Title: Come a little Closer
author: Jmaria
Rating: FR-18
Disclaimer: Joss is god, I am a lowly worshipper.
Spoilers: The series, and for Baby on Board, Just Unsettlin', Nightmare Seduction, Nucleus, Not Whole, Mama Cobb, Tiny Thing Like That, Family Matters, Gathering, Hootenanny or a Shindig (part one and part two), Floozies, Vixens and the Manner of Grief, & Miles to Go Before I Sleep
Summary: Come a little closer baby, I feel like lettin' go. . .
A/N: Yes, I ripped off a Dierks Bentley song. But it's such a Rayne song. . .I think I've listened to one too many Rayne mixes. g Also, I suck at smut. Seriously. I've never gotten any good smut - not even when I've purposely set out to do smut. The one fic where I went to write smut turned into a half-naked bathroom scene and the characters just talked. It was bad. Which is why it took so very long to write the wedding night.

Come a Little Closer

River loved dancing. It was almost as natural as breathing. Jayne hated it. Reminded him of his mother teaching him and Brooke how to dance when they were little and she was pregnant with Enid or the twins. River smiled as the memory slipped as if through his skin and into her mind. His sway was comforting and warm.

"Dance with Phoebe," River said suddenly.

"I ain't dancing with the whole ruttin' -"

"You need to speak, and dancing makes your brain work better," River sighed. "Very important to mend the fences."

"Ain't no fences to be mended, girl."

River gave him a look. He really wasn't paying attention. Across the way, she could see Phoebe dancing with a boy who would only hurt her, and Jayne was blind to it.

"Dance with Phoebe." River urged, pushing herself away. "Mend the fences she can't understand."

"I already said there ain't -"

"He's a liar and a cheat and he'll only hurt her, leave her bleeding."

"Huh?"

"That boy is not a honorable man. He will take her gift and leave her bleeding."

"Gift?" Jayne thought he was understanding her, but his eyes had flickered to the gift table and River groaned.

"THE gift, Jayne. The joyous gift of copulation."

"Copu-what?"

"Sex, Jayne. He's going to take her gift and leave her bleeding," River said this very slowly, hoping he finally got it.

"I'd be better off beatin' the shit outta that little hundan -" Jayne would've clenched his fists, but her hand was still in his.

"No, only send her to him faster. Dance with her. Go."

Jayne didn't exactly want to hash things out with Phoebe right now, and he was actually enjoyin' dancing with Moon-Brain, but he didn't want whatever she was fearin' to happen to his sister. He recognized the little piss-pot the second he laid eyes on him. He was not-so-distant kin to old Magistrate Weblin, and considerin' the bad blood between the Cobb and Weblin families it didn't bode well fer his little sister.

Phoebe was giggling in her pretty dress, her hand pressed a mite too casual on the little piss's chest. He was tuggin on her like she were a rag doll. The girl froze when she saw Jayne glaring at him.

"Pheebs, ya ain't danced with me yet," Jayne tried to say casually, while still glaring at the boy who seemed to go stiff at the sight of the merc.

"Jayne, I's just fixin to dance with Billy," Phoebe said, looking away from her brother.

"Aw, pup can wait. It's my weddin' what got you all frilled up, so I think ya can spare a dance fer me," Jayne said conspiratorially, smacking the guy hard on the chest. "Right, Billy-boy?"

"Y-yes, sir, Mr. Cobb." The boy visibly swallowed, and Jayne only smirked before wrapping an arm around his sister.

Phoebe elbowed him hard in his stomach, but Jayne didn't really care. They were playing a lively song filled with lots a complicated steps. So, like always, Jayne made up his own steps.

"What in the Sam hell is this about? Cause I don't reckon you'd want to be speakin' to me after what I did," Phoebe said glumly as Jayne yanked her around the make-shift dance floor.

"Well, I can't say it were a good thing ya did ta little Mattie. Ain't deserved it, she's a good kid."

"Everybody's favorite little person," Phoebe sighed.

"But I think I can wrap my head round the why, and it's prolly my fault."

"Huh?"

"Weren't fer me, Mattie wouldn't be here, and you'd get treated a bit better, being the baby and all," Jayne hugged his sister closer, knowing she was close to flying.

"No, - that jus' makes me sound like a brat, Jaynie." Phoebe pouted, leaning her head on her brother's chest.

"Well, ya are."

"Jayne Cobb, you take that back!" Phoebe pinched his arm hard, seeing as she was too close to punch him properly.

