Zoe was waitin’ fer ‘em about halfway ta the ship.

“Good plan.” She fell inta step with ‘em.

“Thanks.” Jayne shifted in his saddle. “Now you wanna tell me why the gorram hell you didn’t come get us outa there?”

“Nobody said turtle. Coulda said turtle anytime you wanted to, and I’d’ve come in there guns blazing. ‘Sides, seems to have worked out just fine.”

“Fine? FINE? Gorram… ta ma de hun dan was questionin’ my manfulness!”

The doc snorted. “Didn’t seem to be a problem when he was questioning my… manfulness.”

Jayne scowled at ‘im. “You SAYIN’ somethin’? Gorram mumbler.”

“Would you stop? Tyen shiao duh. You’re worse than an old married couple.”

Jayne turned back ta Zoe. “What the hell’s that supposed ta mean?”

The doc let out a huffy little noise. “How soon you forget. I thought you loved me.”

Jayne clenched his teeth so hard his head near exploded. Took all the strength in ‘in not ta leap off his horse and wipe that gorram smile off the doc’s face.

Mal was waitin’ for ‘em in the cargo hold. River, Kaylee an’ Inara was sittin’ in a corner, laughin’. Playin’ jacks, from what Jayne could see.

Kaylee tossed her hair back an’ looked up. She smiled. At Jayne. Not at the doc.

Jayne smiled back.

Took a second fer him ta notice how Inara an’ River was lookin’ at ‘im, too. Inara was smilin’. Looked away real discreet-like when he noticed ‘er. River had her head tipped ta the side. Noddin’ kinda slowly.

“Tell me you worked your wiles, doc.”

Jayne turned back ta Mal.

“Hardly.”

Mal looked at Jayne, then over at Zoe. “Tell me we know where to goods are.”

Zoe smiled. “We know where the goods are.”

“No thanks ta the doc.”

The doc scowled at Jayne, then turned ta Mal. “No thanks to Mr…. Mr…. Obvious.”

Jayne snorted. “Clever.”

“Hey!” The doc turned on Jayne again. “I was doing just fine until you came in and made it obvious we knew each other and then sat there staring at me and ignoring your whores!”

“You ignored your whores?”

Jayne turned around. Kaylee an’ the girls’d snuck up on ‘em. Kaylee was lookin’ at ‘im with a funny kinda look on ‘er face.

“I didn’t ignore ‘em.” He turned back ta Mal. “I didn’t ignore ‘em! We was just…” he turned back ta look at Kaylee. “Talkin’.”

Kaylee smiled an’ looked down at ‘er feet.

“Someone wanna explain all this to me?”

Jayne turned back ta Mal. He was lookin’ a mite ornery.

“Do we or do we not know where the money is?”

“We do.”

“Okay. Good. That’s good.”

Mal went quiet. Zoe was lookin’ at Jayne. So was Kaylee, far as Jayne could tell. The doc was lookin’ at Kaylee. Jayne was lookin’ at Mal, who was lookin’ around at everyone.

“Now’s the part where you tell me where it is.”

Zoe raised her eyebrows. “Jayne. It was your plan.”

Mal looked at Jayne again. “Jayne? This is a Jayne plan?”

Jayne cleared his throat. “See… there was these whores. They was real nice whores. We got ta talkin’ about…” Jayne cleared his throat again, “things. Made kinda a… little friendship, ya might say.”

Mal folded his arms.

“So anyways… there was these whores. An’ when the doc’s plan fell through, well… well they decided… see, they wanna take Mr. Pink’s money an’ shut the compound down. But they’re just… yanno… whores. So they asked me ta help.”

Mal raised his eyebrows.

“Fifty fifty cut of half a mil in platinum.”

Mal whistled low under his breath an uncrossed his arms. Put his hands on his hips. “Quarter mil in platinum. That’s more th’n the original deal. Not that I’m complainin’.”

“We could get some real shiny new parts ta fix Serenity up.” Jayne turned. Kaylee was grinnin’ at ‘im like he’d done good. “Maybe get us some real food.”

Inara smiled. “Apples.”

“No.” River shook her head. “No apples. Kaylee doesn’t want any more apples.”

Kaylee coughed and looked at ‘er feet again.

“Well, we ain’t got the money yet. Let’s not be spendin’ it all.”

Jayne turned back ta Mal.

“So what’s the actual plan ta gather up all this platinum?”

Jayne looped his thumbs in his belt loops. “Pink’s goin’ away on business. Doesn’t wanna stick around on account ‘a… the doc breakin’ his heart an’ all.”

Mal’s eyebrows went up again. Jayne kept on talkin’.

“Stella an’ Marie… them’s the whores… they say he generally takes half his men with ‘im when he goes. Leaves half behind ta watch after the house.”

Mal nodded. “And the platinum.”

Jayne nodded back. “The girls reckon they can distract ‘em, though. Slip somethin’ in their drinks.”

“And we trust ‘em.” Mal turned ta Zoe. Jayne tried ta figure out if it was a question. Felt he oughta defend Stella an’ Marie just in case.

“They’re good whores.”

Mal turned back ta ‘im. “I ain’t questionin’ their abilities. I’m questionin’ their motives.”

“I think we can trust ‘em, Sir.”

Mal turned back ta Zoe. Seemed ta consider fer a second. He nodded. “Alright then. When do we do this?”

