A/N: Firefly bits here are from "Serenity" Part one, the initial pilot episode for the TV show, not the BDM. I've got Jelly Babies for reviews. ;-)
Basia Orci, cassikat, OtherMeWriter, Thank you very much.
I think you might be right. No Mickey. He's a scarred-y cat, anyway. And… It's not in my plans for Rose and Simon to end up as a couple, but I'll leave the door open just in case it happens to run that way. These characters have a mind of their own sometimes.

Summary: The Doctor, reeling from the effects of the TimeWar as the last surviving TimeLord, stumbled into a situation he could not ignore when the TARDIS landed him inside a ship that was clearly in trouble. After the rescue, he's left with eight survivors that he must somehow get to safety. But the situation is not as cut and dry as he might like. His people may be gone, but the stamp he's made on the universe is still there, and he finds himself caught in a web spun of the choices he's made in his past…

Something in history has prompted humanity to explode out from their home world. Could the events of 2164 be responsible? Was Earth a myth or was it real? In fleeing Earth-that-Was, humanity scattered to the stars across the galactic arm. Initial survey teams targeted likely planets and systems for habitation and not all of them ended up on the same side of the sector. Blue Sun exists on one side, separated by a patch of 'wild space' filled with exotic binary and triple star systems, from the rest of civilized space. Few ships brave the route. But luck had it that one ship did. Risking a ghost run, the only contact that the two sides have, the Hunter-Gratzner crashed midway through the journey. Original Port of Departure: Eavesdown Docks, Persephone. Mixed Sino-Anglo culture. Original Port of Call: Tangiers-5. Darkside. Mixed Islamic-Anglo culture. Crew complement: Four. Passengers: Forty. Living 'Cargo': Two. Survivors: Eight plus One

So what happens in 2517 to Dr. Simon Tam, his brilliant but damaged sister, a convicted murder by the name of Richard B. Riddick, and Jack B. Badd now that they are on their way home? They end up slightly out of their own Time, on a ship filled with living sculptures and then a 'quiet' trip to 2005 London brings them face to face with living sculptures of another kind… And just how is this related to the TimeWar?

A Doctor Who / Firefly / Riddick crossover.

Features Doctor 9, companion Rose Tyler; The cast of Firefly; 'Jack B. Badd' and Richard B. Riddick…

Doctor Who and the Ties that Bind.

Part Twenty-Eight

Redeemed

To simple, to smooth…That's what the ex-ranger thinks. The Nestene isn't going to just leave, is it? But then he does hope so. He's given them well-researched options, and really, Proxmia Two is even better than Sol Three for the Nestene's needs. They are backed up to the exit portal and there's an army of shop dummies between them and the vat. And he has to wonder if Thete could be rid of the parasite, by way of this creature. He knows though that even with the creature being fearful of that possibility, the Time Lord has too much honor to do such a thing. Behind him he hears Rose on her phone, her mother's voice faintly going on about normal things, "Oh, there you are. You can get --" He forces his ears to not listen to the conversation.

Rose is getting the feeling that something very bad is about to happen. She's not sure why, but the plastic people don't look like they are leaving, "Where are you, mum?" After a bit she says, "No. Just go home, just go home right now," then, "Mum? Mum?" Closing the phone she says, "Bloody hung up on me."

"What? What are you doing?" The Doctor calls out to the rumbling vat, "But – We had a deal!" There's more noise, like a gloating roar, "Sure you can, but you will regret it. Don't say that I haven't warned you. Every time you try this you lose. I'm offering you a chance to win for a change, don't just toss that aside!" The army of plastic people advance, and a bolt of energy reaches out from the vat and up into the structure above, "For the love of the 'Verse, listen to reason!" the Time Lord beseeches. He's weakening quickly. The Nestene's psychic power overflowing from the vat, filling the room, surging up into the London Eye, is feeding the parasite, killing him.

