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. Part 3 will include chapters 11-15. My deepest thanks to everyone that has reviewed so far...nearing the end of setting up Jayne and River, still not sure if this story will continue after I get that done or if I will move on to a sequel. But I am sure that one or the other will happen. :-)
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.
Chinese translations:
Ch. 11) Tian xiz shou you de ren dou gai si: F*ck everyone in the universe to death
********************************
"Ya didn't say that...out loud, did ya?" she shook her head no;
Oh god...he'd heard her, clear as day he'd heard her. So loud it'd taken a second to realize it hadn't been his ears doin' the hearin'.
Weren't right, no ruttin' way it was right. He'd never even heard Timmie in his head like that an' they was twins, everyone knew twins had a bond. Maybe fraternal twins it weren't so strong as identical, but it'd been there none the less. Like the night she died. He'd known somethin' bad was happening to her, even known where ta find her, just couldn't reach her in time. But he weren't no reader, never heard nobody in his head 'fore, never.
"Jayne..." his head snapped up to check that her lips was moving this time. "not a reader...just hear me, only me."
He felt the breath he'd been holdin' release sharply. His muscles relaxing as the edge of panic eased. Part of his mind wonderin' when he'd gotten so gorram comfortable with her readin' him as he swing himself up behind her. He knew part of that comfort was 'cause of how he an' Timmie had always known when the other was in trouble, Ma always knowin' what he was feelin'. Weren't nothin' like as strong as River's visions were, but the longer he was here the more he remembered 'em and that made River's abilities sit easier.
"Stop thinking so much...making my head hurt..." she turned and looked up at him with a scowl an' he had to chuckle. Gorram girl, every one else wanted him ta think more an' she wanted him thinkin' less.
"That's because they don't realize that you are always thinking...not always thinking well...but it is thinking." she said with a laugh of her own. Nice laugh, sorta like little bells. Made him forget 'bout growling at her over that little dig.
"So's why is it I heard ya? Or is talkin' not allowed neither?" he asked as he nudged Moonshadow into a walk. He hadn't noticed how tense she'd gotten till she leaned back against him and her head tilted off to the side in that way'a hers. Couldn't hear her thoughts now but he knew she was considerin' how to answer. Worried 'bout how much he was ready to handle.
"We're...bonding," he could almost see her puzzled frown in his mind, "threads connecting us..."
"Like that thing you was sayin' the night ya came ta my bunk? 'Bout the string under the ribs?" he felt a little pleased at her startled gasp, knew she hadn't expected him ta remember that. If she'd even realized he'd been awake enough to hear it in the first place.
"Yes...like that..." she said after a while, her voice soft, "like you and Timmie were...only we are connecting in a different way...you two were connected by DNA and the womb and a childhood shared...Simon and I are connected too...not as close though...didn't share a womb and we came from different eggs and sperm and he had several years of childhood before I came...you and Timmie shared an egg, had an entire childhood together...made you closer."
"An' you an' me are connectin' how?" he asked, wonderin' that she couldn't see the bond her an' Simon really had. Hell, even he could see they was every bit as close as him an' Timmie had been. A bond didn't need ta include knowin' every gorram thing to be strong. Was part of what had bugged him so much, the pain of seein' the two of them an' knowin' he'd never feel that close ta anyone again.
"Blood...started when I cut you and you hit me...we both drew blood. But there was something there before, some instinctive awareness of a kindred soul." he felt his chest constrict at that, the guilt at what he'd done on Ariel had gotten worse when he'd learned her intent had not been to hurt him. She wrapped her fingers around his free hand gently. He wished he'd taken those ruttin' gloves off so's he could feel her palm against his.
"Sorry 'bout hurtin' ya..." he started as she brought his hand up and rubbed it against her check then pressed a soft kiss on his knuckles. He forced his mind to stay on track. "Sorry 'bout betrayin' you an' Simon to the Fed's. Never should'a done that, no ruttin' way you deserved that. No idea how ya can ever forgive me for that..."
"You were mad...and hurt...weren't thinking..." she pulled his glove off as she spoke, tracin' a finger across his callused palm before going on, "I'm sorry too, doesn't matter that my intent wasn't to hurt you...doesn't change the fact that I did...doesn't change that it was my actions that tipped the scales...chance that you would was already there, but the balance was on the other side before..."
