Hello all,

I wanted to post this a week ago, but final exams got in the way. Chapter 2 will probably come some time next week. (What? I have my Christmas shopping done.)

Also, I changed the name of this fic from "You Can Never Go Home Again" to "The Children of Shadow" because I didn't want to confuse any fans of ReginaRoadie's story of the similar name. There is a prologue with the old title. Btw, if anyone knows how to link chapters, can you please let me know? Thanks.

Obligatory Legal Note: This 'verse isn't mine, it's Joss's. But, this story is my way of telling certain TV executives how I feel about canceling the show. *sends angry thoughts in their general direction*

Its up to you to leave a comment.

Please enjoy,

Phyre

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Chapter 1: New Beginnings

Several hours after BDM ends…

Mal rubbed at an itchy scab on his forehead, careful not to scratch it off and cause it to bleed while he was on the cortex.

“I am sorry to tell you this myself, but Fanty and Mingo have been murdered,” said Fang Ming Yue, one of Mal’s old battle buddies who now lived on Beaumonde and works as a grocery merchant. “Rumor says they were stabbed to death by a knife.”

“Or a sword,” said Mal.

“You know something about this?” asked the man on the screen.

Mal shook his head no. “It doesn’t matter. Is there anyone else who’d be needin’ my services?”

“None that I know now. Everything has become muddled since the Reaver broad wave. You’re kind of work may become harder to find in the near future. But, you will be the first if I hear anything.”

“I don’t know, I have a feeling business just might increase. Thanks, Ming Yue. I’ll be earth-side some time early tomorrow evening.”

“I will see you then, my friend.”

Mal nodded and turned off the cortex.

He looked at his course chart to check the next system on their path, only to find a course change had been made without his knowledge through the Akira system where the black rock that was