Fandom: Firefly Title: The Color of Luck Author: meimei42 (Dani) 30_angsts Theme(s): 23. Black Rose (~Red Funeral) Pairing/Characters: Jayne/Kaylee Rating: PG-13 Disclaimer/claimer (if needed): Post BDM, I do not own any of it. Character death. Summary: Death ain't lucky Word Count: 606

Author's Note: No beta, so just be warned. ALSO this is for the 30_angsts community and has nothing to do with the other series I am writing.

Red--It was her favorite color and in the Chinese culture it was the color of luck. That was why she had loved it. Not a soul had worn white that day, Kaylee hadn’t wanted that. Before she had gone she had whispered to Inara that white’s the color of mourning, and they should all be happy luck had smiled on them.

The procession of people who wished to say their goodbyes to Serenity’s mechanic all left a rose on her coffin. Each was a unique, brilliant shade of red, all except Jayne’s. There was no luck in death, no happiness he had thought grimly. His rose had been dyed black, it suited his mood. He laid it with the others on the coffin and moved to take a seat in the row of chairs that had been set up for the service.

“Jayne?” Inara’s sweet voice came up behind him.

“Don’t wanna see him, ‘Nara,” the mercenary said gruffly.

“Kaylee wouldn’t want this,” the companion said, moving around in front of him and taking his hand.

“Well Kaylee ain’t here no more so she don’t get a gorram say in what I do now,” he growled. Jayne shook his head, he didn’t want to be talking about this right now. It was Kaylee’s day and Jayne’s last chance to say goodbye to her.

“You don’t mean that, Jayne,” Inara whispered, squeezing his hand tightly.

“I don’t want t’see him,” Jayne reiterated.

“He’s your son,” she shook her head.

“Killed her, ‘Nara,” Jayne bit back.

“He’s a baby, Jayne, he didn’t kill Kaylee. The blood loss did,” she tried to explain. Jayne had heard it a hundred times from Simon already. He didn’t need Inara trying to explain it to him again.

“She lost so much ruttin’ blood because she was givin’ birth t’him. If he never was born she would still be alive now.”

“He’s a baby, Jayne. This is no one’s fault.” Inara let go of his hand and took a seat next to him. “Did Kaylee tell you why she wanted a red funeral?”

“It was lucky was all she said. Didn’t much care why she wanted it though, we had more important things t’talk ‘bout at the time. Didn’t want her wastin’ her energy on trying t’explain something to a dumb ox like me,” Jayne sighed.

“Red is the chinese color of luck,” she started to explain.

“I said that, ‘Nara,” he cut her off.

“Let me finish. Red is the color of luck and before she died she told me that Simon had told her that her baby was too small. He shouldn’t have made it through the birth. It was only luck that got him through. She told me that even if she didn’t make it, it was still lucky her son did.”

“Ain’t nothin’ lucky ‘bout death,” Jayne whispered.

“Kaylee thought so,” Inara said softly. There was a pause before she spoke again. “You still haven’t named him.”

“Kaylee wanted t’name him after her pa, and I though we should name him after my mother’s pa. We never decided. Davis is a good name though…that was Kaylee’s daddy’s name. Boy does need a name. Guess I’ll name him that, since Kaylee wanted it and all.” Jayne sighed.

“Davis is a good name,” Inara agreed. “Will you see him, Jayne?”

“Does he look like her?” Jayne asked after a moment of thought.

“A little…he looks like you too though,” she smiled. Jayne nodded and stood up.

“Where is he?”

“Mal has him, come on, let’s go see your son,” Inara stood and took Jayne’s arm as she led him away.