January 17, 2014
Goodbye—The Corrs (4:03)
Firefly
River and Jayne
She brushed her hands across the soft, worn leather of the brown coat she wore. It still held the memories of the man it had belonged too before her. The man who was Ba ba (father), Captain, Ge ge (Big brother) and the man that had first set her on her own two feet. She missed him every day. Missed him perhaps more than her blood Ge ge. Missed him like an unending ache in her heart.
To be truthful she missed them all. Wash's dinosaurs kept her company on her bridge. Zoe's lock of hair rested near her heart. Book's marked up Bible sat beside her bed. Simon's scalpel resided inside her boot. Inara's tea tin in her galley. And Kaylee's pink dress and parasol lived inside her closet. Vera was slung across her back whenever she left her boat. She carried them with her always. And she missed them every single gorram day.
A hand reached out to finger the sleeve. "I wouldn't mate," a deep voice rumbled beside her. "She's real tetchy 'bout that coat."
"I know," the words held a touch of amusement to them and she turned to face the man that hadn't let go of her sleeve.
"Hello man named Jayne," River smiled at him. "Simon sends his regards and a gift." She pulled a bottle of pills from her pocket and tossed them to him. "Also have strawberries from Kaylee for later."
"Moonbrain," he nodded and leaned back in his seat his one good eye running over her from head to toe. The man beside her tensed and gripped the butt of the gun at his waist. "Good crew," Jayne observed.
River's smile became a delighted grin. "Very. Overprotective, like my ge ge's." She patted the man's arm. "He is allowed to touch, Siler. Is ge ge." The man relaxed a little and his eyes tracked through the crowded bar. "Man named Jayne has job?"
Jayne kicked the chair across from him out. "Yeah. Sit a spell. We can discuss bizness after you give me news. How're the others?"
River seated herself daintily and sipped at the glass he passed over. "Good. Cub soon. A week. Sad though. Missing pieces. Kaylee still cries. Ge ge throws things and yells. Serenity labors through the black with a missing heart. Should come home, man named Jayne. Serenity needs the last of her children together. No Captain Daddy, Zoe, Wash, Inara or Book but Moonbrain, Ge ge, Sunshine and man named Jayne will heal her."
Jayne tilted his head. "Been thinkin' some on that. I'm not a man meant to stay dirtside. Miss the Black. But I'm not much good with one eye and a torn up knee, Moonbrain."
River frowned. "Still the best shot this side of the Pecos."
Jayne grinned. "Yeah."
"Come home." Her brown eyes flared with temper. "Or ge ge will sedate you and we will kidnap you."
Jayne's laugh boomed through the room. "He would too." He nodded and levered himself up while grabbing a duffle from the ground. River grinned. Man named Jayne wasn't as stupid as he made others think. "Let's go, Moonbrain. We can talk about the job over a cup of Inara's tea."
River grabbed onto his hand and tugged him to the door. "And Kaylee's strawberries." She stopped suddenly and regarded him evenly. "Just remember the girl is captain and she can kill you with her brain."
Jayne laughed again. "Been threatening that for years, Moonbrain and I ain't never seen it."
Siler fell into step behind the duo and smiled. It was about time the captain convinced the last missing piece to come home.