disclaimer: I wished for it on my birthday, but sadly I still don't own the Firefly Verse

Kaylee snuggled deeper into the crook of his arm, still outta breath from the quick tumble they'd just shared. He pulled her closer, adjusting the blanket as he was consumed by the oblivion of sleep. Kaylee leaned her head back on his arm watching his muscled chest rise and fall in the steady breathing of sleep. As her own breathing settled and it dawned on her that sleep was inevitable she slowly ran a gentle hand across his stomach, hooking it around him to pull him close.

"Mmm...that feels nice...come here Inara." Simon mumbled groggily.

Kaylee snuggled in closer, relaxing for a moment. Then her head snapped up as she processed what he had just said. "What in the di yu did just call me?!" she bellowed at Simon's jumping form. "Answer me you liou coe shway duh biao-tze huh hoe-tze duh ur-tze!" Kaylee was promptly losing a battle with her tank top as she tried to pull it over her head, her coveralls already hitched up and sitting on her hips. She finally pulled the yellow and red fabric over her head and, shoving her arms into the sleeves as she forced her bare feet into her boots, not even bothering to search for her socks. She was halfway out the door before Simon had even recovered enough from sleep to catch half of the words Kaylee was throwing at him.

"Kaylee, what are you --" Simon began, pulling up his slacks and slipping on his shoes to chase after her. "Kaylee! Bao bei, come back!"

At that Kaylee turned on him. "Don't even think about trying to sweet talk your way outta this one, Simon Tam! Just...just leave me alone!" As if punctuating her statement, Kaylee turned on her heel and closed the short distance between her and the engine room, angrily muttering to herself the whole way, slamming the door in Simon's face as he continued to to follow her. He was left helpless as the lock clicked into place.

"What did I even do?" He asked no one, replaying the incident in his mind.

"Names jumbled in your mind-what you had versus what you don't yet know you want. Males of this species are unintelligent swine, you in particular, boobish brother. You're words were misguided too often and now you have no one." River's voice carried from her perch above the engine room door.'Why must she sound so matter of fact?' Simon thought to himself as he retreated to the infirmary. He would just spend the night reorganize his pathetic supplies. Again. Then Kaylee would calm down and be ready to go back to his quarters to sleep as she had the last five nights he had awakened this way. He hoped.

"In the meantime, I suppose I can come up with a list of supplies for Mal before we land on Persephone tomorrow evening," Simon sighed.

After hours of needless tinkering on Serenity's engine, Kaylee turned angrily at the knock, prepared to shout over Simon's fumbling apology, only to see a pair of blue eyes gazing through the window with a sensitivity only she and Vera saw. She slowly rose to open the door and stepped aside as Jayne entered her sanctum. She shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot, not knowing why he was awake and here when he could have been below deck, asleep as the rest of the crew was. Then she noticed the two mugs in his hand, one steaming mug full of tea with two spoons of sugar and a dollop of honey, just the way she liked it, and the other full of the amber liquid she recognized as her own moonshine.

"Didn't rightly know which'n you'd be need'n'," Jayne said to her, holding both mugs out to the girl. He watched as she tipped the moonshine slightly over the tea, adding enough to her steaming drink to ebb her anger at Simon and handing the cooler mug back to the large mercenary, feeling his large hand envelope her tiny one as he took the mug. "He do it again, Kaylee girl?" He asked gently.

Mid-gulp Kaylee could only nod. Then, smiling sadly, she said, " This time it weren't just when we was going to sleep. 't was after..." She broke off here, unable to complete this admission. She blinked away the tears and stilled her breathing, swallowing the sobs that threatened to return from earlier. Once she had herself under control once again she looked up at Jayne, sipping slowly from the mug he had been kind enough to bring her. She saw the pity in his eyes- and something behind it, something she didn't recognize. She slid gladly into his welcoming embrace and let him console her.

Jayne forced himself not to sigh as he wrapped his arm around the poor girl's shoulders. "He's justa moron, mei mei. Don't give it another thought. How many nights has it been, an' you're still going back to him? Why, Kaylee, why you puttin' yerself through that? He ain't good enough for you..." The words were out of his mouth before the big merc could even think on them. But Kaylee didn't jump on him so maybe he'd said what she needed to hear? Then she started shaking uncontrollably and Jayne realized she was crying again. "Aww, gorram it. I'm sorry, girl. You know I ain't no good with words. Come on now girl, calm down. Ain't worth crying on that lousy..." His words dropped off as Kaylee looked up at him. It wrenched his heart that he couldn't see any of her usual smile on her face, not even in her eyes. "You want me to shoot him for you?" He asked, deadly serious.

