Disclaimer- I own NOTHING. Joss & Mutant own all. I earn nothing, except the happy need to take frequent cold showers.

WARNING- Post-BDM. I try to be vague, but the spoiler is there if you haven't seen it yet.

Authors Note- This is part of my ongoing Collection at AdultFanfiction.Net- a quest to write EVERY possible Firefly coupling as believably as possible. AFF is having database problems and we are not allowed to update until they are resolved, perhaps as long as four weeks! If you're the curious sort, I've done Mal/Simon and Zoe/Wash already and you can find them at AFF. Here is Zoe/Jayne.

"Finding Strength"

She could smell him, his familiar scent of of sweat, soap and gun oil. Jayne was right there across the table from her. She stirred her noodles, staring at the yellow broth. Anything to keep from looking up at his strong fingers field-stripping a rifle and cleaning it. Anything to keep from wondering those strong fingers might also be capable of.

"Ya gonna eat that, or make love to it?" His voice, coarse and joshing, rippled in her ears and she glanced up at him, trying to find a snappy reply.

Instead, she just said, "I could hurt you."

Usually, he laughed and grinned at her. This time, he gave a grunting smile. "Like to see ya try."

Zoe didn't think about. She dropped her spoon into the bowl, splashing broth as she stood up. "Let's go."

"Huh?" Jayne set the rifle stock on the table as he pushed back in his chair to stare up at her.

"Cargo bay. Now." She put her hands on her hips, her gaze uncompromising. Jayne didn't move as she strode to the hatchway and glanced back at him. "Or maybe you're afraid I'll kick your ass?"

"Hell no." Jayne's chair scraped across the floor as he stood up. " Afraid Mal'l shoot me if I hurt ya."

Zoe's grin was feral. "I'm just talkin' a friendly wrestlin' match, Jayne. I think you're scared."

"Ain't scared of you." Jayne bit out, but he grinned and saw Zoe's eyes twinkle in a challenge as she turned and ran for the cargo bay.

She had the soft cargo pads out and down by the time he got there and was stripping off her steel toed boots.

He settled on a crate and pulled off his own boots and his knife-belt, as well his metal-buckled wrist cuff. Less for her safety than for the liability it would present if she got her hand around it. He squated on the mat, finding his balance, waiting for her.

There was no circling, no bantering. Zoe approached the mat coolly, sizing him up. She hesitated for a second and then rushed him.

Jayne turned aside with a speed at odds with his powerful build and reached an arm to hook around her slender waist. Zoe dropped to her kneeds, bending back under his arm and rolling one leg to hook behind Jayne's knees, dropping him to the mat.

Simon stared.

He didn't know what to do. Zoe and Jayne were locked in combat on the cargo bay floor. As he watched from the catwalk, Zoe rolled and pulled Jayne's arm back, pressing his chest to the mat, but he rolled to his far side, pushing her lighter weight off of him and rolling over her body to crush her to the mat.

Zoe grunted and kicked out, one arm flung back to lock around Jayne's head.

They were going to kill each other, Simon thought. Moving to the nearest com-panel, he pushed the button to the bridge. "Uh, Mal, could you come down to the cargo bay, please?"

The opponents were both struggling now, panting and sweating. Zoe had reversed and had Jayne's head locked between her knee and the mat. His hand was pinning one arm up behind her, while his left leg thrashed to find puchase around her body.

"Doc? What's the prob..." Mal came up short as he glanced over the rail. "What je shr shu muh ..."

"That's what I said." Simon said wryly. "Just not..out loud."

Zoe had tears of frustration in her eyes, but she gave a grunt and with an effort that cost her precious hold on Jayne's head, wrenched her arm free and rolled away to come up onto her knees.

Jayne moved just as fast, and for a second they faced each other, both heaving for air. Their eyes met, gunmetal blue on polished walnut brown.

"Bring it on, girl." Jayne panted out, "Or are you wore out already?"

His answer was a fierce lunge and strong arms grappling around his waist. He was braced for it and tried to catch her hips to fling her away from him. She was so light in his arms, for all that he could feel the powerful muscles ripple and flex in her back as she struggled to break his grip without compromising hers.

Jayne had never really touched Zoe before. A slap on the back, a grapple when playing hoop ball, dragging her to safety when they got caught in an ambush once. But not like this, not slick and straight and moving hard against him. He knew somewhere in the back of his mind that he aughta end this, just let her win and call it good. But Jayne Cobb weren't never accused of being a gentleman, so he shifted his weight and threw her bodily to the mat, launching himself after her with the intention of pinning her down.

