CHAPTER SIX
No ownership claimed or intended. No copyright intended. Writer makes no monies for his work.
FF
Companion sat down gently on the pad at Guilford's. When the ramp opened, Jayne saw Kaylee and her new mechanic waiting with a hover mule, and trailer.
"Hey, Jayne!" Kaylee chirped happily. "How you been?"
"I'm good, mei mei," he smiled, returning the woman's embrace. "How's the momma to be?"
"I'm fit as a fiddle!" she laughed, twirling about for him to see. She was about five months along, he guessed, by now. She had that glow about her, though, and looked as perky and pretty as ever.
"One o' these days I'ma knock that man o' yers in the head, and steal you away," he joked.
"Oh, Jayne," she slapped his arm. "You're so silly."
"We got a crate for you," he got down to business. "We'll help ya load it out, then Wart and the boy'll follow along to help unload it."
"You ain't gotta do that, Jayne," Kaylee replied. "We can get it."
"I ain't answering to the Doc cause you sprung somethin'," Jayne shook his head. "That ain't negotiable, neither."
"Well, I can't say I don't appreciate it, cause I do. What I owe ya?"
"Nothin'," Jayne shook his head. "We had the room, so it's on the house."
"I can't accept that, Jayne," she shook her head. "I can pay."
"I'm sure ya can, Kaylee gal, but Mal's orders was specific. When there's room, and it don't bump payin' cargo, you don't pay. Period."
"Aww, I love my Cap'n," Kaylee's smile lit up the area around her.
"Kaylee!" Chelsa squealed, running down the ramp to hug her adopted Aunt.
"Hey, Chelsa! Girl, look how tall you are!"
"Be grown 'fore ya know it!" the girl smiled.
"Don't remind me," Jayne muttered. Chelsa stuck her tongue out at him.
"All right, where's this crap go, again?" Wart growled. Kaylee motioned her mechanic forward. He was a bright looking boy, with a wiry build. He was looking at Chelsa until Liam stepped out, placing an arm around her.
"Liam," the boy nodded, almost frowning.
"Bradley," Liam returned the nod.
"You two know each other?" Kaylee asked.
"Could say that," Liam replied.
"Could," Bradley nodded again.
"Well, that calls for an explanation," Kaylee decided. "Bradley Towater, this here is Jayne Cobb, and his daughter Chelsa. Jayne, this is my new mechanic, Bradley."
"Nice to meet you," Chelsa smiled, and Bradley lit up.
"It ain't that nice," Liam growled, and Jayne looked at him.
"This gonna be a problem?" he asked.
"No, it ain't," Liam assured his boss. With that he turned to start helping Wart.
"Well, don't just stand there, go help'em!" Kaylee ordered Bradley. The teen jumped to obey.
"Must be a little mud somewhere 'tween them toes," Kaylee smiled.
"He's kinda cute," Chelsa mentioned.
"That's enough o' that kind o' talk," Jayne ordered. "You'll cause a fight with words like that, and Liam ain't near as soft as he once was. Might go badly for young Towater. So you stay shut. Got it?"
"Got it," Chelsa nodded, blushing just a little.
"Aw she ain't hurtin' nothin'," Kaylee smiled. Jayne just looked at her.
"Don't you try that cold, killer look on me, Jayne Cobb!" Kaylee wasn't the least bit intimidated. "I'm just sayin'."
"There's already something between'em, as you yourself pointed out," Jayne told her. "And the last thing they need is fuel throwed on the fire, Kaylee."
"Well, that's true," Kaylee mused. "But boys are boys, and they will fight, time to time."
"Liam ain't a boy no more, though," Jayne pointed out. "And I'm bettin' Bradley there ain't see half the things Liam has, workin' fer us. Understand?"
"I. . .I hadn't thought about that, no," Kaylee admitted. "But Bradley's a good boy, and a hard worker. I'm sure it's fine."
"Let's make sure o' that, 'fore we allow any agitatin' of the waters, how 'bout it?" Jayne insisted.
"Well, that makes sense," Kaylee nodded, looking at Chelsa. "I'll talk to Bradley. See what he says."
"I'll talk to Liam," Chelsa nodded. "And anyways, Bradley may be cute, but he ain't Liam."
"Excuse me." Jayne jumped at the quiet voice coming from his other side. He turned to see River standing next to him, and froze.
"Can we talk?"
FF
Jayne followed her away from the ship as if he was made of wood. Kaylee and Chelsa watched fretfully as the two moved out of earshot.
