**All hail Joss Whedon and the other writers of Firefly. I "borrowed" some dialogue from previous eps not in an attempt to claim them as my own, but as an homage and to add authenticity to my fanfic.** **SPOILERS: pretty much every ep.**

SHADOWS PUPPETS - ACT IV

FADE IN:

INT. SERENITY – CARGO BAY – SAME TIME

Picking up: Mal and Jess are still kissing and the crew starts getting uncomfortable.

Jayne stands up and dusts off, looks at Zoe. Simon and Kaylee turn to Zoe. Only River watches Mal and Jess.

RIVER: Right one.

Zoe clears her throat. Mal and Jess don’t notice.

ZOE: Sir?

Book turns the corner into the bay as Wash comes down the stairs to see what’s going on.

BOOK: Oh my.

WASH: What happened?

KAYLEE: She beat up Jayne.

JAYNE: Did not. Took me by surprise, is all.

WASH (continuing downstairs): I miss all the good stuff.

BOOK: I’d say she’s feeling a might more relaxed ‘bout now. As is the captain.

ZOE (cont.; louder): Captain?

Mal pulls his lips away from Jess and together they turn heads…and see the rest of the crew. Jess unwraps her legs from around Mal and slides down his body, keeping one arm around him.

JESS (to crew): Hi ya.

KAYLEE/SIMON/WASH: Hi.

BOOK: Hello.

ZOE: Sir? New development?

JAYNE (rubbing neck): I’ll say. Who IS she?

RIVER: She’s Mal’s.

Jess grins at River then looks at Mal, brushes hair from his forehead and smoothes the worry-lines away. He’s momentarily lost the ability to speak, given the recent kissin’ and all. He just stares at her—confused, amazed.

JAYNE: She drug him?

JESS: Always were a great kisser, Reynolds.

MAL: Jess?

JESS (smiles): It’s me. (studies his face) Oh, my poor bao bei…I didn’t die. (beat) Well, I mean, I did…but not for long.

MAL: Wh…how…I don’t-

JESS: Shhh…s’alright. (soft lingering kiss; shorter than last)

RIVER: Sit on a rock. Unravel the threads. Open a seam.

Everyone looks at River, except Jess, her eyes stay on Mal.