TITLE: "WORKING IT OUT"

AUTHOR: Alison M. DOBELL

FANDOM: "FIREFLY"

PAIRING: Jayne.

RATING: PG-13.

STATUS: Short standalone piece.

ARCHIVE: Yes. Just let me know where.

FEEDBACK: Welcomed.

EMAIL: AlisonMDobell@aol.com

WEBSITE: None. All Firefly stories archived at Fireflyfans.net

SUMMARY: "Jayne takes his time figuring a few things out after joining Serenity's crew."

The usual disclaimers apply. The characters and 'Firefly'

are the property and gift of Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy.

No infringement of copyright is intended.

"WORKING IT OUT"

"Firefly" story

Written by Alison M. DOBELL

* * * * *

Jayne watched the man like a hawk. Had done from day one. Folks thought he was a mite slow, a touch simple in the brainpan, but it wasn't that. He liked to think things over, slow like, tease the facts every which way in his mind like a gorram jigsaw puzzle until all the pieces fit. He hadn't expected Malcolm Reynolds to talk his way out of his predicament, had been surprised to end up on his crew and leave Marco hopping mad and swearing in the dust. Made the mercenary more than a mite impressed how Serenity's Captain had calmly turned a weak position into one of strength, going from victim to victor with Jayne ending up on the winning side. Had a kind of poetry to it but that didn't mean it was safe to let his guard down.

He knew he could take Mal if he had to but what intrigued Jayne more was that he didn't want to. Man was a puzzle and Jayne needed to figure him out before he did anything too dumb to put right. However long it took. And if he didn't like the way the pieces fit together well there was any number of ways to ease a troublesome soul out of this 'verse. Jayne gave a sideways glance down at the knife in his hand and spat on the blade then slid it against the whetstone. One eye following the Captain's progress as the man sauntered across the commons room to help himself to a cup of s