TITLE: Destined AUTHOR: Inquisitive One EMAIL: inquisitive1swork@hotmail.com RATING: PG13-R DISCLAIMER: The only characters that are mine are the ones that have no connection to a show. Which aren't many characters in this story. DISTRIBUTION: My site http://inquisitive1swork.bravehost.com, Fanfiction.net, Yahoogroups: inquisitive1supdates and some others. SUMMARY: Firefly Jayne/River. River and Jayne start getting close. Lame Summary... figure out a good one let me know. NOTES: *FLASHBACK* < DREAM > * * * * CHAPTER 1

PLANET

"Hmm hm hum." River Tam hums as she walks down the dark street her mind humming over all she feels and hears around her and inside. She stops in her tracks when she feels icy fingers trail down her spine. She turns to find two men watching her causing her senses to go on overload. "Bad men. Screaming. Blood." She mutters shaking her head vigorously. "No thoughts jumbled. Mine... there's... every ones."

"Oh looky we have ourselves a crazy."

River shakes her head, "Not crazy... jumbled." She stops walking when one of the men stops in front of her. "Screams... echoes." She mutters her hands going to her head. "Simon more needles. Go see Jayne... thoughts quiet." She moves to walk around the man when the other stops her by grabbing her arm. "No touching... touching bad. Pain... fear"

"She may be crazy but she would still be fun." One chuckles.

"Pain" River says panicked.

Inside the bar, Simon Tam looks up from his conversation with Kaylee Frye puzzled to find his sister absent.

"I'm sure she's shiny Simon." Kaylee assures seeing the worry in the doctor's eyes.

"Yeah you told her not to go far." Wash the pilot points out.

"See seems lucid enough today Simon." Inara adds

Simon nods knowing the companion is correct. "Even so I should go check on her. Make sure she hasn't wandered off again."

"She always does." Jayne Cobb complains "Don't know why ya bother bringin your crazy sister out... we always end up lookin for her."

Malcolm Reynolds tosses his cards down, "Think it's bout time we head back to Serenity."

"Probably right." Inara agrees looking around "Besides there isn't much to keep any of us amused."

The group stands walking out of the bar to find River crouching beside two groaning men watching them with interest.

"River" Simon runs to his sister, "mei mei you OK?"

"I'll be." Mal says looking at the two bloodied men.

River tears her eyes away from the men and looks at Simon "Bad. Didn't hurt them too bad." She grins then runs to Jayne, "See Jayne I can take care of myself." She says excitedly knowing the mercenary won't care but hopes to spark some concern. She tugs on his hand.

"Doc, keep your sister off me." Jayne protests

Simon glares at the mercenary "River, be nice to Jayne."

Mal crouches before the groaning men, "Be glad we told her no killing. Last time she got mad... she stabbed our merc. Not a happy time." He stands "Now let's get back." He looks at River who has slipped her hand into Simon's, "Did good little witch"

River grins, "I said I would be good."

"That's a first." Jayne mutters

"Jayne Cobb she took care of it herself rather than you havin to do it." Kaylee says annoyed.

"She stabbed me." Jayne says petulantly.

"She apologized." Inara points out.

"Did you know that the stars we see are dead?" River asks Simon. "How can we see something dead? I know light... travel... but why?"

HOUR LATER: SERENITY

"Come on River its time for bed." Simon says as they sit in the mess hall talking about the plans for the next day.

"No." River stops and shakes her head. She points at her brother accusingly, "You're thinking about needles."

Simon sighs, "River you need to sleep. You wandered around last night."

"No I didn't." River denies

"Then why did Mal find you playing in the hold at midnight?"

"Um... it wasn't me." River tries

Simon rolls his eyes, "OK then River why was your doppelganger in the hold?"

"She was bored." River shrugs "No one to play with. Jayne told her to go way." She pouts

Jayne glares at her, "Not my job to baby sit you crazy girl."

"Not crazy." River glares at him. "Who decides crazy? Maybe you are the crazy one"

"I think she might be right Jayne." Mal teases

River looks at her brother, "I will go to bed... but no needles."

"Will you stay in bed and stay quiet?"

River nods enthusiastically. "No needles." She says firmly "No poking me with one in the middle of the night."

"I won't" Simon promises

"OK" she chirps jumping off the table she kisses Simon's cheek before skipping out of the room.

"Well she's having a good day." Shepard Book remarks

"Which means she gonna throw a fit soon." Jayne grumbles

TBC… What do you think? Like or not?