Archive of Our Own

Jayne/Kaylee, Crew
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Not mine, not making any $$
A/N: I actually finished something for the summerofjaylee ficathon! This calls for a celebration, people :D Established Jaylee, Post BDM, Wash is alive and Book is running around somewhere.
Word Count: 2,780

And Baby Makes Nine

They have to have been the longest nine months of his life but, even with the impending arrival of another Cobb who was sure to fill his ears with complaints, at the moment Mal doesn't have time to mind. Simon has put him to work scrounging up clean towels and the various other things midwives throughout history have charged men with simply to keep them busy and out of the way. In the infirmary, Kaylee's gasps of pain are a low undercurrent to the sound of the lullaby River is singing to the baby waiting to be born. The times Mal has come back to see what else Simon needs, Jayne hasn't moved a muscle – his eyes are locked onto Kaylee's face as she rides out the contractions as best she can but although her white-knuckled grip on his forearm has to hurt, the merc is unmovable as rock as he murmurs to her softly.

"There anything I can get ya, mei mei?" Mal asks awkwardly.

Kaylee bites her lip, panting as she shakes her head. "Everything's shiny, Cap'n."

He looks at her incredulously. "No it ain't! That husband a'yours is the cause of all this – I'd squeeze a lot harder if I were you."

Jayne glares at Mal, opening his mouth to respond when Simon beats him to the punch. "Why don't you wait outside, Captain?"

"But…"

"Out. Side," Simon repeats firmly, his tone brooking no argument.

"My ship," Mal protests, but obeys all the same. Through the windows he can see Jayne's attention going back to Kaylee and Mal shakes his head as the big mercenary smoothes her hair back from her forehead with a gentle hand. "Shoulda stopped that before it started in the first place," he grumbles to himself.

"What's that, Sir?" Zoë asks on her way past him.

Mal opens his mouth, but closes it quickly at the slightly amused look on his Second's face. "Ain't nothin' wrong with a man talking to himself on occasion." He strides off to find Wash as if that's always been his intention, and pretends he doesn't hear Zoë's quiet laugh.

Up on the bridge, Wash is busily rearranging his dinosaurs on the console nervously. "How is she?"

Mal drops into the co-pilot's chair. "Baby's near-on as stubborn as both its parents – won't be here for a while."

They sit in silence to wait and after another hour passes, Simon finally announces that the other men can join them in the infirmary. Wash quickly re-checks the autopilot before they hurry down to find an exhausted but happy mechanic cradling a squalling bundle close. Jayne's perched on the side of the bed with his arms around his small family, looking prouder than Mal's ever seen him. "It's a boy, Cap'n," Kaylee beams. "Ain't he handsome?"

She tilts the bundle so he can see the scrunched-up red face wrapped inside the cloth, which is just about the scariest thing he's seen in the 'verse. "Looks just like his pa," Mal allows.

"What's his name?" Wash asks curiously, walking over to peer at the new arrival.

"We're gonna call him David Emerson Cobb, for both his granddaddies," Kaylee says. "Meet your Uncle Wash, Davey." The pilot's eyes immediately widen in alarm as she hands the baby over to him.

David Emerson opens his mouth even wider to loose another angry wail as he's transferred but, for a wonder, falls silent the moment Wash carefully tucks him against the wildest shirt Mal's ever seen. "He likes me, Zoë," the pilot whispers incredulously.

It's Mal's opinion that the baby is too appalled by his uncle's choice of clothing to cry, but he refrains from saying so aloud. Mal also stops himself from taking a step forward when Kaylee asks who wants to hold Davey next, and just watches while Zoë takes a turn – she actually coos at the baby - before passing him to River. "A little soul that will travel far," the young woman predicts with a smile as she rocks her nephew gently.

The Reader starts to offer him to Inara, who shakes her head violently, then turns to Mal who is certainly not jealous that everyone else has gotten to hold Davey before it's his turn. "Uncle Captain needs to meet you. Saved the best for last."

"Whoa now, I don't need to hold no babies," Mal protests.

His mouth closes quickly at the wry expression on River's face, and Kaylee giggles sleepily from within the protective circle of Jayne's arms. "Just hold 'im, Cap'n. He's real shiny."

Sighing, Mal gives into the inevitable and obediently cradles his newborn nephew, who fixes him with a distrustful and slightly watery blue eyed glare. The tiny face screws up and Serenity's captain is on the brink of handing him right back to where he came from in case a howl emerges from that tiny maw, but Davey simply yawns and closes his eyes. Mal has never held something so small, so helpless, and so completely trusting. "You listen to me, xiao shing– I'm your captain so that means you do what I tell ya regardless of what that daddy of yours says. We'll get ya raised right, don't you worry," he whispers.

