A/N: I think we're headed towards an ending with this story. Once I wrap up River's storyline (which will differ to the movie in some ways but not in others) I'm not sure I have anywhere else to go, at least not at the moment. In the meantime, thanks to those who have left reviews recently - I appreciate it.

(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)

Chapter 23

River never did feel safer than when she was in Jayne's arms. Their marriage bed was more sanctuary to her than anywhere else had ever been. When Captain Daddy's orders said they were to be confined to the safety of their room for as long as Saffron was around, he found no argument with them, nor with Simon who was happily secreted in Kaylee's bunk. Such as the job was with the so-called Mrs Reynolds, Jayne and River were both glad enough to not be caught up in it. Sounded dangerous and most like not worth the risk. 'Course there was no telling the Cap'n how to run his crew, and neither of them was bound to try.

Truth to tell, Jayne was happy enough to be ordered around if them orders landed him in bed with his wife, gettin' his conjugals and such. There they was, laid out comfortable with their arms round each other, eyes closing as sleep come over 'em. Near to perfect as Jayne ever knew a moment to be.

"Safety in less numbers," said River softly. "Comfortable here."

"Wish you was always so, bao bei."

Jayne weren't right sure why he said such a thing. It'd be easy as anything to just kiss her good night and let sleep take him, but somehow it weren't happening. Keepin' secrets from River weren't somethin' Jayne was altogether comfortable with anyhow. Since she brought up the whole thing about being happy in their bed, at peace kinda, he figured it was good a time as any to tell her she weren't always so. He figured mebbe she didn't know. Seemed that was true enough.

"She cries in the night," she said, pro'ly reading those thoughts clean outta his head like always. "She didn't know," she admitted, tipping her head back to look at him.

"Figured as much," Jayne told her. "Started in on those Hands o' Blue fellas again since Beaumonde. I wasn't gonna tell ya but... Well, with everythin' the way it is and all..."

"She understands."

River nodded her head, and then looked away. Eyes stared unseeing into the distance, mind racing with thoughts, some her own, others not. 'Two by two, hands of blue'. The mantra that lived in her head was her own mind, own memory, though she had trouble remembering all the details. They came to the house, scared her, but she knew them before. Bad men, evil agendas. She shuddered at the idea of having to face them again.

"They will come again," she said, tone as cold as ice. "Conscious mind knows as well as unconscious. Try to put it aside but will not go. Things that can't be undone."

"They might come for ya, River-girl," Jayne told her, "but they ain't takin' ya nowhere."

His grip tightened around her body and River closed her eyes, revelling in the safety of his embrace. Felt good, always, from the very beginning. Her bodyguard for so long now, no matter what other title he held. She wished it was enough. Hoped, prayed, begged for it to be. The genius in her knew better.

"He cannot protect from everything," she told him sadly. "Jayne-man guards her body. Guh guh guards her mind. Won't be enough. Can't. Never enough... for Miranda."

Jayne was just now startin' to relax a little again until she said that. Now he felt everythin' that was on the whole other end of the scale from relaxed.

"Hey, what you mean by that, little woman?" he said, sitting up some and pulling her with him. "You tell me plain if us goin' to that place is gonna end bad," he said, meeting her eyes.

River shied away from his gaze. Too strong, too intense, too much.

"Always ends bad with her," she said, moving away. "He already knows."

She was up out of bed before he could stop her, though she knew good and well she couldn't go nowhere, same as he did.

"Yeah, well," he muttered. "I don't live to that."

"Then he'll die to it!" River told him, just a little too loud and a whole lot pissed as she turned to face him, naked as a jay bird and eyes flashin' fire. "Cannot endure the heat, move aware from the fire! She did not beg to be wed!"

"Hey, now!" Jayne yelled back at her just the same, making to get outta the bed.

River weren't to be argued with nor even calmed down. Her hands swept everything from the shelf behind her, afore she picked up one or two things and threw them with all the force she had against the wall. She weren't making a sound the whole time, but tears were pouring from her eyes by the time Jayne got to her and held her still. She struggled against him just a little bit before the fight went outta her. This weren't none of her fits she got into sometimes, just a woman blowin' off steam, getting all out of her depth and over-run by too much in her own head.

"Not how his life should be," she cried, letting Jayne keep a hold of her arms now, forgetting a reason to fight in a heartbeat.

"Exactly how it's s'posed to be, crazy woman," he told her without pause, one hand to her face now, making her look at him. "You know more'n most what a whole lot o' nothin' I was 'fore I met you. S'posed to be here, s'posed to be with you, that's all there is to it."

River swallowed hard, blinked the salt water back.

"She is grateful. Indebted," she tried to tell him. "Owes so much."

"Ain't even so." Jayne shook his head. "Took a bullet for me a while back as I recall," he said, more soft than he meant when his hand ghosted over the scars forming near her hip. "Come got me back from some ruttin' shiong-mung duh kwong-run wanted to gut me like a fish too," he reminded her. "Hell, you're my wife, you mood-brained little woman. Don't owe me nothin', dong ma?"

