A/N: Pretty shocking end to the previous chapter, huh? I have to admit, that's what I was going for. Hope you like where we're headed next...

(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)

Chapter 11

"No use standin' there, hatin' on yourself," said Zoe, not even looking up from her work. "You did what you had to."

Jayne heard what she said but he didn't know how to reply. Didn't feel the need to say a word. He was stood by the second bed in the infirmary, large hands engulfing River's tiny fingers and palm, waiting for her to wake. He had thought to take her to their room, but somehow it seemed better for her to be here. Sure'n when she woke she might just freak out on him, but Jayne felt better, knowin' he was in a medical place since he had to put those drugs into her. Ai ya, he hated himself for that, no matter what Zoe said. 'Course it was easier not to think about it at all.

"He gonna live?" Jayne asked instead, barely glancing over at Book's still form.

Zoe paused too long before she answered. "I done what I can. Basic field surgery," she admitted. "All we can do now is wait for... for the doctor."

Jayne closed his eyes a second, then looked back to River. He moved one hand to her face, pushing back her hair. Poor little woman. Couldn't figure on what made her set off into so bad a fit after so long. Figured maybe it was the Shepherd gettin' hurt or just too many guns fired around her. She always got a might upset when the bullets flew, but this was a whole other thing. Oughta known by now how it all worked, how her mind knew things it shouldn't, that it was almost always somethin' inside that set her off rather than what was really happenin'.

Simon was gone. Poor little Kaylee had come runnin' back from town, all tears and panic. Her face was scratched up and her overalls torn. Obvious she had struggled with someone or something. Seemed some fellas had come for the doc, wanted to take him away. When Kaylee tried to fight with 'em they pushed her off, left her behind with a bump on her head. She had been crowded into the infirmary a while back, but Zoe was pretty sure she'd be all well and good in time. It was the rest that was the worry, Book and River, and Simon, o' course.

Wash had gone out lookin'. He rode the mule out to town, takin' the route that Kaylee had given him. Been gone nigh on a couple of hours now. Jayne figured he'd be back soon, either with Simon in tow or knowing where they all might go find him. So far nothin'.

River made a sound in her sleep, shifted a little on the bed. Jayne gripped her hand gently but firmly, ran his fingers through her hair.

"Hey now, little woman," he said, soft as anything. "Time to wake up."

She came to all of a sudden, eyes wider than Jayne ever saw 'em before. He wondered for a second if she was gonna kick off again, but no. She stared straight up, right through him to the ceiling, he reckoned, and then one tear crept down her pale cheek.

"River-girl?" he said, cupping her face with his hand.

"She is fine," she said eventually, closing her eyes a moment, leaning into Jayne's touch. "She'll live. More than can be said for others," she added, turning suddenly to look regretfully at Book on the other bed.

Zoe had moved to wash up, no longer blocking the view. A large pad covered the area around the Shepherd's shoulder. It hadn't been fixed there long but already blood was seeping through the white.

"He'll make it," said Jayne with more confidence than he felt. "Preacher man's stronger than he looks, I reckon."

"Sometimes have to be," said River, cryptic as ever.

Jayne looked to her then, reacted fast when she tried to sit up so quick she almost fell back again. His hands went to her shoulders, steadied her. River smiled a small smile.

"Can't stay," she said, thinking to shake her head but not daring to do it, sure it would make the aching worse. "Can't."

"You wanna go back to our room, bao bei?" Jayne checked, assuming she just didn't want to be around the injured fella she come to care for these past weeks, as she had the whole o' the crew, truth be known.

"Can't!" she repeated more urgently, like maybe he ought to know what that meant.

Her eyes went to the door long before Wash put in an appearance, like she knew he was coming. Most like she did. Zoe looked from her husband to River and Jayne then back, ushering the pilot out into the other room. River practically leapt from the bed to go after them and Jayne gave chase.

"It's like I told Mal, I looked all over," Wash explained, mindful of what exactly he was saying in front of River most particularly. "Talk in town is that the hillfolk take people sometimes, professional types. Doctors and such that they need," he said, looking sideways at River and Jayne.

The big galoot had his arm around her slim shoulders, clearly mindful of keepin' her calm and bringin' her comfort both. She lost so much already, from her parents to her mind, and just about everything in between. Now her brother was gone, and they none of them had an idea how to get him back.

Strange calmness that seemed to come over River was almost more unsettlin' than if she had another of her fits, or so Jayne reckoned. He said nothin', waited for River to react her ownself. When nothin' was said nor done for a minute or more, he squeezed her tighter to him and kissed the top of her head.

"Ain't sure what to say for the best," said Zoe. "What'd the Cap'n reckon?"

"He didn't say much," her husband admitted. "Told me to come and tell you how it was, break the news to everyone," he said, with a significant look in River and Jayne's direction. "How's the Shepherd?" he asked then.

Zoe's mouth said nothing, but the look on her face said everything.

