LABYRINTH

All you women who want a man of the street But you don't know which way you wanna turn Just keep a coming and put your hand out to me 'Cause I'm the one who's gonna make you burn

I'm gonna take you down - down, down, down So don't you fool around I'm gonna pull it, pull it, pull the trigger I'm like evil, I get under your skin Just like a bomb that's ready to blow 'Cause I'm illegal, I got everything That all you women might need to know

I'm gonna take you down - yeah, down, down, down So don't you fool around I'm gonna pull it, pull it, pull the trigger

Shoot to thrill, play to kill Too many women with too many pills Shoot to thrill, play to kill I got my gun at the ready, gonna fire at will 'Cause I shoot to thrill, and I'm ready to kill I can't get enough, I can't get the thrill I shoot to thrill, play to kill Yeah, pull the trigger I'm gonna shoot to thrill Play to kill Shoot to thrill

Shoot to thrill – AC/DC [This song is SO Jayne. Would love to see it as a music 'video' some time!] * Serenity, travelling to Boros * Since dealing with a significant number of the White Lotus Triad on Ariel and busting the organisation wide open, things had definitely looked up for 'Serenity' and her crew. They'd received a nice hefty reward, for a start. Commander Grayson, being no-one's fool, had realised it was Serenity and crew who had also dealt with the fake Alliance ship in the black near Venice and Beltane. The ballistics on board the ship had matched up with their guns in any case, so the reward for that was theirs, with a cut going to Cliff on Beltane for his help. * Jayne had practically drooled over the reward for that latter 'job'. He still had some of the stash of jewels he'd 'liberated' from the safe on Sihnon *and half the gold credits from accidentally finding and keeping Ping Han's baby son safe. He'd given his parents half the gold straight off, then spent quite a few coin on weapons' upgrades and bullets for himself. He'd even had the thought to buy Vera some blue lace and silk which she'd made into a romantic and 'verse-stopping dress with help from his Ma and that had led to him and Vera finding themselves handfasted. Still, by his own standards, Jayne was practically wealthy. A wealthy Jayne equalled a happy Jayne. And a Jayne who was getting sexed up on a daily basis was as close to contented as made no mind. Plus, along the way he and Vera had realised they were head over heels in love with each other – something Jayne previously had intricate plans not to do – strangely, now he was more than neck deep in it, if felt the rightest and best thing that'd ever happened to him. * Mal was deeply contented with a whole slice of uneasy going on underneath. It seemed that every time things got real comfortable, the 'verse threw a curve ball. The thanks for delivering Ping Han's baby had turned into the White Triad kidnapping Vera and Jayne as an act of revenge. The carefully planned and executed rescue mission had been pretty successful, apart from losing Jasmine, who'd just got it on a few days before with Hori, and Mal getting a case of bust leg due to a pesky bullet finding the bone and doing nasty explosive things to it. He didn't much care about having to mend the leg, as the pain was taken away by Inara sharing his bed every night. She'd ditched being a Companion on account of the medicine she took turning out to be rutting evil and because she wanted him more. He wondered if he was going to get tired of showing her, sometimes several times a day, how much that meant to him. And him with a leg in plaster too, so sexual positions had been somewhat inventive. * Hori was flying Serenity with River most of the time. As well as steer the ship, he was both silently and verbally teaching her, healing her and helping her talents flower. He'd kept the eye-patch over where his left eye had been. It reminded him constantly of how he'd sacrificed it trying to save Jasmine and killing the bastard who'd got her with a poisoned throwing star. Simon had promised him a prosthetic eye in due course, but Hori knew he'd keep the patch even then. * Hori was sitting with Vera at the table in the galley late one night. Jayne and Mal were late back from a brief hunting expedition for fresh meat on some dirt moon along the way. Hori finished his beer and went to get another. Vera was starting to make bread for the next day. Vera looked at him, “We all miss Jasmine.” He sighed, “Yeah. Remembering how it started. There was this petite, gorgeous Oriental warrior woman standing naked in my bunk and offering me a freebie. Or two.” A slow smile crossed his face, “And if a woman's interested, I never turn them down, eh. I'm big, muscly and kinda ugly, so I don't get as much as I'd like. Never even *thought of seeking her out when she was on Venice. I prefer them willing without money.” “You've got the whole Maori warrior thing going on. And