A/N: Hey, I still have some readers - yay! :) Thanks to those that keep on reviewing, I appreciate it. Now, the rest of Shindig, with a few twists ;)

(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)

Chapter 9

Kaylee had been having such a good time at the party. Sure, she hadn't much cared for the snotty girl who made nasty comments about her dress and all but called her common, but everybody else was so nice, and the whole occasion was so special. She had eaten her fill of sweet treats, danced a little with the Captain, and all in all really enjoyed herself for the better part of an hour before things turned ugly. Sure'n she would've liked it better if Simon were here, but after what she just heard, she was awful glad that the good doctor had stayed behind on Serenity.

She was within feet of the Captain, needing to give him the important and awful news she just heard when things went even more wrong. One minute there was dancing going on and the next Inara's fancy date went sprawling on the floor courtesy of Mal's right hook. Kaylee knew then things were worse than before.

"I accept," said the gentleman, who probably wasn't a gentleman if'n the Captain had hit him, but that weren't for Kaylee to say.

There was talk of a duel but the little mechanic barely heard. Honestly, she weren't so worried about a fight breaking out. Guns and weapons of that kind had been taken from folks on their way in, so nobody was going to come to any serious harm, least of all the Captain who could always handle himself in a fight. She was way more worried about the couple of the far side of the room whose names she just heard.

"Cap'n!" she said urgently, sidling up to him and yanking on his sleeve. "Cap'n, we got trouble!"

"Apparently more than we thought," said Mal, barely realising she was there until the last moment.

These folks seemed to think a smack in the mouth wasn't just a lesson in manners but a challenge of some sort. If Mal was understanding right from Inara and from Warwick Harrow, he might yet have to learn to handle a sword. Now that could be problematic.

"Those folks over there, look," said Kaylee in an urgent whisper, gesturing as best she could without being too obvious. "I heard talk that's Gabriel and Regan Tam."

"Jen dao mei," Mal muttered, until his attention was regained by Atherton Wing.

Seemed there really was to be a sword fight, tomorrow at dawn. There was way too much going on at this shindig, that was for gorram sure!

"Come, lad. You'll stay at my house tonight, and we shall ready you for tomorrow's battle," said Warwick, trying to lead Mal away.

He looked from Inara to Kaylee, pulling away towards his mechanic for a moment.

"Little Kaylee, you get back to the ship. You tell the others what happened with me, and who you saw here. Keep those folks of ours outta harm's way 'til I get back tomorrow, dong ma?"

"Shi," she confirmed, hurrying away from the scene.

Mal let himself be led by Warwick then, he really had no other choice. He spared the Tams only one glance, memorising their faces as best he could. If he ever saw them again, he wanted to know who they were, that was for gorram certain.

"He is unhappy."

"Ain't gorram happy, that's for sure," Jayne grumbled.

He knew River was right there behind him without ever turnin'. He was pretty good at knowing where folks was anyhow, mark of a good tracker and all, but with her it was more'n that. With River, it was almost as if some of her Reader stuff had rubbed off on him. He had a sense of her mebbe, or something like that. Jayne didn't have the words to explain it, not the science neither, but he always knew when River was there, and even when she was elsewhere he had a mind to know if she needed him, needed help, was feelin' afraid. Right now, she wasn't the one with the problem, that was him, and they both knew it.

"Somethin' not sittin' right 'bout this whole caper," he said, turning to see her framed in the doorway to their room. "Seems to me now might be a good time to go lookin' into where the Cap'n might be."

"Second says not," River told him, stepping into the room and placing both hands against his chest. "His heart beats in the right place, but concern is unwarranted, unneeded. They know better."

"They know better?" he echoed. "Better'n you?"

"She knows much but not all. Psychic, perhaps, but not God."

Jayne frowned at that. 'Course he knew his bao bei didn't know everything, that she weren't in control of stuff neither. Sometimes thought it'd all be a might easier if'n she were, but then where'd be the fun in such a situation as that? Still seemed weird to him that anybody knew better what was goin' on than his little woman.

"Cap'n's been gone a while, and no word on his deal he was makin'. Gives me an uncomfortableness, bao bei, I don't mind tellin' ya."

"Crew is uneasy about them already. Make trouble and... and it will end badly," she said, fingers splaying over Jayne's chest and moving downwards. "Better ways to spend the time," she said then, looking up at him through her lashes and wearing a sly smile.

"Now, them ain't kosherised rules," he said with a smirk. "You tryin' to distract me with your womanly wiles and all."

Though he argued the point, he had soon left his gun on the table and wrapped his arms around River's body. She was prob'ly right anyhow. Cap'n had to know what he was doing to survive so long out in the black. Chances were good he already got the job done and was just enjoyin' a little downtime while he had the chance. Rest of the crew didn't seem all that worried.

Jayne forgot to think at all when he and River laid down together. She was all kinds of distracting, in ways he never had and never would complain about. Problem wasn't what they was doin', it was the fact they stopped just when they was gettin' to the good part.

River threw her head back so sudden, hair flying like crazy as her eyes looked left and right. T'weren't no look of pleasure on her face, that was for gorram sure. Somethin' was wrong.

"Bao bei?" said Jayne, comin' out of his passion-haze awful fast. "River...?"

"Trouble," she said, climbing off him fast, pulling her dress straight as she moved quickly to the door.

"Ain't there always?" Jayne muttered, getting up too and fastening his pants as he followed her.

