Jayne groaned, the Doc must have doped him up good – here he was dreamin’ of lil Kaylee dressed in her birthday dress all golden like sunshine. “Cept she weren’t lookin’ all soft and sexy at him, like he wished, but like she was angry. He sat up with a wince, just his luck, he weren’t dreamin.’

“Ya buy me this dress?” Kaylee asked

Face in the shadows, he nodded warily.

“Does that mean ya like me?”

Jayne nodded again.

“So ya gorram dummy why didn’t ya tell me?” Kaylee demanded.

“I ain’t no good” he started

“Ya been lookin’ out for me how long?” she questioned

“Guess since I come on board” he admitted

Kaylee charged straight on with what she was sayin’ “Got to thinking about who’d buy me this dress. Zoë or Inara would just give it to me. Mal would have no idea of such a thing. Simon wouldn’ think it proper. Book or River no. That left you, and I started wonderin’ why…Then they bought you in bleedin’ and sayin’ you might die” Kaylee brushed at the tears in her eyes. Jayne grasped her elbow gently so that she sat by him on the bunk. She buried her head on his shoulder and holding his feelings in check he wrapped his arms round her rocking her comforting her.

“You want the Doc” he said answering her earlier question “Been pretty clear ‘bout it too.”

“For a long time I thought so too” admitted Kaylee “till you were bleedin’ to death in front of me” she snuggled closer causing Jayne to take an even more fierce hold of his emotions. “Guess I woke up that maybe I cared bout ya. Now I told you somethin’, it’s your turn, how ‘bout ya talk to me Jayne, tell me somethin.’”

Talking ‘bout feelings wasn’t his strong point, thought Jayne. He always went and said the wrong gorram thing at the wrong time. “Guess I want ya to be happy. If ya want somethin’ you should have it.” He stated.

“What if I want ya to take off my dress ‘n’ touch me? Maybe kiss me on the lips?” Kaylee coaxed.

“Ifen I touch ya or kiss ya, won’t be able to let you go, not never” growled Jayne

“Don’t want ya to let me go ever” said Kaylee, loo