Chapter 6
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After her Dad leaves Alexis decided to ask Kaylee and River some things about her Dad "So how close are you and my Dad?" Alexis asks Kaylee not being able to help feeling a little jealous that he kissed them on the head before leaving two.
"Your Dad sees me as his little sister I think his relationship with River is the same." Kaylee tells Alexis realising that she may be a little jealous.
Alexis smiles then realises something "River is the same age as me you're only a little older. If you're his sisters then that makes you my aunts and that's just wired." She says to Kaylee and both of them look at each other and burst out laughing.
"I'll settle for friend." Kaylee says once she finishes laughing.
"Same." Alexis says leaning in and giving Kaylee a hug
"What about me?" River asks as up until this point she had been looking around Alexis's room.
"Your my friend to River." Alexis says and she and Kaylee both open their arms so that River can be included on the hug, before any of the trio can say something Alexis's cell goes off, she looks at the caller id and see's Kate's name.
"Hey, you think that two I was going to make an excuse to get away to talk to you guys, Lanie's 1 I'll be there, yeah that is a good idea, I figure it out, bye Kate" Alexis says hanging up her phone and looks at Kaylee "Who knows the most about time travel?" she asks.
"Simon why?" Kaylee asks confused.
"Come on." Alexis says as she gets up and leaves her bedroom, "What room did Dad put Simon in." She mutters out load to herself.
"That one." River says pointing to the room closes to Alexis's.
"Thanks River." Alexis says smiling then knocks on the door, Shepard book is the one to answer and he looks confused to see the three younger members of the house standing there "Yes?" He asks confused.
"We need to talk to Simon." Alexis says.
Shepard Book nods and allows the three to enter.
"River, Kaylee, Alexis is something wrong?" Simon asks seeing the three.
"No nothing wrong, I just need to ask you something, tomorrow I'm going to meet Dad's friends who were here tonight to talk about our decision about whether or not to come to the future and Kaylee said you know the most about time travel so I was hoping you could come with me." Alexis explains "Oh and not tell dad." She adds.
"I'm willing to come it's the keeping it from you father that I'm not too fond of." Simon says to Alexis.
"Usually I'm not either, but this is different Dad said to me that if he had to go to the future without me it would kill him that's why he's not going if I'm not, but he also said that going without Kate and the others would hurt but he would survive, he's my Dad he's done so much for me I don't want to hurt but I know that if I say stay here it will hurt him so much because he's not with you guys, so that's why I don't want my Dad to know, I'm going to convince his friends to come even if it's just for 6 months he needs them in his life but he also needs you guys I've see that in just the few hours you have been here, so will you come?" Alexis asks looking at Simon with a look which says please please help me.
"I'll come but you Dad is going to know we're up to something if we go somewhere together and not tell him." Simon points out.
Alexis looks thoughtful then gets a smile on her face "You're a doctor right?" she asks and Simon nods "You remember Dr Paris, Lanie she's the ME that works with Detective Beckett I been working with her for a little while." Alexis explains.
"Shouldn't you still be in school?" Simon asks knowing that Mal said his daughter is Rivers age so she should still be in school.
"I've gotten everything I need to graduate, I was meant to be a collage this semester but that's another story." Alexis explains, Simon realises that Alexis must be smart to already have all she needs to graduate "Anyway my idea, tomorrow morning I say I'm going to help out Lanie, and you say something like can I come I want to see what medicine is like in this time." Alexis explains.
"That's genius." Kaylee says giving Alexis a hug.
"That just may work" Simon admits then turns to Shepard Book "Can you keep an eye or River?"
"Consider it done." Shepard book tells Simon.
"We better get back to my room, thanks Simon." Alexis says smiling at him as she River and Kaylee leave
Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle
Mal is down in his office writing as he realises that Gina would kill him if he disappeared without having his newest book finished.
"Well, well, well Mal Reynolds working hard on something legal." He hears Inara's amused voice say.
"Can you hold your teasing for a minute Nara my publisher would kill me if I disappeared without having this book finished."
"She wouldn't be able to kill you because you would have disappeared, she wouldn't be able to find you." Inara tells him.
"You don't know her powers, she'll find away." Mal responds.
"Does the fact that she's your ex-wife have anything to do with that." Inara asks.
"You know about that" Mal asks surprised closing his laptop and putting it on the table.
"It came up." Inara tells him then goes and sits in the chair across from him. "You named you daughter after me." She says to him and Mal can tell just how touched she is.
"When Alexis was born, Meredith was the one who suggested her first name but I really liked the name so I was ok with it. Alexis was given to me to hold and when I was looking at my little girl I started to think about everything I wanted her to be, I wanted her to be smart, strong, graceful, loving, free, I didn't want her let the fear of what others would think to stop her from doing what she really wanted, then Meredith asked me what I wanted to choose as her middle name and only one that came to my mind was yours, you were everything I wanted my daughter to be." Mal explains.
"Wow Mal, just wow." Inara says loss for words. "She seems like a grate girl, you did good." Inara tells him.
"I can't take the credit, Alexis was born grate." Mal tells Inara.
