Title: Complicated Pairing: not sure yet. Kaylee and someone. This chap Kaylee/OMC Rating: Pg-13 Warning: only partly betaed Word Count: 4508 Disclaimer: I do not own

author's note: Okay so I know what some of you might be thinking. Uh...Dani...don't you have five billion OTHER stories you should be working on? LOL yes I do...and actually I have been working on them, I have started at least a page for each, if not more, I just have to let my muse guide me though. I haven't been super into writing lately and I'm not sure why. Anyhow, most of this was already written. Infact I only added about 2 pages. This was written back in March and I only recently found it. I think it got put on the back burner because I used the idea for another story of mine, Pulled Apart. I'm leaving what I used for another story in, so if it sounds familar...well that is why. But hell, I wrote the dang thing and I didn't even remember LOL. Anywho, my point? There is some familar stuff here but I am taking it in a different direction I did with Pulled Apart. Squish_67 looked over some of this, I just recently added the rest. Enjoy (I hope). Comment...comments help with the writing process. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Mal watched in awe as the argument unfolded in front of him. If he could have made a sign at that moment that said, ‘This is why I don’t like shipboard romances,’ and hang it over Kaylee and Simon’s neck, he would have. ‘Course he didn’t so he just watched with quiet interest, wondering how far things would go this time.

"You don’t make no sense, Simon! Lots a people got responsibilities, River is gettin’ better. I’m just startin’ to think you don’t much like me," Kaylee said with an aggravated groan.

"You know that isn’t it, Kaylee. Don’t put words into my mouth. I care for you a lot, but things are complicated. Yes, River is getting better, but she is only progressing, she still needs a lot of help and a lot of my attention. It is getting too hard to split my time between the two of you. I….I only have room for one person in my life and that has to be River." Simon stood firmly and managed to look right into Kaylee’s eyes. He had balls, Mal had to give him that much. Kaylee could get just about anything out of him if she smiled or cried enough and right now it looked like it was going to be the latter of the two for the doctor.

"It’d don’t gotta be like that. I understand you got stuff you gotta do with River. But you ain’t with her twenty-four hours a day. I ain’t asking for much, Simon," her bottom lip quivered and Mal had to clench his fist around his cup tightly to keep from hauling Simon off and throwing him out the airlock. There wasn’t much in the ‘verse that Malcom Reynolds cared about, but that little girl was one of them and he didn’t put much stock in people who hurt her. Of course on the other hand he’d tried to warn her against this. Warn her this was exactly his meaning when he said he didn’t think being with the doc was such a good idea.

"Don’t do this, Kaylee. You’re going to start crying and then I’m going to feel bad and take everything back and then this relationship, whatever you want to call it, will be forced on me. I like you, Kaylee, I do. I just can’t do this." Simon put his hands up to ward her off when she took a step forward towards him. Mal could see the emotion in Simon’s eyes. The boy was doing the right thing, but it was tearing him apart, that was plain enough to see.

"Simon," Kaylee whispered softly.

"I can’t." There was a long pause between the two of them before Simon finally moved past her and left. Kaylee turned and watched him leave her engine room. She silently stepped towards her hammock and sat down in shock. That was his cue. Mal stepped into the engine room from just outside the door, knocking on the wall to announce his arrival.

"I knew you was out there, Cap’n," she said softly. "Coulda just asked, ‘stead of eavesdropping." She sniffed, but didn’t cry. Mal moved to sit at her side, taking her hand in his own.

"Mei mei-"

"Don’t, please don’t. I know what you thought of the whole thing anyhow, I don’t wanna hear, ‘told ya so,’ or even that everything’s gonna be fine. I know it’s gonna be fine, I don’t need no pep talk, just some time with Serenity to try and get him off my mind." Mal didn’t think it would be best to point out that in all the months of being on this ship with Simon, working on Serenity hadn’t dulled her feelings for him in the least.

"Actually," he said, "I was just gonna tell you, we’ll be planet side in about two hours. Wanted to know how our landing was gonna go."

"Rough," she said absently.

"We’ll land okay though?" Mal asked.

"Course. Serenity’s true, she’ll land us safely." Kaylee stared off at the wall for a moment before turning to face him. "You didn’t say nothing to him did you?"

"I may not have much liked the idea of you two much, but I didn’t say a peep to him," he assured her. Kaylee nodded and got off the hammock.

"I gotta lot of work t’do Cap’n. I’m sure you got captainy things to take care of." If that wasn’t a dismissal, Mal didn’t know what was. He rose and rubbed her shoulder for a moment before leaving her. She’d be okay. If anyone could bounce back from this, it’d be Kaylee.

