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 includes chapters 11-15. A little Kaylee angst, plus some fluff. :-)
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. 12) Swai: Handsome
Bao bei: Darling
********************************
They was back out in the black, been near a week since they'd said goodbye to Matty an' Amie.
Kaylee peeked over at Jayne and River sittin' on the chair across from her. It was so cute how they cuddled up like that. Jayne sittin' there with his head bent down, almost touching hers as he held the viewer for her ta read off of, River all curled up into his side. Jayne had his face kinda scrunched uplike as he tried to read along, she couldn't blame him, some'a the words were mighty long and strange. Kaylee was always glad when River took a minute to explain what they meant, her voice so melodic when she was readin' that it never seemed to break the flow of the story.
River'd had Inara download it for her off the Cortex the day after they'd headed back out. Kaylee'd taken to listenin' in when she could right away, it was such a romantic story. All tragiclike and she couldn't help but picturin' Jane lookin' a bit like River an' Rochester lookin' like Jayne.
It had become a nightly habit, one by one they'd all drifted into listenin' to River readin' "Jane Eyre". Well, all of 'em but the Cap'n an' Simon. Though the Cap'n would pause now an' then when he passed through. Kaylee kinda suspected he listened out in the hallway some as well. First couple'a nights Mal'd told her to scoot an' get back ta what he was payin' her for, but once Book an' 'Nara had started listenin' in he'd quit doin' that. Then Wash an' Zoƫ started stickin' around for it too. It was nice an' homey all sittin' around like this.
Weren't like she had no place else to be, Simon had gotten all stiff an' proper again since they'd left. Every time she tried to kiss him he just sorta froze up on her. She knew why, River'd told her a couple days ago. It was a mite strange knowin' she could sense them havin' sex, but really, weren't much of a surprise an' all. Not like they hadn't known she was a reader. But Simon could be such a prude about things. She jus' wished he'd talk ta her about it.
An' River'd told her 'bout how Jayne blocked the rest of 'em out, so's it wasn't like they couldn't find times when they could be together without it bein' a problem. It was like he didn't wanna find ways around it at all. Jus' weren't fair, she'd finally got him and now he was driftin' away again. She sighed as she realized River had stopped reading for the night an' she'd been too wrapped up in thinkin' 'bout Simon to really enjoy it.
River came over while Jayne got her a glass of water. With a sympathetic look she sat down and put an arm around her, saying softly.
"He's such a boob."
Kaylee laughed at that, it was true. A big, exasperatin', confoundin' boob. Honestly, sometimes she wondered why she bothered with the man. But then he'd give her that look an' her insides got all fuzzy an' there she was all moony over him again. She felt herself sigh.
"Needs you...he's lost in the dark and you are his light..." River gave her shoulders a gentle squeeze as she fought back the tears stingin' her eyes.
"Wish he could tell me that." she said softly.
"Someday he will...he's learning..." River sounded so sure of it that she found herself believin' it. But then, she really wanted it to be true. River gave her a comfortin' smile before she got up to go start sayin' goodnight to Jayne.
It really was romantic how they were together, all sweet an' gentle. She'd'a never thought Jayne'd be like that. She knew they hadn't done nothin' yet, but every night they huddled together for a spell 'fore goin' off to their own rooms. It was 'bout the only time they wasn't together. It was gettin' so's it seemed unnatural to see them apart. She jus' couldn't get over how cute they was, sittin' in the mess most days, Jayne cleanin' his guns or sharpin' a knife, River sittin' nearby knittin'. Her first finished piece'd been a hat for Simon, looked a lot like Jayne's but in blues. Simon had been horrified, but he did try it on.
Giggling at the memory she got up. Might as well go say goodnight to him. Not that he was likely to notice. She knew the thought wasn't real charitable, knew deep down he really did care for her. But the past week'd been frustratin'. They'd been gettin' so close, an' now they was all stalled out an' she didn't know how to get through to him. An' sometimes a girl wanted the guy she loved to tell her that.
