Notes: Again, my blueprints are a little wacked. We'll continue with the assumption that this is the alternate-universe Serenity where you can walk through a corridor to get to a shuttle and there are two kitchens. Heh. Oh, well. Anyway, thanks so much for the responses and reviews. I reread the first chapter recently and I'm surprised you all stuck around. You're very brave. :) Well, here's more gibberish.

Jayne tripped over his feet as he stumbled painfully behind River. His leg had gone numb from the knife wound. River glanced back over her shoulder at him worriedly.

"Are you dead yet?"

Jayne grimaced. "Not yet, you ingrate."

Jayne pulled himself taller and tried to take charge again. He could hear the Reavers getting closer. They were fighting amongst themselves; that slowed them down.

He had to get River somewhere. Somewhere where he could talk to her, before… he sighed, wanting to scream with frustration. Wasn't fair. Life just wasn't fair.

They made it to the infirmary. Jayne did his best to lock the doors behind them, but he knew they wouldn't hold forever.

River was still reeling, trying to resurface from the tidal wave of thoughts. She leaned over the sickbed and closed her eyes, searching for the thread of reality to cling onto. She heard Jayne limping towards her. His leg was hurt. He had been shot. He couldn't last forever. She shuddered. What would happen to her if he faded away?

She felt Jayne come behind her. His wide, warm thighs pressed hard against the back of her legs and his arm twined around her waist, pulling her bottom into his pelvis. She shuddered again. Life wasn't fair. What divine power created a man like this, handed it to her on a silver platter, and then snatched it away? He leaned over her back, enveloping her in his heat. She felt his mouth press against her shoulder, and then his torso lifted away. She raised her head and leaned back against his chest, craning her neck to look up into his face. She felt the warm trickle of his blood coming from his shoulder. His face was pale and sweaty as he stared hard at her.

"Look, girl. Reavers are nasty. You know what they do to people."

River nodded silently. She knew where this was going.

"I promise they won't hurt you, baby. As long as I'm breathing, I'll keep them away from you." Jayne let out a pained gasp. He rested his chin on the top of her head.

"I ain't going to be breathing much longer, darling. I'm sorry."

Tears welled up in River's eyes. She knew he was right. She could feel the bullet that had pierced his shoulder as if it were in her own body. She knew the muscles that had torn, the veins that were shattered.

Jayne took out his knife and held the flat of the blade against River's chest.

"Last thing I'll do. Very last. Promise."

River nodded in understanding. "Thank you."

Jayne just shook his head violently. "I'm sorry, baby. Sorry."

The Reavers were close. Their time was up. The pounding on the infirmary doors began.

River and Jayne retreated to a corner. Jayne crouched in front of her, emptying gun after gun after gun.

They kept coming. The bodies piled up.

River screams.

No more bullets. Jayne's shot. Twice. Three times. Four. A dozen. Blood bubbles in his mouth.

Only a few more heartbeats left.

He finds his knife and gathers River beneath him. He waits. Maybe Mal will come back. Maybe the Reavers will leave. Something could happen. He holds the blade against her throat. He doesn't want to do this. But he can't let them hurt her. He waits. There's no time left. He can't see anymore. Either there's blood in his eyes or he's dying too fast.

"River, got to go. Your husband's tired."

He waits one more precious second as he feels the Reavers' hands upon him, trying to pull his deadweight off his wife.

Then he hears it.

Gunfire.

Thank God.

The sharp echoes resound through the room. The hands that pulled on him go limp. He falls heavily on top of River, the knife clattering from his hands.

"Mal! Is that you? Took you damn long enough!" He shouts in a strangled cry.

Jayne's bloody hands search out River's face and clutch it between his red palms.

"It's all right, babe. They're here. Got to go now."

Everything grows dimmer. But Jayne's happy. River would be safe. Everything would be okay.

But River started shaking. What was wrong? He strained to hear what was going on around him. He had no strength left. River was whispering something. His head was pressed against hers, but he couldn't hear her. He tried harder. What was she saying?

He heard a whining sound, it was growing louder. River was squirming underneath him, trying to get out from underneath his body. She was shouting now, but he couldn't make sense of the words. Darkness kept calling him.

He tried again… what was she saying… there it was.

"Two by two, two by two…"

Aw, fuck.