Homestead

A/N: The theme: fence.

The light poured through the narrow window, pooling on the sleeping man's face. His wife pushed at him, trying to rouse him. When that didn't work, she closed her mouth over his and snaked her hand down under the blankets. His arms flashed out; he rolled, flipping her onto her back. Confident she wasn't a serial killer, he rained kisses down her chin and neck.

"I'm up," Jayne said, voice muffled by her hair.

"Works every time," Kaylee giggled. "Now you can fix my gorram fence."

As Jayne pounded in the last nail on the new crossbar, a little girl ran out from the house. Jayne met her halfway, scooping her up and setting her on his shoulder.

"Momma says you got a wave," she told him.

"Oh she did, did she, li'l Janey? She tell you who it's from?"

"Uh uh," she said, shaking her head. "She just said you better get inside."

"Well, then, we better go." He swung her down, swinging her around once. "Your momma can be a powerful scary creature when she's angry. Like a cute, angry bear."

Kaylee met them at the door, taking Janey from him. "It was Mal."

"You tell him I ain't takin' you nowhere," he said, running a hand over her almost flat stomach. "Not for a year, at least."

"You can tell him in person. He'll be here by dinnertime."

Serenity sat down just after sunset in a disused field behind the Cobb farm. The ramp was hardly down before Kaylee was up it. She almost bowled Mal over, catching him in a big hug.

"Easy there, Kaylee girl," he said, flinching. "Just got that side stitched up. 'Sides, wouldn't want to make your young man all jealous."

"Don't mind him," Kaylee said, straightening his shirt. "He acts up, I'll punch him right in the nose. You been takin' care of my girl?"

"You know it."

"Uh huh." Kaylee gave him a disbelieving look. "When's the last time she had a full inspection?"

"Two months- no more than three," Mal lied.

Kaylee sighed. "What am I gonna do with you, Captain?" She peered around him into the cargo bay. "How many of y'all is it?"

"Me, Zoe, 'Nara, River, and Max, who you ain't met yet."

"No Simon?"

"Tell me you ain't disappointed."

She punched Mal playfully on the arm. "Didn't say I was disappointed. I just want to know is all."

"Heat's died way down since the new Alliance administration came in. He's setting up for an appointment to a hospital on Osiris. Gonna steal my pilot, too, the hun dan."

"Well, y'all best come on inside. Dinner's almost ready, and you ain't even had time to see Jayne yet."

"Believe me, I seen enough of Jayne to last me a lifetime. Tell me about this dinner."

--

Through the fading light of the sunset, Jayne studied Mal's face. The first traces of gray were starting to brush his temples; he had a new scar, a big, nasty thing down one side of his neck.

"Niska," Mal told him, indicating the scar.

"Hope you killed that old son of a bitch," Jayne replied, handing Mal a beer.

"Well, I don't reckon I did," Mal said, twisting off the cap. "Reckon it was the lack of oxygen just outside of my airlock that did it. Cheers."

They sat there drinking in silence for a number of minutes, watching the sun go down.

"Never thought I'd see the day you'd be settled down," Mal said, shaking his head. Jayne grunted, something close to a laugh. "Me, Zoe, hell, 'Nara- but you! You're Jayne Cobb! Defiler of women! Bearer of unnecessarily large firearms!"

Jayne shook his head. "Can't do that stuff forever. 'Sides, 'tween the farm and Kaylee's shop, I'm makin' twice what I did in the black. Don't have to spend it all on sexin', either."

"No, I reckoned you was gettin' that for free, though I can't see why you should."

Jayne ignored him. "Miss the guns, though." He turned to face Mal. "You know I ain't shot nobody since before Janey was born?"

"How do you survive?" Mal deadpanned.

"What about you? You worked up the nerve to get all kissey face with Inara yet?"

"It ain't like that-"

"I know it ain't, cause both of you're blind and feng le."

Mal blinked. "Why, Jayne Cobb. Did I just hear you tryin' to give advice?"

Jayne studied his beer thoughtfully. "It ain't like it used to be. We ain't like it used to be. You're not young anymore."

Mal rolled his eyes. "Oh, I see how it is. It's all 'we' until we're talkin' about bein' old." There was a pregnant pause. "So, I guess I can skip the part where I beg you to come back."

Jayne looked out over the farm. "Me and Kaylee, we got a good thing here. Youngin'- bout to have two, a house that don't move, food that ain't just protein." He trailed off, studying the horizon.

"Hell, Mal, I'm near about bored out of my brain, and Kaylee misses Serenity somethin' fierce. This is real nice, but it ain't to last." Mal started to interject, but Jayne stopped him. "Can't come back for seven months- a year, at least, cause I ain't havin' my baby born in the black." He stopped another interruption from Mal. "And I ain't leavin' my kids. That just ain't gonna happen. Saved up more than enough to pay their way."

Mal stared hard at him. "Don't think I'm just holdin' you a place." He wagged a warning finger in Jayne's face. "If you want back in, you'll have to wait at least five, ten minutes while I throw Max out."

Jayne looked suddenly alarmed. "Hey, Mal, don't tell Kaylee I said nothin', 'specially about things not lasting. She'll think I was talking about her, and Hell ain't got no fury like an angry Kaylee Cobb."

Mal shook his head. "Don't reckon I'm ever gonna get used to hearin' that."

Jayne suddenly held a hand out across Mal's chest. "C'mon. I smell pie."

"Now that's the Jayne I know."

Serenity lifted off just after lunch the next day. On the ground, the man and his wife saw it off, standing far clear. A lift, a swing, and it was long gone.

Jayne ran his hands over Kaylee's stomach, leaning down to her ear. "Janey still at your Ma's?"

Kaylee leaned her head back against his shoulder. "Told her she could stay till tomorrow."

"Race you to the house?"

"Jayne," she said, turning to him, voice grave. "I am in a delicate condition. I can't be running all over creation." She paused, then pushed past him and took off running. "Not without a head start!"

Jayne grinned and took off behind her.

Mal stood on the bridge in his accustomed place, looking out at the stars.

"If you bring them back, it won't be like old times again," River said from somewhere behind him. "It won't be all wacky fun and trouble with the Alliance."

"No, Albatross, it won't." He turned and smiled at her. "I intend to make entirely new trouble."