Title: From Here to Serenity
Author: Bastard Snow
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Buffy's fall through Glory's portal took her somewhere nobody had ever imagined. Now, it's up to Willow and Xander to get her back.
Disclaimer: I don't own either of these.
Author's Notes: Much, much thanks to Drake, without whom this story would not exist. Also, obviously, thanks to Joss Whedon for coming up with two universes that have nothing to do with each other. Makes it a challenge to make them have everything to do with each other.
Feedback: Yes, please!
"Mornin' Cap'n," said Kaylee. She was standing in the kitchen of Serenity making herself a breakfast of egg-flavored protein.
"Good morning," said Malcolm Reynolds. "How's my ship holding up?"
Kaylee patted the ship's hull. "Serenity's doin' just fine, cap'n. She's holding together."
"Good to hear," said Mal. "Wash give us an ETA yet?"
"Not to me," said Kaylee with a sigh, as she stirred her faux-eggs. "I'm just the lowly mechanic."
Mal smiled at her and patted her on the shoulder on his way to the bridge. "Ain't nothin' lowly about a mechanic. 'Cept maybe when you're on the floor fixin' things."
"Hey, are we picking up any passengers on Persephone?"
"More'n likely," said Mal.
"I like it when we pick up passengers," Kaylee said.
"Yeah, me too," said Mal. He glanced at the hallway where he saw Simon entering the kitchen. "Always works out so well."
Mal left the kitchen and jogged past the crew quarters and up to the bridge.
Wash greeted him when he arrived. "Morning, Mal," he said. "We're on course and due to set down in about an hour."
Mal stood over Wash's shoulder, nodding for a minute, his arms crossed. "Okay," Mal said, eventually. "Glad I got my captaining out of the way for now. I'll be in the hold, doin' a last check of the cargo."
"Sure thing," said Wash. "Oh, if you see Zoë…"
"Yeah?"
Wash paused, and shook his head. "Nah, nothing. Thanks."
"You sure?" Mal asked, pointing back the way he came. Things were often tense between Zoë and Wash largely, Mal knew, because of his own relationship with her. While he wasn't inclined to take blame for a friendship that had developed and become solid throughout the War of Independence, he wasn't opposed to, on occasion, helping smooth the rocky road of marriage a little. "I'm headin' out there. She's bound to be around here somewhere."
"That's okay, thanks. Just… I'd like to talk if she's got a second."
"Okay," Mal said, with a shrug. He whistled his way back down the hallway, and down a level to the cargo hold. Mal got caught up in rechecking the goods, and securing all the crates that he didn't look up for another half-hour, when a gruff voice interrupted his thoughts.
"Mal, why do we gotta take on more passengers?"
Mal looked up and saw Jayne, his… well, his mercenary, standing on the catwalk looking angry.
"Passengers pay the bills," Mal said, turning back to the cargo. "'Sides, new people make life interesting."
"Since when did you want an interesting life?" Jayne asked.
Mal shrugged, and looked up at Jayne again. "I woke up in a good mood. You got Badger's new address?"
"Yeah, the little scum sucker ponied it up, finally. He was worried about us 'tarnishing his new image' or somethin' like that. Doesn't realize he ain't nothin' but a two-bit fence."
"The man certainly has an inflated estimation of his personal prestige," said Mal.
"Thinks he's all fanciful, too."
"That he does," Mal said, inspecting his work. "That he does. We're planet-side soon. Make sure you got everything ready."
"Zoë's got the paperwork," Jayne said, "and I've got my gun."
"Then we're all set."
Jayne nodded. "You need me, I'll be in my bunk."
"That," Mal muttered to himself as he turned back to his cargo, "is something I don't want to know about."
A couple of minutes later, he finished securing the cargo and waited out the rest of the trip in the lounge. He was soon joined by Simon.
"I understand we're to be taking on more passengers once we touch down."
"Kaylee does spread news quick, don't she? Yeah, I reckon we are. What of it?"
"I just… I'm concerned about the security of it, is all."
