I own nothing.

Jayne understood that River liked animals, but it was ridiculous. He realized this when she came out of a shop with a box full of quacking duckling and a duck under the other arm. There was a big smile on her face. Jayne raised an eyebrow at her. "Don't you think we have enough pets?"

"They would like our pond. I told them about it and they asked if they could live there. I told them they could." She stuck her lower lip out slightly. "Do I have to take them back?"

Jayne rubbed his forehead wearily. "No, but quit bringin' every stray ya run into home."

She nodded as she set the box and the duck into the wagon carefully. "Are you going into Mr. Carrington's now?"

"Yeah, I'm all outta bullets fer Caroline an' I can't go huntin' till I get some more. You got some parts there waitin' for ya?" He asked as he started toward the shop door. She nodded as she followed him. He pushed the door open and a small bell rang at the top of the doorway. A gray haired, bespectacled man popped up from behind the counter and smiled when he saw them. "Mr. and Mrs. Cobb, didn't expect to see you this soon in the week."

"My husband eats like a horse," River explained, pinching Jayne's side to emphasize her point. Jayne rolled his eyes at her good naturedly and wandered over to the counter and River went off to wander around the store. Every time they came into Mr. Carrington's store, River made sure to comb through the shelves as she was forever finding odds and ends that could prove useful later on. Two weeks prior, she had found too overly large pillows and had bought them for Sam and Wolf to sleep on until Jayne could make a proper doghouse for Wolf, who had begun sleeping outside after a fox had gotten into the chicken coop. Luckily, they had only lost one hen. Jayne called her to the front of the store when a box caught her eye. It was wedged under the bottom rung of a shelf near the back door and there was a very familiar figure poking out from the top. She grabbed it up and quickly approached the two men. She could feel the warmth and laughter radiating from the box. She held it out to the ex-mercenary. "Jayne, look."

Jayne looked down briefly and then did a double take. "Where in the hell did you find those?"

"The box was wedged halfway under a shelf near the back," she answered. Jayne looked up at Mr. Carrington. "How long ago did you get those?"

"Same day you two moved to town. Don't see that kinda thing in these parts-"

"How much you want fer 'em?"

Mr. Carrington raised an eyebrow, but didn't question the bigger man, who looked more serious than usual. "Fifty credits?"

Jayne threw down another fifty credits and he and River nodded goodbye as they left the store. It was long time before River spoke in a broken voice."How could they do this, Jayne. Why would they want to-" She broke off and covered her mouth with her hand as she continued to stare down into the box. Jayne pulled on Big Grey's reins until he came to a stop and turned to River. "Hey," he said gently, taking her by the shoulders, "they was just not thinkin' correctly, River. Ain't nothin' more'n that."

He looked down at the box just as stricken as her. "Can't be anythin' else."

River wiped at her eyes surreptitiously and Jayne hugged her against his chest. "It's a good thing you found that box an' not someone else."

She nodded against him and buried her face in his shirt. "I miss them, Jayne, I miss them very much."

"So do I," Jayne replied as they pulled apart and he forced Big Grey into a leisurely walk with a flick of the reins. River let her hand fall to Jayne's knee, needing to feel some semblance of comfort and reassurance.

Once back at the cabin, Jayne moved the box of parts to the barn while River took the ducks to the pond. She then led Big Grey back to the barn, where she helped Jayne untack him and Jayne picked up the box and the two of them headed back to the cabin in silence. Once inside, Jayne set the box on the kitchen table gently and the two stared at its contents. "Where should we put them?"

She shook her head. "I don't know. We don't have any..." she trailed off and let her eyes wander around the room, ignoring the feeling of loss brought on by what she had been about to say. "The mantle?"

Jayne followed her gaze and nodded slowly. "Place of honor. I'll carve a cross an' we can hang it up."

He looked back into the box and frowned sadly. "They're dusty."

"I'll clean them while you carve the cross," she said and went to one of the drawers in the kitchen and pulled out a washrag. She wetted it and sat down next to the box. River looked up when Jayne didn't immediately leave. He was staring at his boots when he said softly, "If it's alright with you, I'd like ta help ya."

