AN: I want to thank Sulien for beta-reading this chapter for me. And thanks for all the praise hon!
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"Daniel, are you really sure you want to do this?"
Daniel sighed at the almost whiney quality to Jack's voice as they made their way to the school Thanksgiving afternoon. He had been asking the same question on and off since Daniel had told Giles and Willow he would still come for dinner. It was only in the last few hours before they were to leave that Jack's tone became so desperately childish.
Daniel was ready to risk an accident and shove Jack out the driver's door. Okay, so he could do childish too.
"Yes, Jack. I'm quite sure."
If anything, Jack's constant nagging was making Daniel more determined to do it. If Jack hadn't even questioned Daniel's decision he might have packed his bags that morning and insisted it was a mistake and make Jack take him back to Colorado. Even if they had to call in the Prometheus to pick them up.
But Jack always claimed Daniel was a "stubborn son-of-a-bitch" and this time around Daniel was determined to prove him right.
Jack gave an irritated sigh, letting Daniel know once again how he felt about it all. He didn't know these people and he sure as hell didn't trust them. Not after the confrontation they'd staged the day before. Maybe they weren't NID, but he wasn't going to dismiss the outside possibility.
They finally pulled up to the school, much to Daniel's relief and Jack's annoyance.
When they got to the door Dawn sheepishly opened it. "Hi Dr. Jackson. Colonel O'Neill." She was obviously embarrassed about everything that had happened the previous day.
Daniel felt sorry for the girl and gave her a warm smile. "Go ahead and call me Daniel."
Jack smiled at her also, offering reassurance. She hadn't been a part of the confrontation. And she looked to be nervous on top of her embarrassment. "And you can call me Jack."
Dawn brightened a little. "Oh – okay. I'll show you to the common room. Giles, Buffy and Xander are in the kitchen bugging Andrew. Buffy's trying to help cook and Xander just wants to eat already. And Giles is just making sure none of them blow up anything in the kitchen. But everyone else is just hanging out waiting to eat."
They walked into the common area. Daniel and Jack eyed the familiar group warily. But everyone, after glancing up at them, went about their business. Although Riley, Sam and Graham looked like they were fighting the urge to salute again out of habit. Jack recognized well-trained soldiers when he saw them.
"Um, Dr. – uh, Daniel," Dawn started shyly. "I was just wondering, I mean Willow said you're really good with languages, you know – cause she looked you up on the internet when she was trying to find Olivia's brother, so I just wanted to ask if you know Sumerian?"
Daniel had that look Jack recognized from many hours spent off world with Daniel studying some temple wall. He was obviously trying to process the babbling in between the words "Dr." and "Sumerian."
"Actually, I do know some."
Jack snorted. Daniel's "some" and everyone else's often differed. For most people who knew some of a foreign language it was usually a few words to ask where the bathroom was or what's up. Daniel could usually hold a short conversation about their religious beliefs.
Daniel ignored Jack as Dawn latched onto his arm and led him to a table where a couple of books lay open, most likely for research he assumed.
Dawn guided Daniel into one of the chairs and seated herself next to him – closely, to the amusement of most of the people in the room.
Dawn had picked out the text she wanted to test Daniel with based on what she could understand of the passage. She pushed one of the books in front of him. "Can you read this? I want to know if I'm translating it correctly."
"Uh, sure." Daniel adjusted his glasses on his face and looked over the passage, studying it intently. He could make out some of the writing and glanced up at Dawn. "I can understand quite a bit of the text and based on what I can read this is really very fascinating."
Jack rolled his eyes at the same time as Faith.
"Can you read it to me?"
Daniel looked at Dawn. Something in the tone of her voice gave him the impression he was being tested. He glanced over to Jack to see if he got the same idea.
Jack tilted his chin toward the book. "Go for it Danny."
