A/N: Thanks to those that leave reviews - I really appreciate that :) Now, onto Safe, with a few twists...

(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)

Chapter 10

"Hey, Doc!" Jayne called from the doorway of the infirmary, rapping his knuckles on the wall pointlessly. "Ya sister had me come look for ya. Almost dinner time."

Simon turned and nodded, acknowledging he had heard Jayne's words, though he didn't put down what he was doing or stop at all. Of course River had sent Jayne to fetch him. She was having one of her days where anything medical was practically the devil's work. Not that he could blame her. After what she suffered at the hands of the Alliance, so-called teachers and doctors, Simon couldn't fail to make sense of River's skittish nature around any kind of medical facility, even a place that was his own. 'Needles and pins', she would say when he tried to administer a drug. Sometimes it had been necessary. He worried too often about when the next time would be, though he had to admit she did seem better more recently. Better since Jayne, better since Serenity.

Simon was so distracted by his thoughts on River, he didn't realise Jayne had come further into the room and was now hovering at his shoulder. The larger man leaned over, staring intently at the read-outs in Simon's hand. He didn't have to look at his face to know that Jayne had no clue what he was staring at, what any of it meant. No untrained eye could possibly have a clue.

"That mean somethin' good or bad?" he asked gruffly, more quietly than he usually spoke.

Not that it would make a difference if River did or didn't hear. Wherever she was, she could know if she wanted to, and without a word spoken either.

"I really couldn't say," Simon admitted. "It's difficult to know exactly what was done to River at the Academy. Much of the research I had done into her condition was left behind when we ran, and even then... well, it wasn't much," he sighed, putting the sheets of acetate back into the drawer and locking it shut. "River won't talk about what happened, and I can't blame her for that," he said, turning to lean on the counter top. "I want her to move on and be happy, but until I figure out exactly what was done, it's impossible to undo it. It might be impossible even if I did know," he admitted, running a hand over his face and back through his hair.

Jayne didn't know what to say. Simon didn't expect him to. It wasn't just his uneducated state that made it unlikely that Jayne had anything useful to say on the subject, it was actually more because of his feelings for River. The last thing he wanted to do was make his 'little woman' talk about those awful days of torture and distress that she went through, especially not now. She was doing so much better, most of the time. She had her moments still, where lucidity abandoned her, when she made little or no sense. It wasn't quite so frightening as the uncontrollable fits from before, but it still wasn't normal, not quite right.

"She, er... She stopped with the 'hands of blue' stuff," said Jayne suddenly, gesturing vaguely with his hand. "Ain't much I sleep through as a rule, 'specially since me and your sister been bunking together," he explained, regretting his words some when he saw the look on Simon's face - the boy pro'ly didn't need remindin' that his sister bunked with anyone. "If'n she was sayin' that stuff, I'd hear. Last few nights, she's been quiet as a church mouse."

"That's good." Simon nodded. "I'm glad she's finding peace in dreams at least."

"She lashed out pretty good this one night, but t'weren't nothin' much," Jayne admitted. "She settled in a second, but I almost got me some serious scratches off them fancy nails Inara painted up for her," he said, rolling his eyes. "Womenfolk."

"Yes, womenfolk," Simon echoed, glad to have a joke to smile at amongst so much serious talk.

Perhaps River's mind could never be fully healed, but certainly being aboard this ship, being in love with Jayne, being taken care of by this strange family they had found aboard Serenity, it all seemed to help.

"You said something about dinner?" he said suddenly remembering. "We're probably keeping everyone else from their food."

"Prob'ly so," Jayne agreed. "Best we gets to movin' then. Ain't missin' my chow for nobody!"

When Serenity landed on Jiangyin, nobody was especially sorry. It meant a little fresh air and a change of scenes, plus it signalled that the cattle were finally leaving the ship. Though River had developed an affinity with the beasts, most folks had done their part with less than a willingness. Plus there was a certain odour that steers made that certainly would be missed by no-one. The clean-up of what they left behind on the ramp as they were herded off ship was going to be less than fun too.

"You two gonna help me corral this bunch of beef?" said Mal to River and Jayne, both of whom seemed to have taken it upon themselves to be useful.

"Yes, Captain Daddy," she said, curtseying prettily as she ran along behind the cattle.

Mal laughed and shook his head. She used that name for him sometimes, though not always, ever since that talk they had a while back after the shindig on Persephone. She seemed to see him as the fatherly type, and though the Captain didn't fully understand why she should, he let her be. Sweet girl that she was, she meant no harm, and the troubles with her brain-pan seemed less of late. Sure'n she kept her man under control. Any time Mal suspected Jayne might be about to explode or tell him he didn't like the Captain's rules or some such, he'd see the little one touch his arm, give a look. The beauty that tamed the beast, maybe. Mal wasn't so quick to think it was quite that simple, but it worked for the most part as an explanation for the two. The Doc was a might harder to figure. Abandoning all he had for his sister's sake, even though she had protection and love enough in her man. Far as Mal was concerned that made Simon Tam a real stand-up fella, and there weren't too many of them in the 'verse these days.

"Though Shepherd is purely a figurative title" said Book then, getting the attention of all, "I think I've done a reasonable job with the fencing," he said of his own handiwork, tying the last rope tightly.

