Pained Hearts Chapter 5

Author’s Note: Okay here it is. I suffered from some writers block but it is now done. Oh and I REWROTE Chapter 4 so if you haven’t read it since before 2/16/06 then you need to go back and reread it… I HAVE NO BETA EDITER SO SORRY! Well anyway, I took the story in this direction so I can get River and Jayne alone together later. When Chapter 6 comes out you will understand. And it gets a little graphic (sex) in the next chapter… so if you don’t like that type of stuff then read this chapter and be done with it. ENJOY!

River woke to a needle pricking her arm. She growled and sat up as Simon let go of her arm. “Boob.” She said, rubbing her arm and getting out of bed. “River we need you to stay calm while we are there. I will also need you to help me with the operation… These drugs are needed.” Simon tried to explain. She just growled at him and headed for the mess not even changing into her day clothes.

River was still very bitter when she entered the Mess. Everyone was eating already, making her pout, even more. As she crossed the room Jayne’s eyes went straight to her, she wore a simple navy teddy that cupped her breast and came down to her mid thigh. River glance at Jayne and almost smiled, but then, Kaylee placed a full plate of food down in the empty seat next to Jayne. River made her way over running her hand across Jayne’s back and sitting down, only to stare at her food.

“Hey. How is she doing today, Doc?” Mal asked.

Simon looked up from his seat and his fingers slightly in his mouth. “Oh, she is rather grumpy this morning, but I think she will be fine for the rest of the day, as long as she doesn’t have to deal with too much.” Simon explained smiling at Kaylee as she sat down next to him. “Alright…” Mal said wearily looking over at River who was poking at her food. “Well, just make sure she doesn’t stab any one again…” River looked up and stuck her tongue out at Mal and went back to jabbing at her food. “Anyway… We’ll be landin’ in an hour. Let’s make sure everything is ready, we don’t want ta be imposin’ on Jayne’s family none.” Mal told everyone. “We stay to the ship, give help where it’s needed. Don’t cause any trouble. That’s all.”

Jayne set down his cup and wiped his mouth. “Ma won’t like that none, Mal. She’ll want to meet you all, and spoil the Doc some… If he can fix Mattie up properly and all. And she wants to meet the girls. Always complainin’ ‘bout me never brin’ you’s all home and such.” He pointed out.

“Your mother sounds like a very sweet person.” Inara said, politely. Jayne nodded with a sad smile. “When I wrote her, I told her ‘bout all you guys, so we don’t need to be lying ‘bout any thin’, she won’t stand for it.” He told Mal frowning. There were nods of understanding from around the table.

River gave a sigh and snuggled against Jayne. Kaylee couldn’t help but grin and giggle while watching their comfortabillity with one another. This only caught everyone else’s attention. Mal cleared his throat. “So River… You seem a mighty cozy with Jayne there. Any reason for it?” He asked.

Jayne was a deer in headlights; he was so humped if River said anything about his dreams, or the fact that she liked those dreams. River grinned and rubbed her face against Jayne’s arm. “Jayne’s her pillow,” River stated. When Mal lifted his brow in question Jayne jumped in. “I ain’t no pillow crazy… Just let ya lean against me so that I know that you ain’t someone where plotting to cut me up again.” He growled out. A slow creepy smile slid across River’s features, making everyone a little more than uncomfortable. The rest of the mean continued with small talk and decisions on schedules. -- Wash, River, Zoe and Mal were all on the Bridge watching as they set down on the far side of the Cobb Ranch. They could see the small house no more than twenty yards away, with what looked like a small gathering of the Cobb’s themselves outside awaiting their arrival. Once completely landed and opened they airlock, Mal pressed the com. “Right everyone, looks like their all waiting for us… We’ll meet and greet, then let the Doc and River do their thing. No time for socializing. Okay people let’s get this done.” Mal said looking out of the ship one last time before turning and heading to the Cargo Bay with the others.

