylee caught sight of her friend and raced forward, hugging the shorter girl happily. "Oh I'm so glad ta see ya! You find another boat yet? Makin' good money? Wash said you'd land on your feet ya know."

Jayne chuckled, "Kaylee, you might wanna let her breathe there."

Kaylee blinked and let go of River to fling herself at him and he barely got his gun out of the way before she wrapped her arms around his middle. "Jayne! I missed ya! Waves ain't the same ya know? How's Mattie? An' yer brothers?"

"They're fine," Jayne rubbed her back. "But we're in the middle a something here. Might be you wanna get out of the line of fire?"

"Oh," Kaylee finally noticed the guns and squeaked, pulling back and heading for the stairs where she wouldn't be hit by a stray bullet should gunfire commence.

"Kaylee has no trouble seeing me as a person. An adult," River commented.

"Well you done beat me at my own game," Mal rubbed his face tiredly. "Don't got much choice but to let you go since you got all manner of pistols aimed at me."

"I got no need to beat you Mal," River turned his own words on him. "I just wanna go my way."

He paled and Jayne knew she'd finally hit a nerve, made him understand. "I see." He stood aside, "Badger, those four crates are the ones you want."

Badger, whose smile had not faded one bit since the conversation began, beckoned his men forward and observed as they carried the crates out of Serenity's hold, but didn't turn to leave when two of his men began to cart the goods away.

"You can go on and get off my boat now Badger," Mal's voice was tight.

"I don't think so Mal. See, I'm a witness," Badger folded his arms.

"A witness?" Simon's voice rose incredulously. "To what? This lunacy?"

"No," Jayne stepped forward and River took a step back so they were side by side. "No, Badger's here so you'll know we're serious. You don't stop comin' after River, doin' things like kidnappin' Jack trying to get to River, you'll be blackballed."

He watched as Mal went a shade or three paler as he took Jayne's meaning. Simon didn't get it though, "Gao yang jong duh goo yang—"

"Bì zuǐ," Mal snapped. "You got no notion what you're talkin' on so look to your mouth."

Badger nodded, "You see, I like this crew. I can count on 'em. And when you start kidnapping people because you want someone back on your boat, well there's all sortsa folk would take it amiss. So you, Malcolm Reynolds, will either leave this crew alone, or I will spread the word to everyone I know, talk to, breath on or have heard of, that you can't be counted on to do a job. You won't be able to get work rustling cats."

"Didn't want to do this," River said quietly. "Hoped to be able to have a conversation. To go my own way."

"Yeah," Mal nodded. "That won't be needful. Don't never let it be said I cain't learn from my own mistakes. We won't be trying to cage you again."

"But—" Simon just had to say something.

"Enough," Mal stared at him. The snap of command in his voice brought Simon up short and Mal's gaze returned to River. "You're always gonna be welcome here. Jayne you too… even if I do think she could do miles better."

"Well yeah, I know that Mal," Jayne rolled his eyes. "But I ain't dumb enough to argue with a genius about what she wants. She'd talk me in circles an' I'd end up doin' it anyway."

Mal gave a short bark of a laugh and shook his head, "Ain't that the truth."

Wash picked that moment to come down the stairs and grinned happily when he saw the two of them, "River, Jayne! Figured you two'd wave, not come visitin'."

"We ain't strictly," Jayne shrugged and Wash took in the guns that were slowly being holstered.

"I can see that." He nodded, his steps slowing. "Are we all friends again?" His gaze flicked up to Zoe who'd been silently holding her gun on the group at the doors, her position on the catwalk a perfect snipers perch.

"We're peaceable," Mal told him. "Friendly's somethin' we'll work towards." He looked back at the infirmary, "Was killin' my gunhand really needful?"

"Marcus is dead?" Wash blinked, "Huh. Wonder why I'm not more upset about that…"

"Because he was a merc," Riddick's voice was a low rumble of thunder, promises of destruction in his tone. "An' sooner or later, when price was right, he'd've turned on all of you."

"The creed is greed," Jack's voice was softer but no less certain.

"That must be why," Wash nodded agreeably and looked at his captain. "So we're all done with the hostage taking and unlawful kidnappings?"

"Yeah I'd say that was a bad notion from start to finish," Mal scrubbed at his chin with his hand.

"Well," Badger chuckled and threw Mal a sardonic salute, "Ta for a lovely evenin' then." He strode off with his remaining man whistling a jaunty tune.

"I really really hate that man," Mal remarked in an aggrieved tone.