On an impulse she detoured past his room to grab the hat River had made. She found him in the infirmary, like she'd known she would. It'd been his sanctuary since him an' River got here. Her heart ached as she looked in at him, he looked so sad an' vulnerable standin' there goin' over River's charts, again.
"Simon," she hovered in the doorway, "you gonna try an' get some sleep soon?"
She worried so much 'bout him, he hadn't been sleepin' much at all lately. He barely glanced up as he gave a vague nod to her question. She moved into the room and sat herself on the examination chair. After a few minutes she realized she'd been twistin' the hat nervously and pulled it on so she'd stop playin' with it, didn't wanna ruin it. The thought that maybe wearin' Simon's hat would help her feel closer to him like it seemed ta help River driftin' through her mind as she curled up. She'd jus' lay here an' watch him for a bit before headin' to bed herself.
Her hand lifted languidly to brush back the hair ticklin' her cheek, absently wondered when her eyes'd closed. Only somethin' weren't right, wasn't hair her fingers brushed against, it was skin. As her eyes opened they focused on the crisp white shirt tucked into black pants in front of her. She heard Simon's chuckle as he tugged on somethin' on her head.
"It looks much cuter on you then me." he said and she remembered she'd put on his hat 'fore she fell asleep.
"I dunno," she smiled sleepily up at him, "I though it looked pretty swai on ya."
She stretched to get the stiffness out, he needed a more comfy exam chair. As she pulled herself into a sitting position he backed up to lean against the counter. Dang it, why'd she have'ta move. Now he was gettin' distantsy again.
"She tell you?" he asked, his head lowered so's he wouldn't have'ta look at her.
"Yea, she told me." well, least he might be ready to talk 'bout it. He sighed an' picked up the charts again, she could see the frustration on his face.
"I keep thinking, if I stare at these long enough, I'll be able to see what they did to her...and why," he tossed them back onto the counter and looked at her, "but I won't. They don't have the answers. Just clues, and I don't know enough to even know what most of the clues are, much less mean."
"And Jayne seems to help her more then I can, just by being Jayne," another deep sigh escaped him, "and as creepy and unsettling as that is, I can't help but be happy about it. She's happy, and more stable...almost normal. Probably as normal as she will ever be from what I can tell they did. She's never going to be the River I remember."
"Even the fact that it is Jayne she's bonding with is starting to make a perverse kind of sense." Kaylee worried a bit that his chuckle sounded a little maniacal. "There have been studies done on the Twin phenomenon, even the most skeptical Doctor's have come to agree that there seems to be some sort of psychic connection there. So Jayne is probably the only one on this ship that is already predisposed to having a psychic link with someone. The fact that he shows no other abilities also works in his favor. There is more then enough going on in River's head already, she doesn't need anyone that can pick up more."
He let out a harsh laugh. "Hell, for all I know even the fact that he's an ape is a factor, maybe she uses the extra space in his brain to dump her overflow."
"Ya ever think maybe your underestimatin' him?" she asked, a little bothered by his dismissal of anything remotely resembling a brain bein' in Jayne's head.
"Yes," he said slowly, "but he's less scary when I think of him as an ape." he looked up an' gave her that self-depriciatin' smile.
"And there is a feeling of relief," he continued, "knowing there is someone else to help care for her. And I feel guilty about that, even knowing it means if anything happens to me someone will be there for her. And there is not having to worry about him turning on her again."
"Again?" she watched as his expression went from distracted to dismayed. "What do ya mean...again?"
He stared back at her, then turned away before he answered, "It was back on Ariel...when the Fed's snatched us. I found out later, but I think River knew all along."
"Jayne turned ya in?" she knew she shouldn't be this shocked an' disappointed, but she was. She'd always thought Jayne was better'n he wanted them all ta think. Simon came over and sat next to her.
"It was a long time ago Bao bei," he said gently, "River had just cut him up with that knife. When I was patching him up he expressed concern for her doing it to you or Inara."
She knew he was tryin' ta make it better, knowin' Jayne it probably had been less 'bout worrin' 'bout her an' 'Nara an' more 'bout his own skin. She weren't that naive. Still, it was good ta know it had occurred ta him that the rest of 'em might be in danger too. She'd gone through her own period of not trustin' River. An' there was somethin' so bizarre 'bout Simon defendin' Jayne to her.
