“You could stay Jayne” Inara suggested when he told her that he was leaving

“Nope” he answered “Reckon if I go Kaylee might go back t’ being her ownself.”

Anyone with eyes could see that it was tearing him up to leave Serenity and more particularly Kaylee. She surprised herself by offering him a hug and was equally amazed when he accepted and returned it gently. Six months ago if anyone had told her that she’d be hugging Jayne, was actually friendly with him Inara would have laughed.

The big tough crude mercenary was the last person she would have chosen as a friend. But their finding out about Miranda and the subsequent battle changed many things. Chief among the changes were the crew dynamics. Zoë was in mourning for Wash, just going through the motions of life, not really living it. Mal and she were working towards a more stable friendship. She couldn’t call it more yet. River had calmed down considerably and while not always articulate was becoming more and more understandable. She was also proving to be an accomplished pilot and becoming a member of the crew. The girl’s developing friendship with Jayne was worrying but could be dealt with if necessary. Kaylee and Simon after all the delays were finally together and happy.

The last situation which Inara had been watching with interest and delight for Kaylee, changed almost overnight from happiness to despair. Simon and Kaylee were having real difficulties. The atmosphere was so tense between them it was like sitting with a pair of unexploded grenades. But when she had broached the subject and tried to help, both avoided talking about it, turning the conversation to other concerns.

The main concern for both of them, Inara too she admitted, was the continuing friendship between Jayne and River. The two had been so often at each others’ throats that the relationship seemed strange at best. Simon of course had never liked Jayne and still saw his sister as a little damaged girl. Kaylee appeared, if Inara didn’t know better, to be jealous of the friendship.

Inara began to change her mind about River and Jayne after they arrived at the shuttle and asked for her help. River wanted to learn meditation in order to have more control of her mind. To gain even more control she needed to search the Cortex for information about psychics, she wanted to block out other peoples thoughts until she needed to here them. Inara had been surprised that the last was Jayne’s suggestion. Clearly the man had more brains that she had thought. He also had a good grasp of what his friend needed to function better. Not that he would say so; Jayne’s rationale had been what good was a weapon that only worked sometimes. She was puzzled about what feelings if any Jayne had for River. Considering the big man’s preoccupation with sex, at no time had she observed any sign of more that passing sexual interest in River. He seemed to regard her more in the light of a fellow mercenary, a weapon or maybe a sister. Her answer had come after another tension filled dinner with Simon and Kaylee.

She and River were seated running through the Cortex when River sat bolt upright “Armour dropped, fury!” and ran from the shuttle. Inara followed coming to the door of the infirmary just as Jayne spoke “Cain’t stand it no more” Jayne’s voice was quiet and deadly. She’d heard Zoë say once that if Jayne’s voice went quiet that’s when you ran away. “Fix the problem or break it off. If I find Kaylee cryin’ one more time I. Will. Kill. You” he let Simon fall to the ground and stormed out of the infirmary. Well now she knew why Jayne wasn’t sexually interested in River, he was in love with Kaylee.

In the several days before she managed to talk to River the situation had changed again. Simon had apparently broken up with Kaylee and things were returning to an even keel except for one thing. One important thing, Kaylee was treating Jayne badly. Her behaviour toward him was downright mean for the usually kind, caring mechanic. She didn’t ask for his help in the engine room, ignored him at dinner and avoided him at most other times. Kaylee’s behaviour made Inara wondered what Simon must have said to the girl about Jayne. She asked River “Do you know what Simon said to Kaylee?” The girl shook her head “I’ve been practicing not listening. Know it was something bad.” Inara sighed as River continued “Jayne thinks that Kaylee is still affected by Miranda and the battle, that’s why she’s behaving this way.” “Perhaps he’s right.” Inara answered

The more she thought about it, the more Inara wondered if Jayne and River were right and if Simon had known about Kaylee’s problems.

On her way to the ramp to farewell Jayne, Inara ran into Simon on the catwalk “Didn’t you see what might happen?” she asked angrily.

“Oh yes, I saw” he said.