Artistic Pretender

Title: Interrogation
Series Title: Wandering Home
Author: FabledFigment
Disclaimer: There is no original content, except for the original content. All Hail Joss.
Timeline: Post BDM plus three years.
Rating: R
Series Rating: NC-17

Previous

*

Jayne'd missed River’s little meltdown when Mattie walked in the door, but he sure noticed her gazing at his brother like a lovesick puppy. Gorramit.

Jayne admitted grudgingly that the two of them would make a nice couple. Maybe if they took Mattie somewhere for treatment they might hit it off.

“I should tromp down the way.” Jayne said reluctantly. “I need to WAVE my ship and get them to fly over.” He snagged another cookie off the plate. “Then River wants to go down to the quarry for some target practice.”

River put a hand on his arm. “You stay here, visit with your mother. I’ll go let Mal know to fly over. Where should the ship set down?”

Jayne looked to Mattie.

“Our front pasture is empty right now.” Mattie supplied. “That’s about as close to town as is reasonable.”

“Gonna attract some attention that way.” Jayne said uneasily.

“If you can stay long enough, we’ll have a social for you.” Ma said, beaming.

“I’ll set a beacon in the front pasture.” Mattie offered, setting the sliced cheese on the table.

River stood. “I won’t be long.”

“You shouldn’t be out alone. Mal…” Jayne began.

She laughed. “I’ll be fine. I saw the general store on the way in. That’s where the WAVE machine is, right?” She put her hand on Jayne’s shoulder. “Bail me out if I land in jail?”

“River.” Jayne said warningly, successfully ignoring her mischievous smile.

“I could take Miss River and bring her back safe.” Mattie offered.

Jayne considered a moment before nodding. “Good idea, then you can both go set the beacon and come right back.” It would give them a chance to see if they could strike sparks. He honestly wouldn’t mind a Tam in the family.

Mattie laughed which ended in a little cough. “No problem, J Mike.”

*

The afternoon shadows were lengthening as River left Jayne’s house with his little brother. His uncommonly shuai (handsome) little brother.

“Have you and J Mike been courting long?” Mattie asked as they passed the gate.

“What? No, we’re not…” River sputtered.

“Not courting?” Mattie looked questioningly at her. “He’s never brought anyone home before. He shows up with you, does the overprotective act and I know for a fact at least one of those pistols is his.” He gestured towards her hip. “I gave it to him years ago. Do you still want to claim you aren’t courting?”

River blushed. “We really aren’t.” She insisted.

“Huh.” Mattie looked questioningly at her. “He never lets anyone handle his guns.”

“I’ve proven I take good care of them.” She said shortly.

Now that they were alone, Jayne’s little brother made her uncomfortable. She could also clearly Read that he was only interested in her as far as her relationship with his brother went.

“Well, it won’t be long, then.” Mattie smiled. “He always could charm the ladies.”

That didn’t quite match what River knew about Jayne’s pay to play philosophy, but she let the topic die.

Mattie cleared his throat half a block later. "What does your shirt say, if you don't mind my asking."

River snorted delicately and told him in Chinese.

Mattie blushed and adjusted his glasses. River could Read he was glad they were nearly to their destination.

They entered the general store to the sound of a twinkling bell.

“Hey, Sue Patrick, I’ve got a spacer here who wants to WAVE her ship.” Mattie called out.

The man behind the counter was a thin, pinched looking man with lank dark hair. “Show her where the unit is. It’s a paybox, ma’am.”

River dug Mal’s beer money out of her pocket and followed Mattie to the rear of the shop.

“Does everyone on Corinth have a gender confused name?” River asked quietly.

Mattie chuckled softly. “Pretty much. I’m Sally Matthew myself.”

“What an intriguing custom.” River smiled weakly.

Mattie told her the frequency for the beacon and left her to make the call.

Christa, the new pilot, answered and patched her through to Mal.

“Wo de ma. Did Jayne get arrested?” Was the first thing out of his mouth.

“Not even close.” River grinned. “You’ve been issued a dinner invitation you should not refuse. I’ll feed you the general coordinates.”

“Got them.” Mal agreed.

“Good, we’re setting up a beacon in the field where you can park the ship. We’ll send someone to bring you to dinner. I’m sending the frequency now.”

“But…”

“Mustn’t refuse.” River waved an admonishing finger at him. “Did you know Jayne’s mother calls him Michael?” She cut off the WAVE machine before he could answer. She left the booth humming. Mal would still be swearing. Jayne would have botched that.

Mattie was waiting for her out in the shop.

“Taken care of?” He asked.

River smiled. “Easy peasy. Captain never noticed he didn’t get a chance to agree that he was moving the ship.”

Mattie half smiled, half frowned and shook his head. “Is that how you handle J Mike too?”

River frowned. “We don’t… We aren’t… I mean he’s just a member of my crew.”

