Hi guys! I am sososososososososo SO sorry that I have been away for so long. I got myself into a hole, and I forgot to stop digging, so I've been trying to devise a way out.

And then there was this chapter. It has been giving me headaches since the day it was conceived. I was planning to do one thing, but ended up going in a completely different direction. Both myself and this chapter were then rescued by my fabulous beta, Procrastinadian. He is fantastic, and gave me phenomenal and very timely feedback even when I couldn't return the favor. Thank you so much :)

Also, I owe a HUMONGOUS thank you to all of the people who read, subscribed, favorited, and reviewed even when it was obvious that the last update was a really long time ago. You guys rock, and each one goaded me to right just a little more until this was eventually finished. Thank you so much for your amazing support, letting me know that even after weeks people would still care where I was going with this.

Well enough sentimentality, let's get on to the chapter!

Disclaimer: All the usual stuff. Don't own it, wish I did.


A tall, well-muscled man stood in the shadows, a smaller, more timid looking man to his right and a large crate at his feet. They waited patiently there, for almost a half an hour before a short man with a cheap looking suit and a bowler hat sidled up to them, three imposingly large men standing behind him.

The stocky man grunted and nudged the crate over with his foot. "Took you long enough. May need to discuss a little raise in the pay."

The hatted man smirked. "Not likely." He said in his thick cockney accent.

The other man stepped out of the shadows, his muscles rippling. His voice was low and threating as he spoke. "May I remind you Mister Badger what happened to your…" he trailed off for the lack of the right word.

"Little buddies?" The shorter, blonde man stepped up behind his friend.

The taller man grinned. "Little buddies, last time you declined to give us the credits we deserved?"

Badger barked out a high pitched laugh, and his eyes began to shift from side to side. His thugs began to stir, stepping up around him, but he waved them down. "Now I though' that was jus' a lil' misunderstandin'." He hid his anxiety very poorly. "We clear'd tha' up."

The short blonde man snorted. "Yes. We cleared that particular "misunderstandin'" up," he paused, and suddenly despite his small and meek stature, he looked more frightening than his hulking companion. "However a "misunderstandin'" now, is quite different from the one then. Do you understand my meaning?"

Badger nodded demurely, and the blonde snorted.

"It's been a long time since you were on top, Badger. I wouldn't go pushing your luck."

The accented man nodded again and reached inside his jacket, pulling a small pouch out. The tall man cleared his throat, and Badger reached back into his jacket, and brought back a handful of purple and green bills. He thrust out his hand, and the blond man grabbed the money and stuffed it in the pouch.

Backing away with his companion he chuckled darkly.

"Remember to call us for the next shipment, Rodent-man!"

Once they were safely out of sight, Badger nearly shouted his frustrations.

"They're almost worst dealing with now than when they had Reynolds!"


River sat on a mat of pillows in Shuttlepod Two, waiting with Simon for Jayne and Wash to return from the drop off. Even without using her…talents…she could tell that her brother was bored. He was jiggling his leg, cabin fever already beginning to set in.

She checked her internal clock, and smiled dreamily. It was almost time.

The young psychic steadied her mind, and went to her special spot in her head. She was standing at the edge of her family's old property, peeking over the edge of a cavernous trench.

Her feet were bare, and she cautiously toed the cliff. This was the hard part.

Slowly, with all the grace she could muster within her thin, dancer's body, River assumed the position, her legs spread on the dusty ground exactly one foot apart, her arms raised to her chest.

Then she jumped, falling into the madness that awaited her.


Mal and Zoe strode through the crowds, their strides confident and fluid. The others stumbled a few steps behind, trying (unsuccessfully) to mimic the energy and assertiveness that flowed from the two leaders.

Alexis was panting in the heat of the summer day of the dry planet, and her heavy clothes weren't making her movements as quick as she would have liked them to be. While the others were walking quickly, she was at a near jog.

She was, therefore, caught off-guard when her father stopped short in front of her and stumbled backwards, falling on her butt.

When her dad turned around, she was surprised to see a twinkle in his eye and a small smirk on his face. His expression was more akin to the person she had grown up with, rather than this stranger that had suddenly taken his place. He extended his hand, and she smiled, reaching up tentatively to grasp it.

Mal smiled fully as he pulled her up, and Alexis realized something.

He's not exactly my dad, but he's not exactly who he came off to be either. A sort of in between.

Struck by the sudden urge for human contact, the red head brushed off her back, and then leaned into her father's side and wrapped her arms around him. She felt him stiffen before relaxing, and putting an arm around her shoulders.

