Disclaimer: Characters do not belong to me, they are the property of Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy and Fox.

Feedback is always welcome.

Takes place shortly after the series ended. And so begins part 2 of Delta Rain. I am trying to make the chapters longer, honest I am...and this one actually seemed to cooperate, can't promise they all will though.

Many thanks to William Topley and The Blessing for their song "Delta Rain", it helped inspire this piece. River sings bits and pieces of it to Jayne.

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A Week Later:

Jayne couldn't remember having a worse gorram week. The wave from Matty'd come two days after River'd come ta see him in his bunk. Two days of hopin' and prayin' she couldn't have known. Two days of endurin' trying to act normal so's none of the others'd know. Not that they couldn't tell somethin' was up from the way River hovered over him all the ruttin' time. And Simon'd been actin' mighty strange towards him too. Kept tryin' to drag him in for a check up. Part of him had wondered if River'd told him, but she hadn't.

If anything it'd gotten worse after they found out. Hell, even Mal kept lookin' at him all sympatheticlike. Hadn't even groused at him none about makin' the trip ta Liberty an' it's moons. He snickered slightly at what Mal's expression had been though, when he'd learned that was where he grew up, Liberty's second moon. No one'd ever bothered namin' the two moons, fortunate considerin' how Liberty herself was so ill named. Had one of the strongest Alliance ties of any of the rim planets and one of the few that hadn't supported the Independents. On the moons they'd felt a mite different but he weren't 'bout to tell Mal that.

Anyways, he'd left it behind long before the war'd started. Hadn't never set foot on it again. Never thought he would, neither. He hoped things'd been long enough ago that it wasn't gonna cause problems. But hopin' hadn't been workin' to well for him lately. He let himself down onto the cargo hold floor with a soft thud, done with his last rep of pull ups. Nothin'd been workin' well for him lately, nothing at all. He glared over at River, she was sittin' on his weight bench.

"sorry...had to leave before you woke..." she said softly, readin' his damn mind again. "Cap'n and Simon would have killed you if they had caught me there..."

He pushed back the sharp pain he felt every time he remembered wakin' to find her gone, just the faint hint of lavender the only sign she'd even been there. That and the grit in his eyes from cryin' himself ta sleep. It bugged him no end that she'd seen him all weak like that, or maybe the part that bugged him was that he didn't mind so much. Hell if he knew anymore. Ruttin' girl was makin' his brain all soft. Makin' him want things he had no right ta want. Had never wanted. With a grunt in her direction he headed off to grab a shower before they landed.

He felt a mite better after his shower, he'd managed to keep most of the memories away. Had only cried a little bit too. He still couldn't believe she was gone. Felt like he had a big gapin' hole in his chest now. Ma'd been the only one that'd believed in him, everyone else figured he'd never amount ta much, even Pa. Well, Ma and Timmie really, but Timmie'd been gone a long time now. With a sigh he pushed that memory back too, weren't no time for it now. Be time enough when he went to visit the graves.

He headed up to the cockpit to see how close they was. He'd need to let Wash know where the farm was, they was gonna set down in one of the fields. Matty'd said the crops'd failed again this year so's it wouldn't do no harm.

"How close are we?" he asked Wash.

"'Bout 10 minutes out yet." It was gettin' mighty old having the little man look at him like that.

He was glad Wash'd be goin' with Mal and Zoë to Liberty tomorrow to see if they could unload the cargo there. They'd meant to look for a new contact on Persephone, but well, thing's'd changed. In a way that part might work out for the best, give them a little more time 'fore they pissed Badger off by takin' their business elsewhere. He'd feel better goin' with them though, Mal an' Zoë on an Alliance friendly planet without him ta watch their backs jus' seemed like askin' for trouble. An' Book was stayin' on the moon as well, to give him comfort no doubt. He'd feel a hell of a lot more comforted if'n he'd go with the others. Preacher had a knack for keepin' Mal out of trouble, or gettin' him out if it came to that. But it had been decided, bright an' early Serenity was headin' to Liberty and Book, Inara, River, Simon an' him would stay on at the farm.

He was so looking forward to this.

He glanced over at River as she slide through the door. Gorram girl. He'd tried ignorin' her, yellin' at her, insultin' her and her brother...but still she kept haunting him. Guess he should be glad it'd taken her this long to follow him up here. An' at least she hadn't takin' to followin' him into the shower yet, no more late night visits to his bunk neither. Though he had learned she had no qualms 'bout followin' him there durin' the day. After that second time he'd decided it was best ta jus' put up with her an' not try hidin', didn't do him no good anyhow, an' it jus' made Mal ornery.

"We there yet, Wash?" he asked impatiently.

"As you can see by the big, shiney moon in front of us we are making our final approach." Wash looked over at him, chucklin' as he caught sight of River standin' behind him. Did the little man have to find this so ruttin' hi-larious?

"'Bout damn time," he grumbled irritably. He moved so's he could get a better view as Wash flew over the main town.

