PART ELEVEN

*

Close the door

Shut the world away

All the fight's gone from this wounded heart

Across the floor

Dreams and shadows play

Like wind blown refugees

Needed in the chaos and confusion

From the plains to city hall

Needed where the proud who walk the wire are set to fall

Call the man

Who deals in love beyond repair

He can heal the world

Of hearts in need of care

Shine a light ahead

When the next step is unclear

Call the man

He's needed here

[Call the Man – Celine Dion]

Jayne grinned at Vera, “C'm'ere, you!” He steered her carefully past the I.V. in his left arm and kissed her slowly and thoroughly, “Mmm, best medicine in the whole 'verse!”

Vera cupped his cheek, smiling, “Good to have you back.”

“How long was I out?”

“Two weeks, this last time. You came around a few times before, on the flight here.”

Jayne frowned slightly, “Don't remember. Bin longer 'n that, gettin' here.”

Vera nodded, “It's a month since you did for the Skyplex. Simon kept you asleep a lot of the time, so's you could be still and heal.” Jayne's hand went to the oxygen lines going up his nose, “Leave those; let Simon get them out.”

“Ah'm all fuzzy below the waist.”

Vera nodded again, “Simon had to do a major bowel...erm...resection? Something like that. You've got a catheter down there and a place which is still healing from where he temporarily made your bowel come out through your abdomen wall.”

Jayne had a look, “Huh. Nuttin' but bandages down there and there's a tube coming outta my John Thomas!”

Vera held his hand, “Don't even *think about pulling that out! You'd do damage to yourself! Plus, it would hurt worse than you can possibly imagine.”

Jayne's lips twitched in humour, “Simon fill you in, huh?”

“I've been helping him nurse you. River and Cliff as well.”

Jayne scowled, “They've seen my bits?”

Vera chuckled, “Almost everyone apart from Mal saw them on that moon!”

“Forgot that. Got pins stickin' in me too.”

“That's the acupuncture, helping you heal and providing extra pain relief. I'll