Mattie shrugged. “Come on, we have a beacon to set up.”

The field was just outside of town. Looking back, River could see the tiled roof of the Cobb residence.

*

“So, son…” His ma led off as soon as River was out the door. “This girl…?”

“No, Ma, she ain’t my sweetie.” Jayne cut in before she could get the whole question out. “She’s just part of the crew I fly with.”

“But you brought her home, and the way you look at her…”

Jayne shook his head firmly. “Ain’t so at all, Ma. She’s along because I promised to find her a place where she could waste that ammo she has strapped on.” Jayne piled a sandwich together from the fixings Ma’d laid out.

Ma sighed and reached for her knitting. Jayne could tell she was starting to believe him.

“You need to settle down, boy.” She tucked her cable needle behind her ear. “Provide me with grandchildren to spoil.”

Jayne watched her fingers fly. When he was a kid he used to fall asleep watching her needles move. It was like magic the way the cloth part grew with every motion.

“Ma, my life…”

“Pshaw.” Ma cut in. “You’ve told me about your pilot and his wife. They’ve…”

“Wash is dead, Ma.” Jayne said quietly. “Been gone three years.”

“Oh, my goodness.” Her needles fell still. “How?”

“Reavers.” Jayne grimaced. “You remember that broadwave about Miranda? That was us. Mal didn’t want us telling anyone. That’s when Wash died and the Shepherd I told you about.”

“Oh, what about his wife? Chloe?”

“Zoë.” Jayne corrected. “She’s coping.”

“But she had a good thing while it lasted. You should…”

“Ma, there’s five beautiful women on my crew and there ain’t one of them I’m sparking with.” Jayne tapped his thumb against the side of the table. “I’d really rather you didn’t taunt me about any of them while they’re here. Could cause uncomfortableness out in the Black. A Firefly is a small ship. We don’t need uncomfortableness.”

“Alright, I promise.” She had to try one more time. “You’re sure you haven’t got feelings for that little River?”

“Not the way you mean, so no, not to speak of at all.” Jayne confirmed.

Ma looked at him measuringly, then looked back down at her fingers.

“Who’s working the acreage for you now?” Jayne asked.

“Mary Thomas Friedman, he’s leased it from me for five years now. The lease money is enough to keep me going with what I get knitting and what you send home. I’m really almost wealthy.”

“Mattie?”

“He works hard up on that source box of his. I don’t have a clue what he does, but someone somewhere pays him for it. His lungs never get any better, but they don’t seem to get worse either. Doc Carter can’t seem to make heads or tails of it. With regular damp lung Mattie shouldn’t even be alive, God forbid.”

“Our doctor has some top rate equipment, maybe he can suss it out.” Jayne said. “He’s River’s brother. You’ll like him, he’s all polite and sh-stuff.”

River and Mattie walked in not much later, both laughing heartily. Jayne felt like he’d been punched in the gut, but he convinced himself to grin up at them.

River sent him an odd look.

“Mal will come.” She said, still looking curiously at him. “You promised to let me shoot Tracy.” She swung the deadly weapon into her arms and caressed it like a baby. “She’s been looking forward to the exercise all day.”

Jayne wasn’t really sure if she meant the gun or herself. Either way she presented a sexifying sight. He tore his eyes away from her.

“Do we have time?” Jayne asked. “Someone should wait for the ship.”

“I’ll go do that.” Mattie offered. “How long will they be?”

“Mal didn’t say.” River admitted. “It shouldn’t be long unless the crew needs to gather first.”

“You don’t want to come down to the quarry?” Jayne asked his brother in surprise. He used to always love to shoot. As a child he followed anywhere Jayne would let him.

“No, I get to practice with the militia twice a week. That’s enough for me.” Mattie said. “I’ll go see Nate Alice. We can see the ship land from her back porch.”

“Nate Alice?” Jayne asked.

Mattie grinned. “My fiancée.”

Jayne’s jaw dropped open. “When?”

“About a month ago.” Mattie grinned back. “It’s in my last letter, which you haven’t gotten yet by the look on your face.”

Well, Jayne thought, there goes the hope of marrying River into the family. He wasn’t sure if he was sorry or relieved. His gut couldn’t decide.

“Have her come to dinner.” Ma instructed. “I’m planning a feast.” Her needles never stopped moving.

“We’ll come.” Mattie promised.

“Let’s go make noise with that thing.” Jayne said gruffly, standing and gesturing towards Tracy.

“Excellent.” River ran her hand down the length of the barrel.

Disquieting.

Jayne leaned over to kiss his Ma before they left.

“Dinner should be ready as the sun goes down.”

“We’ll be back by then.” Jayne promised.

They went out front and mounted up. Jayne led the way out of town and down a little trail. He rode a little ahead to put off conversing. Not even sure why.

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