Disclaimer: Firefly, Serenity, and all related characters are copyright 2002-2005 Mutant Enemy, Inc., Universal Pictures, and 20th Century Fox. This is a work of fan-fiction. No copyright infringement is intended.

“No such thing as too careful. We need to know what we’re going into,” Mal said, staring into the endless black dominating the view from the bridge.

“Sir, this meeting with Pedrof has you spooked and I’m wondering why. All our sources say he’s a fair dealer, doesn’t like complications. Something you’re not telling me?” Zoe leaned back against the console, arms crossed.

“Not sure.”

“About which part?” Mal glanced distractedly out into the black as a luminous blue planet orbited into view.

“I got nothing, Zo. No nudge, no twist, nothing. Either my gut‘s broken or I’m reading this thing all wrong. Look, my right eye hasn’t even twitched.” Mal poked a finger in his eye.

“Broken, Sir?”

“Don’t look at me like that, Zoe.”

"Like what, Sir?" Zoe blinked and tried to wipe the smirk off her face.

"Like that...like I'm crazy."

“Sorry, Sir. Habit. I’m just glad it’s nothing serious.” Zoe rose to leave.

“Nothing serious? Did you hear what I said? I got nothing. River’s worried about the meet and I'm getting nothing."

“Sir, she’s a reader and a precog.”

“I look peaked, right? I feel flushed,” he fanned himself. “Sir, I’ll take care of it. We just need to do some recon. River and I can be planet-side and back in less than 7 hours.”

“No, River stays on board,” Mal checked the glands under his chin.

“Sir.”

“We need our pilot on the ship.”

“…Sir.”

“Forget it, Zo.”

“She’s going to have sex one day."

"Well, it won't be today."

"You can’t keep her on the ship forever, Sir.”

“Why not?”

“Sir, you sound…”

“Don’t call me crazy.“

“…OK, but that won't stop me from thinking it.”

“That little girl—“

“She’s a woman, Sir.”

“She skips; she’s a girl.”

Zoe chuckled, “That’s your gauge?"

“When was the last time you flung your arms up and skipped, Zoe?”

“Well...I can’t say I recall the last time the urge took me, but under the right circumstances…I could be moved to…skip—“

“Throw your arms up and skip…while you hum and then do a turnie thingy.”

“Under the right circumstances...I might...fine, never.”

Mal had the decency not to look smug. He turned back to contemplating the blue planet.

“Take Jayne, just keep him out of trouble."

“...understood, Sir.”

"Problem obeying my orders?"

"No, Sir."

“I want regular reports on a secured channel. Pedrof is supposed to reach out to us in 14 hours. Make sure you get a feel of the place before then. I want to know if he’s planning on dealing or bringing down fire on me and mine, hear? Haines said we could trust him but—”.

“I know, Sir. We’ll be back in 7 or 6 if we burn hard coming back.”

Zoe turned to leave the bridge and found herself toe to toe with River’s combat boots.

"How do you manage to sneak up on anyone wearing combat boots?" Zoe asked just a tad spooked.

"Quietly," River answered, then looked around Zoe at the Captain, "Skipping, humming and dancing have no direct, indirect, inverse or reverse relation to sexual maturity.”

Zoe glanced over her shoulder at the Captain, I told you so written all over her face.

“Maybehaps not to some folk, but I say it does,” Mal didn’t seem inclined to say more, the scowl on his face filled in the rest.

River must have decided to leave it alone because she suddenly smiled and marched to the pilot’s chair and flopped into it, “Zoe and Jayne have to stay close to town until the meeting.”

“Something you want to tell me?” Mal snapped straight, swiveling his head to zero in on River, “Am I going to get shot...again?”

Head tilted, River contemplated the Captain for a moment then touched the side of her head, a bit dramatically if you asked Zoe, and said, “No, no one gets shot if Jayne and Zoe stay planet-side until tomorrow’s meet.”

River offered no further explanation for her vague premonition, just stared at Zoe with an unreadable look in her eye.

Zoe slanted hera questioning look. River winked back.

“Done,” Mal said. “Zo, get the shuttle ready. Take any supplies you need.”

“Inara’s shuttle is fueled and ready,” River said.

“What’s wrong with the other shutt—”

“Kaylee is fixing it.”

“When did it get broken?” Mal erupted.

“It was sudden.”

“I’m the Captain, I’m suppose to know these things...Anything else I don’t know?”

“We don’t have all day,” River said, then without another word she flounced down the stairs and skipped away as Zoe tried to keep a straight face.

She didn’t know what River was up to but she had a feeling Jayne had something to do with the sudden need to spend the night off ship. Well, she would know soon enough. One look at Jayne’s face and she would know for sure.

Zoe found Jayne in the galley.

“Jayne, let’s go. We’re heading planet-side. Meet me in Inara’s shuttle for a briefing in 30, pack an overnight.”

Okay, so River was working alone.

Jayne eyed her like a wary bull, "We’re going down? I thought the meet wasn’t going down until tomorrow?”

“Change of plans, you and I are going to do some recon.”

He glanced around the empty galley, “Just the two of us?”

"You have a problem with that?”

Jayne found himself starring at her mouth.

“Jayne.”

“No, no problem.”

“Good," she nodded all Zoe-like.

“What are we packing, heavy artillery or your basic kill package?”