She bit her lip to keep from crying and nodded up at him. Jayne nodded back at her and took up his own wet washrag. He sat down next to her and they stared at the box together for several more moments. Jayne took a deep breath and reached into the box slowly, pulling out the Tyrannosaurus. River sniffed and looked up at Jayne with watery eyes. "Be careful of that one; he has a very evil laugh."

Sam sat next to River in the wagon as they waited outside the bar for Jayne. Little Susan Wilkerson was sitting on her lap, kicking her legs back and forth and clutching the doll Jayne had bought her for her birthday to her chest. Susan was staying with River and Jayne as both her brothers had caught pneumonia and her parents hadn't wanted her to contract it as well. River nodded to several townspeople as they passed by with a warm "hello." She shifted slightly and glanced back at the bar. It didn't look nearly as respectable as it had when they had first come to Tree Gap. As a bar, it had never, of course, been completely respectable, but when Andy Stockley had come to town, he had bought the bar owner out-at gun point, River suspected-and was beginning to buy out other businesses around town. Several, less than trustworthy men stumbled out of the bar and began to unload moonshine from the back of the wagon and River heaved a sigh of relief. Wolf sat up quickly in the back of the wagon and several men jumped back. One man with rotting teeth looked up at her in shock. "Lady, ya know you got a wolf in yer wagon?"

"Yes," she said as she looked back to the door and bounced Susan on her leg absentmindedly. Susan moved her arms around River's neck. River noticed that both Wolf and Sam were staring off in the same direction and she turned to look across the street. It was Andy Stockley and he was headed straight for the wagon with an overconfident look on his face. River had been so busy worrying over Jayne that she hadn't sensed his presence. A sick, creeping feeling crawled its way over her skin and she fought the urge to shudder. Susan clutched her tighter. Wolf started to growl and she hushed him. Andy came to lean against the side of the wagon and River leaned back and away from him. "Yer a pretty thing."

He reached out to touch her knee and she jerked away. He snickered and Wolf let out a warning snarl. Andy jumped back slightly. Susan began to cry softly and Sam whined at her, licking her arm. Andy continued to smile up at her. "Don't think I seen you before."

"If I'd had my way, you never would have," she replied coolly as she rubbed Susan's back. Andy stepped forward slowly. "Aw, that ain't no way ta talk ta someone who's only tryin' ta be friendly. Why don't you come inside an' we'll have a drink an' a nice chat."

"I'd rather not," she said in the same distant tone. She cast a quick glance at Sam, who jumped down from the wagon and slipped into the bar. Andy reached up and grabbed at her arm. Wolf started forward and Andy pulled his gun, leveling at him. He glared at River. "Call him off 'er I'll shoot his mangy pi gu."

"Wolf, no." River glared at Andy, "you are making a mistake, Mr. Stockley."

Andy holstered his gun and smirked up at her. "You ain't got no choice, but ta do as I say."

"My wife ain't gotta do a damn thing you tell 'er ta do." Andy jumped and turned to find Jayne looming over him. Before Andy could open his mouth to reply, Jayne hammered his fist down on the top of Andy's head with a thundering crack. River flinched at the sound. It was more than likely that Jayne had hit him with enough force to fracture his skull. He pointed at the nearest man and said in a low, dangerous voice, "You get him to the Doc an' when he comes to, you tell 'im that if he so much as glances in my wife's direction I will rip off his man-parts, shove em' down his throat an' turn his insides inta his outsides, dong ma?"

The man nodded and scrambled over to his unconscious employer. Jayne spat on Andy's prone form and stalked over to River, looking her over in concern. "You okay?"

She stared down at him with wide eyes for only a moment before she bent down, grabbed him by the collar, and pulled him to her so that their lips came together forcefully. Jayne reacted instantly by kissing her back just as urgently. When River pulled away, she was blushing. Jayne opened his mouth to say something, but was caught off-guard when Susan launched herself from River's arms and into Jayne's, wailing, "He tried to touch Auntie River!"