"So, does this mean ya don't mind Jayne bein' your brother then?" she stifled a giggle as Simon almost choked at the thought.
"You don't...really...think it'd come to that, do you?" he stuttered. An' then she was laughin'. His expression eased as he chuckled along.
"I know, I know...I'm such an easy mark." he gave her that quirky little smile of his an' she melted.
"But you don't think, I mean...they really wouldn't...would they?" oh great, now he weren't gonna be able to get that outta his head. She sighed.
"Ain't no worse then them bondin', sure I think it's possible they might...someday." she said, "Not thinkin' it'll happen right away."
"But...but that'd mean they'd be..." he obviously couldn't bring himself to say it.
"Havin' sex?" she said helpfully, he really was such a prude. "Prob'ly happen wether they get married or not."
"Oh, that helps." he replied dryly.
"Ain't happened yet," she reassured him, "so's there's no point worrin' on it."
"I'm her brother, I'm supposed to worry about it."
"If I was you I'd be more worried 'bout my own sex life." she told him matter of factly.
"As in, if I keep this up I am not going to have one?" he grinned at her, "I know, I need to stop obsessing on this. It's just that I've spent so long worrying about her that it is hard not too. And I always felt a little guilty spending time with you, and now she's...found someone. And I feel even more guilty because my first thought when it started to happen was that now I could spend even more time with you."
"I think that's the sweetest thing ya ever said ta me." she took his hand and beamed at him.
"Now that is a sorry comment on my communication abilities," he frowned at her, "Is that really the most romantic thing I have ever told you?"
"Well, one of 'em, yea." she thought on it a bit, "Ranks right up there with the being pretty 'specially when covered in engine grease one."
He groaned, "Oh dear Lord...I think I am very lucky there aren't more options on this ship for you."
"Wouldn't matter, ya got me hooked." she leaned over an' kissed him.
Feedback is always welcome.
Takes place shortly after the series ended. Part 3 includes chapters 11-15. A little Kaylee angst, plus some fluff. :-)
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. 12) Swai: Handsome
Bao bei: Darling
********************************
They was back out in the black, been near a week since they'd said goodbye to Matty an' Amie.
Kaylee peeked over at Jayne and River sittin' on the chair across from her. It was so cute how they cuddled up like that. Jayne sittin' there with his head bent down, almost touching hers as he held the viewer for her ta read off of, River all curled up into his side. Jayne had his face kinda scrunched uplike as he tried to read along, she couldn't blame him, some'a the words were mighty long and strange. Kaylee was always glad when River took a minute to explain what they meant, her voice so melodic when she was readin' that it never seemed to break the flow of the story.
River'd had Inara download it for her off the Cortex the day after they'd headed back out. Kaylee'd taken to listenin' in when she could right away, it was such a romantic story. All tragiclike and she couldn't help but picturin' Jane lookin' a bit like River an' Rochester lookin' like Jayne.
It had become a nightly habit, one by one they'd all drifted into listenin' to River readin' "Jane Eyre". Well, all of 'em but the Cap'n an' Simon. Though the Cap'n would pause now an' then when he passed through. Kaylee kinda suspected he listened out in the hallway some as well. First couple'a nights Mal'd told her to scoot an' get back ta what he was payin' her for, but once Book an' 'Nara had started listenin' in he'd quit doin' that. Then Wash an' Zoƫ started stickin' around for it too. It was nice an' homey all sittin' around like this.
Weren't like she had no place else to be, Simon had gotten all stiff an' proper again since they'd left. Every time she tried to kiss him he just sorta froze up on her. She knew why, River'd told her a couple days ago. It was a mite strange knowin' she could sense them havin' sex, but really, weren't much of a surprise an' all. Not like they hadn't known she was a reader. But Simon could be such a prude about things. She jus' wished he'd talk ta her about it.
