A/N: I had this idea a while ago, started writing it and then lost my way. I came back to it recently and posted the first chapter at LJ where it got a very encouraging response, so here it is for those that haven't seen it over there, with more to come soon!

Disclaimer: All recognisable characters belong to Joss, and Tim, and other important people that aren't me. Anybody you don't recognise as a Firefly characters is mine, all mine!

Chapter 1

On a core planet such as Osiris, there were very few people that one could call undesirable, and yet it was always necessary for a certain number of poor and unfortunates to exist in such a place. Every rich man, reputable or otherwise, required servants and workers and all. Honourable men and women, in spite of their lowly birth, that did as they were told for the pittance they were often paid.

Jayne Cobb was neither a rich man nor an honourable worker. For all intents and purpose he was a mercenary, hired by like-minded folk with more cash than he had, to track down the enemy, rob him blind or shoot him dead, it was all the same to such a man as Jayne. Not that he wasn't a decent kinda man, he had his standards, sure enough. He didn't expect to get sexed less he paid for it, and he didn't shoot an unarmed man looking to do him no harm. Lived by a code, such as it was, with rules and conscience enough instilled in him by his Ma.

This particular day, Jayne had come to find himself wandering alone in a marketplace meant for only the lowliest of folk in town. Many a cook or maid from some fancy estate or other was bustlin' about, looking to get the very best food and finery for their masters and mistresses. Jayne paid no mind to the most of them, he had his target to be looking out for.

Marco had a pretty good description of the guy he wanted tracked. Seems the hwun dahn in question had pulled a second-storey with Jayne's boss a while back, and made off with more'n his share. Now it was up to him to get a bead on this guy, figure out where he was staying and how much of the cash he still had, then come back at nightfall, take the idiot for all he was worth. Jayne would get his share, seven percent straight off the top. Course seven percent of nothing was nothing itself, so he had to keep his eye on the target.

Only trouble was, the marketplace had its distractions, and one in particular caught Jayne Cobb's eye. She didn't belong in such a place, that much was all kinds of obvious. She was a pretty girl, make no mistake, but light years from the kind Jayne paid for their services come pay day. Long dark hair and big brown eyes a man could lose himself in, she was a beauty in the making. Little on the young side for Jayne maybe, but he weren't always so fussy, so long as a woman was of age.

Turning his eyes back to the target, Jayne cursed under his breath when he realised he lost sight of him. Took a moments searching to find him again, and a lot of covering to ensure he weren't spotted looking. He picked up some book he couldn't read if'n he tried from the nearest stall, turned it over in his hands and flipped the pages like he knew what it was all about.

"No!" a sudden shout to his left made him turn fast from where he ought to have been looking.

Same girl from before was kickin' up a fuss and Jayne couldn't think for a minute she was quibbling on prices. She weren't no rich family's scullery maid nor nothin', more like a daughter or niece maybe. Truth be said, she most like shouldn't even be in a place like this, was why she stood out so gorram much and to the wrong kinds of people.

Jayne weren't altogether surprised to see some feh feh pi goh playin' around with the girl. Whether he was after her purse or her virtues, the merc couldn't tell, least not until the ass started dragging the poor girl around the side of the nearest building. Not a person came running to her rescue and though Jayne knew he had a job to do here, no way in hell he could live with himself knowing he let some f'n zse take advantage of some sweet little girl, no matter how much cash or whatever she got. 'Sides the after thought came fast that if he saved her she could be mighty grateful, and whatever form that gratitude took, Jayne would be glad enough to accept it.

Dropping the book he'd been holding right back where it came from, the mercenary darted through the crowd, quick like a cat in spite of the size of him. He was behind the asshole in a second, tapping him on the shoulder so he spun around fast. Jayne's fist met the idiots chin with a sickening thud, making him leave go of the terrified girl at least, but apparently there was no way he was goin' down without a fight.