Kaylee burst out laughing. Jayne supposed he had done his part and stood, ready to take the empty mugs to the kitchen. He smiled down into the pretty mechanic's face, gently pushing a lock of her chestnut hair off her face and behind her ear before turning to leave. He almost didn't hear the quiet 'thank you...again' she mumbled at his back. He turned back to see her angrily throw down a capture he could only assume was of the ship's medic. He made up his mind to do something for her, and he knew just what he would need to do it, too. He set off to count his coin so he could get the necessary materials for his gift for the girl.

Serenity landed without a hitch and Simon handed his list to Mal, asking the captain to pay close attention this time so the doctor ended up with the medications he needed to treat the crew, not saline and horse tranquilizers, not that they weren't an effective way to sedate Jayne. Kaylee meandered down to the cargo bay, watching Zoë climb aboard the mule while Mal and Jayne checked the cargo they needed to deliver to Badger. As soon as he noticed her Simon materialized at Kaylee's side, only to find her suddenly in an animated conversation with Wash about the crazy man's dinosaur figures. He tried uselessly to get her attention but gave up after a few long moments.

Kaylee watched him go out of the corner of her eye and wrapped up the conversation, promising Wash she would give Steggy another chance next time she was keeping him company on a watch on the bridge. She briefly hugged him and he stepped up on the side of the mule to kiss Zoë goodbye. Then the mule pulled out of the open bay door and the pilot pushed the button to close the door, already anxious and praying for his wife to hurry back. He scampered off to the bridge as Kaylee moved to the engine room before Simon could corner her with a futile attempt at amends. She delved head first into her girl's engine, making unnecessary modifications simply for something to do. "As good'a time as any," she mumbled. Before she knew it she was done, only slightly smudged with grease, and she could hear the cargo bay's door opening. She stood and headed that way to see if she couldn't convince Mal to let her go into town and look around for a bit, maybe buy fresh fruit for the crew with her share if'n they got paid. She looked down from the cat walk to see all three of the ship's warriors smiling and no one was bleeding!

"We get paid, Cap'n?" She called as she skipped down the stairs. She smiled as Jayne walked over, pressing some nice crisp credits into her palm. She turned to the captain and asked if she could go shopping while they waited for Inara to finish her appointment and return to Serenity. She agreed to take the big grumbling merc with her to ease Mal's mind, figuring she could ditch him, let him go on to a whorehouse long enough for her to enjoy shopping before escorting her back home. But Jayne wasn't grumbling. He was grinning. What was that all about?

So the two walked down, Kaylee nearly bouncing down the ramp. She looked over to find Jayne watching her, smiling slightly as he led her through the lines of vendors. When she was sufficiently distracted by a stall selling some silky shawl things he slipped around a corner and stopped at the stand he had found earlier on the way back from Badger's 'office.' He quickly purchased the thin pad of paper and the drawing charcoal. He bought a girly mag and a weapon catalog from a nearby stand to distract Kaylee when she asked what he'd bought. He followed her around, carrying the crate she quickly filled with the fruits and vegetables she purchased. They walked a bit more, she mooned over some clothes and a pretty little purple glass bottle of perfume. He wrinkled his nose for effect when she made him sniff it, though he liked the scent. It was some kinda flower, reminded him of the pretty girl now absently holding his arm as they turned back towards home. He handed the mechanic and the crate off to Shepherd, hollering back at him to tell Mal he forgot something but would be back in time for dinner. The big man quickly found his way back to the stand with the little glass bottles and grabbed up the purple one he'd seen before, handing some coin to to vendor before turning back and walking briskly to Serenity with the small box containing the bottle dwarfed in his large hand. By the time he climbed the ramp Inara's shuttle was docking and he could smell the meal Kaylee and Shepherd Book were preparing.

