Title: Looking for Love in all the Wrong Places Series Title: Love … Author: Humbug Rating: PG13 Fandom: Firefly Word Count: 1074 Summary: Jayne and River and Maggie Warning: Full of Jayne goodness. Beware if you don’t enjoy non-canon pairings. Disclaimer: Joss is Boss. I’m just borrowing his characters for fun!!

Authors note: Thanks to bookaddict for beta-ing.

And troy_gal - Thanks to for the plot bunny. This fanfics for you!

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mei li = beautiful sha gua = foolish / idiot mei-mei = little sister

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Looking for Love in all the Wrong Places

Jayne watched Maggie help Kaylee with the washing up. They were chattin’ together like they’d known each other their whole lives. He always wondered how women were able ta open up like that round strangers. His sisters were exactly the same.

River sidled up beside him. “She needs some help.”

“Wha’d’ya want help with, Crazy girl?” Jayne growled, not taking his eyes off Maggie.

River retreated, her eyes filling with tears. Ever since their guests had arrived on Serenity, Jayne had his eyes fixed on Maggie. Her figure was more womanly, and River knew he admired her, letting his eyes linger on her shapely curves.

He never noticed River any more, never called her his River girl. They had been getting closer, flirting and teasing and once he kissed her River knew that she would never want any other man. However, always at the front of his mind was the Shepherd’s warning, something about ‘too young’ and ‘special hell’, and Jayne would pull back from her before their intimacies went ‘too far’.

Truth be told, she didn’t understand why he thought being with her was somehow wrong. She loved him and he loved her, or so she had thought, until Maggie arrived.

And at the party tomorrow, Maggie would be the belle of the ball in that striking red dress and Jayne wouldn’t even notice River.

She watched helplessly as Jayne flirted with Kaylee and Maggie. Kaylee was used to his manner, but Maggie’s face was glowing in his attention.

Tom was busy chatting with Inara, intent to know more about the life of this Companion in the black.

Maggie glanced over at Tom, seeing him flirting with Inara. Tears began to well up, but she blinked them back. What had she done? Why was he no longer interested in her? The beautiful Companion was taking all of his attention.

“Are ya okay, Maggie?” Kaylee asked, her voice full of concern.

“I’m fine,” she tried joking it off, “My fiancé often chooses to spend his time with the most beautiful woman in the room.”

“But that should be you, not a woman he hardly knows. You’re engaged. He shouldn’t be able to take his eyes off of you.”

“Shoulda, woulda, coulda,” she answered with regret in her voice.

Jayne noticed her unhappiness at Tom’s attentions to Inara, so he decided to try and cheer her up. “Ladies,” Jayne flirted, “D’ya need some air? ‘Cause I got a spare arm each if ya want ta do me the honour of accompanyin’ me on a little evenin’ stroll?”

Kaylee and Maggie grinned at one another, each grabbing one arm. “We’d love to, kind Sir.”

Jayne grinned, he had two beautiful women on his arms. If only he could get Maggie off his mind. He hadn’t been able to stop thinking about her since she came aboard Serenity. She was nigh perfect, as far as he could tell. She was mei li, clever, witty, flirtatious and an amazing cook. She had all the qualities he looked for in a woman. The only thing was, she was engaged. But that didn’t seem to be such a problem, she was unhappy. Her sha gua fiancé was ignoring her to flirt with Inara. Maybe he could tempt her away.

Unseen by the three of them, River ran sobbing from the room.

“Simon, I think we need ta have a little talk. I though ya said yer sister was gettin’ better?”

“She was, but her medications can have unforeseen side effects. There’s nothing her system cannot eventually break down.”

“’Kay, I’m gonna need that in Captain dummy talk…”

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Simon knocked gently on River’s door, “River, mei-mei, are you alright?”

He could hear her sobbing, “G-g-g-g-go away, S-S-S-imon!”

“What’s wrong, mei-mei?”

“Can’t talk about it.”

Simon pushed the door open and peeked inside. “Can you tell me how you’re feeling?”

“N-n-n-no!”

“Would you like to talk to someone else?”

River looked up, her face stained with tears. “Wh-wh-wh-who?”

“Kaylee?”

She shook her head.

“Inara?”

River nodded, “She could talk to Inara.”

Simon sat on the bed nest to her and stroked her hair. “Do you want to go to her, or shall I ask Inara to come here?”

A watery smile spread across River’s face. “Inara come here.”

“Alright, mei-mei, just wait here,” he kissed his sister on her forehead.

************************* “River, mei-mei?”

River opened her door to let Inara in.

Inara ran her hand across the girl’s cheek, “Simon said you wanted to talk.”

River nodded, tears welling up in her eyes again.

“Oh, mei-mei,” Inara wrapped her arms around her friend and sat down with her on the bunk. She rubbed her hand up and down River’s back.

Inara lifted her chin, brushed the hair away from her face and asked, “River, mei-mei, what’s wrong?”

“The bear doesn’t notice the princess any more,” she whispered.

Inara could see it would take some time to understand what River was meaning, so she settled back and said, “Tell me more.”

River looked up with tears in her eyes. “The Queen has come along and captured the bear, so now he doesn’t see the princess, and she is very lonely.” The tears streamed down her face.

Inara held the sobbing girl and stroked her hair, “Shhh, mei-mei, it’s alright, I’m here. I won’t leave you.”

When River stopped crying, Inara began to brush her hair. “You know you have very beautiful hair.”

River looked up, “You think she is beautiful?”

“I do. You’re very beautiful, and men will think you are very beautiful too.”

“Not Jayne. Jayne has stopped wanting her. She wants him to kiss her again. She wants him to hold her and touch her like before. But now he only wants Maggie, even though she is promised to another.”

“Oh, I see.” Inara hesitated for a moment, then said, “River, you know that Jayne is much older than you.”

She nodded, “Different but a perfect match.”

Inara sighed, “The first time you fall in love is the most amazing feeling.”

“All chills and trembles, kisses and sighs,” River smiled.

“And then that love finishes, it feels like your world had fallen apart.”

“All hurt in the dark and voices screaming.” River trembled with the pain of the emotions she was feeling. She put her hands over her ears and closed her eyes, “Make them stop!”

“Shhhh, River,” Inara ran her hand over her hair and down her back until she calmed.

************************* To be continued