Author's note (I promise I won't let this run longer than the fic): This is a continuation of the short drabble I posted as part of a set entitled Cold Roses. I liked the idea & the back story too much to leave it alone. This is just a trial chapter, the other chapters are 800+ words. I just wanted to test it out on y'all first. It's Jaylee, just so you know. :)

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Jayne Cobb was not a man who went back on his loyalties.

“Tell me ya don’t hafta go,” she begged quietly, swallowing back tears. “Please, Jayne, please don’t go.”

He slipped the silver ring off of his left hand and onto a chain and smiled at her. “Cap’n needs some muscle for this job, bao bei. I’ll be back ‘fore you’ll have time to think ‘bout it.” He kissed her soundly, patted her belly, and turned out of the bunk. “I love ya,” he said softly, and then left, humming brightly. Resigned, Kaylee smoothed her shirt down and walked out, barefoot, onto the bridge to watch her cap’n take her husband away.

He was a good man. A real good man. He weren’t a saint, not by any stretch, but he kept his word, took care of me real shiny and was right devoted to the cap’n. He never raised his hand or his voice to me, not even once. He got mad, sure, but he were always sorry. He never did one bad thing to me, ‘cept for leavin’, an’ I can’t say as he wanted to. He loved us more’n he’d ever admit.

“Kaylee.” He slid his hands up and down her back, under the silky material, over the ridges of her spine and around, coming to rest at the base of her breasts. She inhaled sharply, and he laughed, a little puff of air at her forehead. “Sweet gorram, Kaylee…” He kissed her again, right on the mouth, traced his tongue along the chapped ridge of her lips. “Kaylee.”

She pulled back suddenly, grinning. “Hey.”

“Hey what?” he asked, frustration evident in his voice.

“Ya kissed me.”

“Uh-huh.” He tried to distract her, dipping his fingertips below her coveralls, then back up into her hair. He ran his fingers along her jaw, over her eyelids, into the divot of