Title: Don't Deserve to be Saved Series: Coulda Pulled the Trigger Rating: PG-13 to R Pairing: Jaylee Word Count: 1084 Warnings: these characters do not belong to me, they belong to Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, Fox and Universal Summary: Kaylee has gotten herself into some trouble

Authors note: Sixth (and final) installment in a series. Angst. Here are the links to the last five parts.

Coulda Pulled the Trigger: http://meimei42.livejournal.com/1654.html#cutid1 Tell 'em I'm Sorry: http://meimei42.livejournal.com/6002.html#cutid1 Paid in full: http://meimei42.livejournal.com/6830.html Lock & Key: http://meimei42.livejournal.com/7081.html#cutid1 Like Hell You Will: http://meimei42.livejournal.com/7267.html#cutid1

Everyone was still for a long moment. The men with the guns pointed at them were waiting for Jayne to just hand over Kaylee. That wasn’t going to happen. Jayne knew he needed to put the mechanic down, but he didn’t want to. Didn’t want to let her go now that he’d gotten her back.

"This here is our mechanic, and any sort a debt she owes to you, I’d be happy t’pay if off," Mal said.

"It’s a lot more than you can afford, son. Girl owed us money and she ran. Had to spend all sorts of resources t’fine her. Think it would be easier for all if you just handed her over," the big man said.

"Ain’t gonna happen," Jayne growled.

"She’s sick," Simon tried to interject. "She won’t be much use to you."

"All she’s gotta do is lie there, boy. Now I’m getting mighty impatient. Hand her over." The big man took a step closer to them and tightened his hand on his gun. Jayne slowly leaned down and laid Kaylee on the floor, just inside of the room. He straightened and looked at the big man, taking a few steps into the hallway.

"Step aside and there won’t have t’be any killin’. Killin’ is messy and people start askin’ questions I don’t like t’answer."

"You like killing," came River voice. Simon had pushed her behind him, but she was stepping around him now, staring the big man down. "You dream about it some nights, it makes you glad." The man turned and looked at River, giving Jayne a distraction enough to ready Vera.

"What did you say, girl?" the big man asked.

"She said you liked killin’," Jayne growled, Vera now pointing down at him. "Think she might’ve been talkin’ ‘bout me though. Gotta say I’d sleep well t’night puttin’ a bullet through your brain."

"It’s seven to four, and looking at these two," the big man nodded to Simon and River, "they don’t seem much like fighters. You’re out numbered." He looked nervous at having Vera pointed at him and that made Jayne smile some.

"I blow your head off and that makes our odds a little better," Jayne suggested. The man nearly squeaked at that. He was their leader, probably never planned on getting in a firefight, expected his men to die for him.

"You’ll be dead as soon as you try," the big man licked his lips nervously as he spoke.

"That’s a maybe," Mal shrugged, "there is no maybe ‘bout you being dead. Jayne don’t miss with Vera. Could probably take out one of two o’your men ‘fore you hit the ground, myself. Think that evens out our odds a little. Don’t you?"

The big man licked his lip and looked at Jayne. "You don’t kill me, my boss kills me for not coming back with her. So you best kill me now or hand over the girl." Jayne didn’t think twice before he pulled the trigger. He heard Mal firing his gun as well and saw out of the corner of his eye as Simon pulled River into the room Kaylee was in. Jayne could feel shots whizzing by him, so he dropped to one knee and fired straight at the other men. He was able to use the doorway for some cover.

Jayne counted the men still standing. Four to two. One of those men was shot though. Jayne stood and fired out at them, taking careful shots then ducking behind the doorway. He heard Mal curse in pain and looked over to see the captain dropping to the ground, weapon still raised and shooting. The men suffered from a serious lack of cover and seemed unsure what to do with their boss gone. One of them ran and Jayne was glad for it. He fired a few more rounds, knocking the last guys down before letting out a deep breath,

Simon ran out of the room and to Mal’s side. He examined him quickly them helped the captain stand. "It’s just a flesh wound," Simon announce. "You should be okay. We need go though." River moved slowly to Kaylee’s side and knelt down.

"She’s dreaming—she’s scared. Afraid no one will come for her. Sad too, doesn’t think they should come for her. Misses Jayne." River looked up at the big merc.

"She misses me?" he asked, swallowing thickly. River just stood and left to follow her brother, leaving Jayne alone with Kaylee. He strapped Vera over his back then leaned down and scooped her up in his arms again. She felt good in his arms.

*********************

Kaylee felt callused hands on her face and her first thought was that they had found her. She tried to scream, but a watery cough took over. She felt like to was drowning under water. "Shh, bao bei," a voice coaxed. Kaylee opened her eyes and found a blurred Jayne leaning over her. She nearly burst into tears at seeing him.

"Jayne," she whispered hoarsely from all the coughing.

"Doc said you got pneumonia, gotta take it easy." He brushed her hair out of her face and looked down at her.

"I didn’t think you was gonna be able t’find me," she admitted.

"I’m a tracker, Kaylee girl, finding people is what I do," he said with a chuckle. "We got you back on Serenity now. Everything is gonna be just fine."

"You saved my life," Kaylee said, her eyes watering. "Coulda left me there ‘fore all I done t’this crew and ya came after me anyway."

Jayne leaned down and pressed his lips to her for a moment before pulling back and looked right into her eyes. Her breath was caught in her throat before a cough finally jarred it loose.

"You kiss me," she whispered.

"I did."

"On the mouth…you don’t even like kissin’ on the mouth, Jayne," she said in shock.

"What can I say, you got a pretty mouth," he shrugged.

"So you kissed me?"

"Had t’stop you from thinkin’ you didn’t deserve t’be saved," Jayne shrugged. Kaylee’s eyes twinkled for a moment before she spoke.

"You’ll kiss me if I say it again?" she asked. Jayne shrugged. "I didn’t deserve to be saved," Kaylee said. As if on cue, Jayne leaned down and pressed his mouth to hers again, this kiss a little more intimate than the last. He pulled back and smiled at her.

"Guess I’m gonna have t’keep doin’ that ‘till I have you convinced," he said.