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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Continuing on the storyline I started with “New Blood ” and “Guardians” Read those first so you will know who is who and what has happened in the 'Verse.

Warning: This storyline includes 'gasp' fem slash. 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.

AN: Takes place both in the future and post Guardians.

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Tales of the Rangers

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Chapter Six

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Xue was interrupted in her storytelling by a knock at the door. Once again, Scott went to check, a hand near his gun. Meadow was a safe planet. Particularly when it housed the newly formed, Commonwealth Rangers Training Academy. But Scott wasn't lax when it came to his family.

He keyed of the small door monitor showing the delivery boy from Tony's Pizza outside on the porch. Satisfied, Scott opened the door.

“Mr Washburn?” the teenager asked.

Wash deposited his grandson in the recliner as he got to his feet, “That would be me.”

The young man smiled, “Here you go, sir. Three large pies.”

Wash grinned and swiped his account chit on the young man's data pad to pay for the order. He then pulled a few platinum coins from his pocket, “Here you go.”

“Thank you, SIR!” the young man replied at the tip.

With a smile, Wash took the pizza and headed back into the living room. Setting the boxes on the coffee table. Scott closed the door after the delivery boy.

“Dad... we do have a table in the kitchen,” Xue commented.

“That's no fun,” Wash grinned.

“I'll get the plates,” Scott said, “What are you drinking, Wash?”

“Beer if you got it.”

“Ai-ren?”

“Iced tea, Sweetie,” Xue replied to her husband.

“Be right back...”

“Roni!” Cried Hobie as he peeked into one of the steaming boxes.

“Uh,uh, Sweetie,” Xue admonished, “Not till your father brings back the plates.”

Hobie made a face but complied.

“You thought over my offer, Xue?” Wash asked.

“I don't know, Dad.”

“It's not forever. Just until you're off leave. I know you. You'll go nuts after a while. Just being a housewife.”

“Got a point...”

“Point about what?” Scott asked as he returned from the kitchen with a tray carrying their drinks and a stack of plates.

“Dad wants me to help him teaching the Ranger Cadets to fly...”

Scott sat next to his wife, “For how long?”

“Just until Xue is ready to go back to her regular job.”

“I don't know...” Xue trailed off.

“I think it's a great idea,” Scott replied, “It will get you out of the house and back in the sky. And you'll be home every night.”

“Has it's merits,” Xue admitted.

“I don't need an answer tonight, Daughter,” Wash replied, “But I need to know one way or another by Monday.”

“Okay, Dad,” Xue smiled.

“Story!” Hobie cried out as he reached for the slice of pizza his father had gotten for him.

“Okay, Squirt... story,” Xue grinned.

XXXXXXXXXX

“Tai-kong suo-yo duh shing-chiouh doh sai-jin wuh duh pee-goo!” Wash swore, “Reavers... they made them?”

River nodded. Wash looked down at his still half filled plate and pushed it away, “I'm suddenly not very hungry...”

“Still should eat,” River said.

Wash shook his head, “This is more nourishment than I've had at one sitting in a long time...”

River patted her friend on the shoulder, “I'm sorry for all you have been through.”

“Why are you sorry?”

“My fault. Alliance was after me...”

Wash shook his head, “No, River. Not your fault. It was those Hwoon-dahn's in the Alliance's fault. Don't you forget it.”

River favored Wash with a slight smile, “Thank you.”

“You're welcome.”

“Xue is on the bridge.”

“She's really a good pilot?” Wash asked.

“Just like her Daddy.”

Despite his trepidation. Wash grinned slightly.

River continued, “But she is confused and a little scared. Her whole life she has wanted a father. Now that she has one...”

“She's not sure what to make of it,” Wash replied.

“Precisely.”

Wash took a deep breath and stood up, “Guess it's time for our chat.”

“It is,” River smiled.

XXXXXXXXXX

Xue sat in the co-pilots chair. It was where she usually flew Serenity and where she seemed to feel the most at home. She clutched Bob in her hands. The stuffed Tyrannosaurus that her Mom... no... Step Mom had given her. At the time it had been the only tangible connection she had to her dead father.

