Leavin’ Kaylee there in that state was the hardest thing he’d ever done. He could still feel her lips on his throat and couldn’t get the image of her out of his mind; skin flushed all rosy, glowin’ eyes drenched with tears, nipples pointin’ right at him. The ragin’ hunger in his belly was still there at dinner time and if Kaylee had smiled at him he woulda been down on his knees beggin’ her to choose him. Instead she glared at him till he glared back and left the table his stomach churnin’.

The moment Serenity landed and the cargo bay door opened Jayne was outta there. He wasn’t gonna stand round and watch Kaylee and the doc go off together. He’d had ‘bout all he could stand of the wantin’ and needin’. He was goin’ to the nearest whorehouse, get his brains screwed out and forget his desire for Kaylee.

‘Cept it didn’t work that way, he’d stepped through the door of the whorehouse expectin’ the sort of homey feelin’ he usually got and just felt disappointed.

‘Cause his home was Serenity now; and though there was plenty of women, some of ‘em real hot and ready for the takin’, for the first time in his life he just weren’t interested. ‘Cause none of them was her, none of ‘em were as argumentative, as stubborn, as beautiful, as clever or as maddeningly sexy as his Kaylee.

There was no point him stayin’ so Jayne headed back to the ship to wait for Kaylee and make sure that Simon had treated her right.

****************************

Simon was exhausted. He had spent over an hour searching the streets for Kaylee. He was so concerned for her. His search was made difficult by the fact that the whole population appeared to be rioting and he had to avoid them while looking for the girl.

He knew he should go back to Serenity and alert the Captain but frankly he was worried about how the man would react.

Simon knew what Jayne’s reaction would be. He hardly thought that losing Kaylee in the middle of a riot qualified as ‘treating her right’. In this case the mercenary would be right to despise and hate him, endangering Kaylee like this. Simon whirled and headed back to Serenity travelling as fast as he could.

He’d honestly had no idea that they had drifted so far apart. He had been harsh with Kaylee over River, but he had apologised for that and just assumed their relationship was continuing as it had. That eventually he and she would come together. Although he had done nothing to ensure that, nothing to make Kaylee feel special.

When River had appeared somewhat improved after the encounter with Early, he had immersed himself in research and taken Kaylee’s friendship for granted, ignoring her as usual.

She’d turned to someone else and Simon didn’t really blame her.

********************** The Captain and River stood at the entry of the cargo bay unobtrusively watching for his wayward crew members. Kaylee and the Doctor weren’t back yet and he was starting to worry.

River was mumbling ‘bout lost lambs and angry bears, making him uncomfortable. The crowds around the docks were thinning rapidly and he’d seen more than a couple of boats take off in a hurry, a sure sign of trouble.

He glanced backwards at the glowering presence on the weight bench, hoping that the mercenary had missed the action outside.

Jayne had returned only minutes after Kaylee and Simon left, going straight to the weight bench to work out. He had done lifts and pull ups obsessively till Mal was tired of it and ordered him to stop. Now a flinty expression in his eyes, Jayne was cleaning his weapons over and over, another sure sign of trouble from his volatile mercenary.

Mal was glad to see Zoë and Wash back with the Shepherd, but dismayed at the news of the rioting and looting going on around town.

Worrying afresh about his mechanic and doctor, his worry increased when he saw Simon approach without Kaylee, looking exhausted and more than a little frantic.

“Captain” the doctor’s voice was urgent. “I’ve lost Kaylee.”

He took a defensive step back as Jayne stood up hand going toward his gun.