Thanks to everyone who offered feedback, I really appreciate it!

I don't own our friends on Serenity, just havin' some fun.

Firefly Fanfiction

By: Redelflady

Chapter 6

Mal looked at Raesmel and back at Jayne. "What am I missing here?"

Kaylee answered, "She is the girl in the market and Jayne is the boy selling vegetables."

"Jayne sold vegetables?" Wash laughed.

Zoe glared at him, "Hush."

Benu stood up, pointing at Jayne, "He's the one??" his voice echoed off of the walls.

"Please sit down. Remember, I need you to stay calm for me Benu." She reminded him.

Benu was so angry he was shaking, "How can you invite that…..that thing in our house? He caused you so much pain!"

Jayne stood up, "I didn't do anythin', and just who the hell are you anyway?" Jayne took a step towards Benu and Esmel stood up. "STOP THIS!" Her voice took on an otherworldly quality and resonated throughout off the stone walls. Everyone in the room froze.

River was still holding her hand, glaring at Jayne, "Remember you said you liked hurting people because it was fun?"

Jayne felt a pressure starting to build in his head, this couldn't be, how could he cause this? It was all very clear but he could not grasp how it could be. "How did that happen?" He demanded pointing at the scar on her neck.

"Please stop this. Everyone….." She felt her head aching.

"Benu!' River called, "She's bleeding again."

Benu tore his glare from Jayne to see Esmel start to fall. He caught her before she collapsed to the floor. The couch was cleared and he laid her down, Zoe putting a pillow under her head. Benu carefully wiped her face. "Esmel?" he whispered. There was no response. He stroked her head and called her name again. Her eyes fluttered, "Benu?"

"I'm here my love." He smiled at her. She could see tears in his eyes. "Please, you have to be calm. I need him to know the consequence of his actions." She spoke to his mind, "There is a lesson in this for you too my Benu. Be patient."

Everyone in the room turned to look at Jayne. "How could I be the cause of that?" he gestured to her neck. River looked at him, "And this one too." She held up Esmel's right hand and pointed to her ring finger. He just stared, not blinking, his breath coming in short gasps. "I ….. I never lifted a finger to hurt you Esmel." He muttered.

"Don't say her name, you have no right." Benu glowered at him.

"Help me sit up." She patted Benu on the shoulder. "Please everyone sit down. I will finish the story."

Benu sighed and helped her sit up on the couch. Everyone gathered around, sitting on the floor and on the table in front of the couch. River was still holding on to her hand, trying to help. Jayne sat on a chair directly across from her, he wanted to know how this could have ever been his fault.

"My folks call me Esmel." She couldn't wait to hear him say her name. "Esmel? I like that." She melted. "My name is Jayne." He said proudly. She liked it. "Jayne. It's a good name." He nodded, "It took some getting used to, but I like it." She heard her Mother calling. "I have to go now…..Jayne." She giggled. "I hope you come back to see me soon, Esmel." They both nodded and she walked to her Mother, "I think we have found you a dress my dear."

Every weekend for a month she accompanied her Mother to the market, something she usually hated to do. Her Mother never questioned why her daughter had a sudden interest in going to the market. Every time they were there she would slip away and see Jayne. She loved the look on his face when he saw her walking down the aisle to his stall. She would always blush, looking down and then back up at him. He told her he loved the pink on her cheeks when she saw him.

Despite his demeanor, Esmel could tell Jayne was having trouble controlling his anger. He didn't want to hear this, but some part of him was making him stay. Making him hear the truth of what he caused. She had not taken her eyes off of him since she started telling the story again. It was like only the two of them were in the room. Benu tried to reach her mind, but she was closed off at the moment.

Finally her Mother discovered the reason for her sudden interest in the market. "Who is this young man?" She asked curtly, walking up behind them as they were talking.

"Mother!" She blushed, "This is Jayne. Jayne this is my mother Mrs. Freeston."

Jayne bowed his head per tradition. "Mrs. Freeston. I am pleased to meet you."

She snorted at him, "Esmel, let's go." She grabbed her hand and tried to take her away. "Mother, stop! I want to talk with him for a few minutes." She was not used to being told no. "He is beneath you Esmel! We don't carry on conversations with people of his station."

"You're embarrassing me Mother stop!" she tried to pull away from her Mother's grasp.

