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.

-

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.

-

Tales of the Rangers

-

Chapter Seven

-

Wash stumbled and looked back over his shoulder, “What did you say?”

“I believe I said the word, Husband,” Max replied.

Wash's eyes bugged out, “You... I ... I mean...Zoë?”

“She's just teasin you, Husband. We got some things to speak on though, Wash. And don't you have a ship to fly?” Zoë replied.

Wash nodded and turned back to the stairs. Climbing a few steps and then pausing again and looking over his shoulder again, “Fly the ship Wash,” Mal ordered.

Turning red, Wash continued his climb. When he had gotten out of earshot. Mal turned to his First Mate and his Cook, “I hope you two know what you're doin...”

“So do we, Sir,” Zoë replied.

“Mom?” Xue asked.

Zoë looked at the girl and smiled, “We'll explain it to you later. Why don't you head for the bridge. Maybe you can show your father some flying.”

Nodding but still unsure, Xue climbed the stairs out of the bay. “Did I miss something?” Scott asked.

“Come on, Scott,” Jess said, “Let's go give Max a hand with breakfast and I'll try to explain it to you.”

“Okay...”

XXXXXXXXXX

Wash stumbled into the bridge. As soon as he was through the door, River vacated the pilots seat, “All yours...”

“Huh?”

“It's not what you think,” River said, “Give Zoë and Maxine a chance to explain things.”

Wash shook his head, “I...”

“Time for some flying therapy,” River said, cutting the shell shocked pilot off.

“Flying... I do sorta remember how to do that.”

Wash gingerly slid behind the controls. He adjusted the seat and reached up to the overhead panel and flipped three switches. He then triggered the intercom, “Kaylee? We ready to go?”

You could almost hear the grin in the mechanic's voice, “She's set, Wash!”

Wash took a deep breath and reached for the ship wide intercom, “Attention travelers. Standby for takeoff. Our destination today is the beautiful planet, Athens. Home of Neo- Greek architecture and what sounds like some strange wedding customs. So hang on tight since I'm not one hundred percent sure I remember how to do this...”

With his words, Wash pulled back on the yoke and advanced the power levers. Serenity smoothly lifted into the air. Gaining speed rapidly. River sat in the co-pilot's seat as the ship gained altitude. Wash glanced over at River and grinned.

“Nice takeoff,” Xue said from the entrance.

“Done it a time or two. Just not recently,” Wash smiled at his daughter.

With a last lurch, Serenity broke free of Mir's thin atmosphere and leaped into space. The darkening blue giving way to the infinite black. You couldn't have pried the smile off Wash's face with explosives.

Automatically he reached out to the keyboard for the nav computer and instead his fingers hit bare console, “Shenme?”

“Moved,” River replied as she entered the course on her side of the bridge, “Right side console now.”

Wash nodded and spotted the relocated Navcom system, “Okay...”

“Had to move it to make room for the weapons controls,” River explained.

“Oh...”

Wash engaged the autopilot and swiveled in his seat, “Now what?”

“Breakfast is ready!” said Max's voice over the intercom.

“We eat,” River smiled.

XXXXXXXXXX

Wash sat in a daze. After breakfast Zoë had dragged him and Maxine to their bunk. Now he sat next to the redhead while Zoë stood with her hands on her hips in front of them.

“Well?” Zoë asked.

“It's... unique...” Wash trailed off.

“Not according to Inara,” Maxine said.

“So...” Wash's voice squeaked. He cleared his throat and started again, “So... Zoë and I are still married. Well, that is once we get a certain death certificate purged. Then... Zoë will then marry Maxine as a... second spouse?”

“That's the gist of it,” Zoë replied.

“Here's where I'm confused,” Wash began, “Who are you going to sleep with?”

Zoë sat down on her haunches in front of Wash, “Both of you... Just not at the same time.”

“Lambytoes... I love you. And Maxine seems like a nice girl...”

Zoë's face hardened slightly before softening again, “Husband... I love you. Never stopped. Even when I thought you were dead. Shattered my heart to pieces.”

“I understand that part,” Wash replied.

Zoë nodded and continued, “Goes farther than that. If not for Max. You'd be a widower right now.”

“Shenme?”

“I saved Zoë's life,” Maxine said quietly.

“So you began sleeping together as a... Thank you?” Wash asked.

“Hell no!” Maxine chuckled, “I thought Zoë was the hottest thing on two legs. She couldn't stand me.”

