CHAPTER 2

NEXT MORNING

The group sits in the mess hall eating and talking. Seeing Jayne's attention diverted to answer a question from Mal, River grabs a piece of bread off his plate and giggles.

"Hey" Jayne protests

River just smiles at him

"Brat," Jayne mutters, "Stop stealin off my ruttin plate."

River sits there swinging her legs listening to the conversations around occasionally sneaking peeks at Jayne. She giggles quietly allowing her mind to float around in Jayne's untroubled thoughts.

LATER THAT DAY

"Go fish" River says

"River do you have the card?" Simon asks

River shakes her head "No."

"Are you cheating?"

River shakes her head again

"Alright." Simon grabs a card.

River nods ecstatically. "My turn... do you have a... six?"

"Hmm..."

"No lying." River warns

"Why not?"

"Lying isn't nice." River sticks out her tongue.

"Oh alright." Simon says begrudgingly handing her the card.

HOUR LATER

River grins when she hears voices in the cargo hold. She runs to the catwalk and stands there watching as Wash and Zoë get off the mules. "Wash" she calls

"Hey genius girl." Wash grins. "What can I do for you?"

"Can I fly tonight?" She asks hopefully.

"Let's see what Mal says OK? After all we don't know if we're taking off in a hurry."

"OK" River takes off in a skip down the catwalk back to the mess hall where she finds Simon reading. "Wash said maybe. I have to ask Captain."

Zoë looks at Wash, "Think he'll say yes?"

"If you ask him he might."

"Wash..."

"Come on it makes her happy. Besides Zoë she's been in a good mood for days."

Zoë sighs knowing he is right and knowing it makes the girl happy to be able to fly Serenity. "Alright I'll ask him before River does."

"Have I told you I adore you?" Wash asks innocently

"Not in a while." Zoë grins

WHILE LATER

Zoë returns to where the others are packing up the cargo. "Captain"

"How is everything on Serenity?"

"Good. Simon is keeping River occupied."

"Good. Keeps her out of my hair." Jayne says

Zoë ignores Jayne her attention on Mal, "She wants to fly Serenity off this rock. She asked Wash... he said its up to you..."

"So he asked you to ask me."

Zoë nods

"Mal you can't be serious about lettin the gorram crazy fly Serenity."

"She's done it before Jayne." Kaylee says. "Captain let her."

"She has been on her best behavior for days." Zoë points out

"And you are in agreement?" Mal asks

"Captain, come on you have seen how happy she is when she gets the chance to fly Serenity or the times you, Jayne or I take her out for a space walk." Zoë points out

"True." Mal agrees. "Alright as long as she is still behavin when we're ready to take off."

"You are the best Captain." Kaylee throws her arms around him.

"I know."

Jayne groans in annoyance

Mal looks at Jayne, "Jayne, why don't you go pick up Book and Inara in town"

HOUR LATER

Simon looks up as River starts to pace, "Something wrong mei-mei?"

"Jayne not good. Someone hurt Jayne." She says panicked

"I'm sure Jayne is fine."

"Have to get off before Jayne hurt." She says her voice getting louder. Hearing another mule she runs out of the mess hall.

Simon follows watching as River runs down the stairs.

"Hey River heard you want to" Mal begins

"Where's Jayne?" River asks panicked looking around for the mercenary.

"He went to get Inara and Shepard." Mal answers puzzled by her sudden switch in attitude, "He should be back soon."

"River lets go back upstairs."

River shakes her head, "See it... Jayne hurt."

"River you know Jayne can take care of hisself." Mal says gently.

River plops down watching the road outside.

"When did this happen?" Mal asks Simon

"Few minutes ago." Simon answers watching as River stares out the back. He starts to help them unload careful to keep an eye on his sister.

20 MINUTES LATER

Simon crouches beside River who is still sitting there, "River?"

River looks at him her eyes wide, "Said he'd be back OK."

"You don't think so?"

"Confusing... I see blood... and Jayne. Blood Jayne's?" She shrugs "Confusing." She sighs heavily. "Won't let me fly now. Wings clipped." She says sadly as she digs her fingers in her hair.

"I'll be in the infirmary if you need me." Simon kisses her cheek before standing and walking away.

As Mal passes Simon he speaks, "She's been sitting there a while."

"She's worried about Jayne."

"Jayne can take care of hisself." Mal states

"I know... but when River has something on her mind... she can't get it out. Once she sees him she'll calm down."

"Jayne won't like that."

Simon shrugs "He can take issue with it if he wants... but she's going to worry no matter what."

A few minutes later River jumps up as the final mule approaches the ship then watches intently as Jayne drives it up the ramp.

"Stupid" Jayne mutters jumping out as he grabs a box.

"I warned you to be careful." Inara states then smiles seeing River staring at Jayne. "River"

"Keep crazy girl away from me." Jayne says

River slowly inches forward then pokes Jayne's arm

"Gorramit you ruttin crazy…" Jayne trails off.

"Jayne hurt."

"I'm fine." Jayne says gruffly as he pulls away.

