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II. And Vera Was Her Name: Jayne Cobb

By the time she gets to the infirmary, Kaylee's worries have resurfaced and all the cryptic River talk in the world ain't helpin'. The door to the infirmary stands in front of her, immovable and taunting. She contemplates stickin' her tongue out at it, just on principle, but decides she oughta draw the line between herself and immaturity somewhere. Just 'cause she's all awhirl inside don't mean she can't be the picture of calm on the outside.

It's just Simon. Only now, sweet, handsome, noble Simon wants her as much as she wants him, and Kaylee ain't quite sure what to do with that.

Her thumbnail firmly in her mouth, she moves her lips silently over her finger as she debates steppin' through the threshold and...what exactly with the doc? Conversin', according to River, but Kaylee ain't so good with the words. Then there's the matin', and yeah, Kaylee's awful good at that, but she ain't sure it's exactly the most appropriate time for that sorta activity, on account of Simon's still-healin' bullet wound.

Without words or sex, Kaylee's pretty sure all that's gonna go on in the infirmary is a whole lotta standin' around lookin' stupid, with a lil' confusion and uncomfortableness mixed in. She could just do that with Jayne if she wanted, she ain't never gonna understand him neither--

"You gonna stand out there forever, girl, or you gonna go in and make some room in this here corridor for other people who gotta walk?"

Kaylee jumps. Turning, she faces Jayne, who's eyebrow is raised and his gun slung across his shoulder. Speaka the devil, Kaylee thinks bemusedly.

"Doin' the nightwatch," Jayne explains, gesturing to his new firearm. "And right now, I'm watchin' you standin' out here like a fool little girl. You ain't no shrinkin' violet, are ya?"

Kaylee juts her chin up out of pure habit. "No," she says. "No, I ain't."

Jayne gives a wry sorta grin. "Then git in there. Doc ain't gonna bite. 'Less he's inta