Title: Capacity

By: Joly Rated PG Summary: Xiaofan adjust to her new life and eventually, the fall out from the old one. Pairings: Nothing specific, just things I've been working with in the last few installments. But Jayne and Xiaofan are going there... Eventually.

Archive: yes, please. Let me know so I can do a little dance.

Disclaimer: No own, no make money, please don't sue. Jayne stood there for a long moment, taking in the scene. Until his reverie was broken. "I'm not dead," Xiaofan said, staring at the body of the bounty hunter at her feet. Jayne looked up. Perched on the roof of a nearby shop was River, weapon in hand. "Gorram it, girl! What have I told you 'bout gettin' into my guns?!" "I think you should forgive her just this one time, Jayne," Xiaofan sighed, "Or else I'd be laying in a heap." Jayne looked from Xiaofan to River and back again. "Just this once, moonbrain, I'm gonna let it go. You need a gun, yer gonna have to get yer own. Now, come on down here." River jumped from the roof to a landing slightly lower and then gracefully to the ground. "What do we do, Jayne?" Xiaofan whispered, going into a bit of shock. He thought a minute, "Mal normally- Never mind Mal… Gotta come up with a plan." "Such as?" Xiaofan queried, shaking a bit as the shock began to fully set in. The body on the ground reminding her of what could have been her demise. River put her arms around the other woman. "Jayne will come up with something. Smart when he feels like it." Jayne just gave her a menacing look, which River failed utterly to respond to. She just held Xiaofan for a moment longer, then linked hands with her. "Xiaofan has to be dead." "I don't want to be dead, River." "Not dead dead…" A light went on over Jayne's head. "I got a idea." Xiaofan looked at them and scowled. "Just gotta get this guy squared away." ~~~~~~ "We're going to a morgue," Xiaofan said, confused. "Yah, seems like the place to stick a body," Jayne replied, hefting the bounty hunter over one shoulder. River walked in front of the other two, making sure the coast was clear. And so far, so good. "Don't they usually frown on you bringing in random dead people?" "Depends on who's working." "I don't want to know how you know that." "Then I won't tell you. But the plan is this; we drop this guy off and find somebody who looks like you. River an' me can identify ya and ya can go on record as being dead. Anybody comes lookin', they'll find yer death certificate on file here, offici'ly dead." "How long will it take for them to put the paperwork in the system?" Xiaofan asked, thinking. "Dunno, coupla days. Why?" "I've gotta empty-" Jayne stopped her. "If yer dead ya won't have-" Xiaofan was determined. "It'll look like I was getting ready to go into hiding for good when the bounty hunter found me."

"Smart, I guess." "Very smart. Doctor," River said, stopping in front of the morgue, " Now, you're dead." Xiaofan shivered. "Stay in the waiting room. I'll handle the desk guy," Jayne said, dumping the body on the ground. ~~~~~~~ The desk guy turned out to be a girl and Jayne was able to negotiate a very good price. The dead bounty hunter was classified 'John Doe' and a random female was assigned 'Lo Xiaofan Niu'. River came to the waiting room with a small syringe in one hand and cleansing pads, alcohol wipes and a bandage. "What?" "Need a sample. If they come looking, your DNA will be on file, the body having already been incinerated." "I- Never mind, forget it. Do you know what you're doing or do you want me to draw it?" "I've observed Simon a several occasions-" "I'll draw it," she said shortly, tense already, sitting in the damp, musty waiting room, contemplating her fate. In short order she handed the syringe back to River. "Anything else?" "No," the young woman said, turning to go. ~~~~~~ When they got back to the ship, there was uproar. Mal and Zoe were waiting for them in the cargo bay. "Where in the seven hells have you been?" Mal shouted. "You are aware there's a bounty on your head?" Xiaofan looked at Jayne. "You didn't tell them where we were? Or what happened?" Xiaofan was livid, "I was only attacked in a dark alley, almost killed, and to top it all, now I'm dead!" "Look pretty good for a corpse," Mal said, smirking despite his irritation. "Now, would