Chapter 1: Present day: July

Jayne leaned against the building, smoked his cigar and watched his girl shop. She didn’t like it when he smoked in their bunk. He chuckled at the memory; she didn’t come right out and ban it, just made it to his benefit not to. He straitened up when he noticed the man, nothing obvious, he just seemed a mite too interested in his girl. The man noticed Jayne as he came up beside him. “You seem to be staring at my woman, why is that?” Jayne fingered his gun. “Not a lot of women around these parts and she is very handsome.” The man looked Jayne over. “How much?” Jayne scrunched his face a bit, not understanding the question. “How much what?” “For your woman. I’ll go up to 4,000. Any more and I’m gonna want to check her out.” Jayne fought the urge to just kill the man. “You offering me 4,000 for my girl?” “Sorry, you want more?” He thought for a minute, looked the woman over again. “Ok, how about 5,000?” Jayne looked thoughtful for a minute. ‘Shit, 5,000. I can get a lifetime of whores for that. Or maybe a week with a real companion.’ He watched her as he thought to himself. ‘Was only supposed to be for the ride out here and back.’ He chewed on his cigar some more, it helped with the thinking. She could feel the men stare at her, she always knew when Jayne watched her, but this was different. She turned and saw the two men. She caught Jayne’s eye and slowly smiled at him. It reminded him of the smile he got when he talked her into marring him.

Chapter 2: Two months prior: May

Jayne wasn’t sure he had heard Kaylee right. “Three months? Kaylee you gotta be wrong about that.” He walked up behind her and the shopkeeper. “Mal ain’t said nothing to me about a long trip.” Kaylee jump, she hadn’t realized that Jayne was back there. She knew Mal had not told Jayne about the trip and didn’t know what to say. Jayne looked at her face. “Gorram it, how come I don’t know about this trip.” He knew he could force it out of Kaylee, but he didn’t want to make her cry. He turned around and headed off to find Mal.

