Title: Rub down

Series: Slayers in Space

Author: Sevangel

Disclaimer: Not mine: Faith & the Firefly bunch are Whedon's.

Rating: R

-

Jayne turns the water off and carries River's languid body out of the shower. "You okay, baby?" Jayne questions as he lays her on the bed.

"Yes." River answers. She flips over onto her stomach and stretches lazily.

Jayne straddles her thighs and starts to massage the tense muscles of her back.

"Mmm." River hums. "That feels good."

Jayne continues to rub the soreness from River's body until she feels like nothing more than a puddle of goo.

"Jayne." River says as she turns back over to look up at him.

"Yeah?" Jayne replies, his hands massaging the delicate skin of her stomach.

"Don't hold back because you're afraid you might hurt me." River says. "You won't."

"I know." Jayne agrees, his hands moving down her hips. "Just promise if'n I ever get too rough, you'll tell me."

"I will." River replies. She wraps her legs around his naked hips and pulls his body against hers. "Wanna have sex?"

Jayne chuckles before bending down to kiss her. "Anytime, baby." Jayne growls lustfully. "Anytime."

-

Mal looks down at the warm body laid out in front of him, his eyes racking lustfully over her skin.

"You gonna get to the rub down part anytime soon?" Faith questions, moving her head around to look up at him.

"Yeah." Mal answers. He kicks his boots off and moves onto the bed, he knees straddling her upper thighs. Moving his hands to her shoulders, he gently massages the tense muscles, his body hardening when she moans.

"Damn, Mal, you should just give up this whole life of crime thing and open a massage parlor." Faith moans as his hands work magic on her body.

"Ya think?" Mal questions with a smirk. He works the kinks out of her shoulders and moves down to the smooth skin of her arms.

"Wait." Faith orders when he starts to rub her back. She pushes the upper half of her body up with one hand and removes her tank top.

"Uh, what are you doin?" Mal questions as he stares at her bare back. He tilts his head to the side and can make out the side of her breast.

"Shirt was in the way." Faith explains as she lies back down.

"Oh." Mal mutters as he moves his hands back onto her back. His fingers dig and knead into the supple skin as he slowly works the kinks out.

Faith can't hold back the groans building up in her throat as Mal works his way down her back. She can feel her nipples harden and her body grow moist as he kneads her skin. Most of her wants to flip him over and ride him till neither one of em can walk but for once in her life decides to hold back. As great as she knows it'll be, she knows it's too soon. She doesn't want it to be just about sex.

Mal reaches the elastic band of his boxers that she's wearing and debates where to go next. He spins around to face her feet and starts massaging her calves. As he works his way up her legs, he's still a bit shocked that her trim, firm legs have so much power behind them. Same thing with her arms. Hell, with the strength that both her and River show, they should both be bout twice Jayne's size. His hands move past her knees and up to her thighs. She spreads her legs a ways to allow him easier access.

Faith moans as Mal's hands move up her thighs and knows it's bout time to cut this rub down short. She's never had much self-control and it's taking the little bit she has not to flip him over.

As his hands to the top of her thighs, he shifts his knees in discomfort. He can smell her arousal, can feel the warmth coming off her body. He moves his hands to the crease of her buttocks and she moans lowly, her body pushing towards his hands.

"Oh God." Kaylee gasps. "I'm sorry. I'll just go."

Mal looks up just in time to see his mechanic flee the room.

Faith groans and flips back over, holding her tank top against her naked chest. "Thanks for the rub down." Faith says, smiling as Mal turns around and leers down at her chest. She lets the tank top slide down until the entire tops of her breasts are bare.

"Uh huh." Mal mutters. He groans when her tank top slides down and glances up to see a smirk on her face. "That's just mean."

"Whatcha gonna do bout it, big guy?" Faith questions playfully.

Mal bends over to kiss her deeply and moves his hands under the loose tank top to cup her breasts. "That." Mal growls against her lips as his fingers move to pinch her nipples. He gives her nipple ring a good tug causing Faith to arch under him.

"Holy fuck." Faith moans loudly. "Use your mouth."

Mal pulls her tank top out of her loose grip and stares down at her naked chest. Her skin is lightly flushed and her chest is moving erratically. Her breasts are about medium size and extremely firm. Her nipple ring drawls his attention and he uses a finger to flip the charm dangling off the ring.

