Disclaimer: They ain't mine. Didn't get paid. Thanks to Joss and all for inspiration, Jacqui for great beta and support, to my own big, bad man for "technical advice", and to all you great folks who've been so kind about a first piece of fanfic. Praise, gripe, throw chocolate - I'll grovel, honest. You can e-mail feedback at Lumenea@aol.com, or just click below.

Waited Long Enough Part Nine: Comin’ Clean

Kaylee’d sometimes heard fellas say they “saw stars” when they took a ‘specially hard punch. She’d sat out on her folks’ porch of a summer’s evening an’ watched the tiny points of light that came twinkling through the dusk, wonderin’ and dreamin’ of what it might be like to visit places so far away, so different from her simple little world.

Since she’d signed on as Serenity’s mechanic, she’d seen more’n a few stars herself, all manner of bright and sparkly ones strung out across the black, big blazing balls of gas an’ heat givin’ up their light against all that darkness. But never, in all the times since she first shared a romp with a gangly farm boy back home, had any man’s lovemakin’ ever made her see stars.

Then again, she’d never had a lover like Jayne Cobb.

****

His roar of release an’ triumph echoed through the empty ship, testimony to the pent-up longing he’d been doin’ his best to restrain. It was a defiant roar, made by a man who had received his heart’s desire against all odds, claimed it in open rebellion against direct orders. It was a joyous roar, an exultant celebration of his pleasure, a territorial roar, the claiming of this woman he’d wanted for so long.

The sound faded an’ his breath rattled in hard gasps, the rhythm slowing until he could speak. “Damn, girl, that gorram fool of a doctor ain’t got no idea what he done missed out on.” He leaned on the table for a minute, arms bracing, as he got his wind and Kaylee gave him that silly blissed-out grin again.

“Betcha say that to all the mechanics.“ She teased, then stretched elegantly like some large, curvace