Inara had gone down to Liberty in her shuttle to visit a friend and was not expected back for another ten days.
Kaylee was able to take over the homestead chores, as she had grown up with chickens, ducks and a garden River opted to help Kaylee. The girls had a grand time weeding the garden and fixing anything mechanical that needed fixing.
"So River, how are things between you and Jayne?" looking over River saw Kaylee intently studying a patch of peas.
"I don't know what you mean, Jayne and I are simply friends," River replied.
Kaylee gave up the pretense of weeding the pea patch and sat down in the tilled soil to study her friend, "River Tam, I happen to know for a fact that you haven't slept in your bed for the past two nights." A sudden thought struck Kaylee, her hands flew up to cover her mouth, "Sweetie, I am so stupid sometimes, you were having nightmares weren't you. That's why you haven't been sleeping."
"He stops them better than Simons drugs ever could" River said softly, "I know I am safe when I can hear his heart beat." She looked at her friend imploringly; River had nothing to compare her feelings to.
Kaylee laughed in delight, at Rivers look of confusion, "Sweetie, River there aint a woman in the verse that would say a man she felt that way with was just her friend. Honey you have gone and fallen in love with Jayne Cobb." With that Kaylee grabbed her friend in a hug.
Since both Zoe and Wash, had never been on a farm or ranch before Book took them under his wing and had them help him make soap, a very smelly dirty process.
"Lamby Toes remind me again why I am doing this instead of juggling geese for my supper?" Wash inquired of his wife as he stirred the large vat of animal fat and lye.
"Because Tommy needs soap and not bruised geese," with a soft smile Zoe reserved for her husband she promised, "I'll make it up to you later."
Book enjoyed watching the couple interact, they seemed so dissimilar on the surface, yet their love for each other was apparent to any who watched them for a time. He smiled softly at their banter.
Matty, Amie, Mal and Simon returned to the homestead the day after the crew of Serenity landed on the ranch. Matty simply needed a broad antibiotic and complete bed rest; Simon had diagnosed a nasty form of pneumonia that Matty had left untreated for to long.
After hearing a few stories over the meals of how the crew rotated all duties including making dinner, and how Simon fared so spectacularly badly at it, Tommy decided to teach him how to cook. So Simon spent his days going between Matty's bedside and the kitchen.
The first couple of days everyone was busy from sunup to sundown catching up on the chores that had gone undone for so long on the ranch. Mal and Jayne of course both understood what needed to be done without being told, they went out at sunup to round up the cattle from the far pastures.
Jayne was sitting on the side of his bed holding a much-loved doll in his hands; he could hear Matty and Amie in the master bedroom above him. It seemed so strange to be back in his child hood room; he kept expecting his sister to walk in.
"You still think about her every day don't you," River said as she walked through the door that connected Timmie 's room to Jayne's.
"No, don't hide from me" River sat beside Jayne; she reached behind him and picked up the doll that he had hid there at the sound of her voice.
"I know you didn't say anything to your mother when she put me in Timmie's room, but I was wondering how you felt about it." River asked quietly looking down at the doll in her hands.
Jayne's large hand closed around Rivers, "No, I think Timmie would have liked you, it's alright." His thumb rubbed over Rivers hand, coming to a decision he stood pulling River up with him "Come on"
Jayne paused long enough in his mad rush through the house to let his Ma know that they were going out, and probably wouldn't be back for dinner. Tommy nodded and said she would leave two plates on the warmer for them.
Towing River behind him, Jayne went to the stables; he quickly saddled a horse, as he was about to catch a second one for River when she spoke up.
"I have never ridden a horse in my life" Jayne looked over at her, River looked sheepish in admitting that there was something she couldn't do. Jayne simply shrugged and lifted her onto the saddled horse, he very quickly mounted behind her and showed River how to hang onto the horn of the saddle for stability.
They moved out of the yard, River tried to figure out how to move, just as she went forward, the saddle horn came up to meet her stomach, as she moved backward her head slammed into Jayne's chin.
