Jayne sat at the dining table havin’ a drink to relax. He liked this time of night, it was quiet, gave him time to sit and think.

The last coupla days had been confusin’. Everyone was treatin’ him real strange and he couldn’t figure out why. Wash had asked how he was feelin’, Captain hadn’t made him feel stupid once. The crazy girl kept pattin’ him on the shoulder; Zoë sat and talked to him ‘bout weapons. And the doctor smiled at him, the doctor never smiled at him. It was downright unsettlin’.

The only one treatin’ him the same was Kaylee. When she’d wanted to play cards last night he’d been glad as can be. Only half in fun he’d suggested they play strip poker, but Kaylee just giggled and punched him on the arm. He’d had to settle for playin’ little fun card games, sharin’ a jug of booze and talkin’ half the night.

At one stage the doctor had wandered in to get a cup of tea. He’d had his eyes glued to some book and had hardly noticed they was there at all, not even when Kaylee spoke to him. How could anyone not notice Kaylee?

Jayne couldn’t understand Simon; if Kaylee was his girl no way would he leave her to play cards all night with another man. He’d keep her so busy in their bed she’d never want to leave.

Thinkin’ of little Kaylee that way weren’t good ‘specially since he could hear her step in the passage right now. He frowned. It wasn’t her happy ‘everythin’ is shiny’ bounce, or her purposeful ‘I’m fixin’ things’ stride. It wasn’t even the ‘I’m goin’ to talk to Simon’ skip, he hated that one. Kaylee’s feet were almost draggin’, a weary sound that worried him and had him payin’ full attention to her when she came through the door.

********************

She’d had one of those days, nothin’ really upsettin’, just a day when little things annoyed ya, went wrong for ya, the sorta day where ya felt lonely and homesick.

That night to feel better she’d put her favourite pyjamas on, the ones her mama sent her, and fell into bed. An hour later she woke up with a shudder, the dreams were back