He's at the counter stirring up a mess of coffee, the powdered kind that he's been drinking since he was knee-high to a grasshopper, when he hears the noise behind him. Something about the soft slide of feet across the floor sets him on edge, so he draws his second favorite gun, Maggie, before he turns.

He's only half-surprised to see River in front of him. He keeps the gun out. She may be tiny and feng le, but that only makes her more dangerous.

"What ya doing here?" he asks, keeping her in his sights. He knows Mal would have his guts for garters if the cap saw him lining up on a crew member, but something has his hackles up. She's staring past him, her face as pale as a day old corpse.

"Two lost souls, searching for their place in the universe." Her voice is strong, stronger than she looks, but it feels like nails scraping his innards. "Tin man searching for his heart, scarecrow can't find a brain."

He squints, trying to figure out what she's hinting at, but then discards it as babble. Girl is fruitier than a nutcake. She turns her head, eyes finally focusing on his face, and she smiles a smile so sweet as to put Kaylee to shame.

That's when he sees the knife.

By the time he figures out that it's not meant for him it's already flashing across her chest.

"Wo de tian a," he shouts. He shoves Maggie back into the hip holster as he swallows the space between them in two large strides. The knife falls from her limp hand, clatters to the ground. He's just able to get his arms under her as she collapses.

He thinks it's a shallow cut, but blood is shining red and thick across her faded dress anyway. He starts walking toward the stairs, quickly but careful not to jar her too much.

"What in the gorram name of hell did you do that for," he says under his breath.

She looks up at him, eyelashes fluttering over dark eyes. "Matched set now."

Jayne ignores her looniness, and shouts for Simon.

On to Faithful Servants.