The Summers Residence, 1315 hours.
Once he parked the car outside the Summers home, Colonel O'Neill and the rest of SG-1 filed out of the car and headed to the front door of Joyce's home. As he walked up the pathway leading to the porch, he came up to the door with Major Carter next to him as he knocked on it. With Teal'c and Daniel walking up behind them, they smiled as Joyce opened the door while Willow and Tara rushed down the stairs; stopping in front of them.
"Red" said the Colonel as SG-1 stepped in before Joyce closed the door behind them and stood next to Willow and Tara, "how's the shoulder?"
"Stings a bit" said Willow as she held on to the box containing the Dolls-Eye crystal that Tara just gave her, "but I've never been shot so I can't say if it's till supposed to sting or…. Yeah."
"Don't worry" said the Colonel waving his hands at Daniel, "Danny get's shot all the time."
"I do not" said Daniel as he looked at the Colonel while Teal'c looked at Tara who was smiling at Willow.
"Tara Maclay" said Teal'c as Tara looked at the Jaffa while Xander, Anya and the others came up to the living room where all of them had moved, "are you well?"
"Ye.. yes" said Tara nodding her head, "I'm… I'm transferring to the University of Colorado at the end of this semester; this… this city has some bad memories.. es.. especially with… you know.. my dad.. and family."
"Actually" said Daniel as he nodded at Colonel O'Neill before walking towards Tara and holding to her arm gently, "do you mind if I talk to you in private?"
"Umm…." Said Tara as she looked at Daniel, and then at the smile on Major Carter's face before turning to look at Daniel again; and nodding her head.
"You can make your way to the backyard if you want some privacy" said Joyce as she motioned towards the back door in the kitchen, "there shouldn't be anyone there right now."
"Thank you, Mrs. Summers" said Daniel before he smiled at Tara as he nodded his head towards the backyard. The both of them walked out of the living room, and then into the sitting room before heading into the kitchen and out the door. After the door leading outside shut, the Colonel looked back to Willow and smiled.
"Red" said the Colonel as Buffy walked up to the redhead and stood right behind her, "we'll do something about that injury when we get back, and then Carter, Teal'c and I will start on the tough training. You ready?"
"Yep" said Willow nodding her head as her eyes opened wide, "I'm ready."
"Buffy, Faith, Mr. Harris, Miss Jenkins" said the Colonel as he looked at the others, "there'll be someone from the Marine Corps coming later this week to start basic training with you guys and…"
The Colonel watched as Xander raised his hand and called out to the Colonel before asking if he really had to train.
"If you wanna join Faith and Buffy in fighting every night?" said the Colonel, "then yeah; at least that's what we would prefer. I know that Mr. Giles has been training Buffy to fight these things, and from what I've been told; Faith, Miss Jenkins and you haven't had much formal training in unarmed and armed combat. That's what we'll be offering you guys; tactical training, non-lethal weapons training and anything else that will eventually be conducted in conjunction with input from Mr. Giles."
"So far we've been lucky, Xander" said Giles as he took off his glasses and wiped them, "Buffy and Faith have the power of the Slayer; you don't. Which is why I too would prefer you took up this option… I haven't been able to train you and Anya, and that's been a mistake on my part. But now it's changed since there will be trainers coming to help, and it's useful to absorb whatever you learn from them. It could save your lives if Faith's not around. Or if she's in another part of the city, while you're needed in another area."
"From what Mr. Giles has told us, Miss Jenkins has extensive knowledge about demons and such" said Major Carter, "and that skill, plus building up on her combat training would be extremely useful as well."
"See" said Anya as she grinned at Giles who gave her a small smile, "I can be useful."
"Never said you weren't" replied Giles, "and… since Spike has been unable to harm humans with the chip going off…"
"Spike?" asked Faith as she looked at Buffy.
"Yea" said the blonde Slayer, "we really need to talk about him; I don't like it, trust me I don't.. that ass tried to kill me many times over but the Initiative did something to him."
"From the files we received from the Pentagon" said Major Carter as Faith looked at her, "he was subjected to behaviour modification experimentation using a chip that would give him a shock should he attack any human beings."
"Oh" said Faith as she rubbed her hands together in glee while Willow just smiled, "I get to beat him up then?"
"No" said Giles as Faith tuned back to look at the watcher with an eyebrow raised, "I mean not unless he's done something to deserve it; but the vampire that Spike is right now is like a neutered animal."
"I would have gone for flaccid" said Buffy as she shrugged her shoulders, "but that's just me."
"With this Spike being an unknown to us" said the Colonel, "the General has agreed that the chip remain, at least until this Spike has proved that he can be trusted."
"Then I'm guessing that's a never, then?" asked Faith as she smirked at Buffy who shrugged her shoulders.
"As for the Council" said the Colonel as Giles looked up at the man, "the Prime Minister has already talked to the President, who in turn has talked to General Hammond. They would like to see Mr. Giles in two weeks."
