A/N: Not convinced anyone has missed this story, but for anyone who may have noticed it's absence - it's back! :) I plan to update on a regular basis from here on out, and we're getting right back into it with a rewrite of 'Shindig' :)
(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)
Chapter 8
Inara paused the recording sent by a potential client and tapped on another. The nervous man made her smile, so young and uncertain. She might try to make time for him, she thought.
"Innocence," said a voice behind her, startling the Companion to the point of losing her perfect posture for a moment.
"River, I had no idea you were there," she said, a hand to her chest as she paused that recording also. "You know I really don't mind if you'd like to visit me, but it is more polite to knock," she told her gently.
"Door was open," said River, wandering in and picking through the trinkets on the table without pause. "Hard to come by."
"Not really," Inara corrected her, rising from her seat and moving to take the music box from River's hands. "This kind of thing is not so very rare on the core planets, as you must know."
"Innocence," she echoed with a frown. "The boy, he is rarity, this day and age," she said, gesturing to the vid screen. "Most know too much, too young."
Inara stared at River, unsure how to respond. It was difficult sometimes to figure out exactly what she was referring to in her odd speech patterns. A moment ago, Inara would have sworn they were talking about an ornamental box, but apparently not. River worried for a loss of innocence, in the worlds, in the new generation of people it brought, or perhaps just in herself. It was extremely hard to tell.
"Does it feel the same?" she asked very suddenly.
"Does it...? I'm sorry, mei mei, I'm not sure what question you're asking," she said gently, moving to sit on the couch and offering for River to join her. "Are you asking me about my profession?"
"She supposes it is a profession. Services for payment. Can it be the same when services are paid for with the heart, as it is when paid for by the coin?"
Inara was a little taken aback when she realised what she was being asked, not least because she had no answer to the question. River spoke of sex, a subject with which Inara was so very familiar and had no problem in talking about. If she understood correctly, River was wondering if the intimate relationship between a man and a woman felt the same no matter whether the transaction was for the physical payment of money or done in joy and love, for the sake of true feelings and very real desire.
"I wish I had an answer for you, River," she said, shaking her head. "I can tell you that I enjoy my work. A Companion chooses to whom she provides her services, so I am always well pleased with the men, and occasionally the women, that I bring aboard my shuttle. I feel connected to them, I ensure that we both enjoy the experience, it is part of the job in that way. Unfortunately, I am not so lucky as to know how it feels to truly be in love," she said sadly. "I cannot say the difference it might make to the process."
River tilted her head as she stared at Inara. She looked equally as sad as the Companion at first and then a smile crept across her lips.
"She knows," she said, rising from her seat and heading for the door.
With the odd distant way in which she usually spoke, it was unclear whether River meant herself or Inara when she said 'she'. The short cryptic phrase left Inara wondering, but apparently she was getting no further explanation as River was gone from the shuttle just as suddenly as she appeared.
Inara was unsure how long she might have sat there staring into nothing, wondering at River's words, if not for the chiming of the comms system. Atherton was calling, and she smiled at the realisation. No, she had never been in love, but Atherton Wing knew how to make her feel very special. That would have to do for now.
The men were playing cards. They had invited River to join but she politely declined. It would be unfair and they all knew it. Though she would not do it on purpose, she may be able to detect who held which cards or how they would play their next move. Besides, she was happy enough just to watch for a while, at least until she realised her Jayne Man was looking to her for advice all too often. A good man for her he may be, but if he could cheat the Preacher and her brother at the game he would.
"She will not assist," she said, rising from her seat at the table and wandering into the meagre kitchen.
"Is that how you're winning?" she heard Simon ask Jayne.
"Ain't even anyhow!" he protested.
River stopped hearing anything after that. The cupboard open before her contained innocuous things - packaging, packets, tin cans. To anyone else they were just objects, perhaps to others much needed sustenance. To River they were more, and much worse.
"No," she muttered, pulling them into her hands. "No, no, no!"
She spoke not above a whisper at first, hardly aware herself that she made any sound. Of course the crashing about that came from her slamming cans onto the counter top, tearing into packets, and beginning to grow hysterical, that all drew attention.
"Oh, juh jen sh guh kwai luh duh jean jan..." said Jayne as he realised what was happening.
"River, no!" Simon cried, scrambling to his feet.
Jayne got to her first, wrapping his arms tight around her from behind and speaking comfort right into her ear.
"Easy now, girly. C'mon, bao bei, it's gonna be okay."
Simon was ready to make a grab for the smoother if it were needed. This was perhaps only the second time since they came aboard that he came close to reaching for drugs on River's behalf, the first having been the naked screaming fit she had their first day here. River really did look wild, and struggled against Jayne for all she was worth when he first took a hold. Once he manoeuvred her out of the kitchen, sitting her down in a comfortable chair, she seemed to become more calm.
"No harm done," said Shepherd Book, surveying the damage in the galley. "Just means we'll be having a few mystery meals, that's all."
"You alright, River-girl?" Jayne checked, looking over her hands.
She had a couple of cuts that were something and nothing, though Simon insisted on fetching sticking plaster to cover them. Jayne put one hand to River's cheek and made her meet his eyes.