*** “What’s this about a new job, job that’s gonna take us out into the black for 3 straight months?” He found Mal and Zoë in the saloon. Mal looked at Zoë and sighed. “Job’s for Sir Harrow, Jayne. Pays real good.” He handed Jayne his drink and hoped it would distract him. “Three months Mal, with out a stop?” Jayne drank the shot and tried to get a fix on why Mal hadn’t told him. “No, there’s a stop at Aberdeen.” He poured Jayne another drink and wondered if he could keep him drunk for the next week. “Shit Mal, that’s almost 2 months from here.” He downed the next shot and looked thoughtful for a minute. “That’s 2 months with out a woman. Not sure I can go that long.” Then it dawned on him. “You weren’t gonna tell me were you?” “Need you Jayne, with Zoë pregnant and half the universe still pissed at us about Miranda, I need you. Thought we could take a leisurely flight out and back, let Zoë have her baby in peace and hopefully people will stop looking for us.” Jayne nodded in acceptance. “Still Mal, 3 month without any trim.” Jayne took another drink. “Less you and Simon are willing to share, thinking I’m gonna have to pass.” He looked thoughtfully at the pair. He knew the captain and Simon weren’t gonna share, hell he wouldn’t if they were his women. Still he didn’t want to leave the ship, it had become his home. Mal handed him another shot and kicked out a chair. “Come on Jayne, not like you’ve never gone that long before.” He thought of his own very long dry spell. “I ain’t never gone longer then a month. And that was plenty long enough.” He sat and downed another shot. Waitress came over with another bottle of whiskey and Jayne pulled her into his lap .“Can I bring some one with me?” He started to nuzzle the woman’s neck and tried to run his hand up her skirt. “You wanna take a trip with me?” He whispered into her ear. She laughed as she pulled his hand away. “Yeah, I know what kinda trip you want to take.” She smiled down at him as she stood up. “I get off at 12.” She winked and sauntered away. Mal watched the girl leave. “Ain’t gonna have any whores on my ship Jayne. You want to bring a woman, she needs to be the marring kind. Some one you would bring home to meet your Mother, well maybe not your Mother.” Mal winked at Zoë, not noticing the look that clouded Jayne’s face. Jayne stood and cocked his gun in Mal’s face. “Wha’d you say about my Ma?” “Just… that… with the type of women you’re known for...” “Hell Mal, my Ma don’t know noth’n about my women.” He lowered his gun. “Woman’s a gorram saint. She don’t know noth’n about what we do. You ain’t got no call to talk about her like that.” He sat back down. “Sorry, then she needs to be good enough to meet your Mother.” “Where the hell am I gonna find someone like that. How long I got?” “We leave from Beaumont in a week.” Jayne sat quietly for a moment. “Can we stop at Triumph?” “What hell you expect to find there?” “A wife.” Jayne stood, he thought about waiting for the waitress to get off, but decide if he was gonna get married he better learn wait. *** “Captain Reynolds, what a pleasant surprise, we didn’t expect the pleasure of your company quite so soon.” The elderly man shook the captain’s hand. “To what do we owe your return?” “Well, seems Jayne here is in need of a wife.” Captain patted Jayne on the back. “And we couldn’t think of a better place to find a good wife then here.” “I’m surprise you feel that way after your last encounter with one of our maiden. I feel terrible that that woman was able to fool us like that. Mr. Cobb I’ll have the young ladies set up for a small banquet in your honor.” He started to walk towards the maiden’s house. “Are you planning to settle near here?” “No, we’ll be wanting to take her with us when we leave, have a job lined up.” Mal fell back in line with Jayne and said in a hushed whisper. “Remember, we leave in two days, wife or no wife. That’s the deal.” “Yeah and you’re paying all the cost of the wedding and an extra 10% when I get hitched.” They walked towards the Maiden’s house, Jayne was visible nervous. “So Jayne, what are you looking for in a wife?” Mal watched the young women mill about. “Well, she’s gotta be kinda pretty, not a real beauty, they’re just trouble. She needs to be able to take care of herself….” “Thought that was your job?” Mal smiled. “That’s what you said when you offered to take Saffron off my hands.” “Well yeah, I’ll protect her and everything, just don’t want no weakling.” Elder Gomman stop where the young women had gathered. “Child, why are you here?” “We are waiting for Margot to have her baby.” She looked shyly at the two strangers. “Is the midwife here?” “She has been inside for hours.” “Problem, Elder Gomman?” The Elder turned to the Captain. “A difficult birth, our midwife is handling it. Just means we will have to wait for our supper.” “Would you like me to get my Doctor?” “Why yes, that would aid the birth.” Mal called the ship and told Simon to hurry. Jayne watched the women milling about while Mal watched him. “So, pick one out yet?” “Don’t know they all seem kinda young.” Mal looked at the girls and not a one of them looks any older then River. He was a little surprised at Jayne answer, he figured all Jayne cared about was that she was female and he wasn’t to sure about that. Simon came loping down the road, the way core people ran Mal guessed. Simon looked around at all the girls. “Jayne need help picking out a wife?” Jayne snorted at him. “No, woman inside is having trouble giving birth, thought you could help the midwife.” Mal walked him to the door just as it opened and a woman came out. “Sister Faith, how’s Margot? Doctor’s here to help.” Elder Gommam stood aside so that Simon could enter. “Everything is fine.” She looked at the crowd. “Margot and Seth are proud parents of a baby boy.” She smiled at the Elder. “They are sleeping now and I’m coming back in an hour to check on everyone.” She smiled at Simon. “They need their rest, you can come back with me later if you like.” “Captain said it was a difficult birth…. Maybe I should check her over…” Simon replied with the uncertainty that he usually had and tried to step around the midwife. “They are both resting.” She looked the young man over. “How many babies have you delivered?” “Well…. Just one… but I am a qualified doctor….” “While I’m just a Midwife?” She looked him in the eye until he squirmed. “Who has delivered over 20 babies in the last 8 years.” She stood her ground until Simon back down. “I’ll meet you here in an hour, right now I just want a shower and a hot meal.” She looked into the crowd until she spied Rachel. “Rachel? Are you holding supper for me?” She walked towards the group of young women. “Supper? No. Was I supposed to?” The girl looked confused. “Rachel, I told you this morning when I left that you would need to make supper. I left everything out for you.” She sighed. “Come on, let’s make supper.” Mal watched the women head to the Maiden’s house and started to follow. “Too bad you can’t marry her.” He smiled at Jayne. “What makes you think I can’t?” Jayne’s eyes followed the women. “Come on Jayne, she’s a little too smart for you.” “He’s right Jayne, you have a better chance with one of the younger women that don’t know any better.” Simon made sure he was on the other side of Mal. “Ha ha, I could get her if I wanted her.” “Better you just try for one the less educated ones.” Mal stopped out side the house. “Care to increase our wager? I bet you half my cut on this job that I can sweet-talk her into marriage.” Jayne waited for Mal’s nod and headed in. The men sat at a round table in the center and were quickly surrounded by young women; each hoped that the good-looking, tall man would pick them. After half an hour of listen’n to insipid girl talk, Jayne was very happy to see food coming out of the kitchen. Rachel served the men, with a special smile for Jayne. “Gorram, that’s good stew.” Mal said thru a mouthful. “Almost hope you win this bet, she would make a good ship’s cook.” Jayne looked up when Faith came in, she too had heard about the man looking for a wife. He smiled as she came over. “Good stew.” He stood up, towering over her. “Any left?” Faith smiled and headed back to the kitchen. Jayne sat back down. “Way to sweet talk her Jayne, you’ll be married in no time.” Simon smirked. The girl next to him leaned in. “Oh Faith don’t wanna get married.” She smiled at Jayne. “I can’t tell you how many men she has turned down, none as cute as you thou.” Mal snorted. “How come?” “Don’t rightly know, they come and court her and then a few days later they leave alone.” Faith came back in with the pot of stew and ladled stew out for every one. Jayne stood back up when she got to him. “So, you wanna get hitched?” She almost dropped the pot. “What?” “You wanna get married?” She stared at him for a bit. “I would love to.” She caught Jayne’s eye and slowly smiled at him. It reminded him of the smile he got when he talked her into bedding him. Chapter 3: Two months prior: March

