This chapter is for all the placard wavers & sit-in participants(you know who you are). Sorry it took so long I had a hole where my brain should be! _________________________________________________

Kaylee reached out for Simon’s arm, calling out to him, but she got caught between two burly rioters and swept away.

Wriggling away quickly she set after Simon but couldn’t find him, the crowd was surroundin’ her, stoppin’ her progress. The shoutin’ was startin’ to sound ornery and the lawmen were getting’ antsy. If Jayne were here he’d be mutterin’ ‘bout headin’ for cover.

Kaylee figured she should be doin’ the same. Duckin’ down an alleyway she started to follow the Captain’s instructions ‘bout how to behave if ya got lost.

Find a safe place, close to where you got separated and wait.

After a bit of searchin’ round she found a narrow laneway not far from where she last saw Simon. The laneway was pretty empty ‘cept for some old crates and didn’t really look like a place looters would be interested in. She could see both the entrance and exit from her shadowy position behind the crates and could climb the ladder behind her if need be.

Clutchin’ the iron bar she had found, Kaylee sat down and drew her knees up to her chest, makin’ herself small as possible, settlin’ down to wait for the Captain and Jayne.

She knew they’d be comin’; soon as Simon made it back to Serenity. The Captain wouldn’t never leave her behind, and Jayne - cared ‘bout her, like she cared ‘bout him.

At first, after listenin’ to that whore back at The Heart of Gold, Kaylee had just been thinkin’ ‘bout sex and a bit of fun with Jayne; but the thinkin’ had long since turned to lovin’.

At least now she had some idea why he had been actin’ like he had. Wash had opened her eyes a little, and when Simon told her ‘bout his conversation with Jayne, she wished she could have heard that talk, things became a lot clearer.

Her man thought she didn’t really want him, that he was second choice or something. The big dummy was so wrong ‘n’ Kaylee was gonna give him a good talkin’ too soon as she could. She wanted Jayne, wanted his arms round her, wanted him in her bed, wanted him to call her bao bei, wanted him to kiss her on the lips, just plain wanted him.

Kaylee shivered, wishin’ he was here right now. She was cold, tired, hungry and scared and it was gettin’ dark.

The dark made her nervous and she really wanted to move somewhere where there was more light. But there were still too many rioters and looters around. A few times while she was sittin’ here thinkin’, people had run passed her hidin’ place, not even noticin’ her.

Kaylee didn’t think that was gonna last much longer; there was a group of tough lookin’ guys lingerin’ at the laneway entrance. She shrank back further into the shadows, but knew that this time it hadn’t worked as one of the men turned and stared right at her.

Determined not to just give in this time, she jumped up, pushin’ the crates as she stood. They fell with a clatter coverin’ the width of the laneway as Kaylee headed in the opposite direction, iron bar still gripped in her good hand.

Runnin’ swiftly through the exit Kaylee heard feet approachin’. Liftin’ the bar, she swung, connectin’ hard with a large body.

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

Simon fell to the floor, the pain in his leg making his head spin, amazed that he was still alive. Though he thought, as he looked up to see Jayne looming over him, gun trained at his head, he might not live much longer.

“Jayne” the Shepherd started to move calmly toward the mercenary. He was puzzled that the Captain hadn’t said or done anything to stop Jayne and though Zoë had her gun drawn, she was too busy hanging on to River to point it at him. “Put the gun down.”

“I ain’t gonna kill him.” The unspoken ‘yet’ hovered in the air, the gun still pointed steadily at Simon’s head. “Huh choo-shang tza-jiao duh tzang-huo knows where he left Kaylee.”

“And” said the Captain, his voice nearly as dangerous as Jayne’s “he’d better tell us right now where that was.”

“He’s bleeding badly Captain and needs attention.”

“He can bleed later. You, River ‘n’ Zoë can fix him while we look for Kaylee.”

Mal glanced at his mercenary who was hanging onto his calm by a thread, “Best you start talking Doc, we’re wasting time, Kaylee could be in trouble.”

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

Mal kept watch as Jayne scanned the area around the square where Simon had lost Kaylee. The man hadn’t spoken a word since leaving the boat and it was downright unnervin’. His intimidating manner had increased ten fold, causing everyone who saw them to move out of the way.

If they didn’t find Kaylee soon, Mal was afraid his mercenary would explode. Jayne’s very silence served to convince the Captain that he was as hung up on Kaylee as she was hung up on him.

Jayne had never felt so bad in his life, so worried; over a little girl, his girl.

He should never have let her go off with the gorram useless doctor or trusted the man to do the right thing. Jayne was glad he was stupid ‘n’ couldn’t imagine the bad things that might happen to her. It was bad enough worryin’ ‘bout how frightened Kaylee must be.

Jayne knew that most times she was capable of lookin’ after herself. The girl was brave and strong minded too, but she weren’t much of a fighter, didn’t like violence or shootin’. She was gonna hate him when she found out he’d shot Simon.

He weren’t gonna think ‘bout that now, all he cared ‘bout was findin’ Kaylee and takin’ her back to Serenity. There was a laneway down a bit further, make a good hidin’ place he turned and headed toward it the Captain followin’.

Approachin’ cautiously Jayne heard the sound of someone bein’ chased. He started to move quicker, hopin’ it was Kaylee, when a slim form burst outta the laneway fetchin’ him a solid whack with somethin’ heavy.

Huh choo-shang tza-jiao duh tzang-huo: Animal-fucking bastard