Big Blue Chapter 13

Disclaimer: Joss, Fox, Universal Own em’. (Except for Allan. He's mine) I’m just playing. No money being made.

This story takes place three years after Serenity (BDM) and has the established couples of Simon/Kaylee, Mal/Inara, Zoë/Allan and Jayne/River. Follows immediately after Out to the Blue.

A/N:Sorry for the delay, the real world reared it's head and hit me hard. Read my Blog to get the details.

Thanks again Chris for the Beta.

Big Blue

Chapter Thirteen – Discoveries

Serenity lifted from Deadwood three days after River and Jayne's wedding. The couple had spent two nights in the hotel in town. As a wedding gift from Jayne's mother. Their full honeymoon would happen when they got back to Londonium in a few months. Allan was footing the bill for that as a wedding present.

Allan chuckled from his seat in the co pilots chair as River cleared Deadwood's atmosphere. The young wife was almost glowing.

“What's so funny?” She asked Allan.

“You... I don't think I've ever seen you this happy.”

“Jayne is now officially mine and I'm able to fly again.”

“Which means that I'm relegated to watching you fly instead of doing it myself,” Allan said in a pouting voice... before laughing. Since Allan's cardiac arrest, his emotions were still a bit erratic.

“Do not worry. I will let you land on Kelly in two weeks.”

“Thanks kiddo. Hopefully my arrival this time won't result in broken bones like last time.”

“One can hope...” River was interrupted by the incoming wave signal, “Allan can you get that?”

“Got it,” He replied, hitting the accept button, “Serenity.”

“Who're you?” said a large balding man with a long full beard.

“I might say the same thing, friend,” Allan replied. He heard River giggle.

“That you I hear gigglin River girl?” the man asked.

River turned on the video pickup in front of her, “Hi Monty.”

“Who's the new face?” Monty scowled at Allan's image.

“Montague Reynolds, Meet Allan Bryant,” River introduced.

“You must be Mal's cousin,” Allan stated.

“Yep, where is that rascal anyway?”

“Right here you ole' walrus,” Mal said as he entered the bridge.

“That anyway to be speakin at your kin?”

“When it's you... yes,” Mal chuckled.

“I'll let it slide this time. Where you folks at?”

“Just breakin atmo from Deadwood bound fer Kaylee's folks on Kelly.”

“Well hot damn, I'm headed that way m'self, You on a run or just visitin?”

“A little o' both,” Mal replied, “Got a charter headed that way.”

“Charter?”

“That would be me,” Allan piped up.

“Lettin passengers on the bridge again Mal? Seems that don't work so well for you from time to time.”

“Allan's been a help more'n a hindrance. Side's he's crew...”

“You must be payin pretty good iffin you got crew payin for the ship to fly about.”

“I'm just independently wealthy,” Allan replied.

“Got some coin huh?”

Mal chuckled, “Might say that Monty... Allan here's the new boss o' Blue Sun.”

“Shen-me?”

“You been watching the news waves?” Allan asked.

Monty narrowed his eyes for a moment the recognition hit his face, “Wu de tyen ah... You're him... the feller that's been on the waves... the one that got half the damn parliament arrested.”

“That's me,” Allan admitted.

“Sir, I think I need to buy you a drink... or three.”

“I look forward to it.”

XXXXXXXXXX

Three day's later Serenity and Monty's ship named, ironically the Walrus after her captain, met in the black on the way to Kelly. River expertly docked the two ships together.

The crew gathered in the cargo bay as the final docking took place. Mal looked at his resident feds. Reggie still on crutches, standing next to Alisha.

“Don't be mentionin you two are feds,” Mal warned Oso and Reggie, “Monty's a Browncoat near on as bad as me. I trust you two but Monty's a bit suspicious.”

“No problem captain,” Reggie replied, “We're just Allan's bodyguards. As far as your cousin is concerned we work for Blue Sun.”

“Good enough,” Mal replied.

With a final bang, the two ships docked. Zoë equalized the two airlocks and opened the doors. Monty strode into Serenity. As soon as he saw Zoë he gave her a hug.

“How you doing Zoë?”

“I'm good you old sasquatch,” Zoë laughed.

“Monty!” Kaylee yelled as she gave the big man a hug.

“Hey Kaylee girl. How's the best mechanic in the 'verse?”

“Engaged,” she giggled holding up her ring.

Monty shot Simon a hard look before grinning, “Finally get his head outta his pi-gu?”

“Somethin like that,” Kaylee laughed.

“Lots o' new faces,” Monty commented.

“A few. Come on up to the galley and I'll introduce you around,” Mal replied.

After everyone was seated around the big table, Mal began, “Let's see here, got some new folks and some news Monty.”

“First off, down at the end is Gabriel an Reagan Tam... River and Simon's folks.”

Monty looked surprised, he'd known some of the Tam's story And he's never thought he'd see the day the sibling's folks would be on Serenity. He gave the couple a friendly smile.

“Next ta them is Oso and Reggie. They work fer Allan at Blue Sun.”

“Must be muscle,” Monty commented.