“It’s recon, Jayne, no one’s shooting anyone.”

“Heavy artillery then." Jayne nodded and stomped off to his bunk.

Zoe faced the empty galley wondering what game River was playing and how she and Jayne ended up in the middle of it. Tomorrow was just a meet to talk terms and with a source Haines vouched for. It didn’t warrant a full surveillance just a quick exit if things went bad; so River’s sudden vision smelled of something else.

* * * *

Strapped shoulder deep with ribbons of ammo and cradling four massive rifles, three holstered handguns plus his pack--filled heavy with ammo, rations and not much else--Jayne stomped his way to Inara’s shuttle. He was late meeting Zoe but he figured his little detour to the showers to take the edge off was as essential to the mission as his guns.

River materialized on the catwalk in front of him and he drew up short to avoid smacking into her.

“What’d I tell you, Girl?” Jayne snarled.

“Oh, trust me, you’re going to want to hear what I have to say, big man.”

“I ain’t talkin’ to you remember? Now git."

"One night alone with Zoe off ship in Inara’s shuttle. What’s it worth to you?”

Jayne’s head whipped from left to right making sure no one heard the girl, “You did this?” he whispered, shoulders hunched like he was trying to disappear.

“Yes,” River whispered back doing a fair mimic of his ridiculous hunch.

“Are you crazy?” He glanced around again then muttered “never mind,” when he remembered who he was talking to.

River smugged-up like she had him right where she wanted him. And she did. "Are you going to deal this time or should I tell the Captain about the bad feeling I’m getting about this little mission?”

Yep, she was good. The one thing he wanted and she hands it to him with a pretty bow tied on it. Tight lipped and pissed that the Girl had the read on him and knew he would deal, Jayne finally grumbled, “What do you want?”

“A naked man tied up in my bunk, but I’ll settle for batteries.”

“Batteries,” he growled.

“12 packs.”

“12 packs?” he balked.

“Stop repeating me,” River whined, sounding disturbingly like a four-year-old even as she bribed him for vibrator batteries.

“So, big man, we have a deal or not?”

He must have paused too long because she turned to leave.

“Ok, Ok...Gorramit. Deal.”

“We're done here."

Jayne watched River walk away with a grim expression set into his face but inside he was grinning like an idiot. Hell, he would have given her 24 packs of batteries for this boon.

River paused without turning around, “I only need 12 until he comes. And don't worry, Pedrof means to deal...so don't blow this big man."

* * * *

The evening sky over Little Harbor Town flowed from deep purple to wispy pink at the edges. As if to spite its name, over the years Little Harbor Town had grown into a dense metropolis, skirted by sprawling townships, ringed by open plains and hemmed in by an unlikely forest too old looking to be naturally grown this far out in the rim. All together, the blue planet was impressive from the air, breathtaking up close and perfect for clandestine operations, which Zoe suspected had nothing to do with the job they were courting.

Zoe landed Inara’s shuttle in a tree buffeted clearing outside Little Harbor Town, activated the exterior alarms, and locked her down. Behind her, Jayne sat among drapes of velvet and silks in shades of red, and purple, hung in every corner and over almost every surface. Heavy rugs warmed the floor and an enormous bed took up whatever space the low table, couch and pillows didn’t cover. In full camo gear and heavy booted, looking big and out of place on the low red couch, Jayne bent over his guns loading and checking the safeties.

“So, what’s the plan?” Jayne asked. He didn’t need to look up to know that Zo was standing across the shuttle eyeing him up like an Alliance officer. He hadn't come up with a plan bout how to play the evening yet so he figured he would play it legit till something came to him.

He kept his eyes focused on the piece in his hand; that look of hers had some weight to it and sat on his shoulders like a dead horse. Zo wasn’t stupid and River wasn’t any kind of mastermind. The glare he was feeling all the way across the shuttle meant she was on to them and nothing good could come from that.

After a beat, Zoe said “I don’t like being manipulated."

Shiiiiiiiit.

With slow deliberate movements, Jayne put his guns aside, unfolded himself to his full height, and met Zoe's glare across the shuttle. Dealing with Zo anything but straight was a quick route to getting hurt, shot or something real close to it. So right now he had a choice, either he was in all the way or ass out.

“Don’t really care,” he found himself saying.

In all the way, then.

“I’m still in charge of this operat--“

“Come on, Zo. We both know this is just a bunch of fei-hua River conjured up.”

She leaned against the silk covered bulkhead, arms crossed, a wall of silence. Was it him or did the quiet have a chill to it? Moments built on top of each other so long he thought she wouldn’t answer at all. She left him standing for the time being and he appreciated the shit out of that because it was hard to look tough laid out on his ass. Yeah, he was bigger but she was faster, and he wasn’t here to fight her. Far from it, he was hoping for something entirely more pleasant.

She pushed off the wall but didn't move otherwise, “You knew.”

Not a question, but he answered anyway.

"Not till right before we left,” he grinned, “but the girl did good. I’m just sorry I didn’t think of it myself.”

“River’s little trip is wasting time and fuel, not to mention messing with the Captain’s head. If he finds out—”

“Time alone with you ain’t never a waste, and Mal won't find out cause you won't tell him. The meet with Pedrof is still on and he means to deal, the Girl said so."

Tense minutes marked the standoff between them and for a few seconds Jayne wondered if River’s little plan would end with him on the Doc’s table. "River did this?"

