Sorry for the wait again, this chapter wasn't hard,

but getting the personalities right was.

Read and Review!

Enjoy!

Chapter 7: Rocky Reunion

October 22, 2517, 3am Serenity Ship time.

Mal rubbed his hand through hair before grabbing the cup of instant coffee sitting on the pilot's console. He had been waving contacts for 24 hours straight, but most hadn't returned them, those who had told him they couldn't do business with him.

Mal knew it was going to be difficult to find jobs after what the Operative had done, but figured someone out there would be desperate enough to hire them.

But alas, not even Badger would give them a job.

Now he had a real problem on his hands, with one of the plasma vent's heat shield missing, that meant that he had to hand out serious platinum to pay for a new one, plus the hinge and actuator.

Worst of all, they couldn't land without it, unless he wanted the reactor to blow during reentry.

The only thing that comforted him was the fact they were still sitting on a serious pile of dough after that bank job.

Oh, they still had that Lassiter too, at least, it was there before the crash...

Mal decided he better go find it, after all it could keep them flyin' for a bit longer, that and he needed more coffee. Mal groaned as he got out of the pilot's chair and popped his back a few times.

"I'm gettin' too old for this". He muttered as he grabbed the mug and clunked down the stairs. He rubbed the tiredness from his eyes as he walked into the mess.

As soon as he cleared them, he froze at what they saw.

Standing at the counter making tea was Inara Serra, the most beautiful woman he'd ever set eyes on. Though he tried to deny it...

She looked up at him and gave him her usual smile, though it was a little more genuine at seeing him bug eyed staring at her in this slip of a nightgown.

"Mal, you should get some sleep".

Malcolm Reynolds finally tore his eyes away from her body and up to her face.

"Uh yeah, I probably should". He slumped down in a chair and continued. "Been tryin' for a day straight to find us a job, but no one and nothing wants anything to do with us".

Inara walked around the kitchen counter and sat across from him.

"You knew it was going to be hard after what he did, you just have to hope that things are going to get better".

Mal snorted a tired laugh as he rested his head in his hands momentarily before looking back up at her.

"Well I don't see how they can get much worse than what they were".

"At least you still have the money from the bank you robbed, and I know you haven't sold the Lassiter".

"I was just thinkin' the same thing before I came down here. I didn't even bother to see if it made through our little crash landing".

"Well I did, it's still in its hiding spot underneath the kitchen sink".

"Good, cause were probably gonna need it for coin sooner rather than later".

They sat in silence for a moment while Inara took a sip of her tea.

"So". Mal cleared his throat. "Have you made a decision as to whether you want to stay on flyin' scrap heap of ours"?

Inara's previously cheerful look darkened a little.

"You always have to ruin a conversation don't you"?

"What? I was just askin' a question".

"Men..." she muttered to low for Mal to hear.

"Mal, it's the way you phrased the question, you made it sound like I despise being here"!

"We'll don't ya? You already left once, we had to drag you back 'cause someone was threatin' you".

Mal never saw the slap coming. He stood stunned for a second as Inara fought to contain her anger.

"You're...you're... despicable"!

Mal opened his mouth to retort but was cut off by something that rivaled getting hit by Inara on his list of 'things I don't like'

The Proximity Alarm...

River was in her bunk, dreaming, and for once it wasn't filled with the horrors of the Academy or of the deeds of other people.

She was small, tiny, and could only crawl.

She crawled on a bed with two people under the covers, she stared at one of them. He seemed vaguely familiar to River; his face held youthfulness, but she could see the weapon on the nightstand.

River was confused, she didn't remember this place, and the man was not Gabriel Tam.

As her infant head turned to the other occupant, River's confusion grew. There was a woman there who looked exactly like her, only a few year older, but River knew from looking in her eyes that this wasn't her. The eyes conveyed an intelligence that rivaled her own, but radiated a level of control River knew she could never achieve.

River stared at her look-alike, the best way she could describe her, as she turned her gaze upon the man sleeping next to her. River noted the love that radiated from her chocolate brown eyes as she looked at him.

River crawled forward onto the the sleeping young man, but was held back by her look-alike. The woman turned her around and spoke to her.

"River, don't wake Dada yet, he needs to sleep".

River woke up with a gasp, her brown eyes wide and her whole body was sprung tight as a cord from the tension. As her breathing slowed, she tried to understand what she relived, but she knew one thing for certain. She knew that the young man with the light brown hair was someone she once knew, someone she had loved as a father.