“Somthin like that,” Mal admitted, “Next ta' Zoë there is Alisha. She's the cook I finally hired. She's also Zoë's baby sister.”

Now Monty looked truly shocked, “I didn't know you had a little sis Zoë?”

“Lost track o' her before the war, bumped into her few months back,” Zoë replied.

“Thank heaven fer small favors Zoë,” Monty replied, “Wait a minute... What's that on yer hand girl?”

“Engagement ring,” she replied simply.

“You ain't marryin Mal are ya?”

“Nah, Inara's got that covered,” Mal chuckled as Inara held up her ring.

Monty's eyes went wide then he smiled, “Bought time you two,” the big man chuckled, “Now who are you getting hitched to Zoë?”

“Me,” Allan replied.

“Bet there's a story or three in that.”

“You'd be right,” Allan replied.

Monty looked at Jayne and noticed that River was hanging off him. They simultaneously held up their wedding bands.

“No ruttin way!”

The whole table broke out in laughter at the look on Monty's face.

“I think you all better start at the beginning.” Monty said.

XXXXXXXXXX

After several hours of catching up and stories over a large jug of Kaylee's engine brew, Monty made his way back to the Walrus. A promise of high paying and steady cargo work from Allan. He also had in invitation to Simon and Kaylee's wedding.

The two ships broke away from each other. River pointing Serenity towards Kelly and Monty's ship heading for Harvest. Monty's parting words as he left Serenity sounded suspiciously like “Gorram love boat.”

XXXXXXXXXX

The next few days passed uneventfully. Allan spoke a few times with the nearly healed Durin Haymer over the cortex. So far things were well in hand at Blue Sun which put Allan's mind at ease.

The ships routine fell into it's usual pattern of family meals, a few practical jokes, games of hoop ball and the nightly after dinner jam session. Allan began teaching Zoë the basics of playing guitar.

Three days out from Kelly, River was on watch while Kaylee and Allan worked on a secondary electrical system that was being troublesome.

“What's it read now Kaylee?” Allan asked over the open com to the engine room.

“Still got nothin Allan,” she replied.

Swearing under his breath, Allan extracted himself from under the co-pilots console and climbed down the stairs at the front of the bridge. He double checked the circuit breaker panel. Finding nothing amiss, he checked the connection to a cable bundle. As Allan wiggled it, the lights dimmed and a sudden cry came from Kaylee over the open com.

“Kaylee!” River cried.

Allan was up the stairs and running towards the engine room as fast as he could go. River at the same time was calling for Simon. A moment later an alarm began sounding. There was a fire in the engine room.

Allan ran the length of the ship, skidding to a stop at the entry to the engine room, he spied Kaylee unconscious on the deck and a small fire burning behind an electrical panel.

Cursing, Allan pulled Kaylee clear and slammed the door shut. Activating the fire suppression system.

A moment later Simon was at his side, “What happened?”

“I don't know. We were working on the secondary electrical system and I heard her yell,” Allan exclaimed.

Mal and Jayne arrived a few seconds later.

“I don't know,” Allan said before he was asked again.

“Looks like an electrical burn on her left hand,” Simon said. Fully in doctor mode.

“Me and Jayne'll get her to the infirmary. Allan, you see on the boat.”

“Got it Mal,” Allan replied quickly as Jayne and the captain gently picked the unconscious Kaylee up off the deck and began carrying her to the infirmary. Simon following closely.

Hitting the switch to vent the smoke and halon from the engine room, Allan waited until the atmosphere in the room was safe to enter.

Allan slowly opened the door and stepped inside the engine room. The lingering odor of ozone and burned insulation hung in the air. Allan quickly checked the readouts for the life support systems. Everything was in the green. Next he checked the engine itself.

All indications said that Serenity's heart was fine. “River, You still on the bridge?” he called into the com.

“Yes Allan,” she replied.

“Shut down standby buss three.”

“On it.”

River rose from her seat and moved to the lower avionics bay in front of the bridge. Quickly pulling several circuit breakers. Returning to her seat she called Allan again.

“Breakers are pulled.”

“Okay, looks like I have some rewiring to do,” Allan replied.

“I'll let the captain know.”

“Thanks kiddo.”

XXXXXXXXXX

Simon was on automatic pilot. Eternally grateful that he was able to distance himself emotionally. If not for that, he would be a wreck since his current patient was his fiancé.

Quickly he ran his medical scanner over Kaylee's still form. He relaxed as the device indicated that there was no brain damage and that her lungs were clear of smoke damage.

Kaylee had a small second degree burn on the back of her left hand. Her heart was steady with no arrhythmias.

“How's she doin doc?” Mal asked from the doorway.

“No obvious damage beyond the burn on her hand,” Simon replied as he ran the scanner lower. As he passed over Kaylee's abdomen he stopped suddenly.

“No.” Simon said quietly.

“Doc? You're making me nervous here.”

Kaylee moaned and opened her eyes, “Whu happen?”

Simon smiled at her, “Looks like you got a little zap, bao-bei,” Simon replied.

“My girl!” Kaylee exclaimed as she tried to get up.

“Easy there, Lil' Kaylee,” Mal said, entering the room, “Allan has things well in hand.”

