Disclaimer: Joss, Fox, Universal Own em’. (Except for Maxine and the rest of my OC's. they're mine) I’m just playing. No money being made.

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A new story line to recharge my Muse. Set outside my “Allanverse.” Just to see what happens. Set about a year and a half post Serenity. Story line has the standard pairings of Mal/Inara, Simon/Kaylee. Also has River/Jayne. Zoë/Maxine -

Warning: This story line from here on out will include 'gasp' fem slash (Like you didn't see it coming). It won't be graphic but I know some are offended by any depiction of homosexuality. If you don't like this kind of thing... stop reading right now.

A/N: My muse is working overtime this week

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New Blood

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Chapter Nineteen

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“What the hell happened?” Mal thundered as he saw Maxine and Simon lifting his First Mate up onto the med chair.

“Zoë fainted,” Simon said quickly.

“Zoë don't faint,” Mal stated unequivocally.

“She did this time, Cap,” Maxine said quietly.

River stepped around the Captain and smiled at the girl who was now sitting on the side counter of the infirmary, “Has his eyes... and nose.”

Mal shook his head, “Shenme?”

“Zoë will be fine, Mal,” Simon said after a minute, “She should come around in a few moments. She just received a pretty significant shock.”

“What kinda shock?”

“Looks like Xue here,” Maxine said, indicating the wide eyed girl on the counter, “Might be Wash's daughter.”

“Son of a...” Mal whispered.

Mal shook his head to clear it. Then he looked closely at the clearly frightened teenager next to River. His eyes widened when River's words suddenly made sense. The girl while clearly of mixed Chinese and Anglo parentage, did indeed have what looked like Wash's blue eyes and slightly pointy nose.

Seeing the fear in those eyes, Mal smiled his most disarming smile, “Hey there little one.”

“H... hello,” Xue stammered.

“I'm Captain Malcolm Reynolds. And you're on Serenity, my ship.”

“Serenity...” the girl trailed off.

“She's a Firefly.”

“I like Fireflies,” Xue said with a little more confidence in her voice.

“You know about ships?” Mal asked.

The girl nodded, “Momma said my Daddy left to become a pilot. Always wanted to do that.”

Mal's heart did a flip flop in his chest. River gazed at him and nodded slightly. The Captain took a deep breath and then smiled again, “River, why don't you take... Xue is it? On up to the Galley for some food. I reckon after what she's been through, she might be a bit hungry.”

“I am, Sir.”

“Come on,” River smiled, “I'll introduce you to Jessie. She's almost the same age as you.”

Gently, River led the girl out of the infirmary. As soon as she was out of sight, Mal whirled on his medic, “Doc?”

“I already took a DNA sample from Xue. I still have Wash's profile in my records. I'll know the results in a few minutes.”

“Max?” Mal asked.

“Soon as she heard Wash's name, Zoë headed for the deck... can't blame her.”

“Reckon you're right on that,” Mal replied.

Simon did another check on Zoë's vitals. As the cold stethoscope touched Zoë's chest she came to in a rush. Nearly decking the young doctor.

“Easy Zoë!” Mal ordered

“Sir?” Zoë said after a moment of confusion.

Max leaned in a kissed her, “Scared me for a minute there, Boa-bei.”

Zoë suddenly looked embarrassed, “I didn't faint... did I?”

“Fraid so, Baby,” Maxine soothed.

Zoë suddenly looked around, “Where's the girl?”

“River took her up to the galley,” Simon said quietly.

Zoë relaxed slightly then looked at her Captain, “Can't be true...”

Mal shook his head, “Doc's checkin DNA right now.”

A single tear ran down Zoë's face. Maxine wiped it away with her thumb, “He couldn't have known about her... he wouldn't have just abandoned a child...” Zoë whispered.

“You're right about that, Zoë,” Mal replied, “Wash would have done what was right, had he known.”

“She doesn't have any family,” Maxine said.

“What?” Mal asked.

“Said her mother is dead. Was living with a great aunt. From the sounds of things, the blue hands killed her.”

“Wash's folks?” Mal asked. Knowing where this conversation was heading.

“Only group his folks hated more than people of my decent were Chinese. Figures though. Wash was just rebellious enough to take up with a Chinese girl just to piss off his folks,” Zoë mused, “His folks would just turn Xue over to social services.”

“Zoë... are you thinkin what I think you're thinkin?” Mal asked.

“If she's Wash's... I'm the closest to family she's got.”

Mal could feel a migraine coming on. But he also knew what would happen if Xue was turned over to social services. The Academy would have her within a week.

Mal sighed, “Not like we don't already have a teenager on board anyway...”

Zoë sat up from the chair and swung her feet down. She only wobbled slightly, “That's true.”

A small beep was heard from Simon's automated blood scanner. With a deep breath, the doctor looked at the results.

“Doc?” Zoë asked.

“Ninety-nine percent match with Wash. He was her father.”