Richard steps in between the Doctor and the advancing dummies. "You really don't want to do this. We do have ways of stopping you, of ghosting you. I'm sure it will grieve the Doctor to use them, but I don't give a rip." He holds up the vial of blue liquid he's retrieved from Jack, "This is your last chance. Leave or I'll use this." That works. Even so, he's surprised when it does in fact 'shunt off' with rather a grand light show.

Different energy surges up, as the Nestene heeds the threat. Rose knows it's taking a major portion the plastic in London. The Doctor is slowly crumpling to his knees, looking very pale but tinged with an intense brownish orange flush. River has stepped up to him and is gripping his wrist, sinking to her knees as he kneels, staying next to him and completely ignoring the events around them. Beside her Simon drops to his knees, placing his hands on the Doctor as well, "What is going on?" Mickey asks.

Rose looks at him, "It's leaving. Richard and the Doctor found it another world." Then she sees the Doctor and becomes all manner of panicked. "Richard!" He glances at her then at whom she is pointing at. Suddenly watching the invader leave is minor in comparison to what he knows is going on.

The Nestene continues to pump energy into the air, and up into the London Eye, screeching with effort. The amount of raw power buffeting the structure causes the catwalk below them to fall away, dropping the shop dummies with it. "Go!" the Doctor says weakly to them all. Richard turns and helps Simon and River get him to his feet.

"We're gonna die," groans out Mickey.

"No, we're not," Rose says determined. Richard motions Jack to go, and shoos Rose out. That's enough to make Mickey flee ahead of her. River and Simon are supporting the Doctor. Jack slams the door closed just as the room behind them implodes. The shock wave sends them all to the ground as the alien technology sends the Nestene and it's plastic invasion forces off into the stars. "What's wrong? What happened?"

Weakly the Doctor laughs, "I finally managed to not end up covered in alien blood, and I'm dying."

"It's the parasite," Simon tells her, "The energy produced by the Shunt technology was similar enough that it strengthened it. But we can correct this, if we work together."

Richard picks the Time Lord up, "Don't you fuckin' dare. You hear me, don't give up."

River looks around and spots that the TARDIS has moved closer, "This way." She runs off toward the blue box. Simon, Jack and Richard follow.

Rose looks at Mickey, "Come on." She takes his hand and pulls him along behind her.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

He considered himself to be a modest man, a man of God. Not that it had always been this way, but he'd changed. He'd always had faith. Faith had never been the issue for him. But the nature and focus of that faith had changed and so had he. After being in an abbey for so long he felt nearly giddy to be out among normal folks again. The sights and sounds of Eavesdown Docks were like a tapestry of vivid colors woven together to make up a scene that was multi-cultural, but not quite fully blended into blandness. Here the poor struggled to identify themselves with what made them unique, unlike the rich who attempted to become all the same.

He passed a food vendor whose sign 'Good DOGS' indicates that he's selling grilled dog meat. This is a normal Chinese thing to do, and no one here raises an eyebrow at it. He gives the vendor a smile as he walks by, one that is rather a capricious grin, reflecting his joyous mood. The well-fed man smiles back at him and offers a small sample of his barbecued meat, which he politely declines as he has no intention of buying any.

The Shepherd proceed pass the vendor, pauses a moment for some children that are chasing past him after a chicken, and discovers that there's a man in his way, "You going on a trip, grandpa? Need safe passage? We're cheap. We're cheap. We're clean." He points back to a large ship, "The Brutus, the best ship in the 'Verse. What's your des, grandpa? We're hitting the outer rings." Book looks that way and rejects the ship on first sight.

He pulls back, swerves slightly and then tells the man, "I never married." He steps past the hawker with his belongings.

"What?"

"I'm not a grandpa." The gray clad holy man tells the fellow, as he moves away with his boxes and bags that are actually items to barter, more than his stuff. All he possesses fits into the suitcase he carries in the other hand.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

River reaches Verity and opens the doors. She's hoping that once they get the Doctor inside that the can force the parasite again back into containment. Behind her Simon makes sure Richard gets inside with his armload. Jack waits until Rose tugs Mickey inside then closes the doors. The Time Lord groans. "He's going to need our help," the bronze man says.

