Previous parts can be found here:

Part 1

Part 2

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Part 3

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By the time dinner rolled around, the ship was eerily quiet. On his way from the bridge, Mal ran into Jayne climbing up from his bunk. Behind the Captain stood a smiling River, whom Jayne simply grunted at before disappearing into his bunk again.

Mal cocked an eyebrow at his pilot.

“Don’t ask, Captain. You don’t want to know.”

“I’m thinkin’ you’re right about that, lil’ albatross.”

As they made it into the galley, Mal stared at the boxes that still had yet to be unpacked sitting on the counter. He frowned at River who simply shrugged.

“They got distracted.”

“Again?” Mal grumbled. “I swear if I didn’t need ‘em both I’d toss ‘em in the airlock and let them get all this out of their systems –“

“Wouldn’t stop them.” River moved into the kitchen and started opening boxes.

“ – with Jayne leering through the window.”

River cocked her head and considered telling Mal that Jayne had already gotten more than an eye full, but she decided she’d save that for later. “Probably still wouldn’t stop them. They’d find a way to hide all the parts.”

“Yea, new love an all that go se,” Mal muttered and leaned on the counter. “This is their work. You don’t have to –“

“Simon already owes me. I’ll add this to his rapidly growing list.”

Mal raised a curious eyebrow.

“You don’t want to know about that either.”

Mal rolled his eyes and resisted the urge to march down to the passenger dorms and disturb the happy couple.

“They’re just basking in the afterglow, you can go disturb them.” River said with a wide smile, hoping the captain would do just that. They weren’t done, but Mal didn’t need to know that.

“I know I’ve always said that I want to know everything that happens on my boat but on account of this particular unsettlin’ subject, I might just want to make an exception.”

“Oh, go get them. I know you want to.” River smiled sweetly, and then returned to her unpacking.

Mal narrowed his eyes and stalked off toward the passenger dorms. River stopped what she was doing and simply waited, a devious smile spreading across her face.

~*~

Kaylee groaned loud and long into Simon’s neck as he rolled his hips against her, dragging out every last ounce of release from her body. She tugged at his damp hair, urging him to follow, knowing he was close simply by the urgent snapping of his hips against hers.

She was sure this time would render her unable to walk but it didn’t matter. All that mattered was the exquisite feel of this man leaning over her, kissing her with reckless abandon and piercing her so deeply, she felt lightheaded.

When his mouth covered hers, she held him tightly, wrapping her limbs around his and urging him to let go. When he tensed above her and cried out against her lips, she moaned happily. Her body tingled with each slowing stroke of his hips and she panted breathlessly against his neck when he dropped his head to the pillow.

Slowly, coherent thought returned and Simon lifted his head from her neck to place a slow, gentle kiss to her lips.

Kaylee moaned in response, unable to form another word. She simply lay there beneath him, enjoying the feel of his weight pressing her into the mattress and his mouth on her skin.

“That was –“ Simon breathed, lifting his head slowly to look into her drooping eyes.

“Amazin’,” she smiled, shifting slightly and moaning pleasantly when she felt him move within her.

He pressed his mouth to her cheek and closed his eyes, even that slight movement causing small tremors to burn through his body.

“Feels good, sweetie.” Kaylee tightened her arms around him and snuggled close, feeling an exhausted, sated sleep encroach upon her consciousness. “Don’t stop on my account.”

“You feel good, Kay –“

But Simon’s words were cut off when a loud knocking sounded from outside the door.

~*~

River giggled when she heard Mal’s startled and annoyed voice echo into the galley. Oh, the laughs she would have at her brother’s expense. She smiled happily as Jayne stalked into the room and immediately growled at her before turning around and walking out. Oh, yes, she wasn’t sure who she would enjoy torturing more; her too-uptight-for-his-own-good brother, the manly mercenary who thought only about his weaponry and women, or the Captain who was more sexually frustrated than her brother on his worst day.

All were bound to give her limitless hours of fun and excitement.