It had been five or six years since River had found out that she was adopted, and Simon knew as well, despite what their parents told them. Neither of them had been surprised, you can't keep that kind of thing a secret from two geniuses. It didn't change the love they had for one another, and River doubted that anything ever could. Their bond was special, they were both willing to give it all for the other.

Some bonds were thicker than blood.

That train of thought lead back to her numerous father figures.

She never knew her real father, her Dada was the young man from the memory/dream, her Dad was Gabriel Tam, but her Ba ba, or Daddy, was Mal.

River smiled warmly at that thought, she had grown to love the man who had taken them in and protected them when anyone else would have left them behind or turned them in.

He had more of a soul than most gave him credit for.

She got out of bed and slipped on her favorite blue sundress, unable to sleep anymore after the dream.

She walked out of her room and rubbed her eyes as her mind fully woke. As it did, the dreams and thoughts of those on board began to filter into her mind.

River smiled softly to herself as Kaylee and Simon dreamed of each other as they slept in the other's arms. She was glad that finally got past his 'boob' phase, well, mostly anyway.

Her smile changed to a sad one as she sees Zoe's dream of Wash playing with his dinosaurs like he always used to.

Jayne was dreaming his typical dreams that consisted of guns, sex, and bar tussles. She was the only one on board who wasn't disgusted by his coarse and blunt nature, mostly because what she considered disgusting was playing around planetary populations like guinea pigs and little girls brains.

She wasn't surprised to find Mal and Inara awake, and she could almost feel the heat coming off their argument. She shook her head and wondered when those two were ever going to wake up...

"too stubborn to find happiness" She thought to herself. She slipped silently by them as she made her way to the bridge.

She was about to sit down in Wash's chair when she was suddenly overwhelmed by a multitude of minds crashing into her consciousness.

She stumbled into the pilot's chair and her face grimaced in pain as her neurons were nearly overloaded. As River's super-brain began to filter them into background noise, she realized that the only way for such a thing to occur is if a ship were to approach at a speed greater than light. Brain waves broad waved on EM frequencies, and therefore only traveled as fast as light.

She knew the tech existed, but they had never encountered a ship equipped with one before.

All of this had happened in the span of three seconds since River had felt the presence, and during that time, Serenity's computer had finally made sense of what the sensors were telling it and triggered the alarm.

River knew that Mal will be on the bridge in a few seconds, and he would want as much information as possible. Her head still hurt, but she managed to glean enough information to know that they were not hostile, despite being an Alliance ship.

She also noted with some surprise that the ship was rogue.

River turned around as Mal and Inara rushed onto the bridge, but no one got a chance to speak before the communication console began beeping. River wordless pushed the button to open the channel.

"Serenity, this is the I.A.V.X Sol, prepare for docking". The channel closed before Mal could say anything and the ship lurched as it was caught in the Sol's tractor beam.

Mal rushed over to the other station and pushed a few buttons.

"River, see if we can break free"! Mal took out his Moses Bros. S.D.E. Frontier Model B and checked the magazine.

Mal doubted they would get away so easily, so when River told him the beam was too powerful he was already prepared.

"Inara, get in your shuttle, I don't want..."

"Not here to harm, only want to talk". Mal and Inara turned around and looked at her like she was slightly crazy, which she was.

Meanwhile, Zoe had appeared from behind and was taking stock of the situation.

"Alliance sir"?

"Yep, pullin' us in. However, River here says they ain't here to fight".

Zoe saw the conflict in his eyes, understandable after all they'd been through.

"Sir, if it was anyone else..."

"I know". Mal shoved his gun back in its holster. "Let's go greet our none violent Alliance captors".

As they four left the bridge, the ship lurched again as the Sol locked onto Serenity's airlock.

As soon as it did, however, River dashed past them like a bat out of hell screaming in the happiest voice Mal ever heard out of the psychic.

"HE'S ALIVE"!

Mal looked at the others before picking up the pace.

"What the hell was that all about"? He asked Zoe as they ran past the crew quarters.

"Don't know sir". Zoe replied in her usual stoic voice.

By the time they got to the cargo bay, Jayne had caught up with them with Vera and a bandoleer of grenades strapped to his person. Simon and Kaylee were walking out of the passenger dorms all disheveled.

River, on the other hand, was in the process of overriding the locks on the outer hatch.