"He needs a doctor, that much we know for sure," Jayne said eventually. "An' we ain't leavin' this rock without Simon."

River looked up at him with a watery smile and even more watery eyes. Lover and guh-guh had never been the best of friends. Got along, mostly for her, but she knew better than to think they loved like real family. Made amends for her sake, that was all. No real love lost between the two. If they left Serenity to go find Simon now, there might be no coming back. Her hand reached out to the wall. It looked like steadying herself, but no. Her sweet caress of metal was goodbye, for now. Not quite forever, she hoped.

"Folks, we got ourselves a situation," said Mal as he strode into the middle of the scene. "Fact of the matter is, we got us more'n one."

"Easy decisions to make," River cut in fast, meeting the Captain's eyes, "and Daddy knows best."

Jayne Cobb was born to be a tracker. That and a gunslinger. Least he reckoned so. River sure didn't seem to argue the fact at all. Though she was the one who saw in other folks heads and all, she let him do the work when they went out into Jiangyin proper, looking to find Simon. Maybe she'd be some use along the way, but for now, she only wanted to follow his lead, trusted him to find the brother they had both lost.

Serenity was long gone. Book needed help that none aboard could give. 'Twas Inara who pushed Mal into heading for the nearest Alliance cruiser. The Magellan wasn't far off, far enough it wouldn't notice the little Firefly if it never come callin', but in times like this, there weren't no choice in the matter. You didn't let good men die if'n you didn't have to, and Book had been good people for as long as they'd known him, if not a might less Preacher-like than some at times. Jayne still weren't entirely sure what to make o' that.

"All secrets and lies," said River, walking alongside him. "Everyone with a tale to tell."

Jayne smiled some, knowin' she read his thoughts clean out of his head again. That'd been a might unsettlin' at the start of all this, more than a might, truth be told, but it was different now. He'd gotten used to her, to bein' as much a part of her as she was a part of him. Connected as they was in body most of the time, made sense that they might be connected in mind too. Jayne found it all kindsa useful not havin' to put everythin' into words all o' the time. T'weren't his strong suit anyhow.

"Ain't secrets I'm worried for here and now," he admitted as they trekked on through the trees and underbrush. "'M thinkin' more on the truth o' the matter, the facts bein' what they is."

He stopped walking so suddenly, even River couldn't anticipate it. They were people of action aboard the ship, one and all. Though River was a great thinker and her brother the same, she had learnt to act when needed, to do what must be done, as Jayne always did. Sometimes actions were more important, louder than words, over-riding all else. Simon was to be found, and the Preacher man healed. Only way was for those wanted by the Alliance to leave the ship for as long as it took. River knew Mal had thought of it but didn't like to ask. She didn't make him. Said the words that stuck in his throat and made it easy. Easier, at least.

Now she wished to make things better for her Jayne-man, but that wouldn't come so easy. Actions would speak louder here too, but there wasn't the time for all her body wished to say. All she could do was put her arms around him, her head to his chest to hold on tight a while. He hugged her back, and all was safe and calm. Then she lifted her head, looked up and met his troubled eyes. So much torment, like the sea unable to settle in a storm. She shook her head just slightly, reached up to pull his head down and crushed her lips against his own a moment or two. Needed him to know, needed him to understand.

"She is fine," she promised when they parted, her hands still clasping his face. "She needed what he gave. Needed help, lost control. He is not the villain."

"Feel like one," he admitted sadly. "May as well be after all I did in my life. Swore on everythin' I was and had I weren't gonna hurt you, bao bei, not ever."

"She is not hurt," she assured him again, fighting to use the right words in such moments as these when it mattered most, but her mind was still fogged up from before. "She... I am fine," she forced herself to say. "You helped. Always help."

She could smile for him, she could comb her fingers through his hair and hope he understood, but explaining with words was so hard sometimes. Everything jumbled, got confused. All that was true and real and clear was the love she felt. For him, from him. It overpowered everything and ran like her namesake through the centre of all else, unhindered by anything, unstoppable.

"C'mon, now," said Jayne at last, planting one more kiss on River's lips. "Let's go find that brother o' yours."

"He takes so much looking after," River sighed, rolling her eyes at what ought to be a playful joke.

'Twas all a might more serious than that, they both knew it. Jayne had a notion maybe the Cap'n would realise life without fugees aboard was a darn sight easier for him and his crew. Couldn't blame him none if'n he left them all here on Jiangyin. 'Course River said she knew he'd be back, that they'd all be headin' home together when this adventure was done. Jayne always lived by his instincts and his gut. Since meetin' River, he learned that he was still right to do so, unless she said somethin' different. She outranked even his own good sense, dangerous as that might seem. She said everythin' was gonna work out, then it surely would, but right now on this trail to nowhere, with no place to run when they did get her gorram brother back, Jayne wasn't so sure he knew how she could be so confident.

To Be Continued...