"Well, he didn't so it's okay. Right, Squirt?" He asked, lifting her chin. She nodded and hugged him. "You saved us!"

"Yup, that's me; big damn hero," Jayne chuckled, before handing her back to River, who smiled at him shyly. Jayne nudged Sam from the wagon seat into the back and sat down, pulling River over to sit as close to him as possible. She blushed up at him and averted her gaze. He grinned down at her. "Nice job, sendin' Sam in after me, Honey."

River blushed more prominently at his term of endearment and averted her gaze. She shrugged slightly. Jayne raised an eyebrow at her for a moment before turning back to stare ahead. It seemed to take longer for them to get home than usual and River chalked it up to the oppressive silence that hung over them. Susan had fallen asleep not long after they had started home and Jayne was about as willing to talk as she was. The wagon came to a stop and Jayne hopped down and helped River down after him.

"Jayne," she said quietly, "I-"

"Look, I get it," he said waving her off as he grabbed up Big Grey's reins and started to walk off. She stepped forward and put a hand on his arm to stop him. "That's not it at all, Jayne."

He stopped and stared down at her with a blank expression. She looked around, biting her lip painfully. "I meant it, but..."

He turned toward her fully. "But what?"

"I'm not ready for everything, yet." She looked up at him with clouded eyes. "You don't love me."

He continued to stare at her blankly for several moments before turning back to untack Big Grey. "Go put Susan to bed an' I'll be in in little bit."

River watched him as he worked, his muscles stiff. She turned away from him and headed toward the cabin. Wolf and Sam were both lying on the porch. The sun had nearly set and River stared up over the tops of the trees at the purple light for several moments. If what Book had believed was true...if there was a heaven, where was it? Could he and Wash see them? Did they know how she and Jayne felt about them, about all they had lost? River went inside and closed the screen door as quietly as possible and moved into the extra room. She turned pulled back the covers of the bed and gently laid Susan down. She pulled the covers back up and stood next to the bed, staring at the small girl. She couldn't remember how she had been as a little girl. She didn't have any real memories of her childhood; they were buried deep under the memories she had shared with Jayne and those memories were of blood and death.

River wandered into the bedroom in a daze. She knew Jayne wouldn't be back for a very long while. She pulled out a basket full of the rabbit pelts Jayne had collected and her sewing kit and went back to the den. Sam scratched at the door and she let him in. He jumped up onto the couch next to her and she set about the tedious task of sewing the pelts together. Her plan was to make a comforter for when winter arrived, but they hadn't collected near enough pelts. They would have to buy some. A couple of hours later, River heard th porch steps creak and Sam began to wag his tail as he jumped down from the couch. He greeted Jayne at the door and Jayne gave him hard pat on the back. River watched Jayne as he went into the kitchen and opened the jar of jerky on the counter. He tossed a piece to Sam and grabbed a handful for himself. River turned back to her sewing, pausing only for a moment when she heard Jayne's boots against the hardwood floor. She had expected Jayne to go straight to bed and was more than a little surprised when he sat down in the cushioned chair adjacent to the couch.

"Thought you woulda gone ta bed already," he told her in a quiet voice. She shook her head. "I have a lot on my mind."

He nodded and stared up at the dinosaurs arranged on the mantle above the fireplace, chewing on a piece of rabbit jerky. Sam sat obediently at Jayne's feet and River smiled. "I told you he likes you best."

Jayne looked down at the dog and shrugged, rubbing Sam behind the ears. Sam pressed back into Jayne's hand and River looked down at her sewing project. "I don't have enough pelts. I barely have enough for one side."

Jayne shrugged again. "We could get some in town."

