Title: Chapter 10

Series: Angel

Author: crazywriterchic

Rating: PG

Spoilers: series, BDM

Disclaimer: All hail Joss, for He makes Worlds we all wish to play in.'

Notes: There are two footnotes. Not really important, nor do they add anything to the story, but they're there.

As always, much love to my beta, taramonk! Even with dental problems and being doped up, she manages to catch a grammer issue. And that's not even what I hired her for!

CHAPTER 11

"He still won't let you apologize?" Kaylee asked.

"Won't let me get near enough to talk to him, much less apologize," River sulked.

Kaylee, River, Angel, and Inara were out at the shops near Eavesdown Docks. They had landed that morning only slightly behind schedule because of two days worth of uncorrected drift in space. The girls were now entrusted with picking up a few necessities while the Captain, Zoë, and Jayne went to meet with Badger. Simon negotiated with his dealer for more medical supplies over the Cortex, so he was staying at the ship to await their delivery. He and Mal thought it would be better if River and Angel were with two other women while on Persephone because, though the warrants were technically gone, if someone were to see River and Simon together, they may remember the long line of zeros in the reward for finding and turning them in.

River's gloom was affecting the whole shopping trip, however. Jayne had been ignoring her since the day before when she yelled at him. She understood why he was angry. She shouldn't have said those things to him. But he wouldn't let her say how sorry she was. River tried to corner him after dinner last night to apologize, but he ignored her and walked out of the room. He wouldn't even look at her.

Okay, yes, true: that wasn't a lot different than their interactions had been before Angel arrived on the ship, but that was then. For the past few months, River and Jayne were always near by each other. And when they talked, it wasn't always about Angel, either. Some of it was about completely unrelated topics, like weapons. Jayne had given her a sideways look when she confided that she liked blades better than guns, but he now trusted her enough that he voluntarily gave her a knife when they went out on jobs.

River found that she liked being around Jayne. His mind worked at a neater pace than the rest of the crew's. She found it easier to ignore his thoughts, and focus on her own. The Captain thought about many connecting issues, and Inara thought about several issues from different angles—circles and refractory angles were a lot to deal with over extended periods. Zoë was quieter, but her thoughts were still too sad to stay near for long. Kaylee and Simon's brains worked similarly, focusing completely on the bodies they worked on to mend day after day. It was very intense. Jayne's thoughts were methodical, linier, structured. No rushing ahead, though that could get him in trouble from time to time, and no over-thinking a situation. He decided on a course of action and acted on it. It was quiet. She could follow his thoughts or leave them alone as she chose. Now that he wouldn't let her near, her mind chased itself around, and she didn't know what to do.

The other women tried to boost River's spirits by pointing out pretty clothes, or hair clips, or things for Angel. One dress was bright blue, and it reminded her of Jayne's eyes. Not that she stared at his eyes, she quickly assured herself. It was a sign of respect to meet a persons eyes when you talked with them, so she couldn't help noticing their color. There was a red blouse, but that made River want to find Jayne to apologize for a different reason on top of the current one. Inara pointed out silver hair sticks, but those reminded River of gun barrels which reminded her of Jayne. Just looking at things for Angel reminded her that Jayne had watched Angel twice, and she had yelled at him when he was trying to help, and she felt awful all over again.

"I think I'm ill," she said. "Perhaps I'm developing an OCD."

"River, you're fine," Inara assured her. "You're just feeling guilty. How about this, we'll help you find a gift for Jayne to help you say you're sorry. Maybe that will soften him up enough to listen to you."

"Yes! A gift!" River chirped. "Something to facilitate my return to Jayne's good graces."

She thought about Jayne's favorite things. Sex and guns were the first two that came to mind. Actually having sex with Jayne was stretching their relationship a lot, so no˚. Buying him a girly magazine was definitely out. Jayne took his weapons very seriously, so she didn't think she should buy him a gun, either.

"No, no, no," she mumbled. "None of the above. Perhaps he would respond better if she got him something which he could consume."

Kaylee giggled listening to her friend prattle as they walked the store-lined streets. Inara smiled as well, and leaned in to ask Kaylee, "Does it seem more like she's trying to find a gift for a new lover than an apology gift for Jayne?"

"You noticed that, too?"

Inara released a soft, throaty laugh, and nodded.

"I told Simon and Mal they'd make the sweetest couple," Kaylee said. "They didn't believe me. But I know what I see."

"You think Jayne and River are…?"

"Whatever they're doin', I don't think they know they're doin' it. They think they're just playin' at bein' Mommy and Daddy to Angel, but I don't think they can share a child and not start to get feelin's for one another, too."