"I done it for the money." he said harshly.
"And the fear of me..and the pain inside..." she replied calmly, tangling their fingers together, "can't hide it from me Jayne, I know why you did it better then you are willing to admit to yourself. Would rather think of yourself as tough and cold and heartless, not as scared a little girl could ruin your carefully built walls or caring enough about the others to want to protect them from the danger she brought to Serenity."
"I know the money was a part of it..." her voice took on an exasperated tone at his thoughts. Gorram girl seemed ta be determined to downplay this. "Don't have to think I am being naive. Past now, will never happen again. And I forgive you."
"No, won't never happen again." he pulled her closer and kissed the top of her head tenderly, the smell of her hair tantalizing. "An' I forgive you, too."
"Even though it was your favorite shirt?" she asked, her playful tone lightening the mood.
"Even though..." he laughed, "I even forgive ya for ruinin' my favorite chest."
"My favorite chest too, and I didn't ruin it, just added more character to it." her face tilted up at him with a slightly naughty look and he found his lips brushing lightly across hers. His tongue tracing around her mouth slowly, tasting, then pressing down firmly. His lips clinging to hers for an endless moment before he pulled back. He watched as her eyelids fluttered open revealing her dazed look. Slowly her free hand lifted to brush against her lips in wonder and he could sense her thoughts, "he kissed me...first kiss...my first kiss..".
"I'd'a thought all the boys'd be chasin' you 'round the playground beggin' kisses." he teased gently. Cursed himself at her sudden burst of embarrassment.
"no.." she said sadly, her head dropping down.
"Ah hell girl, I ain't got no problem bein' the first ta kiss ya," he said roughly, hoping to ease her mind. "Jus' means I ain't gotta hunt 'em all down an' kill 'em."
He felt relief as her laughter blended with the faint sound of Kaylee's shriek and the splash that followed it.
"Gorramit, should'a known Matty'd take 'em to the swimmin' hole." he muttered, pulling Moonshadow to a halt. "So, join 'em or find some place else?"
"Wanna swim..." she beamed up at him, then sensing his reluctance she reassured him tenderly, "we'll make private moments...won't be our only time...promise."
"Gonna be a lot harder on the ship," he told her, "an' Mal an' Simon won't like it none. Hell, even Book don't like it none." But he urged Moonshadow on towards the swimming hole.
"They'll adjust..." she smirked back at him. Oh great, now Mal'll be pissed at her takin' on his expressions too. Ah well, might as well get this over with.
Every face turned to them as they came into view, Mal scowlin' up a storm. Rest of them seemed fairly happy ta see them, or at least relieved. He was a bit surprised Simon looked more worried then angry as he headed over to them. But then, he was still lookin' at River. He slid easily off the horse an' went to lift River down but she slid off right after him, grinnin' mischievously up at him as he caught her.
"Go on, git...I'll deal with Mal an' Simon." he told her as Mal also headed over. "Got some things need ta be said."
She touched his cheek gently then headed over to Simon, intercepting him for a quick hug and a whispered word before she went down to join Kaylee in the water. He was pretty sure she also whispered "no touching" to Mal as she passed him. Simon stared after her for a moment then fell into line next to Mal. He wasn't even gonna get a chance ta take them on one at'a time.
"How'd the drop go?" he asked Mal as they got close. "Matty's contact good?"
"Fine, everything went jus' fine." Mal voice had that "I'm gonna kill you" tone to it. "'Till we got back an' found you an' River had gone off together."
"How's 'bout we move off a bit so's when ya'll start beatin' on me we don't spook the horse." Jayne watched the subtle shift in Mal's expression, knew the other man had picked up that Jayne wasn't gettin' as defensive as he'd expected. Simon was looking back and forth between them still trying ta figure out what was goin' on. One day that boy was gonna need to learn some body language. An' not jus' Kaylee's neither. His lip twitched into a smirk as he lead them back a ways.
"Lemme say my piece," he met Mal's gaze an' held it, "then ya'll can kill me or whatever ya like." he waited till Mal nodded slowly.
"I weren't totally open 'bout what happened the night she told me 'bout the blue hands." he admitted, feelin' a hint of anger at Mal's "I knew it look". Then he looked over at Simon.