"It's a stake." Faith explains. "Dawnie got it for me for my birthday."

"I like it." Mal comments. He bends down to kiss her briefly before running his mouth down her neck to nip at her bite mark. "Don't know if I like that though." He kisses his way down her chest to pull the ring between his teeth. He tugs at it, his tongue moving out to play with the hardened nub as he slides his hand between her open thighs. He cups her through the thin fabric, groaning at the moisture that bleeds through onto his hand. Putting his hand on her thigh, he slides it up and under his boxers to delve between her legs. She's not wearing panties, much to his delight, and his fingers are quickly soaked with her moisture.

Faith can do nothing but lie there and moan as Mal plays her body like an instrument. His teeth tug and pull at her nipple ring while one hand pinches her other nipple. Faith moans loudly when he slips two fingers inside of her and pumps them slowly.

Mal pulls on the ring relentlessly, liking the way she mewls at each tug. He pumps his fingers faster and uses his thumb to rub at her clit.

"Mal, harder." Faith moans as she bucks against his hand. She can feel the tension building, knows she's close to an orgasm, and that amazes the hell out of her seeing how it's only been a few minutes.

Mal pushes his fingers into her harder and gives the ring one more tug before moving up to kiss her deeply. She sucks onto his tongue the second it enters his mouth, her hands moving to dig into his back. He moves another finger to join the two pumping inside of her and presses his thumb down onto her clit, hard. She moans into his mouth as her walls squeeze his fingers tightly. His eyes widen at the strength and his body hardens to the point of pain at the thought of being inside of her.

Faith moans as she cums, her body milking his fingers. She's had orgasms before, more than she'd be able to count, but normally after it's over, she wants to get far from the person she'd just got done screwing. But not Mal. All she wants to do now is feel him deep inside of her before falling asleep on his chest.

Mal pulls his fingers out of her body once its stopped pulsing and pulls his mouth back to look down at her. Faith's mouth is open slightly as she pants, nostrils flaring, and her eyes closed. He drops a light kiss on her lips before standing up and putting his boots on.

"You leaving?" Faith questions quietly.

"Yeah." Mal answers. He turns to face her with a smirk. "While I still can. We ain't ready for this and we both know it." His hand moves to tug at her nipple ring once more. "Gorram, do I love this thing."

"Well, it likes you too." Faith replies, indicating to how her nipple rehardened the second he tugged on the ring.

"See ya later, baobei." Mal whispers before kissing her forehead and leaving the room.

Faith lies there for a few minutes before jumping up and moving into the bathroom. She flips the shower on, slips off her boxers and climbs under the warm spray of water. She grabs the bottle of shampoo and lathers up her hair. "What's up, Kay?"

"Nothin'." Kaylee replies with a giggle. She pulls out the toilet and sits down on it. "Sorry for interuptin'."

"It's okay." Faith answers.

"I'm so happy for you." Kaylee says tearfully.

Faith pokes her head out of the shower to look at Kaylee. "Why are you crying then?"

"Its just…cap'n is like my big brother or pa and you're like my sister and it's just so shiny that you're all a couple." Kaylee answers. "And it makes me miss Simon."

"Oh." Faith says quietly before moving back into the shower.

"Saw the cap'n walkin' to his bunk fore I came in here." Kaylee comments. "Looked awful rumpled."

"Not as rumpled as I'd like to get him." Faith replies. "I didn't get to touch him, it was all about me."

"That's so sweet." Kaylee gushes. "Didn't know the cap'n could be that sweet."

"Didn't think I'd ever like sweet." Faith says. She turns off the water and steps out of the shower. "Hand me a towel, please."

Kaylee grabs a towel off the rack and hands it to Faith. "Here."

"Thanks." Faith says. "By the way, Kay, what's baobei mean?"

"Precious." Kaylee answers.

"Oh." Faith mutters, butterflies fluttering in her stomach. She's never had a guy treat her like Mal does. She knows he was about to burst when he left here but didn't ask for anything, didn't expect anything. She knows he doesn't look at her and just see a piece of ass; he cares about her, talks to her like she's important. Like she matters to him; like she's precious. Oh, hell she was going and falling in love with captain tight pants.

-

"You wanted to see me." Simon states as he walks into Dr. Grey's office.

"Yes." Brian replies. "Please, have a seat."

