Mal and Zoë were starting to help the girls off Serenity's shuttle as Jayne released the door on their ship. He yelled loudly out of the bay door for medical help and them dashed back onto the ship and into the cabin to help Alana. He found her slumped forward over the control console and realised he was going to have to carry her out to the doctors. He scooped her up in his arms again and felt her blood start to ooze down his arms again. Jayne ran down from the cockpit and out onto the landing area with the unconscious woman in his arms and headed straight towards Serenity, his home and the home of the best trauma surgeon this side of the 'verse. He rushed straight past his captain and first mate without a word and ran straight into the infirmary where for the first time since the doctor had joined the crew Jayne was glad to see Simon, who stood peering into his microscope.

"Doc, you gotta help her, she's not movin'. You gotta do somethin', her back is all cut up, she's bleedin' all over!"

"Jayne? Oh my goodness! Put her on the examination couch, you had better place her on her front so I can examine her injuries."

Jayne eased her from his arms onto her side on the couch and then gently rolled her over onto her front. The doctor watched with slight surprise at the care with which the usually rough mercenary handled the unconscious girl. He bent to examine his new patient and realised she was going to need a transfusion so he took a swab of her blood to check her type. He scanned the sample into the computer and ran the checks.

"O negative, that's the same as you Jayne. She needs a transfusion as soon as possible. Will you do the honours or do I need to go and find someone else?"

"I'll do it, just do what you gotta."

The doctor nodded and swiftly rigged up the transfusion between Jayne and the still unconscious girl on the examination table.

"You just have to stay still and wait. Tell me if you start to feel light headed or anything, ok?"

Jayne nodded and sat down on one of the stools and watched with interest as the blood slowly passed along the tube and into the plastic pouch and then slowly pass along the other tube into Alana's arm.

Simon turned and picked up a sharp pair of scissors from the side and then began systematically slicing up the leg of her trousers towards the wound on the back of her left thigh. He pulled the fabric away from the skin and sliced up and through the waistband. Next he began cutting through the material of her shirt and peeled away the blood soaked fabric and revealed dozens of cuts and gashes across the pale skin of the back and shoulders. He filled a bowl with antiseptic solution and began washing the blood away so he see the severity of the wounds. He heard Jayne gasp slightly when he began to examine the massive cut on the back of her leg and realised that it was almost seven inches long and very deep. He turned and grabbed his suture kit and once he was sure he had thoroughly washed out the wound he began to stitch up the huge gash. When he had finished he had put twenty-two stitches in her leg. Now he had dealt with the worst he moved up to her shoulder where there was another large cut on her left shoulder blade. This cut was about four inches long and almost an inch deep and took about ten stitches to seal up. He then worked his way across her back cleaning and putting in stitches for the worst of the cuts from the whip and then put dressings on the wounds which gave her back the look of a patchwork quilt with the bruising and smaller cuts showing through the gauze bandages. Just as Simon was finishing Inara came rushing into the infirmary closely followed by Mal.

"Wo da ma! Alana, mei mei, are you ok? Alana?"

"She hasn't regained consciousness yet. She has sustained some serious injuries but she's a fighter. Jayne has been helping out by lending his blood. I have put in stitches to help mend the wounds. It also looks like she has at least three broken fingers although I have yet to set them..."

Jayne suddenly interrupted, "That can't be right, she flew that piece a fey-ue outta there, she gripped the steerin' wheel with both hands, she... How could she do that?"

"Adrenaline. It can give you the strength to go that extra mile. She has had a major beating, they cut her up but she'll live and I've been careful with the stitches so she should have minimal scarring. Captain, have you been hurt as well? And what about the other girls? Are they ok? Do I need to examine them as well?"

"All the girls and I've been checked out by the companions med team. The girls were mostly just scared an' bruised. I had a nasty little bullet taken outta my shoulder but I'm patched up and good to go. The trainin' house has extended every courtesy to us so if there is anythin' you be needin' 'fore we go you should make a list."

"Thank you captain, there are a few things I will need be for we take off. I think we just need to let the patient rest for now. Until she regains consciousness I don't want to actually take off, if that is alright with you sir?"

"Sounds sensible doc. Inara, could you see if you could find some clothin' for Alana?"

"Yes Mal, I'll find her something that should be suitable and that won't put any pressure on the wounds. And once I find her something to wear I'm going to bathe her and wash her hair." Jayne looked up and leered at the two women, "You're gonna bathe her? You gonna get neked?"