"Gorrammit, girl!" But he chuckled. "Yer a good kid, Pheebs. Just got stupid fer a second, happens to us all."

"I'm sorry, Jayne. I was mad, and - "
"Don't gotta apologize ta me. Ain't done me much harm. Ma and Mattie are hurtin', and would 'preciate yer company. Been spending the whole party with that pup," Jayne nodded to where Billy was glaring at him.

"Ma won't be too angry?" Phoebe chewed her lip nervously.

"Naw, she don't hold grudges."

"Praise Budda, if I had ta spend 'nother second with Billy the Hand, I think I mighta puked," Phoebe laughed, genuinely smiling for the first time since Jayne had come home.

"I'll go make yer excuses," Jayne muttered as he watched his sister run off to the table his mother sat at. He glared back at the little puddle of piss who was glaring back at him.

He stalked over to the boy, who backed up in fright. Then he smiled. Hadn't had a decent spot of violence in a good long time. Time to use his intimidatin' manner.

"Where'd Pheebs go?" Billy tried to say, while backing up all casual-like.

"Billy boy, gotta have a word with ya, ya little party-crasher," Jayne grabbed him roughly by the collar, nuff so's to scare him.

"Sir - I ain't -"

"Shut up. Now, ya look at me and say I ain't armed, on a count a my wedding and such."

"No -"

"I ain't finished talkin' at you," Jayne said with a smile. "Now, I reckon my pretty little wife's the only one ta know I got a pretty little Maguire strapped to my ankle. Like to tell ya bout that gun. Made for only a year, bout sixteen years back. Delicate looking thing, but packs a powerful punch. Named it Phoebe, on account a it reminded me a my baby sister. Come within fifty yards a my sister again, and I'll show ya what my little Phoebe can do to a pile a piss like yerself. Dong ma?"

Billy gulped, his eyes large with fear. Jayne figgered the boy'd already wet hisself. He nodded feebly, and Jayne let him go.

"Git gone," Jayne barked, and the boy ran as fast as he could.

Jayne laughed so hard, his eyes began to water. He shook his head and turned back to the party. He caught River's eyes as she danced with Mal. She smiled brightly at him, and Jayne felt his own smile slip a bit. She musta known he called her pretty. Hell, weren't the first time he'd called her cute. Weren't like it were some brand new revelation that she was a good lookin' woman. 'Course it were the first time he'd a thought a her as having bed-mate potential since before Ariel. Hell, it were his weddin' night. It was the first time since his first time that Jayne got a bit nervous bout havin' sex.

River was looking forward to making it official, as Mother Cobb kept saying. The woman knew that River had practically raped Jayne in order to get what was needed. He'd been the logical choice. Any issue created between them would have his simplicity and strength to guide them. Beautiful babies. Children, dopples. Yin and Yang.

The wedding night would bare complications. Jayne had never slept with a pregnant woman, and if he had, she hadn't been far along. And his thoughts were slipping to the special Hell. River frowned. She'd have to have a word with the Shepherd.

"Ya listening, River?" Mal asked, looking down at her.

"He fears, fears it won't be pleasant. I can make it very pleasurable," River said pensively.

"Ah, I didn't need to hear that," Mal groaned.

"You're incorrigible," River sighed.

The song ended, but Jayne didn't come back. Dancing lost its appeal, and darkness began to get heavier. She sat with Wash, Book and Mother Cobb, and Jayne stood as far away from her as he could. Not going the distance, not ending the void. It hurt her, more than she would have thought.

"Jayne were so proud a that green sash he'd got fer spellin' that he went to bed with it for two whole months. Proudest moment in his young life, even got him a kiss from the Magistrate's daughter," Evie said smiling.

"Jayne got a sash for spellin'?" Wash cried.

"Best third-grade speller in the entire colony, back when Cadence were just a colony," Evie nodded.

"How - quaint."

River stared at Wash for a moment. Something had changed in him, and she couldn't put a finger on it. She smiled, as her eyes landed on Zoe just three feet behind him, laughing with Kaylee and Inara. A single word slipped through her lips.

"Marie."

"What was that?" Wash asked suddenly.

"She'll be beautiful, funny and tough. She'll make you proud, first in her class."

"Who'll do all that -" Wash asked, glancing over at where River was looking. "Are you - no, we can't - we aren't ready -"

"Not yet, but I tell you so you'll act on it in the right way. Don't stand back, make it happen."

"Are you telling me to have sex with my wife?" Wash asked quietly.

"Yes, Wash."

