The Wish Part Two Author:JJ Subject: Rayne, Saylee Rating: NC-17 Disclaimer: Ain't hers, to make coin off of. These here characters (like yours truly) belong solely to Joss and the hwoon dahn's at 20 century fox, dong ma? (Thank you, Jayne!) Summary: Post BDM. Rayne and Saylee. Takes place one year after The Need. As Simon and Kaylee are having troubles. River and Jayne deepen their relationship. Author's Note: This fic is still NC-17 even though there's no smutty parts because I write the G rated stuff first and then add the NC-17 stuff later. (Preferrably after a glass of wine, LOL) So far I've written up to chapter 4 and there's still no smut so we will see. Those looking for the Hot Hot Rayne or Saylee parts, white knuckle for a bit and I'll see what I can conjure up, :o)!

Chapter 2-- Symbolism and Tradition

Mal and Jayne were in the cargo hold unloading a few crates they received in a shipment at the postmaster. Jayne was unloading crates so fast Mal thought he was going to throw his back out.

"Slow down, Jayne, a hurt Merc does me a bit of good," he warned.

"Mama sent me something, it says here in her letter," he took it out of his back pocket. "It's important, I'm just trying to find it under all this other go se," Jayne said and then smiled when he found the small package. He hurriedly opened it like a kid on Christmas day. Mal shook his head, and walked over to get a better view of what was sending his Merc into such a tizzy.

Inside of the box was a smaller black velvet ring box and Mal's eyes went wide, "You're asking River to marry you?"

"Yup, no more hoping she gets tired of me, huh? Not if she's wearing this," Jayne smirked.

"I'm over wanting you two to break up," Mal said. He had to admit after a year of watching them work and live together that they had something there.

"Yeah right," Jayne said and Mal put his hand on his shoulder.

"Seriously."

"Well then," Jayne said surprised. "I was wondering with you being a Captain and all, and since it'll take awhile to find a Shepard, um, would you to us the honor of Officiating?" he asked and it was Mal's turn to be surprised.

"Sure. That's if she says yes," Mal teased.

"Oh she's saying yes," Jayne smiled. "She probably already knows we're having this conversation."

Jayne opened the box and showed Mal the ring, "It's a princess cut amethyst stone from Earth-That-Was. It's been past down from generation to generation in the Cobb family," he explained.

"That's probably worth a huge amount of coin, you're family has been sitting on this for this long and didn't sell it?" Mal said shocked.

"You can't sell tradition, one day my wife will give this to our eldest son to give to his intended," Jayne said and Mal shook his head.

"You know if I knew you were such a sentimental old fool, I'd have never hired you," Mal joked and Jayne pushed him, which started them wrestling, which got Mal effortlessly placed in a head lock. Mal tapped out.

"You know you gotta ask Simon for her hand," Mal said and Jayne rolled his eyes. "It's--"

"Yeah, yeah. I know. It's tradition," he grumbled.

River was in Inara and the Captains quarters, looking at all of Inara's fancy catalogs for pretty dresses. Inara lit some incense smiling at the young women's sudden interest in fancy clothing.

"He's going to ask me to marry him," River said and Inara eyes went wide with surprise.

"You read this from his mind," Inara asked stunned and River nodded.

"He was reading his letter from his mama and he thought it at breakfast, 'I hope River likes the ring,'" River smiled.

"That's that's wonderful, bao bei," Inara said, but there was a hint of sadness in her voice. River picked up on Inara's thoughts as they hugged.

"He will come around," River assured her.

"I hope so, I gave up everything, my whole life for him and the best he's given me is a bedmate," Inara sighed. "I thought we were going to be more than this by now."

"Listen to the small voice inside your head telling you that all relationships have their own pace. Mal loves you, he really loves you, as I said before, he will come around, just be patient," River touched her face and Inara grinned. She was glad she found this family, and glad she stayed. Even though she wanted more she was happy here and she wasn't going to leave.

"Here look in this book," she said, going over to her vanity, she got a hardcover book out the bottom from a trader who specialized in importing wedding dresses from Sihnon. River looked apologetically at Inara, she had obviously been dreaming of her own wedding.

"I know the perfect dress for you," Inara smiled.

Jayne marched into the infirmary with a box of medical supplies, he put them down in front of Simon and sighed. Simon waited for him to leave, but when Jayne didn't he looked up at him.

"Waiting for a tip," Simon asked and Jayne smirked.

"Nope, I pretty much wondering why you are here reading over a bunch of papers when you can be making up with Kaylee?' "Kaylee refuses to see me, and these papers are her medical chart," Simon explained.

"I thought Inara and Zoe told you to stop diagnosin' her?" Jayne leaned against the examination table.

"I would if I wasn't her doctor, Jayne, there's no good medical reason that she can't conceive, she's perfectly healthy," The doctor sighed in frustration.

"Well, I ain't all that smart, but I know one plus one don't equal eight," Jayne said.

"What are you talking about?"

"If she ain't got the problem, then maybe it's you?" Jayne said. Simon eyes went wide and then he laughed.

"You know for a man who is one step away from walking on all fours you do have your moments of genius."

"Yeah, was this man walking on all fours got many years on you," Jayne smirked.

"Please try not to remind me of the vast age difference between you and my sister," Simon said and Jayne smiled.

"Speaking of River," Jayne began.

"I knew there was a segue way coming."

"A whatsit ?"

"Never mind, please continue," Simon insisted. Jayne went into his pocket and pulled out the small velvet box. Simon looked at it and sat down, shocked.

"I'm asking you for her hand," Jayne said and Simon swallowed.

"She's so young, Jayne," he argued.

"She's lived more than you or I put together."

Simon considered that and then sighed. River choose Jayne, she loved him, she was happy, this would make her even happier.

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but uh, welcome to the family?" Simon stood up and stuck out his hand to shake and the taller stronger man pulled him into a bear hug.

"Can't breath," Simon gasped and Jayne let him go.

"Thank you, I'll take good care of her, I swear it," Jayne smiled.

"If I doubted that I would have said no," Simon sighed.