Thanks for all the reviews on the first chapter! I wasn't sure how it would go over as I wasn't really happy with it. But as I started to write, I began to enjoy this scenario much more.

A lot of your guesses as to what will happen are really off the mark, and I'm pretty proud of that. It's no fun when people guess what's going to happen in a story! :)

Anyway, here is part 2. As always, thanks for reading and thanks to Tamsibling for the beta.

Part One can be found Here. ----------------

Chapter 2

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“You turned them in?” Book asked, his face betraying none of his surprise at this revelation.

“Simon knows?” Mal asked.

“And you’re still alive?” Wash asked, incredulous.

“Could be that won’t be the case for much longer,” Zoe fingered the sidearm at her hip and glanced to Mal for approval. She frowned when he shook his head.

“We came to an understandin’,” Jayne said, proud of himself even though he knew he’d resisted everything Simon had to say that day.

“You came to understand the doc could kill you with a needle and no one would ever determine the cause, hmm?” Book smiled a creepy, knowing smile that none of them bothered to dwell on for too long.

“Would they want to?” Wash asked his wife, the look on his face one of genuine curiosity.

“Hah, funny.” Jayne scowled at the pilot.

“So he already knows,” Mal said, rubbing his jaw. Never thought the boy would be one to keep his own counsel regarding this subject but Mal had been wrong about the doc before. Kid continued to amaze him.

“Moonbrain does too.”

Wash’s jaw fell open as he repeated, “And you’re still alive?”

“You’re starting to sound like a broken record, dear.”

Wash stared at Zoe. “Well, wouldn’t you?” His eyes narrowed. “You don’t look surprised.” He turned to Mal. “She doesn’t look surprised.” More to himself, he muttered, “I should be worried that she’s not surprised.”

“A broken what?” Jayne asked Zoe.

~*~

River watched silently from the doorway as Simon cleaned the counter, put away his equipment, and readied the room for the next time it would be needed.

“Needs you.”

Simon whirled around and was at her side instantly, eyes darting over her, hands skimming down her arms, searching her carefully. “What do you need, mei mei? Is everything all right?”

She shook her head, hair flying every which way. “No.”

Simon gently stopped the motion, then carefully removed strands of hair from her cheeks. “Lets go to your room and –“

“She needs you.”

Confusion filled his face. “I’m right here, mei mei.”

“Not me. Kaylee.”

Simon swallowed hard. “What?”

“She needs you. Hurt.”

Simon cursed his inability to understand his sister. “Kaylee’s hurt?”

River simply nodded. “Needs you.”

“All right. Will you go see Shepherd Book? Or Inara, I believe she’s in her shuttle.” Simon turned and gathered his medical kit and hurried to the door. “She’s in the engine room?”

River nodded and then sighed sadly. “She knows.”

Simon felt his heart descend rapidly into his shoes. “Knows what?”

“About Jayne.”

Simon’s brows knitted together in confusion.

“About Ariel.”

Simon inhaled sharply, his heart now lodged in his throat as he imagined the mechanic’s reaction to such news. Kaylee was such a trusting soul, saw good in everyone, even if there was none to be found, and he imagined she wouldn’t take this news well at all.

“How?”

River shot him her patented ‘you’re a boob’ look. “Don’t ask how and why. Just go. She needs you.”

Med kit forgotten, River smiled conspiratorially at his departing back when he flew through the door on his way to the engine room.

~*~

“Kaylee?” Simon didn’t bother to stand in the doorway, as was his custom. He barreled into the room and right over to where the young mechanic was pounding on something with a very large wrench.

It was clear she didn’t hear him the first time, and he took a moment to notice that her hand looked far too small and delicate to be holding that wrench. “Kaylee?”

Kaylee started at her name and turned to offer Simon a half-hearted smile before returning to her task. “Oh, hi Simon.” She was too distracted by the news to be happy that he’d come to see her, that he was standing so close.

Simon winced at the sound of all the pounding, but knelt beside her anyway, dirtying the knees of his pants in the process. “Are you hurt?” Thinking by all the noise she was generating that she really had hurt herself, he reached for her hand and was grateful when she didn’t pull it away.

“Hurt?” She turned red-rimmed eyes on him and shook her head. “Am fine, Simon.”

He gave her a look of disbelief that would have made her laugh on any other day.

“No, Simon. Jus’ a bad day.”

“Anything I can do to help?” The words were out of his mouth before he could stop them. He was no fool. There wasn’t much he could do to help Kaylee. She was the one that helped him. More than probably she even knew. He could barely speak like an adult around her. There were, of course, reasons for that. Reasons he tried to keep deeply buried whenever they were together.

But as soon as Kaylee lifted her gaze to him, he felt his heart sink rapidly into his no longer polished and pristine shoes. If he admitted it to himself, there was very little he wouldn’t do for this mechanic with the most expressive eyes he’d ever seen.

“Ain’t really nothin’, Simon. Just upset ‘bout something is all.”

“About Jayne?” Simon said suddenly and cursed himself for not waiting until she brought it up first.