Alexis felt more than saw his smile, and it made her happy. They just stood like that for a moment before Esposito coughed and asked,

"What are we doing?"

Mal's arm came off Alexis' shoulder and he turned around, his smile still in place.

"That's a fine question my friend. We're admirin'."

Ryan stepped in. "Admiring…what exactly?

Mal looked somewhat offended. "What exactly is it that we've come all this way to see? My boat!"

Kate, who had been somewhat quiet, sullen even, stepped up to look over his shoulder.

"Which one is she?"

Ahead of them, there was a vast, dusty expanse of reddish dirt, spotted with spaceships every two hundred yards or so. Zoe turned to the detective, and Alexis almost jumped in shock. The unflappable, extremely stoic woman was smiling softly, as if beholding her child. Silently, she lifted her arm and pointed to one of the closer ships, and Alexis felt a sinking feeling within her chest.

It was a small, rusty freighter. She hadn't even been in the world for a week, yet she knew that. Yet her father looked like he was going to cry tears of joy. Was this really what he was willing to leave her home, their home, for?

She was just about to ask when Mal and Zoe fell to their knees clutching their temples.


River's consciousness floated about, not quite connected to her body. She was aware that Simon would be fretting over her at that very moment, but she didn't really care. There was work to do.

As her mind drifted through the streets, she studied the myriad of energies that floated around her. Some were red and orange, heated and ready to lash out, while others were shades of blue and purple and a light soothing green, cool and flowing. She reached out to one, a swirling mass of grassy colors, and could feel the pulse of the pleasantly warm energy against her hand.

Remembering where she was, and why she was there, she snapped her arm away. This place was tempting, too tempting. She could stay in here, waste the days away, get lost again. But she wouldn't. Not now. Now was not her time.

She had a job to do.

Quickening her pace, and straying as far away from the tempting orbs as possible, she made it to the edge of town.

There she saw it; that energy. A deep green, like dark branches at the bottom of a towering pine tree, with strains of a deep earthy brown and flecks of sparkling gold swirling near the center. It was earthy and solid and warmed her from head to toe. It felt like home.

It was Mal. Their Cap'n. Their guiding star.

There were five others surrounding him, four were unfamiliar. Directly to his right, however, was the deep, marbled blue that belonged to Zoe Washburne. River smiled. Wash would be so pleased to not only have his wife back, but also not have to lead anymore.

Swerving between the unfamiliar lights, River walked right up to Mal and Zoe and extended her hands. Taking a deep breath, she plunged one into each orb, and was gone.


Stop struggling.

Mal winced in pain as a voice boomed inside his head. He was vaguely aware that someone was shaking him, voices were calling his name, calling Zoe's name, but he couldn't unclamp his eyelids.

A familiar giggle rang out, followed by a softer Sorry, that was somewhat loud. Welcome back Mal, Zoe. I'm gratified to know that you are well.

River...

The voice giggled again. Why Captain...I'm insulted that it took you that long.

Mal...Zoe's voice joined in, sounding strained. What's going on?

I have no idea. Ask lil' miss psychic.

River giggled again. We've missed you two...

We miss y'all too. Is everyone aboard the ship? Zoe responded eagerly.

A sense of sadness washed over Mal. No...they're gone. We're gone. On a drop. It's me, Simon, Wash, and Jayne. We took a shuttle across the city to drop some goods for Badger, and Kaylee went with Inara to an...appointment. But you won't get to see us today. You have to do something first...

Mal was cautious when responding. Lil' Albatross...you know we'll do anything for this crew, but we've been out o' the game a long time...

River's tone turned desperate. You need to rescue us Mal. In exactly ten minutes, we will be taken. The others won't find us, but you will. You know how, and you can pull it off.

River, honey, you need to tell Wash and Jayne and your brother. Go tell them, while there's still time to escape. Zoe sounded desperate.

River's voice was colored with sympathy, and a bit of hopelessness. I can't. We escape, we die. I've seen the futures, all outcomes. This is the best. Then despite the dire circumstances, her tone was full of good humor. And now, you'll get the grand entrance that you both love so dearly.

Mentally, Mal nodded. If she said that there was no other option, there truly wasn't. He hadn't known River as a sane person for too long before he had gone back, but he knew enough to know that her judgment was true. What do you need us to do?

He felt River smile. Good. Here's your plan...


Beckett was panicking. Cas-Mal and she hadn't been on the absolute best of terms lately, but she had no desire for anything to happen to him. That Zoe woman either. She had grown to have a grudging respect for her- the woman was pretty badass.