"He ain't too fond of you neither Mal," Jayne rolled his eyes.

"Jayne, I'm takin' Jack back to the boat," Riddick sounded as if he was losing patience and Jayne couldn't blame him.

"Yeah we'll be right along," He nodded and watched as Riddick carried his sweetheart away.

River

She wished that she was surprised by Simon's intractable certainty that she wasn't well and belonged where he could safely control her every move. When he got an idea in his head there was no budging it. In some cases, it was a good thing, his belief that she was being harmed at the Academy had led him to move heaven and earth in order to get her out.

He'd given up everything to save her. And now she was behaving in an ungrateful fashion and demanding a life of her own as if she owed him nothing. "Should go back to Osiris," She murmured. A glance at Kaylee and her lack of reaction told the Reader that the romance between the doctor and engineer was either over or on the rocks. Apparently, Kaylee hadn't been exactly happy with how Simon was behaving lately. "Take back your life now that your name is cleared."

"That's…" Simon frowned. "Who will take care of you? You're not safe to be on your own. You're not stable."

"Simon, she's well enough to take care of herself," Kaylee stood up for her friend. "She's been earnin' a wage and makin' her way ever since she left. An' she's got Jayne to take care of her if she needs it."

"Yes Jayne, the ape man gone wrong thing," Simon sneered.

"You know I don't like you talkin' like that 'bout someone's my friend," Kaylee told him firmly. "Jayne ain't any worse than any other gunhand I've met an' he's a darn sight better than some. Anybody with eyes could see he practically worships the ground River walks on. An' if you don't think Jayne's good enough for River then I don't see how you'd ever think I'm good enough for you."

River tilted her head thoughtfully, Reading her brother and her friend, "Educable." She pronounced finally. Kaylee looked at her, forehead wrinkling and River elaborated, "Thinks that you're smart enough to be taught, proper behavior, how to be a lady. Doesn't think Jayne is."

"There ain't nothin' wrong with how I behave," Kaylee stared at her boyfriend who was shifting uncomfortably.

"Of course not, you're just…" Simon trailed off as he realized he was about to make things worse.

"I'm just a country bumpkin, no schoolin', no manners, wears a dress from a store like it's the best thing ever," Kaylee told him. "An' I like who I am. If you think I oughta change then you must not like me as much as you think."

Simon shook his head, "I don't think you have to change. I just…if you wanted to, you're…you're smart enough that you could."

Kaylee shook her head, "I think maybe you oughta sleep in your own bunk tonight. And for a few more nights until you figure out what you really want. Stop bein' so gorram bái mù." She moved towards River and hugged her again, "You wave me, let me know how you're doin', an' you too Jayne."

River nodded solemnly, "You and Wash ought to check the wiring leading from the bridge to the engine. And then look at the landing gear."

Kaylee stopped and stared at her a moment and shook her head with a laugh, "I'll do that."

"How'd you know what the problem was?" Wash asked curiously.

"Because Rick followed Mal and the others when they took Jack," Jayne smirked. He looked at Mal, "I'm quiet. But that man's a ghost an' ain't no one can touch him in the dark. He got on board an' you ain't ever seen him. Knows how to cripple a ship permanent if he wants, not just untwist a few wires."

"Sonofa—" Mal shook his head. "This is not my best day ever."

"Said that before," River giggled. "When the girl was in the box still." She looked over at Jayne, "But she isn't a girl anymore. And the box isn't needed."

"No," Mal nodded. "No it ain't."

She smiled up at him and waved to Wash and Kaylee. "Will wave soon. Next time we are close, maybe show you our boat."

She walked back down the ramp and Jayne's arm wrapped around her shoulders in warm heavy comfort. "Ought to wave your brother, let him know Serenity needs a gunhand."

"Should I tell him to change his name?" Jayne grinned at her.

"Leigh is a perfectly good name," River smirked. "Just shouldn't tell them how its spelled."

Jack and Riddick were waiting with very little patience at the ramp of their own boat and the minute they were on board the ship closed behind them. "Badger waved, said if we didn't mind waiting an hour he'd have about six people needed a ride to Pacquin."

"Got enough bunks for 'em," Jayne nodded. "I don't mind the wait. Gives us a minute or two, wind down."

River grinned at him Reading just how he intended to wind down. His teasing leer at her legs simply emphasized his thoughts as he chased her up the stairs.