XXXXXXXXXX

Maxine held Zoë in a tight embrace, “You okay?” she whispered.

“What do you think?” Zoë replied tiredly, “I just found out that the man I married had a kid.”

“For your information, the way you spoke to Xue after she first woke up, I thought you would make a great mom,” Max said before kissing Zoë tenderly.

Zoë chuckled slightly, “Thanks for the vote of confidence.”

Max leaned back and looked at Zoë seriously, “I mean it.”

“You do?”

“Damn straight. You've been the ship's mom or big sister for years. I've seen you with River and Kaylee. Their like your little sisters or something.”

Zoë chuckled, “Guess you're right.”

“Don't you think we should go tell her?”

“We?”

“She gets you, she gets me too. We are kind of a package deal, you know.”

Zoë cracked a smile, “Reckon we are.”

XXXXXXXXXX

Xue Li sat at the table, lost in thought, her bowl of soup nearly forgotten. River sat further down the table, giving the girl space to collect her thoughts. Xue wasn't quite like Jessie. The feeling River got from Xue was more like what she felt from Kaylee. The girl could feel machinery, but slightly different from the Mechanic.

Zoë and Max entered the galley. Xue looked up and smiled, “Hi,” she whispered.

Zoë and Max sat across from the girl. River went to leave but Zoë motioned for her to stay.

“Feeling okay?” Zoë asked.

“A little better. I... I just realized that my aunt is probably dead... isn't she?”

River nodded once, confirming Zoë's suspicions. A Cortex search had led to the news of one Lisa Li, being found in her home, dead.

“I'm afraid so, sweetie,” Zoë replied.

“Why did you faint when I said my fathers name?”

Zoë took a deep breath and felt Maxine squeeze her hand, “I knew Hoban Washburn.”

The girls eyes brightened, “You did?”

Zoë nodded, “He... he was my... husband.”

“Was?” Xue squeaked.

“Wash... was killed almost two years ago.”

Xue's face fell, “Maybe it wasn't the same Hoban Washburn...”

Zoë shook her head sadly, “Doc checked your DNA. My... husband was your father.”

The teenager froze.

“I guess that makes me your... step mother... or something like that.”

Xue still stared at the tabletop.

“Do I have any grandparents?” Xue said after a moment.

“You do... but, I don't think they would want you.”

“Why?”

“Because... Wash's folks are... to put it bluntly. Bigots.”

“I get it...” Xue said with dread in her voice, “Momma said where she grew up, being Chinese was looked down on. That's why she left when she found out she was pregnant with me.”

“Probably for the best,” Zoë commented.

“He wasn't like that.... was he?”

Zoë smiled, “On no. Wash was nothing like that. Why do you think he was sweet on your Momma... or married me?”

Xue, snorted, “Guess you're right.”

“He was a good man. And I know. If he had known about you. He would have moved heaven and earth to make sure you were taken care of.”

“Really?”

“Really,” Zoë smiled.

Xue smiled slightly, “I wish I could have met him.”

“So do I, Sweetie... so do I.”

“What happens now?”

“That's up to you,” Zoë said, “I talked with the Captain. You'll be safe here. River over there did some things that may make you safer in the future but for the moment. The best place for you is here on Serenity.”

“That's right,” Mal said as he stepped down into the galley, Inara on his arm, “We're all family on this boat. Not all by blood but family none the less. You'll always be welcome here.”

Mal was rewarded with a smile. Inara stepped forward, “Hello, Xue. I'm Inara.”

“Hello.”

“Getting on supper time, Maxine,” Mal mentioned.

Max looked at her watch, “Right you are Captain.”

Standing up, Max gave Zoë a quick kiss. It did not go unnoticed by Xue.

“Now I'm confused.”

“Not the only one, Xue,” Mal grinned.

Maxine swatted the back of the Captain's head as she walked by him.

“Hey!”

Despite her anxiety, Xue giggled. Mal grinned.

“You're sly... but you married my dad...” Xue trailed off.

“Labels are just that,” River spoke up, “Zoë loved your father. She also loves Maxine. Love is love.”

“Well said, River,” Inara smiled.

“Anything in particular you don't like for food, Xue?” Max asked.

“Brussels sprouts.”

A wave of laughter flowed through those gathered, “Only my brother likes those,” River commented.

“Brother?” Xue asked.

“Simon, the doctor,” Inara replied.

“What do you do... on the ship?” Xue asked Zoë.

“I'm First Mate. River's the Pilot, Inara runs the business end o' things.”

“I also used to be a Registered Companion,” Inara added.

“Did you meet, Jess yet?” Mal asked.

“The other girl?”

“Yep.”

“For a minute.”

“She's our Mechanic, Kaylee's cousin. She was supposed to go off to the Academy too,” Mal stated.

“And you got to her first?”

“We did,” Zoë replied.

“How did you know about it? Everything I learned about it said it was top secret.”

“Because I was a student there once...” River said in a monotone.