"River wait"! Mal yelled as he vaulted over the last few steps and ran for the door with Zoe right on his tail.

Simon caught up to Inara who had just finished coming down the steps.

"What is going on"? He asked as they made their way to the door that River had dashed through.

"I'm not sure".

River still had a headache, but the she was able to filter through the minds slowly, gleaning information she might find useful.

Just as she was about to step off the bridge, she felt a very, very familiar mind aboard the FTL ship. Her heart nearly stopped as she felt the familiar thought patterns and emotions flow through her.

"He's alive..." River whispered to herself.

It was Wash, there was no doubt about it. She knew the others wouldn't believe if she told them, so she would just have to show them instead.

She pushed past them and broke into a full sprint, screaming the good news she just couldn't contain.

The young psychic ran down the stairs and vaulted the last few before sprinting toward the inner airlock door. That door she opened easily enough and the outer door didn't take much longer. She door blew open part of the way from the air pressure difference but she ran through it anyway.

River ran down the airlock corridor straight toward's the blonde pilot. A huge smile spread across her face and she ran toward him.

She yelled his name as she ran into his arms and he lifted her off the ground.

"River! How you been kid"? Wash said as he set River back on the ground.

"Never better". She said with an impish smile adorning her angelic face.

He took a good look at her. He was surprised to see how calm and controlled she was, her eyes sparkled with joy, but they showed a lucidity he had never seen in her before.

Already his day was getting better, but when he saw her eyes focus on him in a rather unnatural manner, he knew what she was doing.

"Now don't do that readin' thing yet River, it'll spoil the surprise". He thought as loudly as he could so she'd get the message before she dug further.

River broke her gaze and nodded, she hadn't gotten much anyway, but she was entertained by the idea of a surprise. After all, she didn't get those very often anymore.

He looked over her shoulder and saw Mal and Zoe staring at him, Mal in surprise, but his wife in disbelief.

Wash knew right then that convincing his warrior woman that he was who he appeared to be wasn't going to be a cake walk

"Wont be easy to convince". River said to him.

"Hey, what did I say...".

"Can't help it when you think loud".

"Right..." He said in a disbelieving tone, but she only gave him a look that conveyed how serious she was.

"Alright, I'll try to be more quiet" He said in wry tone to which gave him a smirk, but it disappeared when his face became serious.

"Concerned, about her, about us". River picked up the worry he was practically screaming.

"Yeah". He sighed as they began walking toward them, his security detail staying a few steps behind. When they reached the airlock, the rest of the crew were gaping at him.

Zoe stood stock still at Mal's side, but slightly behind. Her face was showing anger now, but still mixed with disbelief. Mal was just trying to keep his jaw from flapping, when he finally did, he was still the first to speak.

"Wash". He swallowed hard and blinked hard. "You mind explainin' this bit of wizardry"?

Wash didn't get a chance to respond before Zoe lunged at him and ripped his shirt open. Everyone gazed at his chest that looked as if he'd never been shishka -bobbed by a 20 foot spear.

"It's not magic sir, it's a trick, no one survives that and doesn't have a scar to show for it". She said tonelessly as she raised her mare's leg and pointed it at Wash who's eyes had gone very wide. He threw up his hands so fast the motion was a blur.

"Hey, hey, hey, no need to turn me into Swiss cheese".

"She's got a point there mister, now you best be doing some explaining or I'll let her pull that trigger".

"I don't need one". Zoe said as her finger tightened on the trigger.

"NOOOO"! River screamed as she shoved the weapon aside as it went off, barely managing to save Wash a bullet hole. River tore the weapon out of Zoe's hands and kept it out of her reach. "No, not a trick, just listen"! River pleaded with them.

Mal remembered what Zoe had said only minutes before, and that still applied now, despite all the craziness.

"Zoe, remember what you's telling me on the bridge just a moment ago. If it was anyone else"?

Zoe looked back at him like he was crazy, for once logic seemingly abandoning her.

"Sir, there's no way anyone could..."

"We never found the body, and I'm sure Wash here has a perfectly good excuse as to why he's kept himself a secret for the past month".

"Sir..."

"No sir's Zoe, for once I'm the one thinkin' with his head screwed on tight, so don't make me order you to stand down".

"Yes, sir". The stoic warrior said as she took her weapon back and walked away.

After a moment of awkward silence, Wash spoke up.