Zoe felt the cargo bay hard through her back as she impacted with the thin mat. Hell, she must be crazy. Something about letting Jayyne manhandle her like that felt good, felt almost as good as his sweat-slick arms tightening around her waist in the moment before he threw her.

She saw the motion telegraphing his launch and pushed to one side, rolling back when she heard his body hit the mat. Coming up on one knee she straddled his hips and planted her elbow in his back while pinning his right arm with hers.

Damned if she hadn't forgotten something about Jayne - something she relied on nearly every day. The hwoon dahn was ambidextrous. His left hand flipped back, his fingers locking in her belt and pulling her off him as he pushed up and rolled, pressing his back to her chest to slam her back down to the mat.

Above, Mal and Simon exchanged glances. "Think they're serious, Captain?"

"Think I should I break it up?" Mal asked, as he watched his first mate struggle under Jayne's body, the mercenary's face twisted into a grimace.

Before they could come to a conclusion there was a simultaneous yell from the floor. "BUTT OUT BOTH OF YOU!"

Simon glanced down and shrugged at Mal. "I'll just go put the infirmary in order. We might need it."

Mal hollered down at them, "Y'all wanna break each other, fine! Just remember none of us is gonna fix you!"

Zoe'd gotten her legs wrapped around Jayne's waist and was trying to use her hips to roll him off of her. She grunted out a single, "Yes, Sir."

"I ain't gonna break her, unless she breaks me!" Jayne yelled, just as Zoe got her arm free enough to give her the leverage she needed to thrust Jayne sideways and off of her.

Mal knew enough to get out of the way and just headed back to the bridge, sealing the cargo bay door behind himself.

They were both tiring when Zoe managed to get Jayne onto his back, one arm across his throat, his arms pinned under her knees at his sides. "You give?"

He gasped in air, a trickle of sweat running down his brow as he looked at her for a long moment. "You feel better?"

The tension fell out of Zoe's body and she sat up straighting, moving her legs off his arms. Her brief smile was surprised. "Yah. I do."

Jayne fell back, raising his hands up to support his head as he just admired her for a moment. Her curls were tousled, and her face glistened with perspiration. She was a hell of a woman.

"Jayne?" Zoe started to ask, then suddenly the open friendly expression closed and she frowned slightly. "No, never mind."

Jayne didn't think about it. Just reached up and grabbed her forearms before she could raise up off of him. "Don't. Zoe, you started this. Now finish it. What's up?"

For a moment the familiar steel hard gaze snapped into place and then it was gone, fled in a myriad of emotions and Zoe was silent, her expression open and vulnerable. Jayne gave her arms a gentle shake, prompting her. "Jayne, I ... I ain't trying to make trouble. This is a small ship, and I know ain't exactly been.. I just..."

"You're lonely." Jayne said, ignoring the surprise in her eyes. Why did everyone assume just 'cause he ain't had no proper schooling that he was some kind of dimwit? He spoke matter-of-factly, loosening his grip and ruffling his hands up her arms. "You had a shake up."

"I just need..." Her words fell silent again and she looked away from him at the cargo bay wall.

"To feel alive." Jayne murmured. "Hell, Zoe, you been strong as a rock ever since it happened. But you ain't been living and breathing."

Startled by the tears he saw welling up in Zoe's eyes, Jayne shook his head a little. Zoe, hard and vengeful, that he could handle. Zoe laughin' and jokin' even when it was about him, that he could handle. Zoe, ready to rip his head off for pissin' on Mal, that he was pretty used to. But Zoe, straddling him, her hands limp on his chest, looking at him pleading and sad: This was something new. "You ain't gonna start bawlin', are ya?"

He expected her angry face, her snappy reply, but she just shook her head. "I might."

Jayne let go of her arms to grab her shoulders and jerked her down against his chest, rolling to his side and pulling her with him, cradling her body against his."Well, ya can if ya want. But I'm gonna give ya a hard time about it later."

Zoe grinned quickly, then pulled back to stare up at him. "Kiss me, Jayne."

"You sure?" He asked, but he could already feel her breath coming faster, her breasts moving in time against his chest.

She nodded, squirming one hand around his neck to pull his head down.

Jayne weren't too much on sex with his friends, tended to complicate things. But Zoe'd had a rough time of it with Wash gone, and there weren't no denying he was attracted. He stared at her, trying to make up his mind.

"You gonna take advantage of me, or do I have to shoot you?" Zoe asked impatiently, lifting her thigh over his to bring their bodies flush together.

