VIOLENT HEART by DesertDragon Chapter 2: "Never Bet the Devil Your Head."

1.

Kaylee stood in the hull, arguing with Mal. He was about to shut the ramp himself just to be stubborn; just to show his mechanic that Jayne and Jayne's business weren't no never mind of theirs at the present moment. But he just stood, arms crossed and jaw set, getting her more riled up than she already was. The heat in the cargo bounced off the walls and escaped into the overcast night, but she was already sweating.

"We are NOT leavin' him here!"

"No. We won't leave him." Mal turned and began to walk up the bridge, half turned, and glanced at her from under furrowed brows. "At least, not yet."

"Mal!"

"Get to working, Kaylee." And he disappeared up the stairs and out of sight.

Hmph. 'At least not yet'. What the rutting hell was that supposed to mean?? She leaned back on a heavy cargo crate and stared hard at the floor. She had seen them - Jayne and the Captain - arguing at the bar before they had left. Or rather Jayne was going on, explainin' something quite heatedly, and Mal had listened closely, a growing frown on his face.

And neither one of them were forth coming to her with any of it. Jayne was suspicious about being followed - she was sure of that now - and now he was gone.

Was Mal so sure that he wasn't missing or in any danger?? She wasn't. And she didn't think Mal was convinced either. He was just looking out for the rest of the crew. Jayne must've really done something recently to have pissed Mal off to earn this kind of non-concern. Her bet was that if it hadn't been for the extreme temperature, he would've closed the bay doors and not thought twice. Maybe.

She realized she was chewing awfully hard on a fingernail, and forced herself to stop. She stared blindly at the large bag with the ship parts in it that she had been lugging around all night. Her sudden concern for Jayne didn't seem to enlighten the Captain any. But it certainly enlightened her. Here was a man who usually seems so disgruntled with her, who often teased her incessantly (sometimes being downright mean-spirited), who could suddenly turn around in a blink of an eye and be there looking out for her, protecting her, making her laugh.

Again, she suspected that the rest of the crew wasn't nearly forgiving of him as she was. But she was privy to a little secret. Jayne was all these raw things because he simply didn't know how to disguise who he was.

And really, neither did Simon. And that was the problem. He made his opinion about her lifestyle known every time he looked at her. It was no wonder that the drama tonight was creating strange bedfellows.

In fact, several hours later, trapped in the engine room with only Serenity's constant humming to keep her company, Kaylee couldn't take it anymore, and quickly found herself standing outside of the door leading to Jayne's bunk. She stared at it and ran both greasy hands through her hair. 'What am I doing??'

Echoes of raised voices floated through the ship. Mal and Zoe. Arguing. She knew it was about Jayne. Then she realized the more appropriate question would've been to ask herself, 'Why am I not out there looking for him when no one else will??'

The voice behind her was so clear and strong that it rang in her ears, making her jump.

"He's asleep," River said, watching Kaylee from the darkness of the walkway.

Kaylee took a step toward her. "River? Who's -" But she knew who. Chills ran through her like wildfire. "Where, River? Where is he asleep?"

The other girl had the sense to look confused for just an instant. She tugged at her long hair - an illusion of naivety that Kaylee knew as false.

"The long dark." River turned to join Kaylee's stare at Jayne's door. "Asleep with lots of fishes."

Kaylee wanted to reached out, shake the younger girl violently, and stopped herself. She had never asked River how she knew the things she did. It had become incidental. They were getting to be friends now, as much of a mystery as the girl was.

"River..." Kaylee found her voice trembling." Do you know what you're sayin'??"

"Asleep." River insisted, and looked Kaylee steady in the eye as if warning a child. "But watch yourself. He'll be waking up soon."

Trembling, Kaylee took a breath. She thought about the guns she had originally come after, buried deep in Jayne's bunk. "Do you know what happened to him? Just tell me -"

But River had turned and was disappearing around the metal bend and out of sight.

"Never bet the devil your head."

2.