"That went well". Wash muttered dejectedly.

"That it did, now I wasn't joking about that explanation". Mal said as he crossed his arms.

"I will, just not here Mal". Wash said in the same dejected voice, Mal simply gazed at him for a moment for answering.

"Alright then, we'll meet in the mess hall after everyone gets done with all the mushy stuff". Mal spun around and walked off, having nothing to say to the pilot for now.

After Mal left, Simon was the first to come up to Wash, looking at his chest with a clinical eye, and then speaking.

"You know Zoe has a point, I don't know of anything that could even have a remote possibility of saving you, much less not leave a scar".

"Well doc, you don't know everything, and I bet I know a thing or two about history now that even that genius sister of yours doesn't know".

"I don't understand". Simon said as he shook his head slightly like he always did when confused.

That was when River gasped. Wash cursed himself for thinking too loudly... again.

"You... you met them"? He shook his slowly, wondering how she knew.

"They're pretty amazing people River, they'll be here in an hour with the captain".

River's eyes diverted to the floor as she began processing all the possibilities and ramifications brought to the table by what little she had gleaned from his mind.

"Whoa, hold on a minute, what the hell are you talking about"? Simon almost demanded, Kaylee took his hand and squeezed it to help calm him down.

"I'm talking about River's history, and how she came into your family".

"You know then"? Simon asked carefully.

"Know what"? Inara asked.

"That I'm not really Simon's sister".

The silence engulfed them again for a brief moment before everyone left in the cargo bay started talking at once, save for River, Jayne, and Wash. Mal had stopped at the top to listen to this new piece of rather interesting info.

"Stop"! River screamed at the top of her lungs. "Will be explained later". River finished quietly. Kaylee left Simon's spot and wrapped River in her arms.

"You're just one big mystery aren't you"? Kaylee whispered in the psychic's ear.

"So it seems". River answered back.

For the first time since this whole thing began, Jayne spoke up.

"Uh, are we gonna meet Mal back in mess, or just stand here yappin' all day".

"Jayne"! Kaylee said with a reproachful voice.

"No, he's right, there are things that need to be explained". River said as she began walking towards the stairs. The rest followed after a few seconds except Wash and Jayne.

"We better get going" Wash said a little somberly.

To his surprise, Jayne slapped him on the back.

"Good to see that you ain't all corpsified, conversin' on this ship was gettin' borin' without ya".

"Glad to know someone appreciates me".

His only answer was Jayne's grunt as they walked toward the mess hall.

A minute or so later, everyone had taken a spot at the table except Wash who chose to stand. Mal had managed to convince Zoe to listen to what he had to say before making anymore rash decisions.

Wash was standing in the same place Simon had nine months previously, with everyone giving hims similar looks they had given him.

"Alright, let's get this show on the road". Mal started off. "I think we should start with the biggest elephant in the room... how the hell are you still alive"? His voice was raised during the last half of the sentence.

Wash shifted his feet under Mal's intense stare.

"I was saved... with this". He pulled a silver metal sphere the size of a large jawbreaker out of his pocket and held it out in his hand.

Everyone stared at the sphere and then back at Wash, all eyes filled with skepticism.

"So is that the bit of wizardry Wash, cause to me it looks like metal ball". Sarcasm was almost dripping from his mouth.

Wash simply chuckled a little before he looked directly at the sphere and spoke to it.

"Show 'em".

The ball's surface rippled as it became liquid once more. Wash set it down on the table and stepped back.

"Watch".

Everyone watched with curiosity at the ball rippled, and everyone gasped when it's shape began to change.

Three seconds later the crew of Serenity were staring at a 4 inch tall T-Rex that roared and stomped around.

"What the hell..." Mal managed to get out before the dino quit moving and transformed back into a metal ball.

"It's called Mimetic Poly Alloy".

"Say what"? Jayne said as he scratched his head.

"Nano machines immersed in metal alloy mixture". River said as she stared at the ball with fascination.

"Amazing, the medical applications..." Simon said as he examined the sphere, but trailed off as he realized what he just confirmed.

"Simon, are you tellin' me that it's possible that... that liquid metal thingy resurrected my pilot"? Mal asked while pointing his thumb at Wash.

"It's more than possible Captain, I can confirm it if we look at it under a microscope".

"I think I'll take your word for it". Mal said quickly, not wanting to hear a bunch of techno-babble. "But it does scare me that the Alliance has this kind of tech".