"Speakin' a sex," Evie said brightly, causing Book to choke a bit on his drink. "You alright, Shepherd Book?"

"I'm fine, you were, um, saying?"
"Oh, yeah, we got a nice little place fer you and Jayne ta spend yer weddin' night, River. My Al built a tiny little cabin fer us when we first were wed, and before the house was finished. Jasmine and I went out to clean and air it yesterday, so it's ready fer you two."

Wash opened his mouth to speak, but River gave him a look that reminded him of Jayne at his grumpiest. He bit back the retort and just smiled.

"Usually, the couple takes off 'round this time, and -"

"I'll gather the husband to me, be the furrow to his plow," River said serenely, ignoring the choking sounds coming from Wash, Book, and Mal, who'd just joined them. "Rather have me say puff up her cheeks and blew out the night sky?"

"Huh?" Evie asked, her eyes searching the faces of the three men. Wash and Mal were blushing, but Book looked the most disturbed.

"You channelin' Yo-Saff-Bridge?" Mal asked, frowning.

"It's on your minds," River sighed. "I need Jayne."

River rose from the table, letting them all think about what they wanted to. Her mind was on the man who wedded her and was now having qualms about bedding her properly. He'd hadn't any contact besides himself for the past six months. Hadn't been on a world long nuff to get any, couldn't really remember when he had gotten it. Not fair.

"Time to go, place all set aside for us," she whispered in his ear.

Jayne jumped a bit, and the men around him all laughed. Until Jayne glared at them, and then they hid their grins behind cups and hands. River gave them a look before taking Jayne's hand in her own and tugging on it.

"You can use the mule," Mal called, toasting the couple from his seat.

"My mule?" Wash asked, concern washing over his face. Zoe just kissed his forehead, and Wash was all smiles again.

"Your mule?" Mal, however didn't want to drop it.

"I'm the one who always drives it."

"Same could be said 'bout Serenity, and you sure as hell don't own her!"

"Yes, but I love the mule, I'm thinking about naming her Marie," Wash grinned.

"That is a mighty pretty name, husband," Zoe cut off any response Mal was tempted to make.

"You like?"

"Mm-hmm," Zoe said kissing his cheek, a suggestive smile on her lips.

"Yeah?"

"Ugh, can you two do that someplace else?" Mal groaned.

Jayne followed her like a child, letting her guide him to where Wash had left the mule. She let go of his hand and climbed carefully onto the back, patting the seat for him to take. He cleared his throat before climbing on. His Ma handed him the key to the cabin and kissed him on the cheek before hugging River.

"Have a good night, sweetling!" Evie cried, brushing away the tears.

"Have good sex!" Kaylee cried, and River laughed at Simon's gawking face.

"Have good sex?"

"What's so wrong 'bout a couple havin' good sex?"

"Now we'll all have images a Jayne and River sexin' each other up?" Mal said shuddering, Simon mimicking his actions a second later.

"I didn't need to hear that, Captain," Simon muttered.

"Speakin' a sex, you ready to tear this slinky dress off me, husband?" Zoe grinned.

"Ugh!" Mal groaned, taking a deep drink of his liquor.

"One of the pleasures of not being -" Inara started to say with a smile on her lips.

"I'm sick a hearin' about how everyone's gettin' sex, don't make me a prude. Jus' don't want images of my crew doin' a naked dance all over my gorram ship."

"A naked dance? Like ya did when Saffron left ya naked on -"

"Kaylee, go sex up the doc," Mal snapped.

"Excuse me?"

River didn't hear much more of this, because Jayne chose that second to gun the engine of the mule, much to Wash and Kaylee's protests. She looped her arms tightly around his stomach and pressed her body tightly to his back. Jayne's spine stiffened suddenly, and River nearly blushed as she felt his stomach tense.

The drive took about twenty minutes, and the route hadn't changed much in the past twenty years. It'd been about that long since he'd last gone to the cabin his Pop had built. Last time he'd been there, it'd been with Vera. She'd told him then, with big tears in her eyes that she was gettin' hitched. Then his pop had come, scared her off.

River's eyes clouded over with tears. Her simple Jayne wasn't so simple. He was scarred and molded and made this way by fickle fate. Yet, her tears wouldn't help him heal. She hadn't known he'd needed healing just as much as she did.

"Ma said there's a nice big bed here, now. Weren't much when I was a young'un. Pop couldn't afford ta furnish both, and the house got most a it," Jayne explained, unlocking the antique lock. Turned with an actually key, not a key and ident card, like the Tam Estate had.

