It was well into October, the air crisp and the trees in spectacular color against the blue backdrop of Lake Erie. Dawn was a Senior and flourishing

In Colorado Springs the trees were in a riot of fall color, punctuated by the bright yellow of the aspens. Jay was busy, exploring new planets, playing practical jokes on Jack and Ferretti and missing Buffy like crazy. He would try to call Buffy every day that he was on planet. When he heard her voice his heart would pound, and memories of their time together would flood him. He was falling for her but had been burned before so he was being careful now.

Buffy missed Jay just as much as she continued with the routine of her life. She would occasionally call his machine just to hear his voice. 'How pathetic was that?' she'd grin to herself.

Faith was sparring with Buffy, both of them fiercely concentrating when Faith decided to have some fun.

"So Jay called today." She said and Buffy's eyes went wide.

"Really?" She missed Faith's next punch and caught one in the face. "Owie!"

Faith laughed until she cried as Buffy glared at her.

"You cheated!" Buffy declared in outrage.

"You betcha, and the look on your face was priceless B. You are so crazy over the Colonel." Faith laughed.

Buffy sighed mightily, then smiled. She kicked Faith's legs out from under her, pounced and began to tickle the other Slayer unmercifully.

Giles was alarmed as he heard screams coming from the exercise room and dashed in only to find his best Slayers on the floor tickling each other silly.

"Buffy! Faith!" he said in his most pompous tone but couldn't help smiling at the two breathless, giggling women. "Really, I expected you two to be more adult than this" he scolded lightly, knowing it was falling on deaf ears.

Faith flopped onto her back, "Relax G-man, a tickled Slayer is a happy Slayer."

Buffy groaned, "That's terrible Faith." She lay down on the mat on the floor, her hot cheek resting against the cool plastic. "Faith cheats." She whined.

Willow came over to look over his shoulder and smiled before heading back to the customers.

Giles smiled, "I see training is finished for the day. Please head home and start dinner if you would."

Buffy raised her head, "Take out BBQ?" she asked Faith.

"Oh yeah." The other woman said with a heartfelt sigh. Giles was about to point out how expensive that it would be when Faith held up a hand.

"Just the meat G. Buffy and I will make corn and french fries to go with."

Giles sighed, "That's acceptable. Willow and I will be home around 6."

Faith hopped up and pulled Buffy up, "I'll call it in. Then we can pick up on the way home." Buffy stretched, and then nodded, "You go girl."

The front door banged open and Dawn called out, "I have a date!!"

Jay was running for all he was worth towards the gate, another 'simple' mission gone to hell in a handbasket. He saw his team streak by and he turned to fire his P-90 to slow down the Jaffa. Above them and coming fast was a death glider and he turned back to holler, "Dial us the hell out of here Walters!"

He hid behind another tree and laid down cover fire so Walters could work unhindered. The gate activated and Jay watched his team dive through, then he raced up the ramp and through himself through before it deactivated. He landed with a clatter on the metal ramp on his shoulder, hearing it snap loudly.

"Shit!" he said and pulled himself up.

General Hammond was in the gateroom and sighed, "Welcome back SG2, what happened?"

Jay grinned through the pain, "Well Sir, Nirti is a busy beaver and has her fingers in this planet, as well as a lot of Jaffa. Um, this is the second planet we've run into her." He looked over at Jack with a frown, "You shoulda let Janet cap her Jack. She's being a pain in the ass."

The General covered a snort and said, "Very well, go see Dr. Frasier, mission debriefing in one hour."

"Yes Sir." The team chimed in unison.

Janet shook her head, "You've dislocated your shoulder Colonel."

Jay rolled his eyes, "No shit?"

"Do you kiss your mother with that mouth?" she demanded and punched his good shoulder. Then she walked out to check on the other men.

Jack smiled from the doorway, "Someone's not getting a sucker." He sing songed.

"Hey Jack, how's Daniel? I didn't see him in the gateroom."

"He's good, he'll be off of his crutches tomorrow."

Jay smiled, "That's great, is he around?"

Janet walked in and smiled. "Hello Colonel O'Neill. I was about to pop his shoulder back in, do you want to watch?"

Jack winced, "No, that's ok. I'll meet you in your office Coburn."

As he walked down the hallway he heard a yelp and Doc say, "There you go. Do you want a sucker?"

Jay was grumbling as he sat down at his computer and started it. He activated his e-mail and was waiting for new messages to load when Jack walked in, Daniel on crutches behind him.

"Hey Daniel, how's the leg?" He asked, surveying his friend who had been injured on the mission that Jay had been called back for.

"I'm doing much better, how's the shoulder?" Daniel laid his crutches down and sat in one of the overstuffed chairs that Jay had bought for his office.

