The Black, January 2520

Lacey swatted Jayne's hand away as it inched closer to the real chocolate cake on her plate.

Xander laughed, "I wouldn't do that if I were you. I'm not exaggerating when I say I've seen her kill a man for getting between her and her chocolate. Well, he was a vampire, but still, the point stands."

"What stands on what?" Jayne questioned.

Xander looked incredulous, "Seriously? Is there anything besides hot air floating between your ears?"

Lacey considered telling them to knock it off, but seeing Zoe's grin, decided to let it slide.

Xander raised an eyebrow toward Lacey as she tossed her cards onto the table, "Seriously, Ace? 500 years and Spike can still beat you every time?"

Lacey glared at him playfully, "Oh, qù níng zìjǐ!"

Jayne chuckled and the Shepherd raised his eyebrows in slight admonishment. Lacey ignored the both.

Xander responded with, "Huh?"

Spike snickered, "'Go screw yourself,' mate."

Xander's brows both went up, "Oh." Then a wicked gleam entered his eye, "Well who do you think did before you came along?"

It was Lacey's turn to quirk an eyebrow, "Faith?" she challenged pseudo-innocently.

Jayne choked on his coffee and spit half of it across the table, the preacher pounding on the big merc's back.

Xander's jaw dropped before he answered, "…Touché."

Spike tried to hide his grin behind his cards.

Verbena, February 2520

About two hours before sunset, Lacey guided Serenity down into the front pasture, knowing Dawn was going to be pissed at her for scaring her chickens, but not quite caring. It had been more than a year since she left, and for the first time since they'd left Earth, she was coming home with more good news than bad. She'd considered waving ahead, but over five centuries with the Scoobies had given her a flair for the dramatic. That flair for the dramatic also accounted for the fact she and Zoe would be the only ones hitting dirt until after she'd offered her family some explanations.

Serenity powered down, Lacey made her way into the cargo bay, where Zoe already had the doors opened. In the space beyond, she could see Buffy and Faith on the porch, warily eyeing the ship. They immediately relaxed as Lacey walked down the ramp. They were on her before she could blink. Zoe stood back patiently as Lacey stood and brushed herself off before wrapping the other Slayers in a proper hug.

"Dawn is gonna kill you!" Faith taunted, eyeing the ship that was practically in their front yard.

"What Faith means is that it's good to see you." Buffy said wryly.

Lacey laughed, "I know Dawn's gonna kill me. But she was anyway, so I figured why not really give her a reason?"

Willow came flying off the porch, and Lacey caught the witch as she launched herself toward her.

"Ah! Good to see you too, Will!" Lacey gasped.

Dawn walked up calmly behind Will, "Thought I wén guò pì."

Lacey almost snorted out a very undignified guffaw, "Real mature, Dawnie."

Dawn shrugged and headed back into the house.

"I really pissed her off this time, didn't I?"

Will nodded, "Yup."

Lacey groaned. "Great." She turned toward Buffy and Faith, "I'll introduce you to everyone later. We need to talk first. For now, this is Zoe, the first mate. Feel free to chat while I go kiss Dawn's pìgu."

The older Slayers howled with laughter behind her as she stalked into the house and directly into the kitchen, ignoring Andrew's surprised gasp and Giles' curious look.

Dawn was angrily slicing vegetables, "How many extra people am I feeding?"

"Nine besides me." Lacey answered.

Dawn nodded in acknowledgement without turning.

"How bad did I mess up this time?"

Dawn finally turned to Lacey with tears in her eyes, "You've been gone for more than a year! And as if that wasn't bad enough, you've barely even called home! Just the occasional check in or demand to look into something! That's not how family treats each other!"

Lacey winced under Dawn's tirade, "Duìbùqǐ, mèimei."

Seeing the genuine remorse on her face, Dawn relented a bit, "Bìzuǐ and come gimme a hug."

Lacey obeyed. Pulling back, she looked Dawn in the eyes, "Tell you a secret to make up for some of it?"

Dawn's eyes brightened grudgingly and she nodded, "Better be a good one."

Lacey grinned wickedly, "Spike's on the ship."

Dawn's jaw dropped and Faith rounded the corner, "You brought Spike back?! I take it back, Dawn's not gonna kill you. Buffy is."

Lacey grimaced, "Damn it, Faith! You were not supposed to hear that."

Faith grinned, "Too bad. This is gonna be fun! Gotta love it when the prodigal comes home."

"Isn't that usually you?" Lacey shot back.

"Exactly."

