Fan fiction. Done for fun, not profit. I own none of these characters.... I just play with them a little.

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Crossover between Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles and Firefly. A continuation of my previous Fanfic, Rebirth.

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AN: Just to remind people... This is totally AU for T:TSCC and post BDM for Firefly. It also totally ignores the events of the latest Terminator movie because I haven't seen it.

AN2: This series has been hard for me. I get this cool idea to combine two of Summer Glau's roles in one story line and then my creativity got ahead of my skills. I now have a general inkling where the storyline is going now. I'm still trying to figure out John Connor's 'voice'. I want him to be bitter and just plain tired. He's been fighting against the machines his whole life and he's simply burned out. I'm hoping I can pull that off in this. I rewrote parts of this chapter three times before I was halfway satisfied with it. I'm still not 100% happy with it but here it is.

I'll try to get to some action in the next chapter.

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Discovery

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Chapter Six

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“Why am I here, Christine... err, Caroline?” John Connor asked.

The liquid metal terminator leaned back in her chair and addressed the man who sat across from her, “The current government is corrupt and totalitarian. We also believe that a Skynet like AI is operating behind the scenes. Directing Alliance policy.”

“What does that have to do with me?”

“Several opposition groups have arisen. Right now, Alliance intelligence is trying to both quash these groups and or pit them against each other. Rather than against the Alliance. What they need is a single, charismatic leader. Someone with experience in leading a revolution against overwhelming odds...”

“No...”

“John, please.”

“NO!” John replied strongly, “You ripped me from Earth. Just to be some great leader? Again? Been there, done that. Not gonna happen. I lost everyone I cared for in my life fighting Skynet. My Mother my Father, my Uncle, Allison, Cameron twice...”

“And I lost Savannah,” Caroline replied strongly. It was the closest John had ever seen Weaver come to showing emotion. The Terminator had always shown affection for the young girl that she had orphaned by killing her parents. And then amazingly, assumed the identity of Savannah's slain mother.

“You have a valid point on that topic,” John replied in a subdued voice. Savannah Weaver's death on a mission for the resistance still hung heavy on John's heart. She had just turned eighteen and wanted so much to help her Mother and 'Uncle' John fight Skynet.

“You need not do this overnight, John. In fact you will need to learn a great deal about the current day society before you can become a leader.”

“I still say...”

“Hear me out, John,” Weaver interrupted, “First off, you need a long vacation. You have been under an enormous amount of stress for the last few years. You need a break.”

“Vacation?” John asked incredulously, “You have got to be kidding me.”

A text message from John Henry appeared on the cortex screen on her desk. Confirming that it was indeed Cameron he had found on Lazarus, “I am not kidding, John. And I know the perfect spot. A resort world called Lazarus...”

XXXXXXXXXX

Cameron despite sitting perfectly still in her chair, wanted to stand up and jump for joy. Her John was alive and now in this century. John Henry had sent a message to Weaver and the Terminator had replied that her mission had also been a success. John would be enroute to Lazarus within the hour.

The clincher for John had been the knowledge that John Henry and of course, Cameron awaited him there.

“How long we gotta sit here, Hank?” Mal asked his old CO.

John Henry, after explaining his story to the crew. Had joined them at the galley table. Zoë had dug out a jug of Kaylee's engine wine. Throwing back a shot of the potent beverage, John Henry replied, “Thirty six hours, Mal.”

“Been here almost three days as it is... don't like sittin in one place that long.”

“I understand, Mal,” the sentient machine agreed, “But I have arranged for a cover story. You are here with me on a mission for Blue Sun. The Feds will leave you alone.”

“Well...”

“My wife and I are being sought by the authorities,” commented Gabriel Tam.

John Henry dug into the pocket of his brown duster and produced two ident cards, “I took the liberty to use your new alias, Mr. Tam. Or should I say, Tamsen.”

Gabriel took the offered cards. They had images of Reagan and himself in their current disguises and showed their new aliases.

“How did...” Gabriel began.

“Trade secret,” John Henry smiled.

“Sis?” River said as she noticed how still her cybernetic sibling was sitting.

“What?” Cameron replied. Almost startled by the question.

