Title: Enlightenment Series Title: Both Sides (8 of 18) Author: Humbug Rating: PG-13/NC-17 Fandom: Firefly Pairing: Jayne/Kaylee Word Count: 1358 Summary: Told from both sides of Kaylee and Jayne's relationship Disclaimer: Joss is Boss. I'm just borrowing his characters for fun!! Warning: Jaylee goodness! But other characters can't help joining in.

Authors note: Thanks to bookaddict for betaing.

Read the previous chapters posted under my username.

*********************** Thanks for daring me to write my own Jaylee story, Squish and Bookaddict! It’s told from both sides of the relationship. Each part is from Jayne or Kaylee’s point of view, or both! Other characters pop in and out. Some chapters will be from their point of view. Enjoy! (I hope….) Be gentle. It’s my first fanfic!! ***********************

Enlightenment

Simon heard the sound of the door unlocking, and River peered down into his open bunk.

“Time to wake up. The cock’s crowing and the others are hungry to break their fast!”

“Why did you lock me in, River?” he asked.

“That’s for me to know and you to find out,” she said cryptically.

He sighed and followed her out of the bunk and down the corridor to the kitchen.

He was surprised to see Kaylee up and Jayne chatting with her companionably. They were sitting at the table, laughing and smiling, Jayne tying a bandage around her hand.

“What happened here?” Simon asked Jayne accusingly.

“’S nothin’! Kaylee burned her hand workin’ on the engine the other day. ‘T weren’t too bad, so I ran it under cold water, gave her a smoother and dressed the wound proper. Ask River. She helped me get the medicine and dressings from the infirmary…..”

“She did?” exclaimed Kaylee, “Thanks, River.”

“River, is that true? Is that why you shut me up in my bunk last night, so I wouldn’t see?”

“Yes, Simon. Let the Apprentice practice his art. The Master is not needed for so small a task.” “And I’m checkin’ the wound again this morning…..” said Jayne, busy in his task.

“Let me look at that!” Simon roughly pushed him out of the way, “Do you really think you’re capable of all the doctoring on this boat? How many years training have you had? Can you recognise an infection when you see it? Do you even know how to treat it? We can’t have a mechanic who can only use one hand!”

“I know plenty about burns and other small wounds.” answered Jayne. “At home every one was gettin’ into bumps and scrapes and burns of one kind or another; my Ma, my brothers and sisters, I tended them all. When my Ma was too tired or ill to take care of them, I was the one who looked after the rest. I was the oldest. When my Dad was too drunk or just nowhere to be found, I was the man of the house.”

He pushed himself right up into Simon’s face. An intimidating sight of so big a man.

“D’ya really think I would let anything happen to lil Kaylee here?” he growled.

As Simon checked the wound, he saw Jayne had done a good job. The wound was clean. The burn cream was already healing it. The weave and bandage was clean and wrapped not too tight. He couldn’t have done and better job himself…..

“River, did you give Jayne the smoothers for Kaylee?”

“Yes, Simon. It was needed. Would have hurt too much without. Was the right thing to do.”

“Thank you, Jayne, for taking care of Kaylee,” Simon said reluctantly, “You did a good job, but I can take it from here.”

River noticed Jayne’s anger at being dismissed so easily. It was written in every line of his face and every sinew of his body. He screwed up his fists, trying to keep his anger in check.

“Simon,” River reached her hand out to rest on her brother’s arm, “Remember it’s your turn to make breakfast. Let Jayne tend to Kaylee. We will cook.”

She led him over to the kitchen and they began to prepare a meal for everyone.

Out of the corner of his eye, Simon watched as Jayne wrapped a soft blanket around Kaylee’s shoulders. He noticed the tenderness of his touch, and the squeeze of a hand and smile that she gave him in gratitude.

“While the cats away the mice shall play.” said River in a sing song voice. “You left them alone too long and now the mice belong to each other. Have no need for a cat. Happy together. Same kind. Family.”