Kaylee’s head swiveled toward him, eyes wide. “You know what he done?”

Simon nodded slowly.

“An’ ya didn’t tell no one?”

Simon could see the ire grow and hurried to try and stop it. He hadn’t come here to make her even more upset. “We came to an – agreement, Jayne and I.”

This explanation seemed to help a bit as her annoyed look settled into one of disappointment. “Don’t think its right ya didn’t tell no one. We shoulda known.” Kaylee’s face fell and she sighed. She wanted to be mad at him, but she really didn’t have room in her head to be mad at them both. Her anger with Jayne was too all-encompassing. “Can’t really trust him no more.” She hesitated a moment and her voice dipped to a barely audible whisper. “Don’t really know if we ever could.”

“He doesn’t like me – or River. Never has. But – he’d never – betray any of you.” For a fleeting moment, Simon wondered why he was defending Jayne – to Kaylee of all people.

The incredulous look on Kaylee’s face was so out of place that Simon hoped he never had to see it again. “You’re crew, Simon. He turned on all of us when he tried to sell ya out.” She shook her head, disgusted. “You just don’t do that. Ain’t right.”

Simon dropped his eyes to the floor and couldn’t help but agree. “There’s a lot of things in our lives that aren’t right.”

Kaylee inhaled sharply, dropped the wrench she was holding and reached for his hands. “I’m sorry, Simon. Here I am all upset over this an’ its you that should be raging all over about it.“

Simon glanced down at their entwined hands and gently squeezed her fingers. “We’ve discussed what happened, Kaylee. It’s over and done with.”

Kaylee pulled her hands away suddenly and stood, nearly knocking him over. “You two don’t like each other. An’ you forgave him for tryin’ to turn you an’ River over to the Feds?”

Simon stood with her, saying quickly, “Well, I don’t like him any more. And I couldn’t possibly like him any less. We’re just – on this ship together. We have to make the best of it.” When Kaylee said nothing, he added, a bit softer, “It’s over and done with.”

Kaylee stared at him for a long moment, clearly wondering why Simon was being so understanding about this, so calm. Well, she couldn’t be. Not right now. The pain of Jayne’s betrayal cut too deep. “Maybe for you. I ain’t never gonna forget it.”

Simon reached for her hand, stopping her from moving to another part of the engine room. “Jayne’s very - focused. He just – knows what he wants.” Unlike me, Simon thought as he watched a myriad of expressions flit across her face. No, he corrected himself. He knew what he wanted, he just didn’t – couldn’t –. Not right now.

“An’ that includes sellin’ you an’ River out, huh?”

“At one time, yes.”

“Man’s dai ruo mu ji. A selfish, suo xi hou zi de pi gu!” Kaylee ranted, muttering a few more expletives before stopping to take a breath. As her chest heaved, she noticed that he was smiling. “What’s so funny?” She wanted to be mad at him, for keeping this a secret from her, and for it even happening in the first place, but the rare smile on his face as he laughed tempered her anger for the moment.

A small bubble of laughter burst from his lips and he coughed to cover it. But it was too late, Kaylee had backed away from him and shoved her hands to her waist, shooting him a most unnatural glare. One he really never wanted to see again.

“I – ah, well, I’ve never heard you so mad.”

Kaylee huffed and crossed her arms over her chest. “Yes ya have. Just ain’t you that made me mad this time.”

Simon’s eyes narrowed and he shook his head ever so slightly, trying to remember back to a day when she’d yelled at him the way she was cursing Jayne’s existence at the moment.

“Bessie?” Kaylee reminded him with a scowl and an eye roll.

“Oh,” Simon dropped his gaze to his feet and shifted uncomfortably. “Yeah, uhm, right. I’m sorry about that. It all came out wrong. I didn’t mean –”

As much she wanted to dwell on his apology, she just couldn’t get the disappointed disgust out of her mind over Jayne’s betrayal. “Bet Jayne ain’t sorry about what he done to you an’ River.”

“Oh, I think he is, in his own way.” Simon inwardly groaned. Why the hell was he defending that man-ape?

“Yeah, the loss of all them credits way.” Kaylee kicked at her toolbox.

The answer to his question was easy, simple. Because he didn’t like to see Kaylee so upset over something she couldn’t control.

Simon grinned, trying to lighten the mood. “Probably.”

Kaylee turned away and began fiddling with something on her desk. “I expected more a him, y’know?”

~*~

“Obviously, this needs discussin’ among the crew, much as I would have preferred to keep it to myself.”

“Well, I told ya. Simon and me had a talk. We’re good now,” Jayne said, hoping that they didn’t need to have a big sit down to discuss whether or not to toss him out the airlock.

“Yeah, and what about the rest of us? Going to turn us in when a good enough offer comes around?” Wash asked, eyes wide.

Jayne snorted and rolled his eyes. “Ain’t none of you worth half of what they is.”

“Very true,” Book agreed.

“That’s a comfort,” Zoe deadpanned, her gaze shifting between Mal, Wash and Jayne.

“You turned on crew, means you turned on all of us. I’m betting you’d better start assuring everyone it won’t happen again.”