"GORRAMMIT ALL TO HELL!" Kaylee’s voice rang down the corridor of his ship along with the crashing of some tools. Mal paused, but then nodded to himself. She was letting her frustration out. Once she got planet side, things would be better.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Kaylee sat down on the ground and picked up her spanner so she could get to work. She reached her hand up then paused. She dropped the spanner back into her toolbox and shoved it away. "GORRAMMIT ALL TO HELL!" She couldn’t wait to be planet side. She needed to get off the ship and away from this whole affair.

Rubbing her eyes she pushed her emotions away. Hurt too much to think about them. Damn him, damn Simon for hurting her, toying with her feelings. He could have just never showed he was even interested, she would have backed off and things would have been fine. But he had to play with her heart strings, touch her heart in ways ain’t no boy ever touched her, and then pull back into this icy shell that hurt worse than if she had just been ignored in the first place. She guessed she couldn’t put all the blame on him. He was just trying to care for his sister, trying to move on from his old life, but he weren’t never gonna stop being that surgeon from Osiris and she was never gonna stop being that little girl mechanic sailing out in the black. They were both too stubborn.

Serenity’s hum was off, just slightly, telling Kaylee exactly what was wrong with her, but there weren’t no way to fix it ‘till they got planet side. She’d be unhappy until then. Kaylee’d probably have to buy the part with her own money. Mal seemed to think as long as the ship was running she didn’t need to be fixed none. Man didn’t know a thing ‘bout taking good care of your boat. Just expected her to do it, but didn’t give her no help or the support she needed. She got by, but it grated her sometimes. Usually she was in too good of a mood to really let it bother her, but she was in a bad mood as it was, she was ready to dwell on anything that wasn’t Simon. She had to figure a way to stop thinking about him and soon.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Simon looked up at River who seemed lost in her own world. Her eyes traveled around the walls of the infirmary, studying them like she was trying to decipher a pattern or something. "What are you looking at, River?" Simon asked.

"The wall," she replied simply.

"Why?" he asked, probing her.

"I’m mad at you," she said, not looking at him.

"Mad at me? Why?" Simon asked, confused.

"You’re touched, but you won’t let yourself be. You push it away. You have a gift and you push it away." She finally turned and looked at him, her eyes haunted and dark.

"What are you talking about, mei mei?" Simon stepped closer and put his hands on her shoulders comfortingly.

"It doesn’t matter, you’ve sent it away, now it won’t come back," She shook her head and looked away. Simon only nodded knowing the look on her face. She wouldn’t say anything about it now, it was lost and forgotten to her.

"Fine. Are you ready for your medication?"

"It doesn’t work. It just makes me sleep. Don’t make me sleep, Simon. Please." She looked up at him with pleading eyes. He sighed and grabbed out a pair of latex gloves out. He needed to take another blood sample from her.

"We don’t know it doesn’t work, River. We’ve tried it once and the only reason it made you sleepy was because you were already tired. Now please mei mei, give me your arm so we can try this." He reached out, but she pulled away sharply.

"No, your hands!" she yelled. Simon looked down, then groaned at his own stupidity. He had grabbed the wrong box of gloves. Blue latex medical gloves covered his hands, she hated those gloves. "Two by two, hands of blue," she whispered to herself. Simon ripped the gloves off and tossed them aside.

"No gloves, River. All gone," he said, raising his bare hands up to show her.

"No medicine," she begged.

"No medicine," he agreed reluctantly. "Tomorrow?" She nodded and looked away, her face smooth with relief. "Come on, let’s go get some lunch," he told her softly.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"We’re good, people," Wash said as Serenity landed with a violent shutter. Kaylee grimaced and stroked the wall. The landing had been a little more than rough, but Serenity had done good. Now if she could just find the parts she needed in town, the take off would be flawless.

"I’m heading for town," Kaylee announced to the captain.

"You just be careful, Eavesdown docks ain’t the safest place for womenfolk on their own. Should I send Jayne with you?" Mal asked.

"Need some time to myself, Cap’n, if that’s alright," she said softly.

"I understand," he told her with a firm nod. Kaylee leaned up and placed a small kiss on his cheek and left the bridge without another word. She could feel Mal’s eyes following her as she headed for the cargo bay. She passed the infirmary, but didn’t dare look in. She couldn’t face seeing Simon just yet.

