Long Road Home – Chapter Nineteen
You know it by heart, but. . . .I own none of the rights to Firefly etc., and make no money from this labor of love.
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As they rode into town, following the sheriff at a discreet distance, Jayne was silent, lost deep in his own thoughts. River glanced at him carefully from the corner of her eyes.
'What troubles you, my love', she projected to him, and he glanced at her.
'Just thinking', came the reply. Mal was, as yet, unaware of the bond the two had discovered, and they had no plans to reveal it anytime soon. But it was a good way for them to communicate privately, no matter where they found themselves.
'Thinking will get you in trouble', he heard her singsong voice in his mind, and grinned in spite of himself.
"What's funny, Jayne?" Mal asked, noticing the look.
"Nothing, really," Jayne answered. "Just enjoying the ride, Captain." Mal looked at the gun hand questioningly, but let it pass.
'Nice cover', River complimented.
'He's just too easy, is all, Jayne smirked back to her mentally. This time River giggled.
"Okay, what's the big joke?" Mal demanded. "You two playing footsie back there or something?"
"No Ba ba," River replied sweetly. "Just laughing at Jayne 'enjoying the ride'."
"Whatever," Mal rolled his eyes in surrender.
'Nice cover', Jayne threw at her, and she smiled.
'What are you thinking'? she asked again. He pondered that for a moment.
'Am I as bad as Mal seems to think'? he thought to her, hesitantly. 'I mean, really? And does it bother you?'
'Captain Daddy fears you, Sean', River thought back. 'He can't help that, anymore than he can help his fear of me. And I do not see you the way he does. Rather he cannot see you as I do'.
'But does it bother you'? his thoughts pushed back, insistent. River realized then that Jayne was really worried about this.
'Love you, Zhang fu, more than anything in the 'verse. How can I be bothered by you, when you are the man who has my heart'? She felt him relax slightly at that, but the worry was still there.
'I don't want you looking at me, thinking of me, like he does, that's all', his thoughts returned to her. 'I don't think I could bear it, Angel'.
'You needn't worry, my love', she assured him. 'I will never see you that way, nor fear you. You are my love, and always will be. Remember what I told you. There will never be another. We are meant to be, you and I. We would have found each other no matter what'. He relaxed further at that, but River couldn't help be concerned at his uncertainty. It wasn't something she was used to from Jayne.
'Sorry', she 'heard' him say. 'I just, all of a sudden, was afraid that you might. . .I mean that you would. . .'
'Fear you'? she asked, smiling for him to see. 'I will never fear you, Sean. I have no need. You are my mate. My possessive, jealous, growly Alpha Male, and I love you with all my heart. More, I know that you love me the same way. I have no need to fear you, and never will. Others may, but never me. With you I will always be safe'.
He sighed at that, and she felt the uncertainty slip away. She reached out for his hand, squeezing softly. He squeezed back gently, looking into her eyes.
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Grippen, it turned out, was going to his office. Probably to send a wave to Astra about Jayne. He was exiting his mule as Mal and company eased in beside him.
"Afternoon, Sheriff," Mal nodded politely. Grippen looked like a deer in the flood lights for a moment. He glanced at Jayne, who returned the look with frosty indifference.
"Reynolds," Grippen nodded back. "Don't often see you get to town."
"Don't often make it this far," Mal agreed. "But needed to talk to you, so here we are."
"Talk to me?" Grippen repeated. "What about?"
"Well, something happened a few days back on Astra, and being as it may have a bearing on you, thought we'd share it with you."
"That so?" Grippen asked, his eyebrows raised. He glanced again at Jayne.
"Yep. Seems ole Jenkins got hisself dead on Astra. Fact being, he was killed at
the docks, not far from his ship, I hear tell. Thing is, our mutual friend Mister Withe saw fit to tell us, just a little while ago, that you figured on fingering Jayne here for it."
Grippen gaped.
"Think he figured we'd ride on in here and take offense to that, likely cause you some problems of the more permanent variety. Thing is, that just ain't how I do business. And," Mal added, "it so happens that it ain't true anyway. Fact is, I'm fairly sure that Withe did it. We saw Jenkins on Astra, and he claimed he was leaving, gettin' shut of Withe for good. Only next thing you know, he's dead, and a ship what looks an awful lot like Withe's is breaking atmo."
"Is that a fact?" Grippen's eyes narrowed. "Sounds mighty convenient for your man, there," he nodded toward Jayne.
"Well, if'n he was the guilty party, I'd agree. Thing is, we were all on board ship at the time, waiting for our innocs against that flu bug they had goin' round. We didn't even know Jenkins was still on planet, till the port authorities started asking around."
"Still sounds mighty convenient," Grippen replied. "Your man is more likely to have done for Jenkins than anyone else, considering. . ." Grippen trailed of, realizing he'd slipped up.
"Considering?" Mal asked innocently. "Considering what?"
"Just thinking aloud," Grippen tried to cover his mistake. "Known fact that your man ain't much on talkin'. And Jenkins had a thing 'bout women," he looked pointedly at River.
"Are you saying that Jenkins made threats on my crew, and you knew and didn't tell me?" Mal asked, allowing anger to show.
"I ain't aware of any threats," Grippen blustered. "Just statin' the facts as I know'em to be."
"Well, you consider this, then," Mal said sternly. "Withe just ratted you out to us, knowing as well as you do how unlike Jayne is to 'talk'. Yet here we sit, telling you the unvarnished truth, rather than actin' as Withe no doubt thought we would." Mal looked at Grippen for a moment, then continued.
