Remember Me – Part 3

A couple of days had passed since River’s troubled awakening, and it had taken her just as long to let anyone get anywhere near hear. Even Simon had been classified as something to fear when he had eventually responding to Kaylee’s pleas for assistance. Strangely, the only one not alarmed by River’s new attitude and lack of memory appeared to be Jayne. When confronted by Mal over his lack of concern, the mercenary was oddly taciturn in his grumbled response.

“Aw Mal…don’t be busting my chops ‘cause I ain’t upset over Moonbrain here bein’ even spacier than before. Heck, might be for the best! ‘Sides, other than the whole no memory thing, she don’t seem to be crazy no more. Well, less feng le than usual. I saw we enjoy it while we got the op-por-tun-ity.”

Jayne shifted his from one foot to the other, as if Mal was a teacher chastising him for spitting, as he answered Mal’s brusque inquiry into his lack of concern. Once he had responded to the shorter man, he wasted no time returning to the comforts of his locked bunk. Mal sighed as he watched his “public relations officer” retreat for more self-enforced solitude, before running a hand through his hair.

“Much as it gorram pains me to admit it, but Jayne may be right. Something definitely pear-shaped about the ‘verse when a man like him can make a lick of sense…”

The grizzled former soldier shook his faintly at this thought, sighed, and headed into the kitchen. Mal took a seat at the table and leaned back in the chair until it was balanced precariously on its hind legs, staring aimlessly at the rafters above his head. It had been in this position that Inara had found the man, arriving just as he had commented to himself about the nature of the ‘Verse. The Companion had missed Mal’s arrival as she had been out of sight in the storage room looking for some bowls to hold all the vegetables Book had harvested from the garden behind his home. After Mal had failed to take notice of here standing several feet behind him by the sink, the y