Jayne didn't join the rest of the crew at dinner that evening, making things slightly less tense for Mal and River. Inara and Kaylee talked amiably about various subjects amongst themselves, while River engaged Simon in various random topics so fast that she avoided him asking why she was so anxious.

Zoe just decided not to ask questions. Jayne had been staring at River quite a bit recently and for some reason not being quite as vulgar to Simon. To Zoe that meant one of two things: Jayne was either ruttin' on River, or he really wanted to. She was not about to get in the middle of that unless it was neccesary.

When dinner ended, Mal and River both went to the cockpit. Mal really needed to discuss this Jayne thing with her.

"River, you mind tellin' me how this all started?" River turned to look at Mal, noting the concern in his eyes.

"I like him, he likes me. He gave me a kiss for my birthday. We had sex a few times when we were on Persephone." River had a dreamy look in her eyes at the memory of that day. Mal on the other hand felt a swirl of nausea rise in his stomach.

"You're sure it ain't just physical for Jayne? I mean that man ain't got an emotional bone in his body, 'less it's gotta do with his ma."

"Love blossoms in strange places. Simon never expected Kaylee. Jayne never expected me. Had dreams about him in that place. They monitored my psychological reactions, charted my body responses." She looked up at Mal with a tear streaming down her face. "If Simon hadn't saved me, they were going to remove my ability to feel love, pleasure."

"And I'm real glad he did get you out before that happenened, 'Tross. But I ain't rightly sure Jayne's the proper person for you to be givin' those things to."

"You'll see. Things always happen for a reason. Always work out in the end."

*****

It wasn't until two in the morning that River snuck into Jayne's bunk. He was snoring gently, laying naked on his stomach, the blanket only barely covering his bare ass. Rive