New Melbourne, February 2520

By the time Jayne walked back out of the room, the blue hand was a very accurate representation of a bloody pulp. He was still breathing, though, so apparently Jayne had more self-control than Lacey would have initially given him credit for. She was glad for it though, because it meant she'd get to put the gǒucàode húndàn out the airlock when they lifted off again.

Lacey watched Jayne stalk off toward the showers, and stood still, just holding River. She didn't move when Zoe planted herself at the door, just nodding acknowledgement when the first mate said she'd be taking the night watch. Less than ten minutes later, Jayne came stalking back in clean clothes with damp hair. Lacey didn't protest when he picked River up and carried her off. Lacey still didn't move.

Xander knew Lacey didn't realize he was still there. He was in the shadows, for one thing. Not like that would stop her from noticing, normally. Slayer senses and all. But she was completely focused on River. And she should be. That's how she was. Never giving into herself when someone else was in pain. That was his girl. That thought gave him pause.

In the short time since he'd woken up, they hadn't really talked much. That first night, she'd just held him, not saying a word before or after introducing the captain. Over the following days she'd explained what year it was, that they were on a space ship, the effects of Will's spell, who was still around and where they were. Spike had explained how some of the others had died, the differences in how they had to track and fight monsters in the 'Verse, and gossiped about the fights and flings Xander had missed out on over the last 500 years. The vampire hadn't mentioned Lacey in relation to any flings, but Xander wasn't naïve enough to assume she'd spent the last 500 years alone. What he didn't know, was if she had someone now, or if she would still want him even if she didn't.

Xander jumped when Spike appeared beside him.

Spike gave a half-hearted grin, "Still easy to spook, mate."

Xander glared.

"She's still yours."

Xander blinked, "Huh?"

"That's what you were wondering, wasn't it?"

"How'd yo –"

"Used to look at Buffy the same way, mate. Hell, still do." Spike admitted.

"How do you know?"

"In 500 years, she's only had a handful of involvements, mate. Can count 'em on less'n two hands. And not a one of 'em lasted more'n a couple months. Her heart was never in any of 'em. That died when she thought you did, mate. 500 years is a long time to hold a torch."

Xander stared at the other man.

"She's still yours. Always has been. Always will be."

"How can you be so sure?"

Spike smiled in a self-depreciating manner, "Love isn't brains, it's blood." the vampire said, as if that answered everything, and walked away.

Xander stared after him. When he finally turned his gaze back to Lacey, Zoe was positioned at the blue hands door, and Jayne was carrying River off. Lacey still didn't move. Xander didn't move until he got a pointed look from Zoe. That woman scared him. He hadn't even realized she knew was there. But he got the message. He stepped forward, suddenly realizing how exhausted and sore he was, but he grit his teeth against it and laid a hand on Lacey's shoulder. Her eyes widened as she turned to him.

"Xander! I didn't realize you were still here."

"Where else would I be?" he asked, gently turning her to him.

Lacey shook her head, in a motion he recognized as her trying to focus, "You should be res –"

He lifted a hand gently to her lips, cutting her off, "Uh-uh. No focus-brain. No worrying about me. My turn to worry about my girl."

Her eyes lifted to his and he brushed a curl out of her face as he bent to kiss her gently. She sighed and leaned into him. He fought not to step backward.

"Ace, not that you're even close to heavy, but I'm not quite up to holding you up quite yet. How about we just make with the cuddles for now?"

Lacey laughed lightly and nodded her agreement, lacing her fingers through his.

He tugged her toward the hall, leading her away before stopping awkwardly. He had yet to move out of the infirmary, and no way he was going back there with her now, "Uh… Ace?"

"Hmm?" she hummed against his side.

"Hate to dampen the mood, but uh… unless you wanna put on a show in the infirmary, I don't have a clue where I'm going."

Lacey laughed outright and tugged him toward her bunk.

