Title: Don’t Turn Around Pairing: Jayne/Kaylee Prompt: Freedom For: Reenie Rating: R Summary: a few men pay Jayne a surprise visit Word Count: 1811 Warning: Character death

Author’s Note: This story was like to gorram energizer bunnie, it just kept going and going. Sad, so don't read if you don't like sad stories. Prequel to 'Welcome Back' (link on side bar)

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“Jayne you didn’t have t’come. Way you’ve been whining you’d think I’d have asked you ‘stead of the other way around,” Kaylee said, her arms swinging lazily to her side as she walked. Jayne just grunted and kept walking. She sighed and held her hand over her swollen stomach, rubbing it when she felt a soft kick inside of her. “You’re grumpy t’day.”

“I’m grumpy every day,” Jayne snorted.

“Jayne, just go back t’the ship. I’m fine,” she sighed out.

“You’re seven month pregnant and who knows what the hell you’ll be coming back from that junkyard with, may need an extra hand to carry it in your condition,” Jayne shrugged. Kaylee sighed, giving up and resigning herself to Jayne’s foul mood. It wasn’t that she didn’t enjoy his company, but last week or so Jayne had been borderline unbearable with how ornery he was being. And she was emotional and moody enough as it was. Jayne’s foul temper wasn’t helping anything.

“Wanna feel the baby kick?”

“No,” he shook his head.

“Jayne!”

“It’s weird,” he said defensively.

“Big baby,” Kaylee rolled her eyes.

“I ain’t a gorram baby,” Jayne growled.

“You’re gonna have t’knock that language out when the he comes you know,” Kaylee pointed out, patting her stomached lightly. It was probably not the wisest thing to do, tell Jayne he couldn’t curse no more when the baby came. Man was agitated enough as it was.

“Gorramit woman, why do babies gotta be so ruttin’ complicated?” he grumbled.

“No one is making you do this, Jayne,” Kaylee said, her emotions getting the better of her. “Lots of babies get brought up with no daddies, just say the word and I will do this on my own.” Jayne stopped walking and grabbed her arm, stopping her from walking to.

“Kaylee…”

“I’m serious, Jayne. Seems like maybe you’ve been havin’ second thoughts ‘bout this whole thing. You’ve been sour as a lemon the last week or two an’ I don’t know if it’s somethin’ I did or if you’re just runnin’ scared. Either way you need t’figure this thing out and decide what it is you want to do.” Kaylee crossed her arms over her swollen stomach and looked up at him.

“I want this baby, Kaylee girl. Just weird is all, realizing that in a few month I won’t be havin’ freedom no more. Babies take that sort of thing away,” Jayne sighed. “Come on, let’s get to that junkyard of yours.”

“Jayne wait,” Kaylee said, stopping him before he could start walking again. “”S’okay t’be scared ya know.”

“I didn’t say I was scared,” Jayne grunted.

“’Course not,” Kaylee smiled. “Give me you’re hand, Jayne.” She took it before he could protest. Since the first time he had seen the baby kick he had not wanted to feel her stomach, thought it was creepifying the way you could see it kicking through the skin like that.

“Gorramit Kaylee,” Jayne groaned. Kaylee ignored him, lifting her shirt some and placing his hand on the bare skin of her stomach. They waited for a moment, both completely silent. “We done yet?” Jayne asked.

“Wait for it,” Kaylee breathed out. There was a beat and then the flutter in her stomach as the baby moved, his feet kicking her stomach. The way Jayne’s eyes went wide made Kaylee giggle. When the baby kicked again, Jayne placed both hands on her stomach, his fingers spanning across her taut skin.

“That’s…” his voice trailed off.

“I know,” Kaylee smiled. She reached and took his hands into hers. “Come on, let’s get them parts we need.” Jayne nodded and opening his mouth to say something, stopping suddenly, his mouth just slightly agape. “Jayne?”

Kaylee heard the shot before Jayne grabbed her, pulling her to the ground. The bullet narrowly whizzed by her, embedding itself in a building a few yards away. Jayne straightened, pulling Kaylee to her feet and took off running, dragging her behind him as more shots fired out.

“There he goes!” a voice behind them shouted.

“Get rid of the girl, I want Cobb alive, if ya can!” a second ordered.

“Jayne!?” Kaylee yelled. He didn’t say anything, just pulled her around the corner of a building, taking cover from the stream of gun fire that was following them. “Jayne who are those men?”

Jayne looked hesitant to answer; he licked his lips and peeked around the corner of the building quickly. Finally he turned back to Kaylee and spoke. “Bad men, that’s all you need t’know. When I tell ya to, I want you t’run. They won’t follow you ‘cause you ain’t the one they want. You run and you don’t turn back, not matter what you hear, dong ma?”

“Jayne…”

“Gorramit Kaylee for once just listen to me and don’t ask questions. If you can’t do this for me or for you, then do it for the baby. You run and you don’t look back. I see you looking back and I will make sure Mal don’t let you near that engine room, save an emergency, until that baby is born,” Jayne said, no nonsense in his tone.

