Originally written for the Shakespeare Quote challenge at LJ. Quote For the rain it raineth every day - Twelfth night

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Jayne hated the rain, hated it with a passion.

Most of the terraformed planets and moons ended up dry, specially those out on the rim. Not the moon he grew up on – it was wet. It rained nine days outta ten, sometimes lots, sometimes a little. In the summer it was steamy and in the winter cold. He hated it.

He’d watched his Pa die in a mud slide caused by the constant rain, and seen his brother get sicker and sicker from the damp lung.

He spent most of his teenage years workin’ in the crystal mines and not gettin’ much reward for it either; when the chance came for him to leave, he couldn’t get away fast enough.

Now he was back again in this gorram ruttin’ wet place, and was gonna be stuck here for awhile yet.

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

“Ya’re a fool Jayne Cobb.”

“Well that ain’t news Ma, ya’ve been tellin’ me that for years.” Her big son grinned at her.

She swatted him on the head with her apron. Twenty years ago he’d left and she hadn’t seen the big lug since, till suddenly he turned up two months back bringin’ with him the crew he worked with.

“That ain’t what I’m talkin’ ‘bout boy, not your general foolishness. I’m talkin’ ‘bout the girl.”

Jayne’s teasin’ smile turned to a frown. “Kaylee needs a midwife ‘n’ ya know ya’re the best in the ‘verse. Where else would we take her?”

“I understand why ya brought Kaylee here.” Darcy Cobb sighed. Talkin’ to her boy was sometimes very tirin’. “I don’t understand why ya ain’t spoken to her. I can see plain as day that ya got a hankerin’ for her.”

“Ain’t a good time,” he looked at her blue eyes clear and determined. She knew that look, push him and the boy turned into a mule.

“Kaylee don’t need anythin’ else to worry ‘bout right now.”

“No time is the exact right time Jayne.” She didn’t want to think it, but maybe somethin’ else was stoppin’ him too. “Is it ‘cause the baby ain’t your’n?”

”No!” Jayne was furious his shout causin’ Mal and Inara out in the kitchen to jump and Darcy to regret her question.

“Why would I be thinkin’ that?” he was hurt, she could see it. “I thought ya knew me better.” He whirled and went out into the rain

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

“Ma’am?” The Captain stood at the kitchen door.

She’d got to know the crew pretty good this last two months and she thought him a good man, but wrong headed sometimes, just like her boy. She got the notion that though he ‘n’ Jayne didn’t always get on he was strong enough to deal with her cross-grained son.

Weren’t strong enough to talk to his girl though, far as she could tell the two of them were dancin’ round each other worse than Jayne and Kaylee. Had been doin’ it too for a darn sight longer or she didn’t know the signs.

“Ya’re all alike.” Darcy growled at him, grabbin’ his hand and pullin’ him back to the kitchen.

“Uh, Ma’am?”

“Don’t Ma’am me boy. Life’s too short to be so stupid.” She pushed him into the chair beside Inara who was smilin’ at the gently.

“And don’t try ‘n’ play ya’re tricks on me pretty girl.”

She glared at them as they sat there with their mouths open like a pair of gorram goldfish.

“I’m givin’ the two of ya an order. I want ya to sit here and talk to each other for one hour. Then ya got to sit here and kiss each other for one hour. Then maybe ya’ll come to ya senses.”

Hearin’ a stifled laugh she turned to find the other female members of the crew watching with amusement. “I’m gonna station Zoë here at the door to make sure ya don’t come out.”

“Yes ma’am.” The girl gave her a wink and shut the door standin’ in front of it like a sentinel.

Darcy surveyed the only two left “Now Miss Kaylee, since that big chi has taken himself off, I’m gonna be talkin’ to ya next.”

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

Lustin’ after a pregnant girl was just plain wrong, but he couldn’t help it. Kaylee had gotten under his skin.

Jayne had never wanted or looked at Kaylee that way; she was his friend, and that was all. He’d always respected her mechanics skills, her cookin’ and even her gorram perkiness. It weren’t till all her troubles that he started to look at her different.

Already broken up with the doc when she found out she was in the family way, Kaylee had decided to go it on her own. T’ give Simon his due he had offered to do the ‘noble’ thing and marry the girl, but even Jayne could see his heart weren’t in it.

Kaylee said thanks, but no thanks and went right on plannin’ for the kid. Jayne started off admirin’ her strength ‘n’ determination, and then he started noticin’ her body.

First ya couldn’t even tell anythin’ was happenin’ to her, she just looked like little Kaylee all cute and sexy. When had he started thinkin’ she was sexy?”

Then her body started to grow a little plump till she couldn’t zip up her coveralls no more ‘n’ they rode low on her hips. He’d had a hard time keepin’ his eyes off her.

Then suddenly her belly was too big for the rest of her body, as round and firm lookin’ as a hoop ball.

He made a joke ‘bout her hoop ball belly and she punched him and made a joke right back ‘bout maybe them playin’ a game. Sexy images rushed straight to his brain makin’ his man parts sit up, jerkin’ him right out of just being friends, to wantin’ to be her lover.

Wanted to be her lover and help look after the kid. It didn’t matter to him who made the baby with Kaylee, ‘twas hers and no-one else’s. He wanted to tell her that and lots more, but he weren’t no good with words.