He shrugged.

"What did it cost you?”

He thought about not answering, but hell, it didn't matter; everyone knew River wasn't all there. He shrugged, "Batteries and don't ask what for cause I ain't of a mind to say and, for the record, that girl still ain't right." Well, now he was just rambling, so he shut his mouth and left it at that.

She contemplated him as she prowled around the room, letting him sweat it out for a while.

Not knowing what was going on in that head of hers made him want to break something; but in control with Zoe always got him farther than marauding like an idiot. Hell, he wasn't one for words but if stringing a few together would get him past that wall between them then shit, he'd get all lyrical on her.

He did a mental balls check; yep, he was still in all the way.

"What we got betwixt us, Zoe? I mean to say we've been...you know...we...ahh..."

She raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms in that Zoe way that made him a little horny and a touch afraid all at the same time. Still, a little wood and worry wasn't any reason not to do a thing, so he plowed on. After clearing the sissy from his throat, he flew into it,"We been more that just ruttin' around, right? Cause...you...and me...it means something to me."

Silence met his dumb ass rambling declaration. She let him sit there like a school boy with his thumbs up his ass while he called himself all kinds of names.

Lyrical? He was a jabbering idiot and now she knew it for sure.

Jayne kept an eye on Zoe and decided he was safe from his own stupid since there was no way he could get much out with his jaws grinding his teeth to powder.

"Last night you practically ran out of your own bunk," Zo finally said.

Shit. She would bring that up. Here he was baring his soul and she brings that up.

The truth didn't require much thinking, "Wanted you some'm bad," he ground out between his clenched teeth.

"Then why--"

"Gorram it, Zo, you ain't ready to give me what I want and I don't want less. So drop it. We ain't talking bout...that... it."

"You don't get to tell me what I want, dong ma?"

A lesser man would have lost his balls under the look she shot him.

"Don't fight me on this, Zo."

"I told you last night--"

"Then turnaround, put your ruttin' hands-on the wall, and spread your legs."

Cricket worthy silence and her pissed off look was the only answer he got.

"That's what I thought."

"That fei-hua doesn't prove anything except that you're a--"

"I don't want what you throw my way, Zo. A few months ago you trusted me... with everything. You would've been naked with your hands on that wall by now. I ain't gonna settle for less now, you ain't ready--drop it."

"Say that one more time and I'll shoot you where you stand."

Well, his night was shaping up to be as crappy as his day.

All he knew for certain was he wanted her and if he could remember any of the prayers Shepherd used to say to his God, he would pray to him too since he had already enlisted every other God he had ever heard of. He wasn't getting any read on any divine intervention so he winged it.

He went for her, backing her up against the wall with his body. And then he leaned in right next to her ear, his hands on either side of her head caging her in but not touching her. Her breaths came short and fast. Jayne frowned because they both knew there was a thread of fear in there.

Dipping his head, he said," Don't doubt that I want you...last night I high tailed it to the shower, took hold of myself and thought about being inside you, tasting you, watching you-- Gorramit Zo."

He hadn't touched her yet, but damn it if Zoe didn’t shiver. Sweet Buddha, she set him off like a brush fire. A hungry rumble started in his chest and Zo must have felt the rush too because she closed her eyes. Then she kissed him, her tongue driving into his mouth as her hand fisted his shirt, meeting him hungry and making him weak in the knees. As always, this close, he couldn’t keep his hands out of her hair. He pulled her curls loose, savoring the heaviness between his fingers.

"You should have stayed," she whispered hot and breathy against his lips, "I needed you."

Her tongue slid over his bottom lip and he drew it in his mouth. "Couldn't." Jayne hoped that wasn't him groaning. He wasn't sure so he figured he should get to what he wanted said before he had to go for a long walk in the middle of no ruttin' where.

"Zo, there's a thing that needs to be said between us and I want it said." "I'm listening." Curiosity brought a smile to her lips and he took his time tasting her mouth before answering. "Mmmmm, I'm still listening," she laughed this time and he remembered how much he loved the sound. "Gimme a minute-" And he made the most of it, drawing her tongue into his mouth to feast on her while his hands made sure they fit together as perfectly as he remembered. Sweet Buddha, they did.

Other than his Ma, Jayne had never told a woman he loved her and though he loved Zo, he was fairly certain he couldn't get the words out tonight. But she had to know how it was for him so he figured he might as well just get the first shot off and see how the smoke settled.

He pulled back, just enough to meet her eyes, "There ain't nothing I wouldn't do for you, Zo. I reckon you know that. Hell, you own me...so know that I mean it when I say I won't hurt you and I won't let nobody hurt you either. I just want to make you happy, dong ma? So, just tell me how cause what I want don't matter, making you happy just about gets me off." Well, that wasn't half bad.

She didn't say anything, which was fine by him. He'd said what he came to say and he could breathe a little easier for having said it. Now, he just waited with her perfect high round ass in his palm and his hand tangled in her hair, which was fine by him.

She considered him for a more than a little while. Then she dropped her eyes to somewhere around his chest and said, "There ain't so place I rather be right now, Jayne, but..."

He tensed instinctively, it looked like the dust was going to settle right on his head and smother him.

"I want your word--"

"Anything, bao-bei"

"--that you won't touch me tonight."