Despite her wishes, however, the two were on their knees, clutching their heads in what appeared to be intense pain.

Alexis was shouting at her father, shaking him, trying to get him out of whatever trance he had entered into, and Kate soon joined her. After a few minutes of useless shaking and shouting that served only to draw strange stares from the fringes of the crowd behind them, Kate gave up, pulling a sobbing Alexis to her feet and holding her close.

"Shhh...Alexis, honey, it's gonna be alright...come on now..." Kate gently rocked the teenager from side to side and ran her hands through the girl's long red hair. "It'll be okay, calm down..." The detective felt a small victory as Alexis' sobs quieted, and then turned into mere hiccups. She then pulled back and looked at her face, brushing away some stray tears with the pads of her thumbs.

"W-what h-happened-d to th-them?" she stuttered. "Wh-why won't he w-wake up-p?"

Kate pulled her close again, stroking the back of her head. "I don't know, honey. I'm scared too. But it's gonna be okay, you got that? Everything will be fine. You just have to calm down, and think clearly."

They stayed like that for another few minutes, until Alexis could breathe again and Kate's chest didn't feel quite so tight.

Turning around, the detective saw Ryan and Esposito squatted down next to their two catatonic friends, gently shaking them and trying to wake them up. When they saw her gaze, they both shrugged and began to stand. Beckett might have found the tandem of their movements funny at another time.

"Beckett..." Esposito began. "What are we gonna do? Not like we know anyone around here, or even how to get into the ship, never mind get off the planet and back to our own time period."

Beckett hesitated. "I don't know Javi. I have no clue." She glanced over at Mal and Zoe, they were still on their knees clutching at their heads. "But we'll figure it out."

Ryan looked back and forth between Beckett and Alexis before grabbing Beckett by the arm and pulling her off to the side.

"Castle, Mal, whatever you want to call him is a fugitive. A famous one at that. So is Zoe." He paused, looking troubled, but then pushed on. "Maybe we could...turn them in. For a bounty."

The magnitude of shock and betrayal that she had felt when Castle revealed that his life with them was a lie had nothing on what she was feeling now. She stared Ryan down and he began to squirm.

"How can you say that? He is our friend! Or did you just forget the past 4 years, all the cases that he's cracked, all the time he's spent with us?"

Ryan drew himself up. "A friend that lies to us, to the whole world, about who he is for 17 years Beckett? That's who you're defending? I wasn't the one who got us stuck in this mess. It was him!"

Beckett looked at him, and her gaze was ice cold. "I thought I knew you Kevin. I really thought I did. I guess not though, because the man I thought I knew would never do that. Not to his worst enemy. And Mal isn't our enemy. He stuck with us, kept us informed, kept us safe despite all of the crap we've given him for a deception that was necessary."

Ryan had the good sense to look ashamed, and opened his mouth to speak. He was interrupted, however, by a choking sound that was followed by a cry of "DAD!"

Kate shot Ryan one last look of disgust before turning back to the rest of her friends. Mal and Zoe were coughing and gasping for air, and Alexis was hanging around her father's neck, but other than that, everyone seemed alright.

Mal stood up, hugging his daughter while he did, before kissing her on the forehead and letting go. He pulled Zoe up, and then made eye contact with both her and Kate.

"I believe...that it's time for some marginally thrilling heroics."


Hoban "Wash" Washburne made his way back to the shuttlepod, Jayne Cobb in his tow.

"Hey, you guys will never believe how incredibly stupid Badger is…" Wash began, climbing into the side door. He stopped abruptly at the sight that lay before him.

River was pacing up and down the short perimeter of the cabin, her hair and eyes wild, muttering to herself. Simon looked utterly beaten and was collapsed on one of the seats, his head leaned back against a wall and his left arm cradled in his right.

As Jayne clambered into the shuttle and closed the door with a slam, he looked at Wash (who was frozen in place) and then back and forth between the two siblings.

"What in the name of yī wú shí chŭ de niú mā is going on here?"

Simon looked up, his expression a mixture of despair and annoyance. "She's reverted."

Jayne narrowed his eyes. "What do you mean, reverted?"

"Are there more than one definitions of the word reverted?" The doctor snapped. "Because I was only aware of one. Unless, of course, you need me to define it because you weren't intelligent enough to understand what it meant."

Jayne made a threatening move towards Simon, and Wash shook himself out of his shock, jumping in to diffuse the situation.

He laughed nervously. "Now, now, there's no need for physical violence. I mean, I like knocking Jayne's IQ as much as the next guy, but we'd just, you know, like to know what happened to your sister in the hour we were gone."