"Security?" Mal asked. "Why, Simon. You wouldn't be worried that we'd let someone turn you and your sister over to the Feds, now, would you?"
"Understand," Simon said, "I'm not saying you want it to happen. You, and the rest of your crew, have shown more than once that you're willing to risk… well, your lives to keep that from happening. And I'm grateful for it. I just can't help but think that having passengers is simply asking for trouble."
"I understand your worries, doctor," Mal said. "But we got bills to pay, and anyhow, Kaylee's pretty good at judging people."
"No, she's not," said Simon. "Kaylee only sees the best in people, it's one of her most endearing qualities. To tell you the truth, I'd feel, well, safer if Zoë or Jayne were screening passengers."
Mal smiled. "Kaylee'll do just fine, doc. Don't worry about a thing."
"Simon?"
"What is it, River?" Simon asked.
"The ants are marching two-by-two, but they've lost their queen and don't know how to get home." River raised her arms above her head and twirled around. "They'll watch the water run and tell everyone what they saw."
Simon glanced at Mal, who shrugged his ignorance. Mal admired the man's temper. Any sister of his was nuts like that, he'd have been much less forgiving than Simon ever was. Of course, Mal thought, he didn't have a crazy sister and he could be pretty foul tempered as it was.
"That's good, River. Why don't you go see what Inara's doing?"
River didn't respond, but turned and skipped away down the corridor.
"Doc," Mal said, "you are a very patient man."
When the ship finally landed, the entire crew gathered in the kitchen.
"Wash," Mal said, "get fuel as we need. Jayne, Zoë, you're with me. Doctor… you and your sister stay on board, don't get seen by nobody."
"Right," Simon said. "Go to a planet, stay on the ship, watch the people outside with a sense of longing."
"That's the spirit," Mal said enthusiastically, clapping the young man on the back. "Kaylee, you do that thing where you get people to come on board. Shepherd, you're free to do as you will, of course, just be back in a few hours. Don't wanna be leavin' nobody behind."
"Okay, Cap'n," Kaylee said, smiling. "What about Inara?"
Mal shook his head. "Exactly when was the last time I had say over anything she did? Just make sure she knows when to be back." Mal set off with Zoë and Jayne to find Badger's new digs.
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A tall young man with dark hair and about a day and a half worth of stubble worked his way through the crowds at Eavesdown docks, hauling a cart full of luggage and leading a much shorter young woman.
"You're sure you can do this?" he asked her.
"I am," she said, swiping some of her red hair from in front of her face. "I can do this. I have my star maps, and I have everything we brought with us from…. I can do it."
"I believe you," he said. "I just wanted to make sure." He surveyed the area. "Now we just have to find a likely ship."
"I could –"
"No," the guy said. "I know you said it's not a problem, but I want there to be no question. I can find one."
The young woman nodded. "Okay," she said, patting him on the arm. "I trust you."
The man led them around the docks, looking carefully at ships and crews, destinations and cargoes. He looked at the condition of the ships, the faces of the crews, and asked questions as he saw fit.
And then he chose based on intuition.
"That one," he said, pointing to a ship that looked more than a little beat up.
"Why?" she asked
"It's got character," he said, "but it still looks solid. It's headed away from the core, and the captain…"
"Is wearing a brown coat," said the woman. "You always did have a soft spot for the underdog."
"That's because it was usually me," he said.
"Plus, you think the girl out front is cute."
"This is the truth," he said, smiling at his friend, "but it doesn't make my other points any less valid."
The woman nodded. "Okay," she said. "Let's go."
They approached the ship with a little trepidation, but the girl's warm smile calmed their nerves.
"Hi," she said. "Y'all headed to Boros, or thereabouts?"
"Just looking for some time on the rim," the man said. "Get away from things."
"Well, we're headed out that way," the girl said, standing from her folding chair. "And we've got a good crew, a shipboard doctor with a well stocked infirmary, and comfy rooms for anyone as can pay."
"It sounds lovely," said the woman.
