Title: Family Rating: pg to pg-13, something like that Paring: Zoe/Jayne Characters: Jayne, Zoe, Simon, Kaylee Warning: not betaed Disclaimer: I do not own Word Count: 1216

Author's note: This little story could be considered a sequel to My Spiritual Leader, but it isn't strictly a sequel and you could read this without having read that. Anyway, I hope you like. Please give me feedback, Zayne is still sort of fresh to me.

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“Zoe?”

“Not now, Jayne,” the first mate cut him off indifferently. Zoe moved around the counter in the galley and started to pull out food to make dinner. It was her turn at kitchen duty and she was hiding behind that now.

“We gotta talk,” Jayne said, a little more firmly.

“Ain't nothin' to talk about?” she replied, her voice remaining calm as she continued her task, not looking at Jayne.

“What the hell do you mean there ain’t nothin’ t’talk ‘bout?” Jayne snapped. Zoe stopped, laying her hands flat on the counter before turning her head up to look at Jayne.

“I said there ain’t nothing to talk about,” she said firmly.

“The hell there ain’t. You don’t tell me you’re pregnant and then just leave it like that,” Jayne said angrily.

“It’s not yours,” Zoe said, her voice lowering and her eyes commanding him to do the same. He caught the hint and looked around for a moment, his voice coming out softer as he spoke.

“You know that for a fact?”

“We were trying,” Zoe whispered, her eyes lowering briefly at the thought of Wash. He could see the guilt creep into her features. He wanted to shake her, tell her there wasn’t anything to feel guilty about but there were more pressing matter at hand.

“And what if it ain’t his? We weren’t exactly careful when this thing first started up,” Jayne replied just as softly.

“It can’t be yours,” she murmured out. He saw it the instant before it happened, the way her face crumpled like a little girl who’d just skinner her knee. Jayne wasn’t really the comforting sort, but he knew enough to know Zoe had reached her breaking point. He reached out and wrapped his arms around her, watching as stone cold Zoe fell into his arms, sobbing silently into his chest. He rubbed her back, keeping a watch for anyone coming. He knew Zoe wouldn’t want anyone to see her like this.

“I’m sure it is,” he tried to sooth. “Just got me thinkin’ irrational is all. People bring up babies it’s bound to make a man a mite nervous.” Pulling back, Zoe wiped her cheeks and in an instant her face turned cold again.

“It’s almost dinner time,” she breathed out.

“Need any help?” Jayne offered, if a bit reluctantly. Making dinner was never his favorite chore.

“I got this one, Jayne,” she said, her voice at its full strength now.

“You should see Simon,” Jayne said. Zoe didn’t reply or even acknowledge that he had said anything. You could lead a horse to water but you couldn’t make it drink and Zoe was one of the most stubborn horses he had ever been around.

Heading out of the galley, Jayne walked for his bunk. He climbed down the ladder before plopping down on his bed. The mercenary came down with the intention of cleaning his guns or maybe looking through a few of his dirty magazines, but sitting there he had the urge to only do one thing.

He could almost feel the preacher smiling over his shoulder and Jayne did his best to ignore the smug smile that he knew played on Book’s face. He wasn’t really sure how to do this all. Most of his prayers had been around the dinner table with his ma leading and him just having to close his eyes and follow along. Some folks got on their knees, but that seemed a little crazy to Jayne.

He bent his head and folded his hand awkwardly together. Clearing his throat he searched for the right words he wanted to say. “Lord…I don’t do this often, and it ain’t like you got any reason t’be grantin’ me any kinda wish or prayer or anything, but I gotta ask. Please don’t make me be that baby’s daddy, or if it is mine, don’t let anyone know. Ain’t for me really, though I’d be mighty obliged, but it’s for Zoe. She’s lost a lot and it’d be a favor if you could do that one thing for her, ‘specially after you took Wash. She’s hurtin’ pretty goramn bad and I’m sure she’d appreciate it very much. So uh…amen or whatever it is you’re supposed t’say here.” He bent his head back up and let out a deep breath.

“Jayne?” The mercenary jumped and looked around to see Kaylee standing on the bottom rung of the ladder.

“You stalkin’ me now, woman?” Jayne growled, shifting on his bed awkwardly. “I coulda been playin’ with my John Thomas for all you woulda know!”

“I know when you’re playin’ with your John Thomas, Jayne,” Kaylee said, deadly serious. He grunted and turned away from her to lie back on his bed.

“What do you want?”

“It’s Zoe,” Kaylee said. She paused. “She really pregnant?”

“What about Zoe?” Jayne asked, ignoring her question.

“She’s hurt. Simon’s got her now, but she was asking for you,” Kaylee said, licking her lips and staring up at Jayne.

Jayne swore, sat up and moved past Kaylee up the ladder. He stalked off towards the infirmary, pausing in the door way when he saw Zoe laying on the bed and Simon tending to her. He stepped into the room and looked between the two of them.

“She alright?” he asked, licking his lips and trying not to appear too worried. Zoe averted his stare, her head turning to the side and staring at a blank wall.

“Panic attack is all. She fainted, but she should be fine. Her head hit the ground pretty hard when she passed out though, we’ll have to watch for a concussion,” Simon explained.

“That all?” Jayne asked, trying to make light of the situation as he moved to Zoe’s side, taking a seat on the stool next to her.

“I lied, Jayne,” Zoe said, her voice firm but quiet. Jayne snapped his head towards Simon who turned his gaze away. “Can’t be Wash’s.”

It was plain enough to tell that the doctor already knew what was going. Carefully Jayne looked her over, checking for himself that nothing was hurt on her. “’Course it’s Wash’s,” he tried to assure. Zoe shook her head and turned to look at Jayne.

“The timing doesn’t work, and Wash and I…we were never tryin’. Still arguing over it really. Ain’t no way it could be Wash’s. We were always careful,” she explained. Jayne swallowed. He wanted to swear at God for laughing in his face like this. He fumbled for words but none were coming. “It’s okay. I ain’t askin’ you t’take care of it. I just thought it’s only fair I tell you the truth,” she explained.

“I appreciate that, Zoe,” Jayne said hoarsely. A quiet settled into the room as no one spoke for a long moment. Finally Simon turned and stared at the couple, his eyes moving between the two of them before speaking.

“Jayne, I’d like to examine Zoe, check on the baby, if you’ll excuse us…” Simon’s voice trailed off and Jayne nodded, standing up and backing out of the room. He gave one last glance at the infirmary before shaking his head and heading to the cargo bay to lift weights. He needed to clear his head and think things through for awhile.