Carving Out a Future

By: Dreamfall

Summary: Her crew doesn't know that Serenity's new passenger, a carpenter with an 'unusual upbringing', is a relic from the past. Xander says he's not looking for trouble. But, then, neither are they. Not usually, leastways. It just always comes calling anyway. Gen. Canon couples mentioned, but definitely not the focus of the story.

Written for: NaNoWriMo and TTH100: Xander/Firefly

TTH100 prompt: 071-River

Rating: FR13/PG13/T

Disclaimer: I own neither Firefly nor BtVS.

Spoilers: Takes place post Season 7 for Buffy, and post-Objects in Space (and post the comic books, for that matter), but pre-Serenity for Firefly.

Author's Note: This is the story I started in November for NaNoWriMo. I'm thirty or so chapters into it, but since there's going to be at least one hundred chapters (since it's for tth100), they're mostly pretty short. If you're coming from this from my HP fanfics-- it's very different. Way less dark. It's also an incredibly fun story to write, and I do intend to continue with it to its conclusion. And no, it's not taking any real time away from Cat, now that I'm not working obsessively on it, like I was in November. I'll be posting every couple/few days at least till I'm caught up with my livejournal (username dreamfall(underscore)nnwm). Hope you enjoy!

Review Response: Responses to any reviews will be posted in the same livejournal as my other review responses-- username dreamfall(underscore)ff.

Oh! Just, fyi, this is by far the shortest chapter. I promise, none of the rest are quite this brief. Seeyas!

Chapter Three
Reaching Serenity

"Doc!" Kaylee shouted as soon as they were within hailing distance of Serenity. "Simon!"

"What's all the ruckus about?" Mal demanded, one hand on his pistol as he stepped out onto the ramp, looking tired and disheveled but ready for anything. "Who's hurt?"

"Xander," Kaylee answered, following quickly as Jayne moved smoothly up the ramp and into the cargo bay.

"And why are you bringin' him onto my gorram ship?" he shouted.

"I got attacked and he saved me. Only when we thought they were all knocked out, one wasn't, really, and he shot, but Xander threw himself at him, and got shot! We've gotta fix him, Mal, it's all my fault!"

"That so?" Mal asked, eyes flickering towards Jayne.

"Near enough as makes no nevermind. I wasn't there for the start, but I caught the end okay. And it's true enough he took the bullet -- wasn't aimed for him, neither. Not sure if it was meant for Kaylee or for me, but if he'd stayed put, he wouldn't've caught it," he admitted begrudgingly. "'Course, might be we wouldn't've either -- I saw it near as fast as him, and prob'ly coulda taken the hwoon dahn 'fore he fired if the kid wasn't in the way -- spoiled my shot."

"Might not've been in time," Kaylee stated. "He saw him first. Don't matter now anyway. Doc!" she shouted again.

"But we 're leaving first thing," Mal said, tone already somewhat resigned.

"We'll be back b'fore long," Kaylee pointed out. "Always do wind up back on Persephone. We can drop him off then."

"Might not matter anyhow," Jayne added cheerfully as Simon finally moved through the door, tucking in his shirt. "Got a bullet in his gut, left a ruttin' impressive trail of blood on th'way here, an' he's got a concussion. Went unconscious a couple minutes back. Chances are he'll die anyway."

"Lao tyen yeh," Simon exclaimed. "Get him to the infirmary -- I'll see what I can do."