Simon sighed sadly as he saw Jayne whispering in Kaylee’s ear. She responded by giggling, blushing prettily and giving him a smile that lit up the whole room. Did Jayne really know what a treasure Kaylee was? Would he ever know how to make Kaylee happy? He doubted it. He had to try once more for Kaylee’s affections. River couldn’t be right. He had to have one more chance with Kaylee….

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

Getting To Know You

Jayne woke up with Kaylee’s fingers gently running through his hair.

“Wake up, sleepy head!” she said.

Jayne groaned and ran his hands over his face to wake himself up. He stood up, stretched and yawned.

“It’s Simon’s turn to cook this mornin’. He and River will be here soon. We’d better get up, unless you want an angry doctor in your face first thing.” she joked.

“Come ‘ere,” Jayne held out his arms, lifting her up. Kaylee was drawn into a warm embrace.

“Mornin’, Bao-bei.” he whispered in her ear.

Jayne brushed her cheek with his hand and pressed his lips hungrily against hers. She sighed kissing him back with the same longing. Kiss led to kiss, her tongue touching his lower lip, teasing it open. Tongues hungrily explored each others mouths. They drew back, breathlessly gazing into each others eyes.

“You’ve won me over me.” he said.

“To what?” Kaylee asked, not understanding his meaning.

“I always said, ‘I don’t kiss ‘em on the lips’.” He explained, “Well I still don’t kiss THEM. But I do kiss YOU. An’ I like it. A lot. An’ I plan to be doin’ a whole lot more real soon, if you’ll let me.”

Jayne drew her close.

“I’ll let ya.” she whispered, her arms reaching around his neck, pulling him down to her eager lips. Kaylee planted kisses on his nose, cheeks and along the line of his stubbled jaw. Jayne played with her hair while biting and kissing her ear and sucking on her neck.

Kaylee reluctantly whispered, “Jayne, we’d better stop, before someone catches us”

“Ya right.”he sighed.

She squeezed his hand as he pulled away.

He turned to something practical to take his mind off those eager kisses.

“Do ya want some coffee?”

“Yes please!” she answered. She sat down at the table, noticing her hand was throbbing.

River came in. She tiptoed over to Jayne. “For Kaylee,” she whispered, and crept back out.

He brought the two coffees to the table.

“Let’s have a look at that hand,” he said, “How does it feel?”

“Sore!” she hissed as they began to remove the bandage.

“River brought you a smoother. Ya want it before I dress ya wound?”

“Yes please!” Kaylee grinned weakly through the pain.

“Let’s wait for that smoother to work. I don’t wanna hurt ya any more that I have to….”

Kaylee reached out and squeezed his hand. “Thanks.”

“Drink up, or that coffee’ll get cold.” He said, holding onto her hand.

They drank their coffee in silence, glancing and smiling at each other. It was all so new that all they could do was bask in the joy of being near each other.

“Let’s look at that hand.” Jayne gingerly removed the bandage and the weave.

The wound was clean and beginning to heal, so he added some more cream and prepared to wrap it again. “How’s it feelin’?”

“Doesn’t hurt so much now. But a little pain’s good, right? Means my body’s healin’?”

Jayne nodded.

“Your touch is so gentle…”

“Reckon its years o’ practice tendin’ ma family’s wounds.”

“Still, it amazes me these big hands have such a soft touch….” she wondered, lifting one hand and holding it against her own.

“Guns is delicate things. Ya got too rough a touch and they’re liable to break!” joked Jayne. “A mercenary needs a skilled touch to care for his weapons and his wounds.”

“I reckon these hands have plenty o’ skills I don’t know about yet!” replied Kaylee.

“Reckon I’m happy ta teach ya….” Jayne said, leaning towards her.

Blue eyes locked with brown ones, their breathing turned deep with anticipation.

The moment was broken as River and Simon walked in.

Kaylee smiled and laughed as if Jayne had just told a joke, to cover up the seriousness of what had just been said and promised between them. Jayne busied himself with finishing tying the bandage.

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

To be continued