Kaylee wasn't sure if the gun was loaded or not. But she didn't have time to stop and check. Mal and Zoe were close by and it sounded like he wanted to fly. Jayne was outta time. And so was she.

But she was willing to bet he wouldn't fly without his mechanic.

The smell of rain hit her hard as she snuck her way into the cargo bay. The ramp was still down, but she was sure the security sensors were on and activated. That was just fine - they would only sound off if someone entered the ship, not leaving it.

But the rain was coming down in sheets. There may as well been a wall in front of her. She took a step through it -

"Jen dao mei."

Kaylee spun around and stared at the tall woman at her back.

"I'm going to find him, Zoe. Somethin' ain't right."

Zoe stared back at her hard and for a long while the downpour outside provided a little background music. And then -

"Okay. Let's go."

Surprised, Kaylee nodded and stepped into the rain.

3.

They didn't head directly to town square. After briefing Zoe on River's premonitions, they found themselves going around it instead, back where little light or clean smells awaited them in the dark.

As Kaylee marveled at Zoe gliding through the blackness ahead of her, she wondered how absurd she was to ever think she could've done this by herself. Especially after her earlier mis-adventures with the local wildlife. Was her concentration on Jayne really that blind siding??

Suddenly, a horrible smell pierced the dust and the rain and it stopped them both in their tracks.

"Argh! What in the shiny side of hell ?!" Kaylee covered her nose as best she could, and saw Zoe do the same, although a slightly amused expression seeped through the disgust. The stink came from a nearby alley, and Zoe took a long glance into it and turned back to Kaylee.

"So. You really think this is a good idea? You're worse than the Captain."

Seconds later a low moan and other mumblings came from the dark stretch before them.

They spared a glance at each other while Kaylee struggled with her wits.

"Jayne?"

Piles of garbage - and low and behold FISH - assaulted the senses as they made their way through the brink labyrinth, the mumbling voice all the while growing in volume and slurred english and chinese obscentities.

"Jayne!"

Kaylee rushed to a slumped figure against the wall. Through the falling water she could plainly see he was bruised and filthy and her hands hesitated an instant before reaching out to touch him.

He flinched, but didn't acknowledge her. "Bright red. Ta ma duh! They took her -took her away f--" Despite the pitiful state he was in, he managed to sound pissed.

She took one look at her hands as they came away from his torn jacket and panicked.

They were covered in blood.

"Zoe!" And over Jayne's continued muttering, heard Zoe struggling with the com system in her hand.

"Rutting thing. Won't pick up a ship signal. I've gotta get outta these walls. Be right back."

"Gorramn .... took 'er-"

"Jayne." Kaylee whispered gently. She could hear Zoe a number of yards far to her right calling for help, but she couldn't take her eyes off Jayne. She found that part of her wanted to cry. She knelt before him and reached out again, this time unafraid to touch him. She stroked his face; tried to make him see her ... please please please please please ...

"Jayne. It's me. It's Kaylee. Who, Jayne? Who did they take?"

4.

The rain was red. So much red. Blood? How could he have let down his guard? And in a place like Holy City - he should've known better. And now she was gone. Vera was gone. Rutting bastards.

His vision went dark again, but his ears took on a sudden sharpness. Voices. Females voices. He struggled. Part of his head was missing, and his heart ached as if laced with piano wire.

Hands touched him. Rage! But he had no energy to fight.

A familiar face through the rain. A familiar voice.

jayne jayne jayne jayne jayne jayne jayne jayne

Finally, he opened his eyes. Her hands were on his face - she was begging him. The rain was drenching them both, washing all red things away. Her face was so close. Her name formed in his mind, erasing all else.

"Kaylee."

Naming her made her his. He needed that. He felt stripped of everything else. He saw a light in her face through the gloom. So he said her name again. And again. Then the only thing left to do was cover her mouth with his, tasting her, startling her, kissing her -

Making sure she was real.

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Chapter 3: "Slow Burn" coming soon. * I'm almost positive there'll be more than kissing in the next chapter ;) *