"I doubt they have enough in town-"

"Well, what in the Gorram hell d'you expect me ta do about it," he snapped suddenly and River jumped at his sudden anger. She shoved everything back into the basket, picked it up, and retreated to the bedroom without another word. Jayne ran a hand down his face and sighed. He hadn't meant to snap at her. River was in bed by the time he got up the courage to talk to her. He sat down wearily on his side of the bed and pulled off his boots and socks slowly. Sam wandered in just as he began to pull off his shirt. Sam sat at his feet, watching Jayne with an alert and expectant expression. Jayne patted the foot of the bed and Sam hopped up instantly. Jayne stretched out on the bed, popping his joints noisily before he let out a heavy sigh. River moved beside him and he turned to find her staring up at him from under the covers.

"Yer a bigger liar than anybody I know."

"I..." she trailed off, unable to find the proper words for once in her life. She moved closer to the middle of the bed. "We are both still too far away from one another."

"Yeah," he agreed as he moved closer to her and threw an arm over her. She wiggled forward once more and rested her forehead against his. "The 'verse is changing far too quickly for either of us to comprehend."

"Yeah, it is. Never woulda seen all this comin'," he whispered back gruffly. River sighed. "You smell good. Like a man should smell; a good, strong man."

"You smell good, too. Like a woman oughta smell...I ain't good."

"You are the biggest liar I know, Jayne."

He stared into her eyes through the darkness and she whispered in a barely audible voice, "If you want to, you can."

Jayne nodded slowly, and moved his hand up to run his finger through the hair framing her face. He moved his face closer to her and dropped a featherlight kiss on her lips. She snuggled closer to him and he wrapped his arms around her. She burrowed into his broad chest and whispered up at him, "I still don't understand why it happened; why we were forgotten."

He nodded against the top of her head. "Don't seem fair."

"But it's okay," she said as she pulled away to look up into his face, "because we remember and we'll not ever forget. We are forever. We are the infinite."

Her eyes were shining as she said it and Jayne felt himself smile, felt his guilt melt away just a little. Each day was more bearable than the last. She nodded up at him. "Because we know; we understand but do not comprehend. We do not forget; we let go, but do not move away. We are their memoriam, Jayne, we are their forever. We are our forever. We are the infinite."

"Unky Jayne." Jayne grunted as someone shook his shoulder. He rolled away from River, who was still held tightly to his chest and turned to find Susan standing beside the bed staring up at him with her big eyes. He rubbed one eye. "Wha'sa matter, Susie, there another monster I need ta kill?"

She shook her head. "I'm hungry an' it's dark in the kitchen. I gotted scared."

"Well, let's go get you somethin' ta munch on. I think yer Aunt's got some right fine strawberries in the icebox," he mumbled as he threw back the covers and stood, turning back to properly cover up his wife. He patted Sam's head and told him to stay before he gather Susan in his arms and stumbled into the kitchen still half asleep. He opened the refrigerator and squinted as he pulled out a small container of strawberries fresh from River's garden. He sat down with Susan perched on his lap and handed her one of the biggest strawberries in the batch. She kicked her legs back and forth as she bit into the strawberry delicately and giggled when Jayne popped a whole into his mouth.

"Unky Jayne," Susan said as she finished her strawberry and reached for another, "why do you gots toys on your fireplace?"

"Belonged to a friend a me an' yer Auntie's."

"Did they give them to you?"

"Nope."

"Did you steal them," she asked suspiciously.

"Aw hell- I mean, no."

"Then why do you have them?"

"He had to go to heaven."

"Why?"

"It was his time, I guess."

"How do you know he went there?"

"'Cause that's where all good men go."

"So, one day you'll go there?"

"Naw, I ain't a good man."

"Yes, you are."

"Oh, really," he mused as he popped another strawberry into his mouth, "an' what makes you say that?"

"Cause you take care of me an' Auntie River."

"That don't someone good."

"'Cause you love us."

"Oh, yeah?" He propped his chin up on one hand and watched her pick at her strawberry. "How do you know that?"

"I jus' do. Momma says it's my in-two-ishun."

"Yer too little ta have intuition," he said as he patted her back, "finish yer strawberry, Squirt."

"That's what Daddy said an' Momma tol' me he was wrong."

He nodded toward the strawberries. "You done?"

She nodded and he pointed to the refrigerator. "Go put 'em up."