Jay grimaced, "As long as I don't breath I'm ok." He sat back down and saw he had two e-mails from Buffy. Clicking the first one he smiled then breathed a quiet "Wow".

It was Buffy leaning against the house, hot pink tank top and short white shorts, her blond hair in a ponytail. Jay was barechested, toolbelt low on his jean clad hips as he braced a muscular arm on each side of Buffy, leaning in, their faces close as he tried to coax a kiss from her. It was incredibly intimate and he decided on the spot that it was his all time favorite picture.

Jack came around and whistled when he saw the picture. "So that's her?" Jay nodded.

"Her, who's her?" Daniel asked, irritation in his voice as he hauled himself out of the chair and hobbled around to view the computer screen for himself. Daniel smiled, "She's gorgeous Jay."

Jack agreed with a grunt, "Better than you deserve."

Jay snorted and opened the next picture. It was Buffy, Faith, Willow, Kennedy, and Dawn in front of the house.

Daniel and Jack both whistled. "Wow Jay, are all of the pretty girls in Ohio?" Daniel asked.

Jay laughed, "Ok, left to right. My Buffy, Faith, Willow and Kennedy, who are lesbians, sorry boys, and Dawn. Hey Daniel, Dawnie is graduating this year, you should snap her up. She speaks and reads Attic Greek, Latin, Hebrew, several demon languages and probably stuff even you've never heard of."

He looked up to see both men gaping at him.

"Demon languages?" Daniel asked.

Jay groaned, "Me and my big mouth. Forget I said what I said."

Daniel shook his head, "Uh uh."

Jack smiled, "Too late Jay, his curiosity and mine are now active. Spill it."

He looked over at Jack, "You've heard of the Initiative?"

Eyes wide Jack nodded, "Super spooky top secret black ops team."

Jay leveled a serious look at his friends, then sighed, "Close the door Jack." He watched grimly as Jack did just that. He watched as they got comfortable and he shifted nervously. 'Shit shit shit.'

"OK, we go offworld to battle but the Initiative stays on. They fight vamps, demons and stuff. No, don't roll your eyes, I've seen them. Not the Initiative, but the vampires. It's what Buffy does. She's the world's most experienced Slayer. And this is supposed to be a secret."

Daniel regarded Jay thoughtfully, "Why don't we see them?"

Leaning back Jay rubbed his eyes, "Just my luck I get the inquisitive guy to tell." He grumbled. "Unexplained murders are a sign. Though vamps and demons generally prefer a town on a hellmouth. Yes, exactly the way it sounds, a mouth into a hell. Cleveland has one."

"Which is why Buffy lives there." Jack said, his quick mind adding all of the fact together.

"Exactly." Jay shrugged, "Plus people don't see what they don't want to see."

Both Daniel and Jack nodded at that. They knew human nature as well as he did.

"Wow. How come we haven't heard about it?" Jack asked thoughtfully. "I mean we, we, as in the SGC."

A shrug, "I didn't know the details until I started dating Buffy."

The door started to open when Jack said, "We'll need to tell the General."

"Tell the General what?" The General stood in the open doorway, looking at the three men suspiciously. There had been several unexplained practical jokes lately and all looked guilty.

"Close the door Sir, please." Jay asked quietly and Jack stood, gesturing to his chair but Hammond shook his head no. He looked around the office and folded his arms.

"Ok Gentleman, what's going on?"

"Sir?" Jay stopped, looking at Jack pleadingly.

"Oh no. She's your girlfriend."

The General sighed impatiently, his eyes narrowed on Jay.

"You've heard of the Initiative?" Jay asked.

"Yes, it's a top secret organization, Presidential eyes only. I'll have to ask how you three know." The General asked quietly.

Jay gulped, "Remember the woman who stopped the goa'uld in the mall Sir?" Hammond nodded, "Um, she's the Slayer and we're seeing each other."

Hammond stared at Jay in amazement then shook his head, "Only one of my team members would find the Slayer." His voice wry. He looked sharply at the men, "That explains how Colonel Coburn knows, what about you two?"

Jack smiled, "Black ops guys gossip occasionally Sir."

Wincing Jay said, "I spilled the beans with Daniel Sir, but I know I can trust both of them Sir." He looked at the General in dread and saw only resignation and the shine of humor in his CO's eyes.

"You should see her picture Sir.' Jack piped up.

"No, let me be able to claim ignorance as long as I can if asked."

"Was there a reason you wanted to see me Sir?" Jay asked.

General Hammond stood for a moment, lips pursed in thought. "I don't remember." He laughed wryly and shook his head, "I'll call when I remember." He left, shaking his head.

The 3 men breathed a collective sigh of relief, the Jack and Daniel began pelting Jay with questions.

