Blue Blood – Chapter Twelve I own no rights to. . .oh good grief. All of you know this by heart. ----------------- Jayne was a bit nervous as he paced the deck of Companion’s cargo bay. He had a rather interesting problem, and couldn’t see any way around it, as yet. “Jayne?” He turned at Inara’s voice. “Yes, ma’am?” Inara almost blushed at that, and did smile. “You’ve come a long way in the last few months, Jayne,” she said softly, laying her hand on his arm. “I’m very proud of you.” Jayne’s face grew red. “Ought to be proud of yourself,” he told her. “It’s your doing, you know.” “You did the work, Jayne,” Inara replied. “I just showed you how.” “Ought to do it all the time,” Jayne said suddenly, and Inara’s eyes widened. “What?” “You should do it all the time,” he repeated. “I know you don’t intend to keep flying, once Mal find’s a new pilot. Don’t blame you,” he added. “But you should think about teachin’ other folks, like you did me.” Inara blinked hard at that. Jayne Cobb, of all people! A finishing school! the thought roared into her mind. Theres nothing like that anywhere on this planet, I’d be willing to wager. “Jayne, that’s an excellent suggestion!” Inara told him excitedly. “I never thought of that!” Jayne shrugged. “Just saying,” was all he said. Inara looked at him. “What’s worrying you, Jayne?” she asked softly. “Worried about the wedding?” “With you planning it?” Jayne snorted. “Last thing I’m worried over, with you and Kaylee looking after things.” Inara blushed at the praise. “Then what is it?” Jayne frowned. “There’s a license,” he told her. “Need’s both our name’s on it, for our marriage to be legal.” “Yes?” “Inara, marriage licenses are sent Coreward for registration. I can’t send a marriage license with my name, or River’s, into the core.” Inara gasped, not having thought of that. “What will you do?” Inara asked. “Not a clue,” Jayne admitted. “Come on,” Inara grabbed his hand, pulling toward the stairs. “You’re in luck. I’m on very good terms with the Sheriff.” ------------------ “Change your names?” Mal asked. “What in tarnation for?” “I can’t send the certificate in with my real name on it, nor my false on neither,” Jayne said patiently. “And River’s?” he added. “Oh,” Mal said, seeing the problem. “Well, we’ll think of something.” “Think of something for what?” River asked, walking into the galley. Jayne looked up at her in trepidation. “We were discussing the name issue. For the license.” “Name issue?” River looked puzzled, then brightened. “Oh, what names to put on the certificate for when it’s filed,” she said. Jayne nodded, as did Mal and Inara. “I’ve already seen to that,” River announced airily. All three looked startled. “You have?” Mal asked, a worried look on his face. “Of course,” River replied. “Nothing is going to stop my wedding.” She reached into her bag, and withdrew an envelope. “This is the marriage license, and certificate, which announces the legal marriage of one Sean Michael Cobb to one Angel Marie Reynolds.” She lay the envelope on the table triumphantly. “Reynolds?” Mal asked in bewilderment. “Of course,” River said. “Who’s name did you think I’d use? My birth parents certainly have no right to be represented on my marriage license. You are my BaBa,” she reminded him with a smile that lit the galley. Mal fairly beamed. Inara thought he’d burst at the seams. “I’m right honored, Albatross.” “I can see where you got Jayne’s name, River,” Inara said. “But Angel Marie?” “Marie is my middle name,” River smiled. “Angel is what Jayne calls me.” Jayne’s face reddened a bit at that, but he nodded. Inara thought she would tear up at any minute, and even Mal looked a bit. . .well, less Mal-ish. “That’s adorable, River,” Inara managed, and River beamed. “I thought so. So, are there any other crushing problems, or may I borrow my husband to be?” ------------------- “Something wrong?” Jayne asked, as River led him away. “Nope,” she said over her shoulder. “Not a thing.” “Then what. . .” He was cut off as River whirled, leapt up on him, and planted her lips against his. Stunned, he kissed