Now her dead father wasn't so dead. Blinking back a few tears. Xue tried to ignore the glow from the fires outside. It had been decided it was best to burn the Reaver bodies instead of burying them. Who knew what diseases they corpses might be carrying. They had been forced to close up Serenity and go on internal life support to keep the smell out, however.

Xue looked up at the faint stars visible through the glass and they brought a slight smile to her face.

From the doorway, Wash watched his daughter cry and then look up at the sky and smile faintly.

Daughter. That was a word he was trying his damnedest to wrap his head around. Xue squeezed the stuffed toy tighter to her chest and sighed.

Wash cleared his throat.

“Cao!” Xue exclaimed jumping in the chair.

“Sorry. Mind if I come in?”

“Free 'Verse,” Xue replied.

“Partially in thanks to you from what I hear,” Wash replied as he stepped through the door.

“Shenme?”

Wash spun the pilots chair around and sat facing Xue. Terminatively he reached out and stroked the control yoke, “I mean, from what Zoë and River tell me, “You did a bit of fighting for that too... freedom.”

Xue shrugged her shoulders and continued to stare out at the stars.

“Who gave you Bob?”

Xue glanced over at Wash, “Mom.”

“You mean Zoë,” Wash clarified. Xue nodded.

“Has she been a good Mother?” he asked.

“Only one I got... now.”

Wash nodded, “I cared a great deal for your mother. Crystal... I mean.”

“I would hope so since you had sex with her,” Xue replied acidly.

Wash opened and closed his mouth. Trying to not reply with something that would make Xue even more upset than she was.

“Did you love her?” Xue asked.

“I thought I did,” Wash replied, “But not enough to give up my dreams for her.”

“That why you went away?” Xue asked.

“Yes.”

Xue sniffled, “She still loved you.”

Wash felt about two inches tall after Xue's comment, “I wish I had known how to contact her. I came home once from flight school and Crystal had moved away. Not that my parents would tell me where she went...”

“Boros... thats where I was born.”

Wash nodded, “Boros is nice...”

“It's a hole.”

“That too.”

Xue swiveled the chair to face Wash, “Just tell me this. Would you have done the right thing with my mom?”

“Marry her? Be your father?” Wash asked, “Damn right I would have. Not that I probably wouldn't have screwed it up eventually. But, I would have tried my best.”

Xue blinked a few tears back, “I can barely remember what she looked like... It's only been four years...”

“Take a look in a mirror,” Wash said gently, “Other than what looks like my nose and eyes. You look just like your mother.”

Xue looked into Wash's blue eyes with her own for the first time, “Really?”

“She was beautiful Just like you are.”

“No I'm not...”

“I think that boy... Scott was his name? Might disagree with you,” Wash grinned.

“You think I'm beautiful?”

“You're my daughter. You could look like a female version of Jayne and I'd still think you were beautiful,” Wash replied with a grin before continuing on a more serious note, “But you truly are beautiful, Xue.”

She turned slightly red and giggled slightly.

“You're even more beautiful when you smile,” Wash added.

“Thank you,” Xue replied.

Wash looked around the bridge and noticed for the first time. His dinosaurs still on the console, “Hey boys...”

Xue giggled, “River said they kept them there to remember you. That you used to play with them when you were flying...”

Wash blinked himself at the thought that they had all considered him dead until this very afternoon. So much had happened in a few short hours.

Wash held out his hand, “Come here and let me tell you the story of 'This Land'...”

Just before midnight, ships time, Zoë and Max emerged from their bunk. Dressed only in robes. Zoë glanced up at the bridge and froze. She looked at Maxine and nodded in the bridge's direction.

Silently, the two women crept up the stairs as not to disturb the scene.

Toy dinos were spread all over the console and Wash sat in the pilot's chair. Asleep with his arms around Xue in his lap. Also asleep and snuggled up. A certain toy triceratops clutched in her fingers.

Max kissed Zoë on the cheek as a single tear ran down the amazon's face. Gently, Max pulled Zoë back down the stairs towards the galley and the food they had originally emerged for.

Max thought to herself that, yes. They would figure something out.

XXXXXXXXXX

Sometime during the night, Xue had awoken and retreated to her shared bunk with Jess. Leaving her snoring father asleep in the pilots chair.

