The Black, January 2520

The next several days were agonizing for Lacey. They were en route to Greenleaf, all in agreement that there was no sense in turning down a job, no matter the current circumstances on board. Lacey didn't sleep except for when her head fell to the side of Xander's bed in exhaustion. She didn't eat unless Kaylee gently chided or Spike dropped a protein bar in her lap. She answered questions the crew had, her whole story coming out in bits and pieces.

Book was curious about the deaths and callings of Slayers. Lacey told him how first Buffy, then Kendra and Faith, then she herself had been called.

Jayne wanted to know how strong she really was. Unfortunately, he caught her in a particularly bad mood and got himself thrown across the cargo bay.

Once Simon puzzled out River's words about what had happened to Lacey, he wanted to know about the side-effects of Lacey's return and then set to trying to create an equation to determine how long Xander could be unconscious. River smacked him, called him a boob, and told him magic didn't work like that as she rolled her eyes in exasperation.

Kaylee asked how many kinds of ships she had been on. The mechanic just about swooned when Lacey told her she'd helped crew the very first Firefly.

Mal didn't have to ask anything. He joined her one night in the infirmary and sat in companionable silence until she quietly told him about the Slayers part in the war.

Inara asked about where she called home in the 'Verse. Lacey told her about the ranch on Verbena, but the former Companion's gentle smile told Lacey that she understood the Slayer had come to think of Serenity as home.

Everyone wanted to know anything she could tell them about Earth-that-Was. She told Book about the old cathedrals. She talked about weapons with Jayne. She told Simon about herbs that were now extinct (everywhere but at the ranch on Verbena, but she kept that to herself for now) and their healing properties. She told Kaylee about cars. She told Mal about battles the Slayers never should have been able to win, but did anyway.

River would materialize and prattle on about whatever nonsense popped into her head, not actually expecting Lacey to listen, when she sensed Lacey needed a break from the rest of the crew.

Zoe didn't ask any questions at first, just watched as Lacey practiced forms in the cargo bay every day. It was the only time she ever left Xander's bedside. Eventually, the first mate asked the question Lacey had secretly been dying to hear, "What's he like?"

Tears ran freely down Lacey's face as she gripped Xander's hand, but she smiled, "He made me laugh when I hadn't in nearly four years before I met him. He's loyal to a fault. No matter how bad things got, he never got completely jaded, he always had to look at the bright side, always held on to some of that child-like innocence the rest of us long-since lost. He has no idea how damn shuài he is or the effect he has when a woman first lays eyes on him… as long as he's in leather and not those yúbèn tropical-looking shirts he loves." Zoe's expression gradually slipped into something Lacey couldn't quite identify until she suddenly remembered a capture she'd seen of Wash and recalled stories the crew had shared of the man. Lacey had always liked Zoe, but she now looked at her and saw a kindred spirit – a jaded heart who had loved and been loved by someone no one could understand why she was with; someone who understood the pain of losing the person who made you feel human again.

The Slayer and the Warrior Woman spent the rest of the night swapping stories about the men they loved, and laughing like neither had in a long time. A bottle of sake appeared at some point, and though neither realized it, both began to heal.

Greenleaf, January 2520

The only reason Lacey stepped off ship for this job was because it was daylight out, and though Spike bugged the hell out of her sometimes, she didn't want him to be a pile of ash. So Spike was stationed in the infirmary, and Lacey was at the bottom of the ramp with a firm grip on her gun. Honestly, with the mood she was in, if this job didn't go smoothly, she might tear these guys heads off their shoulders with her bare hands. Apparently that attitude was clear on her face, because it was the smoothest pick-up they'd had in ages. Less than two hours after landing, they were lifting off again, cargo safely stored.

Persephone, January 2520

The drop-off went less smoothly. Badger wanted to re-negotiate prices. Mal was mad. Zoe was silent. Jayne was caressing Vera. River was staring wide-eyed between Lacey and Badger's security, giggling behind her hand.

