“Are you hungover?” Hank asked as Simon stepped down into the galley, Kaylee behind him. The young doctor looked pale, with just a hint of green around his cheeks, and his wife didn’t look that much better.

“Mal’s cocktail. That’s what they should call it. Then put a skull and crossbones on it to warn everyone not to drink it.” Simon shook his head then wished he hadn’t. “You?”

“Not feeling too hot,” Hank admitted, then winced as Jayne stomped into the room. “Do you have to?” he asked, wondering if his eyeballs looked any better from the other side.

Jayne ignored him. “Where’s River?”

“In her room,” Simon said. “I checked on her before we came up. Why?”

“Just wondered if she wanted breakfast.” No way he was going to admit he’d woken up alone and was worried about her.

“She said no.” Simon sat down carefully. “And please don’t talk about food.”

“Why, you feeling the effects of that stuff Mal put together?” Jayne asked, grinning.

“I just feel a little … fragile this morning.” He tried to glare at the big man. “Probably those damn cigars didn’t help.” He took a deep breath, trying to calm his stomach.

Jayne let out a bark of laughter. “You ain’t the only one. Heard sounds coming from Zoe’s bunk just now made me think maybe she had too much as well.”

“Zoe?” Hank was up and out of his chair, hurrying down the corridor.

“I didn’t think she was drinking,” Kaylee said. “Didn’t see her.”

“You were puttin’ it away somewhat your own self,” Jayne pointed out. “Prob’ly just too drunk to notice.”

“I was not drunk!”

“Kinda surprised you ain’t stuck with your head down the john too, all that crap Mal put in. Not just the wine, but rum, fruit, and something sticky he found at the back o‘ the cupboard -”

“Please,” Simon implored. “Don’t.”

“Doc, that weren’t nothing.” Jayne reached over and clapped the young man on the back. “There’s a brew on Whitefall, well, I always figured that’s why Patience is the way she is. They add raw eggs and pig’s blood to the mix ‘fore they -”

Simon stood up so fast his chair fell backwards with a crash, and almost ran out of the room, his hand clamped across his mouth.

“Sweetie?” Kaylee went to follow.

“I’m fine,” his voice echoed back. “You stay.”

“That was mean.” She turned to Jayne, her hands on her hips. “You know he’s still feelin’ the effects of that drug.”

“Then he shouldn’t be drinkin’. And if he can’t take a joke …” He picked up the chair and set it right.

“Just remember that next time he’s sewing somethin’ up on you.”

“Me and the doc got us a deal. When he’s workin’ on me, I’m safe.”

Kaylee came back to the table. “And when he ain’t? Just you remember he’s got a lot of ways down in that infirmary of paying you back without actually makin’ you bleed.” She sat down and rested her forehead on her hands. “Though I know what he means. That stuff’s lethal.”

“Wonder how the Cap’s feeling this morning?” Jayne pondered, taking a bowl from the cupboard and pouring cereal into it.

“He wasn’t drinking that much either,” Kaylee said, plugging her ears against his rattling. “’N’ Freya didn’t touch a drop.”

“Prob’ly didn’t want to take the edge off all the sexing they were gonna get up to the minute we left.”

“You think?” Kaylee sounded almost hopeful.

Jayne sat down opposite her, stared at his breakfast then pushed it away. “Reckon they’re still at it.”

“That’s nice. It’ll do them good - make everything better for ‘em.” She sighed happily. “And this place … it’s so relaxing. Good for all of us.”

The big man took his knife from his belt and began to clean his fingernails. “It’ll get boring.”

“Stop doing that at the table. And how can it be boring?” Kaylee asked. “The sun’s warm, we can swim, play ball, have fun …”

“Yeah, and by tomorrow you’re gonna be itchin’ to get under that engine housing. I give it maybe twenty four hours ‘fore you’re up to your elbows in grease again.”

“That is not going to happen.”

Jayne looked at her from under his eyebrows. “You wanna bet?”

Kaylee glared, then wilted a little. “It’s nice to have time for fun.”

“All you and the doc do all day is get laid.”

“We do not! We have work to do, so it’s … we have to make time … Anyway, just ‘cause you’re not getting any –“

“What’s going on?” Inara asked, stepping down into the galley. “Fighting already?”

“He started it,” Kaylee said, pointing to Jayne.

“Didn’t,” the mercenary said. “She did.”

“No, I –“

“And I think it had better end here,” Inara interrupted. “You sound like children. If I didn’t know better I’d think Bethany was older than the pair of you.”

“I was just saying it was gonna get boring,” Jayne muttered.

“You always think that unless you’ve got the likelihood of killing something,” Inara pointed out.

“Ain't had that to look forward to either, not for a while.”

“Well, who knows? I might have just the answer.”

“You want me ta kill something for ya?” Jayne asked hopefully.

“Not really. But I have been talking to Monty.”

“Why?”

“He asked me … it doesn’t really matter, does it?” Inara prevaricated. “But the point is he offered us a job.”

“A job?”

“Nothing big. Just a delivery. I told him we wouldn’t be interested, what with everyone having such a good time …”

“Cap’s the only one havin’ a good time,” Jayne said. “Him and Freya’re probably –“

“What the captain and his wife are up to is their business,” Inara said quickly. “But if people are interested I could –“

“Anything’s better’n sitting around scratching my –“

“As I was saying, I’ll get the details from Monty, and we can talk about it later.” Inara gave Jayne a glare then walked out of the galley.

