Title: It ain't the plan

Author: Kali

Rated: PG

Fandom: Firefly

Timeline: Post 'Ariel'

Summary: Mal and Jayne go on a planet to look for a job. Unfortunately the Reavers decide to attack that planet.

Note: This story haven't been Beta Readed, and there might be some spelling and grammar mistakes here and there (I'm from a French speaking country)

"We'll never get out of here alive" Jayne said almost matter-of-factly, while trying to seat with his bleeding leg.

"We ain't gonna die in here. If we stay quiet, they won't find us. We just have to wait for'em to goram leave". Mal answered, trying to keep a steady voice and sitting too.

"You're livin' in a dream, cap'n." He replied, holding his gun closer.

"We ain't gonna die here Jayne. Dong ma? We ain't, coz that's not the plan."

"Your plans never go right."

"Yes they do. … Sometimes." Mal replied and an heavy silence fell on them.

"It's ruttin' cold in here" Jayne said.

Mal nodded and started to look more closely at the dark place they were in, an old cave below an old house. The guy who lived here told them to hide there before he left the house, searching for his daughter. Mal had told him that it was madness, that he'd better stay here, but he didn't want to listen.

There was, in the left corner a dark shape he hadn't noticed before. The captain got up and walked towards it. He lifted an heavy blanket and couldn't help but smile at what he found. There were a couple of protein bars and some bottles of whiskey.

Mal took the blanket and two bottles and headed back to where Jayne was. The merc was trying to make a bandage to his leg with a part of his shirt.

"Look what I found. And there's a dozen more. But only one blanket." He said giving him both the blanket and the bottle.

"Guess we're lucky then, at least we'll die drunk." Jayne said sarcastically, while opening his bottle.

"They won't find us." Mal replied, mentally adding 'if we're lucky'. But just then, he remembered that he had really been lacking of good luck those past weeks, and fear dawned on him.

He opened his own bottle and when the liquid passed through his throat, he felt a little bit better.

He sat against the wall and let go an heavy sigh. He tightened his brown coat a bit more. It was definitely cold.

"If they come, I won't let them kill me." Jayne said, his voice dead serious.

"Me neither." Mal answered in the same tone, taking another sip.

"Mal?"

"Yeah."

"If this is going to be our last conversation, there's something I'd like to say." He said, not quit sure of how to phrase his toughs.

"Don't," Mal replied. He wasn’t sure he really wanted to know.

Jayne sighed and finally said, "I'm sorry,"

Mal turned over to look at him, but Jayne kept gazing at the ceiling.

"I betrayed the doc and his sis' and… and I betrayed you, I'm sorry. I… I regret it." His voice wasn't mere more than a murmur.

"Would you do it again?" Mal asked, a little bit afraid of the answer.

"No,"

"Then it's ok." Mal replied.

They drank in silence for a while. Mal was getting colder, at first the alcohol warmed him enough but now the air was biting him. He tightened his coat closer.

"You sure there ain't no other blanket?" Jayne asked

"No, there ain't. But I'm fine." Mal lied.

"Take this one then." Jayne offered.

"No, you're hurt, you need it more."

"Nah," With the alcohol he wasn't really feeling the large cut in his right leg anymore. And the summary bandage he made would do fine for a few more hours.

"Fine!" Jayne finally said. "We share,"

"What?" Mal asked, failing to see what his friend meant.

"We share. You come closer and you'll have a bit of the blanket too." Jayne said trying for an indifferent tone. "And take an other bottle when you come, mine's empty."

Mal wasn't really sure this was a good idea, but the biting cold forced his common sense to hide far away in the end of his mind.

He got up, took two bottles and made his way back to where Jayne was sitting. He sat next to him and the merc gave him a corner of the blanket.

They were uncomfortable first, but with a few more swallow they got used to the situation. And time passed by.

They could hear some pleading cries sometimes. A terrible reminder of what was still outside.

A few hours later, they both heard the house's entrance door opening. Shortly followed by some footsteps right above their head, at least 2 pairs of feet.

Both Mal and Jayne tensed, their hands on their guns, ready.

A few minutes passed before someone else came in the house. Someone carrying something.

A terrible cynical laughter invaded the house and it was closely followed by a girl's scream. It was more likely that a Reaver had come in with a girl and he was 'sharing' her with his friends.

Mal felt Jayne move and gave him a look clearly saying 'don't do anything'.

They would be lucky enough to get through this alive. No need to increase the risks by playing the hero. And the girl was probably already dead anyway.

Jayne nodded and put his gun back on his lap and their eyes met. What Mal read in the Merc's eyes was something he'd never seen before. A combination of despair and fear.

He put an hand on Jayne's shoulder in comfort.

Mal gasped when he felt Jayne's head on his shoulder, but he did not pushed him back. It was comforting to have him close.

He put his hand around Jayne's shoulders and pulled him closer.

They stayed like that for hours. Waiting in the dark, eyes and ears fully open, until the Reavers finally left the house. They both let go and heavy sigh when the door shut closed.

"I though they'll never leave," Mal said, his voice not very steady.

"Mal?" Jayne weakly asked

"Yeah."

"D'you think they'll come back?"

"No, no reason for them to. I bet it won't be long until they live the planet. We'll stay here until to sun comes up, and then we'll go to our meeting with Serenity."

"They say people who survive the Reavers go crazy."

"Only the ones who see the whole thing. We'll be fine, we'll go back on Serenity, and forget about it." Mal knew that it was probably the biggest lie he'd ever told. But in his heart he wanted to believe that it was possible to forget. He wanted to believe, he needed to. Maybe if he tried hard enough, he could lock the memories somewhere, and throw the key away, or maybe he could dig up a hole in the back of his mind and throw it all inside.

Maybe if he tried hard enough, maybe…