"Aw, Hell." Jayne didn't want to think any more. He lowered his mouth over Zoe's, feeling her full sweet lips caressing him back, her mouth opening and her tongue pressing against his lips, and then between them. He let her kiss him, tasting her sweet and sweat flavor as he indulged in the softness of her mouth.

Normally, he didn't kiss on the mouth. It was a close thing, an intimate thing. A dangerous thing in the wrong places. Somehow, this intimacy with Zoe felt right, tasted right, was right. Her hand tightened on his shoulder and he rolled closer, rubbing his entire body along the length of hers as he took control of the kiss.

Under her hand, Zoe could feel the bulk of his muscles, his skin hot from their exertion, and she squeezed the back of his neck as he pressed her head back to the mat, his tongue swallowing her mouth, his jaw working as he consumed her, tasted her, became one with her.

She knew she shouldn't, but the comparisons were there. Wash had always been tender with her, followed her lead, his kisses slightly hesitatent as though, at any moment, she might pull away. Jayne didn't hesitate. His kiss was powerful, all-encompassing; he held nothing back. Her mind whispered the word and she committed herself too it- Jayne's kiss was passionate.

She groaned, feeling it echoed in the growl that rose low in Jayne's throat. Then he was releasing her, raising his head up. "Come to my bunk."

She shook her head. "Passenger dorms closer. More private. Plenty of spare beds."

Jayne reached a hand to cup her cheek and slide it down her neck in a surprisingly tender gesture. "Like the way you think."

Zoe pulled away, panting a little, "Come on."

They left the mat on the floor, dashed down the corridor, and slipped past the Infirmary while Simon's back was turned.

In an empty passenger dorm, Zoe closed the panel and latched it, turning with her back against it. Jayne was standing with one hand hooked in his belt loop. The evidence of his arousal protruded from the front of his cargo pants and Zoe took in the entire view; the narrowed eyes, the lips moist from their kiss, the muscles that bulged through his worn t-shirt.

"What you lookin' at?" Jayne asked, his voice husky as it broke the silence between them.

"You." Zoe answered as she stepped forward and gripped her hands around the neck of his t-shirt. "Jayne?"

"Yah?"

"I owe you a shirt." And she shredded his worn t- from neck to hem, baring his chest before ripping it from his broad shoulders.

He shrugged slightly, a grin lighting his features. "Never liked that one anyway."

Then he was kissing her again, his hands finding the zipper of her leather vest and pulling it off. Then he moved to the hem of her long sleeved shirt and pulled it over his head. She wasn't wearing a bra and he put his hands on her ribs, holding her back to look down at her for a long moment.

"Zoe?" He murmured, pushing back from her for a second. She tried to pull him back to her but he resisted and held her at arms length. "How you want it, girl?"

He knew this wasn't about him. He knew that somewhere in the back of her mind, Zoe was going to compare every movement he made to the dance she'd shared with Wash. He was just her choice tonight, her choice to help fill a bit of that void and take away a bit of the pain. He'd made the same choice enough times, with enough nameless faces, to know he was just a bit of trunk to her. It had to be whatever she wanted it to be. Jayne waited, trying to look into her eyes, and not at her glorious breasts just inches from his hands.

"Just take me, Jayne." She directed quietly, her voice calm and a little sad, her fingers tracing through the downy hair on his chest. "I don't want to think about it."

He nodded, understanding. Just the same as understanding when she needed cover fire or back-up or more ammo.

No more hesitating; he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her back to the bed. He kissed her again, pressing his mouth into her hers as he lowered her to the bunk, one hand moving between them to open first his own trousers, and then hers. They were wriggling out of their clothes, neither breaking the kiss.

She shut her eyes, and breathed in his scent, so strongly male, so utterly overwhelming. Salt and gunpowder and oil. His hands were back on her body, pressing her down to the bed as he raised his head from her lips and leaned over her. She surrendered to him, letting his strong hand press first to her stomach, and then downwards, to her thighs. Zoe parted her legs for him, running one hand over his chest and the other down to the small of his back.

His short beard brushed her neck, then lower, until his lips were on her breast, kissing gently as his fingers searched between her thighs. She covered his hand with her own, guiding it, showing him how and where touch her and moaned as he got it just right, her head rolling back as she felt his lips enclose one dusky nipple, suckling it gently.

Where a moment before, he had been impatient, his movements urgent, now they slowed to agonizing torture. He caressed, suckled, teased and Zoe gave herself over to all of it. He slid his fingers down, sliding one into her sex as he raised his head and moved back up to kiss her.

Zoe groaned again. "Jayne? You tryin' to torture me?"

"You want me to stop?" And he froze, holding utterly still, his smile tender as his gaze turned deep blue.