"If it's just the same, I'll stand." Simon says. "I have a surgery scheduled in 20 minutes, so if we could get whatever this is started."

"Very well." Brian replies with a sigh. "Simon, you've been back for 3 weeks. In that time, you've preformed more surgeries than every other surgeon, combined. You're scheduling back-to-back surgeries and helping out in the ER when you happen to have an opening. I understand you've been going through a family crisis; I think you should talk to someone. I've talked to Dr. Vance and she's willing to set up an appointment whenever you are."

"I don't need to see a shrink." Simon cuts in. "Has there been a complaint filed against me for negligence?"

"No." Brian answers. "Your work is flawless, just like it's always been."

"Then I don't see what the problem is." Simon replies.

"I do." Brian says quietly. "You've stopped talking to your patients and stopped checking up to make sure they're okay once you're no longer needed. You just move on from one patient to the next."

"I'm a surgeon." Simon replies. "I perform surgeries. If I wanted to get to know my patients, I would have been a shrink. If there's nothing else, I'd like to go."

"Fine." Brian agrees reluctantly.

Simon leaves the room without a word and walks down to his office to get the file on his next patient. He reads through the file quickly before changing into his scrubs and heading down to the room where his patient is waiting. He doesn't say anything to anybody that he passes but does notice the looks he receives. He knows he's completely different from how he was before but it's the only way he's found to survive. He only stops long enough to sleep and eat; and only does those things because he's a doctor and knows what will happen if he doesn't. He preps for surgery and ignores the quiet chatter of the two nurses and the few residents joining him. Backing into the room, he starts firing orders as he loses himself inside the chest of the man laid out before him.

But like every other time, the quietness wears off once the surgery is over and he's back to thinking about River. And Kaylee. It surprises him how much more he thinks about Kaylee than he does River. River has always been his focus, his little mei-mei. But now most of his time is spent thinking about Kaylee: her smile, her laugh, the way she smells, the way she feels, the way she tastes. He can't not think about her; that's the reason he's working so much. He uses the private shower in his bathroom and then quickly changes into the suit he brought from his office. A glance down at his watch shows him that he's only has a few seconds before the driver gets here. A knock on the door proves him right.

"Dr. Tam, are you ready to leave?" The driver questions once Simon opens the door. "Your parents party started about an hour ago."

"Yes." Simon replies. He follows the driver out of the hospital and into the transport waiting. The drive to his parents' house is quiet. His parents had been nagging him since he got home to come to dinner. He's been able to put if off until now but his mother threatened to come to the hospital and get him herself. Thankfully, he scheduled a surgery for 6am so he will be able to leave after an hour or so.

The driver opens his door and attempts to help him out but Simon stops him with a glare. He walks into his parents' house and hangs his coat by the door before walking over to greet his mother. He kisses her right check and reaches over to shake his father's hand.

"Simon, how are you feeling today?" Regina questions. "You're looking a little tired."

"I'm fine, mother." Simon replies.

"We haven't seen you but a few times since you returned from your sabbatical." Regina comments.

A burst of laughter almost escapes Simon's throat but he manages to hold it in. That fact that his parents insisted on saying he was on a sabbatical for the past year amuses him to no end. Everyone knows what happened, that he and River were fugitives but it was never talked about it. Everyone pretended like they didn't know, just like everyone pretended like they didn't know Mr. Turner is sleeping with his male business partner and has been for the past 10 years while his wife has a slew of lovers, the latest being their pool boy. It wasn't talked about, wasn't mentioned besides in whispered gossip.

"I've been busy at the hospital, mother." Simon replies.

"Regina, he's got time to make up." Gabriel says. "Let him be. Simon, would you like a drink?"

"Whiskey." Simon answers. "Double."

His father flags down one of the waitresses and gives her the order. Simon can see him grit his teeth, and knows his father wants to say something about it. Whiskey is a 'poor man's' liquor. Men of his wealth and stature drink either bourbon or scotch. He downs the drink in one gulp, mostly for the burn and partly because he's knows it'll make his father more upset. And just like he predicted, his father lips sets into a thin line. Simon waves to the waitress, indicating he wants a refill. He sips at this one, making superficial chatter with the people around the party.

"Simon, you haven't met Linus fiancé." Regina says as one of his father's business partner's son walks over to them. "Simon, this is Kay, Kay this is our son, Simon."

