Chapter 8

Maggie wasn’t sure if she was happy or not to be leaving her house for good. The ship had landed in the unused field between the house and the lake. “Home sweet home.” Maggie said as she ran to the barn to finally take care of her animals. Half the crew followed her into the barn. “Jayne, I can’t even tell that you two opened the secret hold.” Maggie started to milk her cows. “Need some help with that?” The Shepard asked as he sat down on the extra stool near Millie “I was in charge of the milk cows at the Abby.” He started milking. “What can I do?” Kaylee asked looking at the pigs in the pen outside. “You can feed the pig, slops in the bucket.” Maggie answered “When we’re done I’ll fix dinner, what would you guys like?” Jayne looked at the cows “Steak looks good to me.” He grinned at the Shepard. “Jayne, these are milking cows, not eating cows” Maggie laughed, she handed Jayne the bucket of milk “Could you pour this into the barrel over there please. Eating cows are out back, but it takes hours to dress down a cow. I do have some stuff in the freezer if you don’t mind frozen again?” “I could eat it frozen if I had too.” He smiled back at her. “I’m sure I can cook some of it.” Maggie finished feeding the chickens “What am I going to do with all these animals?” “I could eat them for you too, if you’d like.” Jayne offered, he handed the empty bucket to Book and took his full one. “Might take me a few days, I’m sure Book here would help.” “You know I’ve not had a good old BBQ is ages.” Book looked over to where Maggie was holding a basket of fresh eggs. “Maggie, you think we could have a big bonfire and cook the steak out side?” “Well we can sure have a big fire, but I’ve got a separate grill for cooking. If you want you can go out in the field and pick some corn.” Maggie turned the milk sterilizer on “We’re done out here. You boys you want to come and pick out some steaks?” She walked towards the house with her basket of eggs. Wash, Zoë, Simon, Mal and Inara were waited on the front porch “Animals all taken care of?” Mal asked looking in the basket Maggie was holding. “Yes they are, we have plenty of fresh eggs and milk for breakfast. Is it OK if we have a BBQ tonight? I’ve got lots of frozen meat that we will have to do something with.” Maggie walked past Mal into the kitchen. Mal followed her “BBQ? Sounds good to me, need any help?” “Jayne and Book are going for wood. They decided I could safely pick out the two biggest steaks for them.” She smiled to herself as she remembered Jayne saying how BIG a steak he wanted “Kaylee and River are picking corn and onions. Want to come and pick out the third largest steak for yourself?” Maggie looked back over her shoulder as she headed into the basement. “Just how big is big?” Mal asked as he followed her down the stairs. “Well, I got tired of cutting and left some of the steaks really big. Couple are at least a kilo, think that’s big enough?” Maggie handed Mal brown wrapped packages until his hands were full and cold. “If not there seems to be plenty to go around.” Mal mumbled as he turned around and headed up the stairs. Maggie closed up the freezer and headed up the stairs with her own arms full. At the top of the stairs she ran right into Marco. Maggie let out a yelp and dropped her packages “What the hell are you doing here?” Looking around she saw Mal, Zoë, Wash, Simon and Inara as they stood to the side as three men held their guns on them. “Just making sure you don’t take anything your not suppose to take” Marco answered slowly as he walked up to her with an evil gleam in his eye. “The house and land is all you get Marco, everything else is mine” She tried to back up but she hit the basement door. “You afraid I’ll take the doors and windows?” Maggie replied as she inched over towards the sink. “Just wondering if there’s anything left that belonged to your Mom and Dad. They never did find that last shipment.” Marco said following Maggie as she tried to get away. Maggie picked a frying pan out of the sink and connected with Marco’s head in one flowing motion, she only had a minute to think this pan feels lighter then Betty and I need to get a gun. Mal and Zoë took advantage of the momentary confusion and unarmed two of the men guarding them. At that moment Jayne burst thru the door and shot the last one. Simon started to work on the man Jayne shot and Maggie bent down and examined Marco “He’s only knocked out” Maggie stated as she started to pick up the packages on the floor. “Saw the wagon from the woods, Captain, got here as fast as I could” Jayne answered Mal’s silent question. “What are we going to go with them?” Maggie asked watching Mal and Zoë as they tied up the men. “Not sure.” Mal answered looking at Marco’s man on the ground. “Doc, he going to be OK?” “Yes they’re both going to be fine.” Simons said. “We got more company!” Wash yelled turning from the open door “Alliance!” “Doc, you better scoot out the back door. Jayne, where are the others?” Mal asked taking a look out the door. “Left Kaylee and River with the Shepard out in the woods.” Jayne got his gun back out “Who we got?” “Looks like the same feds from yesterday” Answered Zoë getting in front of Wash she drew her own gun. “Lieutenant Matthews, what good timing, seems Marco here has a problem leaving us alone.” Maggie walked up to the door, she grabbed the bloody towel Simon dropped and wiped her hands on it. “Not sure what they were after. I would appreciate it if you would take them into town and make them stay there for another day or two. Then we will be gone and Marco can do what he wants with the place.” Maggie wanted the Lieutenant to think she had done the doctoring “Might want to take this one to the doctor. Bullet went clean thru and I stopped the