The Hole in the 'verse

An alternative Firefly story

Rating: PG-13 for now, for violence and mild cursing

Summary: An AU fic that starts right at the end of the BDM. Serenity and her crew are learning to cope, and still flying, but it's getting harder all the time.

Disclaimer: You'd think I own these poor folk because of the way I treat them (and will treat them) but I really don't. The idea of ownership is naught but a grand illusion.

Author's Notes: Bit fast with the update, that's something isn't it? And we learn something fun in this section.

The Book of Mal

part 4

"Cap'n?" Kaylee ventured. She had been sitting quietly in one of the chairs until she couldn't bear it any longer. "Cap'n, have you seen Simon?"

Mal frowned, turning in his seat. "You lost him?"

"Well…this afternoon. Five hours ago. He ain't in the infirmary."

"Maybe he got lost in one of the nooks or an air duct."

"Simon don't know Serenity that well, I don't think he coulda gotten in one a the nooks," Kaylee pointed out. Her normally cheerful face looked depressed and anxious.

"You're saying we left him on Osiris," Mal said quietly. She nodded silently.

"He is on Osiris, just were he needs to be," River spoke up. She glanced away from the vid screen in the control panel with a small smile. "My brother needs to go home and find himself. He missed the boat, but we'll get him back."

Mal had to fight not to drop his jaw and point stupidly. "Y—…you do realize your brother is part of our crew and we don't leave our crew behind, right?"

"I understand, Captain Daddy, but it's for his own good. He needs to find himself."

Kaylee jumped up and left without a word. Mal wasn't far from being right on her heels. "Kaylee, what are you doing?"

"I'm goin' back fer Simon," she said coldly. She didn't stop or turn around. There was no reasoning with her like this, but it wasn't in Mal's nature to listen to reason.

"Kaylee, maybe you don't understand who's in charge here, but—"

"No, Captain, I'm going to save Simon and you can't stop me."

"Kaylee!"

She sped up to a run, dashing along the scaffolding above the cargo bay and towards the free shuttle opposite Inara's. She hadd bolted and locked the door before Mal could catch up.

"Ai ya, hwai luh!" Mal cursed, trying to lever open the door. He could hear the humming of the shuttle within sliding out the side of Serenity's hull. It would be swallowed up in the black within minutes unless he turned Serenity around and tried to catch her. Then they would lose the deal and be hounded by all manner of Feds. There wouldn't be any way to win this battle; Mal bolted back to the bridge to order River to turn around.

"River, you gotta turn back now 'n fetch Kaylee 'n Simon. Back to Osiris."

"No." The word was soft, but the force behind it was unmistakable. She was looking back at the vid screen and alternately at the starscape floating lazily by outside and not truly paying attention to Mal's demands.

"River—"

"No, Captain Daddy. They need time. This is good for them, you'll see. We'll go to Persephone, they will learn and grow. We'll come back for them when they're ready."

"River, don't you be takin' this for a—"

The pistol was aimed at his head before he could get the next word out, despite River's apparent lack of concentration. His pistol. Mal patted uselessly at the empty holster and swallowed quietly, easing his hands into the air to show his peace. His only guess was that she must have taken it before he'd gone tearing after Kaylee.

"We're going to Persephone," River said. She turned around in the seat finally, watching him out of wide eyes. "They need this. You need this. Serenity."

"Wuh duh ma huh ta duh fung-kwong duh wai-shung doh... Are you gonna do this every time you got the notion we gotta do things your own way? Because gettin' held at gunpoint ain't gonna make anyone put you on their fuzzy wuzzy list."

"You won't listen to reason. Reason comes in sight, in belief that I would hurt you. You quiet, shut down, listen."

"Well, yes, I will agree that I am listening, but that ain't gonna change the fact we ain't goin' to Persephone until we get Kaylee and Simon back."

"Yes we will." River got up, slowly, gracefully. She stalked towards Mal with the pistol held straight ahead, still pointed at his skull. She slid by the captain, depositing the gun in his holster again before continuing down the corridor, presumably to her quarters.

Mal had to wait a few moments to check and regulate his heartbeat and breathing before he could successfully lower his hands. He strode to the intercom and keyed in the button for Wash and Zoë's room.

"All right, travelers, if you could kindly make your way to the bridge, it'd be much appreciated," he said tightly.

A few moments of silence later, there was a crackling answer. "Everything all right, sir?"

"Not so much, so if you could make haste, that'd be nice too."

He turned the com off to wait for Wash and Zoë. Mal still wasn't keen on letting Wash fly yet, but the pilot could still be useful until his time came. It wasn't long before they turned up, looking more than slightly disheveled.

"Yes, sir?" Zoë asked.

"Was that the shuttle I heard?" Wash frowned.

"Yes, yes it was, Wash. We left Simon on Osiris. Kaylee just went to go fetch him, 'cept by the time she does, we'll be too far out for her to get back safely. Lil River had a mind for us to keep on goin' to Persephone. I have a haunch we can't be stoppin' this notion or somethin' bad's gonna happen. Wash, I'd like you to examine the controls, see if you find anythin' interestin'."

Wash looked apprehensive about the request at first, before nodding wordlessly and sliding beneath the console. Almost immediately, he made a disapproving noise.

"Yep, captain. We're doomed."

"Wash, we can't be doomed. Can't afford to be doomed."

"Well, sir, little River learned how to ship-jack. Can't change course without a very good mechanic and a brilliant pilot. I think you've only got one of the two, sir. We're making the rendezvous whether we like it or not."

Mal felt something twitch inside him. The only crewmember that could be quite so carefree at a time like this was Wash, and it wasn't exactly appreciated at the moment. It was good he was recovering spirit like that, but not so nice given the situation. "All right. You work on this, see how far from Persephone we are by the time you finish. We'll decide then. Get to work."

"Yes, sir, overlord!"

"Try not to sound too excited about this, if you know what I mean."

"Yes, sir, of course, sir."

"Wash."

"What?"

"Work."

Chinese:

Ai ya, hwai luh: Shit on my head!

Wuh duh ma huh ta duh fung-kwong duh wai-shung doh: Holy mother of god and all her wacky Nephews

Honour Roll: Jas-TheMaddTexan- Will do –salute- Lynx Ryder: It really is at an end! This is the first time I've ever had a long story actually…well…have an ending. Does that say something about my character, do you think? Um…don't answer that, because that might mean Survivor will never get done. –blush- General Subwoofer: Pushing Wash to his limits always has its merits I must admit. Does psychological scarring count?