The poor young woman kept back against the wall as she watched her saviour wail on the one who would do her harm. One minute she had been calmly sorting through pretty glass beads at a nearby stall, the next this young man had grabbed a hold of her and dragged her here, trying to touch her in ways she didn't want at all. She wished she had never told her brother she would be okay if he left her alone a minute, wished she had been paying more attention to what was going on around her, wished her mind worked as well as it used to...

"You don't stay down, you gorram asshole, I'm gonna make sure you never get up again!" said Jayne firmly as he slammed the bad guys head into the dust one more time.

Whether he was able to get up or not, the guy didn't bother trying. Clearly the larger man's warning had sunk in and he was happy to stay down and out of trouble. Here he was thinkin' he was gonna score himself some easy piece of trim, but it was not to be.

"You okay?" asked Jayne as he turned to the young woman he had just saved, him breathin' heavy from his fight, and her still doing the same from fear and panic.

"She will survive" the girl nodded her head, "Thank you"

"River! River!" the calling of what appeared to be the girl's name in a male voice made both her and Jayne turn around fast.

A young man dressed up just as fancy as her, if not more so, suddenly appeared, grabbing at the poor girl and hugging her tight. He was rambling something terrible about losing her and being so sorry, Jayne weren't sure whether he was boyfriend, brother, or what, but he seemed gorram panicked by the fact something might've happened to the girl.

"She is fine, Simon" she promised, her head against his shoulder, "She is fine"

"What did you do to her, you animal?" the rich guy suddenly exploded, making Jayne look wide-eyed at him.

"Hey, I never...!" he started to protest, but apparently didn't need to as the young woman who he had just learned was called River jumped to his defence.

"He saved her, Simon" she said, pulling out of her brother's embrace to move over to Jayne's side, her hand upon his arm, "He was brave, like a fairytale knight. Saved the damsel in distress" she smiled almost dreamily up at him, giving him the strangest uncomfortableness inside.

There was no evidence now that anyone else had been here, since the low life Jayne had beaten to a bloody pulp had almost literally slithered away on his belly moments before. Jayne had nothing to prove he'd played unlikely hero here. Still, this dandy named Simon seemed to believe what River was tellin' him, thank the Lord.

"Really?" he said, looking not so much unimpressed as baffled.

Jayne didn't blame the guy much, weren't exactly looking like a big damn hero in his camo gear, not havin' had a decent shower in a couple of days and all. Still, didn't change the fact he'd done what the girl said, saved her from some ri shao gou shi bing that wanted to do her harm.

"Er, thank you" said Simon at length, not sure whether he was more baffled by this rough looking ape of a man being River's saviour or the fact she was gazing up at him like he was some kind of God, "For saving my sister" he smiled, genuine in his gratitude even if it did come with a healthy dose of confusion and near-disbelief.

"Sister, huh?" said Jayne, repressing a leer if only 'cause Simon looked like he weren't adverse to having him arrested for somethin' whether he saved his mei mei or not, "Weren't nothin' much" he shrugged his broad shoulders, "Just did what any fella'd do"

"Clearly that's untrue" the rich guy shook his head as he took River's hand and pulled her away from Jayne a little, "Nobody else is here, nobody came to River's rescue but you. That makes you quite the hero, I would say" he said, still unsure of his own words.

The truth of the matter was, this man could never have been described as looking particularly noble or heroic, a scruffy nerf herder might be nearer the mark. Still, as eccentric as River was prone to being, Simon didn't doubt for a moment that what this man had done was worth his gratitude, if she said so. His mei mei was honest as the day was long, and always a good judge of character.

"Should be rewarded, Simon" she said as she took hold of her dear brothers arm.

Jayne tried his best not to react to the word 'reward' but such a thing was not easy. The mercenary was not exactly drowning in riches, far from it in fact, despite his seven percent deal with Marco.

"A reward?" asked Simon of his sister, a little uncertain as to such a thing being necessary at such a moment, though he would of course pay any price for his sister's safety...

"Might've kept him from important business" said River, with a glint in her eye as she looked to Jayne that made his blood run cold.

It was almost as if she knew what his business really was here, not that there was any way she could, but it made him wonder a minute, and not so much bother to listen when Simon started up talking again.

