Mal was happy the cargo did turn out to be legal with all it's papers, but he still wasn't happy about landing on a core planet. He got a lot of complaints that he wouldn't allow anyone off ship. Captain's orders were no one outside, and only him Jayne, his new intimidater, and Zoe in the cargo bay. Simon was given strict orders that his sister was to remain within arms length of him the entire time.

Jayne was twitchy. He had been twitchy for about two days now. Mal figured it was about what happened last time they were on a core planet, so he was giving Jayne dirty looks whenever he could, just in case. For the first time ever, Jayne looked nervous before a job. Mal was staring at him as the foursome stood before the cargo bay doors awaiting their contact. He was about to tell Jayne to wait in the galley when the contact showed up.

Like the men that had sent the crew in the first place, the contact was very impressed by Jones's recommendation. Mal was growing increasingly worried about fame and all it's problems. Zoe stood on the catwalk and kept a very big gun by her side. Jia stood in the middle of the hold with no expression, and her arms crossed behind her back. The men gave her wide berth as they unloaded the cargo.

Mal was almost too concerned about his drop off to notice Jayne slipping off ship for an instant. Mal saw him out of the corner of his eye, going up to a man, handing him money and the man handing a small package back. All sorts of curse words went through Mal's head. Jayne stowed the package in his jacket and climbed back aboard like nothing had happened. Mal ended this particular transaction quickly and did his best to slam the doors shut. He turned and his Merc was no where to be found. Jia and Zoe were walking towards the infirmary together, and Mal had no one to vent his fury at.

The galley was not a frenzy of activity. Jia was trying to start lunch while wearing four guns and a sword. She started to take them off when Mal entered. He was ten shades of angry

"Where's Jayne?"

The room was even more silent at his tone. Jia froze and looked in his direction. Just as the question was having it's full impact, Jayne entered from the other direction. He took no notice of Mal's expression as he went up to Jia and handed her the small brown package.

He mumbled, "Sorry."

Jia opened the package and was astonished to find an even better knife then the one Jayne had broken. She looked up at him knowing this knife should cost more than she would ever see her entire life. "How?"

"I got in contact with this guy and he arraigned for this to fall off the back of a transport. Is it what he said it was?"

"It is."

"Well then..."

Silence reigned between them Jayne was looking at the floor unsure what to do. He didn't apologize much. Jia stopped his reverie by leaning over and kissing him on the cheek.

"Thank you Jayne."

Jayne turned red and said something about work to do. He turned and finally noticed Mal giving him a little grin.

"What!"

Mal held up his hands in surrender and Jayne left the room. He returned his eyes to Jia holding her prize like an ancient artifact. He went up to her.

"What is that really?"

Jia went in to an explanation that would have made Kaylee proud. Mal stopped her. "In simple captainy terms."

Jia rolled her eyes, "A very precise and balanced kitchen knife."

"Now was that hard?"

He walked away with a smile, his anger forgotten. Jia forgot he was ever in the room as she continued to inspect her treasure.

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It was only hour later when Zoe entered the galley, nervous as well, although she didn't show it like Jayne did. Once again Jia was by herself, lunch forgotten and supper on her mind. She looked up and smiled, but paused at Zoe's expression.

"What's wrong?"

"I have a question for you. Can we sit?"

Jia nodded and they did.

"What's on your mind?"

Zoe didn't know where to start. She took a deep breath and started at the place that first came into her mind. "I'm not exactly anyone's idea of motherly. It never bothered me until I found out I was pregnant."

She looked at Jia for affirmation and Jia nodded for her to go on.

"James once said you raised your brothers and sister. Is that right?"

"Yeah, mostly."

"You are the only one I know with experience of this kind. I guess I'm lookin for advice."

"About what?"

"Just in general."

Jia saw the real question, "You will do fine Zoe. Raising a child is mostly trial and error. The only thing you will have to get used to is not being perfect."

Zoe sighed, "Never been good at that."

"I'll be here to help with what I can, but I know you'll make a wonderful mother."

"How do you know though. What if I completely screw it up?"

"Zoe, everything you do, you do with a gusto that I could never manage. True you've never tried anything like this, but it's really no different than anything else."

"It's completely different."

"Yes, but not totally. Take it one day at a time Zoe. Baby ain't even born yet."

"I just want to do this right."

"You will. I will be here for you but I honestly don't think you will need my help. If you're worried about it just think of it his way, you and Wash will be there the whole way. He can help you. It's not just you."

"That's true."

"Plus you got a whole ship of aunts and uncles that I'm sure will be helpful, at least some of the time."

"Oh yeah I'm sure Jayne will be real helpful."

Jia smiled, "He may surprise you. It's not just him. It's Kaylee, River, Book and me. Captain grumpy and Jayne might be helpful at one point or two."

Zoe laughed, "Captain Grumpy?"

"It works."

"He may surprise you."

Jia gave Zoe a unconvinced look.

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It was the next day when Mal came into the galley grinning. He had made Wash set down in the nearest dirt town that was Alliance friendly but not swimming in officers. It was U-day again.

Jayne was sitting there cleaning his guns and Jia was cooking. Zoe was sitting with Kaylee in the little alcove.

"Hey Jia, what about a celebratory drink?"

"What are we celebrating?"

"Nothing special."

"I would really rather not sir. It's u-day."

"Just a quiet drink."