She smiled at him, shook her head sadly and then walked out of the infirmary and towards her shuttle.

"I got to get back to doin' captainy things. Doc, if you could get that list drawn up an' pass it on that would be just lovely."

Mal swung out of the infirmary whistling 'Hi ho, hi ho, its off to work we go'. The doctor laughed quietly and checked the monitors. Kaylee stuck her head round the door.

"Simon... Hey is that 'Nara's friend? She ok? What happened to her?"

"Yes, this is Alana, she's been badly beaten but she should be just fine. Now what was it you needed me for?"

"River's in your room, she's kinda shreddin' your stuff, an' I think she's lookin' for somethin' but I couldn't work out what she was goin' on 'bout. I'm thinkin' you need to be calmin' her down."

"Oh God, River, what now?!"

Simon went rushing out of the infirmary and towards his room from which there was the sound of crashing and ripping. Jayne smiled and settled back onto the stool. He glanced down at the young woman on the couch and realised she had come round. She was looking up at him and smiled slightly then winced. She tried to speak but could only croak and then looked pleadingly at him. He frowned in confusion but suddenly it dawned on him that she needed a drink. He stood up and reached over to the sink. He suddenly remembered the tube, which connected them, when he stretched just that bit too far and felt the scratch of the needle in his arm. He hissed slightly and sat back down with a small plastic beaker full of ice-cold water. He held the cup in one hand and used his other hand to support her head while she sipped some of the liquid. She coughed slightly and tried to turn towards Jayne but groaned at the rush of pain through her back. She tried to look over her shoulder to see what was hurting so much but stilled when Jayne gently put his hand on her arm.

"What's going on? Jayne, wasn't it? Where am I? What's happened to my back?"

"'K, one thin' at a time. Firstly you're in the infirmary of our ship, Serenity. You be might rememberin' that a gang of mercs kidnapped you. They were intendin' to sell you and the other girls as slaves but I'm gettin' the impression you were givin' 'em a bit of bother considerin' the other girls've hardly a scratch on 'em and you... Well, the doc can tell you 'bout what they did to you. They hurt you real bad but you flew us outta there in their own shuttle. You... I can't believe how strong you were... You were... Amazin'." She smiled shyly and then tried to look over her shoulder again as Simon came back into the room. He smiled and walked over to check the monitors.

"Oh you're awake, how do you feel?"

"I've been better, what did they do to me?"

"Well you have suffered from multiple contusions, it would appear they used both a whip and a knife on you. Also I think you have some broken fingers which I need to set. You lost a lot of blood so we had to give you a transfusion; you and Jayne have the same group so that's why you're hooked up together."

"Thank you both so much for everything. Is Inara nearby?"

"She has gone to find you some clothes and when you are feeling a little better she wants to wash your hair and clean you up. Shall I set your fingers now?"

She gulped knowing the pain would be horrible but she also knew that if he didn't she might never be able to use her hand properly again. She nodded and put her head down. Simon took her left hand in his two hands and gently but firmly gripped the miss shaped digits. She cried out and instinctively gripped Jayne's hand with her free hand and bit into the red leather of the examination table. Jayne grunted as she squeezed his fingers until they started to turn bright red and pulse. Simon released her fingers and she breathed out hard. Jayne swiftly pulled his hand out of her vice-like grip and flexed them to get the blood flowing back into his sore digits.

"I'm sorry Jayne." Alana said simply when she realised his hand now hurt almost as much as hers did. Jayne smiled at her and was about to say something but Inara came walking into the infirmary and came rushing over to her dear friend.

"Mei mei! You're awake! How do you feel?"

"I've been better. I actually feel a bit sick but that could be to do with my fingers just being put back in place by the good doctor. So what's going on? I think I need to talk with the captain."

"Yes, you must speak with him. He seems to be very impressed by your flying skills, especially considering how badly you've been hurt. I'm so glad you are ok, mei mei. Simon is one of the best trauma surgeons in the 'verse, you couldn't be in better hands. I've been over to the training house and have collected all of your belongings. I have put them in my shuttle so they will be safe. When you're feeling a bit better we'll move you into my shuttle for the time being so I can take care of you. I'll tell the captain you're awake and that he can talk to you."