"Business?" he echoed River's words, "Oh, yes, um... we've inconvenienced you, I'm sure" he realised aloud, "I don't really carry cash on my person, I'm sure you see why" he said with a knowing look, "but would you like to accompany us to our home, Mr...?"

"Cobb" said Jayne when he suddenly realised he was being talked at, "Jayne Cobb" he said with a nod of his head.

River smiled, leaning her head onto Simon's shoulder, still eyeing her saviour in the oddest way.

"Man called Jayne" she said softly, in such a way as the man in question knew not how to take it.

Honest to goodness, he thought it better he didn't take it in no way right now, else get himself into trouble afore he ever got this reward that was being talked on.

"Mr Cobb" Simon began again, "if you would accompany us back to our home, I shall see to it you are generously rewarded for your kindness to my sister" he smiled, his arm around River's shoulders as he hugged her close to him.

The siblings set off walking, expecting Jayne to follow. He didn't at first, instead his eyes sought out the man he'd come here to find in the first place. The little rat went scurrying from sight almost just as quick as Jayne could lay eyes on him, but it'd be just shiny. He was about to get his fair share o' coin for his days work, no matter what, thanks to these two fancy folk he was followin'.

"Ain't gonna argue with that" he muttered to hismelf as he strode along behind the pair, towards the fancier side of town.

"It seems you did a great service to my daughter, Mr Cobb" said Gabriel Tam as he came face to face with the unsavoury looking man waiting in the foyer of the over-sized town house.

Simon had explained everything to his father and asked that Jayne be given a monetary reward for his trouble. It wasn't as if the Tams could not afford such a trifle as would be a great fortune to such a man as Cobb, but Gabriel wasn't exactly forthcoming with such things. Fortunately, he would rather not make enemies with any person who had come too close to his daughter of late. She had an oddness about her since the Academy that it would be best the general public knew nothing of. Recompense for any trouble caused would doubtless ensure men of dishonour such as Jayne Cobb keep their silence.

"Just did what any other fella'd do, I guess" he shrugged, modest to a point as he added, "Not that any other fella did"

"Quite so" Mr Tam nodded once, before turning to his baby girl who hovered in the nearby doorway, behind her brother, "River, bao-bei" he called her over, taking her chin in his hand, "You must be more careful when you go out, and your brother ought to have taken better care" he said in a much sterner tone as he turned a little to glare Simon's way, "but things have worked out this time" he found a tight smile as he gestured for River to back off some and gave his attention back to Jayne, "Thank you, Mr Cobb" he said, as genuinely as he could, dropping a leather pouch into the grubby man's waiting hand, "For your trouble" he said, his expression turning into distaste as Jayne immediately opened the bag up wide to see what his reward consisted of - more than he ever thought.

"Wuo duh tian ah!" he muttered, before shoving the pouch of cash deep into his pocket and looking Mr Tam in the eye, "Thank you, sir. Most obliged to ya" he said with some kind of mock-salute as he backed up a couple of steps towards the door.

Jayne was mindful of being in a place like this too long. Weren't exactly where he belonged and now he had his cash, he'd sooner get out before any kinda trouble started. Mr Tam walked away easy enough but Simon seemed to want to get his sister by his side first. She weren't in no mood for goin' without a goodbye or some such as she come running at Jayne, catching him with her hand on his shoulder afore he cleared the front door.

"You are her hero" she said with a giddy kind of a smile, that gave way to something much more sad when Simon called for her then.

Jayne weren't so sure what to make of her gratitude or the change in her from one second to the next. She was pretty as a picture, but if he had to guess it, maybe not so much right in the head.

"Weren't nothin' to it" he told her with a shrug, before finally leaving.

Still, River weren't eager to be taken away from here. Leaning out around the front door, she watched the retreating form of her saviour until he had almost all but disappeared from her view.

"He will return" she smiled, much more sure of that than Jayne would ever have imagined, but then he couldn't hear her at such a distance, so it really didn't matter.

To Be Continued...