"Who would now?" asked Giles surprised as he stood up since he's just heard of this development. He looked at the smiles on Major Carter and Colonel O'Neill's faces as they told him that the American President, the British Prime Minister and General Hammond would like to talk to him about setting up a new organization that would complement the Watchers Council, which would be taking a backseat role in training Slayers.
"Oh" said Giles as Buffy and the others looked back at him with smiles on their faces, "umm…. Oh… my dear lord…. Ummmm…"
"I think you broke Giles" said Willow as she looked at the Englishman stumble over what he wanted to say.
"Umm…" said Giles again before shaking his head, "I…. I… I… I think I need to buy a new suit."
Summers Residence, backyard, at that same time.
While the others were talking in the living room, both Daniel and Tara walked out to the backyard. After they made their way down the stairs and onto the grass, the two of them took a seat on two lawn chairs. Making themselves comfortable, it was Daniel who turned to Tara and asked her if everything was really alright with her.
"My… my family tried to take me away" said Tara softly, "they.. they found me and… and tried to take me away."
"Tara" said Daniel as he took a hand of hers in his and squeezed gently, "it wasn't the police that told them about your location; Jack's buddy from the FBI already made sure of that. So you can be sure that they didn't betray your confidence, but that doesn't mean that we'll stop looking."
"Thank you" said Tara as she nodded her head and looked at the archaeologist, before looking back at the house behind her, "she didn't tell me off. Didn't say that she'll leave me because I may have other family out there whose just as 'religious' as my dad, brother and cousin. She wants to stay with me despite all the craziness that happened."
"She would, wouldn't she?" asked Daniel as he smiled at Tara who had looked back at him and nodded her head.
"Yes" said Tara, "she said she wants to move in with me after she graduates from the Academy, and…. and so do I."
"Which is why I'm here talking to you alone" said Daniel, "like I said, Teal'c and I know about the both of you."
'Yes" said Tara nodding her head.
"And with Jack and Sam still in the dark about the both of you" said Daniel as Tara interrupted him.
"They still don't know?" asked Tara as she looked back in the house.
"Nope" replied Daniel shaking his head, "no idea; or if they have an idea, they're not giving it away."
"Oh" replied Tara surprised.
"Anyway, as I was saying" said Daniel, "with the both of them being, what I hope, in the dark about the both of you… how would you like to join the SGC as my research assistant? I know it's not Art History or anything… although we do have a lot of artifacts that could be considered art and… Anyway, I digress. Willow will be spending the next two months at the SGC training for her Basic Training at the Academy. And while this position does mean that you'll be in the same place as Willow, I mean you'll get to see her… talk to her… everything except for, well…. you know what I mean."
"Yes" smiled Tara as she blushed and looked at the ground.
"But there will be a lot of work for you too" said Daniel as Tara nodded her head, "paid work of course, I've already talked to Jack about it and he cleared it with General Hammond. Then when you start classes at the university, we'll take care of your tuition as long as you come to work with us at the SGC. You'll be like me, a civilian contractor. Even go through the Stargate, but only if you want. And in the meantime, Sam would like to train you in basic self-defence; but then, if you decide you want to go through the Gate… then you'll be trained in the whole shebang from hand-to-hand combat to firing a weapon."
"The same training you have to go through?" asked Tara nervously as Daniel nodded his head.
"Yep" replied the archaeologist, "still have to train everyday, but it's worth it. But if you just want to stay on base, then you'll be trained in basic self-defence. Either way, it'll be useful."
"Doe.. does Willow know about this?" asked Tara.
"Not yet" said Daniel, "unless you tell her that you want to go with us today; or if you don't feel comfortable in going right now, and want to keep your plan of leaving in a few months.. then she doesn't need to know. It's up to you. And you won't be hurting our feelings if you say 'no' nor will Teal'c and I think badly of you if you don't want to leave today. I know it's last minute but we just got approval from General Hammond."
"Oh" said Tara with a smile, "I have to… I mean I have to cancel all my classes… and pack.. and…"
"Teal'c and I will leave together with you if you decide to go to Colorado Springs" said Daniel as he squeezed her hand, "Sam and Jack can leave with Willow today, and we can leave in two days since the University is closed today. Besides, Teal'c will be excited to stay for a few days… he said something about wanting to spar with Buffy and Faith."
Tara could just smile at Daniel before she nodded her head. She then told him that she'd love to go to Colorado Springs to be close to Willow and thanked him for the offer to work at the SGC, and for the self-defence training. Tara then told Daniel that she was thinking about changing her major to anthropology, and hoped that the offer to work for him wasn't dependent on her working on a Art History degree.
"Nope" said Daniel with a grin, "I know the head of that department; I'll introduce you to him when we get back to Colorado Springs."
"Thank you" said Tara as she nodded her head excitedly.
