Many things of season 3 won't be happening due to canon changes. Faith never fought and maimed Katistos, so he has no reason to make his way to Sunnydale. Angel didn't have his soul restored, so there's no return of him planned. Buffy hasn't been going through the same isolation that she did in canon, so there's no reason to fight over Homecoming with Cordelia. I'm going to focus on this story to finish it because I have to get it in a different spot than "Welding a Family" since it's too confusing for me.

The "Crystal Skull" episode of season 3 of SG-1 is mentioned in this chapter, happening off scene. SG-1 will also be changed with Jack removing himself from the events.

Chapter 17: School Begins

*****A Week Later******

Faith wasn't finding school too bad. It seemed strange that the kids seemed so normal. The principal was super obnoxious, but that was a given. Buffy and her friends seemed happy to see her before school, at lunch, and after school. She actually had P.E. with Cordelia and Buffy as eleventh graders were allowed to be with seniors during athletics. Cordelia introduced her to her vapid friends, and she asked Faith to try out for the cheerleading squad. Of course, there was no way that would ever happen, but she appreciated the invitation. It seemed being attractive was all it took to be accepted by Cordelia's friends.

It was now the second Monday of the school year, and Buffy's military friends were having the first ROTC meeting after school. Jack was here for the first one. This would be set up differently because at the university ROTC was a class that students signed up for. After two years, they would then make the decision to enlist and be a second lieutenant by the time they graduated. Their summers would be filled with jump school and officer training before graduation. These kids would just get a taste, but in this town, it would be a very important source of self-defense training. They would learn to be vigilant and how to protect themselves.

Buffy greeted her uncle. "Hey, Uncle Jack," Buffy said.

"Good to see you, sweetheart," Jack said, giving her a hug.

"Hey, Jack," Faith said.

"My second favorite slayer," Jack said, pulling her in for a hug, too. He knew she had no male role model, and they had hit it off from day one. Luckily, Buffy seemed okay with it.

Faith tried not to look uncomfortable, but she was secretly pleased at how cool Jack was toward her. He was always affectionate and made her feel special. Buffy was so lucky. Of course, having your mother murdered by your vampire ex-boyfriend kept her from hating Buffy for her good fortune in uncles. She had things worse in many ways than Faith, so she didn't feel resentful of Buffy's good home life. Mrs. H was pretty damn cool, after all.

Willow, Xander, Oz, and even Cordelia also arrived. Jack was happy to see a dozen kids that he didn't know. Lieutenant Anderson was the official leader for the high school, and he greeted everyone.

The students were introducing themselves when Snyder came to see the turn out. "I am glad to see some of the school's worse miscreants decided to show up," he said, eying Buffy.

Jack worked hard to control his annoyance. "Yes, we are pleased with the turn out," Jack said.

"I didn't know you would be here," Snyder said to him.

"Lieutenant Anderson is in charge here as I lead the ROTC program at the university," Jack said. "However, I am his commanding officer, and we like the students to know that the university is a great option if they are military minded."

"It's amusing that you think any but Rosenberg are college material," he said with a smirk. Jack gave him an annoyed glared, and he decided to take his leave. "Good luck," was called over his shoulder.

"That guy is such a—" he paused, trying to find a word suitable for teenagers.

"Troll. An itty-bitty annoying troll," Buffy said, causing the others to laugh and nod in agreement.

"Coming to this meeting doesn't obligate me to sign up for the military, right?" Jonathan Levison asked.

"No, of course not," Lieutenant Anderson said. "This is just something to put down on the college applications and give you a taste of what military life is like."

"Due to the high rate of murders and disappearances, this chapter of ROTC will also be spending time teaching you self-defense and how to spot a potential trouble spot in town," Jack added.

"Really?" Larry asked, feeling excited. He had lost too many teammates over the year, and he hadn't really planned to join ROTC. However, he saw Summers going to the meeting, and she was the toughest chick he ever met. Knowing her uncle was a big military officer explained a lot. If they were going to teach self-defense, he might give it serious consideration.

"Yes," Lieutenant Anderson said. "We will use Thursdays as our dress out days as I know some of you are on the football team or cheerleading, and Fridays normally are focused on that. Those that aren't playing at home games will get a chance to do an ROTC routine at the game before the national anthem singer comes on."

"Do we have to? I have major stage fright," Willow said.

"It will be voluntary, and we'll rotate around those that want to do it," he said.

"That's where some carry the flag and the others a gun, right?" Jonathan asked.