"What do you. . .do you think she remembers?" Chelsa asked, hopefully.
"Don't know sweetie," Kaylee told her. "Don't know."
"Hey, is that. . .?" Liam asked, as he and Wart came by with a load for Kaylee's trailer.
"Yeah."
"So," Jayne looked down at her. "Whatcha wanna talk about?"
"I wanted to say thank you," River looked up at him, big brown eyes soft.
"Uh, for what?" Jayne managed to ask.
"I had a very long talk with my brother, two days ago," River told him. "He told me how you saved me from. . .that man. Were it not for you, I'd be dead. I didn't know that until he told me, and I wanted to say thank you."
"You're welcome, but thanks ain't necessary," Jayne managed not to stammer.
"I know," was the soft reply. "He told me that you and I used to work together, that we were close. But I can't remember that. At least not yet. But. . .after hearing what happened to me, I wanted to say how much I appreciated it."
"I'll always be there, River," Jayne said before he thought. "When you need me, I'll always be there."
She looked at him, feeling a twinge of something she couldn't identify. There was more between them, wasn't there? Something more. She reached for it, so hard that it almost hurt, but it was just out of reach, like an apple that was one limb too high on the tree.
"Somehow, I already know that," she settled for saying. "I don't. . .I don't know how to talk to you right now," she admitted. "But I. . .I used to, didn't I?"
"Yeah." Simple answers. Keep it together, Cobb.
"Maybe I will again, one day soon." she looked down. Without thinking, he reached out, and cupped her chin in his hand, lifting her face to him. She didn't resist, leaning into his touch with her eyes closed.
Oh my. Her heart raced.
"Maybe you'll remember," he nodded. "But even if you don't, I'll still be here. Always. And don't never look ashamed cause o' what happened. Was a brave thing you did. I just should've got there sooner, that's all."
"Or maybe I shouldn't have gone at all," she admitted, her words coming out in a rush. "I. . .I should go."
"All right," Jayne nodded. "I'll be around, you want to talk again."
She fled, not trusting herself to speak. Kaylee called out after her, but River kept running.
"What'd you say to her, Jayne?" Kaylee asked. "How come she run off like that?"
"She had a talk with Simon. He told'er about the Slasher. She came to thank me for saving her. Her emotions got the best of her, and she had to go. Now, if you don't mind, I think I'll go inside." With that he stomped up the ramp, everyone careful to stay clear of him.
"I shouldn'a said that," Kaylee sighed sadly. "Dangit, I shouldn'a."
"It's all right, Aunt Kaylee," Chelsa told her. "He gets this way whenever she's around. He can't help it."
"Oh, Honey, I know that," Kaylee hugged the girl. "I meant I shouldn't have said it like that. Like he done somethin' wrong."
"Don't worry 'bout that either," the girl told her. "Honestly, with Momma talkin' to him, I bet he didn't half hear ya no way. He gets home, he'll be fine."
"I hope so," Kaylee sniffed a little. "Jayne's got enough on'im 'thout me addin' no more."
FF
"What is wrong with you?" Zoe demanded.
"I don't know!" Goldie told her, frustrated. "There's something wrong, that's all I know. And it ain't on this ship. It ain't been. But I got a naggin' feelin' that just keeps gettin' stronger every day, and there's not a damn thing outta place, anywhere for me to find." He looked at her, desperation in his eyes.
"I'm tellin' ya, something ain't right. Somethin's gonna happen, Zoe. It won't be on this ship, I reckon, but something bad is comin'. I just. . .I just can't find it, that's all."
"Baby," she put a hand on his shoulder and rubbed gently. "I know you get these feelings, and I know they're never wrong. Just. . .don't hide from me, okay? When you're antsy like this, come and talk to me. Please?"
"I will, but I don't know what to say," Goldie raised his hands in a helpless gesture. "I can't explain somethin' I don't understand myself. There's just something outta whack, somewhere." He sighed.
"It's been so quiet, and peaceful, and I don't want it to end," he told her honestly. "If it wasn't for River being messed up, everything would be wonderful. As it is, it's better than any time in my life up til now, and I don't want anything to ruin that."
"Me either," Zoe leaned over, and placed her head on his shoulder. He wrapped an arm around her protectively.
"You're a good man," she told him softly. "One of the best I've ever known. You care about your friends, your family, and you want to keep them safe. That's part of what makes me love you so much."