She hopped down off his knee and stood up on tiptoe to grab the container, but couldn't quite reach it. Jayne pushed it closer to her as subtly as possible and she snatched it up and skipped over to the refrigerator. Susan grunted as she pulled open the refrigerator with effort and Jayne smiled fondly at her. She was so tiny for her age. She stood up on tiptoe again to put the strawberries on the top shelf where they had been before and skipped back over to him. "All done, back to bed!"

"Yup," he said, as he swung her up into his arms and she giggled and threw her arms around his neck. He squeezed her back and she smiled down at him. "Unky Jayne, you give the best hugs."

"So do you, Squirt." He flipped on the light to the extra room and dropped her onto the bed so that she bounced into the air a bit. She giggled and crawled up and under the covers. He tucked her in and began to pull away when she grabbed his arm. "What'cha need now?"

"You didn't kiss me goodnight," she said as she grabbed his face in her small hands and kissed him on the cheek quickly. Jayne rolled his eyes. "Oh, alright."

He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek and stood up. "No monsters?"

"Nope."

"Okay," he said before flipping off the light, "if you need me, just come get me."

"I love you, Unky Jayne," she called out quietly. He grunted back, "Love you, too, Squirt."

He slipped back into bed as careful as possible and made a move to pull River into his arms when she sat up and stared down at him in amusement. "Jayne loves a girl!"

He rolled his eyes at her, smiling and pulled her down beside him. "Shut up and go to bed."

She giggled in his arms and kissed the underside of his chin. "Goodnight, Jayne."

"Night, Honey," he yawned, and rubbed his hand up and down her back a few times as he shifted onto his back and pulled her halfway onto his chest. River mirrored his yawn and stretched and murmured in her half asleep state, "We are the infinite."

A little after sunrise, while River and Jayne were still in bed curled around each other in an unconscious state of bliss, there was a harsh knock at the door. Jayne stumbled out of bed and hastily pulled his shirt over his head, grabbing up his shotgun as he stepped through the doorway. "This better be good," he mumbled as he pushed open the front door. A less than intimidating man with a beer gut and four other less than intimidating men were standing at his door with highly intimidated expressions on their faces. "Can I help you?"

"Jayne Cobb," The man with the beer gut greeted nervously. Jayne glared at him. "Yeah, an' if it's alright with you I'd like ta get back ta bed, so say what ya came here ta say."

The man glanced around hesitantly and one of the other men nudged him. "Well, I'm Cyrus Oglesbee an' these here are some of the other menfolk from town an'-"

"Look, not that it ain't nice ta meet you'n all, but I'd really like to get back to bed-"

"We saw what you did ta Stockley," one of them men in the back called out and Jayne raised an eyebrow, his curiosity piqued. Another man spoke out. "He been runnin' all over town doin' as he pleases an' ain't nobody had the balls ta stand up to him 'cept you."

"Not even the sheriff!"

"So, what's this gotta do with me?"

"We was thinkin' maybe you'd make a better Sheriff," Cyrus replied hesitantly. Jayne snorted incredulously. "Me? I ain't 'xactly a good man an' it ain't like it ain't that hard ta beat up a sniveling puke like Stockley-"

"But he has men, lots of men!"

Jayne shrugged. "Then go shoot 'em."

One of the men sputtered, "We can't just go about shootin' people!"

"Why not? Man I know used ta say, someone tries ta kill you, you try'n kill 'em right back," Jayne said with a shrug, "an' I quite agree. Y'all gotta learn ta stand up fer yerselves."

"But he has men!"

"Look, one time, six men came ta kill me-"

"What'd you do?"

Jayne glared heatedly at the man that had interrupted him. "I killed them."

"By yerself?" Cyrus asked skeptically and Jayne nodded. Cyrus squinted further. "What is it you did 'fore you moved here?"

Jayne crossed his arms and drew up to his full height. "Don't see how that's any a yer business."

Cyrus stepped back. "You're right; it isn't, but please consider our offer."

"Think a yer wife!"