"Gorram it," Jayne wrapped an arm around River's middle pulling her tight against him, "Relax, and flow with the horses movements and maybe you won't kill me."
River could feel Jayne's thighs flexing as the horse moved beneath them, his arm was a band around her, the weight of his hand on her hip caused her to forget she was on a horse and she unconsciously relaxed into Jayne's heat.
River found the rhythm of the horses pace soothing, the clop of his hooves on the ground a counter point to Jayne's heartbeat under her ear. As she relaxed even further her mind flowed open connecting with Jayne's on an even deeper level than before.
Memories of Jayne's childhood rolled over River, she saw him racing his colt across the prairie grasses, Timmie dancing in the moonlight with her first beau, who had asked her to dance even after Jayne threatened to beat him into the ground. River was caught up in hot dusty days of branding cattle; warm nights spent swimming in the pool of the bend of the river. A whole life swept over her in moments, both good and bad memories flowed to the surface as Jayne allowed himself to remember his child hood.
River thought of her own child hood, a life of privilege yes, she remembered the nurse, telling her to go to sleep, being careful when she said goodbye to her parents, not being allowed to hug them in case she messed up the outfit. There were good times, when Simon read her bedtime stories, or they would have pillow fights till the pillows exploded in a cloud of feathers.
Jayne hugged River to him in silent sympathy when the memories of her distant parents came from her. He had lost his father when he was fifteen to a enraged bull, but he had never been afraid of hugging his father.
Jayne started talking, "we were always Jayne and Timmie, then it was J and T, finally Ma just shortened it to JT, where one of us was the other was sure to be. Timmie was always full of life. She found the good in everything; Timmie never saw the bad in anyone. Which was why it was so hard to accept what happened to her." Jayne paused, "I killed the man who was responsible, but it felt like nothin'."
River felt Jayne's grief roll up and engulf the both of them; she knew that Jayne had never cried for his twin's death, he had never finished grieving for her. For Jayne, every day was the day Timmie died.
Jayne pulled the horse up in front of a bunch of brush; he dismounted and lifted River off the horse. He moved off into the brush almost in a trance, forgetting the horse, River everything.
River followed slowly, getting her land legs back, as she moved through the brush she realized there was a small spring in front of a cave, the scene was idyllic. River realized this was the scene where many of Jayne's memories of Timmie were located. River moved into the cave, she knew Jayne was somewhere in front of her.
Suddenly, everything slammed into River; she did not have enough breath left to scream. The smell of wood smoke, the pain of her broken cheekbone, the stinking form grunting over her as she felt herself being ripped in two. The dull thud of fists hitting flesh and the flashes of pain moments following, a scream ripped through the darkness of the cave. It was inhuman, a high keening of an animal in so much pain they could no longer exist, but their bodies would not die.
Jayne cursed, he as he saw River fall to the ground and lie still, he could no longer feel her at the edge of his conscious as he had become so used to over the last few weeks. He lifted her into his arms, she was cold, as cold as death, her breathing was so shallow Jayne was not sure if River was actually breathing for a moment.
He carried her to the back of the cave; he laid her down on a pocket of sand and built up a fire from the wood placed in a niche in the wall. The wood was old and caught quickly; Jayne ran out to the horse and grabbed the canteen of the saddle along with the poncho tied on the back of the saddle. Running back into the cave, he cursed his stupidity on bringing River out so far from the ranch house. River was moaning when he got back to where she lay, he gathered her into his arms.
"Come on Bao Bei, come back, your gonna be alright" River seemed to calm a bit at the sound of his voice, so Jayne took heart, maybe she would be ok.
He wrapped the poncho around River, and tried to get a bit of water between her clenched teeth. The water spilled into her hair and down her neck, River slowly rose out of the haze of memories that engulfed her. She could hear Jayne speaking nonsense to her, and calling her name.
Slowly awareness returned to River's face, Jayne could see her focusing on him not on whatever had caused her to fall back into one of her fits.
'Wasn't a fit' River thought, totally unaware that she had picked the thought up from Jayne's mind and that he had not said anything aloud.
