One

The scar itches where the skin has grown in around the sutures on his chest. It itches and it burns. The girl marked him as surely and permanently as them doctors scarred up her brain. Left him branded. Not that he was like to forget her anyway. Not often a man sees a girl spring outta a box the way she did that first day.

He tugs at a suture through the thin material of his shirt, wanting to rip it out with his bare hands.

Jayne hasn’t ever been known for a wealth of good sense, but he ain’t as dumb as they all think. Near lost his life ‘cause of the ruttin’ doctor and his sister. He was good as dead, stuck in the airlock, ‘cept Mal changed his mind.

He doesn’t expect to be as lucky the next time.

He likes it here on Serenity. Got a bunk all to his self, run of the kitchen whenever he wants, ten-percent of every take and women such as he ain’t never seen back home, even if he can’t touch a-one of them. He tells himself that he wont jeopardize a good thing.

Even likes the Captain, when it comes down to it. Man might act foolish most times, but he ain’t never been unfair. He’s honorable. Jayne didn’t know the meaning of the word ‘til he met Mal.

He kinda hoped some of it had rubbed off.

But honor ain’t contagious.

A better offer will come along eventually.

And that girl will be the death of him, if he lets her.

Hitching his bag over his shoulder, he slips through the airlock while the rest are still just waking, a cigar clamped between his lips and his armory strapped to his body. The sunlight is blinding as he steps onto the hard packed earth.

Jayne ain’t as dumb as they all think.

Two

The ship ain’t the same since Miranda. There’s weight in the air and it makes him sluggish. Started botherin’ him so much, he asked Kaylee if the Grav-drive was done up all wrong and she just smiled at him in that way that makes his heart ache.

He finds himself watchin’ the others, wondering if they feel it too. The captain smiles still and Jayne stares