"What was you an' Kaylee doin' that night?" he asked him, not at all sure how this was gonna go down, but knowin' now it needed to be said.
"We...that...is none of your business." Simon sputtered, but he ignored him and looked at Mal.
"An' you an' 'Nara?" he tried ta keep the anger out of his voice, knew it edged in anyways. Weren't any of their fault, was those gorram Blue Hands creeps. He saw the pieces fittin' together in Mal's head.
"Tian xiz shou you de ren dou gai si." Jayne almost laughed at Mal's string of cussin', it was even worse then his'd been.
"Was starting to wonder about that." Zoë's calm voice cut in. Damn woman was silent as a mouse when she wanted ta be. But her eyes met his with what almost looked like sympathy. He had the oddest feelin' she'd come over to stop Mal from doin' him in. He looked back over to Simon as the boy made a strangled sound, a look of horror on his face as the implications sank in.
"You told me yerself, Doc," he said, tryin' to sound as comfortin' as he could. "she feels everything, she can't not."
"But...she's just...a girl..." he muttered weakly, more ta himself then the rest of 'em. Jayne couldn't stop the harsh bark of laughter.
"I'm thinkin', 'tween the six of ya, there ain't much she don't know 'bout sex." his tone took on a grim note, "even if'n it was only the one night. Actually don't think it happens all the time, I think she has some way of tunin' ya'll out most times. I took ta watchin' her after that, at times I knew somethin' was goin' on...didn't seem ta affect her like it had that night. Maybe it was all of ya at once, might be she was jus' caught off guard...might be 'cause I was near her after that."
"Took me a while ta get her ta snap outta it, had ta slap her..." he glanced at Mal, but the man was hidin' his reaction to that, "once she snapped outta it though, it seemed like my bein' there kept it at bay somehow. She did step back once, it was like she was swept back into it when she moved away from me. That's why I picked her up an' carried her into the mess, why we ended up sleepin' in the chair together. Jus' seemed the only place she was safe was next ta me."
He could tell from Simon's shocked look that Mal'd never told him how he'd found the two of 'em. Zoë, of course, seemed to already be aware of it.
"An' then that night she came ta my bunk ta tell me my Ma had died," he watched as Zoë put her hand on Mal's. "weren't like that Mal." he said sharply, startin' to get a mite annoyed at the man's readiness to condemn him.
"She told me there'd been an accident an' that Ma loved me and wanted me ta know that." this was harder ta tell them then the other had been, he pulled in a deep breath and went on, "an' she...showed me Ma's feelin's. I think she showed me the accident too, there was some flashes of pictures. That gorram water pump hangin' there as they tried ta get it in place, then fallin', Matty's face lookin' down...but mostly it was this wave of emotions."
"An' ya never thought to tell us this?" Mal asked quietly.
"Ah hell Mal, I was tryin' to believe it ain't never happened like that." he knew his voice sounded testy, "needed ta come ta terms with it some. Not an easy thing havin' someone pokin' 'bout in yer head, ya know." his look dared Mal to contradict him. A little surprised when Mal looked away.
He found himself tellin' them how Timmie'd died, how he'd killed Will an' then left at the Sheriff's request. Felt odd tellin' them 'bout his past. But maybe it was time he started trustin' 'em with a bit more 'bout himself. An' they needed ta know ta understand what River done ta Sal. He felt a grim satisfaction at tellin' them 'bout that part. Was pleased to note Zoë an' Mal's equally grim pride at River's actions. They'd both seen enough of rape ta feel the bastard deserved it. Poor Simon was havin' a harder time with it, part of him knowin' he wanted the same kinda treatment on those that done this to his sister, part of him horrified at River bein' able to rape a man's soul so coldly. But even he chuckled slightly, if a bit uncomfortably, at his tellin' 'bout Sal pissin' his pants.
Mal sighed deeply an' ran his hand through his hair before askin', "So, what's the part you ain't told us yet?"
He felt himself shift uncomfortably, a feeling of dread at how this was gonna come out soundin' creepin' over him.
"Well...um...I'm startin' ta hear what she's thinkin'...sometimes..." he looked up into their shocked faces, "an' not in a she's puttin' her thoughts into my head kinda way neither. Pickin' up on her feelin's some too. She says we're...bonding."
Feedback is always welcome.