~*~

Dinner was a subdued affair. Only Inara and Kaylee seemed to have any interest in talking. The men, all of them, were curiously silent, unless specifically addressed and Zoe had eaten quickly in silence and then left the table.

River carefully paid attention to when everyone was finished eating; they should be grateful she’d saved what she had to say until the end of the meal – but she was doubtful they would see it that way. When she deemed it an appropriate time, she carefully set down her chopsticks and smiled at her brother.

“Simon?”

It took a moment for Simon to respond, as he was busy watching Kaylee out of the corner of his eye, and glanced over at his sister. “Yes, River?”

She cocked her head and forced herself not to smile too widely. “What are you doing to make Kaylee scream so loud?”

What little conversation going on at the table came to a screeching halt.

Simon’s mouth hung open and it was hard not to notice the flush creeping up his neck, though he tried to hide it by sinking further into his chair.

Jayne laughed out loud and slapped the table with the palm of his hand, ignoring the glare’s Mal sent in his direction.

“That is not an appropriate topic for the dinner table, River,” Simon finally said when he was able to find his voice.

River glanced around at the empty bowls. “Almost done. Dinner’s over.”

Inara bit her lip and tried to hide her smile and even Kaylee was amused by the question, though by the flush tinting her cheeks everyone could tell she was embarrassed about having been heard in the throws of passion.

“River.” Simon’s voice deepened and took on a warning tone none of them had ever heard before.

“Owe me, Simon.” River crossed her arms and leveled a stern gaze at him.

Simon raised a curious eyebrow. “How so?”

“Stopped Jayne from spying on you and Kaylee.”

Jayne’s laughter immediately stopped as he looked around the table at the incredulous looks on the faces of every single member of the crew. He stood quickly, fully intending to run for the safety of his bunk if this turned nasty. “Thought lil’ Kaylee needed recuin’!”

River cocked her head and smiled smugly at him. “That’s a lie. You wanted to see.”

Simon glared at Jayne, sarcasm dripping off his tongue with every word. “Yes. She needed rescuing from my bunk. I’m a horrible, vicious murderer intent on doing Kaylee all manner of harm.” He reached out and lifted Kaylee’s smooth, undamaged arm. “See, look at this. All of the bruises. I should be ashamed of myself.”

Mal closed his eyes and sighed, not sure which of their lives he was going to end first.

“She does have a bruise on her neck.” River pointed to the blemish with a smile as Kaylee’s fingers brushed over the spot Simon had left just this afternoon. “And then there is the one on her –“

“River!” Mal and Simon cried together.

River closed her mouth and sat demurely in her seat until her brother turned his full attention on her.

“We need to talk about boundaries and –“

“Didn’t mean to watch. Not my fault you did it in the engine room where I could see.”

Kaylee slid her arm out from beneath his now slack hand and curled her fingers around it.

“You –“ Simon’s shock caused even Mal to bite back an annoyed laugh. “You – watched –“ Simon took a deep breath, still careful not to look at anyone else at the table. “River, that was wrong.”

“No. Unexpected. What Jayne did was premeditated.”

Every eye turned toward the still very quiet mercenary.

“I think – “ Simon leveled the most series look any of them had ever seen at Jayne. “The next time I have you on my table, you just might not be so safe.”

“No shootin’ members of my crew, doc.” Mal said quickly but tossed a deep frown at Jayne. “Even if they are deservin’ of it.”

“Oh, never, Captain.” Simon shot Jayne a satisfied grin. “There are more than enough people to shoot at him. No,” he cocked his head and a small, calculating smile spread across his face, “my retaliation won’t be of the permanent kind but he will be guaranteed to remember it for the rest of his life.”

Mal had to force himself not to smile at that remark, and Jayne’s reaction to it. Boy really was the wrong sort to piss off. Perhaps he would re-think ordering all sexual activities to be confined to their bunks.

“Also,” River smiled a bit crazily at Jayne. “Don’t forget. I can still kill you with my brain.”

And after witnessing what she’d done to a room full of Reavers, no one at the table disbelieved her.

END

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