“You sure we’re safe?” Jayne looked at Mal as the cargo doors opened. “You got ‘noculated Right?” “Yeah,” Jayne grumbled. “ Doc stuck me with something.” “You should be safe then. Grab that box and let’s go.” They waited in the space between the inner and outer doors, finally the outer door open and the two men left. The door shut and the bad air vented out. They met up with Elder Gommam. “I’m so glad you came.” The man shook Mal’s hand. “You are truly God’s messenger.” He smiled at the pair. “Just his carrier, where do you want the vaccine?” “Down at the Maiden’s House and the Meeting Hall, that’s where we placed the ill.” Mal and the Elder headed off and Jayne followed. “What’s that?” Mal spotted the man as he came out of the woods dragging a deer. He motioned Jayne over and took his box of vials. “Go check it out.” Elder Gomman looked where Mal had pointed. “It’s just a hunter, we will be thankful for the meat.” Mal looked a little closer; he had seen the hesitation on the hunter’s part. He watched Jayne talk to him and waited for a signal. Jayne picking the deer up was signal enough. He followed the Elder.

**** “You gonna ruin that hide, you drag it… like… that...” Jayne just noticed that the hunter was a lady. “I couldn’t lift it.” She saw the change in the man’s face when he realized that she was female. The fact that he didn’t start yelling at her about overstepping her bounds as a woman and just picked the deer up, set her at ease. “Well, com’ on.” He walked towards Elder Gomman. “No.” She grabbed him. “You can’t let the Elders know.” “Dong ma?” “Women are not allowed to use guns. Could you please take it to the Maiden’s house and I’ll meet you there?” He let that odd rule settle in. “Then how come you was hunting?” “It was either that or starve. No one was providing for the house, the girls are weak enough, they need food. Please?” “Yeah, go on.” Jayne grunted and headed off in the direction that the men went. She watched him for a while and then ran off.