Jayne stood in the front of the group as the doors opened; his stomach was in knots he hadn’t seen his family since he left when he was nineteen. Suddenly he felt a Mal’s hand on his shoulder. “Here we go.” Jayne said and started to walk off the ship.

“Uncle Jayne!” Three small children screamed and ran from the porch. Jayne smiled and scooped up two of the three and tossing them over his shoulders. The third attached herself to Jayne’s leg; it was an amusing sight for all who were watching to see.

River took two steps off the ship and froze; she was bombarded by thought’s memories, and fears of people she didn’t know. It was too much, she was getting confused, and Jayne was too far away. So River retreated back to the ship… Serenity was safe, she could try and collect and sort all of the intruding thoughts and emotions, in the empty ship. As she looked around the Cargo Bay she became even more confused, there was lush green foliage covering every inch of the vast room. -- Once the whole crew of Serenity, save River, was in front of the house, Jayne dropped the two kids and greeted his family, “Hey, Ma, Pa, Ellie, Tristan. Umm, this is Mal the capt’n, that’s Zoe and Wash, and a, the one who don’t stop smiling is Kaylee. Umm this is Inara and our Doc it the proper lookin’ one.” Jayne said. Turned to see River had not come down from the ship with them, but stood with her back to them. “And the umm the Crazy, I mean River… she’s still at the ship.” Jayne tried to explain, without seeming worried about River.

“It is so nice to meet ya’ll.” Jayne Ma said. “Jayne has told me all about all of you. I’m Vera Cobb and this is my husband Robert… These are our son Tristan and his wife Ellie… The rest of the Family couldn’t make it but they have been around quite a bit since the Doctor told us ‘bout Mattie…” There was an awkward silence after all the introductions.

The three kids frowned at all the adults around them. “What ‘bout us, we ain’t important enough to mention?” Asked the oldest boy asked, folding his arms. Most of the Cobb’s laughed. Ellie on the other hand glared at her son. “James you hold that tongue of yours in front of guests.” She sculled. Jayne smiled down at the kids. “These lil’ animals are my nephews and niece. Da tall on with the mouth is James, then his lil’ brother Ed and the pretty lil’ darlin’ here is Emily. She’s Mattie’s little girl.” Emily blushed and hid behind Jayne’s leg. Inara smiled at Mal and then went to the small girl. “Hello Emily… I’m Inara, how would you like to play with Kaylee and me, while the Doctor helps your father?” Inara asked. Emily smiled and took Inara’s outstretched hand, with a nod.

“Yes, well we better get Mattie up to the ship. I’ll need to know about how he has been doing since we talked last, Mrs. Cobb.” Simon said. Vera nodded and invited everyone inside. -- Tears slipped from River’s eyes. She was better, No, she couldn’t go back to being lost all the time. River let out a sob and ran into the ship trying to get away from her hallucinations. It was just unfair, she was doing so well, and when she did start to get lost Jayne was there, along with Simon’s medications… Now she would have to start all over again. He won’t want her broken… she thought to her self as she found herself in front of Jayne’s bunk. Nothing was right anymore. She couldn’t help Simon with Mattie and then he and Jayne would be mad at her.

“Ai-yah. Tain ah.” River whimpered and dropped to her knees. All was lost for her, there was nothing to grip onto, it was as if she was back in the blue hand’s grasp, but the pain she felt stab through her was not physical but emotional. “No one will want her now…No one.” She whispered lying on the ground in front of Jayne’s bunk. -- Jayne, Mal and Tristan were all carrying Mattie onto the ship trying not to jar him around too much. Simon was in between the men listening to Mattie’s breathing as it became weaker. It seemed that, that the night before Mattie had stopped breath almost every twenty minutes. Simon knew this wasn’t good and he needed to go in right away.

When they arrived in the infirmary Simon, put on some gloves and grabbed something to put Mattie under. He looked up and noticed River wasn’t there. “I need River in here. Ma Shong!” Simon yelled grabbing a scalpel and moving towards Mattie. Unable to watch, Jayne rushed out of the room to find River.

