Title: What The Captain Doesn’t Know Won’t Hurt Him Prompt # 5: Introspection Author: squish Pairing: Jayne/Kaylee Rating: G Word Count: 1068 Note: Joint project by myself and bookaddict. Thanks to reenie for the idea for Mal's scene!

***

The halls of Serenity were usually quiet in the evening hours. With dinner over and the day winding down, the crew normally drifted into their own personal routines, sometimes gathering for games or conversation in the common area.

On this evening, most of the crew had returned to their quarters or to jobs unfinished. Kaylee popped her head out of her bunk, peering down the corridor to see if anyone was on the bridge. She could see the captain sitting in the pilot’s chair. She knew he liked to take the evening shift; he said it was for captainy reasons, but she really thought it was to give Zoe and Wash some time together.

Kaylee could tell that his attention was on the readout screens, so she climbed quietly out of her bunk and checked the other end of the corridor to make sure no one else would see her. She tiptoed across the hall and entered the code to unlock Jayne’s bunk. She wanted to visit with Misty before going to bed and if she knocked, it would just alert the captain.

The door hissed open and she quickly climbed down the ladder, concentrating on closing it quietly once she was inside. As she looked around the room, a slow smile spread over her face. Jayne was stretched out on his bed, still in his clothes, but clearly asleep. Misty was curled up on his chest, looking happily up at her. Or at least she looked happy to Kaylee.

Walking over to the bunk, she reached out a hand to scratch the kitten’s head. “You helpin’ Jayne take a nap, sweetie?” The kitten yawned and stretched and Kaylee took that as a yes.

Kaylee leaned over and reached for Jayne’s shoulder, shaking him gently. “Jayne, wake up.”

Jayne stretched, startling Misty and causing her to scamper off his chest. He grumbled something and Kaylee could see that he was still asleep, probably dreaming. She was trying to decide whether or not to leave when he reached up and took her by the arms, pulling her down to him.

She thought she shouldn’t have been surprised at how strong he was, even in his sleep. His arms surrounded her and for a just a second, Kaylee melted into him. It felt so good to just be held by someone and it had been a long time since she’d had that. She’d pretty much given up on Simon, he weren’t ever gonna be able to break through his proper rules to be with her. She knew that Jayne was just dreaming and that it wasn’t right to let him hold her, even if it was for just a few seconds. Buddha only knows who he’s dreaming about. It amused her slightly to think about it.

She began to pull away from him, but his embrace only tightened. He mumbled something into her hair. For some reason she couldn’t explain, she needed to know what he’d said.

“Jayne?” she whispered.

He shifted her body to cradle her at his side. “Kaylee,” he mumbled again.

Kaylee’s eyes went wide and she pushed up to look at his face. He was still very much asleep. She felt a slight panic rising in her belly. Torn between racing out of his bunk and not wanting to wake him, she tried to slip out of his arms. She sighed in relief when he finally let her go.

***

Aaachoo!

The sound reverberated throughout the corridors.

Aaaaachoo!

“Captain? Are you feeling alright?” Shepherd Book stepped onto the bridge, having followed the sounds from the kitchen.

The captain turned in the chair towards him, his eyes red and watery. “I’m fine, Shepherd, just got some sort of bug. Don’t go tellin’ the doc, though, don’t need to set him to fussin’.” Mal shot him a rather miserable grin.

Book nodded understandingly. “I wonder, Captain, have you been to see Kaylee in the engine room lately?”

“Was down there just a little bit ago, in fact. Why? ‘S’there somethin’ wrong?”

“No, no, Captain. I was just wondering if you’d seen her.” With his suspicions confirmed, Book thought it wise to shift the conversation. After all, he had no desire to see the smugglers caught before they could fulfill their mission.

“Think she’s turned in for the night, Shepherd.” Mal said before another sneeze overtook him.

“You may want to reflect further on your decision to see the doctor, Captain.” Book said before turning to make his way off the bridge.

Mal turned back to the ship’s sensors, “Think I’ll pass, Shepherd, but thanks.”

Aaachooo!

***

Kaylee sat on her bed, hands clasped around her knees, rocking back and forth fretfully. She had some things to think about. The last few months on Serenity, she had practically thrown herself at Simon only to be rejected again and again. He never meant to hurt her, and she thought underneath it all he did like her some, but he was too stiff and proper. And when she let herself think about it, he had too many pressures tryin’ to take care of River and that bounty on their heads to worry about romance.

In all that time, she’d never thought much about Jayne. Well, beyond the times when she and ‘Nara would sit on the catwalk talking and secretly watching him workout below. Girls had to gossip ‘bout something and he never disappointed in showin’ off his muscles.

But him grabbing hold of her didn’t really mean anything…did it? Surely he was just dreamin’ and he’d said her name. It didn’t mean a thing, it couldn’t. Jayne wasn’t exactly known for bein’ subtle about women and such, so if he’d been thinking about her at all, she’d have known it.

She pushed the encounter out of her mind, telling herself if she thought about it too much, she’d end up being nervous around Jayne—and that would just be silly. Instead she began to think about some of the things he’d said about home; or rather what he hadn’t said. She decided she was gonna get Jayne Cobb to open up some if it was the last thing she did.

***

Mal’s eyes drifted closed even as he fought his drowsiness, head falling forward and chin practically resting on his chest. He didn’t see the small ship approaching through the black to take up a shadowing position behind Serenity.

***