very long, black hair. That can be an attraction.” His smile widened, “I know. Apparently it was my size and the hair for her, to start with. Minute I kissed her, I knew, deep down inside. We were soulmates. Blind-sided me; both of us. And the loving...” “Good, huh?” “Made the 'verse move and the angels weep.” Vera smiled back, “Know that one myself.” Hori nodded upwards, “Jayne's treating you right, then?” “More than just right, Hori. Not sure if we're soulmates or anything, but we find it very difficult to keep our hands off each other. And we love each other. That'll do.” “And you got handfasted.” Vera nodded, “Which we weren't exactly looking for, but it led to us both saying those three little words.” Hori emptied his new can of beer, “Said those words to Jasmine the first night. We didn't have long, just a handful of days, but we loved enough for a lifetime, trust me.” His mouth curved into a wide grin, “Didn't get much sleep, we were too busy making the sweetest love I've ever known.” He looked into the distance, “Going to stay faithful to her as well. She breathed her spirit into me at the last, so she'll never leave. Every night, soon as I close my eyes, it's like she's really there, touching me, caressing me, loving me.” “Wow.” “Indeed. We're bound together for eternity. I told her to take the canoe, that I'd find her on the other side; instead she breathed her soul into me in the deepest hongi I've ever known and now I've got an insatiable ghost lover with me every second for the rest of my life.” Vera respected Hori's spiritual values and experience even if she didn't share them. Even if Hori was only kidding himself, she was happy for him. Then Mal and Jayne stomped in, covered in thin snow, with a brace of game birds and a couple of coneys, so all four pairs of hands were needed to prepare the meat and set the birds cooking for the next meal. After that, Mal and Hori locked up and everyone went to bed for a good sleep before the next hop. * Vera was up early the next morning, finishing making some bread. She'd left the dough to rise last night, now it was ready for cooking. Inara drifted in bleary-eyed and lent a hand. “Inara, are you okay?” She smiled, “Not getting much sleep.” “Ah.” The one syllable spoke volumes. Inara's smile widened as she yawned and prepared a huge pot of coffee for everyone, “Sweet man's practically insatiable.” Vera's smile widened, “I know *that song, it's why we're often late for meals!” Inara chuckled softly, “I'd guessed. I think everyone has guessed, actually. Surprised you're not...busy at the moment.” “Left Jayne temporarily sated, snatched a very quick shower and slipped down here before he'd noticed I'd gone.” “Vera?” Jayne wandered in, hair in a mess, a night's growth of stubble on his cheeks, pants decently buttoned, but still pulling his tee shirt over his chest. She smiled at him, “Getting food ready, wan nao!” * He brushed her shoulder gently as he sat down, mouth curving into an eager grin, “Food!” Vera pulled a good handful or two of dough off the lump before she set it in the oven and adapted to making some drop scones to help fill the hole of hunger sooner. Inara set a mug of coffee in front of Jayne and Vera followed that after a few minutes with a couple of drop scones. Jayne tucked in eagerly, grinning around his food. Zoe was next, with little Sarah in a sling around her waist. She took a drop scone and gave it to Sarah, who used very new baby teeth to good effect. Quite a bit of scone got used as shampoo and clothes' decoration, but most ended up inside Sarah. Hori came in and started frying bacon cut from the side they'd acquired some time ago. The smell of bacon cooking brought everyone else to the table in various states of dress or nightclothes. By the time everyone was settled and had at least a mug of coffee, bacon and a scone or two inside them, the bread was just about done. Kaylee found the big jar of strawberry jam and everyone wanted a slice or two of freshly cooked bread to go with it. It was, by Serenity's standards, a feast. * Mal looked at Hori, “Will we get to Boros today?” “Should do, eh. Going near to full burn, we'll get there around nightfall. Ping Han's place is on a huge island, which he owns outright. He's got a big house with parkland and a farm. He's even installed a small town on the coast for his workers, complete with shops and stuff. There's more than enough to keep us active and occupied for a week or two, eh.” Simon nodded, “As the medic around here, your leg is going to take at least two weeks to fully knit to the point where you can take the cast off. Then you're probably going to have to exercise it carefully for a while. I picked up a special support bandage and some other things on Ariel, just in case. Took a look at your surgeon's notes as well, if you recall. There's a couple of titanium plates in that leg of yours holding everything