By the time Mal, Inara and Zoe had dragged him back to Serenity, Jayne had passed out. His chest wound had once again reopened slightly, but the main injury seemed to be from his leg, which was bleeding profusely.
The crew had been aware there was some kind of situation going on when Mal had yelled for Zoe. As a result, when they heard the low hiss of the cargo ramp being closed, they all –save for River - amassed in the hold to see what was happening.
Kaylee, on seeing Jayne's muddy, bruised body, immediately ranto tend his wounds. Jayne groaned softly at her touch. "What the hell happened?" she asked, her wide eyes looking up at the Captain. "He's sure beat up. I ain't never seen him so...bust"
Simon also knelt down next to the brute. He ripped open Jayne's cargo pants and shirt and started to assess the damage.
Mal replied: "I don't rightly know. Last time I saw him and his uncle they was thick as thieves. But I jus' saw them have one hell of a fallin' out. One whichfamily counsellin' sure won't be fixin' now, on account for one of 'em bein' dead. ButI have no idea why,and I ain't seen him so mad since, well, ever." His mind flashed back to Jayne's appearance in his room only days before. "And that's sayin' sumthin'"
Simon looked up. "Well, these wounds are actually fairly minor. He's been lucky. Nothing that a few stitches and some R&R won't fix."
"Between you and me, though, Doc," added Zoe, " I think the worst wounds he's got right now are in his head."
Wash stepped forward: "I take it then we got Jayne back again?"
Mal raised his eyebrows. "Well, I didn't really know where else to leave him. He jus' killed one of the major merchants in Persephone. If he didn't have enemies before, he sure does now."
As he spoke however he looked across at Inara. "So what I'm planning is, to jus' get into the black for a while and figure out what to do next. Wait 'til he wakes up. We've got enough credit for another week. Sumthin'll turn up."
"You got more than that," said Inara. "I'm coming too, Mal. If this has taught me one thing, you're just not fit to be left alone."
Mal looked down at the ground. He was relieved, ashamed, and worried ….but gosa, he was happy.
When Jayne finally reawoke, he was in his own bunk. For a second, he felt a wash of relief. And then, just a quickly, it left. He remembered.
He closed his eyes, and moaned.
"You finally awake then?" Mal was sitting in the corner of his bunk, lookin' over Vera.
Jayne blinked. Mal. He moved his head to one side and peered out at the Captain's face through the swellin' around his eyes.
"Yeah." He said, dully. "But I gorram wish I weren't."
Mal's brow furrowed with concern. "Yeah. Well it was pretty obvious that something big kicked off between you and Randall. But then you ain't been right for a couple of weeks. Now, as you're on my boat right now, I wanna know why."
"You might wanna, but you ain't gonna," sighed Jayne. "Jus' leave it. Let me rest. When I'm fit. I'll be out of your way." As he spoke, Jayne closed his eyes again.
"Well, once you're up on your feet, what you do is what you do. But while you're layin' in one of my gorram bunks, you'll tell me what it is that got you flailin' in the mud like a gorram wild thing. I ain't ever seen you like that and I've seen you in plenty of dirty moods."
"Ain't a man allowed his secrets?" replied Jayne. But when he spoke, there was no defiance in his voice.
"Not when they're with me, no. So you tell me, soldier. How can I help you unless you do?"
"You can help me – " continued Jayne, " by bringin' me Vera and lettin' me blow my own gorram head off."
For a moment his words hung in the air. Mal's face meanwhile changed from one of mild concern to total seriousness. He stood up, and moved over to where the merc laid.
"Unfortunately, I don't intend to help you with that one," he said. "I've got all your guns locked away. But more's the question – what the hell are you doin' talking like that for anyway? Since when did you get self-pityin'? Self-centred and selfish yes, but self-pityin', no."
Mal hoped he sounded strong. But he had to admit it, this turn of events with Jayne had disturbed him. Jayne was the one you could normally rely on to be straightforward. Crass, occasionally ibicilic, but straightforward.
"When I realised that none of it's ruttin' worth it," came the dull reply.
"Don't say that," replied the Captain. "Jus' don't ever say that." But it was too late. Already, images of the fight at Serenity flashed into Mal's own head. The gunfire. The faces of his men, fixed in terror. The Alliance ships looming on the horizon.
The warmth he had inside since Inara's return, ebbed away.