He hurried to his bunk to deposit the bag with the paper, charcoal and magazines and the box on the edge of his bed before climbing out and locking the door. 'Don't wanna find Moonbrain down there again' he thought. When he reached the galley he grabbed a stack of plates from Kaylee and began to set the table, astonishing both the mechanic and the shepherd by his readiness to help. He set the table then set out to collect the rest of the crew for supper. Kaylee just looked at Book, smiling slightly that the Jayne she had come to know was showing himself to others.

The meal took place full of conversation, stories from life before the ship and about everyone's favorite dolls. Even Inara joined in, teasing Mal once again about the 'wobbly headed doll caper' they had argued about so long ago. The only person not joining in the conversation was Simon, who was still being pointedly ignored by Kaylee. The meal ended after a long while, accompanied with yawns from everyone and people wandered to their bunks, Zoë and Wash arm in arm. Kaylee walked briskly to her bunk and Jayne and Simon both heard the door close with a hiss and a click as the 'LOCKED' light came on by the entrance. Clearly she was not ready to forgive him. Jayne walked to his bunk, climbed down the ladder and grabbing the paper and charcoal quickly returned to the dining area to use the table for his work. He sat down and quickly went to work, drawing lines and smudging them gently with his finger. He was working so intently he hardly noticed when Inara entered. She went to fetch some water, silently watching the large man focusing on the drawing, his tongue poking out between his lips. She was clearly confused when she saw the subject of his sketch, but shrugged with a 'to each his own' train of thought. She prepared her drink and left the kitchen without saying a word.

Kaylee stomped up her ladder and stalked off in the direction of the engine room. She stopped short when she saw the light was on. She didn't see or hear anyone, so she quietly inched into the room. Her memory flashing images of Jubal Early all the while. Once inside the room she glanced around happy to find no one there, though there was something on her hammock that she didn't remember leaving there. Had she forgotten to read some of her post? No, she hadn't gotten any lately, and yet there was an envelope with her name on it. She smiled as she recognized Jayne's scrawl in charcoal. She gingerly opened the envelope pulling out first a book of matches and then a note. Thought you might want something you could destroy insteada just throwin' round the engine room next time he mucks everything up. And then she pulled out the second sheet of folded paper, opening it to find a very accurately, carefully drawn, sketch of Simon Tam. Smile on her face, Kaylee turned back towards the crew bunks. She walked up and gently knocked on Jayne's door. When there was no response she tried a second time before turning to leave. Behind her she heard the hiss of his door opening as the shirtless mercenary climbed his ladder. Kaylee turned towards him, tears in her smiling eyes and kissed him gently on the lips. He just stood there, mouth agape as the woman turned and bounced toward her engine room, not noticing Simon clambering down the stairwell, unable to believe what he had just seen.

Simon Tam couldn't believe his eyes. He had been climbing the stairs, intent on making Kaylee listen to his apology when he heard it. He heard the hiss of a bunk door opening and hurried before Kaylee could make it to the engine room. Reaching the top of the stairs, he saw Kaylee, at the door of Jayne's bunk. He watched as she turned and kissed the man-ape before bouncing off to work. He clambered down the stairs before Kaylee could see him. Fire burning in his gut, he rushed the merc, swinging a fist wildly and actually connecting with the confuddled man's face. Jayne came to his senses and was able to grab the core bred man's fist before he was hit a second time. "Who in the di yu do you think you are? She was mine! And you...into your bed...I should...She was mine!" Suddenly it all made sense to Jayne, what the man had thought he saw. The thought brought a smile to his face. The sound of boots on metal grating announced Kaylee's presence. Where anyone else would have jumped down Jayne's throat if they caught him restraining the doc the way he was, Kaylee turned on Simon.

"I was yours? Do you even hear yourself, Simon? No one talks like that. No one owns me. I won't have you talking about me like that, either. You don't even want me..." All the shouting at such an early hour brought everyone except River to crowd the threesome in the hall. Mal was the first to reach them and was trying to pry the medic from the giant mercenary's hands; and to no avail. "You don't even want me! You just settle for my body with Inara in your mind!" The tiny mechanic screamed at him as the companion joined the group circled around the near hysterical woman. Everyone's reactions overlapped one another.