back, arms wrapping around her, his hands grabbing her rear. “That’s what I wanted,” River told him impishly, drawing back to look at him. He grinned. “Well, that’s fine by me,” he smiled back, laying his forehead against hers. “Day after tomorrow, River Tam will no longer exist,” she told him, her voice quiet. “I will officially be Mrs. Sean Ironhorse.” “Uh, shouldn’t that be Mrs. Sean Cobb?” Jayne asked with a grin. “Nope,” River smiled brightly. “That’s just for the authorities, silly. I will be Mrs. Ironhorse. We’ll still call me Mrs. Cobb, of course,” she smirked. “I like the sound of that,” Jayne sighed. “Mrs. Cobb.” “So do I,” she kissed him again. “Now, no more worrying. Dong ma?” “Okay, Angel mine,” Jayne nodded. “I promise.” River reluctantly jumped down. “Now, I have to go and get fitted for my dress,” she told him. Her hand came up to stroke his jaw. “Love you.” “I love you,” Jayne whispered back, leaning down to kiss her lightly. “The ‘boys’ have planned a bachelor party for you,” River told him. “You are to behave.” “Yes, ma’am,” he nodded. She giggled. “See you later, ai ren.” ------------------- Jayne, Mal, Simon, Hollins, Goldie, and Greggs were all gathered around a table in Marlo’s, a small bar about two miles from Guilford’s. Goldie had only been released that morning, and had been forced to swear an oath to Zoe that he would not drink in excess, or do anything else that might cause him to re-injure himself. “Jush sho you know,” Mal slurred, finger pointed in Goldie’s general direction, “you do anything to hurt Zshoe, Zoe, and me an’ you gon’ have a pro’lem.” “That won’t happen, Mal,” Goldie promised, nursing only his second beer as most everyone else got totally blitzed. “Jush sho we unershan’ eacsh other,” Mal nodded. “Mal, relax,” Jayne said, having drank only a little himself. “He’s so scared o’ Zoe he ain’t even drinkin’.” “I am not!” Goldie exclaimed indignantly. Jayne smirked at him, and Goldie muttered, “not that much.” Simon and Mal erupted in laughter. “Ish okay,” Simon said, trying to pat Goldie’s shoulder, but missing, which seemed very funny to the young doctor. “Ever’one’s scared o’ Zoe.” “Not Jayne,” Liam Greggs spoke up. He hadn’t drank at all, much to Mal’s surprise. When he’d asked why, Greggs just shrugged. 'Someone needs to look out for the rest', had been all he’d say. “Says who?” Jayne scowled, then broke down into laughter. “You ain’t scared o’ nothin’,” Greggs said firmly, and Jayne fixed the younger man with a baleful look. “Think so?” he asked quietly. “Ever seen a reaver?” Greggs paled, but shook his head. “Well, I’m scared of them,” he said softly. “Nuff talk ‘bout gorram reavers,” Mal announced. “Not that kinda night.” Everyone nodded in agreement. “‘Sides whish,” Mal stood, barely. “I wanna make a toash, toast,” he managed as he lifted his mug. “To Jayne and River. May they not kill each other.” The entire table broke into laughter at that, Jayne laughing as hard as anyone. Simon looked at his soon to be brother-in-law. “Jayne,” Simon said blearily, “I jush wan’ you to kn. . .hic. . .know, that I couldn’t of picked a better man for my shis. . .sister.” “Thanks, Simon,” Jayne smiled. “I appreciate that.” “I hope sho,” Simon smirked. “I’ll never shay it again, pro’ly.” Again the table erupted in laughter. As the men were slapping each other on the back and deciding whose turn it was to buy, a rather large man walked up to the table. “Reckon you bunch can keep it down?” he snarled. Mal looked at the man wolfishly. “Whash’at?” “I said keep it down!” the man repeated heatedly. “Don’ want no trouble, friend,” Mal said amiably. “Our friensh gettin’ married tomorrow, and wesh celebratin’ a little. Have a drink. No hard feelingsh?” Mal held a fresh glass up, only to have the large man slap it from his hand. “I don’t want your damn. . .” He didn’t finish the retort, as Liam Greggs’ fist slammed into his jaw. Several men from the nearby table leapt to their feet, and Jayne was up, right beside Greggs. “Looks like hard feelings after all,” Jayne laughed, and hit the nearest man.