someone like to clear this up? We missed the evening meal waitin' for all of you." They were lead into the galley, where the rest of the crew waited. "Xiaofan!" Kaylee said, jumping up and dashing across the room, throwing her arms around her new friend. "Thought ya were- Well, we thought-" "I'm okay, Kaylee," she said then glanced at River, who had just sat at the table. "Thanks to our resident reader." "Well, get it out, Doctor. We're on pins an' needles," Mal said, taking a seat and motioning for her to do the same. "I left the ship," she said. At the 'duh' faces from the rest of the crew, she sped up. "A bounty hunter found me, forced me into an alley and was going to kill me. Then," she stopped, "Jayne, you'll have to tell some, as I have no idea how you found me." "Saw ya go out, knew there'd be trouble. Lost ya there for a second. By the time I found ya in the alley and pulled my gun I'd already heard the shot." Wash looked around uncertainly. "But you're very not dead. Who got shot?" Xiaofan smiled at river. "That would be where Miss Tam comes in. River?" "Same as Jayne. Knew there would be trouble. Got a gun." At this she pulled it from her jacket and pushed it across the table to Jayne, who grabbed it and scowled. "Gorram moon-brain wouldn't give it back til we got back ta the ship." "Waited. Saw. Shot. Done." "Well, not exactly done. We had to come up with a plan. Well, actually, Jayne came up with the plan." There was a collective turn of all heads except River and Xiaofan. "I'm a criminal. I come up with criminal plans all the time. Jus' cause yer not inter-" "Fascinating though this story is sure to be, I would enjoy the short version before I grow old and die in this very chair," Mal said. "I'm dead. Officially. My DNA is on file with the morgue if anyone comes looking. She went on to tell them the story. Wide eyes and significant glances thrown at Jayne at various times through out. Jayne just smiled at Xiaofan and listened, enjoying being the good guy for a change. ~~~~~~ Jayne caught her alone in the hallway by the guest quarters. "Need some company, Xiaofan?" he said as she opened the door to her room. Mildly startled she turned and looked at the man, there was a knowing look on his face. "Jayne..." she began, "What do you mean?" He moved closer to her, not menacing. But swiftly, placing a hand on her wrist. "Company. In your room. Do you want me?" "I do want you. I think I do. I…" Xiaofan didn't resist when Jayne pulled her to him and kissed her. She contemplated a moment on whether it was a good idea. And though it was clearly not, she forgot al the reasons why, just for a moment. And kissed Jayne. Put her arms around his neck, leaned into him and let the feeling overwhelm her. And just as quickly, Xiaofan disengaged. She stopped responding to him, she pulled away. "Wha-?" "I'm sorry. No, I'm not sorry. I can't…" she said, and slipped into her room, closing and bolting the door. Jayne stood there a moment, bemused. "It's a start," he said, and walked off to his bunk. ~~~~~~~ Simon was in the infirmary when Zoe and Wash came in, apparently looking for him. "Is something wrong?" he asked, turning to look at them. "No, no, nothing's wrong," Wash said, eyeing his wife. "Then, I can't help but wonder-" "We're trying to have a baby," Zoe said. "I thought you weren't because of the dan-" "We're not worrying about that anymore," Wash cut in, his expression belying the truth of the statement. "You'll want to start pre-natal vitamins, then," Simon said, "And do all the genetic testing. It shouldn't take more than a week once you give samples." "A week?" Wash whined. "Well, if we were on Osiris it would take ten minutes, but-" "We understand, Doctor. What do we need to do?" Zoe looked at her man, hope and happiness in her expression. At that, Wash softened, let some of his fears drift away. He wanted to see her heavy with child, but the fear always held him back. But this time he wasn't letting it steer him. He would let Zoe man the rudder on this adventure, trusting her, as he always did, with his life. ~~~~~~~ "What's all this?" Simon asked, just walking into Xiaofan's room. "River cleaned out my accounts. I have every bit of income I ever earned with me at this moment. It's disturbing, it used to