The Need Part Six Author: J.J. Subject: Rayne Rating: NC-17 Disclaimer: The characters in this fic are not mine, they belong to the Power that is Joss and 20th Century Fox. I'm just borrowing them for fun. Summary: Post BDM. Serenity's deadliest begin to connect after a long stint in the Black. Author's Note: Thanks for the feed back! Forgive me this is a short chapter.

Chapter Six - Want vs Need

The trip to Beaumonde was simple enough, after Mal, Kaylee, River and Jayne met with the client, the "Professor" as he liked to be called they got half of their money; which half was more than what they seen in a very long time even before Miranda, Mal and Kaylee went to the Market as Jayne loaded up the Mule with the Clients cargo. River stayed with Jayne at Mal's request.

"So you're gonna ignore me," Jayne said sitting in the mule after the cargo was loaded. River was walking out side of it. Her bare feet in the grass the warm late afternoon summer wind blowing her hair and her sundress around her body.

"I am not ignoring you."

"Well, you ain't talkin'."

River held out her hand and Jayne helped her on the mule.

"How can I talk to a wall?" she asked as she sat down next to him.

"Ain't a wall, I'm flesh and blood just like you, dong ma?"

"Not like me, you're cold, hard, mean, like steel and I'm the wind," she smiled and closed her eyes and enjoyed the breeze.

"Well I can't much argue that," Jayne hunched his shoulders.

"I want to be fire, I want to melt you," River touched his face. "I want you to melt for me, just for me, Jayne. Be steel to all the others, but I want you to let me in and not be afraid."

"I ain't afraid," he grumbled and River rolled her eyes. He sighed, "I ain't afraid of you, girl. I'm afraid of hurting you. I don't want to be the one that breaks your heart and ruin you for all others. I've been alone all these years cause I ain't exactly a catch, dong ma?"

"You've been alone all this time because you've been waiting for me to find you," River said, so matter of factly, Jayne chuckled.

"That's so?"

Jayne leaned in and kissed her, "River, I-. You-you gotta show me, show how to melt," he asked. She rose, took his hand, and pulled for him to stand as well. The sun was starting to fade into the horizon.

"I love you, Jayne Cobb," she said, looking in his eyes, her heart thumping in her chest.

"River," Jayne began, but she stopped him.

"You don't need to say it, again. You said it to me last night in your mind when we made love," she said and Jayne hunched his shoulders.

"I might not need to say it, Riv, but I want to," he kissed her forehead. "I love you, girl. Ai ya, I must be the craziest man on the verse." Jayne laughed as she hugged him with a huge smile. River pulled his face down to hers and kissed him and they kissed until the sky turned black and the moon rose above them.

"I'ma get spaced for this," Jayne sighed, his arms wrapped around hers.

"You're not," River sighed, listening to his strong heart beat under her ear.

"Yeah he is," Mal said, standing outside of the mule.