TITLE: "WHY NOT?" AUTHOR: Alison M. DOBELL FANDOM: "FIREFLY" PAIRING: Jayne reflects. RATING: G. STATUS: SEQUEL to "WHY?" ARCHIVE: Yes. Just let me know where. FEEDBACK: Welcomed. EMAIL: AlisonMDobell@aol.com WEBSITE: http://unilelu.net/Alison/Ali00.html

SUMMARY: "Jayne ruminates over the loss of the Captain and comes to the only possible solution." The usual disclaimers apply. The characters and 'Firefly' are the property and gift of Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy. No infringement of copyright is intended.

"WHY NOT?"

"Firefly" story

Written by Alison M. DOBELL

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Pain was almost gone now. Only an occasional twinge when he moved a mite too quick without thinking. When he opened his eyes and finally took a good look at himself the mercenary noticed he had some pretty impressive cuts and bruises. Jayne poked at his face as he looked in the mirror above his sink watching the coloured shine and examined his hurts in preoccupied detail. Yeah, doc did good work. Then memories crowded in and he grinned through his split lip. It was a ruttin' good fight and no mistake. He could not stop chuckling over that Alliance General's expression when Mal head butted him and broke his pompous arrogant nose. That was just so *haoxiao*. Never could accuse the Cap of being dull.

Dull. The grin in the mirror faded. Jayne stared passed his reflection as if someone else was standing right behind him. Course there was no one there 'less you counted your conscience and Jayne had never had a problem keeping that little annoyance in line. But this was the Cap, on his way - if not there already - to some remote Alliance prison. Jayne shuddered. Served the *chunren wangba dan* right. What in *diyu* had he been thinkin' starting a fight in a crowded Alliance-friendly bar on Uni Day? Jayne had been in plenty of *jianyu* and while none of them were good the very worst you could land in was an Alliance one. Especially when it was also a penal colony. Maximum security. The mercenary swore a string of ripe obscenities. Though Jayne glowered at his mirror image it was not his own face he was seeing right then, it was the Cap all covered in blood and bruises. The happy smile and laughter wiped off Mals face as Alliance goons grabbed him, dragged him off his feet and stripped him so they could beat and humiliate the man in public before taking him away for some more personal kind of torture.

Jayne hung his head, feeling miserable. What was the matter with him? Wasn't as if Mal didn't know the score. Got what he gorram deserved only a large part of Jayne wasn't happy with that. It physically hurt him to think of anyone laying a hand on his friend. He stopped and stared at himself in shock. Friend. Where in the 'verse had that come from? He didn't have friends, didn't want 'em either. Just gave you baggage that tied a man down. Made you vulnerable, distracted you when you could least afford it. He paused and unbidden again saw the Cap's face hovering in his mind's eye. So many memories now making a collection of moments he would treasure for reasons he would not even admit to himself. When had he gone from wary acceptance of the man's authority to genuine respect? Affection even? What was this strange brotherhood that bound him to Mal and made him want to do whatever it took to get him back? He had never been particularly loyal before. Not that he was untrustworthy as such just that he was always alone. Looking after number one. But the Cap wasn't like that. Mal carried a code of conduct in every cell of his gorram body that telegraphed the measure of the man and made you want to be worthy of him. At first Jayne had fought it. Kicked against the slide into decency that had always struck him as a weakness. Well look at him now.

Zoe had once said they were Mal's freaks. Didn't fit nowhere else. The mercenary had not realised how true that comment was until now. He took a long deep breath and knew he would not take another easy one until they got him back. Knew the others would already be plotting something. Just came as something of a shock to realise that he would be right there with them. Where he belonged. The crazy girl had been right. For as much as the Cap considered them his responsibility they all thought of him as theirs. Swings and ruttin' roundabouts. Huh. Friends were a weakness but loyalty? Now *that* was true strength.

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CHINESE GLOSSARY: (Mandarin - Pinyin)

*haoxiao* = funny *chunren* = fool/jerk *wangba dan* = bastard *diyu* = hell *jianyu* = prison