He tired her room first, nothing. Growling her rushed up stairs. She chooses now to play hide-n-seek. Gorram Crazy! Jayne through while heading up stairs. He moved to the engine room looking around and calling her name. He knew she sometimes hide in there when playing with Kaylee. He sighed and stomped over to the Mess.

“Ruttin yu ben de girl!” Jayne yelled when he didn’t see her there either. He stepped into the front hall and his heart broke at the sight of her. She looked completely lost, he body limp, though her eyes were still open, but they were glazed over, like when she kicked ass in the Maiden’s Head. He approached her slowly and knelt next to her. “Hey girl… it’s me… Jayne…” He said softly. River looked up at him letting out a small sob. Jayne smiled slightly at the knowledge that she hadn’t attacked him yet.

In a second River with in Jayne arms sobbing against his chest. When the shock wore off of him he wrapped his arms out her. “She’s sorry… She got lost; her hope of being a whole girl is gone. She can’t help… She is broken. No one wants her!” She cried out clinging to Jayne as if she would disappear if she ever let go. “I don’t understand a gorram word you just said, River girl, but your brother needs ya. He is tryin’ to fix Mattie up right now.” Jayne told her. When River didn’t move, Jayne frowned, knitting his brows together. He debated for a second and scooped River up and headed back down to the infirmary. -- When they entered Mal looked at Jayne in question, but Simon was the one to ask the question. “What happened to her?” He asked worried but unable to leave what he was doing. His hand was in Mattie working with the lungs. “Don’t know, she was just up by my bunk sobbin’. Don’t got any clue why, she ain’t makin’ any since at all.” Jayne told him grimacing at his brother lying open on the cold operating table.

“Tah mah duh hwoon dahn!” Simon swore, as he was squirted with a large amount of blood, shocking both Mal and Jayne. Tristan watched helplessly in horror. A cry of pain escaped from River as she pushed away from Jayne, causing him to drop her to the floor. Simon looked up and then went back to work but the other three men stared at River as she crawled over to the table and used it to brace her self up.

“Blood,” she cried out, “Slipping… Jayne’s blood!” River grabbed an IV needle and moved over to Jayne who took a set back, Mal taking a step forward so that he could protect Jayne if needed. River growled and pointed to Mattie. “Need’s Jayne’s blood!” She told them trying to get her point across. “Oh!” Came from the men in the room, then Jayne sat down and let River rig him up so Mattie was getting the blood that he needed.

“Boob.” She said openly, making Simon and Mal smile some. River went over to Mattie taking one of the needles Simon had laid out and started to inject Mattie where needed. Her precision and speed put Simon to shame, in the surgery category. -- The rest of the Cobb’s, Kaylee, Inara, Wash and Zoe all sat in the Den of the Cobb house hold. They talked about many things; how they all came to be on Serenity, how many more people were in the Cobb family, stories of Jayne on the ship and of one of his childhood. Then Kaylee let it slip that Zoe was pregnant.

“Oh Dear that is wonderful,” Vera said. “Isn’t Robert,” elbowing her husband who said a faint. “Yeah…” Zoe thanked them and held onto Wash’s hand not sure what else to do.

“I want kids one day.” Kaylee said dreamily. Everyone laughed, and Kaylee blushed. “Don’t ya think Simon would make a great dad?” She asked.

“So, you and da Doctor?” Ellie asked in awe. “It’s a smart match.” Vera commented, only to make Kaylee blush more and everyone else laughed, though it didn’t last long. The front door opened and Tristan and Mal came in. Tristan was sporting a smile heading straight to his wife, giving her a kiss on the head.

“Yous should have seen it. First it was touch and go then this lil’ thing of a gal came in and well, she was actin’ weird but she’s Jen duh shi tian cai, helped the Doc fix Mattie up with no problem. It was amazin’.” He told everyone awe.

