A/N: Thanks again to my betas Guinevere and Tehomet, who I worship more than they'll ever know. Hope everyone enjoys the update!

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“Son of a bitch!” Before he even knew what he was doing, Simon had grabbed Jayne, pulled him away from River with all of his strength and punched him hard on the nose.

Jayne stumbled and fell off the bed, while Simon gasped in pain and shook his hand. Cao gao, that hurt more than I expected, he thought as he heard River gasp. He hoped with all his heart that she was being compassionate towards him and not Jayne…

“You got a deathwish, little man?” Jayne growled as he pushed himself onto his feet with one hand and tried to stop his nose from bleeding with the other. Simon ignored the throbbing in his hand and shoved Jayne against the wall of the dorm with force that surprised even himself. It was only the adrenaline though, because Jayne pushed Simon back and freed himself within seconds.

“You… you stay away from River,” Simon panted.

Jayne raised his eyebrows. “Hell, it wasn’t like I was trying to sell her out to the Feds!” he said with a provocative glare at Simon.

Simon felt his jaw drop. He didn’t know what to say. He was so furious that he couldn’t even think anymore. He was only vaguely aware that the noise he was making had made Kaylee and Shepherd Book hurry over to them.

Taking two steps closer to Jayne, Simon stared up at him, his jaws clenched in anger. “From now on, you stay away from River,” he said in a low, menacing tone.

“Or what?” Jayne stared back at Simon while still pinching the bridge of his nose to stop the bleeding.

Simon smiled, suddenly feeling very calm. “I’m not a soldier, Jayne. I won’t be able to take you in a fight. But I do know my anaesthetics. Forget everything I told you about feeling safe with me as your medic. If I ever see you near my sister again, you better not go to sleep. Because you won’t wake up anymore.”

In the deafening silence that followed, Book and Kaylee glanced at each