Takes place shortly after the series ended. Part 3 will include chapters 11-15. My deepest thanks to everyone that has reviewed so far...nearing the end of setting up Jayne and River, still not sure if this story will continue after I get that done or if I will move on to a sequel. But I am sure that one or the other will happen. :-)
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.
Chinese translations:
Ch. 11) Tian xiz shou you de ren dou gai si: F*ck everyone in the universe to death
********************************
"Ya didn't say that...out loud, did ya?" she shook her head no;
Oh god...he'd heard her, clear as day he'd heard her. So loud it'd taken a second to realize it hadn't been his ears doin' the hearin'.
Weren't right, no ruttin' way it was right. He'd never even heard Timmie in his head like that an' they was twins, everyone knew twins had a bond. Maybe fraternal twins it weren't so strong as identical, but it'd been there none the less. Like the night she died. He'd known somethin' bad was happening to her, even known where ta find her, just couldn't reach her in time. But he weren't no reader, never heard nobody in his head 'fore, never.
"Jayne..." his head snapped up to check that her lips was moving this time. "not a reader...just hear me, only me."
He felt the breath he'd been holdin' release sharply. His muscles relaxing as the edge of panic eased. Part of his mind wonderin' when he'd gotten so gorram comfortable with her readin' him as he swing himself up behind her. He knew part of that comfort was 'cause of how he an' Timmie had always known when the other was in trouble, Ma always knowin' what he was feelin'. Weren't nothin' like as strong as River's visions were, but the longer he was here the more he remembered 'em and that made River's abilities sit easier.
"Stop thinking so much...making my head hurt..." she turned and looked up at him with a scowl an' he had to chuckle. Gorram girl, every one else wanted him ta think more an' she wanted him thinkin' less.
"That's because they don't realize that you are always thinking...not always thinking well...but it is thinking." she said with a laugh of her own. Nice laugh, sorta like little bells. Made him forget 'bout growling at her over that little dig.
"So's why is it I heard ya? Or is talkin' not allowed neither?" he asked as he nudged Moonshadow into a walk. He hadn't noticed how tense she'd gotten till she leaned back against him and her head tilted off to the side in that way'a hers. Couldn't hear her thoughts now but he knew she was considerin' how to answer. Worried 'bout how much he was ready to handle.
"We're...bonding," he could almost see her puzzled frown in his mind, "threads connecting us..."
"Like that thing you was sayin' the night ya came ta my bunk? 'Bout the string under the ribs?" he felt a little pleased at her startled gasp, knew she hadn't expected him ta remember that. If she'd even realized he'd been awake enough to hear it in the first place.
"Yes...like that..." she said after a while, her voice soft, "like you and Timmie were...only we are connecting in a different way...you two were connected by DNA and the womb and a childhood shared...Simon and I are connected too...not as close though...didn't share a womb and we came from different eggs and sperm and he had several years of childhood before I came...you and Timmie shared an egg, had an entire childhood together...made you closer."
"An' you an' me are connectin' how?" he asked, wonderin' that she couldn't see the bond her an' Simon really had. Hell, even he could see they was every bit as close as him an' Timmie had been. A bond didn't need ta include knowin' every gorram thing to be strong. Was part of what had bugged him so much, the pain of seein' the two of them an' knowin' he'd never feel that close ta anyone again.
"Blood...started when I cut you and you hit me...we both drew blood. But there was something there before, some instinctive awareness of a kindred soul." he felt his chest constrict at that, the guilt at what he'd done on Ariel had gotten worse when he'd learned her intent had not been to hurt him. She wrapped her fingers around his free hand gently. He wished he'd taken those ruttin' gloves off so's he could feel her palm against his.
"Sorry 'bout hurtin' ya..." he started as she brought his hand up and rubbed it against her check then pressed a soft kiss on his knuckles. He forced his mind to stay on track. "Sorry 'bout betrayin' you an' Simon to the Fed's. Never should'a done that, no ruttin' way you deserved that. No idea how ya can ever forgive me for that..."
"You were mad...and hurt...weren't thinking..." she pulled his glove off as she spoke, tracin' a finger across his callused palm before going on, "I'm sorry too, doesn't matter that my intent wasn't to hurt you...doesn't change the fact that I did...doesn't change that it was my actions that tipped the scales...chance that you would was already there, but the balance was on the other side before..."