It was probably better this way anyway; he weren’t exactly a good man, not a good fit for her or the kid. Kaylee’d never showed any interest in him and he didn’t want to hurt or confuse her, it wouldn’t be good for the baby.

The baby that everyone except the doc had gone fong lah about.

Mal had grumbled mightily about kids under foot and such like, and then gone and made pens all round the boat to keep the kid safe.

Zoë smiled for the first time since her man died ‘n’ went out and bought all the books ‘bout babies she could find, sittin’ down each night with Kaylee to read them. Her bunk bein’ bigger, she talked Kaylee into swappin’, pointin’ out that with the baby she’d need more space.

Inara kept givin’ Kaylee baby things, silver hairbrushes and the like, pretty useless most of ‘em he thought.

River taught herself to knit and she’d been busy unravellin’ her old clothes, knittin’ them up into crazy sort of baby clothes all the time.

He’d helped the Captain with the pens and worked with Kaylee to fix up her old cradle that her Ma sent.

But he wanted to do more for her. So when Simon wanted to study on some new cures for River Jayne suggested they come here to his Ma. She’d give Kaylee the best of lovin’ care.

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

“Why was Jayne yellin’? Did him and the Captain get in another fight?’

“No child. I said somethin’ I shouldn’t” Darcy shook her head, “and hurt his feelin’s.”

Her son’s reaction told her a lot of things ‘bout what he thought of Kaylee. But what was the girl thinkin’ ‘bout him?

Darcy knew her boy’s feet had been well and truly on the slippery slope. She’d read it in every one of the letters he sent home. She was thankful every day that he’d taken up with these people and stuck with ‘em, the girl in front of her was a large part of that.

“That’s why he yelled,” Kaylee nodded. “Jayne always yells to cover up his feelin’s.”

“It sounds like ya understand him some?”

“Very good friends, wishes to be something more,” River smiled at her friend.

She’d been wishing real hard for the last few months ‘n’ nothin’ had come of it.

“Oh?” Jayne’s Ma was watchin’ her carefully.

Nearly always friends with Jayne, she hadn’t noticed at first that she were even interested in him. He’d been so good ‘bout helpin’ her out, keepin’ the peace between the Captain and Simon and workin’ with her to fix the cradle.

It weren’t till then that Kaylee had realised that she was wantin’ a lot more than friendship from the man. But she was kinda wary after what had happened with her and Simon, and unusually, hadn’t acted straight away on her feelin’s. Hadn’t even talked ‘bout them to anyone.

“I got all these emotions runnin’ round inside me.” Kaylee shrugged, “mixin’ me up.”

“That ain’t unusual when ya’re pregnant.”

“I want Jayne’s company as well as wantin’ him to sex me up, ‘n’ I’m wantin’ that all the time lately.”

Kaylee blushed suddenly; she’d just said that to Jayne’s Ma! Though she didn’t look to be angry, instead Darcy was grinnin’ at her.

”That ain’t unusual either when ya’re pregnant little girl. I think ya, me and River here have got some talkin’ to do.

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

Jayne was sittin’ in the rain starin’ at nothin’ stuck in his usual rut of wantin’ Kaylee and not knowin’ what to do ‘bout it, when he heard someone splashin’ through the puddles.

He looked up to see the girl herself standin’ there hands on hips, his waterproof duster coverin’ her from neck to knee.

“Kaylee what are ya doin’ out here?”

“I come to fetch someone who ain’t got enough sense t’ get outta the rain,” she frowned at him. His Ma said that he was hankerin’ after her, but she couldn’t see it.

“Talkin’ ‘bout sense, why’d ya come lookin’ for me, ya could catch a cold or somethin’.” Jayne stood and started walkin’ quickly back to the house.

Hearin’ the concern in his voice, Kaylee smiled to herself. It seemed like Jayne’s Ma was right after all, he did care ‘bout her. She knew gettin’ him to ever admit it might be hard, but she was gonna try. No more bein’ wary and worryin’ what might happen. She was gonna see where this might lead.

Jayne stomped into the house and straight to his room, he was goin’ to get some dry clothes and go give Kaylee a piece of his mind. She was supposed to be lookin’ after herself, not wanderin’ ‘bout in the middle of a rainstorm.

He dropped his clothes on the floor, turned and his brain stuttered to a halt.

Kaylee was standin’ right there without a stitch on, smilin’ at him. The girl was enough to tempt a saint, somethin’ he weren’t ever likely to be.

“What tricks are ya playin’ on me Kaylee?”

“No tricks, I was just sorta hopin’ ya would come to bed with me.” She looked up at him mischievously, “Ma said we could have sex right up till the day the baby’s born.”

“Ya been talkin’ to my Ma ‘bout us sexin’ each other?” Jayne didn’t know whether to be amused, horrified or touched that Kaylee even thought ‘bout him that way.

He tugged at her hair so she’d look up at him ‘n’ not at the floor.

“She tell ya anythin’ good?”

His whispery growl lit a fire in her belly and she grinned at him. “Could show ya if ya liked?”

“I’m pretty slow; ya might have to do lots of demonstratin’”

Kaylee pushed him down to the mattress and straddled him, “we’ve got us a whole month till the baby comes.”

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Jayne woke up as the rain poured down, beatin’ on the roof. Kaylee was lyin’ hoop ball belly pressed against him, hair ticklin’ his skin, soft breathin’ minglin’ with the sound comin’ from the roof - and for the first time in his life he sorta liked it.

Chi = imbecile