Gathered in the study, Lacey leaned against the fire place mantle and took a moment to lovingly observe her family. Giles was seated behind his desk with Dawn and Will perched on the edge. Buffy was curled into one wingback chair in front of the fire, and Faith was sprawled in the chair opposite Buffy. Robin was leaning over the back of Faith's chair. Andrew sat cross-legged at Lacey's feet. The minis had been banned from the study and assigned to other chores for the time being. Zoe was stationed by the door. Lacey was amused that even the minis were scared of the first mate.

She took a deep breath and turned to Will, "What did you find out about the Academy I asked you to look into?"

Will looked a bit defeated, "Not much. It's government run. The Blue Sun Corporation is a major sponsor. Their students are mostly recruited. There's virtually no records. With a bit of magical help I figured out there's some connection to major secrety guys who wear blue gloves."

Giles saw Lacey tense, "Legacy, you know something more?"

Lacey nodded tightly, "Yesterday morning I threw one of those 'major secrety guys' out our airlock after letting our merc beat the daylights outta him."

Willow and Dawn's eyes both widened in horror.

"He deserved much worse." Zoe added quietly, an edge entering her usually calm voice.

Lacey went on, "The Academy seeks out exceptional people. When they get them, they cut into their brains, they strip away certain functions and barriers. They try to tear away their humanity and turn them into weapons to serve their own purpose."

"Exceptional people?" Buffy asked the weighted question quietly.

Lacey nodded, "I haven't been able to confirm it, but I'd bet almost everything on it. We've wondered before why the number of minis dropped so much so soon after leaving Earth. Now we know. The Alliance, through the Academy, is seeking out Slayers."

Giles spoke first, "We can't let this stand."

"That's why I came home."

"We're taking them out." Faith said. It wasn't a question.

Lacey nodded, "My crew will help, but we need to gather our strength, and we need a plan."

"First thing's first then, let's meet the crew."

"About that…" Lacey smiled, "I've got a few surprises."

A few minis joined them as they gathered around Serenity's ramp. Lacey glanced around to make sure everyone was there.

Faith had a gleam in her eye and the devil's own grin, "Get on with it!"

Lacey winked at the brunette, "Oh come on, you know me with the dramatics. And I so rarely get such an opportunity.

Faith rolled her eyes.

Lacey turned her attention back to the group at large, "Alright, crew first. You've met Zoe. Before I call the rest of them out… don't go killing my captain."

Buffy and Faith both quirked eyebrows curiously.

"He looks a mite too much like an unfriendly face from our past. But he's not the same person. It's just genetics repeating. Try to keep that in mind."

Lacey signaled for the crew and the filed down the ramp. Giles, Robin, and Dawn gasped and stumbled backwards. Willow's hands began sparking. Faith's hand went to the knife at her hip as Buffy frantically flicked her gaze around, looking for anything that could be a weapon. Lacey moved into their line of vision and raised her hands in a placating manner.

"Remember that bit I just said about not killing my captain?" Lacey reminded them, "He's not Caleb, no matter the resemblance."

"Cao wo." Faith muttered, relaxing minutely.

"That an invitation?" Robin leaned forward to ask.

Faith elbowed him in the gut, but laughed and relaxed to her usual casual stance.

Buffy remained tense, but stood down.

Lacey nodded and gestured to each person as she spoke, "Captain Malcolm Reynolds. Simon here is our brilliant doctor. Kaylee, there, well, she's the best mechanic in the 'Verse. Shepherd is Book, don't worry he's cool. I trust him. Counselor is Inara. And the big ape-lookin' boulder is Jayne, merc extraordinaire." Lacey winked at Jayne before he could growl at her. "Anyone seen Riv –"

Lacey paused as she spotted River hanging from Serenity just above Jayne. A grin tugged at her lips. The girl dropped, landing squarely on Jayne's unsuspecting shoulders. The big merc stumbled and cursed as he caught his balance.

"What the?! You feng le… you tryna ta kill me, girl?" Jayne growled up at her as Lacey's grin turned full blown.

River shrugged unapologetically, "The girl needed a perch. Yōng bīng was logical choice."

Mal chuckled, "Sounds 'bout right to me, albatross."

Jayne continued grumbling, but Lacey noticed that he also reached up to grip River's ankles, keeping her steady as she leaned her arms on his head and rested her chin in her hands.

Lacey turned back to Buffy and Faith, "Next order of business, which one of you died?"

Buffy looked shocked. Faith looked guilty. Lacey and Buffy exchanged a look and shifted so they were standing shoulder to shoulder in front of Faith before simultaneously punching the brunette Slayer in the face. Faith stumbled back, saved from falling only by the fact that Robin was still standing right behind her.