"Mm, I think you're right."

River was a few steps ahead of them when she stopped and looked in one of the shops. The sign above read Red Feather & Sons: Tobacconists. Without waiting for Inara or Kaylee, River carried Angel inside. It was dim and smelled sweet and thick like dried herbs. She walked up to the counter. She set Angel on top, pointed at the little bell that sat a few inches away, and let the baby ring it a few times.

A tall man with a wide, sharp nose and deep-set obsidian eyes walked out from the back room. His black hair was pulled back in a single tight braid that fell past his broad shoulders. All of him was broad, in fact, including his waistline.

"C'I help you, miss?"

"Cigars," River told him. "Good ones."

He reached behind the glass portion of the counter and pulled out two boxes. "We got Cubans, or you can try the New Canaan Specials."

She remembered that Jayne had picked up a box of Cubans and given a few to Shepherd Book the very last time he had seen his friend alive. She didn't know if that would bring up sad memories for Jayne, especially since it had been her fault that the Shepherd and the colony on Haven was mowed down by the Operative.

"Do the New Canaan's come individually packaged?"

The man chuckled at her. "Not usually. But might have a box in the back that fell off the delivery craft and has a few missing. How much are you willin' to pay for 'em?"

River kept her face bland and innocent. "How much does a whole box cost?"

"Ten platinum. Means that a single would cost…point eight three."

"Wrong. A box costs seven platinum from the manufacturer. You sell them to your regular customers for eight and a half. Individually they would go for approximately point five eight platinum. I'll give you one-twenty for two."

The smirk melted off the man's face as soon as River implied he lied to her. By the time the genius got done calculating how much she was willing to pay for two New Canaan Specials, he was scowling.

"You know, I don't have to sell these to you."

"But you will."

"And why is that?"

She gave him her most charming smile that she watched her mother give to shareholders and people who attended benefits for charities that she chaired. "Because I'm sweet and lovely and smart enough not to have fallen for your scam."

He tried to hold the dark look on his face, but the sun of River's smile broke it up in seconds. "All right. I'll take the one-twenty. Let me go wrap the two Stokes—"

"New Canaan's," she corrected.

"New Canaan's up for you. Be right back."

When the man disappeared into the storeroom, River turned around and grinned at the women behind her.

"Well negotiated, River," Inara complimented her.

"Yeah, you sure showed him," Kaylee gushed. "Guess that genius brain comes in handy every once in a while, huh?"

River laughed along with them. When the proprietor came back out with two individually wrapped cigars, River peeked into his thoughts a little to make sure he hadn't tried to cheat her again. When she met the buzz of his annoyance, she grinned.

No power in the 'Verse, she thought. Not even tobacconist store clerks.

The man wrung the cigars up and wished the ladies a nice day, although it was pretty clear he was bothered by being calculated at by a bitty little girl with a baby. River couldn't wait to get home, but they did still have to go and buy food, so she had to wait. Now that her mood had improved at the prospect of Jayne liking her present and forgiving her for yelling, the rest of the shopping trip passed quickly.

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Jayne climbed down into his bunk in a worse mood than he'd been in in months. First he'd had to rush through dinner the night before to avoid the resident crazy girl which meant that he didn't get seconds and woke up hungry. There was a flashback to his childhood he certainly didn't need. Then Mal griped about their late landing this morning. And finally the little ass-wipe, Badger, went all big important businessman and threatened to not give the crew the job he'd Waved them offering in the first place.

A little posturing by Mal convinced the weasel to let them transport for him, but there was a minute where Jayne considered telling Mal he was staying on Persephone to look for a new berth. Even after everything this crew went through together, if Jayne wasn't getting paid, Jayne was leaving. Loyalty was great, but a man has to eat.

Jayne walked over to his bed. He pulled his chest holster over his head, took Lucy out and removed the magazine. When he put one knee on his mattress and reached for the edge of the blanket that covered his arsenal something rolled across the bed and butted up against his knee. Since Jayne hadn't left anything on his bed that morning, he was a little surprised. And worried. After all, it would just figure that someone planted a bomb to blow up Serenity in his bunk. It would be an almost expected death given the day he was having.

He looked down. Next to his knee were two cigars that had rolled down from on top of his pillow when Jayne's weight dimpled the mattress. A folded piece of white paper lay on his pillowcase.

Jayne got up, picked up the cigars, and sat down on the bed. He put his holster on top of the blanket next to him, and grabbed the note. The front had "To Jayne" written on it. Jayne opened it up and read the neat cursive inside.

