*Thanks to everyone for the great reviews! Extra thanks to Cassie for telling my anti-fan what for . . .lol*

Serenity docked on New Cali only a moment or two behind schedule. Grouper was waiting for the ship, and walked aboard as the cargo door was lowered. Jayne met him as he walked in.

"I see you've made it . . .. Where's my cargo?"

Jayne tilted his head over his shoulder to look at Kaylee and Wash and they lugged the large box towards the men. They grunted and heaved and dropped it none too gently at Grouper's feet.

Kaylee stood up and wiped her hands on he coveralls. "Where's the captain? Ain't he supposed to be here?"

Grouper looked at his cargo crate, "How'm I supposed to know you got it to me in one piece?"

Jayne grunted and tossed Grouper a crowbar. Grouper caught it with ease and started working at the edges of the crate.

"Hey!" said Kaylee, "I asked you a question, Jayne. Where's the Captain?!"

Jayne looked at his boots.

Grouper donned a mocking look of sadness. "Oh, sweetheart, don't you know? Jayne's done taken care of the captain for me."

A look of horror spread across Kaylee's face. "Oh no . . .no no no." She looked at Jayne with pleading eyes, "Tell me that ain't true, Jayne."

Jayne still hadn't looked up from his boots. "I can't, lil' Kaylee."

"What?!!!" The pleading in Kaylee's eyes turned to rage.

"But I can," came a voice from the shadows as Mal stepped out from behind a crate. "Now, I shoulda known I couldn't trust you, Grouper. But I'm giving you one last chance to leave the rest of my money, take your cargo and get the hell off my boat."

Grouper drew a gun from his holster and aimed it at Mal. "You're not a very smart man talkin' like that at me. You're not even pointing a gun at my head, and your hired gun's unarmed."

Almost faster then the eye could see, Jayne whipped out a smaller version of Vera and pointed it at Grouper's chest. "I ain't never unarmed."

Suddenly the top of Grouper's Cargo crate flew open and Zoe stood up with a rifle aimed at Grouper's head, "Me either." she deadpanned.

Grouper slowly lowered his gun. "Now, that would have been a bit awkward if I would have opened that crate when I got home."

"I'm used to awkward." Zoe glared. She turned her head towards Wash and Kaylee while still holding her gun on Grouper, "You two need to be more gentle with cargo."

"Yup," Wash nodded, "awkward."

"The way I see it, " Mal took a step closer to Grouper, "you can either give me my money and leave, or you can try to pick a fight and lose. You can't shoot us all, and you've got two guns aimed at you."

Grouper looked down at the handgun he had pointed at the floor.

Mal bared his teeth, "If you even think of raisin' that thing, we'll kill you on the spot,"

Jayne looked at Mal, "You said this wouldn't get messy."

Mal glared at Grouper while talking to Jayne, "I figured this guy was smarter than this."

Jayne looked at Kaylee out of the corner of his eye. "Get outta here. I don't want you around if bullets start flyin'."

Kaylee started to back away, "No, sweetheart," snapped Grouper, "you stay right there. This won't last much longer. " Kylee froze.

Grouper smirked at Jayne, "You're the one I need to get revenge on . . . .turnin' on me like that."

Jayne growled, "You ain't gonna do nothin' to me."

Grouper looked back at Kaylee, "It'd hurt you more if I did something to someone you care 'bout, now wouldn't it?" Kaylee trembled and started to slowly back away, mouth slightly agape.

"You still can't shoot us all." Mal took another step towards Grouper.

"I can start with her." Grouper raised his handgun, aimed at Kaylee's head, and pulled the trigger.