Simon deflated, and winced as he rested his left arm against his legs and ran the fingers of his right through his hair. "I have no clue. She was fine, just as lucid as she has been the past two years, and then she's gone-reverted back to babbling nonsense."

Wash looked quite unhappy. "That…is not good news at all. We need her! The only reason they trusted us with this mission is because of her. And since we don't have…" he swallowed hard. "them, and we never will, she's the key. She's seen inside their minds, she knows what they would do."

Simon looked angry again. "You think I don't know that? I tried to give her an injection, one of the emergency cocktails that we made, and this is what I got for that effort!" He gestured to his injured arm. "Apparently, she did not lose her self-defense skills along with her mind."

Suddenly, River stopped short in her tracks and stared straight ahead at a wall, her lips frantically mouthing silent words too quickly for anyone to understand. Her eyes were wide open, and all motion ceased within the small area. Slowly, a smile took over her lips, and she sighed. Her eyes drifted closed, and she sank slowly to the floor landing cross-legged with her arms resting atop her knees. The three men looked at each other uneasily. Several minutes later, Simon broke the stillness and moved to kneel by her side.

The doctor tentatively reached out and stroked his sister's hair, and her eyes fluttered open.

They were once again clear and lucid, alight with happiness. Simon almost collapsed with happiness and Wash let out a sigh of relief. Jayne even looked somewhat pleased.

"Mei mei, what happened? You've been fine, you haven't had any episodes in over two years. Did the Alliance get new tech?" Simon fretted.

River laughed lightly. "No silly. I did it myself. The good of the many, and all that. I could afford to appear insane for an hour or so to help."

Jayne muscled his way towards her. "To help who? Ya certainly weren't helpin' us," his hands clenched into fists so tight that his knuckles turned white. "After all we've done fer you an' your brother, you ain't 'bout to go betrayin' us t' the Alliance, now are ya?"

River's face turned stony with anger and disgust. "Never you liou coe shway duch biao-tze huh hoe-tze duh ur-tze. Helping our side, our mission."

Wash opened his mouth to speak, but Simon waved him off. He then turned slowly to his sister, and spoke to her slowly, as one would do with a small child.

"River, who are you talking about? We're the only Independents in this hemisphere, never mind this city. Whoever you think you're helping probably isn't actually on our side, they've just fooled you into thinking that. Do you remember their name?"

River scoffed at his tone. "Don't be such a BUN tyen-shung duh ee-DWAY-RO. Of course they're on our side. They've always been. They were on our side before we were on our side."

"They? As in more than one person?"

Wash, sensing from the murderous look on Jayne's face that disaster was afoot, stepped in.

"River, bao-bei, can you give us they're names? Just so we can be sure that they're on our side."

River paused, and looked the pilot in the eye for a moment, and her unwavering gaze made him uneasy.

"You'll get your proof," she whispered. "You know them. You know them far better than you can imagine. They bring new ones, but they will help, and some may even stay." River paused and blinked, shaking her head to clear her mind of the void she had allowed it to venture into.

"They will save us."

Wash was beginning to get impatient. "River, this is not the time for riddles! Who are they? Who are you helping? What are they saving us from?"

"Hey!" Simon snapped. "She just went from lucid to insane to lucid in the course of an hour and a half. Give her a break!"

River smiled, a hauntingly sad smile that gave the three men chills. "Simon, my big brother…there is no time for breaks. We're at war," she paused, her face settling into a thoughtful expression. Under her breath, she began to count. "Five...Four..."

"What the hell is she doing?" Jayne asked, panicked.

"Three..."

Simon lightly grabbed her shoulders, gently shaking her. "Mei mei, are you okay?"

"Two..."

Rivers lips began to shape the word "One" as a small, round cartridge broke through a window, and the room filled with a green gas. Everything went black.


Chinese Translations:

yī wú shí chŭ de niú mā: name of useless elephant shit

mei mei: little sister

bao bei: sweetheart

liou coe shway duch biao-tze huh hoe-tze duh ur-tze: stupid son of a drooling whore and a monkey

BUN tyen-shung duh ee-DWAY-RO: stupid inbred sack of meat

Four out of these five were actually used in Firefly. No joke.


And that's all she (I?) wrote! For now anyway :)

And since they did technically make it to Serenity, I didn't break the promise I made in the last chapter :) Mwahahahaha

Anyway, you guys know the drill, and you did a great job of it while I was gone all that time:

REVIEW! They make my day and speed up the process.