**** Faith had changed back into her own clothes by the time Mal and the Elder arrived. “Elder Gomman, Good day.” She looked at two men and smiled. “Is that the medicine?” “Yes, Captain Reynolds and his crew arrived this morning.” The Captain handed Faith one of the boxes. “Here, white vials now and blue ones twelve hours later. Doc said they would sleep after the nighttime one.” Jayne walked up with the deer. “This here the Maiden’s house?” He smiled at Faith as he recognized her. “Boy gave me this buck for you, where you want it?” “Around back please.” She smiled back at him. “The Captain and I will take the other box over to the meeting hall, for the men.” “Could you also take this pot of mush over?” She handed them the pot and went to the back door to meet Jayne. “Thank you so much for not giving me away.” She showed him where to hang the buck. “I’ll dress it as soon as I’ve giving the girls their medicine.” She walked over and washed her hands. “I can skin and dress it for ya, if ya want. Looks like you got enough to do, sides I’d like to keep the hide, if that’s alright?” “Of course, I appreciate the help. Do you need a knife?” She smiled when he pulled Binky out. “Guess not. I’ll be back in an hour or so to help.” She smiled again. Jayne liked that smile; he knew she was a religious woman and he didn’t stand a chance in hell, but he liked that smile anyway. He started to dress down the buck. He was almost done when she came back from taking care of the women. “Anything I can do?” She asked as she put the large load of dirty laundry outside the door. “Looks like you already got lots to do.” He pointed at the pile. “No, the other ladies will collect it and bring me clean linens later.” She washed her hands again and started to wash the breakfast dishes. By the time she was done, so was Jayne. “Where you want the meat?” Faith looked at the large pile of meat, she took most of it and started to make stew. “You hungry? Stew won’t be ready ‘til supper, but I can sure cook you up one of those steaks.” Jayne watched her, woman never stood still. “Yeah!” He smiled. “Sounds great. Where can I clean up?” She pointed to the large sink outside the kitchen door and handed him a towel. By the time he had cleaned himself and Binky, she had wrapped all the extra meat up in butcher paper and tried to carry it down stairs all at once. He grabbed the ones that threatened to fall “Here, where you want these?” Faith faltered as he took the packages, she wasn’t use to any help. “Cellar has a cool’n box.” She just couldn’t stop smiling; it was nice having someone around to help, kinda like what she thought marriage would be like and sighed again, figuring she would never know. He watched as she not only grilled his steak, but also cooked potatoes, finished the stew and baked biscuits. He ate while villager after villager came looking for food, Faith ladled stew out into each person’s pot, she gave them stew, biscuits and potatoes. Jayne was done eating just as she started to prepare the noonday meal for her charges. “You need any help?” He brought his dishes to the sink. Looking at how little stew was left, he turned to her. “Might be a good idea if I get you a couple more bucks, rate you’re going thru them, might get one for the ship too, that steak was pretty damn good.” “You truly are a God send.” She hefted up the tray and headed into the sick room. “I wish I could go with you.” She gave him that smile again and his knees weakened. *** He brought back three smaller bucks, started to clean them when Faith came out, finally done feeding and cleaning the girls. She watched him for a while before she continued with her work. By the time she had the stew going and all the meat wrapped up, Jayne had started on the hides. When the villagers came for their afternoon meal, Faith was ready with the stew and packaged meat. Jayne watched her as she fed almost everyone in the village. As soon as the people stopped coming Faith sat down and started to clean vegetables for more stew. “How come you feed’n everyone?” Jayne asked as he scraped the hides clean. “Not everyone. Just most houses either have the husband or the wife sick, and there’s no one to cook or hunt left.” Jayne was quite for a bit. “How come you ain’t married?” Faith blushed. “I mean, you’re all kinds a pretty and a real good cook. How come you’re still here?” She thought about it and decided she might as well tell him the truth. “You know what this illness does?” “No, know the women on the ship are scared of it thou.” “Well, they should be.” She sighed. “ It was almost twenty years ago when we last had this illness. I was nine, my family lived on the outskirts of town. We were not part of the church. Every one of us took sick. Town folks were hit hard too, there was not enough medicine to share. By the time the villagers remembered about us, I was the only one alive. Fever burns right thru you; it either kills you outright or…” She sighed again, looking up to see that he still didn’t get it. “Leaves you barren, for the men it’s temporary, but for young women it’s permanent.” Jayne thought about this and looked over at Faith. “Still don’t explain why you’re still here.” And to him it didn’t, girl was a hard worker and pretty as all getout. “Men around here only marry for one reason, to have children to work the farms. I can’t give them that.” “Ain’t the only reason to get married.” Jayne had his own thoughts on get’n hitched, and kids had nothing to do with it. He smiled at her until she blushed again. “Only reason around here. It’s not common knowledge that I’m barren, so men do come round. I feel I have to be honest, so I tell them and then they leave.” Jayne thought about that a while. “So if you never git hitched… you’ll never…” He raised his eyebrows. She blushed again and nodded. “That just don’t seem right.” “I have lots of married friends and with what they tell me, I think I’m better off alone.” “Then they ain’t do’n it right.” “So…. You’re married.” She looked kinda sad as she asked. “Hell no, I ain’t the marrying kind.” He laughed. “Then… Oh…” “Yeah, well… we ain’t all that religious.” Faith stood and headed back towards the sink with her vegetables. “I wasn’t brought up in their religion, but they saved my life and I owe them everything. So I abide by their laws.” “Well, most of them, right?” Jayne winked at her and she blushed when she realized what he meant. “Yes, most of them. My pa taught me to shoot, fish and anything else he thought I might need to stay alive.” She finished up with that nights stew. He watched her as she prepared dinner trays for the sick and went to feed them and give them their last dose. He pondered on what she had said, never one much for deep thought. He had finished up with the hides and waited until she came back. Faith carried the last of the dishes in and started to soak them, she was done for the night when they were clean. Jayne watched her for a bit before making up his mind, he walked up behind her and gently put his hands on her waist. “Ain’t right you never get’n bedded proper.” He whispered in her ear, expecting her to yell at him for the touch’n. When she didn’t, he started to nuzzle her neck. “I can… help you out with that, if’n you want me to?” She turned in his arms and stared at him for a bit. “I would love that.” She whispered and slowly smiled at him. Damn he loved that smile.

Chapter 4: Present

She could feel the men staring at her, she always knew when Jayne watched her, but this was different. She turned and saw the two men talking. She caught Jayne’s eye and slowly smiled at him ‘God, he loved that smile, it was just for him. A slow modest smile, a smile that went straight thru him.’ He turned to the man and removed the cigar. “Sorry, no deal.” He set off towards the shop that she had gone into, he turned and looked the man in the eyes. “And quit staring at my wife.”