PART 7 – Defeating silence

Jayne coughed dryly and sat on the floor next to Zoë’s bed. It was the first time since they got there that Emily had willingly let him out of her sight, and he thought maybe he should find a toilet to take advantage of his fortune, but he didn’t have to go. Jamie had called her out and she jumped up with barely a glance back at him for permission. It was the kind of trust that flew in the face of all sense, but Jayne had had a similar relationship with one of his cousins growing up, and he was glad the years apart hadn’t broken that bond between Emily and Jamie. The floor was hard, but he was too tired to stand. Inara had taken the only stool at the foot of the bed and Mal was walking up and down the length of it, taking Zoë’s hand whenever he passed near enough.

Jayne looked at his old friend pacing restlessly. He and Mal had seen Zoë through a dozen hospitals over the years and worked over a dozen more to get the supplies they needed to keep her out of them. Jayne had gotten frustrated over the past few years with Mal watching after him and coddling him after Sky’s death. But Mal didn’t bring him here to keep an eye on him. The hospital, standing by Zoë, was where their roles reversed and Mal needed Jayne on the watch. It was like seeing Mal go back to the war – the only place he knew of with enough hurt and pain to overshadow what he was feeling. Jayne always had to pull him out of this place when the dust cleared.

“No fair dragging me out here if she’s gonna live anyway,” Jayne griped. It was the longest sentence he’d directed at anyone besides Emily in a long while and it was meant to open a conversation. Mal took the invitation and sat down on the floor as well, resting his forearms on his knees and staring reflectively at his finger tips.

“My momma always said if you want to stop the rain, carry an umbrella,” Mal said. Jayne figured he meant something by it, but Jayne had never been good with metaphors.

“Saw something the other day that I thought you’d like