“Are you operating correctly?” River asked.

“I'm fine,” Cameron replied quickly. Her eyes beginning to glow a bright blue.

“Your eyes is glowin, Cam,” Jayne observed.

“Huh? Oh...” the glow subsided

John Henry chuckled, “Perfectly understandable, Mei-mei.”

“John's okay...” Cameron trailed off. Her eyes glowing softly again.

River couldn't help but scowl slightly. Now even her robotic twin sister had someone. She looked up and found Zoë's eyes focused on her own. River felt the First Mate's concern radiating from her. River tried her best to not read Zoë. But some things did leak through.

“So... what are we supposed to do with this John fella once he gets here?” Mal asked.

“I was hoping that you would take him in, Mal. John will be as out of his element as Cameron was. Perhaps worse off.”

“'Nother mouth to feed,” Jayne grumbled.

“Jayne!” Kaylee scolded, “This ain't just a mouth to feed. This is Cameron's fella.”

“And he is family,” Simon added, “Mr. Connor is apparently a Tam family ancestor.”

“Let's meet him first...” Mal began. Cameron shot the Captain a glare that made him gulp, “Not that I ain't opposed to sein Cam bein with her... fella.”

“It's like somthin outta a story on the cortex,” Kaylee gushed, “Star crossed lovers, across time...”

“We were never lovers,” Cameron said quietly, “Never had the time...”

“Well, leave that part to me and 'Nara,” Kaylee grinned.

Inara nodded and the men in the room shared a sigh.

Zoë shook her head slightly and River gazed at the dark skinned First Mate with a look of longing.

The look didn't go unnoticed by either Zoë nor Reagan.

XXXXXXXXXX

“First time on Lazarus, Mr. Connor?” the pilot asked the young man sitting next to him in the cockpit of the Blue Sun long range shuttle.

“Yes,” John replied. His eyes wide with wonder at the planet visible outside the windows.

“What about you, Ms. Mao?”

“Likewise,” Susan replied. She still wasn't sure why she had been sent along with John. She was a computer and high energy physics specialist. But she did consider herself lucky to be alive. Once Weaver had destroyed the Project Chronos labs with a cleverly devised explosive device. She figured she was as expendable as the rest of her coworkers had been.

So, she would take being sent to a backwater like Lazarus over being skewered in the chest by her boss any day.

“How long before we land?” John asked.

“About twenty minutes,” the pilot replied.

John nodded and tried to remain calm. This was going to be the longest twenty minutes of his life.

XXXXXXXXXX

Cameron stood in the center of the open bay door. Her floral dress fluttering in the slight breeze. John Henry stood nearby. An amused look on his face. Mal leaned against the open door and shared a grin with his former CO. As was his usual protocol. No one got on Mal's boat before he met them first.

Meanwhile, River leaned against the railing of the uppermost catwalk. Once, she would have been lying down on the walkway. Taking solace in the contact with Serenity. Now she just gazed down at her cybernetic sister.

“River?” Reagan said quietly.

“I'm fine, Mom,” she replied.

“No... you're not.”

River stared at her mother.

“You're jealous of Cameron.”

“I am not...” she replied in her best petulant teenagers voice.

Reagan grinned slightly. Happy that her daughter was acting like a normal teenager for once. Although a teenager, River wouldn't be much longer. Her twentieth birthday was approaching fast.

“You are, Bao-bei and I understand. Everyone on this ship except for Zoë, Jayne and you has someone.”

“Not fair...” River said quietly

“What isn't, Sweetie?”

“Zoë... she had someone but because of me, she doesn't anymore. Always my fault.”

“No it ain't, River,” Zoë said as she approached the two Tam women, “Wash wouldn't want you feelin that way. I know I don't.”

“She's right,” Reagan agreed. She turned as if to leave, “I'll leave you two to talk.”

River sniffled once and Zoë nodded to the older woman with a slight smile. Reagan made her way to the shuttle she and her husband shared, leaving her daughter in Zoë's capable hands.

Zoë took River's hand and sat on the stairs leading to the galley. River took a seat next to her. After a moment, the First Mate spoke, “If I'm readin things right. You're developing some feelings for me... aren't you.”