"You don't get it, do you," said the merc. "I was on my way over to ruttin' steal this gorram boat. It was the plan. I always told you that if the money was good enough, things'll get interestin'. Well they did. But you still can't help yersel'. You still have to gorram pick up the pieces."
And with that, he turned over on his side to face the wall.
Mal felt a surge of anger. "You gorram ungrateful – " but he stopped himself. This was not the time.
Presently, he said: "Okay then, if you want out, you can go. But where're you gonna go exactly? "
Jayne was quiet for a moment. Then he replied: "Home."
His voice was barely discernable. "I wanna go home."
Mal had called the crew to a meeting in the galley. They were all there – even River. Mal had decided to come completely clean.He needed their thoughts.
He began first by explaining the situation with River. As he did so, the girl tried hard not to catch anyone's eye. She couldn't bear their looks of guarded concern. Of mild suspicion.
All the same, she was relieved when they started to make suggestions about a solution. All of which, as far as she knew, Mal had already gone through. There were still only two solutions while she was on board - putting her to the test, to see if she really was a danger - or putting her under.
Simon had already been giving her a low sedative, she knew. It had the effect of making her sleep more. But she knew that really, to be effective, she needed a bigger dose. He was avoiding it however. Silly, thoughtful Simon.
"Ain't it kinda good though River's so useful?" Kaylee was saying, in her normal, optimistic way. " I mean Jayne's out for the count. Ain't it good at least we got River to look out for us if sumthin' comes our way?"
River looked up and gave Kaylee a small, grateful smile. Meanwhile, Simon reached across and squeezed her hand. I don't want to leave, thought River. These are my people.
"Well, in some ways, yes," Zoe replied. " But it ain't as easy as that. We know River is a good girl - but the thing is, there are things beyond her control that may actually harm rather than help us. We gotta take that on board...or not," she ended, weakly.
"Which is why – I've made a decision," said Mal, suddenly. "I'm gonna solve two problems in one."
Mal had already set a course for Jayne's home planet. It was almost three week's journey, all thing's goin' smoothly. But on the way there there was a small terraform which, he knew, had a secure safe house run by a few of the last remaining Independents. The safe house had a few prison cells. Isolation. It wasn't ideal, and it wasn't clean – but it was hidden from the Alliance, guarded by men he trusted, and tough enough to protect the girl from herself.
He wouldn't have had the money normally, of course. But Inara has insisted she pay towards the trip and for the set-up. And he had no choice if he was to protect the girl. He had realised he couldn't just let her go. Just like he had realised that despite the mercenary's deceitfulness, he couldn't leave him on his own - especially in his current state. Even if he had been plannin' to take the ship.
As he relayed this now to the crew, they looked on, accepting - but unconvinced. It still meant, he realised, a good ten days or so with River on board and still a risk. And more time out of doin' what they should be doin' – findin' jobs and makin' money.
But Mal had long since realised that since he had picked up the Tams, he was doing what inside himself, he always had to do. Pick up the pieces. And carry on.
"River'll stay mainly in her bunk all that time. If you want to see her, then you can, but for gorram's sake don't scare her or start wavin' any sharp objects on her direction. As for Jayne, I have no idea what he'll do, but I pretty much expect him to stay in his bunk as well. "
"He ain't in the most sociable mood."
River had accepted Mal's plan. Both her and Simon had realised, that in terms of where they stood right now, he was being generous. Him, and the Independent men who ran the house.
Of course, Mal had just paid to set up the deal. The rent for the cell was going to have to come from Simon's pocket. But thankfully, the prison had no doctor. So as long as Simon helped out when required, things were going to be cheap.
Grim however, she knew. She was afraid of going back to being locked up again. The loneliness. She shuddered at the thought of the Academy. But she also knew that this plan would give Simon time. To find out more about her she could control her powers. So perhaps, in months to come, they could rejoin Serenity. It gave her hope, at least.
But of course, she realised, it wouldn't be the whole crew. She had heard Zoe and Mal pull his body on board. She'd sense the darkness that was now emanating from his bunk. Whatever he had been carrying, she realised, it was now within him. Like a disease. And one, she knew, that he had no will or expectation to recover from.
But where the darkness repelled others, it attracted her. And as she now crept towards his bunk, as the others slept, she knew she had to find out what it was that was causing it. And why, just like her, he was broken.