River crept down to the cargo bay, elegant as the dancer she was, while Jayne lumbered behind. He didn't look all that graceful but he learnt long ago to be quiet. Only sound came with a click as he let the safety off his gun. River turned sharply at the sound and shook her head 'no'. He made a face that said 'are you kidding?' but her stern expression didn't waver. They didn't need guns for this, she saw how it could go in her head and she smiled.

Without a word, River whirled around and stepped out through the doorway into the light of the cargo bay.

"Hello there," said a voice Jayne didn't know. "More passengers, eh?"

"That's right," replied River, also in a voice Jayne didn't know, since she was putting on some accent that matched this new fella's own. "And who might you be?"

"They call me Badger," he said, tipping his hat just as Jayne made himself known.

Badger looked visibly startled by the sight of Jayne, but tried to hide it. River smiled slow.

"Well-known reputation," said River easily, putting a hand back on Jayne's chest without ever looking at him - her eyes stayed fixed on Badger. "Businessman, so he claims. Criminal, but not as bad as the tales he spins," she smiled, shaking her head. "Sad little king of a sad little hill."

"She talking about me or you?" he asked Jayne, trying to find the riddles amusing.

"He doesn't speak," River cut in before her lover could say a word. "If he could, I don't think he'd like you."

Jayne growled for effect, wrapping a protective arm around River's waist and pulling her closer. He too kept eyes on Badger who swallowed hard.

"Always a pleasure to meet folks from the old homestead," he said, forcing a smile.

"Not really," said River, tapping Jayne on the arm and urging him to follow her.

With her hand in his now they moved across the cargo bay, Jayne counting the goons with guns, assessing the situation, River looking to each of the crew in the hopes of gleaning information. Something had gone wrong with the Captain's plan. From what she had heard, this was not a revelation and happened often, but this time was different. The second and the pilot had half-expected this outcome. The Preacher silently prayed for a happy ending, and Simon did much the same. Kaylee was different. As River looked to her, the mechanic looked away. Cold, shivering from the inside. She held a secret, and River gasped when she realised what it entailed.

"Seems Mal has had some trouble on Persephone," said Badger, addressing the whole group now. "We're here to see to it that he gets out of that trouble, holds up his end of the deal he made with me."

"Cap'n keeps his promises," said Zoe, staring coldly at the crime boss.

"Can't be said of all," said River, accent wavering back to her usual tone, as she literally cut into the conversation by walking between the two. She ventured closer to Kaylee, seemingly unaware of anyone else. "Some quote love and honour, but betray. Others keep their word, all the words, buried deep. Hold the secret, hold the line," she said, smiling at Kaylee. "She knows."

"Hey, what's that about?" asked Badger, taking a step towards the two women.

Jayne moved into his path and growled low in his throat, as much beast as man in such a moment. Even with his armed men flanking him, Badger looked rattled. He stepped one stride back again, hands raised just slightly.

"Maybe we should all keep quiet while we wait," he suggested, swallowing hard one more time. "Yeah, probably best."

Malcolm Reynolds had hardly thought to come out on top of a duel to the death, with swords of all weaponry. A gun fight, a bar fight, your basic fist fight, those he knew how to win, but this had been all kinds of rules and trickery. T'werent his idea of fun, that much was for certain, but the whole thing had been worth it come the close of the deal. Warwick Harrow handed over his cargo, and to top it all off, Inara had decided to stay aboard Serenity, never to see that snake Atherton Wing ever again. Despite the bandage on his side and the pain the wound beneath brought, Mal had to call this one a win, and a damn fine day all in all.

"Brave knight," said River as she appeared on the catwalk behind him.

Mal turned to see her and winced as his stitches pulled. Taking a breath, he waited for her to come to him, seating herself, dainty as you please, where Inara had been not long before.

"Ain't nothin' so brave 'bout what I did, little one," he told her, shrugging his shoulders carefully so as not to make anything else hurt. "Heard you put on quite the show for Badger though," he said, smirking at the thought. "You and your fella scared the niou-se outta him from what I hear."

"Nothing to fear but fear itself," she said, smiling in spite of herself, though the expression didn't last. "She thanks him, on behalf of others. The darkness came, they didn't know, but she saw it. In the other girl. Cold, dark secret carried for them."

The riddles were not Mal's favourite part of River, not in the least bit, but there was no way not to understand this one. She knew Kaylee saw the Tams at the ball, and she was grateful not to have been ratted out to them. Never told her brother nor Cobb, but she knew, and she was thankful.

"Lemme tell you somethin', little one," said Mal kindly, setting down his cup and giving River his full attention. "You're part of my crew now. You, your brother, and your man, you're all a part. Proven yourself useful to me and trustworthy on top o' that. That's all I need. That means you place your trust in all o' us and we're gonna make good on that bet, dong ma? Ain't no harm gonna come to ya, at least not on purpose. Got a habit o' runnin' into trouble more often than some, but there's no way me and mine are selling you out, not to nobody."

"She understands." River nodded. "Is grateful also," she said smiling. "Mal means bad, in the Latin, but he proves it wrong. Is a worthier father than the one that came before."

Before Mal could hardly process those words, River was up on her feet and gone from his sight. Almost seemed as if she just called him her new Daddy, which was not altogether what he expected.

"Huh," he said to nobody at all, and then he smiled.

To Be Continued...