"You're he father Mal, you raised her yourself your part of the reason she is who she is there's no way for you to deny that." Inara tells Mal, Mal sits in silence not really sure what he wants to say "You and Kate seem happy." Inara says being the first one to broach the subject.
"We are I am." Mal tells her.
"Then I'm happy for you Mal, I always wanted you to be happy." Inara tells Mal.
"For a long time when I came here I could only be happy when thinking about you." Mal tells Inara knowing that now is his chance to really talk to her.
"Mal.." Inara says not really sure what to say.
"Let me say what I have to say Nara, it may have only been 6 months for you but for me it's been 20 years and there is so much I wanted to tell you, so much I told myself I would if I got the chance." Mal tells Inara.
"Mal, things are different now than they were in the last 20 years that you have been thinking about this, you have Kate now, don't say things that are just going to hurt us." Inara pleads.
"There is one thing that hasn't changed in the last 20 years Nara, and that's that your my best friend, you'll always be my best friend." Mal tells Inara.
"You'll always be mine Mal, I see in your face that there is so much more that you want to say to me, and I know that there is so much more that I want to say to you as well, but it's not the right time, and if we do we're just going to end up destroying what we do have, and I don't know about you but I just got my best friend back I don't want to lose him again." Inara tells Mal.
"Fighting for no apparent reason, teasing each other just cause we can, but still being able to talk no matter what?" Mal asks with a smile.
"Fighting for no apparent reason, teasing each other just cause we can, but still being able to talk no matter what." Inara repeats with a smile.
Inara gets up and looks at all the books that Mal has written "You've written a lot."
"Yeah well I had a few ideas, so figured I'd write them down see where it goes." Mal tells Inara walking over and standing next to her.
"Worked well for you, from what your friends were saying your books do amazingly." Inara says to Mal then turns to the books "Which was you first one?" she asks.
Mal points to In a Hail of Bullets "Started writing it a few weeks after I arrived here."
Inara pulls the book of off the self and opens to the dedication page "To Serenity a place I can never leave, but wish I was, nice dedication." Inara says smiling at Mal.
"What can I say, to say I was missing you guys would be an understatement." Mal says to Inara.
"The last 6 months on Serenity have been so different without you." Inara tells Mal.
"How's Zoe looking after her?" Mal asks as they both walk back over and sit back down.
"She's a little beaten up but she fly's true." Inara tells Mal feeling that it describes not just Serenity but the crew as well and she remembers that she herd Mal say it once.
"And how's everyone doing?" Mal asks knowing that Inara will be honest with him.
"Kaylee's been missing you like crazy" Inara says as they both smiling remembering the time Mal said the exact faze, then Inara continues "Rivers doing better she's a good pilot, Simon and Shepard Book have been trying to help out more Jayne's been well Jayne, Wash is getting annoyed at still being hurt and Zoe's doing her best but we miss you Mal, Serenity's not the same, I'm not the same none of us are." Inara tells Mal.
"Nara if it was just me I would come back with you but I've got to think about Alexis she has a life here, friends, her Mom. It's up to her." Mal tells Inara.
"I know." Inara says getting up about to leave.
"Nara." Mal says stoping her before she can "Next time let's have a fight all this nicety talk is creepy-like." Mal jokes.
"Next time a fight." Inara says smiling "Night Mal.'
"Night Nara."
Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle
The next morning Alexis wakes up early and careful seek out doing her best not to wake River and Kaylee, she heads down stairs and thinks about maybe making breakfast but after looking at the clock she decides to make herself some tea and read the paper, she turns on the kettle and goes to the front door to collect the paper, just as the kettle boiled she hears someone walking down the stairs, she turns to look hoping that she didn't wake up Kaylee or River but to her surprises it's Inara.
"Hey." Alexis says seeing Inara.
"Hey." Inara responds a little awkwardly not really sure what to say or how to act around Alexis.
"I was just making some tea would you like some?" Alexis asks Inara.
"I'd love some." Inara tells Alexis taking a seat on the other side of the bench. Alexis smiles and collects another cup and pours some tea into both.
"When I saw the time I thought I would be the only one up." Alexis says.
"Same, I woke up and couldn't get back to sleep, had a lot to think about." Inara explains to Alexis.
"I get that." Alexis says walking over to sit at the table and pointing to the seat on the other side for Inara, who nods and sits on the other side.
"I assume you would." Inara tells Alexis and deciding that she's not going to ask about what Alexis's decision is because whether or not Mal is going to come back is the one decision that she can't be unbiased about.
"You're not going to ask about what I'm going to decide?" Alexis asks taking a sip off her tea.
"No, it's up to you if we talk about it I'm going to no matter how much I don't mean to influence it and I can't do that I won't, this decision has to be made by you and you alone." Inara tells Alexis.
"Thanks." Alexis mutters simply as Inara not wanting to influence he decision allowing to think about what she wants means a lot.
"So what time do you have to leave for school?" Inara asks.
"I don't." Alexis responds.
"Isn't there still a few months left of the school year?" Inara asks confused.