“Tomorrow night, ‘round midnight. Girls figure they’ll be good an’ drugged by then.”

Mal nodded ta Jayne. “Good work.” Then ‘e turned an’ climbed up the stairs ta the second level.

Left Jayne feelin’ kinda… accomplished.

Zoe flashed Jayne a rare smile an’ followed the captain. Inara wandered off soon after, leavin’ Jayne, River, Kaylee, an’ the doc.

“Simon!”

Everyone turned ta look at River.

“Simon, I need you to come run tests on me.” She grabbed the doc’s hand an’ looked at ‘im all intent-like. “I think I’m going crazy again. Crazy River. Wooooo!” She turned toward the infermary, tuggin’ the doc behind her.

He followed, eventually. Didn’t look happy about it, though.

“So.” Kaylee scuffed her shoe.

“So.” Jayne rocked back on his heels.

“Were they pretty whores?”

Jayne nodded. “Yup.”

“Oh.” Kaylee chewed on her lip an’ looked around.

There were a few seconds of silence.

“Like… pretty how? Beautiful? Gorgeous? Cute? Not bad?”

Jayne grinned. “You jealous?”

Kaylee smiled a shy little smile an’ looked at ‘im sideways. “Maybe.”

“Well you ain’t got nothin’ ta worry about, little Kaylee. Alls we did was talk. Weren’t even dirty talk.”

She grinned. “Really?”

Jayne nodded. “Really.” He turned an’ started walkin’ over ta the stairs. Needed ta sit down when Kaylee was this close ta him. Got all weak an’ womany in the knees.

“So what’d you talk about?”

Jayne sat down. Kaylee sat next ta ‘im. He could smell ‘er hair. Wished she was closer.

He looked over at ‘er. Traced the profile of ‘er face with his eyes the way he’d done thousands a times since he’d first seen ‘er.

“The only thing I ever think about.”

She looked over at ‘im, her mouth open a little. She blushed an’ looked away again. Wiped her hands on her knees.

Jayne took a deep breath. “I like you, Kaylee. I done liked you since I first met you. Been likin’ you more ev’ry day since. An I seen you lookin’ after all types ‘a menfolk. The doc. That foolheaded dead guy.”

“Tracey.”

“Right. Mostly the doc.”

Kaylee bit her lip in that way she had.

“An’ it killed me. Not ‘cause it wasn’t me you was goin’ after. Well… yeah, ‘cause it wasn’t me you was goin’ after.”

Kaylee laughed a short little laugh that made Jayne’s heart feel funny.

He reached out an’ tucked a strand ‘a hair behind her ear. Not ‘cause it made her look prettier. That was impossible. He did it ‘cause he couldn’t stand not touchin’ her anymore.

She turned an’ looked at ‘im.

“It was mostly ‘cause… they didn’t see you. Tracey… well. An’ the doc… it took him forever ta even realize there was anythin’ in the world ‘cept Cr- ‘cept River. An’ that ain’t right. Any man worth his salt’d realize you was the only thing in the world first time they saw ya.”

Kaylee was lookin’ at ‘im. Really lookin’ at ‘im, her mouth open a little. “Why didn’t you say somethin’? All this time…”

Jayne snorted. “Would you’ve listened?”

“Well… no. But what about Saffron? An’ that girl at the Heart of Gold? You seemed plenty interested in them.”

Jayne shrugged. “I dunno. Got hard waitin’ fer the real thing. I didn’t know if you’d ever… yanno.” He shrugged again.

Silence again. Kaylee was lookin’ at ‘im. Suddenly, she reached out an’ puched his shoulder. “Then why’d you stop me? The other night, after the kosu weed. Why’d you stop me?”

Jayne laughed an’ rubbed his shoulder. “I alreadly ruttin’ told ya. Gorram hardest thing I’ve ever had ta do, by the by.” His smile faded. “You’re special, Kaylee. I…” He cleared his throat an’ turned his face away. “I wanted it ta be special.” Came out as kinda a mumble. Hadn’t wanted ta say it. Stupid thing ta say.

Kaylee put her hand on his cheek an’ turned his face back ta hers. “That’s the sweetest thing anyone’s ever said ta me.” She looked at ‘im real close, then leaned forward an’ kissed ‘im on the cheek.

Jayne could feel his cheeks gettin’ hot. “Hell. I ain’t sweet.”

Kaylee pulled back a little so she could look ‘im in the eye. She smiled. He could tell by the way her eyes crinkled. “That’s a gorram lie, Jayne Cobb.”

She looked at ‘im for a bit. Then she leaned in again. Closed the distance between ‘em. An’ Jayne didn’t turn away.

It was like electricity. Like two charged batteries finally touchin’. Lettin’ of a spark. Makin’ his heart jump.

Her lips fit perfect against his, like they was made fer each other. He almost didn’t want ta move. Didn’t want ta break the thread of that first kiss. But there was more. An’ he had ta have it. Had ta know every little secret hidden in her perfect mouth.

He kissed her deeper. Or maybe she kissed him. She slid her hands behind his neck. He slid his around her waist. Felt down her side an’ pulled her legs inta his lap so he could get closer.

His heart was poundin’. He felt like he couldn’t breathe. Kissin’ Kaylee was like dyin’ an comin’ back ta life ten thousand times.

An’ he let himself die. Let himself go. ‘Cause there weren’t nobody in that hold ‘cept him an’ his girl.