A/N: Hey, reviews! Thanks, shiny folks :)
(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)
Chapter 15
"I think it's all kindsa shiny," said Kaylee with the biggest grin on her face. "Falling in love like they did and now getting married and all. It's so romantic."
She spoke of River and Jayne, and in such glowing terms, Simon wasn't sure how to reply. He wasn't so unhappy that his sister had married the man-ape that was now his brother-in-law. Jayne was rough and ready to say the least, but he had certainly proven himself loving and faithful when it came to River. He seemed to be the epitome of the the supposed bad guy with a heart of gold, a real hero beneath the rough exterior. Simon would prefer someone a little more gentlemanly, perhaps more like the kind of man he was himself, but then it was doubtful such a person could be what River wanted or more over what she needed as she was now. He wondered if that kind of man would have been enough for her even before her time at the Academy.
"I suppose in the circumstances they are what's best for each other," he said with a sigh, running his hand over his face. "It's not exactly how I pictured the future for my mei mei, but then nothing has really turned out as planned."
"Well, it ain't so bad here, is it?" asked Kaylee, closing up some of the space between them and leaning into his personal space by the counter top of the infirmary. "I mean, sure'n you didn't plan on being here, but Serenity is a nice kind of a home."
"She's certainly easy to become attached to," Simon agreed, fingers brushing against Kaylee's own a moment.
When their eyes met she almost wondered if she could be this lucky, if he could really be talking about her so much as the ship they called home. They had been dancing around each other for weeks now, sometimes literal like, other times in different ways. Kaylee was pretty sure she made her feelings plenty known, but every time they got close to being close, Simon seemed to find a way to get away from her. This time was no exception.
"Um, are you sure you're allowed to be here?" he checked, sliding away from her and moving fast across the room. "I wouldn't want you getting into trouble with the Captain for abandoning your post."
"Why you always gotta do that to me?" she asked, frowning hard when he spared her a glance. "Second we get close to bein' closer, you practically evaporate on me. Surprised you're still in the same room."
"Kaylee..." he began, shaking his head, but she clearly wasn't at all done.
"No. Don't give me the big eyes and the sigh like you don't even know what I'm gettin' at," she argued. "You're a smart man, Dr Tam," she mocked him purposefully, hands on her hips. "You know well and good that I like ya, and you act like you like me the same."
"I do," he confessed softly. "Of course, I do."
"Then what in the heck is the problem?" she asked, approaching him again.
"The problem is..." Simon began, floundering immediately, pinching the bridge of his nose like he felt a headache coming on as he fought for the right way to explain. "I don't... I'm not Jayne, or any kind of man that can just grab a woman and... and take her to bed or whatever it is that those type of men think is appropriate."
"Not so sure that's what anybody calls appropriate," admitted Kaylee, smirking some at the imagery she suddenly had in her head and didn't mind at all. "But why you gotta be so appropriate all the time anyway, Simon? Don't mean a thing out here in the black."
"Actually, it means more," he argued. "At least, it does to me. My manners may not be what you're used to, Kaylee, but this is the way I was taught to behave, the way I prefer to behave. Treating you as a gentleman ought to treat a lady, that's my way of proving that... of proving what you mean to me," he tried his best to explain, sure he was blushing long before he was done. "Do you understand?"
Some might have taken that badly. Kaylee wasn't so easily offended. Honestly, she was stuck on the part where the doc said she meant something to him. That was all she really wanted to hear. Sure'n she'd like a little kissin' and such to go along with all of them pretty words, but she did understand, and she didn't suppose for a second Simon was suggesting she was too dumb to grasp it. He just knew he weren't that great at explaining such things, that was all.
"Okay," she said at last, nodding her head. "I mean, I ain't exactly a lady nor nothin', but I guess you can treat me like one, if'n you really want to," she told him with her usual bright smile. "For a while, anyway."
She gave him the kind of look that could make a man's toes curl in on themselves before walking on out of the door and leaving Simon alone. Sometimes he wondered himself why he was so determined to be a gentleman with Kaylee. Possibly because he was still worried that she would eat him alive given half the chance.
"Might not be such a bad way to go," he muttered to himself, getting back to tidying the medical bay, as had been his plan before the little mechanic arrived on the scene.
"Hey, Doc!" Jayne called, seconds before he came into view. "Need you to borrow me some tape."
"Lend," said Simon, trying to stop his brother-in-law from raiding every drawer and cupboard, making even more mess than already existed. "You need me to lend you some tape. You borrow, I lend," he explained.
"Whatever you say." Jayne rolled his eyes. "Just gimme it, will ya?"
Simon produced the very item that Jayne needed and handed it over, watching with equal parts horror and amusement as his brother-law lifted his shirt and began to bind a pistol to his torso with the tape. Simon knew, as all of the crew did, that they were bound for Higgin's Moon, a place where firearms were in no way permitted. Inara had a client there, and the rest of the crew had a plan to pick up their own kind of work. Certainly, Mal would not be amused to find Jayne strapping a piece to his body, they all knew that, though Simon never got the chance to ask why he was doing such a thing.
"He must have faith," said River, appearing in the doorway, practically en pointe.
"You been spendin' too much time with the Preacher man, bao bei," her husband told her. "Ain't got no problem with God myownself. He done me my share o' good turns, no matter what, but this ain't for faith to decide. I go onto that moon, I done told you there's gonna be trouble."