Faith straightened, scrubbing hands under her now bleeding nose and across a busted lip, "Thankfully, B, you still hit like a girl. But damn, Lace. Was that really necessary? I was only dead for about a min –" Faith cut off under Buffy and Lacey's glares, and raised her hands in surrender, "Alright, alright… how'd you know?"

Lacey shifted her gaze; Buffy and Faith followed her eyes and gasped.

Faith spoke first, "Damn. Haven't felt mojo like that since you showed up."

"Same here." Buffy agreed.

Simon cleared his throat and the Slayers tore their gaze from River.

The doctor blushed a little, "Uh, sorry to interrupt, but if you could maybe explain to the rest of us what you're talking about."

"Correct me if I'm wrong, Lacey," Book offered, "but I believe they're referencing to the fact that River is a Slayer."

Lacey nodded, "And if I had to hazard a guess, the first truly called since me."

Simon looked, a little dumbstruck, toward River, who just smiled down at him, "Oh."

Silence rang for a few moments before the evil gleam returned to Faith's eyes as Lacey shifted a little nervously.

"Ohh, is this the part where you ask B not to kill you?" Faith asked excitedly.

Dawn tried to muffle her laugh into her arm as Buffy turned a questioning face toward Lacey.

Lacey glared at Faith, "I was gonna go with 'Please remember you love me,' but 'Don't kill me' is accurate too…" Lacey turned back to Buffy, "So, Buff, please remember you love me, please don't kill me… and remember I'm the only one the new Slayer trusts right now." Lacey added the last bit as a half-true afterthought. Thankfully, River didn't correct her. "Your turn, lǎo péngyǒu." Lacey called up the ramp.

Spike descended the ramp, nervously eyeing Buffy as he stopped directly in front of her. Legacy took a step back, still half worried that Buffy was going to decide to strangle her. Buffy, however, wasn't paying any attention to her. Without a moment's hesitation, the blonde Slayer stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Spike, burying her face in his chest. Spike folded himself into her, wrapping his arms around her shoulders and burying his face in her hair. Around them, their family let out a collective breath that Lacey doubted anyone realized they'd been holding. They pulled apart slightly, leaving an arm each wrapped around the other and leaning into each other. Lacey nodded almost imperceptibly when Buffy silently mouthed 'Thank you.'

"Well, don't think we can get much more dramatic than that." Faith announced, "Let's eat."

Spike laughed, "As much as we all know I love my own dear self, we haven't even gotten to the best part yet, luv."

River sat up excitedly before leaping nimbly off of Jayne's shoulders, "X marks the spot!"

Lacey turned to Zoe, "Think it's safe to assume that means she's getting him?"

"Don't think it's safe to assume anything when it comes to River, but that's certainly what it sounded like." Zoe answered with a hint of amusement.

Lacey turned to Simon, who just shrugged before she could ask. She was answered a moment later as River worked her way carefully down the ramp, supporting Xander slightly. At the collective gasp of disbelief, he grinned tentatively. Gazes snapped toward Lacey.

Lacey shook her head, "No genetic repeats. It's him." Buffy, Faith, and Dawn all surged forward. Lacey tried to yell over their clambering, "Be careful! He's hurt!"

River stepped in front of the three women holding a hand out until they halted, "Jiĕjie says to be gentle. Her Xander is broken." she told them sternly before stepping aside.

Lacey moved to River's side and wrapped her arm around the girl's shoulders, squeezing gently in silent thanks as the other three hugged Xander as gently as they could manage. Lacey realized an important absence at the same time Xander did.

Willow hadn't moved from her spot. Her feet seemed rooted to the ground, a mask of disbelief frozen on her face. Xander gently disengaged from the other three women and moved gingerly to stand in front of his best friend. He reached out to grasp both her hands in his.

"Don't think I'm quite up to a Snoopy dance right now, Will. Think you can just my word that it's me?" Xander asked quietly.

That did it. Willow offered a brief, watery smile before breaking down and crying into his chest, assuring in a muffled voice that they were happy tears.

Lacey looked around her, knowing the reprieve was temporary, but feeling happy and whole for the first time in centuries.

River nodded against her shoulder, "Calm before the storm."

When Lacey's grip tightened a bit on the girls shoulders River looked up.

"Enjoy the calm. The worries of tomorrow are their own." River sounded so commanding that Lacey couldn't help but smile.

Translations:

qù níng zìjǐ – go screw yourself

wén guò pì – smelled a fart

pìgu – butt

Duìbùqǐ – I'm sorry

mèimei – little sister

Bìzuǐ – shut up

Cao wo – f*** me

feng le – crazy

Yōng bīng – mercenary

lǎo péngyǒu – old friend

Jiĕjie – big sister