“You upset her,” Kaylee said, just the hint of a smile on her face.

“Nah, she’s just too easy,” Jayne said, going back to his nails. “Now, Mal, he’s the best to rile up.”

Kaylee giggled.

---

“… so I said I’d speak to you. See if you minded.” Inara looked out into the morning. “Freya still in bed?”

“Mmn. Long night.” Mal coughed significantly. “So, you want to take my ship, my crew, and go do a little bit of illegal business of your own.”

“We don’t actually know it’s illegal, Mal.” She turned to look at him, standing facing her with his arms crossed, dressed only in a pair of hastily donned pants, to judge by the lack of buttoning.

“Did Monty tell you what the goods are?”

“Well, no …”

“Then it’s illegal. Not that that’s ever been a problem.”

“I just thought, as you and Freya want some time alone, if I got the rest of the crew out from under your feet, you could … do whatever you wanted. When you wanted.” She gazed at him, all the intimate knowledge of a Companion in her eyes. “After all, you wouldn’t want Jayne to walk in on you at an inopportune moment.”

“No, that would sorta kill the mood.” Mal contemplated. “How long?”

“Two days, although I’m sure we could string it out a little longer. Give you more time.”

“And I appreciate your concern for Freya and me.” His tone was just a little ironic.

“If you don’t want us to, I can just wave Monty, tell him -”

“No, that’s fine. But they all gotta agree, not just one of two. If you go, you all go. Ain’t gonna have folks knocking at the door wanting to be let in just ‘cause they didn’t want to be a part of this.”

“They do.”

“Even River?” Mal nodded towards the sunshine. “She seemed better here. I’m not sure taking her straight back out is gonna do her any good.”

“She said she’ll go wherever Jayne goes.”

“Right.” He thought for a moment, then shrugged. “Guess it’s one of those fait accompli's. Just tell Hank to have my ship back here, undamaged, with the keys in the ignition ‘fore the week’s out.”

Inara smiled. “Thank you, Mal.” She kissed his cheek.

“Yeah, well. And don’t go damaging anything.”

She laughed. “We won’t. Oh, and I brought you some breakfast.” She nodded towards a basket by the door. “Just as a bribe, you understand.”

“Maybe we should be calling you the criminal mastermind,” Mal said, following her out and shaking his head. “Not Simon.”

“I think it must be catching.”

---

Freya stood on the balcony and watched Jayne and Hank taking cases out of one of the outbuildings, Zoe standing back watching. She went to take one of the boxes, but Hank pulled it out of her hands.

“What are they doing?” she asked, feeling Mal come up behind her.

He handed her a cup of camomile tea. “Courtesy of Inara,” he explained as she looked at him in surprise. “The tea.”

“Oh.”

“And the job, as it happens.”

“Job?”

“That stuff’s Monty’s. He’s arranged a little private charter of my crew to deliver it to Magdalene. Seems it’s been hanging around for a while.” He sipped his own cup.

“And you said yes?”

“I figure it’ll keep ‘em out of our hair for a while. Maybe a coupla days, if they enjoy themselves on Magdalene.”

“I thought they were enjoying themselves here?” She leaned a little into his naked chest.

“I think the extra coin was the clincher. And Jayne was getting bored.”

“Ah.” She sighed. “You know, I'm surprised anyone could get bored here.”

He slipped his hand under her arm and undid the tie of her robe. “Well, they ain't got me to entertain them.”

“Mal, they can see.”

“Then come back to bed.”

“I’m not tired.”

“Me neither.” He grinned. “And I’ve got breakfast.”

“What kind?”

“Come back and I’ll show you.” He pulled on the tie, and she followed him inside.

“So? What have we got?”

“Lie down.”

“Mal, I want food. First.” She smiled.

He grinned back and lifted the basket off the floor. “And food you will get. Just lie down.”

Slipping the robe off her shoulders she climbed back onto the bed and put her head on the pillow. “Now what?”

“Close your eyes.”

“Why?”

“Just close them.”

Giving him a wary glare, she did as she was bid, listening to him sorting through things in the basket.

“Mal, what -”

“Ssh.” There was the sound of a jar opening, then something she couldn’t identify. “Open your mouth.”

“You know, I really don’t trust people who say things like -”

“Do you trust me?”

“Usually.”

“Then open your mouth.”

As he spoke she felt something press against her lips, and she took it between her teeth. “Mmn, bread and honey.” She chewed and sighed at the same time.

“Knew you’d like it.”

“More,” she demanded, waiting.

He grinned and dipped another piece of bread into the pot before placing it gently in her mouth. “Okay?”

“Mmn.”

“You know, I’ve wondered before what you’d taste like.” He put his head on one side and absently toyed with the honey pot.

“You know what I taste like,” she said, licking a crumb off her lip with a quick dart of her tongue. She smiled, her eyes still closed. “Breakfast in bed. I could get used to this.” Then something ran slowly down her belly towards the apex of her thighs. “What was that?” she asked, lying perfectly still.

“Don’t move.”

“Why?”

In response she felt his tongue run up her flesh, slightly rough against her skin. “Just getting me something to eat.”

She groaned happily.

to be continued