together, plus a huge dollop of medical cement. Pretty fancy stuff that, really speeds the healing of broken bones.” “I got me some of that on my ribs.” “I know, Jayne. And Vera has some around her cheekbone. Smaller bones are less of a problem, though your ribs are stretching all the time to keep you breathing.” Jayne grinned, “I'm doin' a lot more 'n breathin' with 'em!” Simon sighed, “It would help if you were less...enthusiastic, Jayne.” Jayne's grin widened, “Me? Not be enthusiastic about sex?!” “Please try. I don't want to have to operate on a punctured lung any time soon.” Vera smiled wryly, “I'll do my best to handle him.” Jayne turned his one hundred watt grin to her, “Yeah, that's what usually starts it!” Mal thumped the table, “Jayne! Vera...please. Some of us are trying to digest our meal! Anyway, we're in for some R&R, but please don't get flabby. Exercise, keep your eyes and ears open, maybe practice some of Jasmine's tai chi. Time will come when we're out in the black again and as sure as I know my ship, there'll be trouble sooner or later! ” * Serenity, landed on Boros * Jayne grinned at his handfasted wife, “Just keep a comin' and put your hand out to me, cause I'm the one who's gonna make you burn!” Vera chuckled, “Don't I know it, big boy! But there's only ten minutes till Mal wants us all present and correct by the big hatch to meet Ping Han again.” “Ya know I can help ya to heaven in less'n five if we're pushed for time!” She put her hands on his large shoulders, “We'll have *hours and *days and probably *weeks of time once we're settled in, Jayne.” In the two weeks since getting out of hospital on Ariel, he'd been 'exercising' his ribs and most of the rest of his body with her on a daily basis. Jayne's hands drifted up under her skirt, “Ya turnin' me down, love? 'Cause there's that familiar scent of you bein' *very warm and ready...and Merciful Buddha, you're wet!” Vera grinned and gave in to the inevitable. One wicked smile, talk of sex, a couple of touches to her thighs and she was a quivering mass of need. Her hands went to Jayne's belt, “One passionate quickie, then!” “Keep us goin' till later!” He flipped his knife into his hand and two quick flicks at her panties had her naked where she needed to be. He re-sheathed the knife and helped Vera unsheath his very favourite weapon. Then he was lifting her, spreading her, taking her and Vera came apart on the spot. “Mmmm, ya needed that, hmm?” She smiled widely at him, “Seems I did, Jayne!” He chuckled as he bent his head to capture her lips and continue the wild ride. It lasted eight glorious, breathless minutes until the final detonation. Thirty seconds more had him decently back in his pants and throwing Vera a fresh pair of undies. They got to the ramp with about ten seconds to spare on Mal's deadline. * Mal looked at Jayne and Vera, noticed the suspicious flush on their faces and knew *exactly why they were cutting things fine. He sighed inwardly. Any comment would have Jayne accurately pointing out that he and Inara had been engaged in exactly the same pursuit until less than five minutes ago. And judging by the way Kaylee's overalls were roughly buttoned, she and the doc had been getting in some last minute recreation as well, apparently whilst tending the engine at the same time. Well, at least River, Zoe and Hori remained free of such things. River seemed to glide down the steps from the direction of the cockpit, scenting the air. “There's been sexual intercourse.” Well, that blew their 'cover'. “River!” Simon seemed shocked that River knew of such things, even now. “I am nearly eighteen. I do *know about sex, Simon. Plus, I can smell it on you and feel you enjoying it whilst it's happening.” Jayne protested, “Ain't right, snoopin' on people!” “I don't snoop, Jayne. I have no option but to receive your pleasure along with that of everyone else on the ship. You and Vera are having amazingly passionate sex with surprising regularity. I wasn't aware that men could recover so quickly and so often.” “Dammit, girl!” Jayne tried very hard to glower, but he was partially pleased at the confirmation of his prowess in the sack. River turned to Mal, apparently not hearing, “I might have thought I was mistaken if I hadn't also felt you being almost insatiable as well.” Zoe's lips twitched with humour as she settled Sarah in her arms. At least she was in the clear. Mal protested, “River, this is plain unsettlin'.” River looked at Simon, “Then there's my brother. He likes it long and slow and with great attention to detail.” Kaylee grinned, “Sure does!” Simon was sorely tempted to use the safe words again on River and muzzle Kaylee, but found some others which he hoped would stop River carrying on, “I think Mr Ping Han is here.” Almost everyone breathed a sigh of relief as Hori joined them and two of Ping Han's sensei appeared, dressed in top-to-toe black and bowing. *