Serenity was a week out from New Canaan and headed for Whitefall- the long way through quiet empty space, just how Mal liked it. Their last job had ended a little rough but they had their coin and supplies, nobody was actively chasin’ them, and nothing horrific had happened in days. Everyone should have been happy. But the atmosphere on the ship was strange and tense. Kaylee, usually their own little spot of bright in the black was tense and edgy and bound to drive everyone to distraction with her unending hunt for some elusive mechanical problem she was positive existed but nobody could find. Mal had spoken to her about it, tried to make her see sense and convince her nothing was wrong but he had finally given up in defeat. He decided it was a touch of the space madness from being cooped up and he determined to make sure she got off the ship and saw a little fun on Whitefall, such as was available on that rock. They had five days to go ‘till planetfall, baring any of the usual disasters that seemed to be their crapfest destiny. Until then the captain consoled himself with the knowledge that she might be driving everyone crazy but at least she was keeping busy and making any number of little improvements and repairs that needed doin’.

Jayne was also troubled. Somethin’ was nagging at him, irritating him, eluding him. This was not good. Jayne was not built for solving puzzles or cogitatin’ on things. It was what made him good muscle- the ability to react without having to think. Throw a punch, fire a shot, snatch the loot- not because you decided to do it but because that was what you did. A man who slowed down enough to think was dead. But something was wrong. Kaylee was upset. She wandered around the ship like an agitated ghost- hammering on this, unscrewing that, opening up panels and examining wires only to close them again. She wasn’t eating much and if the circles under her eyes were any indication she wasn’t sleepin’ much either. And every time he tried to talk to her about it, the gorram doctor would show up and ruin everything. Jayne’s temper was wearing thin having to look at that pale smug face every time he turned around. That face- it was part of the problem, part of Jayne’s own recent discomforture though he couldn’t think of why particularly. All he knew was that he had the real strong urge to put his fist through Simon’s face and out the backside of his skull. Tired of glowering at the walls of his bunk Jayne decided a workout might help to clear out the worry and frustration sitting on the edge of his every thought. On the way to his weight bench in the cargo bay, Kaylee startled him by falling out of the ceiling. She was actually hanging upside down from a pipe, fiddling with god knows what all, when her hand slipped and her face appeared suddenly in his vision. Her cheeks were flushed as the blood ran to her head. They stared at each other for a second, seemingly equally surprised. “What are you doin’ now?” Jayne demanded finally, “You got the space madness or somethin’? Or you just been spendin’ too much time with the doc’s nutso sister?” “No!” She said furiously and then seemed to realize how ridiculous it was to argue you weren’t crazy when you were hanging upside down. Kaylee attempted to get down but her boot got caught on something and she was stuck hanging by one leg while she clutched desperately at some other pipes and tried not to fall. She looked so silly hanging there, tugging and yanking at her own foot all the while swearing like a space pirate he started to laugh. The look she shot him though had him hurrying forward to help untangle her. As Jayne helped her down from the ceiling he could feel her warm and shaking in his arms against his chest. Her hair brushed his face. She smelled like engine grease and lavender soap. He set her on her feet again and couldn’t help himself from brushing a stray lock of hair away from her face. Kaylee was holding onto his arms as her body reminded itself which way was up and which was down now. She looked up at him to say a grudging thank-you when he touched her gently, pushed some fly-away hair out of her eyes. “You should be more careful,” He told her, “What’ll we do if you fall down and crack your fool head open? Nobody else can fix this boat.” “I-” What was she supposed to say? He was looking at her so intently. When was the last time someone had looked at her like that? When had anybody looked at her with that kind of deliberate concern? “What’re you lookin’ for, anyway?” He asked. His voice was soft and they were still standing so close. He was holding her arm in a firm gentle grip to steady her and Kaylee realized it was the steadiest she had felt for days. What was she looking for? She thought she knew. She opened her mouth to tell him something, wanting suddenly to explain the feeling of wrongness she had and how hard she had been trying to listen to Serenity but nothing seemed to work. She opened her mouth to confess how in a moment of anger she had thrown that wrench and struck her sweet girl and how she was maybe afraid that Serenity was . . . mad at her. She gripped his sleeve in one little fist and opened her mouth- when a sound behind her made her jump. Simon was standing there- watching. His arms were folded tightly across his chest and Kaylee was abruptly aware of Jayne’s hands on her and hers on him. She stepped back quickly, hands falling to her sides. “Am I interrupting something?” Simon asked coolly. Kaylee smiled nervously and gestured toward the ceiling vaguely, “I was stuck,” She explained with an awkward laugh. “Stuck?” “Yeah,” Jayne said belligerently, staring at Simon over Kaylee’s head, “Got a problem with that?”