River opens a door that Rose hadn't seen before, "Verity says that he needs to be in his room, so she can move him more center. This way." The dark headed girl leads everyone deeper into the ship and up to a door that is settled into a hallway. For Rose this is wonderful. For Mickey this is terrifying. Opening it reveals a clean lined room with a very fluffy looking bed decked out in dark masculine colors.

Riddick flicks his head and the shades fly off. River catches them out of the air. Richard settles the Doctor on the bed and puts his hand on the man's forehead. Simon and Jack enter and close the door. "He's way too hot again," the ex-ranger says.

Simon points to some chairs that have just appeared, "Jack, please keep Mickey company." The honey haired boy nods. "Rose, I know this is sudden, but we will need your help. The fact that you can feel Verity indicates to me that you have latent psychic power. Please," He indicates the bed where River is kneeling and holding the Doctor's hand.

"Doc, we should inoculate her against the parasite, just in case. He's stable, as long as River is feeding his aura."

Simon nods. "That's an excellent idea, Rich. I've got the chemicals I need to mix up already in my medical kit. I'll need to draw a drop of blood to tailor it to your system, Mei-gui." Rose nods and follows him into the next room, which ends up being the bathroom. It has very modern looking clean lines to the fixtures, dark towels, and is very uncluttered. She turns her attention to Simon as he mixes the solution and adds her blood to it before administering the shot.

Mickey is sitting in shock; ignoring Jack's attempt at snapping him out of it when Rose and Simon come back out. "What do you need me to do?" the blonde asks. She figures that the life threatened should come first, and for now Mickey is safe, if but a bit shell shocked.

"Take his hand and just relax. Let Verity guide you, Rose. And – don't panic at what you might see. We never quite know what we're stepping into when we do this."

Rose nodded and climbed up onto the bed opposite River. Richard was up by the headboard, and Simon settled down near the stricken alien's feet. She took the Doctor's hand in her own and slowly relaxed, closing her eyes as the hum of the TARDIS enveloped her mind. They had won, and now she could feel the heat of the hairless smooth hand in her own. She could almost believe that his was a human hand, but for the strange tempo flowing through it and the fact that the heat seemed feverish.

The hand in her own was alien, the Doctor's hand. And the TARDIS was alien. For all she knew, River, Simon and Richard were alien too, but she trusted them. This experience, the current sensations, panic aside, was fantastic, and she felt like she'd been waiting for this her entire life. She blinked. There was a woman standing before her. "Hello Rose," the woman said, "I am Verity. You have felt me before. I wished that there was more time, but ironically there's so little of it. The parasite is killing both of us, both the Doctor and I, feeding on our connection to one another. All I can do is plea with you that you have a large enough heart to--"

"Stop," Rose cut her off, "You are the TARDIS, right?" The woman nodded. "Just show me what to do, and I'll do it. He just saved the lives of every human on earth, and I'd gladly give up my own life to repay him."

"Your death would serve nothing, Mei-gui. Come, follow me." Verity took Rose by the hand and led her deeper into the Doctor's mind, letting her see the sludge-like energy. The young woman didn't wait. She followed her instincts and flooded the black power with a wash of gold and glitter, pushing it back against a curved wall of crystal, where a flood of water cut off it's escape and the wind caught it and held it. She seized it again as it tried to push up and over, forcing it down into the dying flames until the void captured it and held it weakly. She felt the wind, water, and earth solidify into forms she recognized – Simon, River, and Richard. They four now stood holding hands around the Doctor and Verity. The woman said, "I know how much it grieves you to stay in one place, Thete. But you must. Until we find the others necessary to save you, you must let me go. It's the only way to starve the parasite into submission."

"No. There must be another way. I – need you."

"If you can promise to not travel until we have the doomsday agent weakened again – I'll stay."

