Someone to Watch Over Me

PART 1

River lifted her head and rested her chin on Jayne's chest. She lay sprawled on top of him, having just recovered from an amazing amount of sex. "Jayne?"

"Hmmm?"

"There's a new voice inside me."

Jayne threw an arm behind his head to prop it up so he could look down at her. "What the hell does that mean?"

River wrinkled her nose, "I'm not sure, I was hoping you could figure it out."

"Are you goin' crazy again? Miranda the sequel?"

"No, it does not feel dead."

"Are you sure it's no one on the ship?"

"Oh yes, I know everyone very well, their real voices and their mind voices, this one is definitely new."

"Is it bad? You're not hearin' reavers are you?"

"No, no, shhh, don't worry," she stroked his chest, which always calmed him. "It feels . . . pure, innocent, different than anything I've felt before."

"Pure and innocent, huh? That don't sound too bad, maybe Kaylee smuggled a kitten on board."

River smiled a bit at that. "I don't know, maybe it's connected to the new medicine Simon put me on."

Jayne growled, "More medicine? That boy sure does have a one track mind."

"Says the boy who is stroking my breast during a serious conversation."

"Huh, sorry, baby, I didn't even realize I was doing it."

River smiled and leaned forward to give him a kiss, "It's ok, it's soothing. But anyway, not more medicine, new medicine, he replaced the old one because it was making me throw up so much. This one is better."

"I guess. I just don't like that he keeps pumpin' ya full of drugs. I mean he kept you on the one that made you throw up for months."

"I know, but trust me, he wants what is best for me."

"Then, can we tell him about us?"

"No, he will have a very hard time understanding that this is what is best for me."

Jayne sighed, but didn't push, "So, what's this new voice sayin'?"

"It gives me advice, helps me get my words out clearly, and it makes me feel loved, as much as you do, but in a different way."

"Hmmm, sounds like a guardian angel."

River was silent for a moment and then she grinned, "I like that! Even though it is impractical and unsubstantiated, until I find out what it is, I'll call it my guardian angel."

"Ya, just let me know if it gives you any advice on butcher's knives."

River smacked him and let her head drop back down on his chest. Heavenly help aside, Jayne would never let anything happen to her. She felt safe and warm as she drifted off to sleep.