"Hey, you with me, little woman?"
"Present and accounted for," she confirmed, nodding her head.
Sometimes when she had her fits like that, even she wasn't sure what had happened after. Other times, Jayne feared she knew and was just afraid to talk on it. This was one of them times. He opened his mouth to ask what happened when the doc appeared to apply the sticking plasters to Rivers fingers. She watched intently as her brother worked and then out of nowhere she smiled.
"He will be her partner," she said, looking to Jayne.
"Figured I was already," he told her, a might confused, which wasn't altogether new for him. "Speak plain, little woman."
River's grin widened as she put her small hand in Jayne's larger one and took a grip. She rose to her feet, graceful as a bird and encouraged him to come with her.
"If he can count, then he can dance," she said, nodding once.
"He can what, now?" asked Jayne, shocked by the very idea of what she was saying.
Simon covered his mouth with his hand, looking suddenly very amused. The thought of Jayne dancing in any form was enough to bring on laughter.
"Oh my," said Book, clearly having to bite his lip too now that he realised what was going on.
"Hey, wait a second here-"
"Don't argue," River advised when Jayne seemed ready to do just that. "Prince Charming can't take her to the ball, but they can dance," she said definitely.
Jayne still wanted to fight her on this. It was written all over his face, how uncomfortable he was, how real embarrassed, but River had a point. She couldn't go to no fancy shindigs, not today, pro'ly not ever. Jayne took her away from that, at her asking, but still. Mebbe this was all she ever got, just him in the galley of a flyin' piece of go-se in the black. Mebbe he owed her this much, and if it was taking her mind off whatever had her screaming and fighting before, so much the better.
"You don't wanna dance with your brother?" he tried, just in case. "Guess not," he muttered when River made a face that spoke volumes.
"Hey, I heard a commotion," said Kaylee, appearing from the engine room. "Oh, River, are you teachin' Jayne what you taught me?"
"She aims to try." River smiled. "Help may be needed. A good example to follow," she said, looking encouragingly at Simon.
"Oh, River, no," he said, shaking his head. "Kaylee doesn't want to..."
"I wouldn't mind none," she assured him. "I mean, ain't much to look at as I am, but if you don't mind that..."
"I don't think there's anything wrong with the way you look," said Simon.
"Well, if we're gonna do this gorram dancin' thing, could we get to it?" said Jayne grumpily, wondering at how River was keeping him in hold so easy despite the fact he clearly had the advantage of body mass and all. "Ain't my idea of fun anyhow."
Book took a seat from the table and positioned himself for a good view. This certainly ought to make for an interesting way to pass the time, and he had been losing at cards in any case. He watched as River gave instruction to Jayne and reminded Kaylee of what she had learnt before. She counted the beats and Book tried to assist by clapping a rhythm to her numbers, so that when she needed to stop and give further instruction, they could all keep the beat.
Jayne moved like a thousand of brick, as anyone might expect, but he gave it his all for River's sake and she seemed to appreciate the effort made. Kaylee and Simon made better progress, though she stepped on his toes once or twice. The boy was too kind to complain and the pair fairly glowed with the joy that being so close brought them, when they weren't glowing equally as bright from blushing with embarrassment.
On his part, Jayne almost forgot there was anyone in the whole gorram place 'cept for him and his River girl. She was always beautiful, more when she danced than most other times, he reckoned. With her dress swinging out around her legs when he spun her, eyes full of light and joy, she was the prettiest of sights. Made Jayne glad he agreed to dance with her, even if he weren't no good his ownself.
"Ma always said I had two left feet," he said, wincing as he moved the wrong way and ran him and River right into Simon and Kaylee.
"She tried to teach her boys?" said River, intrigued by the thought.
"Girls too." Jayne nodded. "My Pa weren't nothing and nobody, but my Ma, she come from more fanciful folks. Not so rich and powerful as you and yours, but a might more fine than the Cobb line that come before, that's for gorram sure. Tried her darndest to give us all manners and such, teach us to be ladies and gents and all o' that. Never did quite stick with me," he admitted, scratching the back of his neck.
"She thinks he is quite the gentleman," said River, dropping into a deep curtsey. "And thanks you for the dance, sir."
"Me too." Kaylee nodded, sad to see the dancing seemed to be over now. "Thank you, Simon."
"You're welcome, Kaylee," he told her, smiling still.
Jayne was fair sure the boy had smiled more in the past five minutes than the whole time he knew him up to today. That wasn't nothing.
"Whatcha all doin' in here?" asked Mal as he suddenly appeared in the doorway.
"River and Simon were providing a lesson in ballroom dancing," said Shepherd Book, rising from his seat. "It was quite the display."
"Well, ain't that somethin'?" he said, looking from him to River. "You know what I was comin' in here to say, little one?" The smile on her face spoke volumes. "Huh. Sorry to say you ain't the one to be comin' along on my arm, but in the circumstances..."
"She understands." River nodded, looking to Kaylee then. "Lucky girl. Chosen for the task."
"Me?" the mechanic asked. "I don't... What was I ever chosen for?"
"Believe there's a dress in a shop window got your name on it, little Kaylee," Mal told her easily. "We got us a ball to be headed to."
To Be Continued...