Past, Present and Future

Cassidy was always an early riser and the rest of her sleep was surprisingly peaceful, the nightmares had for some reason decided to give her a moments rest. She climbed the ladder up and out of her room before trying to make it down to the kitchen to find some food. Then maybe she would find the captain and ask what he was considering about her situation. As she entered the kitchen she saw that she wasn’t alone in her quest for food. Jayne was stirring something over the stove.



He heard her enter and looked up. She had given up trying to pin her hair up and instead had let the wild curls cascade down the sides of her face, past her shoulders to settle over her breasts. She was wearing a top the hugged those curves to a point that made Jayne forget to breathe. Simple leather pants rested just over her hips and he felt like a cad for his thoughts but damn if she was going to dress that way then he sure as hell was going to notice! He cleared his throat and looked back to the soup he was mixing. “I made enough for you if you’re interested.”



She had stood in the doorway debating whether or not she should leave when he looked up at her and she saw the beautiful blue eyes of his she could so easily loose herself in. His blue print shirt brought them out even more and she saw the muscles in his arms move as he lifted the spoon out of the pan. The knife strapped to his hip she knew only hinted at his arsenal and it cut him an even sexier image, she was in dangerous territory. Damn it Cassidy, now isn’t the time for thoughts like that…you guys have too much history. When she noticed the glare he was giving her she glared back and reaffirmed her disgruntled attitude regarding her husband. He had offered breakfast and she wasn’t going to back down so she silently walked in and sat down at the table. She had at least one thing to say that she didn’t want to push off.



When he joined her with two bowls of soup she broke the silence first, “I know he’s safe Jayne, I’m sorry if that made you worry but”



“Of course I ruttin worry! Who know’s what could be happening, what did happen…”



“Nothing!” She exclaimed as she reached over to clench his hand for added assurance, “Do you hear me? Nothing! I have to believe that because that is the only way I can maintain what is left of my sanity.”



“Why didn’t you tell me…” Jayne stopped talking when he saw Simon walk into the room.



“Oh, I’m sorry…I didn’t think I would be interrupting anything.” Simon turned to leave but Cassidy didn’t want to be left alone with Jayne so she reached out.



“Please, you aren’t interrupting, I’m sure you have to eat like the rest of us” Cassidy said as she as last finally started to eat her own. Of course she remembered that Jayne could make a decent enough meal, he just rarely had.



Simon went to the cabinets in search of his own meal ignoring Jaynes glare. “I don’t much feel like socializing,” Jayne said as he got up with his bowl and marched out.



Cassidy saw him go out of the corner of her eye and knew that they weren’t done but she was also grateful for Simon for the reprieve. Now here she was trapped in a room with someone she only met yesterday and had no idea anything about and she was going to have to try to be pleasant. “I’m sorry I can’t remember your name but I hope you forgive his rudeness” Cassidy said.



“Are you kidding?” Simon laughed as he turned, “all things considered that was very pleasant of him, maybe you’re having a good influence.” He joined her at the table asking for courage to get down to business, “I’m Simon by the way.”



“Ha. That will be the day. Simon, I’ve known him for a long time and I don’t think I’ve affected him a bit,” Simon knew that was a lie just from how different Jayne was when she was around but he let it slide. Then silence prevailed with only the sound of them eating.



“I’m a doctor you know.” He held his head down and just through that out there.



She looked over at him and froze “No,” she said quietly, “I hadn’t realized that.”



When he looked up at her he knew that she recognized the significance and wasn’t pleased. “I have healed,” she announced and left it at that hoping he would too.



“For the most part, yes probably but I could probably help if you would let me examine…”



“I’m sorry Simon but some things are better left alone.”



“Yes, but in my experience those things better left alone are never medical matters.”



“You can’t do anything for what ails me,” she whispered almost to herself.



Simon saw the look in her eyes, a hopeless look, “We won’t know unless you let me try.”



She stared him in the eyes, looked at the young eyes that thought they could take on the world. Sure he had seen troubles, more so than probably most but he still believed he could cure the world. She found herself hoping that he would never lose that. Yet here she was trying to take that belief from him by saying that there was nothing he could do.



She had trained a little to be a nurse back home so she took care of a lot of the injuries she had accumulated herself but part of her was wondering what a real doctor could do. Then the other part of her would chime in with, how dare she get help with her wounds when Evan was probably scared this morning? Yes he was completely unharmed as part of the deal and yes she hurt in overwhelming ways at times but the scars were old and the hurt would stay for good. No miracle this young doctor could perform would be able to fix what hurt most though, but who was she to crush that look in him? Then again the questions would come when he saw the scars and more of his innocence would be lost with that…she knew when she first left that she should see a doctor but then when she left she was still bleeding, now the wounds were old and relatively healed.