"Home turf. My advantage." Badger told Mal, smirking, "I recommend you take my word for it when I tell you that you're no match for my new security."

Mal pursed his lips. Zoe and Jayne tightened their grips on their guns.

River laughed outright, causing everyone's heads to snap toward her, "Bùyàojǐn. Jiějie has been itching for a good fight."

Lacey stepped forward, her grin nothing short of malicious, "Girl has an excellent point."

Badger raised an eyebrow as she holstered her gun, "Little thing like you against my big goons?"

Lacey laughed as she pulled a stake from her boot, "On what planet did you decide it was a good idea to hire vampires as security?" she lunged toward the first, turning him into a pile of dust before he could react, "They'd just as soon eat you as actually protect you." Lacey spun behind the second vamp, who quickly joined his friend as a pile of dust. "Besides, it really limits your business hours." Lacey continued casually as she took out a third. Apparently, the third time was the charm because the rest of Badger's new security sprang into action. Four vamps closed in on Lacey, while the rest loosely surrounded the rest of the crew.

Badger seemed nonplussed about the three he'd just lost, "Didn't know you lot was privy to such knowledge, Mal."

Mal answered by lunging forward and staking the vamp who had stepped in front of him. Lacey exploded into action, spinning, kicking, and staking with abandon until she covered in ash and breathing a little heavier than normal. River had taken out at least three more, and the rest of the crew one each, plus the one Mal staked initially. Lacey yanked a long knife from Jayne's belt and stalked up to a slack-jawed Badger. Apparently she still looked pissed to high heaven, because Jayne didn't so much as growl in protest. And Badger looked ready to piss himself when Lacey backed him into a wall, blade at his throat.

Mal came up behind her and laid a hand on her shoulder before grinning at Badger, "Now, 'bout that payment?"

The Black, February 2520

Two and a half weeks and Xander was still unconscious. Needless to say, Lacey was in a very bad mood. Spike did his best to take the brunt of it. He was the only one physically on par enough to spar with her anyway, much less when she was about to lose her temper. Unbelievably, Jayne stepped in every few days to give the vampire a break. Bur River was the only one who was fast enough that Lacey didn't have to hold back.

They were heading to New Melbourne. Some rancher that used to live near Mal's family on Shadow needed a hand with rustlers. Lacey was beginning to feel homesick for the ranch on Verbena. She laced her fingers through Xander's and began telling him about the ranch and the minis that had been there when she left.

Xander felt like he was drowning in darkness. Occasionally he would catch snatches of sound, mostly unfamiliar voices. Most of the time he just dreamed. Legacy was always there. In his nightmares, he watched the Turok-Han stabbing her in the back and he saw the terror on her face. He saw the apology, like she knew she was leaving him. He tried to reach her, to tell her it wasn't her fault, but he never could. He just watched it on a loop. Stab, flash, gone. Once, and he never decided if it was a nightmare or a good dream, Legacy and Faith were comparing their bedroom experiences with him. Then there were the good dreams. Wrapped up together in a hammock in the jungles of Africa. Sparring lightly in the gym in England. Her feet propped on his lap as they poured the demonology books. Her head resting on his shoulder as they watched a movie. Walking hand in hand down the beach. Then the darkness would return and he was alone again.

He often wondered where he was. When the nightmares came, he was sure it was hell. But then the good dreams came, and he knew it had to be heaven. He wasn't sure what changed, but a time came when he felt a small, calloused hand gripping his own. He felt the soft brush of lips across his cheek. He heard her voice as if she was right next to him. Finally, he managed open his eye. It was too bright, so he closed it again. But then he forced it open again, more slowly this time, because she was there. He couldn't just see her, he could feel her, he could smell her – engine oil and sun-warmed wood and something subtle and flowery, but now there was something else too, gun oil and barely clinging campfire smoke.

