Chapter 15

Jayne came up behind Maggie and kissed her on the neck, He didn’t see Wash coming down from the bridge, but Wash saw the look Maggie gave Jayne before she yelled at him. “Jayne, stop it” Maggie brandished a long cooking fork “I’ll burn dinner if you don’t leave me alone.” Jayne backed off leering at her “Just wanted a little taste.” What Mal can not see from the doorway is the grin Maggie gave Jayne. The captain watched Jayne as he lumbered off saying “You won’t always have that fork to hide behind, girl.” Heading down to the cargo hold to find Jayne, Mal made up his mind. “Jayne, we gotta talk” Jayne looked up from the weight bench “Shoot.” Mal looked him in the eye “When you came on board I told you crew was off limits, right?” Jayne didn't stop lifting and grunted “Yeah” “So how come I seen you bothering Maggie just now?” “She ain’t crew.” Jayne said out loud, he cursed himself for that little stunt in the kitchen. “Close enough, Jayne, leave her alone.” Mal turned to leave. “Not gonna do that Captain.” Jayne stopped lifting and sat up. Mal stopped in his tracks and turned to face Jayne “What did you just say?” Jayne stood up “Said no Captain, not going to leave her alone.” He was sure Mal was going to kill him, with the look he just got. “It’s an order Jayne.” “Don’t care, not gonna do it.” He backed up as Mal advanced on him. Mal can not believe that Jayne has not back down yet. “Why not?” “I like her, she’s special.” Jayne kept backing up as Mal came forward. “She is off limits, just like the rest of the women on this boat!” “Yeah, you tell the Doctor that? Seem you don’t mind him sniffing around Kaylee.” “I’ll mind the Doc, you just stay away from Maggie – You hear me!” “I hear you, still not gonna do it.” “You disobeying a direct order Jayne?” “Guess so.” Jayne can not believe it has come to this, but he is not giving her up. Mal just looked at him for awhile before he made up his mind “Boat takes off in 10 minutes, I don’t expect you to be on it.” With that he walked up to the bridge to tell Zoë. Jayne can’t believe what just happened. He headed up to his bunk and packed his weapons. With his bags he headed into the common area to look for Maggie, she was sitting with River playing a game. “Get your stuff, we’re getting off!” He was not sure if she would leave with him or not. Maggie jumped up with a slew on questions on her lips, but one look at his face and she just nodded. “How much can I take?” She asked as he followed her into her quarters. “Just what you can carry.” Jayne answered grabbing the last of his stuff from her bedroom. Maggie packed quicker than Jayne thought she could and the two of them headed out the door. “Do I have time to say good-bye?” She asked trying to keep up with him. “No, boats leaving in a few minutes.” Jayne looked around not sure which way they should go, he made up his mind and they headed into the crowd. As he came into the cargo hold, Mal can see Jayne’s head in the crowd, but does not see that Maggie is with him. He closed the door and signaled to Wash that they are clear to go. He can’t believe that Jayne would leave, doesn’t understand why. Passing thru the bridge he saw Wash and Zoë “Well, he’s gone.” Not waiting for an answer he went down to Jayne’s bunk and looked around. “When are you going to tell him?” Wash asked after they are on course. “Soon, Wash, soon.” Zoë answered “Why you think Jayne left?” “Don’t know, I know he’s got a thing for Maggie. He’s almost been civilized these last couples of weeks, she was a good influence on him. But why leave, I mean she’s here and he’s not, so what good does.. it.. do.. him..” Wash suddenly got a worried look on his face “She is still here? Isn’t she” the pair exchanged looks and headed for the kitchen. “Captain, you seen Maggie sense we took-off?” Zoë asked Mal when he came down out of Jayne’s bunk “Why you looking for Maggie?” He saw the look they share. “Wash was just wondering what Jayne gained by leaving.” Zoë answered. “You know, she would still be here and he would be gone.” Wash was looking more and more worried, he never told anyone about seeing Jayne and Maggie. “You think he took her with him!” Mal wondered out loud “Damn, why can’t anything go smooth. Zoë, go check her room. Wash you check with Kaylee.” At this point Simon and River came in for dinner “Simon you seen Maggie lately?” The captain asked after Zoë and Wash left. “No, I thought she was in here making dinner.” Simon looked at the empty kitchen. Mal lets loose with a string of Chinese “Simon, can you throw something together for dinner?” “Sure Mal. What's going on?” Simon moved into the kitchen to look for ideas. “Jayne left the ship on Pecos, think he might of taken Maggie with him.” “She’s not in her room, and it looks like it’s been ransacked.” Zoë said when she come back to the kitchen. “Kaylee hasn’t seen her either.” Wash said, coming from the engine room. “You think he took her?” Simon said, standing next to the captain. “Looks like, Damn, how we going to show up at Sir Warwick’s without his favorite Goddaughter.” Mal started to pace “Wash, head back to Pecos and send waves to Inara and Book, tell them we’ll be a little late picking them up.” “How long you think it will take to find them?” Simon asked. “I don’t know, Jayne kinda sticks out and Maggie would put up a fight.” Mal walked over to get some tea. “You think he forced her?” Simon looked at Zoë and Mal. “Might of tricked her, can’t see her walking off and leaving everything she fought so hard for.” Mal answered. “Captain, we won’t find him, if he doesn’t want to be found.” Zoë stated. “I know, but we can’t show up with out her.” Mal answered as he headed back up to the bridge. *** “You find Maggie?” Kaylee asked as she enters the kitchen to clean up. “No, they think Jayne took her” Simon answered. “You mean like kidnapped?” Kaylee looked at Zoë and Simon. “Looks like, her rooms are all messed up” Zoë walked over to Kaylee “We don’t think he’ll hurt her.” “Of course not, Jayne wouldn’t hurt anyone!” Kaylee said “Well he wouldn’t!” when Simon laughed. “I don’t know Kaylee, he was real mad with the captain.” Zoë tried not to look at her. “Why? What the captain do now?” “Told him he didn’t want any more crew romances and that he had to leave Maggie alone.” Zoë looked between Simon and Kaylee when she said this, then headed up to the bridge. “Oh, well, he still wouldn’t hurt her.” Kaylee repeated to Simon “I know you two don’t get along, but Jayne would never force himself on a women. He never forced himself on me!” “Because the Captain would of killed him if he had touched you.” Simon said, wondering if that’s why he has never tried to touch her, Kaylee is wondering the same things. *** “Wash, how long until we get back to Pecos?’ Mal asked when he got to the bridge. “Well, should be less then an hour. Not sure we can land right away, port was full when we left.” Wash answered, preparing a wave for the port. “Let me know the soonest.” Mal yelled as he headed towards the kitchen. *** “Mal, they can’t let us land until someone else takes off, first thing in the morning.” Wash told Mal when he came down for dinner. Everyone had sat down to eat, realizing how much better things had been with Maggie cooking. “What is this Simon?” Kaylee held something green and slimy on her fork