As dawn broke, Max disentangled herself from Zoë's embrace and quietly dressed. Making her way to the galley, she started the coffee machine and began thinking about what she was going to make for breakfast.

She had been surprised that she had been able to sleep after what she had seen after the Reaver attack. Perhaps it was laying safe in Zoë's arms or the sweet scene of Xue asleep in Wash's arms that had let her rest.

Either way. She had some decisions to make. The easiest and yet hardest on her heart was to break things off with Zoë. But then again. It might just tear Zoë apart too and that wouldn't be fair to Wash. Same could be said if Wash did the same thing. Zoë had just gotten back the Husband she thought dead.

Maxine shook her head. What the hell were they going to do?

Inara flowed into the galley and saw the deeply introspective look on Maxine's face, “You look troubled...”

“Not wrong there, Inara,” Max replied.

“Wash?” she asked.

Max nodded as the former Companion sat across from her at the table, “Zoë still loves him. But she loves me too and I love her. It's all so gorram complicated...”

“It doesn't have to be...”

“Shenme?”

“You could share...”

Max glared at Inara, “I don't sex men...”

“Not like that,” Inara replied, “And don't knock what you haven't tried.”

“I was raped, remember?”

“That wasn't sex and you know it,” Inara replied a little sharper than she had meant too. She continued a little softer, “There is a community on Athens. Where a marriage between both two men and a woman or two women and a man is perfectly legal. I'm not saying you have to sleep with Wash but that would be a solution in the legal sense to your predicament.”

“But...”

“Let me finish, please,” Inara began, “I once had a client. He was Slight. Enjoyed the company of both women and men. His regular partner was strictly Sly. He would contract me when he wanted to be with a woman. Later on. He met a woman who he fell in love with as well. They traveled to Athens and all three were married. My client slept with both of his spouses... but not at the same time...”

Maxine nodded, “I heard of a few places on the rim where men have been known to take more than one wife...”

“That too has happened.”

“So... I'd marry Wash.. and Zoë?”

“That is generally how it works. More precisely. Wash is married to Zoë and she would then marry you as an additional spouse.”

“Sounds complicated...”

“Nothing in a relationship is easy, Maxine. You should know that by now.”

“Yeah...”

“Also think what this will do for Xue...”

Max glared at Inara, “That ain't playin fair...”

“All is fair in love and war, Max. You care for Xue just like Zoë does. It would break Xue's heart if you were to leave. Just as it would be unfair to her if you forced Wash away. Xue deserves to get to know her father.”

Max glared at the tabletop.

“And by being so possessive of Zoë, you may just push her away too. You might want to keep that in mind as well,” Inara finished.

“Guess I've got some thinking to do then...” Maxine replied.

“Indeed you do. And I'm confident. You will come to the proper decision.”

“Yeah... proper.”

XXXXXXXXXX

Wash had awoke in the pilot's chair slightly stiff. He smiled though. He had slept plenty in that chair over the years and it was still more comfortable than the hard wooden pallet that was his bed back in the prisoner barracks.

It was still early but someone had started the coffee machine. Poking through the cabinet. He was surprised to find his coffee mug, way in the back. A smile on his face, Wash drew a cup and then sipped. A rapturous grin came across his face. It was the real thing.

Taking his cup, Wash wandered down into the cargo bay. He glanced around at the familiar space. Jayne had added a few weights to his collection and there was now a treadmill in the corner.

The bay was cleaner and there were also some stacked training mats opposite the fitness equipment. Various crates of what looked like relief and medical supplies were secured along the sides of the bay. Seeing the glow of the rising sun through the small windows set in the inner doors of the air lock, Wash opened the doors.

The pyres had died out and the air outside air was now fresh and clean. Being so close to the atmo plant had scrubbed the stench from the air quickly.

Wash stood at the top of the ramp and smiled. He had his life back. It wasn't quite like it had been before but he was free again, “Still flyin...” he muttered to himself after taking another sip of his coffee.

The click of several weapons ruined what had been a nearly perfect morning, “Prisoner seven eight three. You are hereby bound by law to stand down!”

“Tian xiz shou you de ren dou gai si...” Wash muttered.

“Put your hands on top of your head,” the terriforming company security guard ordered. More guards accompanied the man and spread out in a semi circle around the base of the ramp.