Inara looked almost as though she had been slapped. Mal turned and hit Simon his own self. Wash stood, hand on his face, a look akin to Simon's in Canton. Zoë grabbed her captain by his collar, dragging him away from the helpless man. Book opened his Bible and read intently. Jayne threw the unconscious medic to the floor, his arms wrapping around a now sobbing Kaylee. He quickly led her to the common area couch mumbling to her, trying to calm her enough for her to breathe. Each sob that wracked the girl's tiny frame tore at the older man's heartstrings. He was nearly begging her to calm down when she looked up into his wide blue eyes. Their lips were close enough for Jayne to feel her soft, sweet breath on his. He leaned in to the girl he held on his lap-

"Someone wanna explain to me what in the hell was going on up there?" Mal hollered at Kaylee as she flung herself away from the 'heartless' mercenary.

"Ge ge lost the moth to a brighter flame." River stated simply.

"Mei mei, what did you mean back there? What were you saying to Simon? You weren't making any sense..." Inara entered the room slowly, not knowing if Kaylee wanted to see her.

At that the young mechanic started sobbing again, causing Jayne to glare over her head as she crumpled against his chest and he rubbed a hand soothingly down her back. "He don't love me. Don't even want me. All week he's been saying your name, 'Nara. He cuddles up to me, and then says something like, 'You smell so good, Inara' or 'Come closer, Inara.' Everytime. I can't take it no more. I...I just can't take it..." She cried harder into his chest. Jayne's focus was completely on the girl he held as Mal and Inara stood mouth agape staring between each other and the sobbing mechanic until the merc picked her up and carried her to the only place he could think of that no one would follow.

When Kaylee finally calmed down she took a moment to look around. She had never been in Jayne's bunk before and couldn't believe how tidy it was. She also couldn't believe how much room he took up, even crouching on the floor in front of her as he was. She was still hicupping from the crying and could hear Mal hollering at Simon from up above. 'This is all so messed up', she thought sadly, shifting over on the man's bed to make room for him next to her. Instead he just pulled back the blanket and laid her back on the pillow, untying her boots and slipping them off her feet. He slid her feet under the bedding and pulled the covers up under her chin, turning he started to climb the ladder, wanting to get some breakfast or at least something to drink for the poor, exhausted woman who was in his bunk and causing all kinds of inappropriate thoughts to flood his mind. "Stay? Please, stay with me..." Kaylee's voice was hardly more than a whisper but Jayne couldn't have heard her clearer. He turned and started to sit in the chair in the corner as Kaylee started to shift in the bunk. "No, I meant, here. Will you just, hold me?" In an instant Jayne was at her side, arms wrapping around her as he fit himself between her and the fabric hiding his 'girls' from his girl's view. He laid back as she settled her head under his chin, he breathed in her scent deeply. Within moments her breathing had steadied and he could tell she was finally settled into sleep. He slowly pulled one arm away from her, soothing her at her whimper of protest, and reached up to take Vera from the rack, just in case.

Time passed slowly, Jayne eventually relaxed enough to sleep, too. As he suspected no one bothered them in his quarters. After several hours of sleep, Jayne felt the girl stir at his side and slowly opened his eyes, absently pulling her closer and feeling pleased when she obliged him and turned closer to him. "Mmm, how'd you sleep?" He asked gently. She nodded under his chin and he moved to sit so as to go get food to fill their stomachs, which were playing a symphony for the mechanic as she giggled self consciously. Returning a few minutes later he found Kaylee poking around his open shelves and the fabric was pulled back so he could tell she had looked in at his guns on the wall. He stood there amused when she didn't stop looking when he returned. "What you hopin' to find, bao bei?" The term of endearment slipped out without Jayne even thinking. She turned smiling to him, shrugging slightly. "Brought you some food. Just a little somethin'." He sat on his bunk with the tray of strawberries, carrots, and even a protein pack, hoping he had brought something she would eat. She reached eagerly for the strawberries, moaning slightly as she bit into one. Jayne's mind once again wandered to all manner of inappropriate places at that. He stood, walked over to the shelf where he kept his clean shirts and reached into the stack withdrawing something wrapped in foil, and a small flask. He took a deep swallow from the flask and handed the foil wrapped surprise to Kaylee. She cautiously unwrapped it, eyes going wide as she saw the contents.