bleeding, but you never know” She walked around the unconscious man and put the towel down. She’s not sure why the doctor is hiding, but she trust Mal. The Lt. addressed Marco as he regained consciousness “Why are you harassing this couple. She married another man, best to just let her go” Matthews looked at Marco and then turned to Maggie “I’m sorry about this, I will take him into town and make sure he stays there. Men.” He pointed at Marco. “They ain’t married” Margo grunted as he stood up. Maggie can see Jayne and Mal tense up. “I thought you two had just gotten married?” The Lieutenant looked at both Maggie and Jayne “When we saw you last night.” Maggie looked at Jayne and Mal waiting for one of them to come up with something. “You misunderstood Sir, they are getting married today… here… now…” Mal walked up between them and puts an arm around them both. “Kids just couldn’t wait till the honeymoon.” He said with a gleam in his eye and squeezed Jayne's arm. Jayne looked at Mal “Yeah right, couldn’t wait.” “You’re not trying to run out on her are you?” Marco looked at the pair with an evil glint in his eye “Take advantage of this pretty young thing and then leave her. Lieutenant, I think we should stay and make sure this man fulfills his commitment to Maggie.” “That might not be such a bad idea, you wouldn’t be the first spacer to take advantage of one of our young ladies.” The Lieutenant walked up to Jayne and stared him in the eye. He turned around and walked up to the Captain “When’s the wedding?” Jayne was shifting from foot to foot, he doesn’t know what he should do. Maggie grabbed his arm and looked up at him. She looked as scared as he felt. He put his arm around her and leaned down and whispered in her ear “Don’t worry, Captain will come up with a plan.” God having his arm around her felt so good. “I think we should call Elder Jones and have him perform the wedding” Marco said as he reached for his radio. “No need to do that we have our own Preacher. Wash go get Book and Kaylee.” Mal said. “Sure Captain, Kaylee and Book” Wash answered as he left the kitchen. Maggie had put her arm around Jayne and hooked her thumb into his belt, not sure what she should be doing. Jayne could feel her hand and his response to it. He moved Maggie in front of him and put his hands on her waist. Maggie couldn’t think of anything but the pressure of his hands, slowly she leaned back into him and enjoyed the warmth. “Maggie, best you go get dressed. Inara will you help her?” Mal asked looking around the kitchen trying to figure out how to get this over with. Inara whispered to Maggie “You have anything to wear?” Maggie just shook her head. “I’m sure we can find something in my shuttle” Inara said as she led Maggie out of the kitchen. Maggie gave one last look toward Jayne and followed Inara. Jayne looked at Mal like he wants to ask him what the hell is going on. Mal just held his hand up and said “Jayne you need to get ready too!” “So Captain are we ready?” Book asked as he walked onto the porch where the men have gathered “Kaylee and Wash are setting up for the wedding banquet.” Book looked from Mal to Jayne “Maybe I better help Jayne get ready.” He took Jayne’s arm and led him off towards the ship. “I’m not sure what the Captain has planned Jayne, do you know?” “I don’t know much of anything right now. Pretty sure I don’t want to get married though.” “Just pretty sure Jayne? You and Maggie seem to fit together nicely. This maybe the chance you’ve been looking for. You know her a lot better then you knew Saffron when you offered Vera for her.” “Yeah that’s true, she is awful nice and she smells real good.” He looked thru his clothes for his good blue button up shirt “But I don’t think she wants to get married again.” Inara went thru her closet looking for something modest enough for a wedding dress. “I’m sure Mal will come up with something. This is all just for show, he wouldn’t make you marry Jayne.” Inara shuddered at the thought. Maggie looked at Inara “I’ve married worst.” She put on the dress Inara held out, the ivory dress fell in layers to the floor, Inara had to improvise a belt as Maggie didn’t fill the dress out as much as she did. “Hard to believe that there is worst out there.” Inara secured the scarf around Maggie’s waist. “Well my first husband tried to burn my face because I burnt the toast and my second only married me so the council wouldn’t know he liked to force himself on little boys. Compared to them I think Jayne is a saint. I’ve only known him for a few days but he has been very respectful and kind.” Maggie is not sure why she is so upset with Inara. It’s not like she wanted to marry Jayne, was it? “Well you’re right, compared to them Jayne would seem like a saint.” Inara can tell that Maggie is upset, not sure if it with her or with the feelings she seems to have for Jayne. “There your hair is done. You look beautiful dear.” “Inara, what will I do if Mal can’t stop the wedding?” Maggie asked, she looked more then a little scared and on the verge of crying. “Are you sure you want it stopped? You seem to have feeling for Jayne.” Inara finished putting some makeup on Maggie’s face. “If he wanted to marry me I might, but he is being forced into it. I know all the problems are because of how I tried to hide him. He makes me feel safe, I’ve never had that from anyone. When he touches me, even fleeting, I can feel it all the way to my toes.” Maggie took a deep breath and looked in the mirror, she can’t believe how beautiful Inara has made her look. “I know how you feel.” Inara said under her breath, thinking to herself that’s just how I feel about Mal. Louder she said “Jayne has never been kind or considerate to anyone, before you. If he really wanted out of this he would just walk off.”