“Oh...”

“But then we started talking,” Maxine began, “And became friends. And then... more.”

“Kinda like we did, Wash.” Zoë observed.

Wash looked down at his hands, “Like we did...” he parroted

Zoë nodded, “Exactly.”

Wash sighed. He looked up into Zoë's eyes and saw the love there. He looked to his right and saw the trepidation in Maxine's eyes, “So this is the only way?”

“Only way we can think of that allows me to stay married to you, Wash and still honor my promise to Max.”

Wash looked at Zoë when she mentioned the word promise, “Love, honor and cherish. Forsaking all others... till death do we part...”

“Yep,” Zoë said quietly, “I did all those things. Till death parted us. Leave it to you to figure a way 'round that,” Zoë finished with a grin.

Wash snorted in amusement once, “Guess so...”

“Wash...” Maxine began, “ I reckon I love Zoë as much as you do. I hope to god we can make this work. But I do have a jealous streak when it comes to Zoë...”

Wash smiled slightly, “Same here.”

“Tell me about it,” Zoë replied as she came to her feet, “I recall a certain snit you got into about me and Mal...”

Wash shook his head, “Oh no... you're not bringing that up.”

“What?” Maxine asked.

“I'll tell you later,” Zoë said.

Wash frowned, “Well. I know who'll be wearing the pants in this relationship.”

Maxine grinned at Wash and he returned it, “Zoë.” they said in unison.

A grin split Zoë's face, “Speaking of pants. Husband. You better be outta yours in about thirty seconds or I'm cutting them offa you.” Wash's jaw dropped, “Shenme?”

“My cue to skedaddle,” Max replied as she got to her feet. Swallowing down the pang of jealousy she had felt.

Zoë turned and kissed Maxine, “Love you...”

Max melted at the kiss, “Love you too,” she whispered.

On the bed Wash groaned, “Ai-ya...”

Max headed for the ladder, chuckling, “Better see to him 'fore he explodes.”

Zoë giggled as Maxine climbed out of the bunk, locking the door behind her. She did grin at Wash's muffled, “Tian xiaode,” followed by a moan.

Taking a deep breath. Maxine headed for the galley to figure out what she was going to make for lunch.

XXXXXXXXXX

“That is... nearly unbelievable,” The man formerly known as the Operative said on the screen.

Mal nodded, “Doc confirmed it. This fella we picked up on Mir really is Wash.”

“I assure you, Mal. I had no knowledge of this.”

“I know,” The Captain replied, “You would have let us know iffin you had.”

The man now called Damien nodded, “I will look into the records myself.”

“I appreciate it,” Mal replied, “Anything you can do to get Wash back among the living, paperwork wise?”

“I'll see to it personally. The appropriate documents will be waiting for you in New Cyprus when you arrive. I'm guessing you will be bringing him into the Rangers?”

Mal nodded, “Not sure if as support or as a sworn Ranger as of yet. Haven't had time to speak with him about it.”

“Let me know either way,” Damien paused, “How is Maxine dealing... with this?”

Mal rubbed his face, “Better'n I would I reckon. Came up with some harebrained plan for Zoë to marry Max as a second spouse or the like. Why we're heading for Athens.”

Damien smiled slightly, “Ah yes. The settlement of Athenos.”

“That's the place.”

“Well I wish the new bride my best.”

“I'll pass it along,” Mal said as he cut the wave, “I must be goin fong-luh...”

XXXXXXXXXX

Over lunch, most of the crew discussed what was going to happen with the two children they had found on Mir. Kaylee as usual wanted to keep them on Serenity. Arguing that They were already carrying teenagers and little ones weren't all that different.

Mal put his foot down and said no. While he wasn't the Hwoon-dahn Kaylee accused him of being because he could see her point. At the moment, Serenity wasn't the place for a couple of little kids.

“Social services will make sure that they are cared for,” Inara stated.

Bobbie and Mia shared a look. Other than Jessie, they had been caring for the kids the most for the last twenty four hours and had become somewhat attached, “Gonna kind of miss em'” Bobbie commented.

Mal favored the former Marine with a surprised look. Bobbie always seemed to be much like Zoë. All business. You tended to forget she was a woman sometimes. Of course Zoë and Wash had been trying to have a kid too. Well actually it had been Zoë and Wash's clone trying to have a child.