She nodded and lay her head back down on the couch while Inara walked over to the intercom and called the captain to the infirmary. Mal came striding in and walked round beside Alana.

"Alana, I'm Captain Malcolm Reynolds and this here is my boat. We call her Serenity. We've been looking for a pilot since we lost our last one. Our last pilot was more than just a great pilot, he was family and he was married to my first mate Zoë. He was killed by Reavers and it's taken us several months to even be able to think on gettin' a new pilot but that's what we need now. I think you've proved yourself as a survivor, bein' determined and strong are very important qualities for our crewmembers. I also know you can fly well under less than perfect circumstances so once you are feelin' better I would like to you try flyin' my ship. What I'm sayin' is that we would like you to stay with us at the very least until you're well and if you'd like, once you're, we'd like you to give the pilot's job a go. What d'ya say?"

"It's nice to meet you sir, I want to say thank you for your hospitality and also for rescuing me from those men. I would very much like to try flying your ship, Fireflies are very good ships to pilot and this job was the whole reason I was at the training house in the first place. We can discuss terms of employment once I'm back on my feet, if that's ok with you sir?"

"That sounds fine. You just rest for now. I gather Inara is plannin' on sharin' her shuttle for now but once you become a crewmember proper we will prepare your own room. If she needs to 'entertain' any clients before you are fit we will sort somethin' out sooner. I have to check on some things now so 'cuse me. Oh and you can call me Mal from now on as well."

He smiled at her and then walked out of the infirmary and up the stairs, which ran up the side of the room. Inara smiled at her, came forward, bent and kissed her on the head. She turned and walked out of the room and headed back towards her shuttle. While they had been talking Simon had unhooked the blood transfusion kit and stood checking over the monitors. He turned back to face Alana and Jayne who still sat on the stool although he was no longer hooked up to the medical equipment.

"Ok Alana, I'm gonna give you a painkilling shot and then I'm gonna go and let you have a bit of sleep. Jayne, thank you very much for your assistance, if you are feeling ok I suggest you go and find out if the captain needs you for any jobs, if you are feeling light-headed I would recommend going and having something to eat and a rest. We need to let the patient rest."

Jayne nodded and stood up slowly. Simon gave Alana a shot in her arm, turned down the lights and then walked out of the room and through to his bunk to see what his sister was doing. Jayne stretched his arms above his head and yawned. When he looked down he saw that Alana was watching him closely. Jayne smiled at her and then turned to walk out of the room after Simon.

"Jayne..."

Her voice made him stop and turn back. "Yes?"

"I just... Wanted to... Thank you. And sorry for kicking you."

"Hey, I woulda done the same thin', don't fret on it. Doc says you need to sleep, y'know?"

"I know... It's just... Will you stay here until I fall asleep? Please?"

"I guess I can, wouldn't you 'fer I got 'Nara to sit with you?"

She shook her head and then rested it back on the examination couch. She closed her eyes and shivered slightly.

"Are ya cold? I'll get you a blanket, hold on."

He opened a cupboard and pulled out a blanket from the top of a pile. He unfolded it and carefully laid it over her right leg and up to the bottom of her back. He pulled the bottom edge so that the lower part of her left leg was covered but left the area with the cut uncovered so as not to put any pressure on the wound. He took the two top corners of the sheet and tucked them down her sides to help keep her arms warm. As he was doing this he had serious trouble to not brush the edges of her breasts with his fingers and tried not to think too hard about the heat he could feel radiating off her body. When he finished he sat back down on the stool and again looked at her face. In the soft glow of the infirmary lights, now they had been turned down, her face seemed to have a luminosity about it which made Jayne stare in slight surprise when he realised it was light from one of the monitors reflecting. He smiled when he noticed her breathing had slowed. He brushed his hand lightly over her long blond hair and then tiptoed out of the room and through to the kitchen area to get himself something to eat.

***

After two days in the infirmary Simon decided it would be ok for Alana to move through to Inara's shuttle. She wrapped a sheet round her front and tucked it under her arms. She looped the long end of the sheet up round her side so as to cover her bare leg where her trousers had been cut away. Inara led the way, carrying a small bundle of supplies from the infirmary, and Simon supported Alana's arm as they made their way through to the cargo bay and up the metal stairs to the shuttle. Jayne was in the cargo bay lifting weights and sat up to watch the trio's progress. Kaylee was on her way down to the cargo bay when she almost ran into the doctor, who in turn almost knocked over his patient.

