Enjoy it. :)

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BADDEST BOOTS: A DISH BEST SERVED

It had been nearly two weeks since Simon had pulled his prank/revenge on the ships big mercenary. Two weeks where every time they passed each other Jayne'd be sure to hit the man in some fashion; even tripped him once or well, it was more than that. Two weeks they hadn't said a word to each other. Silent stares from Jayne, worried glances from Simon; he knew something was coming.

Truth be told Jayne's anger wasn't only for the doc. He hardly spoke more'n a few words to anybody else.

The crew still laughed about it from time to time, making sure that Jayne was outta ear shot. They ain't never heard a man pray so fast in all their lives, 'course was to be expected – facing Reavers with no weapons and a hurt leg.

In about three hours they'd be setting down on the next rock, in an ever decreasing list, to try and get themselves rid of that Lassiter they'd picked up a ways back. If ever there was a more appropriate time to apologize, Simon couldn't think.

"Jayne?" he said to the man back. He was cleanin' his mighty large collection of guns again and at the sound'a Simon's voice he stopped.

"Ain't the best place for you to be alone now is it?" he went back to his guns.

Simon cleared his throat and went on, "I just wanted to apologize. I may have gone a bit far. Reavers are…everyone's worst nightmare. And I didn't mean to…well I don't know…if I hurt your feelings…" he trailed of uncertainly.

"Ain't got no feelings."

"Of course, I just was covering my bases, um, well I'm sorry. I let my anger get the better of me, and I wont do it again." He started to walk away.

"This don't make everything ok Doc. I'm still coming for you." Again he didn't look up, or even break in his efforts with his gun, nor did the threat in his voice fail to scare the doctor.

Jayne wasn't someone the doc feared, not generally, but sometime he worried the boy. "I suppose you'd have to." The trick was not to let him know he was under your skin, and Simon was fair good at hiding his emotions, till it came to River and Kaylee, but they wasn't scary any how. Simon left the room and headed down to the infirmary, wanted to check supplies just in case he'd be needing 'em.

--

When they finally landed Simon thought it best to hang back on the ship with River, rather than walk around and leave himself open to Jayne's attack. The longer he had to wait for it, the more worried and uneasy he got. Maybe that's what Jayne was going for, just psyching the boy out, if he was lucky. But when Simon looked back at his life…how lucky was he really?

--

Jayne wondered around the little town they was in, smiling to himself. He had the best plan there was – ten times better than the doc's own. He'd almost laughed right at the kid when he'd come to say he was sorry.

Didn't matter none. What's done is done, and payback is a'comin'. He knew the doc was worried, 'spose the silence didn't do much.

Well it'd all be over soon and Jayne'd only have to take a few more days a'bein' extra careful to not get shot or nothing so as to stay off the doc's table. Though he kinda held hope that the doc meant no matter what he did, he'd be safe there. Like the boys says, 'he helps people, he doesn't kill them'.

He had an hour or two 'fore he had to be back and get everything all ready, might as well find a whore to spend the time with.

--

When Jayne got back to Serenity he rushed up the ramp, where Mal stood with Inara, clearly another sale'd gone awry. Jayne made it to the pair in time to hear Mal tell Inara he wouldn't be making any deals with her type'a folk.

"Mal! Mal, forget my plan." He gave Mal a backhanded slap on the shoulder and great big grin. "Figured something better; now don't go gettin' all mad'er nothin'."

"Is there reason to be mad?" Mal asked, crossing his arms.

"Well it's a mite more…hey doc." Realizing the doc coming out all early could ruin his plan he moved to quickly intercept the boy and move him back to where he couldn't be seen.

"You there, STOP!" an unfamiliar voice shouted. Simon craned his neck to see around the big mercenary who'd stopped walking him backwards. Now standing at the top of the ramp next to Mal and Inara, was a blonde haired man, with a gun, pointed at Jayne's back, "Now raise your hands real slow like." It figured Jayne'd go an' get things all messed up soon as they was fixin' to leave. Both Mal and Inara and Jayne slowly raised their hands up, and before Jayne turned to face the man, Simon was sure he caught sight of a mischievous glean in his eyes. He must'a been fixin' to do something stupid.

