Rubble Rayne chapter 5

Maybe he'd been possessed.

Yeah that was it. What other explanation could there be for all the crazy, illogical things he found himself doing?

All night he'd tossed and turned, trying to keep images of her out of his mind. But it was futile. A dam had broken and let loose a flood. Rivers eyes, her smile, that lithe willowy body of hers.

When he was finally granted the mercy of sleep, it was almost morning. Then, on waking, the first thing that entered the mercs head was her.

He had to get a handle on this situation, find a way to rewind all them foolish decisions he'd been making and get things back to normal.

Jayne dragged himself up off the bed and climbed wearily out of his quarters.

The galley was empty. It seemed he'd slept in a little.

He grabbed some protein and a coffee then wandered through the ship towards the cargo bay. Maybe a workout would untangle his messed up, misfiring brain; lifting normally gave him clarity, something he needed dearly. With any luck, she'd be sneaking around some place else.

There are two kinds of luck: good luck and bad luck. Seemed Jayne couldn't remember a time when he'd had anything but the latter.

Cobbs chest tightened as he spied her playing horseshoes, laughing and joking with Kaylee, Augustus and her brother.

He was just edging backwards, about to turn tail, head back to his bunk, when he heard a jangling, rattling wheeze at his side.

"Now, my fathers name was Quentin," Millicent said whilst sucking vigorously on a peppermint candy, "He was big like you, had dark hair like you too."

The merc feigned interest as best he could, "Hmm." He didn't disrespect kindly old lady's. At least not ones that carried round such nice shiny hardware.

"Used to like to carve his own pipes" Jayne raised an eyebrow in mock interest, "Hmm," he said again, nodding his head vaguely.

He was busy watching the game. Something most unnerving was going on.

Augustus had his arms around River, getting close, under the false pretence of instructing the girl on how to throw a horseshoe.

She clearly didn't need no help. Cobb squinted, slimy, no good, low down...

"My great aunt Petunia, on the other hand, used to like to chew her tobacco,"

Jayne nodded again, "Hmm," He said absently, frowning.

The boy was talking nineteen to the dozen, and crazy was listening, keenly. They were smiling and joking and having a real good time.

What in the verse could they be talking about?

"I never liked the stuff myself, smoking or chewing. I prefer different vices," Milli rasped.

The game had finished. Kaylee and the doc were setting up to play again, Augustus and River, having had their fill, moved to sit down.

"Hmm." Cobb nodded.

He didn't dare go over, not after last nights disturbing turn of events. He needed to get his mind in order, come up with a new strategy before he talked to the girl again. Whatever was going on between them, he needed to take control of it, then squeeze the gorram life out of it.

"You ever tried a peppermint cream?" A paper bag rustled next to his face.

Augustus was leaning in close, invading the girls space.

If only he knew what that boy was saying to her. The youngster had a silver tongue, lord knows what tall tales he'd be telling her, wheedling his way into her cuckoo brain and affections.

He weren't to be trusted, no one with hair that stupid was. Boy was hiding something, of that the merc was sure.

He clenched his jaw, "Hmm."

"I can read lips you know."

Jayne nodded again, "Hmm."

Maybe he could sneak a bit closer, might be able to hear some of the conversation if he got up on the gantry. Nah, he'd still be too far away.

"I mean, if you really want to know what the boys saying to her."

"Hmm." Cobb said as he pondered his next move.

What was wrong with him? Why couldn't he just buckle up, be a man and face her?

Read lips.

Millicents words finally filtered through."Wait, what?"

She looked up at him as she ferreted about in her bag of candy, "I said, if you want to know what that there boys saying to the girl, I can read lips." She shook her head incredulously, "And people call me deaf!"

Milli popped a candy in her mouth and awaited a reply.

Jayne balked, not wanting to admit to the old lady that she was right and that he did, desperately, want to know what they were saying.

He studied her weathered face and her smiling eyes.

There was something about the old lady that he liked, she was straightforward, like his ma, and had a trustworthy air about her. That old puckered mouth moved the candy around like a cow chewing cud, it reminded him of home. Maybe she could help, he leant a little closer, "You ain't gonna tell anyone about this, are ya?" He whispered.

