Long Road Home – Chapter Two
Author owns none of these characters or the settings in which they are portrayed, makes no money for his efforts. Strictly a labor of love :)
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The little crew had to take Serenity to Astra on order to board their transport ship. Mal had at least been able to book them on a small liner going direct to Persephone. Travel time would be thirteen days, if all went well. A happy state of affairs that seldom occurred for the family of Serenity.
Simon had accompanied them, unwilling to let Kaylee depart without his being there to say goodbye. As they waited for word to board, he found time for a quick word with Jayne.
"Jayne, I know I don't have to say this," Simon began.
"Watch after like she was my own, Simon," Jayne assured the smaller man. "Can't imagine watchin' River get on a ship like this, without me. Put your mind easy. I'll make sure nothin' happens to her, 'less'en the Lord just wills it."
Simon nodded. He really had known he didn't have to say it. There had been a time when Simon had hated Jayne. When would have rather had his eyes plucked out than see the former merc with his sister. But those days were long passed. His trust for Jayne, these days, literally knew no limits.
Jayne clapped Simon softly on the back, and moved to where River stood waiting for him. Simon went to Kaylee. Her eyes were wet with tears.
"I'll miss you so much," she whispered, holding him tightly.
"Already miss you, bao bei," he whispered back. They had never been separated like this. It was more difficult than he could have imagined.
"We'll be back in a few weeks," Kaylee said in what she hoped was a comforting voice. "We'll have plenty of time to catch up."
"Yes, we will," he nodded. "We'll have the rest of our lives," he added. He looked to River, who was glaring at him. Simon sighed, and suddenly dropped to one knee. Kaylee gasped as Simon pulled a small box from his pocket.
"I meant this to be in a more romantic setting," he told her quietly, "but I don't think it can wait. Kaywinnet Lee Frye, will you marry me?" Kaylee shrieked in joy, throwing herself on Simon with a furor that threatened to topple the couple into the floor. She smothered him with kisses, crying tears of happiness now, rather than gloom.
"Yes, Simon Tam," she breathed huskily, looking him in the eye. "I will marry you!" They kissed again, slowly this time, oblivious to the sounds of cheering and clapping around them. As they begin to sink in, Simon's properness kicked into full swing, and he rose, pulling a jubilant Kaylee with him. River ran to hug Kaylee, followed closely by Inara. Mal and Jayne likewise converged on Simon.
"Good one, Doc," Jayne nodded, his hand engulfing Simon's.
"Glad to see you make her an honest woman, son," Mal smiled. He then glared up at Jayne. "Might well do to follow his example."
"Said the pot to the kettle," Jayne promptly shot back, grinning. Mal grinned as well, acknowledging the hit. He and Inara had still not made it to that point.
"Just make sure she comes back, Jayne," Simon said, grinning hugely. Jayne nodded, a silent promise. He then walked over and embraced Kaylee, whispering his congratulations in her ear.
"You should do something about you and River, Jayne," Kaylee whispered back.
"Thinking on it," he assured her. River blushed, knowing what they were thinking, but remained silent. Before much else could be said, the announcement to board came over the public address.
"Time to go," Mal ordred. The three travelers took their walk on bags in hand, and said their final goodbyes, Simon and Kaylee hugging and kissing all the way to the terminal. There they were reluctantly prised apart by Mal, pointing out that the ship could launch and them still 'locked together'. Kaylee glared at him, then gave Simon a final peck, before turning to follow Jayne and River.
Simon watched her go, then turned away. He couldn't bear to watch the ship depart.
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Once on board, the trio were surprised to find that the ship was actually very comfortable. Jayne and River occupied one room of a small suite, while Kaylee had the other. Jayne was thankful for that, having worried over Kaylee being in a separate room. He took his promise to Simon seriously.
"This is very nice," River said, bouncing up and down on the bed. "We should try it out," she added with a wicked grin.
"You'd tempt a saint, baby girl," he told her with a groan.
"You're not a saint, Sean," she told him, using his real name. It was something she rarely did, and only in private. He gave her a mock glare, but she knew he wasn't mad.