"So" said Daniel as Tara looked at him with a smile, "I take that as a yes?"
"Yes" said Tara as she nodded her head excitedly before she stopped when she came to a realization, "umm….. wehre will I stay?"
"You will have quarters on base" said Daniel, "especially since you'll be working as my assistant, while Willow will be living in the Academy dorms. You'll have your choice of staying with Jack, Sam or me… so that's up to you. Or if you want, you can stay with Janet. She's got a daughter who's younger than you; or you could stay on base like Teal'c. He stays up at the SGC since he doesn't have clearance to stay in the city."
"Oh" said a surprised Tara, "so he doesn't go out much?"
"When we go in a group" said Daniel, "he's not allowed to go leave by himself.. at least not yet, anyway."
"Oh" said Tara.
"How about we tell the others first about your decision?" asked Daniel.
"Yes" replied Tara as the both of them got up. They then walked back up the stairs to the rear door. Walking into the house, the both of them heard the others making fun of Giles, with Faith being the loudest of them all with her laugh. Once Tara and Daniel entered the room though, everyone looked at the both of them as Daniel said that Tara had an announcement to make.
"Tara?" asked Willow confused as the blonde witch smiled at her, and then at the other Scoobies, including Faith. She then told them about Daniel's offer and she could see Willow's aura brighten in excitement despite her being perfectly calm about it; then after she was done, everyone remained quiet before Faith walked towards her and wished her all the best.
"Thank you" said the dark haired Slayer as she hugged the witch while she whispered in her ear, "you saved my life back in the hospital. I'm sorry I couldn't help you and Red when your family was here."
"It's alright" said Tara, "I'm happy that you're safe. And it's alright about my family, everything turned out alright."
"Tara" said Willow, "are you leaving with us?"
"No" she replied, "I've got to get some stuff done… cancel my classes, pack… and.. well, Daniel said that he and Teal'c will accompany me to Colorado Springs."
"Neat" said Buffy and Willow together.
Just then, Teal'c approached Buffy and Faith and asked them if they would like to join him for a sparring session later that day.
"It would be the first day of your training" said Teal'c before he looked at Giles, "if Rupert Giles does not consider it an imposition."
"No" replied Giles as he shook his head, "in fact, I would like to see the training methods that the Jaffa use."
"Very well" said Teal'c as he bowed his head.
"All of that can be done later" said the Colonel as he rubbed his hands together before looking at Willow, "Red, Dr. Fraiser will be meeting us at the Army base… we'll be taking a ride with the Special Operations team who'll be offloaded to another facility before we make our way to Colorado Springs."
"Alright" said Willow as she nodded her head while standing next to Tara.
"While these guys are training" said Xander as he looked at Tara with a smile, "I'll help you pack, as will Anya."
"Alright" said Tara smiling, "thanks."
"Then in a year" said Major Carter, "they'll be joined by Buffy."
"Yes" said Joyce as she stood next to Buffy and put her arm around the younger blonde's shoulder, "by then, Faith would have taken over… and she'd be in college."
"Who me?" asked Faith as she pointed at herself before she gave a huge grin and shrugged her shoulders, "I was thinking about that actually; had a dream while I was in a coma and… well… let's just say that I think I'll be working towards that too."
"Really?" asked Buffy with an eyebrow raised.
"Uh huh" said Faith.
"Ok" said the Colonel as he looked at his watch, "now that we've decided what we wanna do for the rest of our futures, we should really get going. Red? Ready to go?"
"Yea" said Willow as she smiled at Tara before giving her a hug, and whispering in her ear that she loved her, "can't wait for you."
"I'll be there" said Tara softly before she let go and Willow gave hugs to everyone else; with the tightest hug reserved for Xander.
"Take care of yourself, Will" said the dark haired young man, "see you after your Basic?"
"Yea" replied Willow as she let go off Xander before Anya came up to her and gave the redhead a hug.
"Thanks, Anya" said Willow, "thanks for encouraging me to go for the Academy, and… and look after Xander will you?"
"Yes" said Anya as she nodded her head.
Willow said goodbye to everyone else before she, Colonel O'Neill and Major Carter left the Summers home and went into the car parked in the driveway. Closing the door after they drove off, Daniel approached Joyce telling her that he had an urgent question.
"Now that Janet's gone" said Daniel, "and Jack's gone too…. Would you happen to have any of that cake Willow said you're so famous for baking?"
"Yes" said Joyce, "we still have half the cake left."
"Neat" said Daniel as he looked at Teal'c who nodded his head.
"I would prefer a slice as well, Joyce Summers"
"Come on" said Joyce as she motioned everyone to follow her into the kitchen, "just don't tell Dr. Fraiser?"
"Yea, never telling her" said Daniel, "she may be short… but she's deadly."
"Indeed" replied Teal'c as everyone smiled.
TBC.