For your silence when it was requested and your voice when it was required.

Sincerest apologies,

Riv

the Crazy Girl

P.S. I'm very, very, very, very sorry.

Jayne was smiling, but he didn't want to be. He kind of liked that his opinion of River had reverted to the way it was supposed to be. Hell, he knew this new friendliness was weird and uncalled for. Now he was back to liking her again. Or not liking, but enthusiastically tolerating her. Yeah, that sounded better. Jayne Cobb did not like River Tam regardless that he decided putting his weapons away could wait while he went to find the pilot.

He climbed out of his bunk and went up to the bridge. It was empty, so he went back down, glanced into the empty galley, and took the stairs back down to the cargo bay. The airlock doors were open, and Badger's men were loading in deep boxes, long wooden frames with painted canvas stretched over one side, and rolling Z-bars with all sorts of colorful costumes that were in clear, protective bags and hung from a bar. All this noise would usually bring the easily distracted girl down to investigate, but River was nowhere to be seen.

Jayne went through the bay to the passenger lounge and on to the girl's room thinking she might be in there taking a nap, or reading, or changing Angel's diaper, or something. No River there, either. Jayne, scowling the whole way, left, and went to the stairs with the intent of returning to his bunk. As he passed the infirmary, the Doc opened a cabinet near one of the front windows catching Jayne's attention. If anybody knew where the crazy girl was, it was the Doc.

Jayne braced his arms on either side of the doorway and leaned his head in. "Hey, Doc."

Simon looked over at him. "Did you need something?"

"Yeah. I was lookin'—"

"If you're looking for the medical tape again, it's over in that drawer under the sink. If you still can't find it, let me get it for you, but, for the love of Buddha, don't tear apart my med bay again."

Jayne glared at him. "I'm lookin' for your sister, dip shit. Seen her?"

It was Simon's turn to frown. "The last time I saw her, she was helping Kaylee put groceries away in the mess. Why do you—"

"Thanks, Doc."

Jayne left before Simon could finish his question. He knew he checked the mess, but maybe now that they were done in there, the girl went to help Kaylee in the engine room, and he hadn't looked that far when he glanced in. He took the stairs two at a time until he reached the hall between the mess and the engine room. Jayne looked into the mechanic's rusty second home only to find it deserted.

"Sonofabitch."

It was bad enough that girl riled him and got off without at least a verbal thrashing; now she had him running all over the damn boat looking for her. If she wasn't on the bridge, or in the mess, the engine room, the cargo bay, her own room, either of the lounges, or the infirmary, that left…the shuttles. There was no reason for her to be in the spare, so she was most likely in with Inara. That was probably where Kaylee was, too, come to think of it.

Jayne tromped back down to the catwalk and over to the Companion's shuttle. His steps slowed the closer he got. He was only around that shuttle when he was on his way past, and that one time the ship broke down he actually got to go inside. He'd never stopped and knocked on Inara's door, though—not even when he'd had that little crush on her.

Cursing at himself for acting like a scaredy little boy, Jayne went up to the door and knocked. He hooked his thumbs in his belt and waited.

Inside, Inara paused in the detangling process she was engulfed in. Angel had wanted to practice her brushing skills on her mother with painful results. So Kaylee kept Angel distracted with Inara's pretty cushions while the Companion extracted the guilty comb from River's hair.

"Who do ya think it is?" Kaylee wondered.

"It has to be Zoë, or perhaps Simon," Inara said. "Mal never bothers to knock."

She rose to her feet and went to answer the door. She smoothed her skirts as she went. Inara slid the door open, and the pleasant smile on her face wilted just slightly in surprise when she saw the person on the other side.

"Jayne?"

"Um…is River in there?" He cleared his throat. The girl's name sounded so strange coming out of his mouth. "I was lookin' for her. I checked everywhere else."

Inara smoothed away the girly smirk as she had the creases in her skirt a moment before. Jayne's current nervousness was an encouraging mirror of River's earlier anxious enthusiasm while she searched for the perfect apology gift for the mercenary.

"Yes, River's in here. Would you like to come in?" She saw Jayne's uncertainty and hastened to add, "Or would you be more comfortable if I sent her out here to meet you?"

"Send her out," he opted. "Er, please."

"Just a moment." Inara walked back into her shuttle and smiled down at River sitting on the divan. "Sweetie, Jayne's outside. He wants to see you. He even said please."

River grinned. She stood up and started to the door, glad that her plan worked. She stopped half way there and looked down. "I have a comb stuck in my hair."

"I'm sure he won't notice," Kaylee said. River frowned, so her friend added, "Unless you want him to."