Mal still couldn't really get his head around that part. He shook his head, “Decision's been made. We're kinda crowded as it is. Soon as we get back coreward, we're droppin Scott off with Gabe and Reagan.”

“We are?” Inara asked.

Mal nodded, “Gabe offered to take the boy in. Get him some schoolin.”

Simon nodded, “Osiris will be a good opportunity for him.”

“Good opportunity for Xue and Jess too,” Maxine remarked, “I mean between Simon and Inara's tutoring and their practical education living here. They're well above where they should be education wise. But I would imagine a semester or two would benefit them all of them even more.”

“Idea has merit,” Mal agreed, “but I'd hate to loose my second pilot and my backup reader.”

“Well, since Wash is back. You still got another pilot,” Jayne said before taking a huge bite out of his sandwich.

Jessie walked into the galley and glared at the Captain, “Perfectly happy here, thank you very much,” she said as she headed for the fridge.

Mal grumbled something under his breath and Inara smacked him, “We'll talk about it later...”

“Fine,” Jess sighed.

“Where's Xue?” Kaylee asked.

“Watching Mikey and Allissa in the common area.”

“And where is Scott?” Mal asked.

“Same,” Jess replied as she began making some sandwiches.

Mal grumbled again, “Relax, Captain,” Maxine replied, “Scott is being a perfect gentleman.”

“He better be.”

“Where's Zoë and Wash?” Kaylee asked.

Maxine took a deep breath, “They're... spending some time alone.”

“Wash gonna be able to walk straight after Zoë's done with im'?” Jayne chuckled. Max hurled a bulky roll at Jayne while River glared at him.

“Sorry Max,” Jayne said quietly.

“I'm just getting used to the idea of having to... share,” Max admitted.

“Do you think it will work? I mean the three of you?” Simon asked.

“We're going to try,” Maxine replied.

“I know it will work out just fine,” Kaylee smiled, “I got a feelin.”

Maxine forced a smile onto her face, “I hope you're right, Kaylee.”

XXXXXXXXXX

Wash and Zoë lay in a tangled pile of sheets and sweaty limbs. The pilot could almost swear his wife was purring.

“You gotta teach Max some o' those tricks,” Zoë said, her voice still thick with passion.

Wash shook his head, “No way, Baby. I teach her those and then what use do I have?” he replied with mock seriousness.

Zoë reached down under the sheets with her hand, “She ain't got one o' these...” Wash's eyes rolled back in his head.

Blinking to get his equilibrium back, Wash nodded, “True...”

“I love you, Wash. And I love Maxine. Never for once thought that I'd end up in a situation like this.”

“I suppose so,” Wash replied as he rolled over to face Zoë, “The only thing that I could think of was that you had fallen for another guy if you thought I was dead...”

Zoë put her finger against his lips, “Never another man.”

“Never?”

“Never. You were... are my husband. I figured that with you gone. I was gonna be alone for the rest of my life...”

“I would never have wanted that for you,” Wash said, gazing into Zoë's eyes. He saw the tears start to form there.

“I... I didn't think it was going to be long anyway,” Zoë began, “I... I stopped wearing my armor on jobs...”

“Zoë?” Wash began, his voice getting a slight edge.

Zoë sniffled once, “Let me finish.”

Wash nodded and Zoë continued, “I still wore it when I was off ship on errands and the like. That's what did help save my life when Max and me met.”

“What happened?”

“We were on Persephone. Badger had a score to settle after nearly being killed when the Operative purged our contacts. Sent six men after me. I got shot twice. The first one woulda been fatal if I hadn't had my armor on. Second one was in the leg. But it hit the artery and I was bleedin bad.”

Zoë took a deep breath and continued, “I was on the verge o' passin out with Badger's two surviving goons closin in. As I passed out. I thought I was gonna see you again. Then I heard two shots.”

Wash's eyes were wide now, “What happened?”

Zoë blinked back a tear and smiled, “Maxine happened. dropped both of Badger's men and then tied off my bleeder. Jayne and River showed up a few seconds later. They drug her back to Serenity. She even gave me a transfusion.”

“So that's how you got together...” Wash trailed off.

“Not quite,” Zoë smiled, “I distrusted her from the get go. Thought she might be a threat. Then she grew on me... and I had some encouragement from River, Kaylee and Inara.”

Wash rolled over onto his back and Zoë snuggled up closer to him, “Are we going to be able to make this work?” he asked.