Well, shit. Now he was all mucked up in his head cause he could have sworn 10 seconds ago she was trying to get him naked. His heart and nuts dropped to somewhere in his boots and he only just managed to swallow the string of curses erupting in his brain pan.

He could fathom only one thing. She changed her mind and she didn't want him.

Not that he expected anything to happen between them tonight but she wanted him to promise? Hell, that was a clear 'get lost' if he ever heard it. He knew she was bound to realize she was too good for him, but he had been hoping, just hoping.

Groaning, Jayne managed to untangle his hand from her hair and slide his hands from her pigu.

Hands fisted at his sides, he savored the feel of her curves against him for a few more moments then stepped way from her.

He couldn't get any air in his throat past the anvil sitting on his chest so he nodded.

"Say it, Jayne."

After a few tries, he croaked out, "I won't touch you."

"Your word."

He kept his eyes and face averted, looking at any place but her, "My word," he nodded, "You got my word."

He ran a not too steady hand over his eyes and sighed from halfway across the shuttle where he had retreated. He finally looked at her.

She looked relieved, and it pissed him off to no end. As if she didn’t know that she could trust him, that he would do anything for her, that she was in charge of his gorram soul at this point. And what he hated most of all was that no matter what she wanted to believe, she was shutting him out because of Merrick. She didn't trust him, and it looked like she wasn't willing to give him a chance. Even dead, Merrick was still in her head, making her question her judgment. He didn't want her to question what was between them. So, yeah, he might as well take Shepherd vows tonight.

Then out of the black Zoe said, "Take your clothes off."

He stared, confused, "...what?"

"Take your clothes off," she nodded at his pants as if he didn't know what clothes were.

"I thought--"

"You said you wouldn't touch me. "

"I recall," he suddenly felt like he was talking to River; nothing made sense.

"Then. Take. Off. Your. Clothes."

It took the greater part of a minute, but Jayne finally got her meaning. Hell, she could touch him but he couldn't touch her? Keeping a grin from spreading across his face was maybehaps the hardest thing he ever did, but he managed to keep it to a passable smirk. He was going to enjoy this, even as the hungry riding his ass tightened his gut.

"You want them off? Come take them," he folded his arms. His sudden mulishness had nothing to do with confidence, just a chance to see if she was serious or just screwing with his head.

With the sexiest determined look on her face, Zoe crossed the shuttle, pulled his gun from the holster, checked the safety and gently put it aside, unbuckled his holster from his waist, then dropped to her knees to unhook his leg strap. Jayne grinned at the sight. Zo on her knees in front of him was one of the sexiest things he’d ever seen, even as he wondered how far she would take this thing.

To his great satisfaction, her hands didn’t stop until she had him naked. Then with one hand on his chest, she backed him up to the wall. Jayne suddenly wondered how he ended up naked when he just waxed on about no ruttin' going on tonight. Standing here buck naked he couldn't seem to remember how Zoe managed it. But it was too late to back out now going by the stand he was taking in his nether parts. Besides, he said he wouldn't touch her so as long as he kept his gorram paws to himself less of a chance he would push her too far, too fast. Shit, this was too important to screw it up.

Zo smiled one of her mysterious smiles, reminding him why he loved her beyond sense. She roused all kinds of urges in him and lately it was the animal in him that made him want to take her on the floor, spread her open, taste her, smell her, then rut until she screamed his name and left him spent, covered in scratches, hungry and satiated. All of that churned inside him, leashed for now, while outside he watched Zoe's slim fingers trace over his skin, tattoos, and scars.

Later he would thank Buddha for the wall behind him because despite what he thought, he wasn’t prepared for the feel of her mouth on his skin. He wasn’t prepared for her tongue sliding over his nipple, sucking, pulling him in her mouth to taste him. He didn't even try to hold in the moans she was drawing out of him, just glad there was no one to hear and a wall to keep him standing.

She was being selfish and he loved and hated her for it; she knew what she wanted and she took it with devastating directness. On a thread of madness Jayne recalled the night months ago how she had learned him, with slow mind-blowing gentleness. There was none of that tentativeness now, she knew where to touch, where to taste, where to linger, where to be rough and how to gentle him to insanity.

So when she lead him to the bed, slid out of her clothes, mounted him, slowly fed him inside her body, Jayne had to clamp his jaws shut, practically biting off his tongue to keep from begging Zo to let him touch her. He was going to give this to her, just the way she needed it, on her terms and in full control. A firm grip on the sheets kept his hands away from her, and though he wanted to close his eyes, he was afraid to lose the thread of awareness that kept him in control.

Don't. Touch her.

Zo was wet and tight. Panting, she eased him deeper and deeper, pausing to let her body adjust to him. Head thrown back, naked, and perched to ride him, she was beautiful and he knew he was breaking when he tasted the salty sweet of his own blood.

"More,” he moaned through his clenched teeth.

Zoe answered his plea, sliding the last few inches home. He moaned his pleasure deep in his throat, as Zo whimpered through heavy breaths. He wanted her to move, to ride him. The muscles in his neck bunched as his head punched back into the pillow.

Don't. Touch her.

God, he couldn’t do it. He had to touch her. He had to make her move.

“Zo, please.”

She rocked forward then back, gasping as he seated deeper inside her and reducing him to ashes. Yes, that's what he wanted but more, again and again.