She squirmed against him. "Hell no!"

Grabbing his head, she yanked his mouth back to hers, shifting her hips to trap his hand between them, stroking his hardened length with her hipbone.

It had the desired result. Jayne grunted, thrusting his tongue into her mouth as he rolled over her, pressing between her legs. She raised them around his hips, her hand stroking him, feeling the droplets of his essence on her fingers as she lifted her hips, opening herself to him.

"You sure?" Jayne paused the kiss, pressing his forehead against hers, but he was teasing her now, her moisture against the head of his cock driving him mad as she stroked him against her.

She didn't reply in words. Both hands grabbed the small of his back and yanked him down, forcing him into her as she released a deep sigh. "Lao tyen boo... you...hell..."

Jayne just rocked deeper into her softness. He knew he was big, had enough women tell him so, and Zoe was tight around him telling him she hadn't had something so big, at least in a long while. She felt so good, though, so hard and taut against him, like a tightly wound trigger ready to snap. Slow and easy does it, Cobb. Take yer time. He found himself practically murmuring the words aloud and decided it wasn't such a bad idea. He repeated them in Zoe's ear, "Nice and easy, girl. Take yer time."

He let her set the pace, rocking slowly against him, her breath coming more quickly as she raised her body to his, pressing her breasts to his chest, her mouth straining against his neck, his shoulder, the curve of his collarbone as she wrapped her slender body around him. He allowed his movements to quicken, settling into pace with her.

Zoe's eyes were closed but her body was open, passion written in the flush of her cheeks, the parting of her lips. Jayne looked down at her as she moved against him. She was beautiful. He didn't know when he'd ever had such a beautiful creature in his arms. Her dark skin contrasted against his own, hers flawless and smooth, his a myriad of fight scars and tattoes. It was overwhelming and he closed his own eyes, quickening his pace, feeling her thrust up to meet him.

Suddenly, he wanted this over. Zoe wasn't his. Never could be. He was just something she needed right now, and that was all right. He could give her that. But he couldn't give her any more than that. He lowered his lips back to hers, thrusting harder, her legs tightening around him as she moaned into his mouth in time with his thrusts.

She tensed around him, her entire body rolling in waves of passion as he kissed her, felt her orgasm roll through her like the ship through atmo and found himself grunting as he found his own burning climax, let it sweep through him, jolting him into Zoe's arms as sure as she was coiled against his body in her own release.

Then it was over, and he collapsed forward, staying deep within, holding her tightly for a long moment. Her breath heaved and then slowed, winding down as her passion faded. Jayne slowly lifted himself from her, stretching beside her and reaching to brush the damp coils of hair from her face.

She stretched and turned her head towards him. "Hi."

He answered back. "You okay?"

Zoe smiled, reaching out to touch his lips with one hand. "Yah. Yah. I think I am."

"Good." Jayne answered. He was embarrassed now, unsure of what to do or say. Is this how it was for those women who he'd taken so often, just used to make himself feel better? He found himself flushing a little. "Zoe, you..."

She sat up and put a hand on his chest. "Thank you, Jayne. I mean that. I was... still am... kind of lost. You got... you did good."

Jayne smiled up at her, wishing he had better words to say. "We better get back. Everyone's gonna wonder what we're doing down here."

Zoe stood up, pulling on her shirt. She glanced over at the remains of Jayne's shirt where it lay on the floor and sniggered. Jayne followed her glance and frowned, but Zoe's laughter was contagious and he found himself laughing back. "You owe me."

"Yeah." She stopped laughing as she pulled her trousers on and buckled her belt. "Yah, Jayne. I owe you."

As soon as his own pants were back on, and his torn shirt bundled up, Zoe straightened the bed and turned to the door.

Opening it, she stopped, surprise lacing her features. "RIVER!"

The girl silently held out their boots, Jayne's knife belt and a clean t-shirt. She smiled sweetly, gave a mock military salute and turned back down the hallway, dancing away with light steps.

"Well, huh." Jayne said as he pulled on the clean shirt.

Zoe glanced back at him and grinned. "She's kinda handy sometimes."

"Yeah." Jayne touched Zoe's shoulder and got her attention again. "You don't owe me nothin, Zoe. I've leaned on you 'afore. Figure it's your turn."

Zoe's gaze darkened, tears threatening again. Closing her eyes for a second, she breathed in his scent, his strength. "May need to lean on you again sometime."

"Anytime." He answered, closing the door to the bunk behind them. Remembering what had started the whole thing, he grinned at her, "You hungry?"

Ta Da! --------------------------