From This Slumber She Shall Wake

Crazy was actin', well, crazy.

Ever since 'Nara had given her some Core children's book 'bout fairies and witches or sumthin', she'd been actin' weirder and weirder. Huge dark eyes followin' him 'round the ship, appearin' in unexpected places, and always watchin' him with head tilted like a gorram bird. Was enough to make a man jumpy as a cat.

Jayne found himself retreating more and more to the safety of his bunk. Which meant he almost jumped out his skin one morning when he climbed down the ladder to find River stretched out on his bed apparently fast asleep.

Gorramit. She musta slept-walked down here after taking one of those ruttin' drugs her brother liked to push on her. What the hell was he meant to do now? He wasn't fond of the notion of tryin' to wake her, images of the last time he'd touched her when she was sleep-tranced painfully fresh in his mind. (That was one squeeze one part of his body wouldn't forget in a hurry.)

Jayne studied her, considering his options. Clearly, he needed to go get Simon, or Kaylee, or Zo— no, not Zoë – she might misunderstand… Mighty quick with her accusations was Zoë. And her fists. That ruled out Mal, too. And since he wasn't hankerin' for a suspicionin' lecture from Dr. Prissypants neither, that left Kaylee.

Any second now, he'd go get Kaylee.

Jayne found himself studying River once more.

Jayne knew he weren't the quickest on the trigger when it came to thinkin', but he hadn't survived this long as a merc without finely tuned instincts, and somethin' about this scene just didn't add up. Somethin' was… off.

River was holding a white flower between her hands. Where the dì yù did she find a flower? Her hair seemed carefully brushed for once, spread out like a dark halo round her head and she was wearin' a long sleeveless dress she musta gotten from Inara, crimson silk startlin' against her shiny ivory skin; even lyin' down it was too long, trailin' over her bare feet.

Which just twitched.

Jayne's eyes narrowed with suspicion. A suspicion which was confirmed moments later when River spoke.

"He must wake the girl." River cracked one eye open and gave him a reamin' frown. "Jayne must wake the girl."

"Y'already awake, Crazy," Jayne rumbled. "You don't need no waking up, if y'already awake. That's logic."

River sighed and opened her eyes, as though worn out by his powerful density. Jayne flushed. He was used to feelin' stupid 'round the girl, but on this occasion he felt a little hurt – his response was logical, weren't it?

River was talking again, seemingly to herself: "Jayne doesn't understand. Cannot rescue on his own; the girl must rescue him first. Again." Her expression moved from resigned to amused to… hungry?

Dropping the flower, she got up from the bunk and weaved over to him. Jayne was distracted by the movement of her hips as she did so, like the ripple of slow waves through her namesake.

He was so distracted by this observation, he didn't notice how close River was getting until she was standing right in front of him. He shifted from foot to foot nervily; last time River was this close, knives had been involved.

Then nerves turned to a sort of stunned daze when River twined her arms round his neck, her sweet breath huffing against his mouth; she was staring at his lips, making Jayne automatically lick his own.

"Jayne must wake the girl," she repeated. "The girl was asleep then woke to bitter ashes – to silent screaming – so slept again. The girl needs waking with sweet reason. The girl needs truth that passes lips." Jayne didn't have a clue what River's mouth was sayin', but the message in her eyes was all-fired startlin' clear. Eyes so big and deep he thought he might drown in 'em. "Wake me up, Prince Jayne," she breathed.

And kissed him.

A/N "From this slumber she shall wake, when true loves kiss the spell shall break." From Disney's Sleeping Beauty.

Glossary:

dì yù- hell