All four men jumped up, but only Jia came out of the bushes.
"What?"
Mal smiled a crooked smile, "What are you doing here?"
She sat next to her husband, "Zoe was worried about Wash so she dropped me off about 100 yards from here." She looked at the pilot, "Are you alright Wash?"
Wash colored a bit but smiled, "I'm good. We're tellin ghost stories."
She looked around, "Really?"
Mal sighed, "Unfortunately."
Jia looked behind her, "Kaylee, you comin?"
She came out of the bushes but Mal looked disgusted, "What the hells going on here? Can't take care of ourselves?"
Kaylee and Jia looked at him with blank expressions.
"Never mind. I don't want to know the answer to that." He got up, "I'll leave you to your little stories, we're going to bed."
Jia looked at him, "'We' who?"
He glared down at her.
"OH." She got up,"Night all."
They went towards the wagon and a distance away from the others. They could hear faint laughter and talking. Mal laid out a large blanket and one on top of it. They both crawled beneath the cover and stared at the night's sky.
Mal sighed, "There are some advantages to this job."
"Uh huh."
"Bein out here on a night like this. Sleepin beneath the stars. Not caring bout nothin."
"Not showering. Eating burnt food, fighting bugs. All that manly stuff?"
Mal nodded in agreement. "Blisters, spit, no feelings, all that manly stuff."
"Keeping it to yourself until you can write it in your diary later?"
He looked over at her to see her silently laughing at him. "I do not have a diary."
Jia nodded, "Of course not dear."
He propped himself on one elbow facing her, "You know, you're kinda mouthy. Why do I put up with you?"
Jia smiled at him.
"Oh yeah."
She giggled as he lowered his mouth to hers and threw the blanket over both their heads. She was giggling when they both heard someone clearing their throat. Mal peeked out from under the cover to see Jayne standing over them.
"Came to see if you wanted us to do anything else before turning in. Can't you two quit once in a while?"
Mal narrowed his eyes at his mercenary, "No." He then threw the covers back over their heads. Jayne walked back to the fire rolling his eyes.
He sat down with a sigh, "I liked him a lot better when he wasn't getting any."
Kaylee scolded him, "Jayne!"
He looked at her, "What?"
Wash laughed, "I really doubt he's gonna stop if you ask Jayne."
Even the Shepherd chuckled at that.
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Mal awoke sometime during the night. At first he didn't know why but then he heard a noise from the other side of the hill. He snuck from Jia's side and crept up. Right there was a very large herd of horses. He smiled and crept back. He woke Jayne first, then the others. He told Simon, Kaylee and Jia to stay behind and the other three snuck around to their horses and went to get back the rancher's horses.
Kaylee, Simon and Jia heard gunshots and shouts but stayed put. Soon Simon was knocked out from behind and someone grabbed Jia and Kaylee. Kaylee quieted but that wasn't Jia's style. She got free from her attacker and grabbed her sword from the wagon. She quickly dispatched the two men and went after Kaylee. She turned to do that and Kaylee was gone. She looked around and saw no sign of the man who had taken her. She ran to Simon as Jayne rode up.
He quickly dismounted, "What the Gorram hell happened?"
"They came for us. They took Kaylee."
Simon moaned and sat up, "Kaylee?"
"Gone."
He quickly got up, "We gotta go after her."
Jayne shook his head, "They left the horses. We gotta get those back to the ranch."
Simon was furious, "Kaylee is more important that some job!"
Mal rode up and Jayne explained the situation. He nodded, "Your right Doc, but I think we are very uninformed about something around here. You don't just abandon 100 head of horses if you plan to sell um. Somethin' ain't right. We gotta get back and figure out what 's going on first. But I promise we'll find Kaylee. I ain't leavin her to them. You should know that by now."
Simon blushed slightly but nodded.
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The trip back was heavy hearted but easy. The horses were used to being herded. The group arrived back at the ranch house to a very happy rancher.
"You got um back! I have to admit I had some doubts about all ya'll."
"Now you have a bigger problem."
He looked confused.
Mal approached him, "They abandoned the herd and took one of ours. Care to explain?"
The man blushed, "Well you see..."
Mal swung towards the door when he heard a voice. "Had a lot of that lately." A large built man with a smile and blond hair stood in the doorway, "Bunch of criminals think they rule the planet." The man had on an Alliance uniform.
Mal stiffened but smiled, "Arnie. What are you doing here?"
