Ch Rating: R For: Hello? Sex! Didn’t I say I would get to the dirty part? Disclaimer: Do I have to say it again? It’s very late….Fine, Joss Whedon not me and so forth.

Zoe was throwing up again. There was no mistaking it any more. She started to cry. Not because she was alone but because she wasn’t anymore. It was as if Wash had come back from the dead. ***** Mal sat on the bridge, staring at the screen. The woman had been dead for days in real life but on the cortex, she died again and again. He couldn’t look away. The image broke up into lines and the lines broke up into little bars of color and light. It was all his fault. All this misery on board. Mal put his face in his hands. In the dark all he could see were lines breaking up into bars of color and light.

***** Kaylee sat with Serenity. It had been days. She didn’t know what to do. So she sat in the engine room, trying to work, but just staring. “You should go to him.” River stood, ghostlike, in the doorway. “Me ‘n’ Simon are over meimei.” River looked at Kaylee like she was being stupid on purpose. “Not Simon. The shore. Home. Go to him. He needs you, but he’s afraid.” “River, I-“ “Go. Soon this will pass. But not now.” Kaylee was confused. “What do you mean it’ll pass? The way me and Simon passed?” “New-old people are coming,” River whispered conspiratorially. “Wash is coming home. Now go.” River grabbed Kaylee by the shoulders and turned her toward the door. When Kaylee hesitated River gave her a final shove.

***** Jayne was lying in his bunk on his side. He was crying the only way he ever did: silently, looking like he only had bad allergies. Jayne Cobb didn’t kiss on the mouth and he didn’t cry. Before his daddy had left for greener pastures and younger women, that’s what he’d taught his oldest son. “Jayne?” Kaylee. Why was she here? “Well if you’re not going to say anything, neither am I.” Kaylee took off her boots and her coverall. She lay down next to Jayne and spooned him into her. It was a funny way to be laying, her bein about a foot shorter than him, but she kept lying there. Kaylee put her fingers into the hair at the base of his neck and stroked his head. It felt strange, being so close to a man but not sexin’ him. They stayed that way for a while. Jayne wanted to rollover so he could look her in the face, but his bunk was too gorram small. And he was a little afraid. But he said it anyway. “Kaylee girl?” “Yeah.” “Do you love me?” “I don’t know.” Kaylee thought it was the most honest answer she had. “Why? Do you love me?” “I reckon so. Ain’t never loved nobody before, so I’m not sure. I know that I want you and that you make me happy. I guess that’s love.” “But why? Simon made it out like there was something wrong with me.” Jayne flipped over so fast Kaylee gorram near fell off the bed. “That doc wouldn’t know a good woman if she bit him on the ass. Hell if he left you, he must be sly.” Kaylee laughed. They were both quiet for a few minutes. “Jayne? Why didn’t you kiss me? The morning after Simon left me?” “My daddy always said never to kiss a woman on the mouth. ‘It’s how she gets her hooks in ya’ that’s what he used to say ‘fore he skipped planet.” Jayne paused. “And for all I know, I’m terrible at it.” “Well, Jayne,” Kaylee said, smiling at him, “I’m willing to find out.” “If there was any woman I’d want to get her hooks in me, it’d be you little Kaylee.” So Kaylee kissed him. She opened her mouth on his, licking under his tongue, around the edges and catching his lower lip in her teeth, biting it gently. Jayne’s hands fell on her chest, going under her shirt, snapping off her bra. Kaylee grabbed his shirt collar and just ripped it in half. “I can see why the doctor would have a problem with you, ruinin all his good shirts.” Jayne laughed. “Oh, you’re in trouble now Jayne Cobb.” Kaylee said. She took off her shirt and blindfolded him with it. Then it was dark. Jayne could feel her hands on him, all over him, her breasts pressed against his chest. Gorramit, but this was a tease! “Do you want me?” Kaylee whispered in his ear. “Do I even need to answer that?”