What the 'Verse Brings

Trying to figure out the timezone's making me crazy

Jet Lag, Simple Plan

It's been a month since we dropped Jayne off at his mother's place. Seems like forever ago – or maybe it's more like it were just yesterday. Hard to say. The crew's been missin' him somethin' fierce. That is to say it's harder on jobs without another fighter. Ain't as easy gettin' out of the spots Mal gets us all in, though we do get by well enough. No one's died yet. No one else.

It's weird though, not havin' him around. It's like missin' a limb. After all we've been through – the crew – it's hard when we lose another, even just to their itchy feet an' desire to move on. Even if it's Jayne.

Still, I talk with Jayne every couple o' days. Inara lets me go on the cortex in her room an' I call him up. He's happy back with his family. I can tell. Talks nicer when his ma is about; she sometimes folds washing in the background and adds in details Jayne forgets to say. She's a sweet old thing, but sharp and a fighter. Not a fighter like Jayne is but the other kind that won't back down no matter what the 'verse brings.

Can't much see how Jayne got to be who he is from her, 'cept for the strength they both share. They're both so strong-willed and stubborn.

We talk about little things mostly, me and Jayne. Ain't much of the sort that calls for more'n that at the moment. Our talks break the melancholy after everything at Miranda, makes it bearable. Wouldn't have thought Jayne could make me feel better like this, but he does and I try and do the same for him.

It's been a month since he left and it's been a month since we've truly started to get to know each other. Weird, huh?

fin.