"Wo da ma, Simon I'm sorry. Oh, Alana, I'm so sorry, I weren't lookin' where I was goin'. D'you'll need any help? We ain't been properly introduced. I'm Kaylee an' Serenity here's my baby! I'm ship's engineer on this here boat so if anythin' goes wrong mechanically it's up to me to fix. When you're back on form we will be workin' close together, it'll be up to you an' me to keep this baby up in the sky and flying smooth. Anyways, I'd better let you get settled into the shuttle."

Kaylee smiled widely and then carried on down the stairs and walked over to Jayne where he had returned to pumping iron. She smiled at him and coughed.

"Hey Jayne, how y'doin'?"

"Gorram it Kaylee, I tell once if I tell ya thousand times; don't be interruptin' me when I'm liftin' weights!"

"Sorry, just wonderin' what you thought 'bout Alana?"

"What sorta question's that? She's hardly been on board three days an' you're wantin' my considered opinion of her? What're you on about?"

"I'm sorry, just thought you'd gotten to knowin' her better than most of us since you saved her from the mercs an'll..."

"I only untied her is all, she was the one who did the savin', saved her own ass, I mean. She flew that shuttle back even when she was cut half to ribbons. She's tough and one hell of a pilot, that's all I know. Now stop scrabblin' for gossip and get back to work."

He lay back down and began to lift the weights again. She shook her head and began sorting through a pile of parts which the companion training house had had going spare.

***

Inara pulled back the silk sheets on the bed and Simon helped Alana lay down on her front. He stepped away from the bed and watched as Inara poured a bowl of warm water and took, from out of a chest, a bundle of towels, a wide toothed comb and some bottles of ointments. She turned to him and smiled.

"Simon, I think I can take it from here. I'll call you if we need anything else. Thank you."

He nodded and left the two women alone. Inara sat down on the bed next to her friend and gently pulled away the surgical sheet and then withdrew from a chest a soft sponge, which she dipped in the bowl of water. She carefully removed the old dressings from her friend's back to reveal her injuries. Inara gasped slightly when she saw the severity of the wounds and shook her head in wonder as to how sane human beings could be so cruel to another person.

She squeezed out the excess water and began to wash away the dried on blood, which had caked all over her friend's skin. Through the whole of the bed bath Alana lay quietly and calmly breathing in the soft fragrances of Inara's lotions and ointments as well as the sweet smell of incense that hung in the air.

Once her back was washed Inara carefully dressed all of the wounds that had stitches in them but left the others so that they could be exposed to the air. She then changed the water and added some of a lotion that made the water foam and she dipped the sponge again and washed down Alana's arms and legs to clean off the grime she had accumulated laying on the floor of the mercs cargo hold.

She took a towel and spread it out under Alana's head and began to wash her hair and comb out the knots and tangles. Once she had finished washing her friend's long blond hair she took out a soft brush and began to run the brush through the tresses to help dry them. Inara slowed her strokes when she realised Alana's breathing had deepened and she was asleep.

Inara smiled and stood up. She cleared away the paraphernalia from bathing her friend and wandered out of the shuttle to find some food. She walked along the corridor, past the entrance to the crew bunks and through to the mess area.

Jayne watched Inara walk out of the shuttle and his curiosity got the better of him. He made his way over to the shuttle door and tried to peer through the small porthole window but he remember then that Inara, as soon as she had joined the crew, had hung a curtain, which covered the door and her decency. He thought what to do for a moment and then as quietly as possible slid the metal door open and peeked his head round the curtain.

Alana was laid out on her front with her arms up and her hair brushed out over them to the left side. He could not see her face because her head was turned the other way but could tell by the slow rise and fall of her back that she was asleep. Her wounds had been freshly dressed, he guessed by Inara, and she was completely naked.

He gulped at the sight of her smooth pale skin and it took all of his strength to resist walking over and running his hand up her long, athletic legs. He started when he heard a noise from outside of the shuttle and quickly stepped back out and closed the door. He hurried away and walked down to his weight bench to workout some more. As he lay back lifting the bar up and down his mind kept going back to the sight of her bare flesh. He shook his head to try to dislodge any thoughts of her; he knew he would never be good enough for a companion, even an ex-companion. He made a promise to himself to spend some quality time with the best whore he could afford next time they were planet side.

***