"What're you tellin' my boy?" Jayne's demand breaks him out of the spell and Mal jerks his head up to see the rest of them staring.

Simon clears his throat. "Fatherhood suits you, Captain."

"How'd you like latrine duty for the next month?" he shoots back.

Simon just ducks his head to hide a smile. "I think it's time for Kaylee and David to get some sleep – they've had a long day."

Mal reluctantly hands Davey back to his father, and spends a moment shaking his head in amazement at the careful way Jayne cradles the tiny baby boy in his massive arms. He never thought to see the day Jayne was that gone over anything that didn't explode.

In the two months since his birth it's quickly become apparent that while little Davey has his father's lungs, he's inherited his mother's cheerful disposition in full measure. Wash smiles down at his nephew as Davey waves his arms, burbling and cooing up a storm. "…and this is a Triceratops," he prompts, holding up one of the dinosaurs for inspection.

"Buh," Davey hiccups, reaching for it. Wash lets him take it, but the triceratops is promptly discarded in favor of a tiny fistful of Hawaiian shirt.

"Next time we're on Beaumond, I'll find you a shirt just like this," Wash promises.

Zoë ducks through the door and comes up behind him to rest her hands on his shoulders. "Figured this is where I'd find you two," his wife says, gazing down at the child in his lap. "You'd make a good father."

"I'm not so sure that we're ready yet, sweetie."

"How many times do we have to go through this?" she asks, exasperation creeping into her voice.

Wash glances up at her and smiles ruefully. "I just want to make sure we're doing the right thing, bringing a child into this 'verse with the life we lead. I mean, we all know that Davey here wasn't exactly planned."

Zoë makes a sound in the back of her throat that sounds a little too much like anger for Wash's peace of mind. "I'm not sure I've ever seen a child more protected – you've seen how Jayne gets whenever Davey's even thinking about crying. Seems downright silly to hide behind what might happen, Husband."

Their conversation is interrupted by the arrival of River, who has come in search of Serenity's smallest crew member. "Food has been prepared for the pint-sized Jayne," she says seriously, holding her arms out expectantly. "I'll take him."

Davey immediately crams a piece of River's hair into his mouth and begins gumming it enthusiastically. "Fine, I see where I stand," Wash jokes. "I guess I'll finish teaching him all there is to know about being a pilot after he's had his bottle."

He's just like his Pa, Kaylee thinks with a grin as she watches her seven month-old son attempting to climb into Inara's lap. The Companion looks as if she'd rather be anywhere else, but allows Davey to place one small and very sticky hand on her dress as he looks up at her through wide blue eyes. "Uhhht," he insists loudly, pushing on Inara's knee.

"Mei mei," Inara starts, looking over at Kaylee with an imploring gaze. "I don't think this is such a good idea."

"Aw, c'mon 'Nara, he just wants ta say hello." Kaylee laughs and sits down her bowl of protein mush to walk over and lift Davey into the other woman's lap.

Jayne walks into the galley, rubbing at his broad chest and yawning. "You might oughtta check them joins again, babygirl. Mal had me weldin' 'em all mornin' and I still don't think he's satisfied." Kaylee watches as her husband drops his big body into the nearest chair, laughing over at their son tiredly. "Time was I would'a killed to be right where that boy is now," he joked, sharing a smile with her.

"Well, you can forget about that ever happenin', Mister Cobb," Kaylee scowls, waggling a finger at him.

"Now, why'd I ever want t' be in anyone's lap but yours?" Jayne teases back, reaching over to pat her thigh with a big hand. "Speakin' of a lapful, how 'bout you bring your sweet lil' self on over?"

The mechanic settles herself on her husband's lap as his massive arms encircle her, making her feel protected and cared for. She needs the reassurance he provides, after her earlier talk with her parents on the Cortex. "Talked to Momma few hours ago, wenshen," she starts hesitantly.

Jayne's fingers begin to rub soothing circles on her arms. "Yeah?"

"She said she'd love for 'im to come stay for fosterin'." Just the thought of not having their son near at all times is enough for her to blink back tears. "Haven't talked ta Mal 'bout it yet."

"Life we lead ain't no life for a little'un," Jayne reminds her gently.

Kaylee sighs heavily. "I know it. Tien, but I know it."

Over on the couch, Davey collapses into a contagious set of baby giggles and further discussion is postponed.

Even Inara is quiet when the time comes for Serenity to touch down on Harvest and leave behind their smallest crewmember. Jayne feels the worst kind of traitor as he watches Kaylee drag her sleeve across her eyes, trying to stifle a sob. They've put this day off as long as they could but after finding Davey climbing over the threshold of the airlock that he'd somehow managed to get open, Jayne knew it was time to find a new home for their son.