XXXXXXXXXX

Over dinner, Xue was introduced to the rest of the crew. Figured out who was paired with who and what everyone did on the ship.

Kaylee set her up a room in the dorms across the hall from Jessie. Not having any clothes presented a problem until Jessie simply handed over nearly half her newly purchased wardrobe. While Xue was slightly older, the girls wore nearly the same size.

As she settled into bed, Xue looked around her new home. The room was clean but a bit spartan. In her borrowed sleep pants and t-shirt, Xue snuggled under the covers.

She was startled by a knock at her door.

“Cheeng jeen,” she said.

“Hey,” Zoë said from the now open door, “Doing okay?”

Xue shrugged, “I guess.”

“Brought you some things... to.. you know, dress things up in here a bit. Next landfall, I'll take you to get some clothes.”

“Thanks,” Xue replied. For a moment the First Mate and teenager stared at each other.

Zoë chuckled, “This is awkward, ain't it?”

Xue cracked a grin, “Yeah.”

Zoë took a deep breath and sat on the bed next to Xue. Reaching into the box she had brought with her, Zoë removed a large stuffed Tyrannosaur, “This is Bill.”

“Bill?” Xue asked incredulously.

Zoë nodded, “You father loved dinosaurs. There's bunch of em' still up on the bridge. We... we loved each other very much. I wanted to have a baby. Took me months to convince him to try. Kept saying it was too dangerous to try and raise a little one on a ship. I didn't see a problem with it since I grew up on a ship.”

“Anyway. When I finally convinced him to try, he found this stuffed dino in a toy store on Pelorum and just had to buy it. Told me it was for his first born... child. We didn't have a baby... but... you are his first born... so...” Zoë began to break down and cry.

Instinctively, Xue pulled Zoë into a hug, tears running down her own face. After a minute, Zoë collected herself enough to continue.

“When I look at you, I see so much of him. His eyes... his nose. If your hair was lighter...”

“It is,” Xue sniffled, “Aunt Lisa made me dye it black. So I would look less Anglo. It's naturally kinda reddish brown.”

Zoë leaned back and looked at Xue, “You don't have to dye it anymore if you don't want to.”

Xue nodded, “Never did. Aunt Lisa insisted.”

“Then it's settled then.”

“What did he look like... my father.”

Zoë smiled, “I brought some captures.”

A few hours later, Maxine went to find Zoë. Sliding Xue's room's door back, Max smiled. Zoë was on the bed, leaning back against the headboard asleep with Xue, also sleeping against her shoulder. A deactivated capture lay in Zoë's hand.

Silently, Max closed the door and headed back to her and Zoë's bunk. She knew Zoë would be a good mother.

XXXXXXXXXX

Half the 'Verse away, the Editor of the New London Daily Mail turned on his cortex terminal.

While sipping his morning tea, the newsman went through the small pile of documents on his desk. Finished with that task, he began to look at his electronic messages.

One caught his eye. The header of the message said, “Torture of children. Alliance and Blue Sun responsible.”

“Another conspiracy theorist,” he muttered to himself. He nearly deleted the message until he realized there was nearly eighty terrabytes worth of data attached.

Curiosity peaked, he opened the message.

The image of a young woman with dark hair appeared on the screen, “My name is River Tam. I am the victim of a facility called the Academy...”

As the minutes dragged by, The Editor became more and more convinced that this was not a hoax. He recognized the name River Tam from several wanted notices that had mysteriously disappeared months previous.

Locating a file called 'R. Tam Sessions', The Editor began to watch with rapt fascination and horror as he saw a sweet young girl descend into madness.

He shivered when a bloody hand appeared on the screen and the young woman, whispered, “I can see you...”

Using the paper's secure files, the Editor was able to quickly find corroborating evidence. Children of wealthy families seemingly disappearing from the 'Verse. Mysterious tales of men with blue hands kidnapping and killing their way across the system.

This was the story of the century. It had the potential to be bigger than Miranda. That had nearly caused the Alliance to fall. It was still teetering on the edge. Twenty months was still too soon in the public's eye for another scandal. If this got out, it could lead to open revolution.

That hadn't worked the first time. Except that perhaps this time around, the core might be more willing to see what was really happening.

With a sigh, the Editor ran his hand through his gray hair. Thinking back upon his earlier life. He had been an independent sympathizer in his previous life. Until he took the job as a reporter in the core. Then he had to hide in plain sight. Spout the party line and then secretly feed information back to the Independents.

When the war ended, he hadn't been able to return to his old life. Since the world he grew up on was now a black rock. Blasted bare with nuclear weapons just to make a point.

His insides still burned about that. He thought of the friends and family lost in that man made cataclysm. His brother who had been murdered long before the war began. His sister-in- law, left to raise a son without a father... no more.

Pulling out a glass, the Editor poured a stiff shot from the whiskey bottle on his desk.

“For Shadow. Cry havoc and let slip the dogs of war.”

Downing the whiskey in one shot, Josiah Reynolds set to work.

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TBC