"Ya know, actual co-ordinates would be helpful." Wash said in that mock-pleasant way of his.

"Ain't like we ever had a ship parked in the backyard 'fore, little man." Jayne snarled back at him.

"Just saying..." Wash replied with a smirk.

"There" River pointed as Wash flew over the house. "pay attention Jayne...now we missed it..." she smacked into his shoulder as Wash banked hard, tossing them both onto the floor in a heap.

"Oops, sorry River" the evil little man smiled, "I was trying to get Jayne."

"that's all right" she told him, "he broke my fall...all is well..." the little witch smiled smugly down at him as she rolled out of his arms.

He glared up at her as she reached down to help him, like that li'l slip of a girl was gonna be able to pull him up. With a snort he heaved himself off the floor and glared at her again. Much more dignified now that he was upright an' all. 'Course all that dignity went out the window when she started to brush him off. Fortunately the gentle bump of Serenity landing gave him the perfect excuse to escape her tiny hands and head for the cargo hold.

He jus' wished the reprieve weren't temporary. Those tiny hands had a way of settin' all kinds of feelin's off in him.

He whirled around and snapped at her, "Would you leave me the ruttin' hell alone?" River collided into his chest before she could stop herself. She looked up at him petulantly.

"want to meet Matty..." she frowned, "you don't want me meeting Matty, do you?"

"No," he replied honestly, then felt a pang of regret at her hurt look. "Ah hell girl, I don't even wanna be here."

"I know..." she said sadly, it was gettin' so's it didn't even faze him that she weren't jokin' 'bout that.

Probably the only one on this boat that knew how much he didn't want'ta be here. Probably knew why too...heck, weren't really no probably to that. With a sigh he turned and continued down to the deck below. He should'a learned after the week he'd had that there weren't no point in arguin' with her. If he ever got close ta a winnin' hand she jus' turned those big, sad eyes on him an' he caved, part of his mind whispered "that's why yellin' an' insultin' her don't work, idjit".

He walked over to where Mal an' Zoë were standin', the hatch already down. He could see Matty headin' over, a small blonde woman walkin' next ta him. Must be his wife, what had Ma said her name was? Amie...that was it. He could sense Inara an' Kaylee an' Simon headin' over behind him, River already standin' at his side.

It was shockin' how weak Matty was lookin' as they drew close, he knew he'd been sick but...Ma ain't never let on he was this bad. Matty'd always been smaller then him, but now he was lookin' downright scrawny. Pale and drawn.

Jayne moved forward and wrapped his brother in a bearlike hug, liftin' him off his feet.

"Damn Matty, ain't yer woman been feedin' ya?" He looked over at Amie with a concerned look, in spite of the words. She nodded back, understandin' Jayne's unspoken question. "An' this must be the li'l woman herself, looks to bright ta be married ta you."

"Well," she answered him with a drawl, "Matty is the smart Cobb, from what I hear tell. Handsome one, too. Now I know they wasn't lying to make me feel better." her eyes twinkled when she said it though. Jayne found himself laughin' an' givin' her a bearhug too. Amazed that she was even tinier then River.

Then they were caught up in a flurry of introductions, Book an' Wash havin' joined the party. But Jayne noticed Simon watchin' Matty with concern. So's it hadn't been jus' him thinkin' he didn't look to well. An' then he noticed with a pang that River hadn't been there for the introductions. Kaylee had them all entranced with tellin' of how the farm reminded her of her own home so he slipped back into the ship to see if he could find her.

He found her sittin' in her room drawing pictures.

"Thought ya wanted ta meet 'em." he couldn't quite keep the hurt outta his voice.

"I do..." she said, all calmlike, "but you said you did not want me too...so I left..." she didn't even looked up at him.

He gazed at her shocked for a moment, "Since when you done anythin' I wanted?" she had ta be the most exasperatin' woman he'd ever met.

She looked at him then, seemin' to consider his words. Then she went back to her drawin'.

"already intruded too much..." was her response, "you don't want me intruding more...so I won't..."

"Think it's a bit late fer that River," he said softly, "not sure what I want or don't want makes any difference no more."

"does to me..." she looked up at him again, almost defiantly.

"Fine, changed my mind, I want you to meet Matty." he grinned down at her suspicious look. But she got up and followed him back outside. He weren't sure if he'd won that hand or lost. Probably lost, way his week was goin'.

Matty looked over at 'em as they came outta the hatchway. "Who's this?" he asked with a grin, not even the sickness dampenin' his easy charm.

"Matty, this is River," Jayne hoped no one else noticed the hint of pride in his voice, "River, my li'l brother Matty, an' this here's his wife Amie."

"River?" Matty's voice shook a bit. River looked at him solemnly and nodded. "Jayne...I...I didn't tell ya much 'bout Ma's accident in that wave I sent. I thought her last words was gibberish, ya know, from the pain. But right 'for she died she told me ta tell ya somethin'...didn't make no sense...she said ta tell ya ta hold onto the river."