Then she pushed him down one more level of hell.

She stopped.

"Bao-bei." It came out like the plea he meant it to be but she didn't move. Shit, it looked like she was going to do this her way even if it killed him.

In the stillness, he could feel her, wet, tight and throbbing around him like a heartbeat. Jayne managed to stay still, for now winning the epic struggle not to thrust into her, not to turn her over and plant himself deep inside her.

Don't. Touch her.

She fit him like a fist and with every breath, she contracted around him, milking his cods and guaranteeing that he wouldn't last. Her beautiful heavy breasts were so close he could taste them, feel them rolling on his tongue.

Hidden behind the fall of her hair, arms curled around herself, Zoe suddenly wanted to weep. Jayne was nestled so deep she felt invaded and completed by his too large presence. Zo drew in a breath she had forgotten to take then lost it on a hurried exhale when Jayne groaned, and fastened one hand on her hip, the other splayed below her belly button, as if he could feel where he was buried inside her.

Suddenly, he levered up and captured a dark nipple in his mouth, and suckled her like a starving animal.

"Jayne," he barely recognized his name in the cry he pulled from her.

Even as she arched her breasts into his rough palm and hungry mouth, she heard herself say, "No."

That breathy moan from Zo sounded so much like yes in his pounding ears, but by some mercy it drilled into his cloudy brain. Gorramit, he'd screwed up.

After one last swipe with his tongue, he released her nipple. Cursing, he refastened his grip on the sheets, already missing the feel of her on his tongue. He should say sorry, but he wasn't, not in the least. There was something he wanted to say more.

"Say I can touch you.” Ok, now he was begging and he didn't care one shit. "Bao-bei."

She shook her head, used one hand to pull her hair over one shoulder.

"You said--," she ended in a low moan.

He knew what he said and he didn't regret it because he was up to his cods in the woman he loved and she was beautiful and positioned to ride him. Jayne took a steadying breath and push it out, he felt raw, too open and desperate to satiate the hunger riding him.

"Look at me, Zo."

She met his gaze with heavy lidded eyes and if he wasn't already in love with her, he would have fallen for her right then.

"Ride me," Jayne growled out through gritted teeth, "Gorram it, ride me!"

By some mercy, Zo chose to obey him. Slowly, she canted her hips forward then back. She shuddered and had to close her eyes to ride the sensation; but set a slow hypnotic pace that had Jayne tearing the sheets from the corners of the bed as he moaned with brain numbing pleasure.

"No, open your eyes, Zo," Jayne demanded, his voice rough and raw.

She complied, but lost her breath when he thrust up, penetrating deeper and dragging strangled moans from both of them. Zoe rocked him deep inside her body, gasping, moaning, just short of screaming, with every pull and push, every frisson exploding up her spine and dragging at her core.

Despite what Jayne believed, she was ready for this. Maybe she wasn't ready for rough play but she needed him, slow and deep, looking at her just the way he was, as if he loved her, as if she was enough, as if she belonged here with him. After everything, she truly thought of him as hers. She had told him the truth, here was right where she wanted to be. She hadn't said more than that but he must know, must see, must feel how much she cared about him.

Balancing her weight on her knees, Zoe began a rhythm that started with a deep roll of her hips that buried him deeper, followed by a retreat that left them at the brink of separating and screaming for more.

Throwing his head back, Jayne moaned between the ragged breaths he dragged in. Coming first wasn't how he had seen this going but all of a sudden he was losing ground and soon there would be no turning back for him. An almost unbearable tremor lanced up his spine, shaking him.

Zo levered down and sucked his nipple over her tongue, and he lost it. Jayne bit his tongue so he wouldn't scream like a girl. He didn't recall there being a direct line connecting his nipples to his cods, but that's where the fire burning through him pooled and mounted, threatening to erupt.

"Zo, not yet--"

Her teeth grazed his nipple and he couldn't stop if his life depended on it.

Helpless against the explosion ripping him apart, his head punched back as he shook with the force of the release Zoe dragged from him. When he thought he couldn't take anymore, Zoe came, milking him and sending him spiraling out of control again. He heard her cry his name. He wanted to hold her but he tightened his vice like grip on the sheets, afraid to break his word again.

Their slowing breaths mingled in a slow deep kiss that sent after shocks rippling through them.

Later, she breathed a sigh; content in the silence between them, happy to snuggle with Jayne.

"You hungry, Zo?"

Zoe started laughing and couldn't stop because Jayne started a long speech about how he needed food so he could satisfy her wild sexual appetite, minutes later she was still laughing so hard she only heard something about holding him captive as her sex slave and starving him so he stayed weak.

So she fed him. And he didn't stop eating until she inserted herself between him and the little left of their rations.

Zoe, looking sexy and delicious with the sheet from the bed clutched to her front parts, caught his attention. Swallowing a dry bite, Jayne stuffed the last of his food in his mouth, chewed twice and swallowed.

"...so."

She raised her eyebrows at him, but said nothing.

He took in her shoulders and the sexy bit of leg showing around the sheet. When his soldier twitched to life, Jayne reached for the smooth skin of her thigh only to catch himself. He gave her a questioning look.

She nodded.

"Say it," he insisted.

Zoe met his gaze, surprised by the intensity there, "You can touch me."