“That’s our resident genius… Awe what fun she is.” Wash said with a sigh and a smile. Zoe on the other hand was not smiling; the look on Mal’s face told her something was wrong.

“Sir?” She asked. Mal looked at her first wondering what she wanted and then caught on. “River is acting strange…” He told them. Inara and Kaylee became very worried. “How strange Mal?” Inara asked. Mal locked his jaw then said, “Like she was before Miranda…” Looks of concern passed from one crew member to the next.

“Miranda?” Robert asked sitting up in interest. “Wasn’t that the planet that the alliance killed off tryin’ to control everyone. Created them Reavers and all?” He asked. Mal nodded and sat down next to Inara, who took his hand in hers.

“River led us right to it. She knew… Being a reader and all, she had found out somehow and she took us there. Almost lost the whole crew...” Mal said swallowing hard, “Trying to get that message out. It must of helped River some… She wasn’t all that much crazy after…” Mal stopped not wanting to talk about it anymore. When he saw River holding those blades and standing in the middle of forty or fifty dead Reavers at her feet, he knew that she was more dangerous than anything else in the Verse.

Robert was about to say something when some else entered the house. It was a man not much younger than Jayne, he was a Cobb though, you could tell by the same dark hair and large features. “Look what I found.” He said pointing to Jayne slung over River’s shoulder.

They all went to enter the house when River whimpered and tried backing away from the door. “What’s wrong River?” Jayne mumbled. Jayne wrapped her arm around River. “I want ya ta meet my family.” He said, coaxing River inside. Once inside River darted behind Jayne making him stand on his own. He swayed slightly before falling to the ground and landing on his ass. “Owe.” He said glaring at River. He took his brother’s hand made his way over to the empty bench, River behind him grapping onto his shirt.

“Thanks Josh… Guess I gave too much Blood. Mattie’s gonna be okay. Doc did alright, got him all patched up and said he’s gonna make it and all.” Jayne told everyone smiling.

“Oh that is Wonderful!” Mrs. Cobb shouted hugging her children. She came up to River and smiled. “So you must be River. Pretty lil’ thing, aren’t ya? Jayne has told me a lot about you. You may be young but I think you and Jayne would be a great couple don’t you think, Robert?.” Vera joked, making River smile, and Jayne turn red. “Ma!” Jayne whined, making everyone laugh. It wasn’t everyday you got to see a tough guy like Jayne get picked on by many people.

“Why didn’t you tell us you and yours were heroes?” Robert Cobb asked glaring at his son. Shocked, Jayne looked up slightly confused. “Huh?” “Miranda…” River whispered behind him… Jayne scowled. He saw the look on his Ma’s face and sighed.

“Didn’t want Ma worrin’ none… It wasn’t all that shiny, specially with all those Reavers, and River being a shing-tsan sha-sho… And I did tell ya. Wrote about how we got in a bad scrape doin’ the right thing and lost of people got hurt…” Jayne said gruffly, feeling Rivers hand go to his arm. Everyone from the Cobb family gasped. “Reavers?” His mother asked in horror. Jayne nodded and looked up at River. “Would of all died, if River weren’t there. She dashed out saved us all, and when w saw her again… Well she was the only thing standing, with only a few scratches on her. She is all sorts of shiny.” Jayne finished and the room fell into silence.

Mal glared at Jayne, but stopped when Inara’s grasp on his hand tightened. He looked over at her and she gestured to the door where Simon and two other men and four women where standing. The sadness washed out of his face when Kaylee stood up. He smiled at her and moved out of the way so they could bring Mattie in. “Put him in his room… I’ll need to stay with him tonight… Just to make sure he doesn’t rip any stitches when he comes to.” Simon explained. Vera nodded fallowing the two men into Mattie’s room.

Chapter 6 is coming soon. I am also working on a few other stories while working and playing a video game so it may take a while. I get lost with the wording and such so Please review and tell me what you think and where you think the story is gonna go. BTW I NEED A BETA EDITER IF YOU WANT CONTACT ME! THANKS