"Like I said before, Sheriff, we ain't lookin' for trouble. Me and mine work hard, and tend to our own affairs. And that don't include doin' dirty work for the likes of Withe and his ilk. But just cause we won't, don't mean someone else won't, Dong ma? So best you take care dealing with him. Ain't tellin' ya how to go about your business, just passing along a warning is all."
"Just cause you're the neighborly kind," Grippen said sarcastically.
"Cause I want to be, yes," Mal nodded. "I ain't looking for trouble with you, nor is Jayne. We just want to go our way, and do our jobs. Trying to make us a place in the world, no different from other folks. I don't like someone trying to play me like Withe is, and I conjure you ain't the kind to appreciate it neither."
"Anyway, I wanted to tell you that, and warn you to be on your guard. But you got nothing to fear from me. Mister Harwell says he's known you a long time, and that's good enough for me. You take care, Sheriff." Mal looked to Zoe, and nodded. She started the vehicle and eased back onto the road, heading for home.
Grippen stared after them for a long while, then went inside his office.
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"Well, 'tross?" Mal looked at River once they were out of Grippen's sight.
"He is worried," she smiled. "Confused. Will not call Astra. At least not now. Wants. . .wants to see what happens," she said, uncertainly. "He thinks he may have gotten caught with his finger in the cookie jar, but wants to make sure one way or the other before acting."
"Well, that's all we were hoping for," Mal nodded. "Buys us some time, anyway."
"Some," River nodded.
"What now?" Jayne asked.
"Now we see about dealing with Withe and Ball," said Mal, his voice firm. "I'm tired of this hangin' over us, and I want it to stop."
"Need to try and find someone on Astra can tell us if the authorities issue a warrant on Jayne," Zoe observed. "And find an attorney there to represent him, and us, if the need arises."
"Conjure Harwell can help with that," Mal said quietly. "Need someone there anyway. Might start picking up a few runs coming back. Make a little extra coin here and there."
"Yes sir," Zoe nodded.
Jayne, meanwhile, was worrying again. What if Grippen did call Astra? He didn't like the idea of submitting to an arrest. But there was no way he'd let River be taken into custody, even if that meant having Simon sedate her until he confessed to having killed Jenkins himself.
In jail, she'd be beyond his protection. The Blue Hands could swoop in and take her before anyone knew it, and she'd be gone. He'd never let that happen.
'What are you thinking, Zhang fu', he heard River's voice in his head.
'That I love you', he replied honestly. She smiled and squeezed his hand. Jayne smiled back as if nothing was wrong.
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It was a long ride back to the ship. Once they arrived, Jayne pulled Mal to the side.
"What is it, Jayne?" Mal asked in some annoyance. "Got things to see to."
"I need you to promise me something," Jayne said quietly.
"Don't like making promises not knowing what they are," Mal said testily.
"Look, Mal," Jayne frowned. "I don't ask you for much. Think you can spare me a minute or two here?" Mal's attitude mollified at that. It was true Jayne rarely asked for anything these days. He nodded.
"I don't know how this is gonna play out," Jayne told him. "Could be I wind up gettin' pinched for Jenkins' death."
"You didn't. . ."
"If it comes down to me takin' the fall, or River going to jail, then yes, I did. And I'll confess to it. I won't let her be taken, Mal. Once she's locked away, even for a short time, she'll be vulnerable. Damn Blue Hands will have her and be gone before we can think it."
"What I need from you is a promise that you'll do whatever it takes to keep her from running in and telling the truth, if things come to that. Dong ma? And that you'll. . .keep an eye on her, after I'm. . .after. Will you do that for me?"
Mal was stunned. Of all the things he'd expected, this wasn't on the list. Thinking about it, he wondered why it hadn't been.
"Let's worry about that when the time comes," Mal tried to temporize, but Jayne wouldn't be put off.
"No," he shook his head. "And if I get killed, you swear I killed Jenkins', you hear? Promise me, Mal. Please?" When Mal didn't answer Jayne frowned.
"Don't make me lay this at Inara's feet, Mal. It ain't right. But I will do it, if I have to. I know that you'll do it if you promise me you will. Always been a man o' your word, ever since I knowed you." Mal had frowned himself at mention of Inara, but as he listened, he realized how important this was to the big man.
"I swear, Jayne," Mal looked him in the eye. "No matter what, River won't go to jail. I'll do things the way you want, if there's no other way." Jayne seemed to relax all at once.
"Thanks, Mal," he said quietly. Mal looked at Jayne closely.
"Conjure that's a powerful love, Jayne," he risked saying.
"So much it scares me," Jayne admitted, his face serious. "I can't imagine life without her."
"Come a long way since you met," Mal smiled, and Jayne grinned.
"Yeah," he nodded. "Mostly her doin'. I can't remember how life was before, nowadays. And I'd be like to curl up and die was something to happen to her."
More like someone else would die, Mal thought. He had a recurring nightmare where something happened to River, and his gun hand went on a killing spree. It was enough to give him gray hair. Not that he needed that worry to give him gray hair, as there was plenty to worry about.
"I'll take care of her, Jayne, worse happens. I give you my word," Mal offered his hand, and Jayne took it, grateful.
"Thanks, Captain," Jayne replied, formality back into place. "Rest easier knowing that." With that, the two walked on into the ship, no one the wiser to the agreement between them.