The glass falls from Simon's hand and hits the ground with a crash. "Duh liou mahng." Simon mutters, not noticing that the entire dinner party had gone quiet at the sound of glass breaking.

"Simon." Regina scolds out the side of her mouth.

"Sorry." Simon replies as he bends down to pick up the glass pieces.

"What are you doing?" Gabriel questions quietly. "There are people here to do that; you do not pick up after your self."

Simon stands up back up and smiles tightly at his parents. "I guess I'm more tired than I thought." Simon explains. "I have an early surgery. It would probably be best if I went home."

"You're probably right." Regina agrees. "We'll be having another party in a few weeks; be sure not to schedule any surgeries the next day."

"Very well." Simon agrees. He turns without another word, grabs his coat, and walks out to the still waiting transport.

-

Mal has one hand on the controls as the other runs up and down Faith's thigh. "Darlin' hit that red button, no, not that one." Mal says. "That's the one. Where that gorram pilot of mine is, I got no ruttin idea."

"Probably with Zoe." Faith replies as she shifts her body to get more comfortable on his lap. "You could let me fly."

Mal laughs. "Not a chance in ruttin' hell, xin gan."

"Ass." Faith mutters and then laughs when he digs his hands into her stomach. "You really wanna do the tickle thing? Don't you remember what happened last time?"

Mal gives her stomach one last tickle before wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her against his chest. "Hell, yes, I remember." Mal fake growls. "Ya had me pinned to the ruttin' ground with my hands held above my head. Actually kinda enjoyed it now that I think back on it."

"I noticed." Faith agrees. She watches as he mans the controls, thinking back on the last couple weeks. If anybody told her 6 months ago that she would be in a relationship with a man for almost 3 weeks without having sex, she would have laughed. Hell, she probably would have thought they were possessed or something. But here she is, sitting on a man's lap who she hasn't done much more than make-out with. He says they should wait until they got to know each other better, and although most of her agrees, it's damn hard. She's never wanted anybody the way she wants Mal.

Mal flies the boat; most of his attention focused on the smooth thigh under his other hand. He's hard as hell, though that seems to be his physical state whenever Faith is around. It's still a bit shocking to him that he's in a relationship, seein' how's it's somethin' he's always avoided. But she ruttin' got under his skin and now he can't picture not havin' her round. She knows things about him that not even Zoe does and he knows stuff bout her that she's never told anybody.

"Hey, pilot-man." Faith says suddenly.

Mal glances over her shoulder to see Wash walking onto the bridge.

"How do you always know it's me?" Wash questions. He notices the hand Mal pilots the ship with and the hand on Faith's thigh. Never fails to amaze him seeing the captain and Faith all cuddled up like this, though he should be used to it. If Faith isn't with River or Kaylee, she's with Mal. And just like River, Faith has the habit of sitting on her man's lap.

"Smell." Faith answers.

"What?" Wash squeaks. "I don't smell."

"Zoe." Faith replies.

"Now you're saying Zoe smells?" Wash asks.

"What about me?" Zoe questions as she moves up behind her husband.

"Faith thinks we smell." Wash answers.

Faith puts a foot up on the console and pushes off it to spin the chair around.

"Whoa, there, darlin' I was tryin' to fly." Mal says.

"We gonna crash?" Faith questions.

"Well, no." Mal replies.

"Then it's cool." Faith says. "And I meant I can smell Zoe on you, pilot-man."

"Like sex on me?" Wash questions.

"No, not really." Faith answers. "I mean, I know you guys have sex and all but my sense of smell ain't that great. I can just smell Zoe all over your skin. Doesn't necessary smell like sex, just like you've been touching, a hellova lot. You're pretty much soaked in her scent."

"Then why didn't you think it was Zoe?" Mal questions curiously.

"Zoe walks different, moves different." Faith answers. "She moves like a warrior; there's a purpose to every step like she's knows exactly what she's capable of. Wash doesn't; his movements are lazier, less focused."

"Plus he walks slower." River adds from behind Wash.

Wash jumps and spins around to see the genius and the merc right behind him. "Could you stop doing that?"

"Sorry." River replies with a smile.

"Where's Kay?" Faith questions.

"Sleeping." River answers.

"Still?" Mal replies. "That can't be healthy. Girl's been sleepin' a lot lately."