be a card in my pocket, and now," she waved at it all laying on her bed, "here it is." "You should put it away before Jayne knows it's here." She shot him a disgusted look. "Jayne dropped it off, Simon. You know, I can't understand your terribly low opinion of him. Besides being a bit of a rough neck-" Simon dropped down next to her, putting a hand on her shoulder. "Right before I saw you, on Ariel, Jayne almost turned us, River and I, over to the Feds. The only reason he didn't is because he was going to be arrested too. Anyway, I didn't know that at the time, I thought he was our hero. It was a blow to see that I was wrong. I had just started trusting people here and then it was like… The rug being ripped out from under my feet and landing on my face." Xiaofan looked at Simon a moment. "It must have hurt you pretty badly, being betrayed like that." Simon bristled. "It's not like it was unexpected. He-" "It must have been a shock, Simon. But do you think that Jayne is the same man now that he was then? Really?" Simon shook his head. "I'm sure of very little these days, Xiao." "I imagine you can be sure of a couple of things." Simon managed a half assed smile. "What do you believe that to be?" "Well, that I love you Simon. Not in a creepy, get beat up by Kaylee kind of way. But like a good, good friend. And River, strange as she is, loves you and looks up to you. Though you could stand to cut her some slack" At this Simon started to protest. "I let her go out in the village by herself." "After arguing with Kaylee for an hour." "Yes." "But that is progress, none the less. And there is a Miss Kaywinnit Lee Frye who we are sure holds very strong feelings for you." "The source of which changes daily." "Or less, depending on how often you stick your foot in your mouth." "Or that." ~~~~~~~~ River followed the young man about 150 yards before she had the nerve to speak to him. He'd stopped at a vendor for a beverage and River sidled up to him. "My name is River." She startled him so badly he almost dropped his cup. "Whoa, yeah, hi." She'd tried talking to boys on other stops planet side. She just couldn't seem to get the thing Kaylee called flirting down. She usually just scared them off. At least this one hadn't run yet. "I'm River," she said picking up a snacky cake. "I'm Terrence," the young man said. "Would you… Would you like…" "You can buy this cake for me and I'll sit with you while I eat it." River took the cake and flounced to a sitting area about ten feet from the vendor. The young man looked at her in a bit of awe, paid the irate vendor and followed the mystery woman. "Are you a resident?" River asked when he sat with his drink and pastry. "Pardon?" he asked, unsure of her meaning. "If we are to conversate you must pay attention to the meaning of my words, or else we will be having two or more different conversations. Do you reside in the area?" He blinked, taking her in, then settling backing his chair, open to the challenge of this odd young woman. "Yes, my family owns the butcher's on the other side of the village. Chedhelm's, you know it?" "We've only been on Rosetta for a few days. I only know this little area." He brightened. "You should let me show you around. The village of Shia is actually turning into a small town. There's talk of a space port soon." She looked at him a moment. "My brother will get angry if I go far." Terrence smiled at her. "Then we won't go far." ~~~~~ "Where is she?" Simon said, just coming from the cargo bay to the galley. Xiaofan was sitting at the table with Kaylee and Zoe, just chatting when Simon came in, frantic. "Where is River?" Kaylee stood and walked over to the man. "She's still in the village. She'll be alright, she's just sight seeing, is all." "No, she's not," River said, walking in behind her brother, touching Kaylee's arm and sitting at the table with Xiaofan and Zoe. "She had a satisfactory time, as well. She met a boy," River said smiling shyly. "What boy?" Simon demanded. "Where-" Xiaofan cut him off. "I'm sure those are all questions that can be asked with out an interrogation," she said, leveling a stern gaze at Simon. "Well, Miss River… Tell us everything." She quickly added. "If you want to." River's shy smile became sweeter and happier. "His name is Terrence…"