River rolled her eyes.
"She cannot imagine why. Also, for all of the mathematical impossibilities within the Preacher's symbol, it holds truth, hope. Faith endures," she said, eyes staring off into nothing a moment before she eventually found her focus again. "He cannot take the weapon."
"Well, that's somethin' we're all in agreement on then," said Mal from behind her.
River never flinched - she had known he was there all along.
"Now you're welcome to help me out on this, Cobb, or you can stay aboard the ship, but you ain't comin' with me and mine wearin' that piece."
"Daddy knows best," said River, smiling at Jayne. "No guns," she added, expression turning harsh in a moment.
Grumbling obscenities, he found the end of the tape he had bound around his hair-covered middle and pulled hard. River bit her lip in sympathy and then moved to assist as Simon left the room at a pace, joining Mal in his hasty retreat.
"Do you think it will be safe for Jayne and River on this moon?" he asked the Captain. "And for myself? Because I would just as soon stay aboard if there's going to be any risk."
"No risk," Mal confirmed. "Truth to tell, it ain't likely fugees like yourself'd be noticed on such an outta the way place. Besides, might be you could prove useful with your fancy talk and smart clothes and all," he said, considering a moment. "Walk a ways with me, son. Think I got me an idea," he said, slapping Simon on the back as they headed down the corridor together.
Nobody understood. River had insight but even she found dark corners she could not reach in Canton. Music played and a fine figure of her husband in the town square, all was good, serene, and yet nerves were jangling. No amount of love from her could calm him entirely. Something wrong, something unbalanced. River chose to embrace the safety of the people, as Captain Daddy and the family all did the same. Jobs to be completed, roles to be played. Jayne-man would have to settle to his position, be bold and brave and true. River was as proud as a wife and lover ought to be, pushing away the dark that lurked in the corners of her mind. Was probably illogical, unreasonable. Must have faith.
"You think it's right, bao bei?" Jayne asked her quietly. "Usin' these good folks like that?"
"Captain knows of where he speaks" River nodded solemnly, eyeing the glass of alcohol placed before her suspiciously. "Plan will come together. All plans in time," she said, smiling suddenly as she turned completely around, never spilling a drop from the over-filled shot glass.
Jayne followed her lead and saw Kaylee and Simon in the loveseat over yonder. Both was as drunk as skunks, leaning all over each other already. Jayne had a feelin' these two was gonna be gettin' sexed before the night was ought. Might be good for the doc to get some. Might stop him bein' so tightly wound all o' the time.
"They's got the right idea, I reckon," he said, licking his lips and giving River a look.
She smiled, downed the shot of whiskey in one, and then looked a might strange. Jayne put is arm around her shoulders when she shook her head like she was dizzy and her smile soon returned.
"She concurs," she said then, gazing up at him. "Agreement," she clarified when he looked a might confused still.
"Shiny!"
They called it Jayne Day. An unimaginative title, but it suited well enough for the event at hand. Mal had a notion it wasn't all going to run quite so smooth as he'd like but that did seem to be the way with the most of his plans. Still, if everybody played their part, might turn out alright yet.
Heading back into the tavern, he had a notion to rouse River and Jayne from their bed, only to find Kaylee and Simon not quite woken up in the loveseat beyond the bar. Being as they was still in a public sort of a situation, Mal had to think nothing happened except for the sleeping. Still, like as not the doc would feel all kinds of embarrassed when he realised where he was and how.
Passing by, he hit the bottom of the stairs just as River appeared from the bedroom above. There was a look on her face bothered Mal some, though he kept a smile on his own lips. No percentage in making a bad situation worse. If the woman had somethin' bad to tell him, she would, in her own way and her own time. Could be somethin' else had her looking so worried. Captain didn't know better he'd say she was green about the gills from the liquor.
"River?" he tried, her attention gained but only just.
"Dehydration," she told him flatly. "Result of imbibing too much distilled spirits. World spins a new orbit for her eyes only," she added, forcing a smile as she met his gaze.
"First time drinkin' that much is always the hardest," he sympathised, trying not to smirk too much. "Get yourself some breakfast. Brought the water for your husband, but looks like you could probably make better use of it," he said, tossing a canteen into her hands. "Wasn't gonna trust whatever they dredge up in this place."
"She is grateful," said River, taking a long drink that seemed to do her good. "Husband sleeps on, despite vicious prodding to do otherwise."
"I'll see if I can't rouse him. You take care o' yourself there, mei mei," he advised, urging her down to the bar when she might get herself some food, settle her stomach and such.
River found a more genuine smile as she saw Kaylee and Simon waking up together. Destiny, fate, all had a plan. Like herself and Jayne-man, but different yet. Turning to seat herself at the bar, River felt her insides move in a different direction to the rest of her body, brain rattling inside her head, or feeling as if it might be. Logic dictated it could not, and yet.
"Unpleasant," she muttered to herself. "Unreasonable, unsettled... Projectile!" she cried at the last, bolting from the room before anyone hardly noticed at all.
She was gone too long. She missed Mal dragging Jayne from the place, the presumption that she already went ahead. Had no idea Kaylee and Simon were left alone to meet their fate. Wouldn't know of Stitch Hessian's arrival at the tavern, not until it was all too late.
To Be Continued...