"Part of the grieving process." River explains. "Our outing should help cheer her up."

"Outing?" Mal growls. "I don't recall givin' you permission to leave the boat."

"That's probably a good thing." River replies. "Since I don't recall asking."

"Jayne, you best get your woman under control." Mal orders.

"Get your woman under control?" Faith growls, turning her head up to glare at Mal. "What the hell do you mean by that?"

Mal opens his mouth to answer but can't think of a good response.

"Damn, cap, and you're always callin' me the dumb one." Jayne comments with a smirk. "Even I ain't dumb nuf to say somethin' so blatantly barbaric, not with three women in earshot who can kill me with their bare hands."

"Blatantly barbaric?" Wash gasps.

"I'm shackin' up with a genius." Jayne defends. "Ya can't expect it not to rub off."

"I like it when you rub." River says, leering up at him.

"And it looks like she's rubbing right back." Faith comments and then winces. "Okay, that sounded a lot less dirty in my head."

"Yeah, I bet." River replies with a smirk. "Pervert."

"Other pervert." Faith retorts. She kisses Mal's cheek and jumps off his lap to walk towards River.

"HOLD IT!" Mal yells. Faith and River both stop their descent to turn and look at him, right eyebrow raised. "This discussion ain't over. I wanna know what makes you think you're gettin' off this boat."

"Like you could stop us." Faith mutters.

Mal glares at her.

She smiles back.

"We have to go." River says. "Faith has an appointment."

"A what?" Mal growls.

"An appointment." River verifies. "A doctor's appointment. I made it yesterday."

"Are you sick?" Mal questions Faith worriedly.

"No." Faith answers. "R, what's going on?"

River just gives her a look.

"Oh." Faith replies. "You think?"

"Yeah." River responds.

"But it's.." Faith replies.

"I know." River cuts in.

"Don't think it's…" Faith questions.

"Nope." River answers.

"What about.." Faith asks.

"Not an issue." River replies.

"You sure?" Faith questions.

"Yep." River answers.

"R's right." Faith says, looking away from River to see the rest of the room staring at them.

"Right about what?" Mal questions, looking between the two of them.

"What the hell was that?" Wash asks. "Some kinda of slayer mind reading thing?"

"Oh." Zoe says. "Really?"

"Yep." Faith and River reply.

"Wifey, you understand that gibberish?" Wash questions worriedly.

"Not at first, but I get it now." Zoe answers.

"Care to explain it?" Mal says.

"Huh." Jayne mutters. "Baby, this somethin' like why Faith made you go to that clinic thing?"

"Yes." River answers.

"You understand them?" Wash gasps.

"Sure." Jayne answers. "Faith's goin' to get that shot thing so's Mal don't knock her up."

"That was so romantically put." Zoe comments. "River, he use that kinda poetry on you a lot?"

"Yep." River replies. "Have to love Jayne's directive ness. It's rather refreshing."

"Oh." Mal mutters. "Is this thing safe?"

"Yes." River answers. "There are risks; weight gain, loss of sex drive, slight chance of blood clots resulting in a stroke."

"WHAT?" Jayne growls. "Ya never ruttin' told me that."

"It's only a slight chance and mostly in women over 35 who smoke." River replies. "It's perfectly safe and effective; the only safer way is abstinence. And we all know we're not doing that."

"Yeah." Jayne agrees. "Don't know if I like you takin' this if'n there's a chance you might die though."

"It's a microscopic chance." River assures him. "You'd be more likely to declare your love for Wash than it happening."

"That ain't ever happenin'." Jayne replies.

"So, we're going to go to the appointment and then taking Kaylee somewhere to cheer her up." River says to Mal. "Maybe a parts store or to look at fluffy dresses."

"Fine." Mal agrees. "But there'll be rules. You go get Kaylee ready and meet us in the bay to discuss them. Wash, controls are yours; we're bout ready to break atmo."

Mal stands up and Wash takes his chair, preparing the boat for landing. River and Faith leave the bridge to get changed and find Kaylee.

"We sure this is a good idea?" Jayne questions Mal. "Remember what happened last time?"

"They bout started a riot." Mal answers. "Time after that ran off to fight vampires. I remember and no, I'm not sure."

"You could try to stop them." Wash comments. "I'd find that to be entertaining as hell."

-