Past, Present and Future

Mal didn’t react at first, in truth if Jayne didn’t look so damned torn up and confused himself he would have thought he had developed a teasing sense of humor. As it was Mal just stood there looking at his mercenary trying to figure it all out in his head.

Fortunately, Zoe took that time to walk into the bay, “Captain I was just going to go down with the mule” her presence didn’t phase them much and the silence along with Mal’s stupefied face in addition to the lovely woman next to him raised her suspicions, “don’t tell me you got married again?”

Cassidy was uncomfortable, more and more people were coming and all she wanted to do was leave and forget this whole ship and one man who seemed to call it home. This was supposed to be a little to no-questions-asked job and it was getting complicated. Oh why hadn’t she asked more questions about the crew of Serenity? Jayne still hadn’t let go of her and she knew from experience he wasn’t like to get distracted and let her leave anytime soon. Not until he got answers of his own, but she couldn’t give him answers even if she wanted to which, in truth, was the last thing she wanted to do. With everything that had happened in the past few years her feelings for him left a bitter taste and for all she cared he could remain in the dark for the rest of his life!

“I can’t rightly marry someone who’s already married now can I Zoe?” Mals attention turned to his first mate that he knew would be able to straighten this all out for him to his satisfaction, “this to all of my confounded amazement is Mrs. Jayne Cobb, or that is what these two are trying to make me believe.” He was almost laughing as he finished because he could see the same expression he had on earlier mimicked by Zoe.

Cassidy had had enough, she wasn’t a soft spoken person, she just wasn’t used to being surprised and while she stood there her mind was going a mile a minute trying to find a solution to this mess but she wasn’t about to let Captain Reynolds comment slide, “I prefer to be called Cassidy, and while I don’t give a damn whether you believe we’re married or not I do care if you have changed your mind about helping me since then I should just take my leave since I am running short on time…”

“Didn’t I tell you you ain’t going nowhere?” Jayne emphasized with a shake.

That was it. She jerked herself away from Jayne’s grip and backed up a few steps, “Like you give a damn! I am way past taking orders from you Jayne Cobb” she turned to storm out and then realized that the hatch had been closed while she was distracted. Gorram it she was trapped.

“Least I can tell it miss, you hired me and mine for a job and while I don’t mean to add to your discomfort and would normally be all to happy to leave Jayne here for a spell to make you more comfortable, you mentioned trouble and I don’t feel like getting shot at when Jayne can get shot at in my stead.” As he said his speech he had advanced on Cassidy and was pleasantly surprised when she didn’t back up a step, then again, she was married to Jayne and Mal may have some delusions of grandeur but he knew he wasn’t as physically intimidating as his merc. “Jayne has been a part of my crew for a long time now and you two will just have to make your peace, we’re leaving.” He turned and began to walk away determined to tell the rest of his crew who was now occupying their ship before anyone else got the chance. He was practically running by the time he reached the stairs, Zoe was a close second.

Jayne and Cassidy were left alone in the silence. All he had to do was take three short strides and he would be able to reach her, but that was a lie. He had been aware for a long time now that he would have to be a master of traveling time to reach her at this point. So instead of making the effort he studied her.

She looked downright skinny and the darkness under her eyes showed her exhaustion. It didn’t take away from her looks though, she had always been pretty but right then with her hair lit just so she was downright stunning and Jayne found himself in dangerous territory when he began to wonder if it was still as soft as her remembered. How in the hell did she still have this effect on him? And just why in the ruttin hell was she trying to hide the fact that she was packing from him?

He met her gaze and noticed something that went far deeper than the anger and betrayal between them, it scared him more than the exhaustion across her features. Her spark was missing her eyes were dead and lifeless. She didn’t look like she was going to start railing into him for one thing or another but more like she would cry—and she never cried. Her eyes hadn’t looked that way since…well in a long time. All his anger and confusion dissipated in an instant, “Cassidy, what happened?”

He didn’t get an answer, the second he opened his mouth she moved and continued right past him following the trail of the captain. She was overwhelmingly grateful that he didn’t reach out for her and didn’t call out. She didn’t want to disgrace herself by falling into his arms, she was supposed to hate him she reminded herself, and she did, it had just been so long since she had seen anyone familiar it shook her up all inside. She wasn’t allowed to break she told herself, she had things to do, Evan was counting on her. So she left as fast as she could and tried to block out the memories that were surfacing—the feel of his arms around her, such strength. Strength she couldn’t afford to depend on due to its unreliability she reminded herself. He didn’t help you then and he won’t help now. She shook her head and continued on her way to finding the captain. She would answer his questions and be as honest as possible, the more he knew the more help they could be.

She found herself isolated in a hallway leaning against the wall telling herself she just needed to take a few more gulping breaths and find whatever inner strength she had left. She shook herself upright and continued on, it was about time they started on their way. She had a son to rescue.

Jayne stood there in the silence for a minute. He wasn’t known to be a man of many thoughts but damn it all Cassidy just walked into his life again and she stirred up all sorts of things on his part that he wasn’t known for. Suddenly he was remembering things that for years he had tried to forget. The look on Bryants face when he asked Jayne to watch over the last thing he cared about in the world, Cassidy’s face when she was younger—so full of life and love…and it all changed that one night.

Now Cassidy was obviously in trouble, and he had no clue what it was about. Gorram it didn’t she know he was supposed to protect her? Of course she knew, she was there when he spoke the vow. Why had she searched out complete strangers for help and yet hadn’t sent him a single message? Of course—she wanted nothing to do with him. At that thought his face darkened and he remembered that he didn’t have to do anything where she was concerned, she chose this life and he his, but damn it all he wasn’t about to let her tell a false story to his crew. He stormed out even as he felt the ship lift off.