“I'm gonna try my damnedest, Husband. I hope you'll do the same.”

Wash turned his head and gazed into Zoë's eyes. Seeing something there he had never see before. Fear. He took a deep breath, “That's all I can promise, Baby. Is to try.”

“That's all I'm askin.”

Wash's stomach suddenly growled, causing Zoë to grin, “Hungry are we?”

“You wore me out, Lambytoes. Besides, I'm not exactly at my peak after what happened.”

“I understand, Baby,” Zoë smiled, “Good for you, Max is such a good cook. We'll have you fattened up before...”

Wash quieted his wife with a kiss, “Let's just say, get me back to my ideal weight. Shall we?”

Zoë smiled wider, “You got it husband. Why don't you head up to the galley. I'll be along directly.”

“Okay, Sweetie,” Wash replied as he slid out of bed. Zoë admiring the view of his backside.

“I kinda like the long hair,” she said after a moment. Laying there watching Wash dress.

“You do?”

“Yep. Makes you look.. I don't know.. roguish?”

Wash grinned, “Roguish? I kinda like that.”

XXXXXXXXXX

Wash stepped into the galley. Finding it nearly empty. Empty except for Maxine. The redhead sat at the table. A mug of coffee in her hands. She looked up when she heard someone enter.

“Hi,” she said.

“Hi,” Wash replied. He immediately noticed the set of her shoulders, “You okay?” he asked after a moment.

“I guess,” Max shrugged.

Wash drew himself a cup of coffee and sat next to her, “I can tell this is bothering you some.”

“Well...”

“That's deep subject,” Wash grinned.

Max chuckled, “Zoë warned me you were a smart ass.”

“Guilty as charged. Better slap on the cuffs.”

Max grinned wide, “Warned me about that too.”

Wash tried to look shocked but smiled after a minute, “Thats... ya' know. Private stuff.”

“We're sleeping with the same woman, Wash.”

“Good point,” Wash agreed.

They sat in silence for a few minutes.

“Thank you,” Wash whispered.

“For what?”

“Saving Zoë.”

Max grinned slightly, “I did it for purely selfish reasons. I took one look at her and wanted to rut her brains out.”

Wash matched the grin, “Same here. I saw her and took Mal's job offer on the spot. Even though it was less money than a few other captains were offering. I took it on the offhand chance me and Zoë could hook up. Even once would have been worth it.”

“And then you got married...”

“And we got married,” Wash replied.

“She is just so...”

“Intoxicating?”

“Yeah,” Max agreed, smiling slightly.

Wash stood up and moved behind Maxine. He reached out and began to massage her shoulders. The redhead moaned slightly.

“Give you about a month to stop that...” Max groaned out.

Wash grinned, “Zoë says the same thing.”

“Ain't gonna work,” Max said after a minute.

“Shenme?”

“I ain't gonna sleep with you, Wash.”

“I'm not...”

“Let me finish,” Max said as she twisted in her chair. Causing wash to stop his massage, “I've been with two men in my life. The first was when I was fifteen. I didn't really like it. The second time was when I was eighteen and I wasn't a willing participant...”

Wash held up his hands and sat back down, “Not what I was after, Maxine,” He began, “While being with both you and Zoë at the same time makes for a mind blowing fantasy... to me anyway,” he added with a grin, “You're as Sly as I'm Straight. And I guess we have another thing in common. I've been with two men in my life and neither time was consensual...”

Max's mouth opened for a moment then she closed it. Trying to formulate what to say. After a minute she could only say, “I'm sorry”

Wash shook his head, “Considering where I was. Twice in two and a half years isn't too bad. Lucky for me and not so much for the other guy. There was a convicted child molester in my barracks. He got most of the unwanted attention.”

“I can imagine...”

“So,” Wash began with a smile to try and break the seriousness of the situation, “Can you give me any pointers in how to lick Zoë's...”

“Wash!” Max exclaimed.

Wash grinned and then began laughing, “Gotcha.”

Max growled at him before beginning to chuckle herself, “You got a smutty mind...”

“Takes one to know one,” he replied, still smiling.

“I'll give you that,” Max admitted.

Wash leaned forward and put his arm around Maxine's shoulder, “So... my future co-spouse. What should I get you and Zoë for a wedding present?”

“We could always use more batteries,” Maxine replied with a wicked grin.

They dissolved into laughter while Zoë stood in the open door and smiled.

-

TBC