The Doctor looked down. "Cutting out my hearts would be easier, Verity. Smashing my hands would be more just. But – I don't want to die." He looked up at her. "Just take us to where we can leave Rose's boyfriend, then find a place where I can – we can – heal. I promise, No hopping through the Vortex until it's safe again to do so. Transfer the controls to River. I'll behave."

The golden Lady hugged her Time Lord; "It's only until this crisis is past, Thete. It's not forever. We can beat this. I know we can." She then turns and touches River.

"I anoint you my protegee, River Tam. I bequeath you right and control of equal standing as it pertains to my TARDIS, while you are in training. Do you accept, Saritha?"

"I do, with honor, Grandfather." Verity kisses River on the forehead.

The Doctor turned to Simon; "I extend to you, Simon Tam, equal status to your sister, should you desire it. Do you accept, Simeon?"

He mouthed 'Grandfather?' at his sister and got a nod. "I do, yes. I'm very honored and flattered, Sir."

"Amadak, Rose. I'm going to need you more than ever. I'm so sorry,"

"Stop it," Rose said. "I'm coming with you, no matter where you are going. Even if you stay in one place for a year, I'm sure it will be fantastic. So just stop feeling sorry for yourself."

He stepped up in front of her, "Rose Tyler." He took her hands. "I promise you, it will be the adventure of a lifetime." He grinned that grin that melted her heart, "How can it not be, if I'm there." She laughed. Then she was back on the bed, kneeling and holding his cool hand. She blinked.

River got up, "Contained for now. Let's move back to the Powell Estates." She moved out of the room. Simon helped Rose back to her feet.

Mickey sputtered and clung to her as they headed back to the control room.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Wash eased Serenity down into an open spot. They could use this location to do many things, open a stall, take on passengers, give tours… well, maybe not the last. Mal'd already said they were taking on passengers here so he expected the non-existent knick-knack sales were out too. He grinned cheekily "Eavesdown docks, Persephone. Touchdown. We have landed."

This set everyone else into a tizzy of activity, with gun grabbing, face washing, mule warm-ups, and chair snatching. Wash joins the others in the cargo bay and gets the mule hooked up to a trailer. Mal opens the ramp, Kaylee at his side, "This shouldn't take long. Put us down for departure in about three hours," she nods and he turns to the pilot, "Grab any supplies we're low on. Fuel her up." Wash gives him the thumbs up. He knows, of course, that he's to shop on the cheap, getting what he can find to substitute where necessary.

The honey-haired engineer bounds down the ramp to the 'parking meter' entering the required information as she talks, "I'd sure love to find a brand new compression coil for the steamer."

While the captain knows she is telling him that the part is going and that it will need replacing, he can't promise her anything, "And I'd like to be king of all Londinum and wear a shiny hat. Just get us some passengers. Them as can pay, all right?"

"Compression coil busts, we're drifting..."

Right, the part's in bad shape. He knows they need one, but isn't sure where the money is going to come for it. "Best not bust, then," he says to her, looking very serious. Kaylee knows that now he'll try to get her the part soon, so she lets it go.

The pilot guides the mule down the ramp as his wife, captain, and the new hired gun start off toward Badger's lair, "Zhu tamin ya min. Zhu yi," he calls as he slows the mule. He gives them a worried look. This sort of thing always makes him worry.

His wonderful, beautiful wife smiles at him, "We will." Its not so much of a broad smile as one might think, but he knows how to see it in her eyes. She's all business right now, and he won't cause her to loose her edge. With a final nod he lets her go, even as the vague nervousness remains.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

River doesn't fiddle as much as the Doctor does with the controls. She pets the console, holding it like she's best friends with it. But no matter, she is able to land it back at the project, in an alleyway within just a five-minute walk. Almost before the ship is settled, Mickey has let go of Rose and is clinging to the exit. Simon gives his sister a raised eyebrow and slides the lever to open the doors. The startled dark skinned man runs out like he's chased by the devil himself.