River sighed and shook her head. It was just Jayne. It didn't matter. He'd seen her a lot worse. He'd seen her crazy, homicidal, terrified, and covered in blood. He'd even seen her naked!

She winced. Somehow, that last was not a comforting thought.

She straightened her shoulders and stepped out onto the catwalk where Jayne waited. He didn't look angry with her anymore. She didn't sense any residual anger or annoyance at her, except for a little from having to look all over the ship for her. But that was quickly fading. River smiled.

Jayne looked her over. She definitely looked better than she did when she was half crazy and screaming. Her eyes were clear, and she stood straight instead of hunched over. She did have a comb dangling from her hair, though. "Nice earring."

River blushed. "Angel wanted to brush my hair. She did not pull the comb all the way through before starting the next stroke, however."

"Uh-huh."

There was a beat where neither knew what to say next, and neither could quite look the other in the eye. River twisted her hands behind her back. Jayne stared off into the cargo bay.

"I, uh…" Jayne started, "I got the cigars. Thanks."

"New Canaan Specials," River told him. "They were the best Red Feather & Sons had. I'm sorry I couldn't get a box. Didn't have enough."

Jayne's brows rose. Those were some damn good cigars. "Why'd'ja buy 'em for, anyway?"

River dropped her chin and looked up at him through hair and lashes. "Because you wouldn't listen when she said she was sorry. I am sorry. Didn't mean any of those things I said to you. Didn't mean to yell about Angel saying Vera first, or saying that you shouldn't have picked her up when I was asleep. Didn't mean any of it. But you wouldn't stand still long enough for me to say it, so I bought you a gift to express my regret." She licked her lips. "I don't want you mad at me."

Jayne didn't know what to do in this situation. People didn't usually apologize to him. They generally didn't care if they hurt his feelings. Most people didn't think he had any to begin with. And, in his line of work, nobody cared whether or not a person had hurt feelings or was mad at them unless they were worried about getting knife in the back one night. So he didn't know what to do here.

"I like the cigars," he said. "Angel did start sayin' 'Mum,' d'ja hear?"

"I did," she said. She preened everytime Angel prattled 'Mum-um-um' at her. "Two words in four days. Soon there will be full sentences."

"Yup." He crossed his arms, and cleared his throat. "An' I, uh, sorta get why you was mad 'bout the whole takin' Angel outta her bed thing. Guess I'm kinda sorry, too. An' it ain't like what you called me the other day were all untrue."

"Not true," she insisted. "Not usesless. Not worthless. Pay no attention to the crazy girl behind the curtain."

"I notice you ain't takin' back the 'pussy of a mama's boy' crack," he teased.

Seeing that he wasn't really mad, River smiled. "But you are a mama's boy. It is one of your very few redeeming qualities, however, so I should not have phrased it in a derogatory manner. As for the pussy comment, Jayne is a g—"

"Don't even start!" he warned.

River giggled. "Yes, I remember. 'She starts in on that "girl's name" stuff, I'll show her good an' all—"

"Now, see? This is what I meant by you startin'! Just stop it."

"Hey!" Mal called up from the cargo bay. "You two make up?"

River looked at Jayne. "Yes, Captain. You will have no more problems with us."

"Somehow, I doubt that," the Captain snarked. "Now I need my pilot at the helm so that when my first mate closes the doors we can get underway, finally. And I need my hired muscle down here helpin' us secure all this fragile cargo so it don't go rollin' about my cargo bay.

"Oh, and River?" Mal asked. "You do know you got a comb stuck in your hair, right?"

River stuck her tongue out at him. Jayne laughed, and the sound followed River through the halls, echoing through the lighter, brighter air that seemed to fill the ship now that the smog between him and her had cleared. River did make one stop on her way to the bridge. In the mess, she found a pair of scissors and cut the comb out.

Still inside the shuttle, Inara and Kaylee discussed River and Jayne's interaction. They had never heard River talk with someone in that teasing, dare one say flirtatious tone of voice. The two women shared a look. Kaylee bounced Angel in her lap and hummed, "Angel's got a daddy; Angel's got a daddy," over and over again.

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AUTHOR'S NOTES:

˚ I can hear the groans now, but please! I already warned you that this was going to take time. That means no jumping into bed together right away. There will be sex, though! At the end. Not sure how well I'll write it, but I'll try. Just hold your horses and don't try to lynch me.

Author's wink to Adam Baldwin claiming that he played Jayne as having a crush on Inara. If so, Adam/Jayne played that crush so cool, no one knew he had it.