Disclaimers: Everything belongs to Joss, except for one character of my creation ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- “A paternity test?” Jayne exclaimed incredulously. “Why would he wanna go and do that?” Wash rolled his eyes. “What part of taking a paternity test do you not get?” “The part where he goes lookin’ for that kinda trouble.” Jayne leaned against the bulkhead on the bridge, arms folded, shaking his head in disbelief. “He shouldn’ta got himself involved with this to begin with—it ain’t his problem.” “Jayne!” Kaylee objected, clearly shocked. “It is his ‘problem’.” Jayne grunted. “If a woman don’t tell ya she’s got your kid, it ain’t your responsibility. She didn’t tell him nothin’. If he finds out it’s his, it’s only cuz’a Doc and his fancy tests.” ”She tried to wave,” Wash offered. “She tried to wave ‘cause she needed a rescue when that gorramn prison got lit up, and she knew her ass was a goner. She didn’t tell him when she found out she was knocked up, did she? So that makes it...let’s see...NOT. HIS. PROBLEM.” “Jayne, Cap’n’s tryin’ to do the right thing,” Zoë said softly. She glanced at Wash, her look less certain than her words. “Captain’s always gettin’ hisself and the rest of us involved with somethin’ or someone we ought not to be involved with,” Jayne griped. “We need to be lookin’ for jobs, not runnin’ around pickin’ up more strays. We ain’t even rid of the other ones yet.” He glared at Kaylee, as though it was her fault that Simon and River were still on board. “Can’t even take on passengers, ‘cause the rooms are full up.” Kaylee set her jaw and glared back at him in disgust. “Such compassion, Jayne. I hope you never get anyone ‘knocked up’, that’s all I can say.” Jayne chuckled crassly. “Oh, I ‘magine I’ve planted a few seeds in my time,” he replied, grinning a cockeyed grin. “Only difference is, those women knew the score—they did what they had to do and didn’t come whingin’ to me.” “She didn’t come whingin’,” Kaylee said defensively. “Which is exactly my point,” Jayne responded. “She didn’t ask for no help, he shouldn’t be offerin’ any.” “So, what should we have done, Jayne, left her in the woods to die?” Wash asked. “Yeah, Jayne, what should we have done about that?” Mal had entered without anyone hearing him approach. He folded his arms and leaned against the doorway, staring at Jayne expectantly. Jayne’s brow furrowed. “What?” Mal shrugged. “What should we have done?” Jayne shifted uneasily. “I don’t know what you’re askin’, Mal.” “I think you do. Why’d you bring her back, Jayne?” Jayne looked truly puzzled. “Huh?” “Why’d you bring her back?” Mal repeated. “’Cuz she was lyin’ in the woods half dead! Why d’ya think?” Mal held his gaze. “If it was such a hardship for you, you coulda just left her for dead. Told me you hadn’t found her. I wouldn’ta known any better. Nobody woulda. You were the only one searchin’ that section of woods. So...why’d you bring her back?” Jayne squirmed and dropped his eyes. His lip curled and he shook his head. Mal nodded, satisfied. “That’s what I thought.” He gripped Jayne’s upper arm. “See, Jayne, you can make all the noise you want, but deep down, you know what’s the right thing to do. You couldn’ta left her there to die any more’n I coulda.” He smiled and gave Jayne’s arm a squeeze, then grew serious again and moved his face close to Jayne’s. “Just don’t ever presume to tell me what I should and shouldn’t be responsible for,” he said in a low voice. “You ain’t in a position to decide that. Ever.” He released Jayne’s arm and left as suddenly as he had appeared. Jayne waited until he was out of sight, then let out a snort and walked away. Kaylee, Zoë and Wash looked at each other. “That could actually have been a lot worse,” Wash observed. Zoë grimaced. “Jayne has a point, you know.” Wash raised an eyebrow in surprise. “Honey, I can’t believe I’m thinkin’ it, either,” Zoë said, “but on this one he may be right.” “You really think so?” Kaylee asked her. “You don’t think it’s—I dunno— kinda noble, Cap’n wantin’ to do the right thing?” “What’s the right thing?” Kaylee shrugged, having no answer. Zoë smiled softly at her husband. “Always kinda assumed we would be the first here to, um...“ “Spawn?” Wash suggested. “Yeah.” Wash laughed a soft laugh. “Yeah, never thought it would be Mal, that’s for sure.” “We don’t really know for sure yet,” Kaylee said. “Do we?” Zoë shook her head. “No, we don’t know anything for sure yet,” she agreed. “But if that test comes back the way I think it’s gonna, Cap’n’s gonna have a lot on his hands, and it’s gonna affect everybody on this ship.” They were all silent then, thinking about how one little thing could cause everything to change. “Ripples,” Wash murmured. “Just like River said.” ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Go to Chapter 23.

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