“Been a while.” Jayne stood tall, his hands loose by his sides.

“That it has.” Judge Warren Jefferson peered over the top of his half-moon spectacles at the big man. “Seems like half a lifetime.”

“More.”

“I was sorry to hear of your mother’s passing. She was a damn fine woman.”

“Yeah.”

“Jason tells me you’re married. And that you’re a father yourself.”

He couldn’t help his chest swelling a little. “Got me a son. Caleb Francis.”

Jefferson nodded slowly. “Good name. So has all this responsibility changed you?”

Jayne thought for a moment before answering. “Reckon it has. Don’t think a leopard can change its spots, but maybe they’re a bit fainter than they used to be.”

Jefferson smiled faintly, and there was something of an uncomfortable silence as each man remembered the last time they’d seen each other, when the Judge had been just Sheriff Jefferson, and had to tell a fifteen year old boy that they knew he’d killed the man who shot his father. “Guess maybe they are,” he finally said.

Mal looked from the Judge to Jayne and back again, this time in surprise. Contrary to what he expected, there was almost amicability in Jefferson’s tone, and more than a hint of respect in the ex-mercenary’s.

The Judge cleared his throat and looked at his own son. “So, Dan. You got the list of damages Gideon provided you with?”

“Right here.” He passed over a sheet of paper covered with close handwriting.

His father read carefully. “Hmmn.” He looked up at Gideon. “I see you’ve put everything including the kitchen sink in here.”

“They damaged a lotta stuff.”

“Seems to me, if they’d been fighting from now ‘til Christmas I doubt they could’ve done all of this.” He peered at the Sheriff. “Security feed?”

“Still broke.” Dan Jefferson couldn’t help smiling slightly. “Despite previous warnings.”

The Judge tutted. “Gideon, you get that fixed before the end of the day or you’re the one’s gonna be up in front of me on Monday.”

The bar owner looked about to complain, but