"I done it for the money." he said harshly.
"And the fear of me..and the pain inside..." she replied calmly, tangling their fingers together, "can't hide it from me Jayne, I know why you did it better then you are willing to admit to yourself. Would rather think of yourself as tough and cold and heartless, not as scared a little girl could ruin your carefully built walls or caring enough about the others to want to protect them from the danger she brought to Serenity."
"I know the money was a part of it..." her voice took on an exasperated tone at his thoughts. Gorram girl seemed ta be determined to downplay this. "Don't have to think I am being naive. Past now, will never happen again. And I forgive you."
"No, won't never happen again." he pulled her closer and kissed the top of her head tenderly, the smell of her hair tantalizing. "An' I forgive you, too."
"Even though it was your favorite shirt?" she asked, her playful tone lightening the mood.
"Even though..." he laughed, "I even forgive ya for ruinin' my favorite chest."
"My favorite chest too, and I didn't ruin it, just added more character to it." her face tilted up at him with a slightly naughty look and he found his lips brushing lightly across hers. His tongue tracing around her mouth slowly, tasting, then pressing down firmly. His lips clinging to hers for an endless moment before he pulled back. He watched as her eyelids fluttered open revealing her dazed look. Slowly her free hand lifted to brush against her lips in wonder and he could sense her thoughts, "he kissed me...first kiss...my first kiss..".
"I'd'a thought all the boys'd be chasin' you 'round the playground beggin' kisses." he teased gently. Cursed himself at her sudden burst of embarrassment.
"no.." she said sadly, her head dropping down.
"Ah hell girl, I ain't got no problem bein' the first ta kiss ya," he said roughly, hoping to ease her mind. "Jus' means I ain't gotta hunt 'em all down an' kill 'em."
He felt relief as her laughter blended with the faint sound of Kaylee's shriek and the splash that followed it.
"Gorramit, should'a known Matty'd take 'em to the swimmin' hole." he muttered, pulling Moonshadow to a halt. "So, join 'em or find some place else?"
"Wanna swim..." she beamed up at him, then sensing his reluctance she reassured him tenderly, "we'll make private moments...won't be our only time...promise."
"Gonna be a lot harder on the ship," he told her, "an' Mal an' Simon won't like it none. Hell, even Book don't like it none." But he urged Moonshadow on towards the swimming hole.
"They'll adjust..." she smirked back at him. Oh great, now Mal'll be pissed at her takin' on his expressions too. Ah well, might as well get this over with.
Every face turned to them as they came into view, Mal scowlin' up a storm. Rest of them seemed fairly happy ta see them, or at least relieved. He was a bit surprised Simon looked more worried then angry as he headed over to them. But then, he was still lookin' at River. He slid easily off the horse an' went to lift River down but she slid off right after him, grinnin' mischievously up at him as he caught her.
"Go on, git...I'll deal with Mal an' Simon." he told her as Mal also headed over. "Got some things need ta be said."
She touched his cheek gently then headed over to Simon, intercepting him for a quick hug and a whispered word before she went down to join Kaylee in the water. He was pretty sure she also whispered "no touching" to Mal as she passed him. Simon stared after her for a moment then fell into line next to Mal. He wasn't even gonna get a chance ta take them on one at'a time.
"How'd the drop go?" he asked Mal as they got close. "Matty's contact good?"
"Fine, everything went jus' fine." Mal voice had that "I'm gonna kill you" tone to it. "'Till we got back an' found you an' River had gone off together."
"How's 'bout we move off a bit so's when ya'll start beatin' on me we don't spook the horse." Jayne watched the subtle shift in Mal's expression, knew the other man had picked up that Jayne wasn't gettin' as defensive as he'd expected. Simon was looking back and forth between them still trying ta figure out what was goin' on. One day that boy was gonna need to learn some body language. An' not jus' Kaylee's neither. His lip twitched into a smirk as he lead them back a ways.
"Lemme say my piece," he met Mal's gaze an' held it, "then ya'll can kill me or whatever ya like." he waited till Mal nodded slowly.
"I weren't totally open 'bout what happened the night she told me 'bout the blue hands." he admitted, feelin' a hint of anger at Mal's "I knew it look". Then he looked over at Simon.