He didn't quite tackle her to the bed but he did shut the door firmly behind him and press her to the mattress with his body. She could Read that he thought watching her hold a gun on someone was easily the sexiest thing in the 'verse. And wondering if maybe later she'd like to play a round of Core Lady meets the Gun Hand.

Kissing him was a wonder all its own, and knowing he never intended to leave her, would follow her anywhere, was the most soothing knowledge in the 'verse. Her big man might be uncouth at times and occasionally ill-mannered but he had a good heart. He was easily twice her size if he was an inch but he'd never put a bruise on her that she hadn't begged for. Their first time together had hurt he was so large but he'd made sure that was the only time she'd ever hurt when they were together. His mouth and hands had made certain she'd enjoyed the before and after, even if the middle had been uncomfortable.

She'd have thought with all her dancing and fighting that she wouldn't have much of any sort of barrier. Not to mention Jayne's fingers which she'd learned to enjoy a great deal before they'd consummated their relationship completely. But apparently fingers and stretching weren't the same as a diǎo invading her body and filling her in ways that nothing could prepare her for. He'd been so careful, so worried he'd tear her, she'd finally told him to do it all at once, his fears invading her mind.

When she'd put it to him like that he'd nodded and begun to play with her all over again, bringing her fall again and again until she was wet and aching to be filled. He'd brought her knees up and spread her thighs so she was completely exposed before he'd pushed home, shocking her with how it felt. She'd gasped and squirmed and tried to get away but his hips had pinned hers to the bed and he'd kissed her hungrily, moving in and out of her until he fell and she was gasping and surprised it was over.

She'd thought he would roll off of her and cuddle her but he'd pushed himself up, balancing on his elbows and stayed right where he was, sheathed inside her, kissing her and playing with her breasts until she was moaning for him again. His diǎo had begun to swell inside her, hot and hard and it hadn't hurt this time, his fingers found her yīn dì and began to stroke and tease it until her hips were rolling against his and she was straining for release.

When she found it, when her Jayne gave it to her, his own following with a long groan of pleasure she'd nearly blacked out from the pleasure of it. Ever since then Jayne had been proving over and over that he would take care of her in every way she needed. Even if it was some way she hadn't thought of.

When they emerged from their room she was tousled and relaxed, the tension she'd been carrying since seeing Simon and the rest of Serenity's crew eased. Riddick was on the bridge laying in a course and Jack was on the couch with a book. "Better?" Jack gave her a teasing glance and her eyes flicked to the door of their bedroom. "You wear him out?"

River giggled, "Not quite. He's waving his brother. Serenity's going to need a gunhand and Leigh isn't far away."

"They could use another doctor too," Jack commented putting her book down. "Don't think your brother is going to last long without Kaylee making excuses for him."

"Didn't think so," River shook her head. "He was always at home on Osiris. At the hospital. He fit in there in a way I never did. This was always the life I was meant for."

"We would have wound up where we are, one way or another," Jack agreed. "Long as we're with them, does it really matter?"

She shook her head, "No. Details are irrelevant."

"Yeah, well six 'details' are going to want bunks in about ten minutes," Jack reminded her. "We'd better make sure every bunk has bedding in case some of them don't want to share."

"Hmm… and we need to check the armory and restock our explosives. Used the bulk of them on the Necromongers." River nodded, heading down to the cargo deck.

"Thought Jayne would like that," Jack called down after her. "He loves the armory."

"What're you talkin' about?" Jayne's voice was slightly puzzled. "What's River got to do with guns? 'Sides the combination o' the two bein' sexy as hell."

Jack's laugh followed River down to the cargo deck.

Author's Note: So Mal's been made to see sense even if Simon hasn't yet. Sometimes the Captain just needs a very pointed reminder that other people have different perspectives regarding his actions. I didn't want a huge gunfight or even screaming, to my mind River is intelligent enough to make her point without excess volume. People who talk quietly tend to be heard more because others are forced to listen.

Chinese Translations:

yú chǔn zì jiāo de dà zi ròu (stupid inbred sack of meat)

Nǐ dào dǐ dǒng bù dǒng (Do you get it or not? Can you get it through your skull?)

Bì zuǐ (Shut up!)

bái mù (stupid / Lit. white-eyed, blind / not understanding the situation and reacting in a wrong way as a result)

diǎo (cock)

yīn dì (clitoris)

Chinese Script Translations:

Liu kou shui de biao zi he hou zi de ben er zi (script- Stupid son of a drooling whore and monkey)

Gao yang jong duh goo yang (Script- Motherless goats of all motherless goats)