“What’re you gonna do?” Kaylee asked, swallowing thickly.

“I’m gonna draw ‘em away from you. Give you some time t’run. Have Wash start the ship up, I’ll be right behind you. Can you do that?” Kaylee could hear the men drawing closer. She nodded her head and wrapped her arms around his neck quickly in an embrace.

“I’m scared,” she whispered.

“You’ll be fine,” he reassure.

“I’m scared for you,” she restated.

“I’m the hired gun here, Kaylee girl. Anyone can make it out of this scrape it’ll be me,” he said. Jayne cupped the back of her neck and brought his mouth down hers and a deep but too brief kiss. He pulled back and looked around the corner of the building they were hiding behind, assessing where everyone was before finally looking at Kaylee. “When I tell you to, you run. Don’t look back, just run.”

“I love you, Jayne,” she whispered. He paused, leaning forward and pressing his lips to his forehead.

“Love you too, Kaylee girl. Just do as I said, dong ma?” he said, his eyes holding hers.

“Okay,” she said quietly. Jayne reloaded Bessie and took a deep breath. He leaned around the side of the wall and began to fire.

“Run!” he shouted. Kaylee did as she was told, taking off towards the ship. She could hear the rapid gun fire behind her, but she didn’t turn around. It was hard to sprint in her condition, but she pushed herself as hard as she could, holding her stomach with one hand.

“Kill the girl!” one of the men shouted. Kaylee flinched, waiting for the gunfire to come at her but kept running. She felt a bullet whiz by her left, inches from her head. Her heart raced and she wished she could close her eyes and make it all go away.

“Cobb’s running that way!” another voice yelled.

“Chùsheng xai-jiao de xiang huo!” Kaylee heard Jayne curse. She knew she shouldn’t turn around, but she couldn’t stop herself. Kaylee came to a halt and spun back around to see Jayne breaking cover and running in the opposite direction of Serenity. What the hell was he doing? He must have been trying to get those men to stop paying attention to her. The men followed after him, doing exactly what Jayne had wanted them to do. Kaylee’s hands flew up her to mouth in horror as she saw Jayne drop to the ground, a shot ripping through his leg. A whole group of them gained on him and Kaylee watched in frozen terror as they finally caught up to her mercenary. Jayne raised his gun up from where he had landed on the ground and fired at them. His’s eyes met hers for a moment and she could see him curse.

“Run!” Jayne shouted.

Kaylee was rooted to the ground though. It wasn’t until the bullet from one of those guns entered his skull and his body fell lax to the ground that Kaylee was able to move again. The men turned their attention back to her but she spun on her heel making for Serenity as fast as her swollen feet would take her. Tears stung her eyes making it hard to see anything. Serenity was just up ahead, her sanctuary was awaiting her.

“Told you idjits not t’kill him!” a man growled. “Forget the girl. Let’s get the gorram hell out of here!” The footsteps died off as she reached the ramp to the ship, but she didn’t stop running. She blew by Wash who was unloading crates, and then by Zoe who gave her a confused look. Kaylee didn’t stop running until she reached the infirmary, finding Simon there just like she thought she would.

“They shot him!” she sobbed out, using the doorway to hold herself up as she came to an abrupt halt. Simon turned, obviously startled by her interruption and looked at her.

“Shot who?” he asked cautiously. “Kaylee, what’s going on?”

Tears choked her throat and for a moment she couldn’t speak. She swallowed it down and forced the words she needed to say out. “Jayne. He got shot up. You gotta come.” Simon didn’t hesitate; he grabbed his bag and took her hand.

“Take me to him,” he said. Kaylee nodded and took off running, Simon easily keeping pace with her. When she ran back through the cargo bay, towing Simon with her this time, Zoe and Wash both paused and then followed. Kaylee dragged the doctor to where she had seen Jayne fall. When she spotted his body close up, she turned away horrified. The urge to throw up was almost overwhelming. Simon let go of her arm and dropped down beside the mercenary. There was nothing he could do, the gaping bullet hole in his head saw to that.

“He’s dead,” Simon shook his head.

“Can’t be dead. You gotta make him undead,” Kaylee ordered, unable to look at Jayne’s body.

“He’s been shot through the head,” Simon said softly. Zoe stopped silently behind them, Wash a few moments after.

“Tianna,” Wash mumbled, standing next to him wife.

“Get the captain,” Zoe said, squeezing Wash’s hand. The pilot nodded and took off back towards Serenity.

“Fix him….you gotta fix him, Simon,” Kaylee shook her head. Zoe moved to her side, wrapping an arm around her shoulder and pulling her away from the scene.

“Are you hurt, Kaylee?” she asked.

“I’m fine,” Kaylee growled. “Jayne’s hurt.”

“Let’s get you back to the ship,” Zoe said evenly.

“But Jayne…”

“Let Simon take care of Jayne,” the first mate interrupted, steering Kaylee back towards Serenity. Kaylee opened her mouth to protest but no words formed. She finally nodded and let Zoe lead her away.