"Not a loaded gun," Jack clarified. "There will be no loaded guns used on school property. You might do some target practice with a crossbow, however. It will hone your aiming skills." This was his plan to ease some of the more aware students into knowing how to defend against the vampires in the town.

The Lieutenant passed out the ROTC handbook and went over protocols and expectations. They would meet Mondays and Tuesdays after school and at lunch on Thursdays. Since several of them were in sports and other activities, they would not start until four, which Willow was happy about.

"We can get all our homework done before the meeting," she said.

Oz gave her a fond smile and nodded while Faith snickered. "Mrs. H would so approve. She loves your devotion to the books," she said.

The group eventually broke up, and Buffy asked Faith if she wanted to go for a run. "I am so feeling crazed from all the sitting. It's too early to patrol," she said.

"Okay—last one to the Double Meat Palace has to buy the burgers," Faith said, taking off without waiting.

"No fair!" Buffy exclaimed, running after her.

"I guess, we aren't interested in running with them," Xander said, giving his girlfriend and Willow a questioning look.

"Like we could catch them," Willow said with a scoff.

"Like I would bother trying," Cordelia said. "They have entirely too much energy."

Their friends all agreed with that sentiment and followed at a very leisurely pace.

Jack was just glad to see things finally working out. At the SGC, his plans rarely worked out the way they were supposed to. Of course, when he left the school and went home, his messages reminded him that he shouldn't have forgotten how easily things could get bad again.

"Jack," Carter's voice came onto his machine. "We found Daniel's stepson, and he is safe from the Goa'uld. However, he has disappeared. I-I mean he vanished. Right in front of us on a mission. Call me, and I'll fill you in."

Guilt hit him as he picked up the phone to call Carter.

*****A Week Later*****

Jack hung up the phone, relieved to hear that Danny had reappeared and was okay. It was really hard for him to be away from his team, and he felt conflicted and guilty.

"Good morning, Uncle Jack," Buffy said, flashing him a sunny smile.

Just like that, his guilt disappeared. Being here for Buffy was more important. Her dad would eventually be read in. After Buffy graduated, Jack could go back to SGC. Maybe he could convince Buffy to apply to the Air Force Academy.

"Good morning, sweetheart," he said. He decided to take the plunge. "Buffy, would you consider applying to the Air Force Academy? It's in Colorado Springs."

"You want me to join the military?" Buffy's eyes widened in surprise.

"Then you would start out an officer and could join SGC," he said.

"I told you that I'm not gonna be a pod person. Besides, I don't think that Giles would like that. He would say that would having me under the U.S. government control," Buffy said.

"And what's wrong with that? You're an American, and the SGC works to keep the planet safe," he argued. "It's not like we'd use you to do bad things. Officers aren't pod people—they are expected to think for themselves. It's what makes a good officer. Enlisted soldiers are the ones that just have to follow blindly."

"I don't know. Faith is also an American. The slayers are supposed to be politically neutral," Buffy said.

"Just think about applying," Jack said. "You don't have to go if you get in, but who knows how you will feel in May?"

Buffy shrugged. "Okay. But I should be fair and apply to West Point, too," she said, giving him a cheeky grin.

"Now you're just being mean," Jack said.

Buffy laughed as she ate the breakfast he'd prepared. Then she hugged him before leaving to school.

When she arrived at school, she was still holding the catalog for the Air Force Academy.

Naturally, Willow noticed it as soon as Buffy sat down.

"Hey, what's that?" she asked.

"Uncle Jack is wanting me to apply to the Air Force Academy in Colorado," Buffy said. "Then I could join the program he was involved in there, and he could go back. Daniel got into some trouble last week, and it really bothers Jack that he's not there. I tried to tell him that I'd be okay without him, but he says Daniel will be fine. Then he was, so I guess Uncle Jack is right."

"It's gotta be tough for the guy," Xander said. "He spent the same amount of time with them that we've spent together. It's only been a few years, but when you fight for your life with each other, it makes for some bonds."

"True," Oz acknowledged. He'd only been with the group a short time, and he already felt like they were his pack.

"Are you going to do it?" Willow asked, flipping through the book.

"I don't know. Probably. Applying doesn't commit me to anything," she said. "I think Giles and the Council would wig, though. A soldier isn't their own person, and the military would basically have a slayer on their payroll."

"At least they would pay you," Cordelia said. "The Council should be paying you for slaying. At least give you a clothing allowance for all the clothes that get ruined."

"That's so true!" Buffy said. Faith walked up to the group. "Good morning, Faith."