An' River'd told her 'bout how Jayne blocked the rest of 'em out, so's it wasn't like they couldn't find times when they could be together without it bein' a problem. It was like he didn't wanna find ways around it at all. Jus' weren't fair, she'd finally got him and now he was driftin' away again. She sighed as she realized River had stopped reading for the night an' she'd been too wrapped up in thinkin' 'bout Simon to really enjoy it.
River came over while Jayne got her a glass of water. With a sympathetic look she sat down and put an arm around her, saying softly.
"He's such a boob."
Kaylee laughed at that, it was true. A big, exasperatin', confoundin' boob. Honestly, sometimes she wondered why she bothered with the man. But then he'd give her that look an' her insides got all fuzzy an' there she was all moony over him again. She felt herself sigh.
"Needs you...he's lost in the dark and you are his light..." River gave her shoulders a gentle squeeze as she fought back the tears stingin' her eyes.
"Wish he could tell me that." she said softly.
"Someday he will...he's learning..." River sounded so sure of it that she found herself believin' it. But then, she really wanted it to be true. River gave her a comfortin' smile before she got up to go start sayin' goodnight to Jayne.
It really was romantic how they were together, all sweet an' gentle. She'd'a never thought Jayne'd be like that. She knew they hadn't done nothin' yet, but every night they huddled together for a spell 'fore goin' off to their own rooms. It was 'bout the only time they wasn't together. It was gettin' so's it seemed unnatural to see them apart. She jus' couldn't get over how cute they was, sittin' in the mess most days, Jayne cleanin' his guns or sharpin' a knife, River sittin' nearby knittin'. Her first finished piece'd been a hat for Simon, looked a lot like Jayne's but in blues. Simon had been horrified, but he did try it on.
Giggling at the memory she got up. Might as well go say goodnight to him. Not that he was likely to notice. She knew the thought wasn't real charitable, knew deep down he really did care for her. But the past week'd been frustratin'. They'd been gettin' so close, an' now they was all stalled out an' she didn't know how to get through to him. An' sometimes a girl wanted the guy she loved to tell her that.
On an impulse she detoured past his room to grab the hat River had made. She found him in the infirmary, like she'd known she would. It'd been his sanctuary since him an' River got here. Her heart ached as she looked in at him, he looked so sad an' vulnerable standin' there goin' over River's charts, again.
"Simon," she hovered in the doorway, "you gonna try an' get some sleep soon?"
She worried so much 'bout him, he hadn't been sleepin' much at all lately. He barely glanced up as he gave a vague nod to her question. She moved into the room and sat herself on the examination chair. After a few minutes she realized she'd been twistin' the hat nervously and pulled it on so she'd stop playin' with it, didn't wanna ruin it. The thought that maybe wearin' Simon's hat would help her feel closer to him like it seemed ta help River driftin' through her mind as she curled up. She'd jus' lay here an' watch him for a bit before headin' to bed herself.
Her hand lifted languidly to brush back the hair ticklin' her cheek, absently wondered when her eyes'd closed. Only somethin' weren't right, wasn't hair her fingers brushed against, it was skin. As her eyes opened they focused on the crisp white shirt tucked into black pants in front of her. She heard Simon's chuckle as he tugged on somethin' on her head.
"It looks much cuter on you then me." he said and she remembered she'd put on his hat 'fore she fell asleep.
"I dunno," she smiled sleepily up at him, "I though it looked pretty swai on ya."
She stretched to get the stiffness out, he needed a more comfy exam chair. As she pulled herself into a sitting position he backed up to lean against the counter. Dang it, why'd she have'ta move. Now he was gettin' distantsy again.
"She tell you?" he asked, his head lowered so's he wouldn't have'ta look at her.
"Yea, she told me." well, least he might be ready to talk 'bout it. He sighed an' picked up the charts again, she could see the frustration on his face.
"I keep thinking, if I stare at these long enough, I'll be able to see what they did to her...and why," he tossed them back onto the counter and looked at her, "but I won't. They don't have the answers. Just clues, and I don't know enough to even know what most of the clues are, much less mean."