"Mighty fine corral, Preacher." Mal nodded his agreement. "Now we just got to wait on those buyers of ours. You come to lend a hand, little Kaylee?" he asked as she wandered down the ramp towards him. "Or you just reckon on bein' sad now our cargo is leaving us?"

"I was just thinkin', might be nice to get a little air, see the sights," she said, glancing back at Simon who was higher on the ramp, keeping an eye on River and Jayne perhaps, as he squinted awkwardly into the light. "I got the time to take a walk into town, ain't I?"

"Reckon you have that, mei mei," said Mal, looking from her to Simon and back. "You want company, maybe the good doctor would be so gentlemanlike as to escort ya. What d'ya say, Doc?" he said, calling back to him.

"I'm sorry," he replied, clearly not realising he was being addressed directly now. "I wasn't..."

"Think maybe you wanna take a walk into town? Exercise those legs o' yours?" asked Mal with perhaps too much of a smile. "Not often we can let you out planetside, but this ain't the kinda place where Alliance would be. You'd be safe enough, and I'm sure little Kaylee here wouldn't mind the company none."

She blushed at the implication even though it was entirely true. Of all people she would most like to walk with her, Simon was top of the list. Mal knew it, and he was trying to help, which made him the best Captain ever. Of course, it stung some to realise that Simon didn't look over-keen.

"Are you sure it'd be safe and... and proper?" he checked.

"Ain't much call for proper this far out on the Rim, Doc," Mal reminded him. "'Sides, you'll be in public view. Can't do much that's improper, unless you really set your mind to wantin' to, o' course."

The look on his face had Kaylee taking a playful swipe at him and Jayne laughing lasciviously when he overheard. 'Course it was impossible for her to be too put out, especially when Simon eventually agreed to walk with her.

"I suppose it might be nice to see a little more of the world outside the ship," he considered. "And I couldn't ask for nicer company, I'm sure," he said of Kaylee, probably blushing harder than she ever could within a moment.

"Then let's go ahead," she said, grinning as they headed of.

She paused ever so briefly in front of Mal and leaned up to kiss his cheek.

"I love my Captain!" she declared before hurrying away.

"Then I guess I ain't doin' so bad," he sighed, watching Jayne and River chase each other around the cattle fence and Book laughing at the show they made.

Onboard, Inara would be keeping herself busy in her shuttle; Zoe and Wash were ensuring everything kept on ticking over just fine with Serenity. For a little while, Mal's world had a calmness to it. Made him feel a might unsettled truth be known. Nothin' ever ran so smooth for long. Much as it might be a shame to do so, he was already anticipatin' the bad that came next. It never did let him down.

Jayne hadn't been ready for it. Not after all this time, made no gorram sense. Everythin' had gone so good today, run so smooth. Maybe that oughta been the first clue, first thing that made him take notice. It was way too easy to be happy with River around, to let his guard down and just be calm about a whole bunch o' things. Two of 'em had been running around with the cattle and all, waitin' around with the Cap'n and the Shepherd for them folks to show up and pay their coin for the beef. Problem was them buyers were wanted by the local law and in they come to take 'em away, startin' a gun fight the likes o' which Jayne hadn't been in for a good long while. 'Course that didn't mean he forgot none how to handle himself. Problem wasn't him, nor even the law. Problem was River.

Little woman could fight like no other he ever saw, even better than what he seen Zoe do since he been aboard Serenity, but his bao bei weren't no fan of guns. All the pops and cracks had her in a state fast enough, but then it got worse. When the smoke cleared, seemed the only injured party amongst 'em was the one other who's hand never touched metal.

"Preacher!" Mal dived to help the fella out with a wound to the shoulder.

Jayne knew he oughta be pitchin' in his ownself but there weren't no way for him to leave River. She started cowering against the fence, talking a mile a minute, to herself, as far as Jayne could tell. He was used to that, but that weren't all there was to it, not this time. He saw that look in her eyes, one he had seen no more'n twice since Osiris. She was losin' it, big time, and Jayne had a nasty feelin' that he weren't goin' to be able to bring her back without some help.

"River? Bao bei, c'mon now. Ain't got no time for this!" he said, trying his best to get her focus back - it was impossible.

"No, no, no!" she yelled, hands at her head, fingers digging in amongst her hair.

The nails she had grown drew blood from her scalp, and every time Jayne took a hold of her she spun away. He was barely hearin' whatever words she was yellin'. Made no sense by now anyhow. She started lashin' out. Arms and legs came flyin', nails and teeth. Jayne didn't do scared, but he knew what this was, and he didn't mind admittin' he weren't at all comfortable about it.

Whether it was Book gettin' shot or just a coincidence, Jayne didn't have time to figure. River's eyes were dark and glazed over. She weren't hearin' nor seein' a thing no more, nothin' that weren't in her head anyhow. With an ache in his heart, Jayne reached deep down into his boot and pulled out the syringe he always carried. River knew, she always knew. She was the one who had him never quite give up their back up plan. She needed the safety net more than he did, but now there was no choice. He had no help and the Shepherd could bleed out waitin' on 'em.

"I'm sorry, bao-bei," he told River so softly she couldn't possibly have head over her own screaming as he tried to hold her steady and plunged the needle into her arm. "I'm all kindsa sorry."

To Be Continued...