“You are welcome to try Doctor but don’t say I didn’t warn you, and it will have to wait until after I talk to the captain.” She stood with her finished meal and when she passed Simon she paused wanting to add more but deciding to let it hang…he would find out soon enough.



“Captain, Captain! I’ve been looking all over for you,” Cassidy yelled down the hall.



“I wasn’t hiding.” Mal said as he stopped and turned towards his mercenaries wife. “What can I help you with?” He forced the words out, still amazed by how beautiful she was, far more so than any of the women he has ever seen Jayne with…but that wasn’t his place to meddle so instead he waited for her answer.



“I wanted to know what we are going to do to retrieve my son.”



“Our son” Jayne intoned from below them, he had just walked into the room when he heard their exchange,” “we’re on our way to Destiny now Cassidy,” he answered for himself as he walked up to meet them, “Any word from Andrie, Mal?”



“That’s what I was just on my way to see about, now if you two will follow me I will let you in on what I’m thinking.”



They stepped in behind him and Jayne amazed himself when he backed off to let her go in first. One day she was here and already he was turning soft. That alone added a deep scowl and growl to his walk.



“No word yet Mal, but we’re approaching atmo,” Wash called to them when he noticed him on the walkway. He stood when he noticed Cassidy and awkwardly said, “nice to see you again Mrs. Cobb, Cassidy, um.” He wasn’t sure how to talk to her, he knew the situation was delicate but the weirdest thought of all that made his speech impossible was that this lovely woman was married to Jayne. Oh he needed Zoe here to make sense of things for him.



“Oh don’t ruttin trip over your tongue fool,” Jayne said when he pushed Wash back into the chair and moved to take the other pilots seat, “you act like you ain’t never seen a pretty girl before.”



Jayne had seen plenty of people make fools of themselves when Cassidy was around to twist them all up, and Jayne never had patience for it. They may not be the ideal married couple but damn if he was going to put up with people oogling his wife, Wash had one of his own for gorram sake.



Mal smiled despite himself, so even though they weren’t on the best of terms Jayne was still possessive, well at least he recognized that his wife was pretty. Not one to get into the middle of things he more often than not left well enough alone but he was more than intrigued by this situation…and would later settle the score with Jayne. He also saw a perfect opportunity to get even with Jayne for all the crap he’s pulled….well maybe later.



“We need more information but I think that the best way we’re going to approach this is give them what they want.”



“Excuse me?” She couldn’t be hearing correctly.



“You said that they let you go in order to bring Jayne to them, well it’s a real good thing you found us then because the best way to find them will be for you to meet them where you were supposed to, with Jayne of course.”



She was stunned, no he couldn’t think that she was just going to give them what they wanted.



“Sounds like a plan to me,” Jayne added.



That idiot she called her husband was making matters worse by not thinking, she turned her rage towards him, “of course you fool would think that’s a good idea, now I see why you’re with this crew, you all think alike!” She turned towards mal, “don’t you understand that I left determined to give them nothing NOTHING more than they already have taken, I just want Evan back. I won’t go back to them, I wont!” her hands were visibly shaking and she was nearing panic.



Jayne awkwardly stood unsure of what he should do, Mal reached out to her but Jayne grabbed her before he could touch her and hauled her against his side. “Listen Cass, I want Evan back too but we need to find the people and you know where they will be,” he looked pointedly at Mal when he said next, “you won’t be going anywhere with them but you have to make the call and I will be the one they have to concentrate on anyways.”



“You won’t be alone,” Mal added.



She was calling herself a coward but took comfort in their words, Jayne would be with her and he would make damn sure that they would take no more of what belonged to them. They would inflict no more pain and they would get their son back. She extracted herself from under Jaynes arm. “I will go along with whatever you think is best since that is what I’m paying you for, but right now I have an appointment.”



She knew she was running away before she disgraced herself further, she had to, she just hoped that none of the men in that room noticed. Mal almost followed her but instead he helped Jayne make the decision to follow her for him, “now I wonder what she would have an appointment for.” Of course he knew she was probably going to see Simon…but Jayne didn’t. He watched the wheels turning until Jayne just grunted and walked out. Now all Mal had to do was hope that he was bright enough to figure out what he was hinting at.



The only thing Jayne knew was that whatever she had run off to probably was something he aught to know about. What did she think she was doing? The ship wasn’t that big how is it she was already out of sight? He had things to do and now he was chasing after a woman who seemed to make a habit out of leaving him hanging. With that, he started his search.