Zoe rolled her eyes.

"Come on, that's an order."

Jia reluctantly followed Mal out the ship and towards the nearest bar with Jayne trailing behind.

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The three sat in a seedy bar in the corner and tried not to look conspicuous. Jia had a scowl on her face from the occasion. Jayne drank in moderation in expectance of the fun. Mal sat with no expression, waiting. It didn't take long before a patron stood up and started a speech about the wonderful Alliance. Mal instantly downed his cup and was about to approach the bar for a refill when he saw Jia stand up and walk towards the bar. Only then did he notice she had four empty glasses in front of the spot she had just been siting at. Quick calculations on Mal's part told him she was not drunk, for she wasn't weaving as she walked, but she wasn't thinking with all her judgement either. Mal smiled. Another U-day correctly celebrated.

Jia was at the bar. A man approached her and put his arm around her. "Hey darlin'. Wanna drink to the Alliance with me?"

"Not really."

"Oh come on baby, just one drink."

"No for two reasons. One, you are hideous, and two the Alliance is nothing but a bunch of huh choo- shung tza-jiao duh tzang-huo."

Now she had the room's attention. "What did you say little girl?"

She turned to face him, "I said..."

She never finished her sentence. Instead she rammed her fist into the nearest man's face, which just happened to be the one on front of her. The bar rose to face her, and she felt Mal's presence at her back. Jayne was now fighting his way around the room.

Mal grinned, "Ah U-day."

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This U-day fight was going remarkably well. The entire bar had made it's way outside. Mal watched as Jia repeatedly got the upper hand with much larger men. Only once had Jayne stepped in when one man put Jia over his shoulder and swung her around. Jayne had beaten him while saying something that sounded to Mal as remarkably like 'don't you treat women like that.' He knew that couldn't be right, but that is what it sounded like.

The opposition was now getting it's act together and attacking in groups. Mal figured the fun was over and radioed for Wash. As always Wash showed up seconds later and told the others to go back inside while the crew climbed aboard. Mal closed the door and put his arm around Jia.

"Now that is a U-day celebration."

Jayne passed them laughing again at Wash's choice of words.

Jia screamed, "JAYNE!"

Jayne stopped and turned. Jia was staring at his leg. He looked down. There was a dagger sticking in the top of his thigh and out the other side. "Lao-tyen."

He fell to the floor and Jia ran to his side. She knelt and tried to see a way to pull out the knife. Mal was screaming for Simon. Jayne yelled at Jia when she reached for the dagger, "Don't touch it woman."

Jia was panicking. Simon ran in the room and went to Jayne's side. Mal grabbed Jia and held her back as Jayne was assessed by the doctor. Jia sank into Mal's hold and tried to calm down. Mal ran his hands up and down Jia's arms to comfort her. "It's going to be fine. Doc will fix him up good."

"Sorry, I'm just not used to injuries. I'm a cook not a soldier."

Mal left her to help carry Jayne to the infirmary when Simon told them he could be moved. Book helped with the other side. The crew sans Wash gathered outside the infirmary. Jayne was yelling about the doc hurrying up. Simon quickly sedated his patient. Jayne's complaining turned to gibberish and then ended completely. They all watched as Simon worked for an hour. River seemed distraught. Kaylee was comforting her. Zoe as well as Book watched in silence. Mal returned to Jia's side when he saw she was sitting in the corner upset.

"You ok?"

"It's my fault. I started it."

"No you didn't, I started it. It's what I do every U-day. I guess it's just catching up with me."

"If'n I hadn't..."

"Then I would have."

In a rare moment of softness, he put his arm around her. She put her head on his shoulder. They were still like that when Simon emerged to give them the news.

"It missed his main blood vessels by a hair, but he will be fine."

A collective sigh was let out. Zoe looked around for the Captain and saw him in the corner with Jia. His arm was around her and they were talking very close. Jia laughed silently and they whispered some more before Mal got up and went on his way to the bridge. Zoe was bewildered and curious about what she had seen.

She though about it alone until later that night when she confided in her husband. "Wash, can I ask you a question and get a serious reply?"

"Maybe. I promise nothing."

"Do you think there could be something going on between the Captain and Jia?"

Wash sat up abruptly, "What?" She told Wash what she had seen. "Maybe he was just comforting her hon."

"When is the last time he did that?"

Wash thought for a moment. "Hadn't thought of that. It couldn't be what it looked like Zoe. I mean, could you imagine the amazing Bickersons having an affair?"

"Stranger things have happened, especially aboard this ship."

"I don't know, I just can't see it."

"Neither could I until today."

"I'm sure it was perfectly innocent. Why do you wanna know so bad anyway?"

Zoe didn't know. All she did know was that Jia, Kaylee and River were the closest thing she had ever had to girlfriends. She would n't let anyone hurt them. Then it dawned on her why she had to know. "What if it turns out to be another Inara thing?"

Wash thought, "Inara and Jia are so different."

"But what if it does? It hurt both of them so much. I just don't want Jia to get hurt."

Wash waited, "And the Captain wouldn't let go of his bitterness for two minutes to be hurt, but you're thinkin he would hurt her."

"Not intentionally. He is the master of insensitivity though."

"We are jumping ahead here. There's nothing going on between them. You heard her in the motel room. She was almost insulted we thought she might sleep with him."

"I hope you're right husband, I really do."