The man saw that Simon had yet to raise his hands, and so shouted, "Everyone!" Simon did as he was told, last thing he needed was to be shot. The gun stayed pointed at Simon, "You're hereby bound by law."

"What?" Mal and Simon said together, though Mal's had more of a laughing tone to it. You could see the fear on Simon's face as his eyes darted back on forth, back on forth, from the law-man to Mal and back again. He was wondering what to do about River for certain. He could go along, leave her to Mal's protection, or he could fight him here, maybe get shot for all his trouble.

The Alliance probably didn't care of they got Simon alive or dead, so long as they could continue experiments on River.

"Now," Jayne said, "Don't nobody do nothing rash." He looked pointedly at Mal.

"Oh, you had best be joking me." Mal shot back. He lowered his hands, and looked at Simon. He wanted to let Jayne have his payback, and he sure didn't want look like he was playin' favorites by savin' Simon the fear, they both deserved what the other did to 'em, but this was just foolishness.

That man had a gun, Lord knew if it was loaded; Mal just hoped Jayne'd been smart enough to tell the man to empty the thing beforehand.

Simon was glued to the spot, he hadn't moved since the gun had swung in his direction, and you could see him figurin' what was best to do. And Jayne dropped the smile long enough to look at the younger man as well, and turn back around, an even bigger smile on his face now. Mal was sure the doctor had crapped himself by now. If this were real there wouldn't be no way out of it, the hanger door was wide open and people were milling about a yard or so away.

Mal figured that was about as much torment as the boy deserved.

"You best be shoving off now." Mal said to the blonde haired man.

"I'm not going without him." He said, his eyes still on Simon.

"I said, you best be shoving off now. Jayne?"

"Aw, Mal…"

The blonde haired man turned to look at the two men who had silently said something to each other, as was clear by Jayne's response. And that was what Simon was looking for, he thought it a diversion for him to jump to action.

He attacked the man. Hit him right square in the jaw and sent him to the ground. Mal supposed he should have seen it coming; this was River Tam hanging in the balance. She was that boy's sun.

"Gorramit, he's just playin'!" Jayne said, pushing Simon out of the way to help the man up.

Mal and Inara stood back and Jayne ushered the man down the ramp and back to street tellin' him that he should'a warned him about the kid, sayin'he wasn't all that bright. When he reached the top pf the ramp, Mal pulled him over and whispered harshly in his ear, "That wasn't all to funny, someone could's got hurt. And ain't you already almost cost that boy his sister once? Now I know he knows, don't know how, but I know he does. You think it wise to trick him like this?"

"I don't recall you objectin' to his little plan."

"Oh, I told it was a mistake, but at least he made sure no was to get hurt." With that he walked away, taking Inara with him, leaving Simon standing in the exact position he had been since he'd found it to be a joke.

"I told you I was coming for you." Jayne said remorselessly.

"I just…after Ariel." He looked around; his hands limp at his sides. "You got me. Congratulations, you win."

"'Spose so." Jayne said, closing up the rear hatch, so that the ship would be ready to take off when ready. Simon turned and walked away, he wasn't expecting anything else, and he didn't think it would work but he wanted to try anyway.

He turned to look at Jayne, walking backwards, "Just, wasn't much of trick though was it? Seeing as you've already tried to turn us in for profit before?" and then he turned away from him and walked through the door to the common area.

"Ain't like it was real." Jayne said before climbing up the step to the upper areas of the ship and his bunk. He wasn't to sure why, but he felt he wanted to lay low a bit, but he sure as hell wasn't gonna apologize. Jayne Cobb don't do that, and the kid did a dirty thing and got what was his. Now they'd just fly on like they been.

--

Fin.

It didn't turn out quite the way I thought it would, but I didn't want to have to re-write everything. It looked a little different in my head. Let me know.