Shaking her head, the blonde follows him, pulling out her phone and calling her mum again. She sees Mickey hit the end wall of the alley. "Mum? Yes, I know. I'm about five minutes away. Well… I got a job. Yeah. Don't panic, all right." She hangs up and looks at Mickey again, "Fat lot of good you were."

He looks at her and whimpers. She raises an eyebrow at him and then looks back at the TARDIS. River is standing there. "Do you want to pick up some things from your abode?"

"Just assumin' I'm coming along?" Rose says to her teasingly.

River smiles. "It would be the – most fantastic thing, don't you think? I've heard that we could go anywhere in the 'Verse. Don't you want to?"

Mickey grabs Rose, "Don't. Its alien, a -- thing."

The dark headed girl glowers at Mickey, "Not an 'it'. She is wondrous, the TADRIS is. Not our fault that you don't see it." She turns her attention to the blonde. "Verity and the Doctor will die without you, Miss Tyler. You saved them, bought them some time, and for that I thank you with all my soul." She doesn't mention how the deaths will shatter her, but the knowledge exists in her eyes all the same.

And Mei-gui sees it, that deep agonized emotion in those expressive dark eyes. She feels bad for teasing. "Oi, Mei-Mei," Rose smiles at the girl, "Of course I'll come. I've already decided." River smiles back. "Yeah, I'd like to pick up some stuff. We got time, right?"

"Yes."

Rose says, "Come on then. I've got some old things you might fit into. And we could look through my jewelry and make up. Hey, do you like fashion tips?" River runs a few steps to catch up with the other young woman as they head back to the Tyler apartment. "What about Mickey?" Hearing his voice he turns to follow them. Simon and Jack follow him, leaving the Doctor and Richard with the ship. They figure that they can help Rose carry back whatever she decides to bring.

"He's not ready for such things. Maybe after he's – grown up a bit? Besides, the TARDIS goes anywhen as well as anywhere."

"Any when?"

"Yes, it travels in time as well as space."

This makes Rose go quiet for a bit. They reach the front door of her apartment before she says anything else, "Is it always this dangerous?"

"Usually. We do a lot of running."

Laughing, Rose replies, "So, sensible shoes?"

"Definitely."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

A younger, less traveled, Simon Tam moved with his cargo through Eavesdown Docks. He had no idea that his attempt at looking older and more mature made him stand out in this dive. His fine jacket-less suit and round solars made him look upper crust, which he was, but because this place was so rundown it was like wearing a billboard with a flashing sign. He paused by the Firefly class ship, watching the pretty young woman with her torn paper parasol and her ratty lawn chair and thought about how much he wanted to be on that ship with her before turning away.

Behind him, unobserved, one Lawrence Dobson made a scene and got his credits returned. Kaylee pushes it aside but vows to charge the fellow extra if he comes back. She turns her attention to the older man in gray that is wandering past with his eyes on the ships. Kaylee knows that it's now or never for this one, as he keeps moving, looking for something that can't be defined, "You're gonna come with us," she says with a broad smile.

That makes him pause, slowing but not stopping. He's got a grin too, showing humor, "Excuse me?"

She moves up to him as she talks, "You like ships. You don't seem to be looking at the destinations. What you care about is the ships, and mine's the nicest." She thumbs back to it.

This makes him come to a full stop and he looks Serenity over with a more critical eye, "She don't look like much."

Book can tell that this young lady loves her ship, just by the way she moves when she talks about it, "Well, she'll fool ya'. You ever sail in a Firefly?"

His face lights with genuine warmth, responding to her clear delight at life. "Long before you were crawling," Book tells her. He then looks at the ship again, "Not an aught three, though. Didn't have the extenders, tended to shake."

Kaylee moves closer playfully twirling her sunshade, "So, uh, how come you don't care where you're going?"

" 'Cause how you get there is the worthier part."

The young lady surprises him by actually seeing the clothes he's wearing for what they are, "Are you a missionary?"