"No, I ain't," he agreed, "but I ain't changin' my mind, either." River growled in frustration, but knew he meant it. But she was determined that he would change his mind, and soon. She wasn't that patient.
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The three travelers made their way to the dining room a few minutes before dinner, and took a table near the doorway. Kaylee was still alternating between depression over her long separation from Simon, and joy over her recent engagement.
River tried to console and congratulate her at the same time.
"Just think of the reunion you have to look forward to," she smiled, taking Kaylee's hand and giving it a squeeze.
"I know," Kaylee nodded with a half smile. "But it's such a long trip."
"Be over 'fore ya know it," Jayne observed. "This is the longest part, right here. On the way back we'll be able to stay busy, working, and the trip will be over and done with in a flash." Kaylee smiled a bit brighter at Jayne for that.
"You're right," she nodded. "And I'm kinda lookin' forward to seein' the new girl, too. Wonder what the Cap'n'll name her?"
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"How about 'New Hope'?" Inara asked, as she and Mal worked to get the dining room ready for dinner. Mal had leased a large house just a mile from Guilford's, and the entire crew, sans the new hands who had places of their own, lived there.
"Nah," Mal shook his head. "Too mushy. Ship's gotta have a strong name."
"Could call it Shade," she snickered. Mal's face reddened at that.
"If I never hear that name again, it's too soon," he muttered. "I tell ya, 'Nara, if you had seen him, you'd know what I mean. If I hadn't known for sure it was Jayne, I'd a swore it was his evil twin or somethin'. It wasn't just that eerie-ass voice o' his neither. I swear his eyes were alive with violence." Mal shuddered at the memory.
"Well, he seems to be back to normal, now," Inara commented.
"He is. And I don't know which is worse, the fact that he can change like that," Mal snapped his fingers, "or that I always know that streak of violence is lurking underneath that civil veneer he wears nowadays."
"It's not veneer, Mal," Inara scolded. "Jayne had worked very hard over the last several months to re-make himself. And that effort was for you as well as River. He doesn't want you to keep thinking of him as brainless hired muscle."
"I don't," Mal assured her. "But now I have to think on him as a time bomb that's like to go off with very little warning. Especially if some ugliness was to befall lil Albatross. I think he'd be like as not to go berserk. And I don't think we could stop him," he added.
"Well, River can take pretty good care of herself," Inara reminded Mal, placing silverware around the plates Mal had just put around the table. "And with Jayne always hulking nearby, I think it's unlikely that anyone would try and do her harm, anyway."
"True," he nodded. "Jayne can be a might intimidatin' when he puts his mind to it."
"Is that why you wanted him to go along to get the new boat?" Inara asked.
"Partly," Mal admitted. "I needed Albatross to go, to fly it back, and I knew she wouldn't go without him. But I also wanted someone there I could trust to make sure her and Kaylee was safe."
"You realize you just talked about trusting Jayne Cobb with River and Kaylee, don't you?" Inara grinned, her delicate eyebrows arching.
"I know," he groaned. "Was a time I wouldn't trust him outta my sight. But I have to admit, Jayne's come a long way. Would give a penny or two to know what was in that letter Book left him."
"Maybe he'll tell us, one day," Inara said. She, too, often wondered what was in that letter. It had sparked the beginning in the changes that Jayne had undergone in the last year and a half.
"Doubt it," Mal said at once. "If he ever tells anyone, it'll be River. I swear, he near on worships the ground she walks on."
"Yes, he does," Inara agreed thoughtfully. "And she's the same about him. I don't think either would do well if they lost the other."
"Don't even think like that," Mal suppressed another shudder. "I already seen what Jayne can be like when 'tross is just hurt. And Inara, Ami wasn't kiddin'. Jayne is a killer. And he's good at it."
"Well, River always says that she and Jayne are well matched," she teased. "And she is a trained assassin."
"And I just loosed them on the 'verse," Mal sighed. "Let's talk more about the new boat."
"How about. . .Mal's Pride?"
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