"I am." Jayne slammed the door in their faces and stomped back into the bedroom. He pulled back the covers and River looked up at him with sleepy eyes. "We should sleep in. We haven't had a lazy day."

"I agree," Jayne mumbled as he climbed in and she scooted over to make room for him. He pulled the covers back over them and buried his face in the pillows. "I think lazy days are the one thing I miss 'bout bein' in the black fer weeks on end."

"Mmmm," River murmured as she fell back into a deep sleep and Jayne soon followed.

A/N: Bear with me, this note is a long one. The dinosaurs are important. Why? Well, Zoe got rid of them to forget what had happened, showing she and those still on Serenity are indeed not dealing with their grief properly. River and Jayne buying signifies that they want to remember and they are slowly nearing the end of the grieving process. Putting Wash's dinosaurs and the hand carved cross over the fireplace is akin to their asking for forgiveness as well as honoring their fallen friends. Jayne quotes Mal near the end of the chapter. This is meant to show that neither Jayne nor River harbor any ill-will toward their former crew mates. They are simply hurt that they, along with Wash and Book were so easily forgotten. The kiss. Big step. Are they moving too fast. No! They've been on Harvest for nearly six months at present. As far as their emotions go outside of their grief, you really have to read between the lines. A major hint would be Jayne's calling River a liar. By this time, they have been together long enough that Jayne is able to read River in basically the same way she can read him minus the whole actually reading his mind bit. Do I have an outline for the progression of their relationship. Why yes, I do and it will be slow. Mind you not as slow as if they were still aboard Serenity with all their nosy crew mates, but it will be slow. I will say that they will be what a husband and wife are to one another relationship wise when the rest of Serenity's crew make their appearance.

Andy Stockley and the Sheriff business. Very, very important though it may seem unnecessary and trivial. Andy Stockley is the complete and utter antithesis of Jayne both past and present. How so? Let's start with the Jayne of the past. Jayne cared about money, there is absolutely no doubt, but it wasn't completely out of self-gain as he sent a portion of his cut home to his family. While Jayne was all about women- not once was any woman he was with unwilling. Jayne also only concerned himself with being in control of everything when he felt it was in the best interest of others. Now on to present Jayne. As of now, Jayne doesn't care about money and really only concerns himself with the well-being of his family which consists entirely of River and the Wilkersons. Also, River and Jayne had dealt with men like Stockley on a regular basis, but since having come to Harvest where they have created a more beneficial and enjoyable life. Stockley is a major threat. A threat that will be taken care of in a later chapter. The sheriff business emphasizes said last point. Jayne's refusal stems from several different points. One being that he feels that should he take the job, he will draw attention not only to himself, but River and make her more of a target for men like Stockley. Point two, Jayne feels there is most likely someone better suited for a position of power-someone like Mal. Also, having been a mercenary, Jayne has always had to defend himself and does not fully understand that not all people have been in such a position and therefore are unable to. The good people of Tree Gap have never really been in such a situation as this is a small town on the least populated hemisphere of the planet. The most trouble a town such as this would see, is the town drunk starting a bar fight. Lastly, Jayne does not believe he is deserving of the job because of what all he has done in the past. He still thinks of himself as being a bad man-which we all know is not true. He is still coping with issues over his inability to protect those he cares about though he has gotten over them for the most part seeing as he pretty much mopped the floor with Stockley's sorry ass. Oh, and Stockley will be around when the rest of the crew arrives.

Why don't I post this on LJ? Because, honestly, I don't know how to work the damn thing. But if I ever do, I'll post it up there.

Okay, in case anyone was wondering what the hell the title meant, it's a song. "Raising the dead in me" is a line in said song. It fits the series, though it is more of a strictly Mal song in my opinion. Somehow, though, it fit my series arch perfectly. At the end of the series, I'll tell you all about it. If you've figured it out on you're own, you deserve a cookie. I would bring you one, but I don't know where you live and I think it would be awkward if I just showed up randomly at your doorstep with a cookie.

If you read all that and you still have questions, ask. and please review.