"Well, I'm Kaylee," said the girl from the ship, placing a hand over her chest. She then waved back towards the ship. "And this here's Serenity, and she's the smoothest ride in the galaxy."
"Nice to meet you," said the man. "I'm Xander Harris, and this is my traveling companion, Willow Rosenberg."
"Oh," Kaylee said, surprise in her voice. "Okay. Well, great. Why don't y'all bring your stuff on board, and we'll see about getting you settled. The cap'n just left, but he and the rest will be back soon."
"Great," Xander said, smiling. If the whole crew were as nice as Kaylee, he thought, it would be a very enjoyable trip.
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"Who's this?" Mal asked. He, Jayne and Zoë had just returned from what could, by comparison with previous experiences, be considered successful negotiations with Badger. Jayne and Zoë were currently overseeing transporting the cargo.
"Cap'n," Kaylee said, "this here's Xander Harris and his… um… companion… Willow Rosenberg. Folks, this here's the captain. Malcolm Reynolds."
"Captain," Xander said, offering his hand to the man. Mal took and shook his hand.
"Companion, huh?" he asked, nodding to Willow. "Isn't that nice. Guess there's no question about adequate funds, then."
"Um. Okay," Xander said.
"Where are you headed?" Mal asked. They had listed a couple of destinations on their manifest, and the different prices for each destination.
"Out," Xander said. "Away from the core."
Mal looked Xander straight in the eyes. "You all got Alliance troubles?"
Xander shook his head. "Just need to get away from it all for a little while."
"Huh," said Mal. "Don't we all. Well, I guess this'll make Inara happy. Or less mean, maybe."
"Cap'n, Inara's not mean," Kaylee said. "She's just been stressed, is all."
"What will make who happy?" Willow asked.
"Oh, you allow her to speak," Mal said with a little chuckle. "How quaint."
"Excuse me?" Xander said, confused.
Mal and Kaylee exchanged a quick, almost surprised glance. "Uh, nothing," Mal said, though Xander got the sense he was missing something. "Kaylee'll show you to your room, then –"
"Uh, just one?" Xander asked.
Mal paused. "You want separate rooms?"
"If it's not too much trouble," Xander said. "Why, is that more expensive?"
Mal glanced at Kaylee, who shrugged her ignorance. They'd never met a man with a personal companion who didn't sleep in the same room with her, at least in anything remotely resembling public lodging. It was a sign of status.
"No," Mal said, after a short pause. "No, that's fine. Um. Anyway, Kaylee'll show you to your rooms. We'll do a little meet and greet with the crew once we're outta the world. Do you carry a gun?"
"I have one," Xander said, kicking one of his bags. "Not expecting to use it."
"Good," Mal said. "Well, I've got to help Wash get the ship ready. I'll check on you folks in a little while."
Xander nodded and picked up his bags and Willow's. They followed a few feet behind Kaylee.
"What," Willow said, leaning close to him, "do you suppose that was all about?"
Xander shook his head. "I have absolutely no idea."
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"That's Zoë, my second in command, and her husband Wash, the pilot," said Captain Reynolds. "Over there's Doctor Tam, and his sister River."
"Please, call me Simon," the doctor said with a smile. It was a nice, comforting smile, and Willow felt a little better for it. But not that much.
Willow felt like she was on trial. It was silly, she thought, because it was just an introduction to the crew and the other passengers. Kaylee seemed nice, certainly. And Simon's smile made him appear kind, as well.
Just about everyone else seemed to be judging her, though. Especially Jayne, the big one with all the muscles, whose role on the ship she wasn't quite sure of. Captain Reynolds had said something about public relations, which everyone but her Xander and her had laughed at. Jayne didn't seem to be judging her so much as sizing her up for a meal.
Willow slid about a half-step behind Xander, an action which seemed to annoy the captain, his second-in-command Zoë, and Shepherd Book, the preacher guy with the Bible. But Xander was bigger than her, and while she was now much more confident than she had been in high school, she really didn't like the looks they were giving her.