"You will come home now young lady!" she dragged her away as she cried, looking at Jayne. He looked heartbroken, but he couldn't leave the stand. Just a moment away would leave the stand open to theft and that would mean his family wouldn't be able pay their rent.

The next morning she woke up to find him standing outside her window, with a bunch of Astrids in his hand. She opened the window quietly, the sun was just coming up behind him and she thought he looked so handsome. She took the flowers and in return gave him a kiss on the cheek. He smiled and now he blushed. "I will come by to see you every morning my Astrid." He promised. She nodded, "I will be waiting." He leaned in and gave her a quick kiss on the lips. "You are more beautiful than any flower in the 'verse." He ran off before she could say anything else.

Jayne remembered those mornings; they were some of the happiest in his life. Picking flowers on the way to her house. He was so happy to see her in that window waiting on him, big smile on her face shining brighter than the rising sun. This beautiful creature that loved him, how could he have been so lucky?

As time progressed, she started sneaking out of the house after bedtime and they would walk the woods together, talking of their lives, past, present and future. She could never imagine meeting someone she would love more than him. After a few months they exchanged their first "I love you". It was a wonderfully magic night, the moon was so bright and big in the night time sky and her heart felt like it would burst. He told her she meant the world, all the worlds to him. The way he touched her, the taste of her lips, her laugh, he told her how it drove him mad. He wanted to spend all day, every day for the rest of his life with her. She could just get lost in his eyes, feeling safe and loved in his arms. She could never imagine being with anyone but him.

After a year of seeing each other in secret he offered her his hand in marriage. He had a friend from the market that was a blacksmith make her a ring. It was beautiful, four types of metal all intertwined in waves. That night he got down on his knee and proposed. He couldn't offer her all the things her parents had, not by far. But he could offer her his undying love, and that he promised.

Esmle stopped and looked at River, she quickly got up and poured a glass of wine, bringing it to her and taking her place back at her feet. The room was silent, only the sound of their collective breathing. Jayne's eyes were closed remembering what she was about to tell. He had managed to lock that part of his life away, so he wouldn't have to remember but it was all coming back to him clearly. When he opened his eyes, Esmel was looking at him again.

That next day, they approached her parents at dinner. Her father was very unhappy with this young man, with the dirt under his fingernails and his dirty work apron. Jayne requested their daughter's hand in marriage. Her mother had laughed at the absurd idea, her father however, requested time to think about it. He requested that Jayne come back the next day at the same time for their answer. They were both encouraged by this, at least he was considering their request. He smiled at her as she walked him out, "I love you Esmel. I will see you in the morning." He kissed her and left to walk home. She was so beside herself that her father had not said no. She was on cloud nine when she went to bed. It took forever to fall asleep.

Jayne looked at her, their eyes locked. "Don't do this." He thought. "You need to know what happened." She said back to his mind. He sighed, "Don't you think I feel bad enough?" She shook her head slightly, "No, you don't. You didn't even know who I was when you got here Jayne." The way he heard her say his name made him wince.

Benu watched the exchange but could not hear it. It was driving him crazy. "Stop." He whispered to her. She reached out and touched his face, "It's almost done, my love." Jayne saw the exchange between them and ached for the time when she felt that way about him.

The next morning she was up at the usual time, standing at her window. She waited and waited, he was late. In over a year he had never been late, he was always there when the sun was coming up hands full of Astrids. Now the sun was over the horizon and he was not to be seen. She worried something had happened to him. Maybe he was hurt going home last night, what if he was laying by the road? She grabbed her cloak and headed for the front door. Her father was sitting there in his chair, drinking something that smelled very strong. "Where are you going young lady?" he asked, slurring his words.

"Jayne, I need to check on Jayne. He…"

"He won't be here for his morning visit today or any other day." He stood up on unsteady feet.

"What? Why?" She screamed at him. Her heart was racing, what had he done to Jayne?

"I paid him to leave. You wouldn't believe how cheaply he thought of you. Just took his 30 pieces of silver and left you, his mother and his sister here."

He giggled in a very frightening way. "I see you still have the hideous ring he gave you. Give it to me Esmel." He held out his shaking hand.