"And Jayne seems to help her more then I can, just by being Jayne," another deep sigh escaped him, "and as creepy and unsettling as that is, I can't help but be happy about it. She's happy, and more stable...almost normal. Probably as normal as she will ever be from what I can tell they did. She's never going to be the River I remember."
"Even the fact that it is Jayne she's bonding with is starting to make a perverse kind of sense." Kaylee worried a bit that his chuckle sounded a little maniacal. "There have been studies done on the Twin phenomenon, even the most skeptical Doctor's have come to agree that there seems to be some sort of psychic connection there. So Jayne is probably the only one on this ship that is already predisposed to having a psychic link with someone. The fact that he shows no other abilities also works in his favor. There is more then enough going on in River's head already, she doesn't need anyone that can pick up more."
He let out a harsh laugh. "Hell, for all I know even the fact that he's an ape is a factor, maybe she uses the extra space in his brain to dump her overflow."
"Ya ever think maybe your underestimatin' him?" she asked, a little bothered by his dismissal of anything remotely resembling a brain bein' in Jayne's head.
"Yes," he said slowly, "but he's less scary when I think of him as an ape." he looked up an' gave her that self-depriciatin' smile.
"And there is a feeling of relief," he continued, "knowing there is someone else to help care for her. And I feel guilty about that, even knowing it means if anything happens to me someone will be there for her. And there is not having to worry about him turning on her again."
"Again?" she watched as his expression went from distracted to dismayed. "What do ya mean...again?"
He stared back at her, then turned away before he answered, "It was back on Ariel...when the Fed's snatched us. I found out later, but I think River knew all along."
"Jayne turned ya in?" she knew she shouldn't be this shocked an' disappointed, but she was. She'd always thought Jayne was better'n he wanted them all ta think. Simon came over and sat next to her.
"It was a long time ago Bao bei," he said gently, "River had just cut him up with that knife. When I was patching him up he expressed concern for her doing it to you or Inara."
She knew he was tryin' ta make it better, knowin' Jayne it probably had been less 'bout worrin' 'bout her an' 'Nara an' more 'bout his own skin. She weren't that naive. Still, it was good ta know it had occurred ta him that the rest of 'em might be in danger too. She'd gone through her own period of not trustin' River. An' there was somethin' so bizarre 'bout Simon defendin' Jayne to her.
"So, does this mean ya don't mind Jayne bein' your brother then?" she stifled a giggle as Simon almost choked at the thought.
"You don't...really...think it'd come to that, do you?" he stuttered. An' then she was laughin'. His expression eased as he chuckled along.
"I know, I know...I'm such an easy mark." he gave her that quirky little smile of his an' she melted.
"But you don't think, I mean...they really wouldn't...would they?" oh great, now he weren't gonna be able to get that outta his head. She sighed.
"Ain't no worse then them bondin', sure I think it's possible they might...someday." she said, "Not thinkin' it'll happen right away."
"But...but that'd mean they'd be..." he obviously couldn't bring himself to say it.
"Havin' sex?" she said helpfully, he really was such a prude. "Prob'ly happen wether they get married or not."
"Oh, that helps." he replied dryly.
"Ain't happened yet," she reassured him, "so's there's no point worrin' on it."
"I'm her brother, I'm supposed to worry about it."
"If I was you I'd be more worried 'bout my own sex life." she told him matter of factly.
"As in, if I keep this up I am not going to have one?" he grinned at her, "I know, I need to stop obsessing on this. It's just that I've spent so long worrying about her that it is hard not too. And I always felt a little guilty spending time with you, and now she's...found someone. And I feel even more guilty because my first thought when it started to happen was that now I could spend even more time with you."
"I think that's the sweetest thing ya ever said ta me." she took his hand and beamed at him.
"Now that is a sorry comment on my communication abilities," he frowned at her, "Is that really the most romantic thing I have ever told you?"
"Well, one of 'em, yea." she thought on it a bit, "Ranks right up there with the being pretty 'specially when covered in engine grease one."
He groaned, "Oh dear Lord...I think I am very lucky there aren't more options on this ship for you."
"Wouldn't matter, ya got me hooked." she leaned over an' kissed him.