Zoe wasn't quite convinced yet, and she wasn't going to show otherwise until she was 100% sure.

"Simon, give him a full physical, make sure he's not made out of the material". Her voice was calm and collected as always, but those in the room who knew her best detected a hopeful undertone.

"Listen"! River said a little forcefully, she was tired of Zoe's doubt. "I know fake from real". River pointed her finger at Wash. "Real".

Zoe stared at River for only a second, but to her that second felt like a minute. She took in River's determined, serious look and realized that her doubt was completely irrational at this point. As she let herself believe that this truly was her husband in front of her, the emotional barriers around her heart crumbled like the walls of Jericho. Zoe rose slowly and walked over to him, she could tell he was getting nervous, she was too.

When she stood only inches away, Zoe slowly raised a shaky hand to his face.

"Baby"? She whispered so softly that only he could here.

"It's me lamby-toes". He stroked her cheek with his thumb, a gesture she leaned into as she touched every part of his face with her hands.

"Don't you ever do that again". Zoe said with a mock angry tone, but there was a loving smile on her face.

"Well... I can only promise that if my warrior woman gives me something in return ". Wash's voice was sultry and low, Zoe smiled as the pleasing tones hit her ears.

"And what might that be dearest"? Her tone just as husky.

"I want her to kiss me like there's no tomorrow".

"I can accept those terms..." Zoe smiled again and kissed her husband with a feverish passion.

Meanwhile the rest of the crew smiled at the reunion, but were simultaneously embarrassed by intruding on such an intimate moment, except River anyway, that kind of privacy meant little to a psychic.

When the two broke apart, Zoe grabbed her husband by the shirt and dragged him off, Mal had to cover his face by this point, it had gotten too darn awkward for him.

"Well, I don't expect to be hearin' from them for a good long while". Mal said while rubbing the back of his neck. "In the mean time we better prepare for our guests".

Everyone got up to do their own thing while contemplating what had been revealed thus far, all except River that was. She stood up and circled the table slowly until her arms were in reach of the liquid metal sphere. River slowly picked it up and caressed it in her hands, silently gazing at it with wide brown eyes filled with wonder and awe.

Mal watched her for a moment before speaking to her. He had questions about something said between Wash and her in the cargo bay, and he wanted the answers before the rest of the welcoming party arrived.

"Now River, who are these people coming here to my fine ship"?

River already knew what he was going to ask, but she still hesitated when she did.

"I don't know, but once upon a time, they were my parents".

"Your real parents"?

"No, adopted me, just like you". She said with a small smile on her lips. Mal's lips quirked a bit, but didn't comment on it further.

"What about this ship, what else did you find out about it"?

"Faster than light".

Mal's eyes widened when she said that.

"Excuse me"? He almost squeaked. "Are you said that the Alliance has FTL"?

"Yes, has since before you were born, but only one is currently commissioned, pieces not easily made".

"Top secret I'm guessin'"?

She nodded once, but before Mal could ask another question, she interrupted him.

"Let them explain". And with that she walked off to think.

Mal watched her walk away, not happy at being cut off, but he decided to just make another cup of coffee like he planned before all this craziness started.

One hour later...

John Connor, Cameron, Patrick (T-1000), and Captain Pudong were on their way to the Firefly transport called Serenity.

The first three had been waiting for this moment for a month now, and now it was at hand.

John turned to his fiance' who looked slightly nervous.

"Cam, you ready for this"?

She turned her head towards him, her eyes showing how she felt.

"Are you"? She countered instead.

John nodded solemnly.

"I'm ready". Patrick said in monotone, not showing any emotion on his face, but he was slightly anxious at meeting her and how she would react to him.

"You three better be, were almost there". Pudong added with a hint of amusement in his voice.

John let out a breath as the lift stopped and subsequently opened, revealing the corridor and the airlock beyond. He slipped his hand into Cameron's and shared a brief kiss before the group walked towards the door...

Mal told the crew that he would be the one to greet them, no one else would be there. Wash and Zoe had yet to make a reappearance, but he figured his pilot would fill Zoe in anyway.

Mal had closed the airlock doors earlier to be on the safe side, never knew when an accident could happen, and now he was just waiting for the knock.

He was deeply curious about these adoptive parents of River's, where they came from, why they gave her up, and how they're involved with this whole ressurectin' thing.