At 18 months, Davey is just as lively as Jayne was as a child. Just a whole mess smarter, he thinks with a rueful twist of his lips. Friendly with gorram near everyone, too. The big mercenary sighs as the little boy comes running into the galley with one of Wash's toy dinosaurs clasped in one tiny fist. "Daddy! Looka what Unka Wash gived me! It's stoopy-endus!" Ruttin' genius been tryin' to teach him to read again, I bet. Ain't natural for a boy to learn that quick.

Jayne obediently admires the toy and cups the back of his son's head in the palm of a large, work-roughened hand. Not a day goes by that he doesn't thank Tien for the family he'd never thought he'd have – Kaylee and Davey are a blessing he never expected, and never thought he deserved. There are still times when he expects something to go wrong somehow, but thankfully he'd managed to catch Davey before the small boy had come to harm… he knows that Kaylee's parents will keep him safe and, hopefully, his exploratory nature will be satisfied with an entire planet to roam on his short little legs. "Too curious fer your own good, boy," he murmurs softly.

Scooping up the toddler, Jayne makes his way down to the cargo bay where the rest of the crew has gathered to greet Kaylee's parents. Davey runs around the hold with his new toy while the rest of them talk, and Kaylee burrows close to Jayne as she watches their child play. "We can come back an' visit lots, right Mal?" she asks the captain plaintively.

Mal chucks her beneath the chin awkwardly. "You bet, mei mei. Kinda gotten used to having your little ankle-biter runnin' loose."

"We'll take good care of him, an' you know we've moved into town so's he can play with the other little 'uns," Kaylee's mother assures her, coming over to embrace her daughter. "He'll be safe here, xiao nu er, no need t' worry."

Kaylee sniffs, blinking back tears. "Can't help it none, momma."

They delay as long as they can, until it really is time to say goodbye to little David Emerson Cobb – he doesn't realize what's happening until every member of the crew has picked him up for one last cuddle and Kaylee takes him in her arms. Blue eyes wide with apprehension, the little boy looks around at his grandparents and his bottom lips starts to tremble. "Don' wanna stay here, Mommy."

She kisses Davey's forehead and Jayne wraps his arms around the both of them, feeling his son's tiny fist grabbing at the fabric of his shirt. "Do what your grandmomma tells ya, xiao zou. You gotta stay here with her for a bit, that's all."

"Wan' go with you," Davey insists, tears welling in his eyes. "Daddy, pwease? I'll be good, promise!"

Jayne sighs miserably as they pass their crying child to his grandmother and kiss him in farewell. "We'll be back 'fore you know it. Take care of your momma's parents for us, hear?" Davey hides his tear-streaked face in Liza Frye's neck, and Jayne pats his son gently. "See ya soon, Lil' Bit."

Kaylee's face crumples as the hold doors close, but she shrugs off Jayne's attempts at comfort and flees to the engine room. It's only after they've left Harvest's atmosphere that his wife seeks him out, watching silently as he finishes a set on his weight bench. "I Waved momma already," Kaylee starts hesitantly, biting her lip as if he might laugh at her for it.

"Thought you might," he says calmly. "How's he settlin' in?"

The tiny mechanic scuffs her boots against the deck grating. "Momma says he's doin' just shiny – stopped cryin' real quick when Pa took him out ta see the horses." Jayne nods, remembering how Davey loved it when they took on a job delivering sheep, and continues to watch Kaylee quietly. "I feel like a yu niang," she admits finally.

Jayne reaches for his towel to wipe the sweat off his face, and tosses it over his shoulder before he beckons her over. "If there's one thing in this 'verse you ain't, Kaywinnit Lee, it's that," he lectures, ducking his head to kiss her temple. "Best thing we couldda done for 'im is to drop him dirtside with his momma's momma where he'll be safe. Had our share of close calls with that boy, if'n I remember rightly."

"But-"

"But nothin'. Ain't like we can't visit or Wave whenever we got a spare minute, either," he reminds her gently. "We got us some friends, an' we also got us some who'd as soon shoot us than give us the time a'day –havin' a little'un aboard ain't exactly a worry we need, not now."

Kaylee sighs, cocking her head to look up at him as she shifts into a more comfortable position on his knee. "I know, Jayne – you keep sayin' so, but that ain't gonna keep me from feelin' bad about it and missin' him."

"Me neither," Jayne admits.

She sniffs suddenly, pushing away from him. "Smells like you're missin' a shower even more."

He laughs, feeling the tension between them begin to ease. It'll be hard since they haven't spent more than a few hours away from Davey since he was born, but they'll get through it. "Tell ya what – we can Wave him after I get back to smellin' all fancified, how's that?"

Kaylee smiles happily. "That'd be real shiny, wenshen."

"…and after that, we can practice makin' him a sister."

"Jayne!" She laughs, just like he'd been hoping she would, and the sound reassures him more than words ever could. Everything would be just fine.