Chapter Twelve

Jayne woke up in his old room. Jayne shifted slightly and felt a pain in his chest. Then he was pounced upon by an eight-year-old body.

"Uncle Jayne! You're alive!"

"Really? You sure?" Jayne asked.

Matty nodded. "I told 'em all no power in the 'verse could stop you, Jayne! Not you and especially not Auntie River."

Jayne raised an eyebrow. "Auntie River?"

"Yup. She said I could call her that." Matty nodded proudly. "She also said that Auntie Moonbrain was acceptable. I think she'd prefer Auntie River, though." Matty thought a moment. "Besides, Uncle Jaxon says you's the only one allowed to call River Moonbrain, and iffen anybody else does, they'll have to answer to Auntie Kaylee."

"Everyone's all right then, little man?"

"Everyone but you," Matty said. "You was shot."

Is that what happened? Jayne would never have guessed. The kid continued.

"Uncle Simon had to cut you open and pull out the bullet. And Auntie River was real worried for a few days. And Uncle Captain wouldn't answer any of my questions, and Auntie 'Nara said I wouldn't understand and not to worry but just pray. Then she lit some smelly stuff in the kitchen. That's when I got real confused and Ma told me I could stand guard and make sure you kept breathing."

"You done good, boy. Now, go get Auntie River fer me, will ya?"

Matty shook his head. "Nope. I'm under strickest of orders to go get Uncle Simon the moment you wake up. And I've already messed those orders up, so I better go get him now." Matty jumped off the bed and bounded to the door. Before he left, he turned and asked, "You won't be telling Uncle Captain I didn't follow orders, will ya?"

Jayne shook his head. No. He wouldn't be telling Uncle Captain. He laughed as the kid ran off down the hall. It hurt. He made a mental note not to try it again.

"He thinks all adults who aren't called Ma or Mamma must be an Uncle or Auntie," River said from the doorway. She was leaning against the doorframe, watching him, her head tilted slightly, causing her hair to cascade sideways. She was wearing a blue calico dress that only reached her knees. She wasn't wearing any shoes. Jayne smiled. She smiled back. That's when Jayne realized she'd been crying. "Simon didn't think you would wake up. Mal wasn't looking forward to putting you in the ground. Zoe was thinking real hard about Wash," River let her voice trail off. "I'm glad you're back, Jayne."

"Glad to be back, River."

Simon stepped into the room, followed closely by Matty, who was leading Mal into the room by the hand. "See, I told ya he was alive!" Matty said. "They didn't believe me, Uncle Jayne. But I told him. 'Uncle Jayne's alive,' I said. And I grabbed 'em and brought 'em, just liken they told me to." Jayne was glad when River took Matty out of the room.

"Gave us quite a scare, there, Jayne. Why'd ya go and get yourself shot for?" Mal asked.

Jayne shrugged slightly. Winced.

Simon said that Jayne would be just fine. In a couple days he'd even be able to move around. Jayne rolled his eyes. He was sick of bedrest already. They had to leave as soon as Jayne was able to move. It had been that long that Jayne had been out. He hated feeling like he was missing something.

The next day Jayne reluctantly stayed in bed. It would have been better if only River was nursing him. If wishes were horses, Jayne would have steak every day. In and out the members of the crew came. Even Inara. But she was chased out by Mamma Cobb, who said she had to talk to him alone.

"Is everything back to normal now, Mamma?" Jayne asked.

Mamma sighed at him. She shook her head. "They've got a new sheriff already. They ain't pressing charges on any of us for the Marshalls, but the new one's got a long memory. He wants you off this rock like you wouldn't believe. Says he's givin' you one more day to get yer ass off Achilles, or he's coming after ya with a noose and a pine box."

Jayne avoided her eyes. "Yeah, sounds like everything's back to normal then."

"I'm glad you came home, Jayne boy." Jayne looked back at her. "I'm sure grateful the Lord gave me a son like you." Jayne smiled and started to thank her, but she interupted him. "But you have got to be the biggest idiot this side of the 'verse!"

"What?" Jayne asked.

"You better not let that sweet little thing get hurt, you understand me? She's too sweet for you to start with. You gotta do right by her, you understand me?"

"Mamma, who'er - "

"Oh! River, you dumbass. You treat her proper, or you'll have me to answer to!" Mamma Cobb pointed accusingly at Jayne.

"I will, Mamma. I'll treat her okay."

"Okay ain't good enough, Jayne Cobb. You be good to her. You do right by her even iffen it's not what you want, you understand? You put her before you. That's the way it ought to be. River before Jayne. You got it?"

Jayne nodded. Mamma was right, as always.

There was a light knock at the door. Mamma threw it open on her way out. "Doc Tam says you should try to move around soon," Jasmine said from the doorway. "The Captain says now. New sheriff's not keepin' his word."

Jayne almost jumped up.

"Easy, Jayney," Jasmine said, rushing forward to help him up.

As she let him lean on her, Jayne met Jasmine's eyes. "Jas - "

"You ain't got ta say nothin'. That's what family is. Not havin' to say nothin'."

Jayne shook his head. "Some things need sayin', big sister. You oughta know, I didn't go there to kill 'im."

Jasmine nodded, avoiding his eyes. "I know," she said. "I get it, Jayne. I do." She looked back up at him. "You're a better man than I originally thought, Jayne Cobb. Don't think I'm likely to forget it anytime soon, neither."