"Loose lips sink ships kiddo. I'm not the type to blab."

Satisfied, Cobb turned back to watch, "OK, what's he yamerin about?"

Millicent squinted her eyes and opened her mouth.

"He's busy telling her, that her last shot was amazing."

Jayne snorted.

"And that she could win competitions, the way she throws them horseshoes."

Cobb huffed, "idiot."

Millie raised her eyebrows, "Now he's inquiring if she's got a significant other."

"Huh?" Jayne asked eyes squinting.

"A boyfriend!" Millie exclaimed.

He caught his breath, and watched as River tilted her head, "What's she sayin back?"

The old lady burst out into a chuckle, " She's a real funny girl, I can see why you like her."

Cobb noted Augustus' reaction was confused, dampened. He looked to Millie, "Well, wha'd she say?"

Wiping a tear from her eye, the old lady turned to the merc, "She said she didn't," she chuckled again, "But not to worry, she weren't lonely on account of the voices in her head!"

Milli laughed low and deep and Jayne found himself joining in.

Little did she know!

"Now, I'm just itching to know,what on earth has you two so tickled?"

Mals all too familiar drawl cut across their sniggering.

The captain stood leaning against the wall, his thumbs hooked into his pockets, a suspect glint in his eye.

Jayne stiffened. How long had he been standing there?

He prayed he hadn't overheard any of their conversation.

His mind raced for a possible answer.

Mouth agape, brow furrowed and peering into the middle distance, his brain stalled.

"You ever heard the joke about the shepherd, the companion and the android?" Millicent asked, a butter wouldn't melt smile adorning her crinkled mouth.

Reynolds looked at them both suspiciously,"I don't believe I have."

The old lady cackled, "Good!" She walked up to Mal and grabbed his arm, shepherding him towards the galley, "You're in for a real treat. I'll tell it to you over a nice hot cup of tea."

Jayne watched, slack jawed, as she happily ignored Mals protestations and dragged the captain away, one hand on his elbow and the other on his derrière.

"Well I'll be darned!" He uttered, smiling gratefully as he watched the awkward pair shuffle towards the galley. She was full of surprises that one. He was starting to feel a real affinity for little ol' minty Millie.

Cobb's smile faded as he turned his attention back to River and Augustus. The girls kookiness hadn't discouraged the boy for long. He was holding her hand, looking intently at her palm, his finger tracing along it.

He knew this shtick well, the 'let me tell you your fortune' ruse was a vintage sleaze bag pick up trick.

Jaynes face darkened. Something had to be done about that no good weasel and his weasely deeds, and fast.

He slunk down towards the passenger cabins, a new purpose to his step. While the kid was busy romancing crazy, he'd toss his cabin and find out what that golden headed Romeo was hiding.

The boys hatch was open and somebody was definitely moving about in there. Couldn't be Augustus, he was still busy flirting up a storm. So, who was it?

Curious, the merc stepped inside.

Zoe, who was busy checking under the mattress, whirled round to face him.

Jayne smirked, "Busted."

She raised an eyebrow and placed her hands on her hips defiantly, " Just making sure our new company was settlin in is all. "

"Yeah? Dont remember you makin ma bed fur me when I first got on board." His smile widened, " You suddenly feeling all maternal like?"

Zoe's dead eyed scowl put Jayne back in his place, he remembered that teasing the lady was unwise and he quickly tried to win back her favour, "Somethin's off about that boy, an you see it to." He scanned the cabin, "Whatchya find?"

Mal's second relented, her glare slowly thawing, "Nothing, kids clean." She looked almost as disappointed as the merc felt, " But," she said, a hint of a smile returning to her lips, "we was so busy putting some distance between us and Fredrick, we hardly gave that big crate of his a once over. Could be something we missed there."

Cobbs eyes lit up, "Well what we waitin for? Lets go bust it open." He was half way to the hatch when he felt Zoe's hand on his wrist.

"Now hold on there, if we get to ransackin that boys crate now, in front of everyone, an find nothin? Th' mood Mals in at the moment, we'd be humped."

Jayne frowned, she was right.

"So," She continued, "We wait until everyone's sleepin, then crack that mother good."