“It won’t. Me an’ Simon had a talk.” Jayne reiterated, unclear as to why they weren’t appearing to be happy with that fact.

“Simon had a talk with you. Drugged you so you couldn’t run away – or hurt him.”

Every head swiveled toward River, who stood in the hallway to the passenger dorms with a small smile on her face.

“Now see, this is why we don’t piss off the doctor,” Wash nodded to everyone in turn. “Could end every one of us in ways we’d never even feel until we fell over dead.”

“Simon talked with Jayne about this – and didn’t kill him?” Mal tried to keep the surprise off his face and out of his voice and failed miserably.

“Hey, I was hurt,” Jayne whined, trying frantically to figure out a way to come out of this with some kind of pride intact. “Couldn’t move to do nothin’. Boy wouldn’t put up a decent fight anyway. Be easy to –”

“Other way around, dumbass,” Wash rolled his eyes.

Jayne scowled, eyes narrowed, hands clenched into fists at his side. “Wanna go little man?”

Zoe’s hand hovered over her firearm and Book looked ready to speak but Mal beat him to it.

“You will. Out the airlock, you don’t shut it.” Mal snapped, ending the little tiff, before turning to River. “What was said – exactly?”

“Didn’t hear it all.”

Mal glanced to Jayne, an expectant look on his face.

“Sure she did. Moonbrain was right outside, threatenin’ to kill me with her brain,” Jayne huffed.

“Lucky for you all she did was threaten,” Zoe quipped.

“What was said, Jayne? I ain’t gonna ask again.”

“Said he was tired of us growlin’ at each other. Wanted peace between us.”

Mal’s mouth fell open. Boy never ceased to amaze him. “Really?”

“Sounds reasonable,” Book agreed.

“Said while you were on his table, you’d be safe. He wouldn’t harm you,” River finished, knowing Jayne had conveniently left that part out in an effort to not paint her brother in too good of a light.

“Mighty big of him.”

Jayne exhaled deeply. “Yeah.”

“You failed, where he would have succeeded. If he wanted you dead,” River said as matter-of-factly. ”You’d be dead.”

“I din’t want you dead.” Jayne snapped, rubbing at his head. He was tired of talking. “Just wanted the money. It was too good. I was stupid.”

“Well, hello Captain Obvious.” Wash rolled his eyes.

Mal shot Wash a look. “I’m the Captain here. Ain’t no other.”

“Yes, how could we ever forget?” Wash quipped with a playful smile.

Mal opened his mouth to answer but changed his mind and returned his attention to Jayne. “Doc ain’t no coward, Jayne. You two’ve come to an understanding, that’s all well and good.”

“But?” Jayne asked, suddenly not so sure to be glad the Captain didn’t toss him out the airlock as they left Ariel.

“Won’t do it again,” River said with an odd smile.

“You’re soundin’ mighty – lucid lately,” Mal raised an eyebrow at River.

“Psycho-therepy and medicinal cocktails are working, Captain,” River answered with a sweet smile.

“Psy – what?” Jayne asked, brows knitted together.

“Yeah, no doubt being around you has healed her in ways no one could have anticipated,” Wash indicated Jayne with a nod of his head and then chuckled to himself at his own joke.

Mal took a deep breath and stood suddenly, surprising them all. “I need to check on Kaylee, make sure she ain’t dismantlin’ my ship.”

“I’d be more worried about her doin’ something to Jayne’s bunk,” Wash glanced at Zoe, proud when he received an agreeing nod.

Book chimed in with his own opinion. “Well, that wouldn’t be so bad, would it? Might teach him a lesson.”

“Sitting right here,” Jayne drawled, scowling as they talked about him – until Book’s words sank into his head about someone possibly messing with his bunk. ” What?” Jayne stood with Mal, eager to make sure no one had tampered with his belongings, but at the same time, hesitant to upset what delicate balance had been achieved in their little sit down.

“Yes, Jayne, go spend some time in your bunk while I go try and calm down our far too trusting mechanic.”

Jayne nodded and lumbered out of the room a bit too quickly, hoping that Kaylee hadn’t messed with his room or the contents therein.

“She’s with Simon,” River said after Jayne was out of earshot.

Mal winced. “Oh great.”

“I dunno if that’s much better,” Wash glanced at Zoe. “Remember the alien in the jar?”

“I do.”

Wash turned to Mal. “Think Simon might need some rescuing himself.”

“He’s fine. They’re talking.”

Mal raised a curious eyebrow, followed by Zoe’s amused one and Wash’s incredulous one.

But it was Book who got the first comment out. “Well, we haven’t heard any throwing about of things.”

“Boy don’t know how to talk to her. Gonna be pickin’ bits of his fancy clothes outta my engine for months.”

River rolled her eyes. “They’re not having sex yet.”

“Ah!” Mal threw up his hands and shook them at River, completely missing the implication that he would eventually be doing that very thing with their clothing. “That ain’t a topic I ever wanna hear comin’ out of your mouth, dong ma?”

“Yet?” Wash and Zoe asked at the same time, eyebrows raised.

TBC

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