"Chocolate? Real chocolate? Aw, Jayne, that's shiny!" She leaned over to kiss him lightly on the cheek before slipping a small piece of the chocolate in her mouth. The moan she elicited and the look of ecstasy on her face had his John Thomas standing at full attention as he started to shift awkwardly in an attempt to hide it. The look on Kaylee's face told him he had failed, and that she was pleased by it. She broke a small piece of the chocolate off of the larger hunk in the foil and held the chocolate to a strawberry with her finger. "Open up." She ordered and, smiling, he obeyed so she could slip the treat into his mouth. His eyes closed as he savored it and when he opened them again she was mere inches away from his face, lips parted slightly, want clouding her eyes. He started to lean into her but was stopped by a boot kicking his bunk door, quickly followed by Shepherd Book's voice as called to check on Kaylee. "I'm shiny, Shepherd. I'm gonna stay down here for a spell though. Not really ready to face everyone after this morning." She climbed the ladder as she spoke, opening the door to talk quietly to Book, asking that no one else come to check on them for the remainder of the night. That she would come out when she was ready. Her friend smiled kindly and promised to pass the message along before he left.

Once she was on the floor again, Kaylee began unbuttoning her confining coveralls and pulled her arms free, tying the sleeves of the garment behind her hips before sitting on the bed to munch on a carrot. She snuck a glance at Jayne only to find him staring at her with a clear longing on his face. She stood on shaky legs as she carefully moved the tray from the bed to the chair and settled herself on the big merc's lap, a knee on either side of his slender hips. "Am I being too...?" She never finished the question as Jayne closed the distance between their lips, taking his time to move his lips against hers, gently flicking his tongue against her lip and slowly exploring her entire mouth before pulling back and dragging his lips, teeth and tongue down her jaw and across her neck, sucking hard on her collar bone. He pulled back with a pleased expression to admire the dark purple spot forming on her pale skin. She started exploring the man before her, pulling his shirt up and off before kissing him again as he fumbled with the clasp of her bra. He succeeded and pulled back from her long enough to pull her shirt and bra away from her creamy skin.

"Oh bao bei, you are a pretty little thing..." Jayne mumbled into her neck as he began to kiss and nibble her again, hands coming up to her breasts, gently worrying the nipples to hardness. He gasped when Kaylee's hands pulled open his belt and fumbled with the button and zip of his pants. He stood and shucked his pants as he laid her down in his bed, slowly pulling open the rest of the buttons of her coveralls and pulling them, lacy panties and all, from her body. She whimpered slightly as she tried to pull her to him and he resisted. He was having a hard time taking it all in, the beautiful girl who he had been in love with since he had first laid eyes on her was here, in his bed, waiting for him to join her. He stood slowly and stepped over to open a drawer and pull out the small box from the market the day before. Making her close her eyes, he opened the box and lightly sprayed the perfume over the beautiful girl, seeing her smile as she recognized the sent. He went to her then, settling himself between her legs as he kissed her senseless. He lowered a hand to the silken folds of her nethers, sliding his thumb over her clit and gently sliding a finger into her core, watching her shudder in response. He slowly withdrew his finger and slid it back in and Kaylee started to work against his hand, sliding her own hand down to stroke his jiba. As she did she was pleased to see his eyes lose focus as he leaned into her to kiss her again. "I want you so bad, Kaylee girl." He moaned against her lips. She pulled his hand from her then, and guided him to her entrance, waiting for him to make the next move. She took a deep breath, willing herself to relax as he slowly slid his diao into her wet heat. She moaned when he filled her to bursting, raising her legs and locking her ankles around his waist. He slowly started to move inside of her, both of them moaning at the tight fit, marveling at how every motion, no matter how slight caused intense pleasure. Jayne's hips began to move faster and Kaylee set her own rhythm against his moaning and gasping her way to climax. Within minutes the entire ship was able to hear the woman scream Jayne's name as he pushed her over the edge. On the contrary, Jayne's movements became short and lost much of their finesse as Kaylee clamped down in her climax, bringing Jayne to his. He leaned down and half moaned half whispered, "I love you, Kaylee girl" into her ear.