As such thoughts ran through his mind, he almost missed the buzzing sound coming from the airlock.

Mal uncrossed his arms and walked to the control panel and opened inner doors. He went through and unlocked the door on the outer airlock. He pulled the heavy door aside and turned to greet his guests.

What met his eyes surely wasn't what he expected.

In front of the group was a man he easily identified as the Captain, and strangely enough, he was the least interesting out of the group.

The man to the right was a man who screamed military, but not in the traditional sense, he seemed more like the operative, minus the infuriating smirk. He was also dressed in a strange style of what he guessed to be military fatigues. His blue eyes were calculating, but not devoid of emotion, just restrained.

When he looked to the captain's left he nearly had a heart attack.

Standing next to a young man who had a nasty scar and short brown hair, was... River?

No, the cheeks were not as filled out, her hair was styled and not tangled, her chocolate brown eyes held a presence that was not River.

This was a woman who simply looked exactly like her, only older. She too had calculating eyes that were observing him, but also contained that restrained emotion swimming underneath.

Mal almost jumped when the Captain spoke.

"Captain Reynolds, I'm Captain Peter Pudong of the I.A.V.X. Sol ". Pudong stuck his hand out for Mal too shake, who actually shook his hand absentmindedly as his stare returned to Cameron for a moment.

Mal finally broke out of his shock and greeted him back.

"I can tell that your curious as to who these people are, and I must say their story is one that hard to believe without proof".

"I guessed as much, but you learn to live with strange with River Tam running around".

He noticed the others tense a little at the mention of her name, something he took note of. Mal then walked over to the man with brown hair and blue eyes standing stoically to Pudong's right.

"You know my name, what might yours be"?

"Patrick, Captain Reynolds, I was the one who resurrected your pilot".

"Much obliged". He said after shaking the man's unusually cold hand. Mal moved over to River's look-alike.

"Now I'm more than a might curious about you, considerin' how you look and all". He said with his arms crossed, he was a little suspicious of her.

"I understand Captain, Wash was too, but to explain why is something that needs to be told to all of them".

"Alright, and what do I call Ms..."?

"Cameron".

"Ms. Cameron, and now you..." He turned towards John. "Who are you"?

"My name is John Connor, Captain, I'm Cameron's fiance'. We took care of River when she was younger, it's a long story". Mal glared at him momentarily for knowing what he was going to ask, but moved on without a beat.

"You look a hell of a lot like a soldier, but yous too you to fought in the war. How old are you"?

"Seventeen, though I feel older".

"I know how ya feel". Mal didn't seem too surprised by his age, nor did he judge him because of it, he had never done so with River, so why with an obviously battle hardened man who just happened to be 17?

"Captain". Pudong said as he stared up at the crosswalk. Mal looked at him momentarily before following his line of sight.

Up on the metal crosswalk was River Tam, looking down with wide eyed fascination at the group who had moved in, but she was most enraptured by the T-1000 and Cameron. She couldn't quite read their minds, but she could feel their souls as they radiated their life force, a type of life she had never felt before since she had become a psychic.

Her feet began moving towards the stairs, but her gaze never left that of the group, and their's never left her.

However, the machine that looked like her, (She knew, and was beyond fascinated at this point), began walking toward her. Her matching brown eyes held a mixture of emotions, but River could not feel them like she could a human's because of her nature.

River finally stepped onto the cold floor of the cargo bay with Cameron only a foot or so from her. Her soulful eyes gazed at Cameron's face as emotions began to reflect not only in her eyes, but her face as well.

Cameron's eyes began to fill with silver tears as River slowly raised her hands to the face that nearly mirrored her own.

As the young psychic's fingers brushed the skin that wasn't skin with her finger tips, she felt a powerful stream of thoughts, emotions, and memories flow through her at a dizzying pace.

She gasped and closed her eyes as she cupped Cameron's face with both her hands.

Mission... Terminate John Connor, Leader of the Resistance...

Heat... Explosion... PAIN as wires cross and electricity shorts... PLEASE END IT.

And then oblivion's sweet embrace...

REACTIVATE... Mission... Protect John Connor

Learning, Fascination, Defeat Skynet, Protect the General...

War won, Skynet gone...

Time travel, must save John in the PAST!

1999, Red Valley New Mexico, USA, EARTH!

Meets John Reese, not the John She knew... wait SHE?

Cromartie ruins pink shirt...