"Was to a fit" Jayne retorted, "I saw you fall..wait a minute, you didn't say that out loud did you!"
"Say what" River asked as she slowly sat up, she put a hand to her head, it felt like the horse had kicked her, or maybe Jayne punched her again.
"Only did it that one time cause you pulled a knife first" Jayne retorted, "Get outa my Gorram head" he yelled.
"I'm not in your gorram head Jayne, you are picking up from me for a change" River yelled in return, wincing as the yelling cut through her brain like a knife.
With a curse Jayne jerked River into his arms, he kissed her lips plundering their depths like he would never have a chance at them again.
River felt the desire take her up like a tidal wave; Jayne's passions were just below the surface at the best of times, now they surged to the fore.
"Not here" River pushed at Jayne's chest, "Not here" she repeated, "You need to do something else here"
Shaking River rose and left the cave, leaving Jayne sitting by the fire. She knew that he was just using her as an excuse to not remember what happened to Timmie.
River moved outside, she captured the horse and tied him to a branch; horses were much smarter than cows she noted. River finally noticed a small spring hidden behind a rock cropping, going over she realized it was a hot spring. Gleefully she peeled off her clothes and stepped naked into the warm water the smell of sulfur stung her nose.
"My dear bother is an idiot when it comes to women" a voice behind River's head announced. Turning to look River spotted a tall young woman, with brown hair and pretty blue eyes. "You don't seem surprised to see me here." The young woman continued as she moved around the edge of the pool and sat down.
"There are more thing on heaven and earth Horatio than mankind has dreamed of" River quoted, "I have come to accept the unacceptable, therefore you are here" with a shrug River smiled at the young woman.
Timmie's spirit nodded, "You're not what I expected Jayne to bring home to Ma" she said with a grin.
"What cause I'm not blonde, busty or of easy virtue" River quipped with a return grin.
"Oh, noticed that did you? Yes, brother dear was always a tad predictable, you'll be good for him I think" With a smile Timmie disappeared.
Jayne's startled yell broke the silence as River floated in the warm water, she could feel the water caressing her as a lover might. She started to run her hands over her skin, her breasts felt heavy as her fingers circled her nipples, River caressed her arms, legs, face wherever she could reach, enjoying the sensation of skin on skin.
Standing she cupped the warm water and let it run down her throat, over her breasts down to the juncture of her thighs. The water intoxicated and tickled as it flowed down her body.
The sun shone warmly on her skin, making her feel decadent and wanton, River lifted her hair off her skin and allowed it to flow back down, and she shivered at the sensation. Every nerve in her body was alive to the sensations around her, the water, the sun, the breeze her own hands.
Slowly her hands moved across her body, a low moan escaped her throat as her fingers found the seam in the juncture of her thighs, sliding a finger across she thought of Jayne's hands and how hot and large they were, a burst of wetness appeared between her thighs and her nipples hardened even further.
That is how Jayne found her, standing in the hot pool, like a wood nymph from some fairy story. Her body gilded by the sun, flushed pink by the passions sweeping her body. He could feel his cock spring to attention instantly, he had dreamed of her exactly like this so many times when he had brought himself to the edge and over.
He quickly stripped off his clothes and stepped into the pool behind River, he reached around and placed his hands over hers. River moaned and leaned into Jayne the feel of his heat further inflaming her senses. She could feel his cock pressing into her, she marveled at its heat and size, she wanted it, and she wanted it now.
Jayne held her firmly pinned facing forward, he wanted to finish what she had started, his fingers found her nipples and slowly rolled them between his fingers. A hand slid down to the juncture of Rivers thighs, his fingers found her heat, and she was wet, soaking.
With a moan of longing River parted her thighs; her hips rolled asking Jayne to finish. "Easy Pixie, you'll get there," he breathed into her ear.
His fingers explored the edges of her, before dipping into the honey and spreading it around, with a gasp and her hips bucking River exploded all over his hand, Jayne held his hand over her mound, helping her to flow into her first orgasm. Her legs gave way, they could no longer hold her up.