"You'll also, I'm sure, be meeting Inara," Mal said, drawing Willow's attention back to his introductions of the crew. "She's sort of our ambassador here, when she chooses to grace us with her presence. We do have sit down meals. Next one's at about 1900. Other'n that, there's not much to say. You're welcome in the hold, the mess here, or the lounge outside the infirmary when you want, but don't go on the bridge without an escort, 'less it's an emergency."
Xander nodded. "That sounds good," he said, smiling. But, looking around, nobody else except Kaylee and the doctor's sister was smiling, and Kaylee's looked a little forced.
Mal nodded.
"Well," Xander said, "if you all don't mind, we'll just go make ourselves comfortable for a little while."
"Sure," Mal said, extending his arm towards the stairs.
"Have fun," said Wash, with dancing eyebrows and a little wave of his hand.
As they left the kitchen, Willow would swear she saw Zoë elbow Wash in the side. And she was pretty sure, when they were on the stairs, she heard a bunch of them laughing.
"Xander," she said, "I'm not sure we picked the right ship."
"Come on," he said, leading her into his cabin. "Let's talk in private."
Willow nodded and sat on his bed. Xander sat on the floor against the wall.
"They were definitely giving you some looks I didn't like," he said.
"I noticed," said Willow.
"You think it's not safe?" he asked.
Willow smiled. "No, it's fine," she said. "I mean, I'm almost certain I can stop them from doing anything, if they wanted to. But if they are mean, well, it'll just make stealing their ship that much less taxing on my conscience."
"Kaylee's really cute, though," Xander said.
"Oh yeah," Willow said, smiling some more. She found, since she had started dating Tara, that there were some things she could talk to about Xander now that they had never talked about, or at least, had talked about in different ways. Girls, for instance. Willow got all the boob talk, now. Turned out, she just needed to be introduced to the right pair.
Willow frowned.
"Thinking about home?" Xander asked, joining Willow on the bed. He put his arm around her shoulders, and she leaned into him. "We'll get back to them," he said. "As soon as we find her."
"I know," Willow said. "It's just tough. Of course, you know that."
Xander nodded. "I do indeed," he said. "The love of a woman is a wonderful thing, but they often don't take it well when you say you're leaving for an unspecified amount of time… in search of another woman."
"Tara wasn't so worried about that last part."
"Anya's been insecure about my relationship with you guys since we started going out. She was getting better, but I don't think this helped." Xander shrugged. "I'll deal with it when I get back, though. This had to be done."
Willow leaned up and kissed Xander on the cheek. "Thank you for coming."
Xander nodded. "Face it," he said. "You're stuck with me."
Willow hugged her best friend tighter. After a minute, she let go. "You know," she said. "It's weird that you're engaged."
"That it is," he said, nodding his agreement.
"Okay," she said, standing up. "I need to get my laptop, start it calculating."
"Won't the battery drain?" Xander asked.
"It would, but I'm going to tap into the ship's power supply and keep it charged."
"You can do that?" Xander asked. "I didn't know they made a U.S.-to-spaceship AC adapter."
"They don't," Willow said. She whirled her hand and a couple of sparks shot into the air. "That's why we have magic."
"Just make sure you don't blow up the ship," he said as she stepped out of his room. Willow walked across the hall and into her own room. In her luggage was her new laptop – well, new by her standards. Here, it was ancient. And since it was in working order, that might make it priceless, but Willow was only using it for one thing: to find their way home.
Willow booted up her computer and performed the energy spell to keep the battery charged. That done, she brought up the program she and Jonathon had written for this specific purpose. Using magic again, she transferred the data from the star chart she and Xander had bought on Persephone. She manually pinpointed a few stars and star clusters that were identifiable in the chart from home and the new one. Her computer, if the program worked correctly, would be able to analyze the differences and pinpoint the difference in location.
Then, of course, it was just a matter of figuring out where on the new chart they were, where they needed to go, and then actually getting there. Willow sighed. This would have been much easier if this damn backwards, western space-faring culture still knew where Earth was.
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End Chapter 1