Strawberries, Scars and Stars:
The Spaceship Serenity:
Kaylee woke up with a raging hunger and thirst from having nothing to eat or drink in twelve hours, after working on the engines.
She swung out of her hammock and ran a hand through her long brown hair, as the light of a million stars reflected off her cabin window.
Wearing low white pajama bottoms and a turquoise camisole-tank top, she padded through the walkways and headed towards the kitchen, where she raided the industrial fridge and found the wooden box with 'Kaylee's – Do Not Touch On Pain Of Mutilation'.
The box was nearly full and Kaylee ducked her head searching for something to go with it.
"Here." A night-husked voice said. Kaylee's head shot up so fast, her head banged on an open cupboard door.
"Ow!"
An arm gently helped her up and she looked up into the dark eyes of Jayne.
"Thanks." She said cheerily, taking the Shepard's Lucky Cookie he had in his huge hand and the glass of milk.
"What are you doing up?"
"Can't sleep, I'm starving. You?"
"Nocturnal."
Kaylee walked over to the passage heading to the observation bay and beckoned with him.
"Grab some grub and sit with me."
Kaylee went ahead and sat down in the observation area, cross-legged and Jayne returned with a bottle of beer and a Lucky Shepard Cookie himself.
Kaylee plucked the first strawberry out with her hands and sucked it clean off whipped cream, exaggerating the sweetness and watching Jayne literally drool over her.
The next few she gently and slowly ate, moaning at the flavor.
Jayne was trying to not get aroused but to no avail.
Kaylee laughed inside but remained seductive on the outside.
She scooped one big fat strawberry, with a mountaintop of sweet gooey whipped cream and a muscular hand stopped her.
She looked into Jayne's face and he teasingly licked it off her hand. Whipped cream stuck to those lips of his.
She then took a quiet but deep breath and her tongue flickered out and trailed over the cream there.
His mouth opened and he gently kissed her then.
She kissed him back and he gently probed her mouth for entrance with his tongue. She opened willingly and he held her lovingly.
Their knees buckled and they collapsed back on the floor.
"Why did you try and betray us Jayne?"
"It's in my nature…but I tried to save someone, have them come with me."
"Who?"
Jayne was quiet for a bit, and then he whispered, unlike his usual rude self, "You."
Kaylee felt full of…love? Hope?
She looked into Jayne's eyes and kissed him once more.
"Why?"
"Damn girl, you must know. I…I…love…you. There I said, go ahead and laugh if you want to-" Jayne was shut up by Kaylee's soft lips on his own, powerfully.
The force of her kiss was enough for her to straddle him, with her legs at either side of his chest.
"I love you too, you dumbass." She said affectionately.
They kissed once more and River watched out of the corner of the hallway, eating a bowl of cold, soggy cereal as the mechanic and mercenary made love.
If they had checked the crushed cookies, they would have found the same message, written especially for the crew, so that they would understand, 'Love is on a hot plate - get eating.'
A Month Later:
Jayne awoke snuggled naked into Kaylee's body.
The roughness of the sheets, compared to the smoothness of her skin made him press his face into her shoulder.
"Mornin' sweetie." He whispered into her ear and she turned and kissed him.
"Hey."
He ran his hands over her stomach, and then he found it.
An eight-inch scar that ran along her intestinal area.
"Hey, what's this?" He lifted the sheet curiously
She slapped his hand away.
"No looking."
Jayne lifted the sheet regardless.
"Christ, that's a monster! Where'd you get it? Who'd stitch you up?"
Kaylee was quiet then reluctantly.
"The fed nearly killed me. Mal stitched me up. Something like a hundred and fifty two stitches."
"Damn! I'm glad I killed him…but why'd you try and hide it?"
Kaylee blushed.
"Well, a scar makes me uglier and you might not like me after…"
Jayne kissed her.
"A scar doesn't make you ugly. I mean look at me, I've got a ton of them but I'm still damn handsome."
"Yeah well, rich people like Inara can get them lasered off. And I thought that you might wanna sleep with Inara 'cos she's…"
"Inara's the ship slut and your scar makes you strong."
Kaylee smiled and her eyes found a crescent shaped scar ran along the area of her favourite part of his anatomy.
"Whoa. Where the hell…?"
"Oh that's when they tried to demoralize my manhood by…"
A Year Later:
Serenity gently cruised by Satori 8, a watery utopian planet inhibited by silver-green winged creatures as the ceremony began.
Jayne wore only black pants and an olive-colored shirt, as did his best man, Mal.
Book was standing ready for the service and Simon started the music when Kaylee walked down the makeshift aisle.
Zoë, Inara and River made their way down behind her in simple blue dresses, but Kaylee out shone them.
In a dress like theirs in pure silver silk, she smiled with a simple silver pendant around her throat with a droplet of amber in it. Her dark brown hair was loose about her shoulders and her smile shone brighter than a supernova.
Book did a quick sermon and blessing.
"I do."
"I do."
Jayne looked down into Kaylee's face and smiled at his wife.
They kissed and Mal grinned at them.
Finally, Jayne had found something worth fighting for.