Click.

Jayne knew that sound. It was the sound of a safety being pulled back.

Tzao gao.

He opened his eyes slowly. Refused to let himself look surprised.

The first thing he saw was the barrel of a gun. The second thing was Mal.

His eyes looked just as likely to shoot fire as the barrel did.

“I can’t decide whether to shoot you now or wait for the black to suck your brain out of your face while you try to scream. Reckon I’ll do both, you liou coe shway duh biao-tze huh hoe-tze fuh ur-tze.”

Mal was just starin’ down at him. His jaw was clenched. The gun was perfectly level.

Jayne kept his eyes on Mal as he slowly slid up the wall and sat up.

Jayne risked a glance around. His head was swimmin’. Still a little hungover.

River was sitting by the window, cryin’. The doc was holdin’ her. He had a look in his eyes to match Mal’s.

A murderin’ look.

What the gorram hell had just happened?

Jayne’s brain slowly started sliding in place. The bed was practically stripped bare after River’s thrasin’ last night. What sheets there were were smeared red.

Blood.

His blood. From his arms. Where River had clawed at him, tryin’ to get away.

His eyes went back to River. There was a purple bruise on her cheek where he had smacked her. Five dark, round bruises on her upper arms.

Shi. Shi. Shi.

“Get your eyes off of her, you hwoon dahn.”

Mal lunged and Jayne jerked back, smacking his own head against the wall.

Mal had him by the throat. Had the barrel of the gun pressed between Jayne’s legs.

Shi.

“Is everythin’ o—oh! Oh my God, what happened?”

Kaylee. Fan-ruttin’-tastic.

Jayne couldn’t see nothin’ but Mal’s face. Burnin’ eyes.

“Cap’n!”

Gorram it, Kaylee. Don’t touch ‘im. Safety’s off.

Jayne tried not to choke. Tried to make due with the hair of breath he was gettin’ in an’ out.

“Cap’n! Cap’n, STOP!”

Kaylee. Jayne could barely see her through the red haze that was creepin’ in.

She pulled on Mal’s shoulder. Just a blur.

J