As they lay in a tangle of limbs, Kaylee didn't know what to say. Had he just been saying it? Did he say it to all the girls he sexed? Surely he did. Why would he love her? The man was like one of those old statues of the Greek gods and heroes back on Earth that was. He could have any woman, why would he want plain ole Kaylee? It was true she had feelings for him. Had 'em since she could remember, really. But he was always off whorin' and never showed any interest in her except in hoopball, but that was just cause she was light and he could get her on his shoulders easily. So when Simon had come on board she had let his shiny core bred good looks sweep her up. She had let herself get caught up in it all and he had treated her horribly. And she had ended up with the big brute of a merc, anyway. Life had a funny way of workin' out. She looked over to see the man looking perfectly contented, even in sleep. She gently disengaged herself from him, sprayed a bit of the lavender perfume on the pillow where her head had been and slipped up the ladder wearing his shirt. She had something to do.

Jayne lay there, holding the gasping mechanic in his arms. His head was in the clouds, though. He could hardly believe what had just happened. He had spent years watching her fawn over pretty boys, not paying him any mind, and here she was. He had denied his feelings for her, even to himself and his Ma! And he had just blurted them out there, and she hadn't turned on him for it. That was his immediate expectation after the words had come out. He had been sure that she was just there for a quick rut to get her over the fight with the doc, and he had gone and brought feelings into it. The man had been positive the tiny woman was gonna turn tail and run. But she just snuggled into his shoulder as her breathing slowed to normal. He smiled, happy with this turn of events and felt her shift. He closed his eyes so she wouldn't see the goofy grin on his face. Then he felt her moving away and it took all of his self control not to pull her back. He heard her take a few steps and heard the perfume spray just before he smelled the lavender, a scent he would forever associate with Kaylee, hit his pillow. He heard fabric swish and opened his eyes a crack to see her shimmying out of his bunk in nothing but his tshirt. He didn't want to think it, but he supposed he had scared her off when he watched the bunk door close behind her. He sat their for a few moments thinking on how to make things write because he couldn't imagine life without Kaylee in it, her brightness and cheer kept him going when nothing else could. He was all but losing hope when he heard the door hiss open again. His fingers tightened on Vera for a moment before he heard the swish of his tshirt coming off of the woman and smelled the sweet perfume he was making a mental note to buy crates of for his girl.

He opened his eyes and sat up when she didn't come back to join him in bed. He pulled her by the waist to sit on his lap and watched as she struck one of the matches he had given her and lit the sketch of Simon on fire. As the paper curled into embers and ash Kaylee leaned back into her lover, turning her head to make sure he was watching. When nothing was left but ash, she carefully collected the black powder into an envelope she folded out of one of the pieces of paper. Jayne handed her a piece of the charcoal he had bought and watched as she wrote on the outside Watch me strike a match on all my wasted time. As far as I'm concerned, you're just another picture to burn.

She sighed as she turned to face her merc, asking bluntly, "Didja mean it?"

Jayne's throat caught as he responded, "More than you know, ai ren. 've loved ya since'n I saw ya the very first time."

"Good, 'cause I'm done lovin' on people who don't love me back. And since I plan on lovin' on you for a very long time, I needed to make sure you loved me as much as I loved you."

Jayne sat there dumbfounded. Then he asked the question that was tearing up his mind, "Why would you love an ol' hun dan like me for?"

"'Cause you've taken care of me forever, even when I was making a fool outta myself for Simon Tam. You've always seen me for who I am, not the picture in your head." She answered without even needing to think. She hadn't even consciously known she had loved him and yet here she was able to lay it out without a second thought. "Why would you love a plain ol' girl like me? I ain't nothing like the girl's I seen ya with afore."

"Course yer not." Jayne grinned. " I couldn't be with a whore that reminded me of the woman I love. It woulda gotten too complicated. Never woulda been good enough since she wasn't really you."

Kaylee kissed the man for all she was worth before settling back into the pillows for some more loving as Jayne slowly worked her body over with his mouth. "I love you, too, bao bei." Kaylee moaned as Jayne slipped his tongue into her heat.

When Simon awoke the next morning he crept into the infirmary. He looked in the mirror to see that the split in his eyebrow was healing nicely. He turned with a yawn to prepare himself for the day. That was when he saw it. A small envelope with Kaylee's loopy handwriting across the outside. "A picture to burn...?" Simon repeated confused as he opened the flap to find nothing but ashes and a scrap of paper, its edges burned, upon which was drawn a very good likeness of his own left eye before Mal had split it. Tears in his eyes he leaned on the counter as he realized it really was over. And then he looked up to see Kaylee and Jayne, arms around one another, walking past and down to the cargo bay.

The End