Kaylee found herself among the crates and silence that filled the cargo bay. She reached for the panel and opened the airlock, letting in the fresh air and dust as well as the noise coming from the docks. Kaylee had always preferred noise over quiet. Noise reminded her of life and love and reminded her how big the world out there was. Quiet seemed so enclosed and death like. No, noise was better. Being around people you don’t know, people with lives and loved ones. She could make up her own little story for each of them, picking up their bits of conversations and the way they acted when they thought no one was looking. People were so amazing, she loved them all. Well…most of them. There was one that she wasn’t too fond of at that moment. But this outing was for forgetting about him, not dwelling.

Once the ramp was down, she headed down onto the docks and towards the town. People surrounded her, broken conversations swirled around and she couldn’t help but take a deep breath of the fresh air. It relieved some of the tension knowing she wasn’t trapped on Serenity with no out.

Stuffing her hands in her pockets, she headed for the parts shop, decided to go there first to see if they had any good deals before she headed all the way out for junkyard. She tried to walk with a little pep in her step, but it was hard. As much as she tried, Simon wouldn’t get out of her head. What was wrong with that gorramn doctor? She could be so good to him if only he’d give her a chance. But he had been pretty clear this afternoon. She was tired and worn. She couldn’t keep chasing after him, especially now when he seemed so adamant about the two of them. She had to move on.

"Careful there," a voice said, grabbing her shoulders before the two of them collided. Kaylee hadn’t even noticed she was staring down at the ground as she walked.

"Sorry ‘bout that," she said with a little blush. She looked up and smiled at the young man who was standing in front of her. He must have been somewhere between Simon and Mal’s age, though she couldn’t rightly put her finger on his exact age.

"You should look up when you walk, you have a very pretty face," he said, tipping her chin up to look at him. Her blushed turned a deep crimson and for the first time in two hours she laughed.

"You think?" she asked, chewing on her lip a little.

"It isn’t everyday I bump into a pretty girl all alone on the docks. Where were you headed anyhow?" he asked, looking around suddenly like someone might jump out and try and snag them right there.

"Just the parts shop," she told him with a shrug.

"You a mechanic?" he asked bemused.

"Yeah, I work on that Firefly over there. Nicest ship out there s’long as you take good care of her."

"Let me walk you to the shop," he offered. "It’s just a little ways out of my way and this is a rough neighborhood," he told her. Kaylee was suddenly glad for the company. He was a stranger, someone who didn’t know all about the fight she and Simon had just had. Everything would be fresh and clean ‘tween them. The idea was very welcoming.

"That’d be nice," she said softly. "I’m Kaylee, by the way."

"Jared. Nice to meet you Kaylee," he told her with a warm smile.

"You too, Jared. If you don’t mind me asking, where were you heading?" she asked.

"Back to my ship actually," he told her with a sheepish grin. "Me and my crew were just getting ready to head out. But I couldn’t abide by letting a pretty lady such as yourself wonder around these rough docks by her lonesome." His smile was utterly charming and while Simon was still in the back of her head, Kaylee was finding it easier to deal with, being told how pretty she was and all. "What kind of captain do you have that would let you go off by yourself."

"My cap’n’s a good man. Just giving me some time t’myself. Don’t get a lot of that when you’re out in the black," she said with a shrug.

"Ain’t that the truth," Jared said with a knowing laugh. Kaylee spotted the shop up ahead and felt disappointed. She was enjoying her company.

"Guess we’re here," she said softly. "Thanks for the escort, it was very gentlemanly of you," she said, fumbling with ‘gentlemanly’ a bit, but that only made her laugh at herself. "Well I hate to leave now. It’s not everyday I strike up conversations with strangers, but I have quiet enjoyed it," he said. "Awe, we ain’t strangers no more," she said, gently elbowing him in the ribs. He laughed and caught her arm. For the first time in their walk Kaylee realized just how attractive he was. Very rugged. He reminded her of a cross between the captain and Jayne. "It’s too bad you’re takin’ off so quickly," she told him with a small smile. Jared swallowed and nodded. There was something in the look he was giving her now. It sent chills down her back. "If you ain’t in a hurry, you could wait. I gotta go down t’the junkyard too. Not exactly the prettiest place, but a girl could always use an escort." She gave him her little flirty smile and he smile back, looking relieved. "I’m in no hurry at all. I’m the captain after all, they can’t leave without me."

~*~*~*~*~*~

Kaylee came skipping up the ramp, her heart still pounding in her chest. Everything around her seemed so surreal, but it felt so good. She felt pretty for the first time in a long time. That was until she saw him. Simon was sitting on a crate and staring down at the ground. When he heard her approach his head popped up in surprise.