The merc smiled. Dang that woman was crafty.

Waiting for everyone to get to bed turned out to be a lot more annoying than Cobb had imagined.

Kaylee, if she was in the mood, could talk the hind legs off a donkey. Tonight, it seemed, she was in that mood.

Lord knows what she was gabbing about with Millicent, but whatever it was, it was never ending.

Simon was reading a book. A big book. Jayne didn't understand folks who read books without pictures, boring as hell. He was getting sleepy just watching the boy read.

Mal was on the bridge with River, plotting a course he guessed.

Zoe sat biding her time at the dinner table, drinking a coffee, watching with amusement as Kaylee gesticulated wildly and Millie nodded politely in response.

Meanwhile, Augustus and Inara were having a friendly game of draughts.

Cobb ground his teeth. Maybe he should drink the rest of that coffee before Kaylee got her hands on it. He'd never get to snoop around that kids crate if she was bouncing off the walls all night.

He needed a break, muttering under his breath he filled his mug and wandered towards the cargo hold.

Jayne sat on his weights bench and peered at the crate.

He wondered what might be inside.

Last time they'd busted one open they'd set free a crazy, naked, homicidal witch. He took a slug from his mug, yeah, that had turned out well.

"What y' staring at?"

The coffee shot out of his mouth, sending a fine mist of caffeine all about him. He choked on the remainder as it slipped back down his throat.

A small hand furiously clapped him on the back.

Cobb stood up and reeled around to face her, " Didn I tell ya not t' creep up on me like that?"

River nodded, "More than once."

"Well, stop doing it then!"

They stood eyeing each other for a while, Jayne brushing the coffee dew from his arms. He frowned down at her; her face was open, as usual, eyes wide and unreadable.

Feeling a mite uncomfortable, he tried to make small talk.

"Saw ya playin horseshoes earlier." He tried to act nonchalant, "Win any games?"

The girls nose wrinkled as she offered her reply, "Simon says it's not about winning, it's the taking part that counts."

"Well," Said Cobb, "Yer' brothers an idiot. Play a game, ya play to win." He rolled his eyes, "takin part!"

She thought about this for a while.

"Want to play rock, paper, scissors?" Her enthusiasm was irritating.

Jayne was about to grunt his default 'no thanks' when he had a change of mind, he shrugged his shoulders,"Sure."

She held out her fist eagerly and Jayne raised his with a sigh.

One, two, three.

He chose scissors.

River beamed as she looked down at her rock, she raised her hand and smashed it against his fingers, "Rock blunts scissors!"

The merc growled and motioned to go again.

One, two, three.

And once more, he chose scissors.

"Blunt!"

She squeed in delight as she smashed his fingers with her rock.

Swallowing a growing rage, Cobb raised his hand for another round.

One, two, three.

This time he went with rock.

How did she do it?

He looked down at her flat hand.

"Paper covers rock."

River placed her hand gently over the top of Jaynes fist.

They stood for a while, neither moving, each reluctant to draw away.

He kept his eyes on her hand, so small and delicate laying on top of his. Her skin smooth, cool, like a pearl.

His mouth felt dry, he swallowed with some difficulty. Nervously, he raised his gaze to her face.

"I win." She smiled coyly.

Jayne sucked in a ragged breath.

She had him.

A burning ache in his chest urged him,with terrifying gravity, to take her; push his lips against hers and forget reason, rules and what was right.

Damn it all.

Cobb was just about to snap, lose himself and wrap his arms around the girl, when Mals voice boomed over the intercom.

"All crew to the bridge."

Jayne hovered.

The moment was gone, his mind was clearing.

Dropping his hand to his side he cleared his throat, " Gonna git going, don want t' get th'capn on ma back again."

River thoughtfully stepped to the side, making his escape easier.

As he passed her, he felt a pang of regret.

He clenched his jaw. You fool, he thought, she don't even like you like that anymore.

"Jayne,"

He turned back expectantly.

"It's the taking part that counts." She said a big smile on her face.

He sighed, shaking his head, but a smile forced its way to his lips.

"Yer brothers still an idiot." He replied as he set off for the bridge.