Disclaimer: I don't own anything... unfortunately.

I wanted to update sooner but got distracted with all the halloween parties this weekend. Please forgive, forget, read and review:)

Long, creamy white legs wrapped tightly around him Holding him to her. Keeping him close, intimate. It didn't scare him now. He liked it. For once, he was happy. She wasn't a whore, his for a night because he paid for her. She was his because she wanted to be. His. Forever. She loved him.

"Jayne." She moaned as she raked her nails down the sides of his back. She leaned her head on his shoulder, her hair flowing down his arm in dark waves. He began pushing into her harder, faster, driving her to the edge. She bit down on his shoulder to stifle her screams as she climaxed. "Jayne." She moaned again. "I love you."

He smiled at her words and growled as he came with her. "I love you, too." He said back easily. "River..."

-------->

He woke with a start, breathing heavy. What the...? Gorram girl. He began to think to himself, staring up at the ceiling. He felt something on top of him still and looked down his body and into a pair of endless brown eyes. River was straddling him and looking down at him while he slept.

He sat up straight, almost knocking her clear off of him. "Girl! Whatcha doin' in my bunk?"

"Keeping out the voices. Only emotion here." River said, pointing at his head. She smiled slightly shyly. "Dreaming of me?"

"No."

"You're a bad liar."

Jayne grunts. Why'd I even try t' lie? She know th' truth 'ready.

"Yes she does." River smiles knowingly. "And she doesn't mind. She likes that you dream of her. Makes her feel normal. Just like any other woman."

Jayne raises an eyebrow in response. Is she kiddin'? She likes that I got dirty thoughts a 'er? ...And she ain't just like any ot'er woman. She's special. What am I thinkin'?

"You will know soon enough." River smiled, blushing slightly at Jayne's thoughts. "And she does like your thoughts. She has them too." Before Jayne has time to say anything, River gets off of him and leaves him alone in his bunk.

"Gorram River."

"How much longer til we set down?" Mal asked Wash as he stepped onto the bridge.

"About an hour."

"Good. Gives us enough time to get ready."

"This isn't a mission, Mal." Inara says lightly as she joins the two men on the bridge.

"Inara. So lovely to see you outside your shuttle." Mal says grinning. Inara rolls her eyes. "Although, don'tcha think you should be knockin' when ya come onto the bridge? Showin' me some respect as Captain?"

"Mal. I'll start knocking when you do." Sh says, her voice drained of emotion. "Wash, what planet are we setting down on?"

"Why? Ya schedule a quickie?" Mal says sarcastically as Inara shoots him a death glare.

"We'll be on New Venice 3 in forty minutes, Inara." Wash says, ignoring the couple's bickering and Mal's side comments.

"New Venice 3? What happened to 1 and 2?" Mal asked curiously.

"They sank." Inara says coolly as she exits the bridge.

Mal blinked as Wash gave him a look. "When are you going to learn?"

"Learn what?" Mal barked back at him. "She started it!"

"Um... no sir, I think you started it... when you asked her if she had scheduled a... how did put it? Oh you worded it so delicately. Ah, yes. A quickie." Zoe said as she came through the door.

"Were ya eavesdroppin' Zo?" Mal asked, wide eyed and furious.

"I wasn't doing anything you wouldn't have or haven't done, Sir." Zoe answers trying to hide her smile, failing slightly.

"You think this is funny?" Mal asked.

"Absolutely."

"Well I'm glad one of us thinks so."

"Make that two of us." Wash chimes in, smiling slightly.

"Wash! You're supposed to take my side! We men folk haveta stick t'gether." Mal says to the pilot, accusingly.

"Um, Mal... no disrespect at all but... The woman has a point. You always pick unnecessary fights. Plus, I don't see you sexin' me up at night." Zoe rolls her eyes, almost lovingly, at her husband. "What? He doesn't! I swear! Only you lamby-toes."

"Wow." Kaylee says, stepping out onto the hover docks of New Venice 3. "Wow." She repeats, standing and looking around in awe.

"Beautiful isn't it?" Inara asks her smiling. "It's modeled after the city of Venice in Italy. A country from Earth-that-was. It was one of the most breathtaking places in all the world."

"Most romantic." River chimes in, moving to stand next to Inara.