"What was you an' Kaylee doin' that night?" he asked him, not at all sure how this was gonna go down, but knowin' now it needed to be said.
"We...that...is none of your business." Simon sputtered, but he ignored him and looked at Mal.
"An' you an' 'Nara?" he tried ta keep the anger out of his voice, knew it edged in anyways. Weren't any of their fault, was those gorram Blue Hands creeps. He saw the pieces fittin' together in Mal's head.
"Tian xiz shou you de ren dou gai si." Jayne almost laughed at Mal's string of cussin', it was even worse then his'd been.
"Was starting to wonder about that." Zoë's calm voice cut in. Damn woman was silent as a mouse when she wanted ta be. But her eyes met his with what almost looked like sympathy. He had the oddest feelin' she'd come over to stop Mal from doin' him in. He looked back over to Simon as the boy made a strangled sound, a look of horror on his face as the implications sank in.
"You told me yerself, Doc," he said, tryin' to sound as comfortin' as he could. "she feels everything, she can't not."
"But...she's just...a girl..." he muttered weakly, more ta himself then the rest of 'em. Jayne couldn't stop the harsh bark of laughter.
"I'm thinkin', 'tween the six of ya, there ain't much she don't know 'bout sex." his tone took on a grim note, "even if'n it was only the one night. Actually don't think it happens all the time, I think she has some way of tunin' ya'll out most times. I took ta watchin' her after that, at times I knew somethin' was goin' on...didn't seem ta affect her like it had that night. Maybe it was all of ya at once, might be she was jus' caught off guard...might be 'cause I was near her after that."
"Took me a while ta get her ta snap outta it, had ta slap her..." he glanced at Mal, but the man was hidin' his reaction to that, "once she snapped outta it though, it seemed like my bein' there kept it at bay somehow. She did step back once, it was like she was swept back into it when she moved away from me. That's why I picked her up an' carried her into the mess, why we ended up sleepin' in the chair together. Jus' seemed the only place she was safe was next ta me."
He could tell from Simon's shocked look that Mal'd never told him how he'd found the two of 'em. Zoë, of course, seemed to already be aware of it.
"An' then that night she came ta my bunk ta tell me my Ma had died," he watched as Zoë put her hand on Mal's. "weren't like that Mal." he said sharply, startin' to get a mite annoyed at the man's readiness to condemn him.
"She told me there'd been an accident an' that Ma loved me and wanted me ta know that." this was harder ta tell them then the other had been, he pulled in a deep breath and went on, "an' she...showed me Ma's feelin's. I think she showed me the accident too, there was some flashes of pictures. That gorram water pump hangin' there as they tried ta get it in place, then fallin', Matty's face lookin' down...but mostly it was this wave of emotions."
"An' ya never thought to tell us this?" Mal asked quietly.
"Ah hell Mal, I was tryin' to believe it ain't never happened like that." he knew his voice sounded testy, "needed ta come ta terms with it some. Not an easy thing havin' someone pokin' 'bout in yer head, ya know." his look dared Mal to contradict him. A little surprised when Mal looked away.
He found himself tellin' them how Timmie'd died, how he'd killed Will an' then left at the Sheriff's request. Felt odd tellin' them 'bout his past. But maybe it was time he started trustin' 'em with a bit more 'bout himself. An' they needed ta know ta understand what River done ta Sal. He felt a grim satisfaction at tellin' them 'bout that part. Was pleased to note Zoë an' Mal's equally grim pride at River's actions. They'd both seen enough of rape ta feel the bastard deserved it. Poor Simon was havin' a harder time with it, part of him knowin' he wanted the same kinda treatment on those that done this to his sister, part of him horrified at River bein' able to rape a man's soul so coldly. But even he chuckled slightly, if a bit uncomfortably, at his tellin' 'bout Sal pissin' his pants.
Mal sighed deeply an' ran his hand through his hair before askin', "So, what's the part you ain't told us yet?"
He felt himself shift uncomfortably, a feeling of dread at how this was gonna come out soundin' creepin' over him.
"Well...um...I'm startin' ta hear what she's thinkin'...sometimes..." he looked up into their shocked faces, "an' not in a she's puttin' her thoughts into my head kinda way neither. Pickin' up on her feelin's some too. She says we're...bonding."