"Yeah?" he grinned. "What's the other part? It's my girlish figure, ain't it? Or my cookin', yeah, that's probably it." Zoe laughed in spite of herself.
"You make me laugh," she told him, smiling. "And it's been a long time since I laughed as much as I do with you around."
"I'm glad that I can," he told her, kissing her gently. "I really am."
"C'mon," Zoe stood, tugging him up with her. "I'll show you the other, other, reason," she purred seductively.
"Oh, that reason."
FF
"I don't know, Kaylee," Simon told her over dinner. "She hasn't spoken to me about it. If Jayne said she wanted to thank him, then I'd say that was the reason."
"You don't reckon that helped her remember him?" Kaylee pressed. "I mean, you should'a seen the way she reacted when he touched her. It was almost like she was mesmerized."
"Well, that kind of thing can bring back emotional memories, triggering auto reflexes that we really don't have any control over," Simon shrugged.
"I was just thinkin' that maybe, you know, if they was to. . . ."
"Kaylee, I would really prefer not to discuss my baby sister's love life, if you don't mind," an exasperated Simon said outloud.
"Well, I was just tryin' to help," Kaylee shrugged.
"I know, and I love you for it," he smiled. "Just, have mercy on an over protective older brother, here. Please?" His look was so comical that Kaylee had to laugh.
"Okay, Doctor, I'll try," she grinned at him.
FF
Mal lifted his leg straight out in front of him, straining to keep it there for the full five seconds. Sweat was beading on his forehead from the strain, and the pain. He fought the urge to just let his leg drop, instead lowering it slowly to the floor.
"That's enough for today, Mal," Wendy Mclin ordered. She had worked with him every day trying to get him back to his old self.
"Thank Bhudda," Mal groaned. "That last one hurt."
"But it was the farthest you've been to date," she told him proudly. "You're doing great, you know."
"Am I now?" he asked acidly, wiping the sweat from his face.
"You've already exceeded the recovery the initial physician's order had expected," she confided in him. "You're exceeding their expectations."
"Well, that's good," Mal gasped. "I'm glad I'm exceedin' somethin'."
"Mal, we've talked about this before," Wendy told him. "You really are doing very well. I think in another two, maybe three weeks, we'll be about done."
"Really?" Mal perked up at that.
"Yes. You'll need to keep up your regimen at home, to fight the stiffness, but I don't think you'll need me much longer, I'm happy to say."
"Don't like my company?" he teased.
"As a matter of fact, I like you and Inara both a great deal," she replied. "I'll miss you when this is over."
"Don't see why you can't come along for a visit once in a while. Inara sets store by you, too, y'know?"
"I just might do that. Now, you better get moving. Inara said she wanted you home for dinner."
FF
"We'll be landing on Hera shortly, sir," the young guardsman told Flint. "We'll catch another ship there, that will carry us the remainder of the way."
"Thank you," Flint nodded. "Make sure everyone is ready to go. I don't want any delays."
"Yes, sir," the man nodded.
"So, we'll be there in what?" Annassa asked. "Another week?"
"Roughly that, yes," Flint nodded. "And then, all of this will be over. We'll return to Tokala victorious, and the start of our dynasty will begin with you, dear daughter."
"This is so important to you?" she asked.
"It is," he nodded firmly. "Our family will start here, but succeeding generations will be able to use the resources of two clans to further their own ambitions. Make no mistake, daughter, we are making history, here."
"I see." He looked at her, gauging her less than enthusiastic response.
"Sometimes, daughter, I suspect that your heart is not in this endeavor."
"It's not my heart you need for your plan, Father," Annassa replied cooly. "And there's no place for the heart, or emotions, in business or politics," she parroted his own teachings back to him. "I do what is needful for the family. For the clan."
"See to it that you remember that, Annassa," Flint told her. "I've worked to hard to see all of this lost because of your stubborn pride."
"Pride, Father?" she looked at him. "What pride have you ever allowed me to have?" Before he could answer she rose from her seat.
"I will return to my cabin, and pack." He watched her go, sighing in frustration.
Always the hard way.
FF
"Feeling any better?" Zoe cooed lightly in Goldie's ear.
"That's a loaded question, and ain't fair," he complained, wrapping her in his embrace. "I feel great. And there's still something wrong."
"I don't doubt you baby," Zoe told him. "Just try to relax. If the answer's there, you'll figure it out."
Goldie wondered if that were true.