"No. You're lying, he wouldn't leave me, he loves me. He proposed to me, you must have hurt him." She was backing away from him as he slowly moved towards her. "I won'th have people see you were to marry someone like him. Give me the ring!" He grabbed something from the table and took another step.

"No! You killed him didn't you? He wouldn't leave me!" She was crying so hard she could barely see.

"Are you telling me you don't believe me?" he screamed at her. "I am your father, he is no one, a farmer's son! You think you love a farmer's son?!?" his words were almost incoherent.

She saw her mother out of the corner of her eye watching the scene play out, wringing her hands but afraid to get involved.

Esmel kept backing up as he drew closer, swinging something in his hand, she finally backed against the wall of the living room. "Stop!" she cried as she was wedged between two bookcases now with nowhere to go.

Gasping for air she screamed as he swung his hand at her face, she turned to the left and felt something cutting through her skin as she flinched to the right. She put her hand up to her throat and felt warm, slick blood running down her neck, the air smelled of copper. She slowly slid to the floor, unable to speak. She heard her mother yelling, "I thought you just wanted to scare her!" He roughly pushed her away and grabbed his daughter's right hand laying it on the floor. He took the cleaver that he had used to so neatly slice her throat and cut off her ring finger. He took the bloody ring and threw it across the room. He continued to scream at her as she slowly saw the room go black.

She looked at Jayne, long past the point of crying now, so she thought. Benu reached out and brushed tears from her face she had not realized were there. She squeezed River's hand. "Thank you for giving me energy." Everyone in the room looked stunned. "What…what happened after that?" Kaylee asked, "You didn't bleed to death, cause you're here."

"No I didn't. When I woke, I have no idea how much time had passed, I was in a monastery of sorts. The sisters had managed to save me with blood and a little magic. It was then I discovered my ability to 'see things'. I stayed there till I was well enough to leave. I went back to my parent's house and they were gone. Everything was gone, just an empty house. Sitting on one of the shelves was the ring, my engagement ring."

She pulled out a chain that was secured around her neck, on it was the ring. "I wear it always as a reminder of how savage life can truly be."

Jayne slowly stood, jaw and fists clenched and walked out of the room. Esmel frowned, "He needs to know, all actions have consequences."

She looked at her guests, "I think I will retire now. I am very tired. Salas will make sure you have all that you need for the evening."

Benu helped her up and as she started to step he felt her falter. He put his arm around her waist and guided her to her room, shutting the door behind them. He carefully laid her on the bed, looking at her smiling face. He leaned down and kissed her, she touched his face. "Stay." She whispered. He nodded and helped her undress; shortly they were lying face to face. "My Benu, all the love that I thought I felt for him in that time pales to how I feel about you at this moment." He caressed her face and kissed her passionately. She returned his passion while his hands roamed her body; her moans were like music to his ears. When their passion was spent, she finally allowed herself to cry. He held her and cried with her, for their love and their loss.

"I'm sorry for all that has happened to you Esmel." He kissed the tears from her face.

"The lesson for you my love, is that if I had not lived through that, all of the pain and anger. I would have never met you. I would have lived on that planet with Jayne and worked in the market the rest of my life. Instead I am here with you spending the happiest years I could have ever imagined. Even when things seem darkest, there is a reason. You may not see it then, but it will all become clear in the Goddess' time. You have to believe that Benu."

"I will try, my love."

Sometime later, after she was asleep he heard a soft knock at the door. He reached out with his mind to see who it was. He was not surprised; he got up without disturbing her and pulled on his robe. He slipped out the door and stared at Jayne. "What do you want?" he whispered.

"I want to talk to her." Jayne growled he was irritated that this man was not intimidated by him at all.

"She is sleeping and will stay that way till the morning. You may speak with her then."

"You….love her don't you?" Jayne crossed his arms.

"More than you could ever possibly comprehend."

"There was a time I felt that way about her too."

"The difference is I won't leave her for any reason. If I had the option I would rather die in her place." He stepped close to Jayne, standing eye to eye with him, "If you upset her one little bit in her last few days, you and I will have an issue. Do I make myself clear?"

Normally Jayne would have just killed him and left him there, but he knew Esmel loved him. He chewed his lip and backed away, "I just want to talk to her tomorrow." His voice was very low.

Benu nodded, "After breakfast I will arrange for an audience."

"Thank you." Jayne turned and left, grinding his teeth.