A/N: I have writer's block so these next few chapters might take a little while. But I'm trying to work through it so fear not. And as always you guys rock for all your fantastical reviews.

Chapter 27: Book and Brawls

---

"Did Simon fix you up?" Kaylee asked sitting down at the table next to Oz.

"Uh yeah." Oz said after a moment.

"Thoughts on your mind." She asked.

"Just a few." Oz said.

Kaylee snagged an apple that was resting in a bowl on the table, "Anything you feel like sharing?"

"Book seems…" Oz tried again, "He's… I don't know. It's like he knows things and he lets you know that he knows them and he even kind of tells you how he knows them. But……"

Kaylee took a bite of her apple, "Consider yourself lucky then. Book rarely ever tells anyone how he knows things. He gets Mal all angry when he won't say how he knows something a preacher ain't suppose to know."

"Guess so." Oz said. "Crap." Oz moaned as he banged his leg against the table.

"What?"

Oz grimaced, "Table attacked my leg."

"Oh my gosh your leg. You shouldn't be up and about with your leg. You should be in your room resting." Kaylee said.

Oz raised an eyebrow, "Not up, not about," Oz gestured to his chair, "sitting."

"Still……" Kaylee trailed off with a worried look.

Oz rolled his eyes, "Alright mother hen." Kaylee jumped up to help Oz out of his chair her apple forgotten on the table. Oz had to work hard not to show his amusement. He lightly leaned on the young mechanic, though he really didn't need to.

They were rounding a corner when Oz ran into Jayne. "Sorry man."

"Watch where you're going beast." Jayne growled and shoved Oz out of his way. Oz let go of Kaylee so that when he stumbled back a few feet he didn't take her with him. "I said get out of my way." Jayne went to shove the werewolf again but Oz quickly sidestepped the larger man. This time Jayne was the one that stumbled. "Why you—" He took a swing at Oz.

Oz quickly ducked, "Hey I don't have a problem with you."

"Yea well I got a problem with you." Jayne yelled trying to punch Oz again and failing. Although as Oz was weaving his leg gave out on him and he fell. Jayne was quickly on him and began throwing punches. Oz was doing his best to block them but they were at a very close range and a few were getting through.

"What happened to you?" Oz managed to say.

"Jayne leave him alone!" Kaylee shouted.

"Stay out of this Kaylee." Jayne and Oz both said at the same time. Kaylee's eyes narrowed and she gave a loud yell before jumping on Jayne's back.

"Gorramit girl get off." Jayne shouted. Then ignoring her and her attempts to pull him off the werewolf, Jayne leaned closer to him, "You want to know what happened to me? I'll tell you, you say—"

Jayne's mouth closed at the sound of a gun being cocked behind his head. "You mind getting off of our passenger Jayne?" Jayne turned his head to see Zoe standing behind him with one of her guns. The mercenary raised his hands in the air and stepped away from Oz after Kaylee got off his back. "Now I get there's something going on between you two but if you can't fix it or even be civil then stay the hell away from each other. We don't need you two tearing apart the ship." Zoe said.

"Whatever." Jayne sent one last glare in Oz's direction before stomping off.

"You two okay?" Zoe asked putting her gun away. Kaylee nodded as she helped Oz up off the floor. "Good." Zoe nodded before continuing down the hall.

"Are you okay?" Kaylee asked Oz.

"Yea." Oz said.

"Gorramit girl what the hell is your problem?" Came Jayne's voice from down the hallway.

"What—" Kaylee looked in the direction of Jayne's yell.

Oz gave the slightest smirk, "River heard the fight."