Meeting SARAH CONNOR, legend of the future.

Escape... 2007, new life, new purpose, kill Skynet before it's born.

Get John a cake, EXPLOSION, oblivion comes unwelcome... John in danger...

MALFUNCTION MALFUNCTION... KILL JOHN CONNOR... NOOOOO!

Oblivion once, no, Twice more.

Trust, John trust's her with HIS life

TERMINATION OVERRIDE

Moving to new house... Greenway... things are different now.

No Mission no purpose... only a sensation she cant yet describe, she must protect John...

RILEY: THREAT

ALLISON RIVER YOUNG! I'm sorry...

HOW DARE YOU TOUCH MY PURPLE JACKET!

Cromartie once more, and then never more

John doesn't want her, found lipstick on his neck... RILEY

Three dots... IS SARAH CRAZY?

No, HK proves her right... might be too late...

Arm twitches, kills birds, repairs not working... must find a way to end it...

MY life in your hands John.

Jesse Flores... Derek... Riley...

John figured it out, just like he always does, not that man yet.

DEREK dead, Charley DEAD, Now Sarah in Jail and T-1001 needs her to save her SON

JOHN HENRY...

John knew, confronts... KISS! LOVE... But she must leave, and he knows...

T-900, probability of escape... 15%

Unknown machine... dark chrome... glowing blue

no more T-900... only ANNIKA

River's eyes opened when she felt the connection break, Cameron had her hands in hers, but away from her face.

River was amazed by what she saw, felt, from this machine's mind... no not machine... person. Just as much of one as she, despite their dark pasts.

"So much more than a machine". River whispered loud enough so that only Cameron can hear.

Upon hearing her voice for the first time in what felt like an eternity, Cameron let the tears fall down her face as she cried.

She closed her eyes and bowed her head in shame and sorrow as the silent tears fell to the floor. Cameron let go of River's hands, and River pulled her into a hug instead. Cameron embraced the girl and laid her head on her shoulder.

River didn't know all of what happened quite yet, but she figured that Cameron felt guilty for doing something that ended up with her being adopted into the Tam family, and subsequently being enrolled into the Academy.

"Not your fault Mama, didn't hurt me, only protected me".

"No I didn't". Cameron's distressed voice said barely above a whisper.

"You couldn't have stopped them Cam". John said as he put a hand on Cameron's shoulder. "We didn't exist, if it's anyone's fault, it's mine, I forgot to disable the time machine, I was too slow in stopping the machine from transmitting our intel. No one's to blame but me".

Cameron and River let go of one another and turned to John who immediately gave Cameron a kiss while wiping away her tears.

When they broke apart, John turned to the girl who was nearly his age at this point, she was wearing a rather baggy sun dress, her hair was tangled, but her face broke out in a smile as her eyes took him in.

In truth, she was seen more than his physical form, she was seeing bits and pieces of his life that he spent with her and Cameron, what ever was coming to forefront in his mind.

"John". River said softly to the young man who had suffered nearly as much as she.

Despite her voice sounding just like Cameron and Allison, it sounded different to him. Cameron's voice was soft, smooth, and usually monotone while Allison's voice was often playful and teasing.

River's voice held a underlying wisdom and understanding that reminded him of John Henry, but a tiredness he understood all too well. She had been through hell, and then insanity.

It pleased him to see that she was not anymore.

"River". He walked right up and stood toe to toe with her. "I'm glad your safe". He cupped her cheek and she smiled softly.

"I'm glad your safe too, I remember everything". She stepped forward and embraced her rescuer in a hug.

When they stepped apart John held her at arms length and took a good look at her.

"Hard to believe you were a baby a month ago".

She gave him you think your funny but you ain't look.

"Alright, we got people waitin' upstairs, reunions can wait". Mal said with a straight face, but he really was uncomfortable with these situations.

"Yes Captain Tightpants". River deadpanned causing the group to laugh. Mal just glared at her and climbed the stairs, muttering about how people need to respect his authority more on his gorram boat.

"Well, here goes nothing". John said as took hold of Cameron's hand and put an arm around River as he followed Captain Reynolds.

The T-1000 lingered back a little, deciding that his reunion with the girl could wait until there wasn't as many people running around.

Well... What did you think people?

If there was any chapter to review, this is the one. I want to know how well the Serenity Crew are portrayed.

If you think someone needs improvement, tell me.

Thanks for all for reading!