Disclaimer: Not mine, no pay.

Thanks: To Jacqui, for friendship, great beta and encouragement, to Josh the Paramedic for medical info and to Rion, my own personal BDH. You guys are the greatest.

Rating: NC-15 this section, for adult references. Later chapters, angst, violence.

Remarks: I continue to explore the challenges faced by Jayne and Kaylee as they struggle to define their relationship. Set following my most recent story “The Birthday Gift”, after “Objects in Space”. Inara has departed from Serenity and things on board ship are getting more difficult.

Feedback: Seriously, folks, it's what it's all about. Love it or hate it, I crave your comments and observations. Post 'em here or email me at Lumenea@aol.com, and thanks.

LEAPS OF FAITH

Chapter One

“Wash?” She asks.

They are side by side up under Serenity’s main console replacing some of the patched cables and hastily repaired wiring still left over from Saffron’s sabotage efforts.

“Yeah?” The air smells of hot flux and solder. “Tzao gao! Ai ya, that’s hot.” He sticks his burned finger in his mouth.

“You’re supposed to be solderin’ the contact, not your finger, ya know.” Kaylee rolls her eyes and clips away a taped power cable, then begins to strip and prepare a replacement.

“Oh that…” Wash shakes his stinging hand. ”Somehow I thought my finger would work better.”

“How do you handle it?” Kaylee’s voice is quiet and she hesitates. “Lettin’ Zoë go on jobs, I mean.” Her voice is tentative, uncertain, unlike her hands, which work instinctively.

“In case you hadn’t noticed, Zoë’s bigger and a whole lot meaner than I am. Carries a big gun. Kicks ass and takes names, that sort of thing? I learned pretty fast she was gonna do what the guay she wanted.”

He leaned over toward her, as if confiding a great secret. "Of course, there are times I’m in charge and get to call the shots.”

Kaylee looks skeptical. “Like when?”

“Well, you don’t see me letting her play with