PART 7:

By the end of the third day, Jayne had traded his keep for a high-quality sidearm and a hunting knife. Mal had no idea what Jayne thought he needed such things for when they were working on a ranch to make ends meet. Though he had to admit that if he hadn’t seen his own pistol in Monty’s hand, he probably would’ve sacrificed a few meals for a new sidearm as well. Jayne hadn’t mentioned it, but Mal knew for a fact that three other ships leaving Perth had tried to hire him on as a mercenary. Jayne had bedded the last ship’s cook, but otherwise took no interest, even when offered cash up front.

When it came time to go, Mal found Jayne in the hotel’s gym, pressing weights and working up a sweat. As much as Jayne had changed since Miranda, Mal supposed some things never would.

“Time to go, Jayne. Last chance for a shower.”

Jayne grunted one last lift and sat up, slinging a towel around his neck. “We got showers at home.”

Home. Not Serenity. Home. When had Jayne started that? Jayne stood and brushed past him, heading back up to the room. Mal continued his circle of the grounds to collect the rest of the crew.

Kaylee and River were at the hotel’s indoor pool, tossing an inflatable ball around the shallow end and squealing madly at the game. Ever since Inara had returned from the hospital, River had been sleeping soundly through the nights – a fact Mal was grateful for now that he’d grown sensitized to her sad, puppy eyes whenever Simon had to medicate her. She’d also stopped cuddling on Jayne and that eased Mal’s mind a bit too. When Kaylee had teased him about, Jayne just shrugged and grumbled about the fact that he “weren’t paid to nanny after little sister.”

The room was warm like summer, filled with sunlight, and smelled strongly of chlorine. The floor was slick, and Mal walked slowly so he wouldn’t slip. He caught River’s eye first, and when she stopped to look at him, Kaylee tackled her and dunked her under the water.

“Hey, play nice or I’ll shoot ya both!” Mal hollered. Kaylee looked at