Jayne picked River up and laid her on the edge of the pool, leaning over he kissed her, tasting her mouth, before running his lips over her collar bone, biting and sucking as he went. His mouth found her breasts sucking gently, River gasped out his name as the heat that had been released started to circle tighter again.
For the first time Jayne wanted to take his time, he did not want to seek his own release; he wanted to pleasure his woman until she couldn't move. He wanted to hear her scream his name, and beg for him to touch her.
River squirmed as Jayne's tongue moved across her breasts, her hands moved to touch his body, her legs wrapped around his hips, urging him forward. Jayne grinned as he moved down Rivers stomach, River let out a long moan as his lips and tongue found her honeyed center.
She had never felt anything like it before in her life, the heat coiled tighter as his tongue lapped slowly, when his fingers entered her River thought she was going to die from the pleasure it brought her. She fisted her fingers in Jayne's hair as she felt another orgasm building through her; he quickened the pace of his fingers and reached up to pinch her nipples.
River yelled his name as she came apart in his arms; Jayne drank in her liquid fire as her body trembled. Slowly, Jayne kissed his way back up River's body, the head of his cock poised in her wetness, he slowly stroked himself against her, he could feel the precum slip out as his control was on its edge.
Slowly he pushed into River, her heat gathered tightly around him, he groaned she felt so right, River wrapped her legs around Jayne's waist and pulled him into her, and suddenly he was buried to the hilt.
He pulled out slowly, grimacing as the cool air hit him, before sliding back in all the way, he was astonished, there was only one other woman he had known that could take his full length.
Jayne took advantage of the fact that he could reach Rivers breasts, he stroked the gilded skin, ran his fingers along their edges, Rivers ragged moans pushing him nearer the edge, but he wanted to feel her come around him.
River rolled her hips, the heat was coiling again and she knew Jayne could make it go away, she wanted him to slide faster the friction and feeling of him within her exquisite. She reached up and ran her hands over his chest; she sucked on Jayne's fingers when he ran them over her mouth.
Jayne gritted his teeth and tried to retain his ragged control, suddenly he could hold back no longer, his pace quickened thrusting deeper and faster, River met each thrust.
They could feel each other, they were each other, their bodies and minds were one as they raced to the edge of the abyss, and they fell over the edge. They were stars exploding in the black; their light lit a million worlds.
Slowly River came back into herself, she looked up into Jayne's face as their labored breathing slowed, Jayne looked down at River in awe, this small woman had changed his world and he was not sure if he liked that fact.
Unsure of how to handle this new development, Jayne said "We should be getting back to the house" He got up and rinsed off in the hot pool before getting dressed, he ignored River as she dressed and crossed to the horse.
They rode back to the ranch house in silence, Jayne felt himself relax as River fell asleep in his arms, and she wouldn't want to talk.
Jayne brought the horse to a halt in front of the stable, the stiffening of his body and his curse brought River out of her light doze.
Simon's voice ripped through the night "Where in the hell have you been?"
Jayne dismounted slowly, knowing that handing over to her brother was the easiest thing to do, but feeling reluctant to do so. Before he could answer River's voice rang out "Jayne took me to meet his sister and I learned to ride at the same time."
Jayne quickly stifled a laugh at the thought of what River learned to ride.
"Simon," River continued as she slid from the horse "It really is none of your business what I choose to do, I am not hurting myself or anyone else. I am tired and sore and I am going to bed" River snapped, "make yourself useful Simon and put the horse to bed"
River was thankful the horse was between her and Simon as her legs gave out when they touched the ground, if it weren't for Jayne she would have ended up sitting on the ground. As Simon moved to take River from Jayne, her glare stopped him in his tracks, "Jayne has been kind enough to treat me as an adult human being, and you Simon are on my short list of people I do not care for this evening. Jayne, would you mind escorting me home?"
As Simon stood there stunned by his sisters outburst Jayne scooped River into his arms and carried her to the house. Jayne deposited River on the inside of the door, without a word he turned and left.