"Where have you been?" he asked, rising and moving towards her. How was it that with one look he could zap all of her energy and happiness. Why did she feel wrong about what she did? It wasn’t like she and him were an item, in fact they never even had been. "Out. Met one of the other ship captains, he was showing me his engine." And a bit more, but that weren’t none of Simon’s business. "His engine?" he asked with a raised eyebrow. "Isn’t that how the captain met you? His mechanic was showing you his engine?" His face softened suddenly and he reached a hand out towards her. "I didn’t mean that." "Yes you did," she said, her face devoid of any emotion. "You ain’t my keeper, nor the captain, nor anyone else I ought to be checkin’ in with. I’m back ‘fore we’re supposed to take off and what I do between then and now ain’t your concern because you didn’t want it t’be none of your concern." She moved past him before he could say anything else.

"I still worry about you, Kaylee," he called after her, sighing.

"Well don’t," she replied, not looking back.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Simon watched her go, not even sure why he had said anything. He cared for her, cared for her so badly, he just couldn’t put either of them through that. As much as they both might want it, it wasn’t what he needed and it wasn’t what River needed. It hurt though, seeing the look on her face. She glowed and he had known why the minute she stepped on that ramp. It was the look of someone who had just had sex and it hurt thinking about Kaylee with another man.

She wasn’t an innocent virgin, and he had to remind himself of that sometimes. Kaylee liked sex . Not in the same way Jayne enjoyed it, but there was something very similar about the two of them. There were both very primal in their needs, Kaylee with love and affection and Jayne with sex and violence. Simon wasn’t even sure why he had waited for her. Mal had been a little worried and Simon knew it didn’t take that long to look through a junkyard. Not even for Kaylee. He had gone down there to check, but she wasn’t anywhere to be found. Not knowing where she was had scared him. Then she was skipping up the ramp, looking happy like nothing had happened that afternoon. It wasn’t that he wanted her to hurt, but he was just amazed at how fast she had gotten over him. Maybe he had over estimated her feelings.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Kaylee went straight for the engine room, not even stopping when she heard Mal call her name. She wasn’t in the mood for a lecture. She could hear footsteps after her, but she ignored them until she felt a hand gently turn her around. "Don’t, cap’n," she said quietly. Mal only nodded and pulled her into a hug. She refused to let herself cry, but didn’t push him away when he held her. What was wrong with getting comfort where she could? Jayne did all the time, paid for it too. So she had made a connection with someone she’d probably never see again in her life. "Ain’t judging you, meimei," Mal said. "I was just worried ‘bout you is all. No one knew where you were." "Well I’m here now. Got that part I needed and all, so Serenity can take off just as soon as I put her in." Mal nodded and kissed her forehead. He turned and left her to her engine.

~*~*~*~*~*~

He needed to apologize, Simon realized that much. He and Kaylee may never work, but they needed to stay at least friends. With a big breath he headed for the engine room. It bothered him seeing Mal with his arms around her. He had kissed her forehead and left her be and Simon couldn’t help but get a little green with envy. He stepped past Mal as the captain headed for the bridge. Simon didn’t pay much attention to the warning look he got as he stepped into the engine room.

"Kaylee…I’m sorry," he said as he stepped in the doorway. Kaylee didn’t look up for a moment, only nodded and picked up a part out of her bag.

"It’s alright, Simon. Just been a rough day is all," she explained.

"I didn’t mean to sound rude before. I know I don’t have any say over where you go or who you are with. I was worried though," he said, taking a step forward.

"I was fine," she shrugged.

"I looked for you, at the junkyard. Mal said you should have come back hours ago so I went looking. I was afraid you left because of our conversation," he continued.

"Wouldn’t leave my girl for a silly little conversation," she said, cracking a small smile. "You were worried about me?"

"I care about you still. I just…a man takes care of those he loves and right now I don’t have the time, energy or strength to try and take care of more than River. Can we…can we be friends?"

"’Course we can, Simon," she said, giving him a sad smile. Simon returned the smile and for an awkward moment they stared at one another. Finally he took a step back and retreated back down the corridor towards the infirmary.

~*~*~*~*~*~

"Go make sure that the doc ain’t making more of an ass out of himself," Mal said as he headed into the bridge. Jayne cocked an eyebrow at him in confusion.