A muscle twitched in Jayne's jaw. He stared at her hard, leaned back on the couch and crossed his arms, more than a little belligerence in the twist of his mouth.

Zo just kept herself from rolling her eyes, but she played, "Jayne, can you please touch me."

One second he was across from her and the next he had a handful of sheet that wasn't covering anything by that point. In truth, she wasn't surprised that she found herself facing the bulk head with Jayne hovering behind her; not touching but close enough that she could feel the heat from his skin and feel his soft breath tangle with her hair.

His other hand slid down to her core, cupping her then teasing her until she squirmed under his hands. In the dim cabin, Jayne heard her pant as he went further and deeper. First one finger, then another, then a rush of wetness as proof that she was ready despite the resistance he could feel in her.

“Mmmm, all this for me, Zo?” he growled deep in his throat, as she trembled under his hands.

"Jayne", so softly he almost didn't hear her.

"You know what I want, Zo."

Her head barely moved up and down, but he saw and waited, his hands not touching her but with only a breath of space between them.

Jayne wasn't Merrick, she knew that, but standing before him naked with her hands and feet spread wide, she felt exposed and powerless. Weeks have passed since Merrick had tied her up, and bitten and abused the now smooth skin of her back.

Breathe.

This was Jayne.

My Jayne: frustrating, sexy, gentle and always loving, Jayne.

So why couldn't she breathe?

A shiver slipped over her skin. Anticipation?

It had taken a few moments but Zoe’s forehead met the cloth covered hull, exposing the curve of her neck that had once been bruised black and purple with bite marks. A rough finger traced down her spine to the cleft of her pigu. Jayne felt her tremble and forced himself to stay still. Waiting.

“Jayyyynne...more.” She shivered in his arms and Jayne covered her with his body, then claimed her neck with his lips and tongue as his fingers settled again between her thighs, penetrating her over and over until she cried his name again, until her knees buckled, and he caught her.

"I got you, Zo."

Sometime late in the night, hours after they had checked in with Mal, Jayne laid in bed, his stomach filled with practically all the remaining rations they'd brought, his arms full of Zoe and his head filled with the notion that all was right in the 'verse. On a contented sigh, Jayne promised himself he would give River five extra packs of batteries. Crazy had its uses.

"Mmmmm, we need to go on more recon missions." A pleased smile conjured her dimples.

“When we gonna tell them, Zo?”

“Tell who what?” She kissed his neck, letting her lips linger on his warm skin.

"So, you gonna play it like that, huh?"

"What?" her dimples made another appearance.

“The crew, Zo.”

“They know.” Her tongue savored the faint saltiness of his skin.

He moaned trying to keep his mind straight, “Ok, when we gonna tell Mal.”

“Ain’t his business.”

“It is if it means I can’t touch you when I want to.”

"Do you want to touch me now?”

Was that a trick question? He always wanted to touch her.

"Yeah.”

She wrapped her arms around his neck, and slid her tongue over his bottom lip until she pulled another moan from him.

“You tryin’ to distract me, Zo?”

“Only if it’s working.”

She slid her tongue down his neck, her nails lightly scratching his skin.

"You …” He couldn’t get the words out because her lips and tongue were doing hot delicious distracting things to him. He growled deep in his throat, “One of these days you’re going to learn not to play with me, woman.”

Then he was over her, inside her, taking her, over and over with thundering strokes. His hands and mouth devoured her. Mindless and reeling, Zo couldn't catch her breath, not when her body was screaming, trembling with unbearable heat then letting down a drenching of wetness. Jayne mercilessly pounded into her, until, with a suddenness that seemed to surprise even him, he stiffened with a hoarse cry and wrapped her in his arms.

About twenty breaths later, Jayne regained the power of speech, "You ok, Zo?"

"Mmm, ah huh."

"You sure?"

Jayne propped himself on his elbows and wrapped a curl of her hair around his finger.

Zoe kissed his jaw, nuzzling his rough cheek with her nose, “Yes, more than sure."

"I didn't hurt--"

"Don't even think about apologizing for that."

"Okay, but you sure you're ok?"

Pointedly ignoring him, she said, "You know, it was bound to happen.”

“What?” Jayne's said in a contented rumble.

“You getting all sweet on me,” she dimpled at Jayne’s scowl.

“The hell it was.”

“Can’t see how you could resist my charms.” “What gorram charms? Let’s see …Ahh, Jayne, do me.” He said the last part in his best Zoe impression, which wasn’t very good but good enough that she laughed out loud.

“Hell, I got better invitations to get shot.”

“I’m offended.” Zoe postured as best she could and considering she was still naked and laying underneath him. It was a stretch.

“Me too. You didn’t even try to seduce me or nothin’.”

She arched an eyebrow, “Would it have made any difference?”

“Nope, but you could’ve tried. A feller likes to feel—”

“Shut up and kiss me.”

His tongue slid past her lips to taste her, “Mmm, there you go again, ordering me around like—“

She tore her lips away and got serious, “That ain’t gonna change”.

“And I ain’t gonna be all…cooperative neither.”

“Jayne, when were you ever cooperative when you didn’t want to be.”

“Time Mal threatened to shoot me, the time you threatened to shoot me, time Mal tried to—“

“Okay, okay,” She held his chin so she could kiss him, “Jayne, this doesn’t change any of that. I’m still First Mate and I won’t compromise my duties just cause you’re welcome in my bed.”

