Disclaimers: Mutant Enemy and Joss Whedon own it all.
Reviews: Feedback very welcomed and appreciated
Timeline: Takes place during Safe, only this time Jayne gets snatched
Pairings: Jayne/ River, naturally; Zoë/ Wash
Rating: M for all the usual reasons
Wash set the boat on auto pilot and turned to Zoë. "So, River jumped into Jayne's arms and he didn't throw her across the town square?"
"No husband, only pushed her off 'cause we had to leave. And he did it all gentle like, at that." She sat down in his lap and put her arms around his shoulders. "It was a little creepifyin' actually, he had this look on his face…can't really describe it. He was almost human."
"Not almost human, my Jayne is very human." River had come into the cockpit and sat in the empty chair. "Please come and join us for the morning meal. I prepared the repast." She jumped up and headed out.
"Wife, did she call him her Jayne? And did she refer to herself in the first person?" Wash was confused.
"It would seem so husband." Zoë had an amused look on her face. Well, she thought, it would seem our heartless mercenary isn't so heartless. "This is going to be a most interesting meal."
"I can hardly wait." Wash flashed a wide grin and let his wife lead them to the galley.
Jayne had served himself a plate of protein pancakes, but not before he served River as well which caused the room to pause in their prospective activities.
"What?" He answered the questioning glances. "She cooked 'em up, the least I can do is get her a plate." That was a mistake, he thought, gotta get back to being myself.
"You are yourself." River took the offered plate as she looked up at her big man.
"Well little witch, seems you and your brother have quite an adventure to tell your core folk when you get back home." Mal said with a small laugh.
River cocked her head at the captain. "We are home captain."
"I think what he means River, is that once we get this whole mess with the alliance straightened out…" Simon was stopped by River's short laugh.
"Oh Simon, you can be so amusing. Do you honestly think we will suddenly be welcomed home with open arms by our parents? Let alone the Alliance? They want me back Simon. Only, now, I'm not the same specimen they expect." She poured imitation syrup on her pancakes and handed it to Jayne.
"What do you mean mei mei?" Simon was pretty sure, but needed his sister to confirm his suspicions.
"Yes River, just what do you mean?" the Captain's eyes narrowed as his gaze landed on Jayne.
"They can no longer control me, my missing pieces," she pointed to her brain with her fork, "they are beginning to fill in, to merge." River looked meaningfully at Jayne. "The connections are not as they were, new pathways are being forged in different ways, but still they will only continue to improve." She tuned to look fully at her brother. "I will continue to improve. It will take time and I will never be the same, but I will be me. Is this not correct Jayne?" River laid a hand on the mercenary's arm.
Jayne swallowed deeply. "Yeah, well whatever." He looked at all the eyes that were focused on him. "Okay, so River and me, well…we spent a whole lotta time together and…" he gulped again and glanced over at Simon. "You know, I hadda pretend to marry the girl, you know that doc. I just didn't think…I never thought…"
"Jayne." Simon stopped him. "This is something that is between you and my sister." Simon took a deep breath and weakly smiled at River. "She's 18 years old now and I can't say anything about her decisions, especially since she seems so much more in control of her faculties."
"Excuse me doctor? You're alright with…with whatever went on…is going on…she's just a baby. And him? You know what my merc is like and you…just what in the gorram hell went on out there?" Mal was incredulous.
Simon shrugged. "Jayne proved himself to me and to River. I know, I can barely believe what I'm saying." He looked over at the big man. "No offense Jayne, but the man I knew up until our kidnapping, he was a different sort of person."
"Yeah, yeah, the trained ape. I'm havin' a hard time with it all myself." He shoved another forkful into his mouth.
"Jayne took care of us, he made sure none of us were left behind." River looked at the captain. "No member of the crew gets left behind. Remember?"
"Yeah, well we ain't exactly clear what member of the crew you are…" Mal was cut off by his mercenary.
"She's the doc's sis and she's my woman." He looked at Mal with no room for argument.
Kaylee gasped. "But Jayne, she's just a little thing…"
"If I may?" Book interrupted. "She may be a little thing, but she's a girl, young woman," he smiled a River, "who decided she wanted Jayne and got him. Isn't this so River?"
River nodded. "He fought it for a long time, every night for over a month, but logic won over. Logic and his biological needs." She cast a deep glance at Jayne. "Did they not my Jayne?"
He chuckled. "Yeah, you try and fight this one when she figures on somethin' she wants. Ain't easy." Jayne looked at Mal and then the rest of the crew. "Look, I know it looks bad and I know you ain't got no real reason to trust what I say. But, she…we're together now is all."
"Together? You expect me to just lie down and accept this?" Mal asked, incredulous.
"Well captain, you accepted Wash and me." Zoë spoke up softly. "We're human Mal, and as such we fall in love sometimes. Don't rightly plan it, just happens. And just 'cause we fall in love, don't mean we want to settle on some dusty planet. We still want to sail in the black if that's where our hearts lie." She smiled at Wash. "It can be done."
Kaylee tuned misty eyes on the first mate. "Oh Zoë, that were just so poetical…"
"Enough! This here is my ship and what I say goes. And I ain't at all sure 'bout this." Mal shook his head, mad that decisions were being made for him.
"Mal." Inara had to add her opinion. "You're the captain of the ship, not the dictator of our personal lives. These things happen. And by the looks of things, you have a mercenary you can finally trust." She cast a baleful eye at Jayne. "Isn't that right Jayne?"
"Yeah cap, it's really sorta sweet. They's so different, like opposites and all." Kaylee smiled. "It's just so romantical, please be human about this." She begged.
Jayne had to smile at Kaylee's quick change of heart and willingness to accept them. She smiled right back at the big mercenary.
"Human? Human? I'm all kinds a human. But I need to run this ship how I see best." He looked to Zoë for backup and she just shrugged. No help there, he thought. "I'll be givin' you all my decision tomorrow." He turned and left the galley.
Wash took Zoë's hand. "You best follow him lambie-toes. No telling where his head will fly off to."
"Probably up his ass." She mumbled. "Yes dear, I do believe you are right." She leaned over and kissed him before trailing after her captain.
Zoë entered the cockpit and slid the door closed behind her. "Well Mal, seems you gotta a whole lotta folks who want to give Jayne and River a chance, her brother included." She sat in the empty chair beside her captain.
"And you too, I see." His voice was petulant and it caused a small curve to Zoë's lips.
"Can't fight those kinda feelings, although I know you try your hardest. Some of us are ruled by our hearts and it would appear our big man finally found his out in the rough." Zoë kept looking at Mal, waiting for him to turn towards her, but he kept his eyes straight ahead.
"Don't know Zoë, the more this kinda thing comes up the more I lose control."
The first mate rolled her eyes. "Mal, what kinda control are we talkin' about here? This has got nothing to do with the running of Serenity. This is about you feelin' the need to poke your nose in places it don't belong."
"Hey! You got no reason to talk to me like that. I'm still the captain of this here vessel Zoë and as such…"
"But this ain't got nothing to do with your vessel. Jayne and River found they got somethin' together. Maybe it'll fall to shit or maybe it'll last a lifetime, who knows. But as long as they don't bring it to a job or to the rest of us…" She shrugged. "Just let it go Mal. If it don't work out, get rid of Jayne or get rid of the Tams, I'll just be a little later than now."
Mal turned to his first mate and raised an eyebrow. Guess this is why she was always at his right hand. "Fine, but this here is my decision. First sign that Jayne's work is sufferin' it ends." Mal stood up. "Yeah, that's my final word on it."
Zoë got up to follow him. "Yes sir, knew you'd come to a proper and wise decision on it."