"What makes you say that?"

"Matty's downstairs on yer old guitar trying to write a song 'bout yer bravery and yer defeatin' death," Jasmine said. Jayne laughed. It didn't hurt quite so bad now.

With River and Mal's help, Jayne got on board Serenity and they were off world. He'd finish his recovery from his bunk on Serenity.

Late that night, Jayne got to thinking about River. Now that they were back on the ship, the problems with River kept firing at him like bullets. She was too young for him. She was Simon's little sister. Mal had practically adopted her. Jayne even doubted the women onboard Serenity would be all right with them together. Inara probably knew there was an attraction, but she also thought Jayne was a horndog. Which wasn't entirely inaccurate, but that wasn't the point. Even Kaylee was sure to raise an eyebrow. Would it really be best for River to get involved with Jayne? Jayne couldn't figure how it would be good for her to be with him. Then there was the line of work they were in. Splitting loyalties and all that. There was something to be said for avoiding shipboard romances. It wasn't just Mal's crazy talk.

Somewhere between wanting River and wanting to be a good man, Jayne made his decision. He was leaving Serenity as soon as they rendeavued with Monty. He'd save her from herself, he decided. No way they would end well. He might as well get the inevitable over with. She would be angry, probably even hate him forever. But if it saved her, Jayne could live with River hating him.

Jayne caught Mal alone on the bridge the next day. He didn't know where River was, probably with Kaylee and Inara, but he was glad he hadn't seen her most of the day. Just at breakfast, when she glared at him but said nothing.

"There something you needed, Jayne?" Mal asked.

"I was hopin' when we get to Khonsu you could put in a good word for me to transfer."

"Transfer? Leaving Serenity?" Jayne nodded. Mal shook his head. "Nobody bribing you to leave without my knowing it, are they?"

"Just time for a change."

Mal shook his head again. "You know, just when I thought I had you figured out, you go and do something even more moonbrained - "

"Ah, hell, Mal, I'm trying to do the right thing here."

"The right thing? Leaving the crew that just spent the only leave they've had in months saving your little brother from a street gang?" Mal laughed. "Yeah, that's the right thing."

"Can you put in a good word for me or not?"

"I ain't gonna help you do something stupid, Jayne," Mal said.

"Fine. Not like I need your permission. Not like I'm a real Browncoat or nothin'."

Jayne turned to leave the bridge. It was useless. He'd just have to talk to Monty or someone on his own. His reputation was good enough to get him a job basically anywhere he wanted. They probably wouldn't even make him really enlist. Just give him a gun and point him at the Alliance bastards. The only weapon in the 'verse better than Jayne Cobb was River Tam.

"I know what this is really about, Jayne," Mal said, his voice low. When Jayne stopped and turned back, Mal said, even lower, "River. I've seen the way she's been looking at you. Damn near lost her mind all over again when you were shot."

"Mal, nothin's happened. I swear. I haven't touched - "

"I know that, Jayne. But you ain't listen' to me. It ain't just you. You gotta think about her."

"I am. That's why I'm gonna get off this boat so she can - "

"What? So she can have a normal life? Jayne, she's River Tam. She's not gonna have a normal life. The best she can hope for is to have a happy one, and I can't believe I'm saying this, but, you might just be the best bet she has at that."

Now Jayne was the confused one.

"Look, what do you think happens after you leave? When she sees that you're alive but choosing to leave her anyway? How do you think that poor girl, who feels every gorram thing in the 'verse is gonna take it?"

"She's stronger than that, Mal."

"No, she ain't, Jayne. She's just a girl - " Mal stopped short and corrected " - woman." He looked Jayne in the eye. "Who loves you."

Jayne looked at Mal. He was being serious. He wasn't angry. "Bet that hurt to say."

"More than you will ever know."

"So, then, what? We have your blessing?"

"You stick around, treat her proper, and," Mal stopped again. A pained expression crossed his face, "And I guess you have my blessing." The expression on Mal's face suggested he'd just thrown up a little.

It was odd. Why hadn't Mal thrown him out the airlock? Did it matter? Not really. Jayne shook his head. With Mal's permission, it was like all the reasons to leave were swept away. "Figure I won't need that good word from ya after all, Mal."

"Good. Now get offa my bridge and go find the Albatross."

She was hiding in her bunk, glaring at the door as he entered.

"Hey, Moonbrain." A pillow flew at his head. Jayne caught it and tossed it aside. "What was that for?" he asked.

River rose from her bed and shoved Jayne against a wall. "You were going to leave me."

Jayne shrugged. "Can't do something smart -"

"Do something right. But it wasn't right, Jayne."

"So Mal said."

"So, what, you think just because Mal said you could stay and be with me that I'm just going to let you? After what you tried to pull?" River asked, glaring up at him. Jayne was thanking his lucky stars she wasn't going all Moonbrained on him and kicking his ass.

"Well, I gotta stick around. Occurred to me someone's gotta look out for you. Keep you safe. Shoot for ya when ya can't and whatnot."

"And who the hell made you my protector?" River asked.

Jayne grabbed her, pulled her into his arms, and kissed her full on the lips before he answered. "Self appointed."

"You are such a Moonbrain," River said, shaking her head. At least now she was smiling.

"Takes one to know one," Jayne replied, kissing her again. Maybe he wouldn't mind bedrest so much, after all.