Captain Doctor

By

KMS

kmspider@aol.com

http://hometown.aol.com/kmspider/myhomepage/index.html

Summary: AU—instead of losing the Battle of Serenity, the Independents won, extending the course of the war. Takes place around the same time as the series, six years after the First Battle of Serenity on Hera.

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Chapter 4

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‘Oh, diyu,’ Jayne thought. Zoe was gonna kill him. And if she didn’t, the Sarge was likely to just as soon as he woke up.

Jayne hadn’t taken much of liking to the doc when he’d first seen him. Too clean. Too rich smelling. Too Alliance. But having the boy stand up for himself when Jayne had wanted to muddy his face had earned a bit of Jayne’s respect. And seeing that pretty face looking back at him like a raccoon had been worth the small show of defiance. Turned out the doc was good for a laugh.

Standing there holding a lamp for the doc while he’d rummaged around peoples’ insides hadn’t hurt either. Boy knew what he was doing, and had shed his scared ways like a cloak when he worked, instead becoming sure of himself and softly giving instructions to those helping out, and layering on gentle praise where it would do the most good. Made people want to do as he asked.

Jayne had shifted off of lantern duty three times before Zoe had ordered him to finally go back to pick up the boy and put him to bed. The 2IC had been right, boy was dead on his feet. It was almost funny to watch him being so easily led. Reminded him of a pretty toy his youngest sister had when she was just a kid. You could flex its leg, elbows and knees, and the toy would stay in that position. Doc, after twelve hours of surgery, was just like that. Push the protein near his face and he suddenly remembered how to eat. Push him over, and his eyes closed automatically. Just like the doll.

Now that he thought on it, seemed the doll’s eyes were the same color as the doc’s, too.

And now he’d up and lost him. To Commander Early, of all people. How the