"If'n that be the case, mayhaps Jayne should go get himself sexed up." Mal states as he walks past the women toward the city floating above the water of the planet. "Whoa." He says in quiet shock. "You weren't wrong about this place 'Nara. It sure is beautiful." She rolls her eyes at him. "Aw come'on. I'm sorry, ok? Care to have me escort you into the city?" He says with a sincere smile on his face, holding out an arm for her to take.

Inara smiles and looks into his caring eyes. "Before I say yes and take your arm... when was the last time you washed?" She asked him mockingly. He looked to the side in thought and bit his lip, pretending to count on his fingers how many days it has been since he cleaned himself. Inara laughed and took his arm as he led her smiling into the city.

The rest of the crew looked shocked. "Um... is anyone else mildly concerned that they didn't just fight?" Wash asked, breaking the silence. "Did the captain even apologize?"

River smiles. "Lost in the woods together..."

"Anyways... As the captain was askin' before he went all crazy, no offense River." Wash says and River nods indicating that none was taken. "Gonna go get yourself a little somethin' somethin' Jayne? I hear this planet has some of the best lil' whore houses." Zoe elbows him in the side. "I only HEAR lamby-toes... I don't KNOW."

Jayne throws River a sideways glance. "Yeah, maybe I should. Take m' mind off'a things."

River sighs and rolls her eyes in Jayne's direction. "Come on Kaylee. Let's go get costumes for the party. I don't want to have to throw something together last minute." She says looking directly at Jayne, while pulling Kaylee in the direction of a shopping square as Simon trails behind.

"No." River turns to face her brother. "You can't come. Girl time."

Simon raises an eyebrow. "River... you two can't go alone. What if something happened to both of you?"

"We'll be fine." Kaylee and River say in unison to their defense.

"I'd feel more comfortable if I went with you... or maybe Jayne." Simon says in that older brother sorta way that he's so good at.

"Aw helllll no. I ain't babysittin'." Jayne says as he pushes past everyone. "I'm goin' ta get me some tail."

"Liar." River says almost inaudibly with a smile.

"I'll take care of them, Simon. I've been wanting to talk to them about this crazy shindig they planned." Zoe steps forward, smiling at the two girls. "Hubby, you take care of Simon. And Shepard..." She says looking at Book as she slowly begins to back away, following River and Kaylee. "You take care of the both of 'em." She turns around and catches up with the two younger women.

A few hours later, mostly everyone had settled back on Serenity. River and Kaylee were giggling over their costumes. Jayne was growling at their giggling. Wash and Zoe were up on the bridge, most likely fooling around. And Book and Simon were beginning to prepare a meal for everyone.

Mal and Inara walked up the ramp, carrying bags upon bags of supplies. Well, Mal was carrying everything. "I told you I could carry something." Inara says playfully as Mal practically drops all the bags on one of the cargo crates laughing loudly.

"Naw... it ain't right fer a lady to be carryin' heavy stuff around a beautiful city." Mal jokes. "Hell... t'ain't even right fer her to be walkin' e'erywhere. Shoulda gotten you a carriage. Granted, woulda only had enough money fer you to ride in it... but hell, I woulda run after ya."

"Alright, alright now get up on the bridge. I'm sure you're needed Captain." Inara muses as Mal salutes her and makes his way toward the bridge.

"Wha' in seven hells were that 'bout Nara?" Jayne asks, looking confused at Inara. "Ya'll were actin' all sorts'a couple-y."

"They've made up. Made friends. Made love." River says with a knowing smile.

"Awww! It's damn well time Nara." Kaylee says with a large grin plastered on her face as Inara blushes slightly.

"Is e'eryone gettin' sexed up by someone on this ship but me!" Jayne blurts out.

River looks over to him and rolls her eyes. "I ain't gettin' sexed up by no one." She says mocking his voice as she sent him a look that said 'yet.'

Jayne shivered slightly at her deep, staring eyes. They's all kindsa unsettlin'. Almost as if they're talkin' to me... tellin' me they care fer me. They... love me.

"They do." River says at a whisper.

Jayne's eyes widen. "I'll be in my bunk... and stay outa my gorram head, girl." He says as he stands up to leave.

"Can't stay out. You don't want me to. You want me to know it all... hear it all." River says to herself. "Don't worry... you'll say it soon enough, Jayne... and she feels the same."