"No hurt." River pokes the wound again causing Jayne to flinch. "Go see Simon"

"Don't have time for the doc."

"Yes" River grabs his arm pulling him towards the steps "hurt. Simon will fix." She orders

Jayne digs his heels in, "I'll do it later."

"Now" River tugs

"What's going on?" Malcolm asks when he finds the much smaller River trying to pull Jayne's arm.

"She's buggin me Mal. Tell er to leave me alone." Jayne whines.

"River, why are you pullin on Jayne?" Mal asks

"Jayne hurt. Taking him to Simon. But he won't listen."

"I'm fine."

"Jayne, just do it. I really don't want to deal with her tantrums right now."

Jayne groans allowing her to pull him up the steps, "Gorram Mal I'll get you for this if she stabs me."

"She won't. Right River?" Mal asks

River shakes her head, "No. I'm good."

Simon looks up as River pulls Jayne into the infirmary. "River, why are you dragging Jayne behind you?"

"Jayne hurt... fix him."

"I'm fine. Just a scratch. Don't know why she's pushin it."

"Just sit and I'll patch you up."

Jayne grumbles sitting on one of the beds pushing his sleeve up as River sits on the other watching him intently. "She's watchin me again." He complains

"River why don't you go play or something" Simon suggests as he wipes Jayne's arm.

"No. Make sure you patch him up right." River says stubbornly.

Simon sighs turning his attention to Jayne. "How did this one happen?"

"Same as always." Jayne shrugs

River giggles

Jayne glares at her.

River brings her finger to her lips silently promising to keep quiet about what really happened.

Malcolm steps into the infirmary, "Jayne how's it going?"

"Fine. Don't know why she dragged me up here."

River swings her legs as she watches her brother sew Jayne up.

"What happened Jayne?"

"Nothing."

"Right." Mal says with disbelief.

EVENING

Jayne looks up to see River standing beside him as he sits on the catwalk. "Go way."

River reaches into her pocket and removes an apple, "Cut this please?"

"Can't you get someone else to do it?"

"Shepard is reading the book that lies. Kaylee with Simon. Captain and Inara glaring at each other... making my head hurt. Zoë and Wash are being mushy." She plops beside him. "Captain said I'm not to touch knives and guns without someone around 'member?"

"All right." Jayne removes his knife from his boot and cuts the apple for her handing her the two halves. "There now go away."

"Here." River hands him half of the apple then takes a bite out of her half.

Jayne stares at her surprised then shrugs take a bite of his half.

River sits there swinging her legs and humming. "Jayne?"

"What?"

"My heads not squished." She smiles brightly at him before turning back to her apple.

Jayne watches her thoughtfully as he eats his half.

"Jayne?"

"Huh" he grunts

"Play a game?"

"No"

"Please?"

Jayne groans seeing her big eyes pleading, "What game?"

River frowns then grins clapping, "Hide and seek?"

'Hmm... I could not look for her. Get me some peace to fix up Vera.' Jayne muses

"NO! I hide you find. No trying to lose me." She chastises. "Captain and Simon get mad if you lose me."

Jayne groans knowing that she is right and that Mal has a soft spot for the younger Tam, "Fine. Go hide."

"Here" River hands him the rest of her half of the apple then jumps up running down the catwalk.

"No hidin anywhere I can get in trouble for." Jayne yells

"OK"

Jayne continues sitting there eating the rest of the apple when Mal walks down the catwalk.

"I thought you'd be cleanin Vera and the others."

"Can't. Moonbrain is hidin I got to go find her soon."

"Why?"

"Because the rest of you are busy... and if she's not occupied I'm liable to get stabbed again."

"And Jayne can't forget to find me." River calls

"I said I wouldn't." Jayne returns

"Alright." Mal sighs. "Have fun. And River no hidin in the engine." He calls

"I know." River calls back

Mal continues walking leaving Jayne sitting there. 'Those two are going to drive me ruttin crazy.'

River ducks between two container and pulls her knees to her chest covering her mouth with her hand to wait a few giggles escaping.

Jayne sighs knowing its time to look for the brain. "I'm only playing once and only once. After this you are going to go bother someone else." Jayne quietly makes his way through the hold.

River stifles her giggles as she listens to Jayne's frustrated thoughts.

Jayne notices a piece of fabric between two containers and slowly he approaches.

River looks up giggling to see Jayne's annoyance. "Hi"

"I found you game over."

"Jayne, why didn't you tell?"

"Tell what?"

River stands her fingers trailing over the container as she watches him, "The little girl? It was a nice thing to do."

"I got slashed because of her." Jayne grouses

"You didn't like how her Father was yellin' at her." She smiles "I won't tell." She promises before skipping away.

THAT NIGHT

Simon tucks River in, "You had a good day."

"Captain didn't let me be the bird." She says groggily.

"You can ask him some other time."

"Jayne played hide and seek with me."

"He did huh?"

"He found me. Didn't lose me." She yawns

"Well I'm glad he didn't." Simon smiles "Now go to sleep."

"Night Simon."

"Night River."

River falls asleep with a smile

TBC… So what do you think? Getting better or not?