The smile that spreads across his face tells her that she's sold him on this ship for passage, "I guess... I'm a Shepherd, from the Southdown Abbey. Book, I'm called Book." He takes her hand with a little shake that almost feels like being hugged. "Been out of the world for a spell. Like to walk it a while, maybe bring the word to them as need it told."

"Well, I'm Kaylee. This is Serenity, and she's the smoothest ride from here to Boros for anyone who can pay." Her pretty face falls and she nervously tucks her hair behind her ear, "Can you pay, or... ?"

He leans over like he's sharing a secret with her, "Well, I've got a little cash, and, uh..." One of the smaller boxes from his luggage appears under her nose as he opens it. She definitely seems to think it's a fair trade.

"Ooh, grampa..."

Chuckling, Book teases her, "I never married."

No sooner then did Book board and get settled in did Dobson return. He had done a fast hunt for the Tam scion, not ever thinking that the dandy doctor would risk cryosleep and a ghost run. She saw him as he slunk back to board Serenity again. "I'm going to have to charge you extra this time."

He stood and argued with her until they were interrupted by Wash, "I've got a family of six lined up. They should be heading this way in the next few minutes." Dobson added the requested extra amount to the tab and forked over the credits.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Mickey was on the sofa hugging a pillow when Jackie came through the front door. She could hear Rose in her room, talking a mile a minute about girly stuff. She noticed that the ten-year-old boy and another young man were standing in the hall, holding boxes. "Rose?"

"Yeah, mum?" Rose appeared in the doorway, "Remember I said I got a job? It means doing some traveling. But… I got a cheque here, an advance on my wages, to help with the bills." She pulled out the slip of paper and handed it over.

"Doctor J. Smythe? You're working for a doctor?" Jackie took it and looked at the name first thing before even looking at the amount.

"Yeah. He's not a medical doctor, but a scientist. And we're leaving town tonight, so I gotta get packed up."

The other girl in the room was folding some clothes that Rose had settled on the bed into a case. "Did you check references? Is he for real? Did you see his credentials?"

Rose paused, "Mum. He works for UNIT, all right. It's an international thing, connected to the United Nations. We've been 'checking credentials' all day. This is River, one of my co-workers. And that's Simon, her brother. And the boy is Jack – Smythe. The Doctor's son. Ok?" She turned and plopped her makeup case into a box, "I'll call you. Everyday. But I need to do this."

"Unit?"

"The shop going up was some government involved thing, terrorists they think, and we're going to check out other sites for evidence of it."

The dark haired young woman says, "U. N. I. T. United Nations Intelligence Taskforce. We work behind the scenes, Ms. Tyler, to keep civilians safe. You should be honored that your daughter shows the traits we look for when under pressure." She places the last item in the box and picks it up. "Are we ready?"

Rose looks around, the room still has a great many things in it and over half her clothes are still here, but they are dressy things that she is sure will not serve her well. "Yeah." She kisses her mum and steps around her. "Lets go." Jackie looks at the amount of the draft and blinks, stunned. Behind her Simon and Jack pick up their boxes and follow.

"But – Rose!" Mickey jumps up from the sofa and follows them out the door, down the steps, and across the project, "You can't--"

"Yes, I can. Mickey, I need to do this. Otherwise what do I have? No Job, no education, no future… Really, Mickey. I don't want to spend my life working as a food server or at the butcher's bagging groceries. Not when I can be so much more."

"But – what about us?"

They reached the alley and the others step inside. She turns and looks at him, "Get a grip, Mickey. Grow up a little. I'll call you. If you want there to still be an 'us' next time I'm in town then we'll see. Until then, Thanks."

Confused he says, "Thanks for what?"

She sighs, "Exactly." Rose leans over and kisses his cheek. He still doesn't get it. She gives him a sad look and steps up to the TARDIS. Inside she sees the Doctor is standing in the far doorway. A huge smile lights her face at seeing him upright again. Without a second thought she slips inside and Simon closes the door.