“You ain’t first mate right now. Right now, you’re my woman and I ain’t one to take orders when I got no cause to. Dong ma? Now,..." He sampled her lips, "what you gonna feed me since all the rations are gone."

* * * *

“Where in the sphincter of hell is my pilot?” Mal bellowed, having walked from nose to tail of his ship to discover that his pilot was MIA.

Mal stomped onto the bridge to find Inara curled in the co-pilot’s chair and Zoe lounging in the pilot’s seat.

“Where’s River?”

“Haven’t seen her, Sir.”

Inara and Zoe exchanged knowing glances.

“What was that?” It was more an accusation than a question.

“What was what, Sir?” Zoe asked, her poker face solidly in place.

Mal opened his mouth then closed it.

“Mal, are you alright?” Inara asked, her voice tremulous with concern.

He scowled at the two of them, retraced his steps mumbling to himself, then bellowed from the bottom of the stairs, “Riiivvvver.”

Kaylee jogged past him up the stairs to the bridge, “She just got out of the shower. I think she’s in her room.”

“In the middle of the gorram day? First Jayne with the showers now River—“ Mal stared at the empty corridor, sudden fury twisting his face.

He took off running and barreled into the cargo hold to find Jayne huddled over a bulky engine part, loose pieces scattered across the floor.

“Hey, Mal, look at her. Ain't she’ a thing of beauty?” Jayne grinned as he wiped his hands clean beaming at the engine manifold at his feet. “Kaylee couldn’t do a better job. Of course, she knows what this piece of junk is for but I don’t gotta know how it works to make it shine like new.”

Mal’s silence should have tipped him off that something was wrong, but Jayne didn’t see it coming until Mal’s gun was cocked and pointed at his head.

“What the hell, Mal?”

“Liu kou shui de biao zi he hou zi de ben er zi.”

“What the hell’s the matter with you?” Jayne stumbled back.

“I actually thought you had changed, Jayne, but stupid me,” Mal spat, “you’re still the hundan that got on this boat all those years ago.”

“I didn’t do nothing. I swear, Mal.”

“Did you sleep with her?”

If Jayne was the pants wetting sort, he would have done it right then.

“Answer me,” Mal hollered like a mad man.

“Ahhh, it ain’t like you think, Mal.”

“You mean you didn’t sleep with her?”

“Well, it ain’t like you make it sound.”

“Doesn’t seem like a particularly complicated question, Jayne. A simple yes or no will suffice. But think real careful before you answer. You lie to me and I find out, you’ll wish you never crawled out from under your mama’s skirt, hear me? Now, let’s try this again. Did you sleep with her?”

“Mal,... I swear she asked me to… and… what was I going to say?”

“No, you should’ve said no. You ta ma de hundan.”

Kaylee and Inara walked into the hold just in time to see Mal click off the safety. “Gorammit Mal, I love her, and I ain’t givin’ her up.”

"You won't have to, dead works for me too."

"Mal!"

“Cap’n, what in good gorram are you're doin?” Kaylee and Inara rushed down the steps to Mal’s side.

“He knew what I would do if I found out. Ain’t that right, Jayne?”

“I thought you’d be mad but…” Jayne shrugged, his hands dropping below his shoulders. Mal repositioned his aim between his eyes and Jayne's hands shot back up above his head.

“What exactly did he do?" Simon walked though the hatch, stopping next to Mal just to smirk at Jayne.

“Tell him, Jayne.” Mal demanded. “Go ahead, tell everyone what you did.”

Jayne self consciously dragged a hand across his mouth, “Ah… I been sexin’ Zoe and I don’t care what you say, I ain’t giving her up."

The cargo hold was silent.

Mal seemed unable or unwilling to move and the rest of the crew looked at him expectantly, no one bothering to feign any surprise since they all knew.

“So…” Mal cleared his throat, “you didn’t have sex with River?”

“What?” Simon and Jayne balked.

“What the hell kind of man do you take me for?” Jayne exploded, “You think I’d sex some crazy little girl?”

“I’m not crazy and I’m not a little girl.” River appeared on the catwalk.

“I ain’t talkin’ to you,” Jayne glared up at her.

River stuck her tongue out at Jayne, “Don’t need a stupid ape man, I only have sex with Patrick.”

“Patrick?” Simon mouthed on the verge of a dead faint.

“Who in good gorram is Patrick?” Mal yelled.

“My...friend," River sat cross-legged on the floor, smiling down at them.

“Kaylee, did I take on any new crew?” Mal asked.

“Um… no Cap’n. I think—“

“Any passengers?”

“No, but—“

“Stow a-ways?”

“Ah, no."

Mal suddenly wanted more than ever to use the gun he still had trained at Jayne.

“Cap'n, Patrick’s her vibrator. We bought it for her...me, 'Nara and Zoe. We didn’t name it…she did that.”

“He runs on batteries," River grinned.

“Oh,” Mal deflated.

“Mal, you can put down the gun now.” Inara shot a meaningful look at the gun still trained on Jayne’s head.

Mal seemed to remember Jayne at the other end of his gun. The muzzle lowered fractionally, then came back up level to Jayne’s forehead.

“You slept with Zoe?”

“Sir, I’d appreciate you not pointing your gun at my man,” Zoe climbed down the catwalk stairs as calm as the black.