Lacey stood barefoot in the field where she'd landed Serenity. The stars were shining bright above her and a heavy mist was falling around her. It was cold, but he didn't mind. She closed her eyes and tilted her head back, and she could almost imagine she was home.

"What're you doin' out here, little one?" Mal's voice drifted toward her.

She grinned over her shoulder at the captain, "I love this planet."

Mal reached her and rested an arm lightly around her shoulders, "I was catchin' that notion. Figured you'd be all cuddled up to Eyepatch, though."

Lacey glared at him playfully, but smiled at the conjured image of Xander snoring lightly in her bunk, as Mal tugged her a bit closer.

"Reminds me of home." she told him, resting her head against his shoulder.

"Verbena?"

Lacey chuckled, "Ain't actually from Verbena, remember, Cap?"

"Right. Cause you're older than half the stars." Mal asserted.

Lacey elbowed him easily in the gut.

"Ugh. Alright, alright… so this is like Earth-that-Was?"

"Mmm, one of the closest I've set foot on."

Mal was quiet for a moment, then, "Almost wish you'da been with us at Miranda, just so you coulda seen the planet itself."

A grin tugged at Lacey's lips, "I'll get there."

Mal quickly spun her out to face him, hands on her shoulders, "Beg your pardon?"

"Miranda. I'll get there."

Mal's eyes went almost comically wide, "That's straight through Reaver territory, you feng le –"

Lacey shrugged, "You've done it before."

"Desperate times. And we lost a good man."

Lacey sighed, "Desperate times will come again, Captain. And desperate times of these measures have an unsettling tendency to involve my family. With everything we just learned about the Academy…" Lacey shuddered and trailed off before continuing, "I want my family beyond Alliance reach. Spike showing up when he did, and Xander being here again… the Powers that Be have something in mind. I don't reckon I'm gonna like it, but at least they seem like they're trying to get us ready for it this time."

"Powers that… girl, sometimes you're more feng le than River."

Lacey grinned, "Just wait 'til you meet Faith."

"Faith?"

"My sister. Captain, I'd like to take all of you to Verbena."

Mal shrugged, "Well, we ain't got another job lined up, and Verbena ain't but a skip away. Don't see why not. You got a particular reason for it bein' now?"

"The things that blue hand told us… I need to tell my family. We can't let the Academy go on."

"And you think you can stop it?"

Lacey smiled, "That's the other reason I want to take you all with me. You've been told what I am. You understand, but there's no way for you to fully comprehend. I want to show you what we are. To show you what the power of a Slayer is. It's not something that's ever been quite understood in this 'Verse. I've only got the beginnings of a plan, but I'm done playing on the sidelines. Kaylee told me 'bout a little speech you made before Miranda. Something about bein' done with runnin' and aimin' to misbehave. My sister made a speech once, one that I didn't hear firsthand, but that stuck with me anyhow. Facin' down one 'a the biggest bads we ever seen and ya know what she says? "I'm standing on the mouth of hell and it's gonna swallow me whole. And it'll choke on me. We're not ready? They're not ready. They think we're gonna wait for the end to come, like we always do. I'm done waiting. They want an apocalypse? Well, we'll give 'em one. Anyone else who wants to run, do it now, 'cause we just became an army. We just declared war." And you know what? That war… hell choked. You have no idea what me and mine are capable of, but I aim ta show you." Lacey ended fiercely.

Mal looked a little startled.

Lacey grinned up at him, "I aim to misbehave."

The captain grinned back.

The Black, February 2520

Lacey began misbehavior the very next morning. As soon as they broke atmo, she dragged the simpering blue hand by his hair, belly down, through the cargo bay, none too gently. Every protest from him just intensified her glare.

"Can't have you runnin' home to warn your friends I'm coming." she told him before sealing the airlock door and hitting the release button with a satisfactory thunk. Even the preacher hadn't once objected.

Translations:

gǒucàode húndàn – dog-humping bastard

feng le - crazy