--------------------- “I cannot believe that you would do something so. . .so. . .childish, Malcolm Reynolds!” Inara was scolding Mal as she cleaned the cut on his forehead. The men of Serenity and Companion had limped back in during the wee hours of the morning, in various states of sobriety and health. “We didn’t start it, Inara, I swear,” Mal whined, wincing as she wiped at the cut. “This guy, he came up, being rude and what not, and I tried to buy him a drink, and he slapped it outta my hands, and then Liam, he hit him, and these other guys they. . .” “None of that is the point!” she cut off his explanation. “Not only are you the Sheriff now, but it’s River’s wedding day! You took Jayne to a bar, let him get drunk, and now he looks like something the cat drug in!” “He always looked like that!” Mal objected. “OW!” he yelped as Inara pressed down rather hard on his cut. “That hurt!” “It should!” ------------------- “I swear, I didn’t do a thing,” Goldie said, as Zoe stood, arms crossed, foot tapping. Eyes glaring. “I didn’t take the first swing, and didn’t bother anyone. I had two beers. Well, one and three quarters, I guess, since I didn’t really finish the second. . .” “If you weren’t drinking, why didn’t you stop them!” Zoe demanded. “And how, might you suggest, should I have done that?” Goldie asked reasonably. “There were several rather large individuals involved, one of them Jayne.” “You should have kept Jayne out of it, and Mal! For the wedding.” “Zoe, I don’t know if you’ve noticed this,” Goldie said calmly, “but when Jayne sets his mind to something, there’s not much a mere mortal like me can do about it.” “You could have tried,” Zoe insisted. “No, I couldn’t,” he told her. “Because I promised you I wouldn’t do anything that might cause me to re-injure myself.” Zoe’s foot stopped tapping abruptly. “I told you I would behave, and I did,” he smiled. Despite herself, Zoe grinned. ------------------ “You of all people, Simon Tam, ought to know better!” Kaylee was doctoring her doctor, scolding as she went. Simon’s eye was swelling nicely, and would likely be good and black when the wedding started. “I didn’t. . .” “To go and get in a fight the very night before you walk your sister down the aisle!” Kaylee went right on, as if Simon hadn’t tried to speak. “But I. . .” “And then to let Jayne wind up looking like somethin’ the cat dragged in!” “Kaylee, we didn’t start it!” Simon managed to get out. “But you didn’t try and stop it either,” Kaylee told him flatly. “I stopped someone from hitting Jayne in the back,” Simon said proudly. “I hit him with a beer mug.” Kaylee blinked at that. “You stopped someone from hitting Jayne in the back?” “Yep,” Simon grinned. “I sure did.” “Well,” Kaylee softened. “That’s something, anyway.” ------------------- “You were to behave,” River said sternly, working to fix a cut on Jayne’s jaw. “We were, Angel, I promise,” he said quietly. “Mal even tried to buy the guy a drink.” “At least you weren’t hurt,” River soothed. Jayne reached out for her, but she avoided his grasp. “Oh no,” she waved a finger at him. “You aren’t getting out of it that easy.” “But I didn’t do anything!” Jayne objected. “And your face got this way all on it’s own?” River asked pointedly. “Had to help Mal and Liam,” Jayne pointed out. “There were several of them. And. . .and Mal was drunk,” he told her triumphantly. “And you weren’t?” River’s eyebrow rose in question. “No, I wasn’t,” Jayne told her. “I had a few beers, but that’s all. Wasn’t gonna come home drunk night before we get married, Angel.” River’s frown softened into a smile at that, and she leaned in to kiss him. -------------------