Mal and Jayne stared open mouth at Zoe for completely different reasons, but both seemed unable to utter a word.

Mal shook his head to loosen his jaw, “Not now Zo, I’m just going to shoot him a little bit.”

“Sir.”

Cursing, Mal clicked on the safety. Resting his gun barrel on his shoulder he nodded toward the hatch, “Everyone who’s not Zoe, out. Now.”

When Jayne didn’t move, Mal’s gun swung back to his head to nudge him along, “You too.”

Jayne opened his mouth but closed it when Zoe walked to him, possessively put a hand on his chest, and leaned into him. Every cell in his body was tuned to her, and he was certain she knew it. He didn’t care. She called him ‘her man’ in front of Mal and the whole crew. She could have opened the airlock and told him to jump and he would have done it with a smile on his gorram face.

He brushed his lips against her cheek, “You sure you want to do this alone?”

Nodding, she kissed him back then gave him a little shove toward the hatch, pointedly ignoring Mal's curse.

The minute they were alone, Mal exploded, “Jayne? Jayne, Zoe? What were you thinking?"

"Sir."

"I don’t suppose you remember what a selfish--"

“Sir-"

“What happens next time we—.”

"Mal."

He started like she slapped him.

“He was here, Sir. Just like the rest of us when he didn’t have to be and he has been here.”

“He’s a merc!”

“Technically, we all are, Sir.”

“Zoe, I ain’t sayin’ Jayne ain’t changed. I’m just sayin’ maybehaps he ain’t changed enough. Are you going to look the other way when he smells the nearest whorehouse?”

“That’s between me and him.”

“Zo, you can’t tell me you trust that—”

“With my life, Sir.”

“Is that grief talkin’ or you, Zo? Cause I can’t separate one from the other these days. I know you’re healing just fine, but grief and loneliness’ are mighty strong elixirs.”

“I know my mind, Captain and you used to trust my judgment without question.”

“Do you? You know your heart too, Zoe? I’m all for holding on to our little family, and what little piece of sky we’re sitting on, but I recall you having a healthy suspicion of that mercenary.”

“You questioning my judgment, Sir?”

He paused and thought about the loaded question and gun strapped to Zoe’s hip. "No," he said, too fast for it to ring true, “Yes, I am,” he took a mindful step back.

“This kind of life changes folk; I ain't the same after what we been dealt and I can say the same for Jayne. What about you, Sir? Have you changed?"

He didn’t have an answer, at least not one that supported his argument, so he kept his mouth shut.

“Sir, I made my choice. You may not agree with it, but it’s my choice to make. I want Jayne. ”

She left him standing there, pissed for reasons he couldn't put into words right then.

Wo zai qian shi yiding re dao shen me ren le bao?

* * * *

Three months later...

In the quiet of Serenity's sleep, the sound of Zoe's boots echoed down the gangway toward the bridge. Her mind was on the job they were courting on Beylis. She hated dealing with new untested contacts. Every hundan with two credits to call their own wanted in on the smuggling business. New contacts just set her on edge; not that the contacts they had were so shiny but the devil you know...

And then he was there, boxing her in against the wall.

Blood pumping, heart racing, Zoe stiffened against the cool hull until Jayne's warm hungry tongue forced her lips apart and mercilessly plundered her mouth. She gasped, feeling fire pool into silky wetness between her thighs. His rough hand at her waist slid up to stroke the soft curve of her breasts. Her nipples instantly strained against the material of her blouse, pushing needily into the rough hand palming her.

Strong legs pushed her knees apart.

Jayne fit himself between her thighs. He was rock hard and throbbing and her soft body cradling him almost made him come right there in his pants. She rolled her hips grinding sensitive flesh against unyielding steel and they both moaned. Jayne matched the slow roll of Zoe’s hips, stroking into her through all the layers as if nothing separated them.

Her head tilted back giving him access to her neck.

She shuddered in anticipation just before his lips then, with devastating gentleness, his tongue tasted the curve of her neck. Her vision went blurry and her other senses sharpened into focus.

God, he made her weak. She wanted him to fill her, to feel him against her skin, on her lips.

“Say it.” His voice was thick, raw against her skin.

He pinned her against the wall, forcing her still.

Her hand snaked under his shirt, and his whole body tensed. She tightened her hold on him, panting her frustration into his shirt.

“Say it, Zo.” His voice broke as he began to move again.

His hand reached behind her molding her against him, adding leverage against the slow grind of his hips. She closed her eyes, not caring where they were. Though still fully dressed she felt naked under his hands and was fairly certain that if he kept touching her like he was she would come right there.

His lips tasted the sensitive curve of her neck. He wanted to hear and feel her say the words she’d only whispered to him last night in the dark of their bunk.

"Say it, Zo. I need to hear you say it."

"I love you."

THE END

I hope you've enjoyed this story because writing it was a pleasure. I apologize that it took so long to complete and thank you for sticking with me. I love these characters and when life became too much for me, writing for Serenity was my escape. Thank you.

Translations Liu kou shui de biao zi he hou zi de ben er zi - stupid son of a drooling whore and a monkey Ta ma de hun dan - mother humping son of a bitch Darling, Precious : bao bei Hundan – bastard Wo zai qian shi yiding re dao shen me ren le bao - I annoyed someone in a past life, didn't I?