River's brown eyes shot wide and something akin to horror gripped her heart. She dropped her head so her hair hid her face, “Yes...”

Zoë nodded and gently brushed the hair from River's face. The girl seemed to tremble at the touch, “I reckon you got years worth o' hormones and frustration buildin up in you, boa-bei.”

River's chest tightened with Zoë's choice of words. The older woman continued, “And you're probably hornier 'n hell...”

River hiccuped and then giggled, “Very much so.”

Zoë grinned, “Join the club.”

River looked hard at the first mate. Trying her best to not read her. River bit her lip, “I...”

“You are a beautiful young woman, River,” Zoë began, “And I gotta admit. I do feel something when I look at you. Now that said. I don't quite know what to do my own self about this. I'm nearly thirty six and you ain't quite twenty.”

“Age is just a number. I am much older inside than I appear on the outside,” River said quietly.

Zoë nodded again. A knowing smile come across her face, “Ain't that the truth. How about we try this, Bao-bei. Since we're both on the same page, so to speak. Both not knowin quite what to do. We just let things happen. Now that we got it out in the open. I ain't gonna push you and you do the same, dong-ma?”

River nodded. A small smile forming on her face, “That would be satisfactory.”

With a small smile, Zoë leaned in and kissed River's forehead. As her lips touched River's soft skin, it felt almost as if an electric spark jumped between them. They both jumped apart.

“That was... interesting,” Zoë said after a moment.

“It was,” River replied a heartbeat later. Then on a whim, she leaned forward and kissed Zoë on the lips.

The First Mate didn't respond at first but after a moment, she began to kiss back.

“Oh good gorram!” Jayne grumbled from behind the two women. Zoë and River shot apart.

“Jayne...” Zoë began.

The mercenary just looked at the pair, “Aw hell. I'll be in my bunk.”

“Eww...” River said with a disgusted look on her face.

“Don't make me shoot you, Jayne,” Zoë warned.

“What? I gotta go clean Vera.”

“Long as that's all you're gonna clean,” Zoë said.

“You think I'm gonna go... Hell, no. I already used that fantasy, long time back. But it's bout time you two figured out you had the hots for one 'tother.”

Jayne then spun on his heel, leaving the pair alone on the stairs, “Huh?” Zoë muttered.

XXXXXXXXXX

Cameron heard it first. The building crescendo of sound that announced the arrival of another ship. She stepped forward and took a few steps down the ramp. Absently smoothing the front of her dress. The dress had been Inara's idea. Not her usual choice in clothing.

A sleek, long range shuttle alighted a few hundred feet away from Serenity. As the engines spooled down, the main hatch opened. It took all of Cameron's considerable computer driven willpower to not run across the tarmac.

First out of the ship was a petite Asian woman. Perhaps twenty five or twenty six years of age. She was dressed simply but stylishly. She slung a large bag over her shoulder. Next out of the ship was a man with dark hair. Wearing a black leather jacket, jeans and a Blue Sun t-shirt.

Slinging a bag over his own shoulder, he turned and shook hands with the shuttle's pilot. The man pointed across the landing area at Serenity.

Turning to face the old Firefly, the man started to walk towards the ship. Cameron zoomed her optical sensors in close. A wide smile split her normally stoic face. It was indeed, John Connor.

XXXXXXXXXX

John's eyes swept the space between where the shuttle had arrived and his destination. Years of combat had made this an automatic reaction. Taking a deep breath, he set out across the pavement towards the ship he had been directed to.

Susan Mao fell in behind John. She grinned slightly as she watched John's ass while they walked. She had to admit, John Connor was very swai.

John began to pick up speed as he got closer to the ship. A lone figure could be seen standing on the open ramp. A lone figure with long brown hair, an athletic figure and wearing a floral dress.

'A floral dress?' John thought as he got closer. He was nearly running when he reached the bottom of the ramp leading into the ship. He suddenly stopped. Staring at the young woman in front of him. He dropped his duffel.

“Cam?” John said after a moment.

Cameron nodded. She gazed at John, her processor calculating a 99.99999% certainty that it was indeed, her John.

Before John could so so much as move, Cameron stepped forward and pulled him into her arms. Smothering his face with kisses.