“My name, Wash began, “Is Hoban Washburn.”

“I don't care if it's Genghis Kahn. Now get your ass on the ground. You're an escaped prisoner and I have every right to shoot you where you stand!”

Wash was about to comply when he heard the click of weapons beside him.

“You'll take him over my dead body, “ said a feminine voice beside Wash.

He glanced over and spotted his daughter holding a pistol pointed at the security men. Beside her stood a blond girl and boy also armed. The boy was holding a rifle instead of a pistol.

“Girlie, you and your friends better put down them weapons or you'll be doin hard labor next to him.”

Wash heard a thump and whine over his head as a clamshell door mounted under the bridge snapped open and a wicked looking six barreled 30mm rail gun was exposed. The barrels spun up to speed with a whine and then pointed unerringly at the lead guard. The men paled.

A moment later, a laser bean erupted from a small turret mounted just aft of the rail gun and drew a line on the ground at the base of the ramp. The heat generated fusing the sand into glass.

“Put the guns down,” ordered a new voice, “Or things are like to get a bit messy.”

The lead guard looked at the man in the long brown coat who strode down the ramp. Noting the Ranger badge he wore.

The guard pointed to Wash, “That man is an escaped prisoner!”

“No. He an illegally held Alliance political prisoner and my gorram pilot!” Mal snarled.

“He's company property,” the guard growled back. The laser pulsed once at the lead guards feet. He stumbled back a step.

“In case you ain't heard. Indenture is illegal now,” Mal replied.

The click of two more guns came from behind Wash. He glanced back to see Maxine holding an assault rifle and Zoë with her mares leg. Wash couldn't help but grin slightly.

“He's a prisoner.”

“First he's a prisoner and then he's company property. Make up your mind,” Mal ordered.

“I'm not leaving without him,” the guard replied.

“Oh, you're leaving all right,” Mal snarled, “Ain't with Wash though. And if you don't skedaddle in the next thirty seconds. That big ole' rail gun is gonna make a right nasty mess outta y'all.”

“You can't...”

“I can,” Mal replied, “Now git!”

The guard lowered his gun, “I'll have your badge for this...”

“I seriously doubt it,” Mal said as he holstered his pistol.

The guards reluctantly turned away from Serenity. The rail gun tracking them unerringly. One of the guards paused as he walked away and a laser beam melted the sand at his feet. Causing the man to yelp and run.

“Show's over, people,” Mal said as he turned to Xue, Jess and Scott, “And you youngins need to remember who's the Rangers on this boat. And it ain't you.”

“Yes Captain,” all three said in unison.

Mal rolled his eyes and then grinned at the teens, “That said. Nice job you three. Specially you Jess, lettin us know there was trouble.”

“River knew the same time I did. We were just closer.”

Mal nodded and hit the intercom, “Tross... Take us...”

Mal was cut off as Serenity's engines began to spool up for takeoff, “Why do you even bother, Sir?” Zoë asked as she closed the cargo bay ramp and inner doors.

“Don't rightly know,” Mal replied, “You okay, Wash?”

He nodded, “Thanks to my little girl here,” Wash smiled.

“Ain't gonna let anything happen to my Daddy,” Xue grinned, “Just got him. I'm not gonna loose him now.”

Zoë smiled at Xue and then put her arm around Wash. Giving him a quick peck on the cheek, “And I just got him back.”

Wash smiled.

Max crossed her arms over her chest and grinned, “This is gonna be interesting.”

“Shenme?” Wash asked.

“Wash,” Mal began, “Why don't you go on up to the bridge and take us outta the world... that is if you remember how.”

A wide grin split the pilot's face, “Aye, aye Cap'n. Where are we headed?”

“Athens,” Mal replied

“Why there?” Wash replied as he started to climb the stairs

Max and Zoë shared a grin and Mal shook his head before grinning himself, “Seems there's a settlement on Athens that does strange ass weddings. Least what Max, Zoë and Inara tell me.”

“Weddings?” Wash asked. Totally confused.

“You'll find out in a few hours, Husband,” Zoë replied.

Max nodded, “That's right... Husband.”

Wash nearly tripped over his own feet on the stairway.

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TBC