He sighed, and his voice came out hoarse, "Best dream yet." Lacey's head snapped toward him at an inhumane speed and he raised the hand she wasn't gripping to her cheek, "The one constant, in my heaven, is you."

Lacey stared at him wide-eyed as he heard a familiar voice behind her, "Damn mate, I'm gonna have to steal that line. When'd you get so smooth?"

Spike was not in Xander's dreams of heaven, "Never mind. Spike." Then he winced as the sensation of feeling spread across his body, "Oh and with the pain. Definitely not heaven." He turned his face back toward Lacey, "But you're here, and you're not dying, so it can't be hell." He cringed as a thought hit him, "Unless you're with Spike, then definitely hell."

Spike's movement as he raised an arm, as if to wrap it around her shoulders, snapped Lacey mostly out of her shock and she practically growled at Spike, "Try it and I'll dust you, Captain Peroxide." She shot a quick glare his direction, muttering under her breath and knowing both men could still hear her, "Arrogant húndàn."

Before any of the trio could say anything else, Simon came in, Kaylee trailing behind him, "Rachel, River said you nee –" the doctor cut off seeing Xander awake and immediately switched to doctor mode, checking vitals and motor responses and changing bandages as Spike gently moved Lacey out of the way. Seeing his warm brown eye resting on her in disbelief, something snapped and Lacey would have fallen to her knees if Spike hadn't already been holding her. As it was she started shaking violently and lowered her head into her hands awkwardly.

Spike held the little Slayer up as she slumped and shook against him. Xander's eye went wide at the sight of Lacey breaking down and he seemed to recover from his own shock. He pushed away the water Kaylee had been helping him drink and struggled to his feet, despite Simon's protests. He stumbled toward the vampire and the Slayer and Spike unwrapped one arm from around Lacey to help steady Xander as the younger man laid one hand soothingly on her back, at the base of her neck where her head was bowed toward him.

Xander rubbed her back absently as he tried to lift Lacey's face gently with the other, only slightly hampered by Spike's steadying hand, "Lace… Lacey… Lace…" he tried quietly, and finally, louder, "Ace!"

Lacey's head snapped up and her eyes met his. She reached hesitantly toward his face and his eye drifted closed as he leaned into her touch. As her eyes focused on the face in front of her she slowly stopped shaking and Spike stepped back gently after raising her free arm to grasp Xander, knowing the Slayer would instinctually hold her man up.

Xander leaning his cheek into her hand, a move she was so intimately familiar with, even after 500 years of not seeing it, was what finally made Lacey realize it was real. Xander was really here. And he was awake. As his eye drifted back open, Lacey offered an almost shy smile. The smile Xander returned was so full and so bright and so him that Lacey stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him as tightly as she dared, burying her face on his chest as he wrapped his own arms around her shoulders. She was vaguely aware that she was holding up virtually all of Xander's weight, and that Spike was standing nearby, probably waiting for one or both of them to collapse again. She forgot about Simon and Kaylee until Kaylee cleared her throat tentatively.

Lacey turned her face so her cheek rested on Xander's chest as she quickly took in Simon's appalled (or maybe it was worried) look and gently led Xander back to the bed, absently adjusting it to a sitting position and settling herself back as Xander leaned back between her legs, his back resting against her chest, his head tilting back slightly to rest heavily on her shoulder. Lacey glared at Simon, daring him to tell her she had to move. He didn't. He just went back to his check of Xander, working around her.

"So… Ace?" Kaylee asked curiously, unable to stand the silence for long.

Lacey finally focused on the mechanic, and she smiled, "It's my name, Kaylee."

Kaylee's nose scrunched a bit with a confused look, "Ace?"

Lacey felt Xander chuckle, "I've only gone by Rachel since I joined Serenity. My name is Legacy. My friends call me Lacey or Lace. Xander calls me Ace."

Translations:

shuài – handsome

yúbèn – stupid

Bùyàojǐn – doesn't matter

Jiějie – big sister

húndàn - bastard