"Big enough for two," River said, picking her delicate hem up off the dusty path.

She paused just in front of the steps that led up to the cabin. It was much smaller than the Cobb home, but big enough for a small family of four. Big enough for Al, Evie, little Brooke and baby Jayne. Big enough for Jayne, River, and the unknown issue. Jayne turned back to her, and she could see the shadow of the boy who'd lived here for three years. The toddler, the infant, the teen who'd said his first good-byes here.

"Hello," she breathed, staring up at him.

"What're you waitin' for?"

"Tradition."

"The threshold one?" Jayne muttered.

"Yes."

Jayne grimaced, but hurried off the small porch and gingerly scooped her up into his arms. She smiled as she draped her arms around his next, sending her fingertips up into his neatly combed hair. She sighed, content for a moment.

And then he set her on her feet. He shut the door carefully, as if the tiniest noise would shatter the cabin into a thousand tiny bits. As if he'd shatter her.

"We ain't gotta do nothing, just cuz them hecklers said so," Jayne muttered, but his thoughts said otherwise.

"Yes, we must give into peer pressure, otherwise things could go very bad. I've seen it," she hadn't, but Jayne didn't know that. "Pressure points close to bursting, too long out in the black without touching. Essential to breathing, the touch."

River spun around as if she were dancing, and crept upon him as if these steps had been rehearsed to no end. Jayne stood still, the muscles in his neck throbbing as his blood pulsed. The rhythm was steady, and true. River stood nearly on top of him, backing him against the door. The lanterns flickered, casting shadows over his face and drowning hers in darkness. She didn't go for his lips, that would remind him too much of her, and River wanted him to be focused on the girl that was, not the one who'd left. River kissed his pulse point, her lips and tongue tasting the sweat and her nose taking in the scent of borrowed cologne. She kissed his jaw line, the corners of his mouth. His heart beat faster, his breath shaky as she drew her lips away. He still hadn't touched her.

She moved his limbs as if he were a mannequin, placing his left hand on her hip and bringing his right to her face. Jayne looked at her as if he'd never seen her before, as if everything that had happened in the last two years hadn't. Clean slate, fresh start.

"Touch me, Jayne," River whispered.

"Uh," was all he said before her fingers moved to push off his coat.

It was off and his shirt was halfway off before Jayne realized it. She went back to kissing on his face, and Jayne moved for the first time since she'd said they'd hafta give into peer pressure. He reached up to the zipper on her dress and gently pulled it down as River's mouth found his collar bone. Her skin was bare beneath the white dress, and smoother than the last girl he'd been with. She'd been riddled with scars and the like, but River was smooth and soft. Her lips worked their way down, and her fingers curled into his chest hair, gingerly tracing his scars.

He didn't know how they got away from the door his back'd been pressed into, but somehow they'd made it to the bed. River shoved him back, her dress slipping off her shoulders. The collar fell forward and her shoulders were bare as her fingers worked to undo his belt. Jayne stopped her then, taking her hands in his left.

"I got it, sweetling," Jayne grinned, sending shivers up her spine. He quickly undid his pants and kicked them off before letting go of her hands.

He leaned back on the firm mattress, his head propped against the headboard as he let her go. The dress slithered down her body, and she lowered her eyes, her face blushing prettily. Girl were forward enough to get a man under the influence and use her wiles on him, but face to face she was shy, coy almost. River smiled, and he knew she'd been readin' his mind.

"Confidence is a right pretty thang," Jayne murmured as he leaned forward, kissing her pulse. One hand rested gently on her belly, the other cupped her face as he pulled her down with him.

When River woke the next morning, she was freezing. Her body was pushed all the way back against the wall, and the bed was empty save herself and the old quilt Mother Cobb had made when she'd been pregnant with Jayne. The lanterns had gone out, and the sun was peaking through the curtains, but Jayne was gone. Panic flittered through her as she clutched the blanket tightly around her naked body. She sat up quickly, peering into the kitchen area.

"Jayne?" she whispered, fearing the worse.

"Wha'?" A voice mumbled from the floor.

She crept on her knees to the edge of the bed only to find Jayne curled up naked on the floor with one of the pillow covers wrapped around his shoulders. She giggled.

"Wha's so funny?"

"Comfy?"

"Aw, gorrammitt, girl, ya kicked me outta bed!" Jayne grumbled, jumping up and burrowing back into the blankets. "Go back to sleep, and don't kick me outta bed again."

"Never did, you're just restless," River sighed, letting sleep take her over.