Disclaimer: Firefly is the property of the all-mighty (and might I mention "all evil" as those Buffy fans will know) Joss Whedon, 20th Century Fox, Mutant Enemy, and whoever else may have their hand in the cookie jar. Not Mine. Never gonna be mine. *sob*
Jayne lay in the dark, his hands behind his head. He felt as if the darkness was consuming him, and he welcomed it. A memory of his mother played across his mind.
They were sitting in a small, dimly lit room that smelled faintly of cinnamon. Her arms were wrapped around him, and his head rested on her shoulder. It was the clearest memory he had of his mother. It reminded him of an innocence long ago lost.
She was comforting him. Something had happened, and he had been crying. He could just barely remember her soothing voice. He recalled her words.
"You don't ever have to get lost, Jayne.All you have to do is find an evening star, and you'l know your way."
An evening star.
"How will I find one, Mama?" he had asked, wiping the tears from his face with a grubby hand.
"Look at all the stars around you, and when you find an evening star, a feeling of peace will spread all over you."
"Then what, Mama?"
"Then you follow it, silly!" She laughed and ruffled his hair. She had a tinkling laugh, like little silver bells.
Peace, he snorted. It was a bit difficult to find peace on Serenity.
But there was peace on Serenity. He smiled.
River.
Okay, so she was hardly peaceful, and she had slashed him across the chest.
But she was his evening star. All he had to do was follow her, and he would find his way.
Fin