Kaylee relaxed, “Okay Cap'n'.”

Mal looked at his medic. Simon looked like he was about to pass out. Kaylee followed Mal's gaze.

“Simon? What's wrong?” Kaylee asked.

“Ai-ren... When was your birth control shot due?”

“I dunno, I thought you were keepin track o' that.”

“Oops.” Simon said, a grin forming on his face.

“Doc?” Mal asked.

“Make that dad Mal.”

“Huh?”

“Kaylee's pregnant...”

“She is... I mean, I am?” Kaylee squeaked.

Mal looked as flabbergasted as Simon, “Um, how far long?”

“Looks like I'm going to be busy in about seven months. It appears that Inara and Kaylee are due around the same time,” Simon replied, his face still blank.

“We're gonna have a baby?” Kaylee squeaked.

Simon was only able to nod vigorously.

Kaylee let out what was known around the ship as her happy squeal. Grabbing Simon in a big hug she kissed him soundly. “Good thing we're getting married then huh?”

As the concept that he was about to be a father sunk in, Simon's knees got a bit weak. Mal slid a stool under the doctor before he fell.

“Better sit down doc, Allan's too busy fixin the ship to put any weaves on you iffin you pass out.”

“Yeah... good idea captain.”

XXXXXXXXXX

The news that Kaylee and Simon were going to be parents spread quickly around the ship. Jayne gave Simon a congratulatory slap on the back that nearly loosened the young doctor's fillings. Kaylee and Inara sequestered themselves in Inara's shuttle pouring over baby items on the cortex. Even Zoë was grinning. Allan saw that look.

“Got four more months at least, hon,” Allan said that night as he and Zoë got ready for bed.

“Four?”

“Takes at least a month after the shot wears off before you could get pregnant.”

“How'd you know I was thinking about that?”

“You've been grinning ever since you found out about Kaylee being pregnant.”

“Might be longer,” Zoë replied as her face fell, “I went off birth control four months before Wash... died. Still didn't happen.”

Allan pulled Zoë close, “Sometimes it takes a while.”

“You sure about wanting a baby?”

“Now who's being all emotional now?” Allan chuckled, “If anything that's happened to me the last month or so means anything. It means that I want to make a family with you.”

“Love you baby,” Zoë sad as she snuggled into Allan's side.

“Back at you honey.”

XXXXXXXXXX

“Mornin Reggie,” Allan said as he entered the bridge.

“Good morning Allan,” replied the major as he sat in the co-pilots chair, his broken leg propped up on the console.

“How's the leg doing?”

“Not so bad, hardest part is getting around the ship... Too many stairs.”

“Tell me about it,” Allan chuckled, “Last time I was on Kelly, my arrival wasn't in a ship. I rode a reentry shell into the atmosphere and I hit the ground kinda hard. The only thing that wasn't broke was my right arm.”

“Ouch. I wondered why there was a wheelchair in the corner of the cargo bay.”

“Those were my wheels for about two months,” Allan said as he double checked the ships course.

“I guess I consider myself lucky then,” Reggie replied.

“Where are you from Reggie?”

The young man's face darkened a bit. “All over.”

“Army brat?”

“No,” he said sharply.

“Sorry, didn't want to bring up any...”

“Not you fault Allan. I spent most of my teen years in orphanages. Maybe that's why I get along so well with Alisha.”

“Similar experiences.”

“Yes,” replied Reggie, “I guess you could say I'm an army brat. Both of my parents were in the military at some point. On opposite sides.”

“Opposite sides?”

“My mom ended up a Browncoat.”

“Interesting, yet here you are an Alliance Major.”

“My father's doing.”

“But you said you were in an orphanage?”

“My father didn't know about me until I was seventeen. My mother was killed during the first battle on Verbana. Before that she was an independent organizer well before the war started. My father was in Alliance Intel. He arrested my mother for some trumped up charges. During her... interrogation, lets just say she wasn't a willing participant in my conception.”

“I'm sorry,” Allan said.

“Don't be, I take after my mom for the most part. After the war, DNA profiles were run against all orphans in the system. My fathers name came up as a match. Since my mom was a confirmed Browncoat, he had to admit to the rape to avoid possible treason charges. As punishment, he was reduced in rank one step and had to acknowledge me. Since I was under age, he changed my last name and put me in the military academy. I actually liked it. With a prominent officer for a father, I was promoted quicker than many of my classmates.”

“That's some story,” Mal said quietly from the entrance to the bridge.

“That's me, complicated,” Reggie said in a light tone.

“What was your mother's name?” Mal asked.

“Shauna O'Leary.”

“Bout Zoë's height, long red hair?”

“Best I can remember.”

“She didn't die on Verbana... She died at Serenity Valley,” Mal said quietly.

“What?”

“General Shauna O'Leary made it almost all the way through the war. She spread the rumor she died at the first battle to throw off the Alliance. She was in charge of Independent Intel.”

“My god...” Reggie whispered.

“I knew there was a reason I liked you son,” Mal said with a smile, “Despite the uniform you wear now and the hundan that's your father. You've got Browncoat blood in you.”

“Thanks... I think.”

TBC