"Hey," she said. "What's up?"

"We were just talking about how the council should give you guys money for clothes ruined slaying at least," Cordelia said.

"For real," Faith said.

"We were actually talking about applying to colleges," Willow said, looking annoyed at the topic change.

"That sounds very boring. Four more years of college? No thanks!" Faith said, sitting on the arm of Buffy's chair.

"Do you think I could get into the Air Force Academy?" Xander wondered. He thought mostly like Faith did about college, but a military college might be kind of cool. He really enjoyed the Halloween he was a soldier.

"I bet you could," Willow said. "If you improve your SAT score and finish this semester strong. You'd need a good recommendation. Jack would give you one."

"I am so not drinking the military Kool-Aid," Cordelia said.

"Colorado has lots of good schools," Xander said. "University of Colorado in Denver isn't that far."

"I am so not picking a school because of my boyfriend," Cordelia said with a disapproving sniff. Then she stood and handed him her stuff. "Let's go to class, doofus. You can carry my books."

Xander grinned. "Catch you guys later," he said.

"We should get to class," Willow said. Oz nodded and followed her. "Oz, have you thought about what we're going to do after we graduate?"

"I go where you go," he said with a shrug.

"Really?" Willow asked, giving him a delighted smile.

"I would not join the military for you, but I would go to Colorado if you wanted to go with Buffy," he said, knowing her well already.

"Oh, well, I don't think I'd be a very good soldier," she said. "I'm not physical. Not like Buffy."

"No one is physical like Buffy. Well, except for Faith," he said with a wry smile.

"My parents would go insane if I joined the army," Willow said.

"Jack's in the Air Force, and the academy in Colorado is Air Force—they get really mad if you mixed those up," Oz said with a smile.

Willow laughed. "I guess I better not say army in front of Jack," she said. "What do you think Jack does there? Do you think he and Daniel are actually working with aliens or is it something super lame like spying on Americans?"

"I bet it's aliens," Oz said. "SGC is what the command is called, but they won't tell us what it stands for. The S could be star."

"Oh, Star Guide Center. That sounds very lame and something the military would come up with," she said with a grin.

"You'd love working with aliens," Oz said.

"But I don't know that is real, so I can't make that decision thinking that," Willow said as they sat down in their seats for the first class. The bell rang, though, ending the discussion.

Later, Willow was in a class that Oz didn't have, and she told Buffy what he said about going wherever she goes.

"That's so sweet," Buffy said with a sigh. "I am so jealous."

"I think maybe he loves me," Willow said, blushing.

"Do you love him?" Buffy asked.

She nodded. "He's so smart and thoughtful—sweet," she said. "He doesn't share all his thoughts with me—he's so self-contained. That makes me a bit nuts sometimes, so when he tells me that he will go wherever I go, I feel so loved."

"Has he said those words yet?" Buffy asked.

"No," Willow said. "Not exactly."

"I'm sure he will soon," Buffy said.

Oz was in her French class—the only class they had together without anyone else. "Hey," she said, sitting in her normal seat next to him.

"Hey," he said.

"Oz, can I ask you a personal question?" Buffy asked, deciding to brave his stoicism. Willow was her friend, and she wanted her to have a happily ever after.

"You can ask," he said.

"Do you love Willow?" she asked.

He smiled. "Of course," he said.

Buffy flashed him a bright smile. "You should probably tell her sometime," she said.

"She knows," Oz said with a shrug.

"Well, yea, but girls like to hear the words," she said.

He nodded, not saying anything further. It was funny that anyone would ask him such an absurd question, but he knew Buffy just wanted to make sure. Girls were odd creatures. He loved his family, his guitar, and his Willow. The only two things, though, he needed to be happy were his music and his Willow. As long as his wolf didn't hurt anyone, he was a happy man. Going to college wasn't something that particularly interested him, but he knew it would make her happy. She hated to see him waste his intellect even though he didn't think intellect was something a person could waste. Once you had it, it was always there.

****A Week Later*****

Faith and Buffy were patrolling, laughing about P.E. class when she and Buffy decided to show off their acrobatic skills toward the end of the class. Faith didn't have any—at least she didn't think she did. However, Buffy did a backwards flip or three and challenged her to do it. "It doesn't look hard," she remarked.

"Buffy studied gymnastic in her privileged childhood," Cordelia said. "I took dance, so I never really learned how to do flips."

"It's not that hard," Aura said. Then she did two flips in a row.