If the darkness that filled her head unbidden were clouds, River knew Jayne was the sun, breaking through with warmth and light. Perhaps too poetic an analogy for such a man, but River liked it well enough. Jayne was a sun to her. She orbited around him, pulled close by a force bigger than she was, something she could never fight and never had a mind to. She loved him. Simple as that. Only true, clear thing she always knew for sure, transcending everything else.

"Does not owe, but will give freely," she said, arms circling his neck. "Gives herself, all that is left."

Pushing forward, up on her toes, she kissed him. Jayne hadn't a thought of denying her that. Sure'n they could talk some more about what was comin' next, where they had to go and what they had to do, but it didn't change nothin'. If'n they were headed towards some kind of bad, some kind of an endin' mebbe, then Jayne'd be a real fool to waste what time they had left. Backing up towards the bed, he took his wife and laid her down, provin' the best way he knew how that he loved her like no other he ever knew nor ever would know.

Hours later, they was back where they started, laid out together in their bed, drifting on the edge of sleep. This time, River found her peace damn quick, but Jayne had trouble doin' the same. Wouldn't be too long before the Cap'n was back, the job most likely done or all blown apart mebbe. Either way, he'd be ready to hear what they had to say then, tales of Miranda and what it oughta mean.

Jayne had no wish to be goin' out there to the edge of the Rim, into Reaver space and all, but for River he would. Promised he'd go to the ends of the 'verse if he had to, just never figured on havin' to be literal about it someday. Still, that's what it took, then he'd do it, no matter what. Weren't no second choice far as Jayne was concerned.

Captain Malcolm Reynolds hadn't reckoned on his day gettin' much worse than bein' sat buck naked on a rock in the ass end o' nowhere. 'Course he hadn't counted on the story Simon Tam had to tell him when he returned back to the boat he called home. Mal never had heard of a planet called Miranda, and didn't wonder at his lack of knowledge when he heard the rest of what was to be told. A blackrock out in the worst part of space. Reaver territory and a mystery the Alliance held on to. It was an intriguing tale to tell and likewise to hear. Trouble of it was, when the story was done, Mal didn't rightly know what he was supposed to say.

"Well, you folks sure have given me some things to think on," he said at last.

Simon and Jayne seemed eager to have him make a choice on what happened next, looking to him like they needed approval from their daddy or some such. Ironical as it was, River was the only one not giving him those wide eyes this time around. Chances were she knew already what he was thinking. Nine times out of ten, that was exactly the truth of it.

Getting up and walking away from the table, Mal made no promises about what would happen next nor when he would make such a decision. Meeting Inara on the catwalk above the cargo bay, he caught her looking more than a little skittish.

"You overhear somethin' back there?"

"I wasn't deliberately listening in on your private conversation if that's what you would imply," she countered, head held high. "I was only on my way to the bridge to consult with Wash about the route we're to take next when I heard a little of what was said."

"Which part you hear?" asked Mal, watching her carefully.

"More than I would like, that is for certain," Inara admitted, seeming to almost shiver as if scared.

That told Mal she heard talk of Reavers at the very least. That kind of thing made his own blood run cold, truth be known. Taking himself and his crew into such a place thrilled him not at all, but there were reasons enough to go, to do what must be done.

"Much as I'd like to avoid goin' to such a place, makes me wonder," he said thoughtfully, leaning his arms on the rail and looking out across the cargo bay beyond. "Alliance have gone to all manner of pains to do what they did with little River and to chase her down after. Seems to me they got some secret worth the keeping. Makes me wonder what that is."

"You know such a trip might be suicidal," said Inara, hovering beside him.

"Don't expect you to come along on that kind of caper," he said, never looking her way, seemingly unable to. "In fact, I'd take it as a kindness if you didn't. What kinda Captain...? What kinda man would it make me to put a lady like yourself in such a place?"

Inara was stunned by his use of the word lady, so far from his usual habit of referring to her as a whore or similar. He was softening lately, she saw it but said not a word because she knew he would disagree and certainly not thank her for it at all.

"I appreciate the chivalry," she told him, smiling as he turned to look at her then, "but Mal, I am a part of this crew. I played my part in this last job and more than proved my worth, didn't I? If this trip into the unknown could help poor River, if it could uncover some truth that others ought to know, would it not be worth some risk?"

Mal shook his head.

"Sometimes I forget what a remarkable woman ya are, 'Nara," he told her plain. "And it ain't that I don't appreciate your opinion and all. Times like this I almost miss the Preacher," he noted with a wry smile. "For all I didn't care much for his religiosity and all, he always knew what to say come a crisis."

"He's not so lost to us," Inara pointed out. "You know where he is, exactly where we left him. I'm sure a visit could be arranged."

Mal said nothing at first. He was so quiet and still, eyes gazing out across the cargo bay once more as if it was the most beautiful of views. To his eyes, Inara supposed that was exactly what it was.

"Something to think on," he said eventually. "Definitely something."

To Be Continued...