"Yeah there is but I planned to be at collage this semester but that didn't really work out." Alexis tells Inara, feeling surprised about how comfortable she feels talking to Inara considering how short of time she has known her.
"Oh I'm sorry, do you want to talk about it?" Inara asks.
"It's a long story." Alexis tells Inara.
"Well judging by the time no one else is likely to be awake for a while we have time." Inara tells Alexis.
"Last year I started a guy called Ashley, he was a year older than me and going off to college. He decided that he wasn't going to go to the school of his dreams so he could stay near me. I didn't want him to give up his dream for me so I broke up with him." Alexis begins to explain feeling surprised about how easy it is to talk to Inara, it's almost like she has known her a lot longer than she has.
"That must have been hard on you." Inara realises.
"It was he was my fist love, Ashley went to talk Dad to tell him that he had decided to go to Stanford and that he wanted us to try long distance."
"That was brave of him." Inara comments knowing how protective Mal is and knowing how much more protective her would be of his daughter.
"It was especially considering how dad first met him." Alexis says smiling at the memory.
"What happened?" Inara asks interested.
"Dad was working on a case that involved old fashion duel with guns, Dad knew that I had a friend over but he thought it was a female friend so he opened up the door a quietly as possible and came into the loft waving the gun, instead of finding me and one of my friends he found me making out with a guy on the couch, not my finest moment, scared Ash so much." Alexis explains smiling.
"Wow Mal walking in on his teenage daughter with a guy holding a gun, it wasn't loaded was it?" Inara asks worried about what would happen to the boy if it was.
"Thankfully not, Dad can be very overprotective some times." Alexis tells Inara.
"He's always been like that, when you join his crew you come under his protection, I can only imagine how protective he would be of you." Inara tells Alexis.
"Yeah, Kaylee was saying something similar last night." Alexis informs Inara.
"So what happened after Ashley went to see your dad?" Inara asks.
"We talked and I decided that I was going to apply for early admitting. I thought I was a shoe in my grades were amazing I did so much extra curriculum work then I didn't get in." Alexis tells Inara who can see that it is upsetting for the girl.
Inara who's not sure what to do, decides to reach out and grab Alexis hand as she feels its finding the perfect balance between familiar and not to familiar. "Go on. " Inara says feeling like there may be more to the story.
"I didn't take the rejection to well, I felt like such a failure." Alexis tells Inara.
"Hey, not succeeding isn't failure, failure is giving up." Inara tells her.
Alexis smiles at that "My dad said the same thing."
"He can be smart when he wants." Inara tells her.
Alexis smiles then continues on with her story "With Ash away at collage and me here it was hard, he just wasn't there for me so we broke up." Alexis tells her and Inara can tell that Alexis is upset about it.
"Alexis, I may not have known you long but from what I have observed Standford and Ash are idiots for letting you go, you'll find were and who you belong with." Inara tells her giving her hand a squeeze.
"Thank Inara." Alexis says as she feels it's nice to just talk to someone, someone who won't judge and she can just talk, she doesn't have that kind of relationship with her mother and even though she and Kate are close she feels odd talking to her.
"What do you say to us making breakfast together?" Inara asks realising that what Alexis may need most is two be distracted.
"That would be nice, I'm just going to go upstairs and clean up a bit first." Alexis tells Inara, who nods, Alexis gets up climbs part way up the stairs before turning back to Inara.
"You must have been important to my Dad for him to name me after you, and I'm starting to see that, I'm glad I'm going to get to know the people who are so important to Dad I hope you all can become just as important to me as you seem to be to him." Alexis says before walking up the rest of the way up, Inara smiles at both Alexis's words and as she realises that Alexis has made up her mind.
A few minutes later Alexis comes back down and the pair begin to make breakfast.
"This is all nearly ready I'll go upstairs to wake everyone up do you want to go wake dad, his rooms through there." Alexis tells Inara pointing to the door leading to her father's room. Alexis heads upstairs while Inara goes to wake up Mal.
Alexis first wakes up her grandmother then Wash and Zoe, then Simon, Jayne and Shepard book finally followed by River and Kaylee. The 11 people in the loft all head down to enjoy there breakfast together and the first thing that Alexis notices is how much crew is like a family and she is also surprised that she doesn't feel like an outsider, she feels that they include her just as much as everyone else like she has always been there, and she can't help but love the feeling.
"What are we going to do today sir?" Zoe asks once everyone has finished eating.
"How about we show everyone around New York dad?" Alexis asks.
"I'm not sure.." Mal says not sure if it is the best idea or not.
"Come on Dad their in a whole new time zone they should get to see some of it." Alexis says to her dad.
"Alexis is right please Captain." Kaylee says as both her and Alexis look at Mal with the best puppy dog faces.
Mal not being able to stand the looks on the pairs face cave "Fine."
Alexis and Kaylee both smile and give Mal a hug.
"Kaylee, River, I will defiantly have something you can borrow, Zoe, Inara I should have something you guys can borrow." Alexis tells them, Kaylee and Alexis excitedly head upstairs closely followed by River and Inara and Zoe not too far behind them.
"Malcolm those two girls have you rapped around their little fingers." Martha says amused.
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