"Upon the beginning demons walked the earth. Man came forth and demons continued to populate the world and dwelled amongst the humans. The first demon decreed the world to belong to the hordes, but the followers chose to abandon the world to man. But not before feeding from man before departing to the other realms. Those they fed upon rose from death and continued upon their path and were no longer human. They in turn fed upon their former kind and created more of their vile kind." Something about what he read felt familiar.
Giles, Buffy and Xander entered the room causing Daniel to stop and look up at the newcomers. Their faces were unreadable, but Daniel got the impression the passage made them uncomfortable and angry.
"Please continue," Giles encouraged in a soft voice.
Daniel looked back at the book before him and continued to read. "The elders of the earth saw the demons terrorizing their peoples and moved against the hordes of the night. A girl was found, strong in body, mind and spirit and was brought before them to perform their rights. She would become faster and stronger and she would be the one. The beginning of the generations." He knew this from somewhere.
"Thank you Dr. Jackson," Dawn said softly taking the book from him. "You've helped me a lot."
Buffy cleared her throat. "Andrew has dinner ready."
Xander clapped his hands together and attempted to ease the tension in the room. "Let's eat," he said rubbing his hands together.
Everyone filed out to the dining room.
Jack paused beside Xander. "That real?" he asked motioning toward the eye patch he had noticed the young man wearing the day before.
Xander clenched his jaw. "Yeah."
Jack nodded and moved away.
Daniel noticed the woman Olivia already seated at the table. She reminded him a little of Catherine Langford he realized. The same warm intelligent eyes and the aura of youthfulness.
"Daniel, I'd be pleased if you would sit beside me."
He nodded and sat on her right. There was a younger woman seated on her left around Jack's age. "This is my daughter in law Susan," Olivia told him warmly.
"Nice to meet you Susan," Daniel told her politely.
Jack moved to sit on Daniel's other side but Dawn beat him to it. She looked a little embarrassed and worried but Jack gave her a pleasant smile and moved to a seat across from Daniel. His seat put him between Buffy and Giles.
Andrew triumphantly brought out the turkey and placed it on the table with all the other food.
"Looks good," Graham said.
"Better than MREs" Riley joked.
"Definitely," Daniel agreed absently.
Jack rolled his eyes.
"I hope you guys don't mind that we don't say grace or anything," Buffy said. "We're kind of a mix of religions, so we don't bother just to avoid arguments."
"That's fine," Jack said.
"Daniel, I was just wondering," Giles began. "What are your religious beliefs?"
"Well, I suppose I'm agnostic."
"Fascinating."
"Okay G," Faith said. "You two are definitely related."
"What?" Daniel and Giles asked simultaneously.
"I think everyone's noticed you and Danny find weird things fascinating," Jack explained making air quotes on the word fascinating.
"Jack."
"Daniel."
"Daniel, my dear," Olivia said drawing his attention. "Has anyone remarked upon your resemblance to your grandfather in the past?"
Daniel looked pained for a moment before schooling his face into a blank look. "No. I've never had any pictures of him. And I was too young when my parents died. I do remember my dad saying I had mom's eyes though."
Olivia placed a hand over his. "I wish I had been brave enough to defy my family. I would have known about you and you could have been with your family."
Daniel felt pained at her admission but looked up and saw tears in her eyes. He squeezed her hand. "It's not your fault. I had a good life anyways."
Jack took a sip of wine to cover up his disbelief at Daniel's lie. But heaven help the boy, he couldn't stand to see someone else in distress. And if that meant ignoring his own, then so be it.
Willow smiled sadly at the display. She knew Daniel was lying in an effort to make Olivia feel better. What a gentle man.
"Can we eat now?" Jack asked, knowing Daniel was feeling raw emotionally and needed the focus to be away from him for the time being.
Andrew moved to carve the turkey, but Giles stopped him causing him to pout. "Perhaps our guests? Daniel?"
Daniel glanced at Jack. "Jack?"
Jack shrugged and moved to carve the turkey.
"Smells good."
Andrew beamed at the praise.