The man puffed up with importance, "That's Captain Harris. Too many animals stolen and ransomed. Alliance Heads sent me to take care of it."
Mal noticed a small hand on his arm. He turned and came face to face with Jia.
She whispered, "You know this purple belly?"
Mal grimaced and looked at Wash, "Unfortunately."
Wash looked incredibly impatient. For him that was very odd. Simon was pacing behind him. Jayne glared at the fed. Shepherd Book looked patiently interested.
Mal said, "Wash, go get Serenity. We'll need her to search for Kaylee."
Captain Harris walked up, "I'm afraid I can't let you do that."
Mal turned back to him, "Why is that?"
"This is an Alliance matter now."
Simon couldn't hold back any more, "So that means you'll either leave her to the wolves or use her as a bargaining chip. Thanks but no thanks."
Mal looked at him doctor impatiently. "Anyway, I guess we will be on our way then." He half saluted Captain Harris and walked off. His crew followed him.
They radioed Serenity and she picked the up soon after that. Zoe met them in the cargo bay.
"What's the plan?"
"Rescue Kaylee without running into the jackass again."
Zoe looked at her husband with a question on her face.
He shrugged, "Arnie Harris."
Zoe groaned, "Anyone but him."
Jia asked, "Who is he?"
Zoe looked down, "You could say we've crossed paths before."
When everyone started moving to the interior of the ship with just that as an explanation Jia followed. Intent on getting a better answer.
The galley was, as usual, the rally point.
Mal commanded his troops. "Wash, start scanning for her. Shepherd, I'm sure you can help him." The two men went to the bridge to obey their Captain. Wash came back a few minutes later.
"Mal, that rancher wants to know if we still want the job."
Mal looked at him with a blank face.
Wash nodded, "I'll go tell him." He turned and went back to the bridge.
Jayne had grabbed a bun from the kitchen and between bites asked, "Did we just turn down a really good job?"
Mal restrained himself, "We ain't doing a job without Kaylee."
"Couldn't we save her then do it?"
"I don't work for people who get my crew kidnaped. Just a thing I have."
Jayne looked disinterested, "Whatever."
They went back to waiting for Wash and Shepherd to find Kaylee. It took close to an hour but they found her. Mal set them up for the same thing they did while rescuing Simon and River from getting burnt at the stake. It would be Zoe's first job since the baby. She was thrilled inside, but the outside was the same calm demeanor.
The thieves hideout turned out to be a small town. Mal and Zoe walked down the street towards Kaylee. A man came to meet them. They were about to talk to him when a familiar voice stopped them.
"You are bound by law to stand down."
Zoe groaned. They both turned.
"I knew you couldn't resist." Harris stood there with his hands on his hips and his feet braced apart. He was surrounded by ten men. He approached Zoe.
"If it isn't the lovely lady Zoey. What's a lady like you doing in a place like this?"
Zoe rolled her eyes and didn't reply.
The man who had come to meet them wouldn't be ignored, "I am the leader here. Are we going to bargain for the girl or not?"
Mal would have replied but Harris interrupted, "Give us the girl and we will destroy your little village."
Mal looked back at him, "Isn't that 'give us the girl and we WON'T destroy your village?'"
Harris narrowed his eyes at Mal, "No it's not."
The leader turned to Mal, "Moving on. What do we get for the girl?"
"Our non participation. She goes with us and we walk away. If not a big guy with a gun comes here in a ship and joins the free for all. Your choice."
The man considered his options. He motioned behind him and Kaylee was brought forward. She hugged Mal. Harris wouldn't be thwarted. He motioned for his men to take her. Serenity came out of nowhere with Jayne hanging by a chain with Vera in his hands. Shepherd and Simon came out from behind buildings with some of Jayne's guns. Simon wasn't even shaking. He looked determined and furious.
Mal sighed and said over the roar of Serenity's engine, "You know how this is going to go down Harris. We've been through this before."
Harris thought for a moment before motioning his men to back off. Mal pushed Kaylee towards Simon and they happily embraced. Mal tipped his head to the leader and they all took their leave.
The gathered in the cargo bay as Wash sped off as fast as he could. Kaylee still held on to Simon and he held on to her.
Dinner that night was a happy affair with lots of questions and few answers. They all retired for the night. Simon came back to the galley hours later. He hadn't been able to sleep. He sat with a glass of water and stared into nothing.
Kaylee came in. He looked up. Neither said a word as she crawled into his lap and they embraced. He kissed her forehead and rested his head against hers.