John grunted with the force of the hug. Cameron's new chassis was lighter than her original and even stronger in addition. He was also surprised slightly by Cameron's passion.

John responded to her kisses after a moment, ignoring his protesting ribs. Cameron's eyes glowed bright blue.

“Ahem...” Mal said behind the newly reunited couple.

Cameron and John were still in each others arms, ignoring the universe around them.

“Cam...” Mal said.

No answer.

“Cameron!” Mal yelled.

The cyborg growled and turned her face away from John's, “What?”

Mal tried to keep the cross look on his face but couldn't. A sly grin began to form, “Wanna introduce us to your fella?”

Cameron giggled slightly as she reluctantly released her hold on John, “Sorry... John Connor. Meet Malcolm Reynolds, Captain of Serenity.”

“Captain Reynolds,” John replied, still holding Cameron's hand.

“Hello, John.”

“John Henry,” John replied, still smiling. He had to admit. He was glad the AI was here.

The sentient computer stepped forward and shook the young man's hand, “It's been a long time... well at least for me, anyway,” he finished with a grin.

“Did you just try to make a joke?” John chuckled.

“Maybe...”

John laughed again.

“Who's the pretty brunette?” Mal asked, spotting Susan standing behind John.

“Huh?” John Connor said, distracted by where Cameron's hand was wandering down his back to his ass.

“Susan Mao,” the woman said, extending her hand to Mal, “I work for Blue Sun.”

Mal's face hardened, “That so...”

“Relax, Mal. Miss Mao had nothing to do with the Academy. She was instrumental in bringing John to this century,” John Henry stated.

“If you say so, Hank.”

“Hank?” John asked

John Henry smiled, “Mal knows me by the name, Henry Johns. It would be best I think that I should use the Hank moniker from now on so we can avoid confusion with young Mr. Connor here.”

“Good thinkin,” Mal replied.

“Come John,” Cameron began, “You need to meet everyone...”

“Wait till he gets a gander at River,” Mal grinned.

“Should be interesting,” Hank agreed.

XXXXXXXXXX

A widely smiling Cameron led John into Serenity. John Henry, Susan Mao and Mal following.

John was in a daze. Both from the fact he was standing on a planet forty light years from Earth and he was with Cameron again. He missed Alison but Cameron had been his first, if unreturned love. After Skynet had been defeated, There was too much for them to do. Preventing them from exploring what could happen between them.

John also had regrets about turning his only daughter over to someone else to raise after the death of his wife.

Walking into the ship's small galley, John froze as eight sets of eyes stared at him. Slowly he looked around the room. Two people caught his attention immediately. A dark skinned woman and a large man with a goatee. Both of these people looked dangerous. John always tried to spot the most obvious threats. It was the only way he had survived as long as he had.

Then he saw River.

“What the...”

Cameron took John's hand and led him forward, “John, this is River Tam. She is your descendant.

John's mouth opened and closed a few times. This girl. River looked just like Cameron... and Alison.

“Welcome, John,” River said, smiling. Stepping forward she cocked her head, reading her ancestor's mind. She saw the images in his mind of Allison, and his infant daughter, Sarah. River patted John's arm in sympathy.

Inara came to her feet. Ever the gracious hostess, “Welcome to Serenity, John. Cameron has told us so much about you.”

“Don't look like no big ass leader to me... just a punk kid.”

“Jayne!” Kaylee admonished, “That ain't no way to talk.”

“Kaylee's right,” Mal growled, “Keep it zipped or leave the table.”

The big man, Jayne. Looked like he was going to say something but then backed down.

Inara glared at the mercenary then turned her attention back to John, “I am Inara Serra.”

“H.. hello,” John replied. He didn't know what was wrong with him. He could face down Terminators without blinking an eye. But meeting all these new people, he was out of his element.

Cameron squeezed his hand in support, “Don't mind, Jayne. I'll deal with him later.”

Jayne gulped.

“I'm Kaylee,” a bubbly young woman said as she came up to John.

“Hi,” John replied, gaining some confidence.

She pulled Simon forward, “This here is my husband, Simon. He's River's brother.”