"Okay, I'll give it a try," Faith said. Then she did two and landed in the splits, causing more than one guy to salivate.

Then Harmony decided she could at least do the splits. However, she was wearing a pair of skintight jeans, and they ripped on her, causing much amusement and Harmony humiliation.

Faith, though, quickly took off her shirt and offered it to Harmony to cover her backside. Harmony accepted it gratefully and fled. Faith had on a tank top, so she wasn't giving a peep show.

As they reminisced about it, Buffy was snickering. "The look on Harmony's face was priceless. Seeing you come to her aid and acting so nice was even funnier," Buffy said.

"Hey, I just always think, 'What would Mrs. H do?'" Faith said with a smirk.

"Sure, you do," Buffy said.

"She actually told me that when I told her about these stooges in my math class laughing when I missed an answer," Faith said.

"Who were they? I'll kick their ass," Buffy said, looking mad.

Faith laughed. "Like I need you to do that," she said, bumping her hip into Buffy's. "I tripped one of them as they walked up to the chalkboard, though. When I told Mrs. H about it, I got a lecture over how to conduct myself. That's when she told me to think about what she would do in that situation."

"For real?" Buffy said, laughing. "Giles would never be so lame. And I can't believe you told Mrs. H about it to begin with."

"I can't help it," Faith admitted. "She's so cool, and she gives me this look like she knows when I'm lying. It freaks me out, and I just find myself telling her everything."

"Did you see Mr. Snyder at lunch today? He was smiling up at her like she made him particularly happy. It was so disturbing," Buffy said with a shudder.

Faith agreed. "He's got a major hard-on for Mrs. H. I guess Amazon women do it for him," she said, laughing. "Can you imagine someone her height trying to do it with him?"

"No, I cannot imagine it, and I hate you for putting that in my head," Buffy said, slugging her arm.

"Oh, look, my love, it's both slayers," Drusilla said, stepping out from behind a large crypt.

Spike grinned. "And I thought tonight was going to be super boring," he said.

Buffy wasted no time and attacked Spike, so Faith moved forward to engage Drusilla. While Buffy and Spike were exchanging blows, Drusilla dodged Faith's swing and then her kick.

This happened a few times more before Faith got pissed and frustrated. "Stand still, you loon!" she yelled.

Drusilla stopped moving and allowed Faith to get closer, and when Faith moved to hit her, she grabbed her arm. Then she began to work her magic, catching Faith's eyes in her web of power.

"Be in me," she said.

"What?" Faith said, her head feeling fuzzy. She shook it, trying to clear it.

Drusilla smiled in satisfaction as how easy it was to ensnare the young slayer. "Be in me," she repeated, and Faith stopped struggling. Just as she raised her hand to slice the girl's throat a gunshot rang out. The bullet hit her raised hand.

"Ow!" she yelled, glaring at the soldier boy and his companion, who had appeared.

Faith shook off her fogginess and kicked Drusilla in the stomach.

Spike didn't like the soldiers crashing his special fun slayer time and hit Buffy once in the jaw. "It's been fun, Slayer. Catch you later," he said, giving her a cheery wave as he grabbed Drusilla and disappeared behind a crypt.

Buffy looked at Lieutenant Anderson. "What are you guys doing here?" she asked. The soldiers were supposed to be patrolling the other side of town.

"We're on your detail tonight," he said.

"What's that supposed to mean? We're slayers. We don't need bodyguards," she said, glaring at him.

Joe Anderson was not intimidated as he'd spent too much time with both of the girls, and he knew that neither would hurt him. Her uncle, though, would if anything happened to her on his watch. "Your uncle's orders. You always have backup nearby whenever you are on patrol. We don't engage until it looks like we're really needed," he explained.

"I didn't need your help!" Buffy fumed.

"Faith did. The female hostile was about to kill her the same way she did her predecessor," he said, nodding at Faith, who couldn't hold his gaze.

"Are you okay, Faith?" Buffy asked her in concern.

"I'm fine," Faith said, looking annoyed. "That crazy vamp did put the whammy on me, though. My brain was all foggy."

"She can thrall a person—she did that to Kendra before she sliced her throat," Buffy said.

"Great. I can be mind-controlled by a fruitcake," Faith muttered in disgust. The idea that she could so easily be rendered ineffective shook her.

"We will talk to Giles and Mrs. H about it," Buffy said. Losing Faith so soon would suck beyond belief, and Buffy was going to make sure that didn't happen.

They would find a way to kill Drusilla—they had to.

*****Chapter End*****

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