"Thought the doc broke it off with her," Jayne said. "He did," Mal nodded. "Kaylee found herself a little comfort in town this afternoon and the doctor ain’t taking too kindly to it. That boy has put his foot in his mouth enough times to make me think it’s very likely to happen again. Kaylee don’t need that right now. If he’s bothering her, you make sure he leaves her be," Mal said. Jayne rose, smiling a little. Any reason to put that prissy doc in his place was a good day for Jayne. And to top it off, it was for little Kaylee. If there was anyone on the boat he was willing to kill for it was for that cute little mechanic.

"No killing, Jayne," Mal said, almost reading his thoughts. Jayne just gave Mal a wide grin as he headed down to the engine room. He could hear them talking as he approached. He was disappointed to see they weren’t fighting. Hell, looked like they were being nice to each other. He almost wished Simon would say something stupid so he could have an excuse to have a little fun.

Simon turned, surprised to see Jayne approaching but quickly brushed it off as he headed towards the infirmary. The mercenary stepped into the door way and watched as Kaylee sat on her hammock and stared across the room. "You alright?" he asked.

"Fine Jayne," she replied quietly.

"Well…good," he said, not sure what else he was supposed to say. "I’m uh…gonna leave you be."

"Can’t you stay and talk for a bit?" she asked, turning to look at his with glossy eyes.

"Doc say somethin’ to you?" Jayne hoped the little bugger had.

"No…just sad is all, could use a little company," Kaylee shrugged. Jayne shifted awkwardly. He had come to threaten folks, not girl talk with Kaylee.

"Maybe you ought t’talk to Inara," he suggested.

"I guess," she sighed, standing up and moving to pick up a part. He watched how sad she looked as she moved and sighed.

"Alright fine…what do you wanna talk about?" he asked. "And I don’t wanna hear nothin’ ‘bout shoppin’…less it’s shoppin’ for somethin’ slinky." Kaylee frowned and threw a dirty grease rag at him before sitting on the grating and moving closer to the engine casing.

"Tell me ‘bout your folks, Jayne," she said as she pulled the cable out to install the new part.

~*~*~*~*~*~

This was it…at least this was the only Firefly that had been docked here since he’d run into Kaylee. Jared wasn’t even sure what exactly he was doing here. He needed to see her though. The moment she had left his ship he knew there was something different about her. He turned and stood at the edge of the ramp, working out in his head exactly what he was going to say. Someone beat him to the punch though.

"You looking for someone?" a black woman asked, walking down the ramp to meet him. He could tell by the way she walked she had military upbringing, training possibly too.

"I’m looking for a woman…she’s a mechanic on a Firefly," he started.

"Kaylee?" the woman asked.

"Yes, Kaylee! So this is the right ship," he sighed with relief.

"Depends on who’s asking," the woman said, not smiling in the least. Her hand rested near her weapon and Jared tensed some.

"I just want to talk to her. We met back in town. My ship is getting ready to take off though…" his voice trailed off as he saw Kaylee, covered in grease and hair tied back, stand at the top of the ramp.

"Jared?" she asked. "Thought you was leavin’ already." Kaylee started down the ramp, the other woman relaxing once she realized Kaylee did in fact know him.

"Just wanted to come say goodbye," he shrugged, not really sure why else he had come.

"That’s real sweet of you," Kaylee smiled.

"Thought maybe…if we ever crossed paths again, well maybe we might find some time to see each other again," Jared suggested.

"That would be nice," Kaylee smiled. Jared smiled right back, taking her hand up and pressing his lips to it, not even caring about the small grease smudges.

"We gotta go. I hope we run into each other sometime. You can wave me if you are ever nearby…perhaps our next encounter doesn’t have to be chance?" he asked.

"Sure will, Jared." There was a moment, the two of them staring at one another before he finally stepped back.

"Goodbye, Kaylee," he called, before turning and leaving. His own ship was waiting for him now.

~*~*~*~*~

"That was—"

"Don’t Zoe," Kaylee said, still blushing.

"So that was him?" she asked, smiling knowingly.

"That was him," Kaylee nodded.

"He’s cute," Zoe said, moving closer to Kaylee. The mechanic’s face fell some and her eyes dropped to the ramp.

"I feel funny ‘bout it, Zoe. Don’t know if it is Simon or something else. When Jared’s around, it feels right, ya know. But when he’s not. I feel…I don’t know…I feel like something is wrong."

"Maybe something is wrong," Zoe suggested.

"Maybe," Kaylee nodded, watching as the captain headed back to his own ship.

Author's note: so lets just say Simon may not be out of the picture, but we'll see where this goes.