John shook Simon's offered hand. The former freedom fighter was surprised at how much Simon looked like his old assistant, Gabriel Tam.

Simon turned and motioned to his parents, “This is Gabriel and Reagan Tam. River and my parents.”

“Gabriel?” John asked.

“A long used family name,” Gabriel replied.

“Tam, right?”

“Yes,” Simon replied.

“Wow... so... you're like my... grandkids, many generations removed?”

“Twenty five generations... approximately,” River said.

“Why don't you have a seat, John,” Simon began, “You look like you're about to fall over.”

“Yeah.... good idea.

The room got very quiet for a few moments. Cameron broke the silence first, “John?”

“Yeah, Cam?”

“Where did Weaver pull you from the time stream?”

“About a week after I sent you on the Exodus. I was on the bluff... in Malibu. Visiting Allison's grave. I... I guess I fell asleep. I heard a noise and woke up. There was an Exo coming towards me. Must have been one we missed. Anyway, I had laid my rifle down a few feet away. Rookie mistake I know. The Exo raised his plasma rifle and I thought it was the end.”

John took a deep breath and continued his story, “All of a sudden, a silver spike impaled the Exo right through it's power cell. It was Weaver.”

Cameron's face showed no emotion while John told his tale. Inwardly she was more than a little upset. John knew better then to let his guard down like that.

Mal looked closely at the young man. His blue eyes boring a hole into John.

John noticed the Captain's scrutiny, “What, Captain?”

“How old are you, Mr. Connor?”

“Twenty eight... well in the physical sense, anyway.”

“Mighty young to be the leader, Cameron's been telin us about,” the older man challenged.

“My Mother raised me to be the leader of the resistance from the day I was born. I jumped forward in time from 2008 to 2025. I was barely seventeen then.”

“How did your mother know that you were going to be this leader?” Inara asked. Cameron had told some of John's story but not all of it to the crew.

“My father told her.”

“How did he know?” Simon asked.

“Because. My future self sent him back in time to both save my mother from a Terminator and also to be... my Father.”

“That... that doesn't make any sense...” Gabriel stated.

“Time travel is very complicated, as I explained earlier,” Hank pointed out, “Every time you travel into the past and change something. An alternate time line is created.”

“So, you sent the fella that is your dad, back in time to be your dad?” Jayne asked, trying to figure it out.

“In the time line I was born in... yes.”

“But you jumped forward...” Simon said.

John nodded, “And created a new time line. Since I jumped forward, I skipped over a great deal of the early parts of the resistance. Including sending my Father back. Also, it somehow messed up how Cameron was originally created.”

Mal shook his head. Thinking about all this time travel go-se made his head hurt, “Quite a story...”

“Cameron told us about what happened after. Marrying Alison... your daughter...” Simon trailed off as a visible wave of sadness came across his ancestor's face.

Cameron squeezed John's hand. He looked over into her brown eyes and saw the sympathy there. John was amazed at the true capacity for emotion, John Henry had built into Cameron's new chip.

“Sarah grew into a beautiful young woman,” John Henry said with a smile as he recalled the data from his memory, “She married Gabe and Marrissa Tam's son, Samuel. Sarah eventually commanded the exodus ship named after her Grandmother. The Sarah Connor. As did her children. During the voyage. There was always a Connor/Tam at the helm.”

John got a little misty eyed, “You kept an eye on her?”

John Henry nodded, “I was her 'Uncle' John. I made sure Sarah knew exactly who her father was.”

“Did... did she...” John trailed off. At a loss for words.

River saw the question in her ancestor's mind. River looked at John Henry, “Did Sarah hate her father for abandoning her?”

John looked up sharply. He didn't know how this girl that looked like Cameron had known what he had been thinking.

John Henry stood and made his way to John's side. Placing his hand upon the young man's shoulder, “Never. I made sure that Sarah understood why.”

John sniffled once. Embarrassed at the emotion he was showing. Cameron gently wiped a tear from his cheek. After composing himself, John looked up at one of only three machines he had ever considered part of his family, The others being Cameron and the T-800 that had been sent to protect him when he was twelve, “Thank you, John Henry.”

“No... thank you, John Connor.”

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TBC