November-

Daniel hung up the phone with a smile. Jay was having the SGC team members that didn't have families over to his place for Thanksgiving dinner. And now he was having an unexpected guest. He looked over at the grinning Jack who was seated in front of his desk, "Phase one of our mission is complete."

Buffy was in a tizzy. The phone call from Jay's friend Daniel had surprised and pleased her. She had listened to his request, taken down his number and promised to call him back.

"Giles?"

He looked up with a smile as Buffy walked into the living room. " Hello Buffy, do you need something?"

She sat down nervously, fiddling with the frayed edge of her jeans. "One of Jay's friend's called. He wants me to fly to Colorado Springs as a Thanksgiving surprise."

Giles leaned back in his chair thoughtfully, "Buffy, I regard myself almost like a father, and I…"

"Giles, you are my Dad in every way that counts." Buffy interrupted.

He smiled, "I love you Buffy but you are old enough to make this decision for yourself."

Buffy sat beside him and wrapped her arms around him, " I think I'm falling in love Giles."

Giles laughed and kissed her on the head, "Oh Buffy, I know you are."

Slightly piqued she pulled back, "I'm glad that you told me!"

"Shall I purchase a round trip ticket for Thanksgiving?" he countered.

"Yes." She grumbled about Watchers who thought that they knew everything.

Thanksgiving Day

Daniel paced in the busy airport, unaware of the admiring looks directed his way by women, and some men. He watched the place land and taxi to the gate, then waited for the people to walk off. There she was. He could really see what Jay saw in her. She positively glowed.

"Buffy?"

Her hazel eyes met his, "Daniel?"

"Hi." He smiled and took her bag. "I'm glad you're here."

"Me too. I miss Jay like crazy." They walked to his car in silence, he opened the trunk and placed her bag inside the trunk, then shut it with a bang. Inside the car Buffy turned to look at Daniel, "So, how do you know Jay?"

Concentrating on the snowy road he smiled, "We've worked together for about 4 years. He's one of my best friends."

She nodded, "He told me about you, Jack, Sam, Murray and his team. He lights up when he talks about you guys."

"We've been through a lot together." Daniel replied quietly, making a right hand turn onto Austin Bluffs Parkway.

Buffy watched out the window silently. She realized that there was a lot that she didn't know about Jay. And she wondered how she felt about that.

Jay's house was bustling with people. Jack was teasing Sam, Cassie was arguing with Janet, Jeff Hayden and Simon Ireland were on the couch hurling insults at the pregame show, munching on pretzels and cheese. The turkey was almost done, they were just waiting for Daniel.

Jay walked to the sliding glass doors, admiring the snow that was beginning to fall when his cell phone rang. "Happy Thanksgiving!" came Buffy's voice.

"I miss you." He said quietly.

"Me too."

Jay smiled, turning around to see the controlled chaos behind him. "So, what are you doing today?" he asked.

"Why don't you come to your front door and see?" She said mischievously and hung up, flashing a wicked smile over her shoulder at Daniel who just laughed.

Jay snapped his phone closed and strode to the front door, flinging it open in a rush of cold air and snowflakes to find Buffy, with a grinning Daniel behind her.

He jerked her to him and kissed her desperately, his tongue demanding entrance into her mouth and Buffy responding enthusiastically.

Janet and Sam fanned themselves and the men rolled their eyes while Cassie watched in amused fascination. Daniel, slowly freezing, still stood behind Buffy on the porch as Jay tried to perform a tonsillectomy on her.

"Ok, break it up." Jack said and watched as Jay lifted his head, his heart in his eyes.

Buffy's eyes fluttered open and she smiled slowly. "I guess you missed me half as much as I miss you." She teased.

He kissed her again and took Daniel by the shoulder and jerked him into the house, closing the door.

"How did you know I needed you?" he asked, absorbed in her beautiful eyes.

"Because I needed you." She said simply.

"Please, gonna hurl. Are you going to introduce us or what? We're starving here." Jack complained.

Buffy laughed and held out her hand, "Hi, I'm Buffy Summers."

Jack grinned, "I'm Jack O'Neill."

Cassie came up, smiling a big smile at the shorter woman, "I'm Cassie Frasier."

Buffy felt an immediate click of something, "Hi, I'm Buffy. You're what, a senior?"

Surprised Cassie nodded, "Yes, how did you know?"

"I have a sister who's a senior too. I have a radar for troublemakers." Buffy teased gently. Janet and Sam laughed at Cassie's pretend pout, but Janet was impressed that Cassie took to the woman so fast.

Jay smiled proudly as he introduced her around, starting with the women, and moving finally to Jeff and Simon.

Buffy stiffened, "Simon, what are you doing here? Why aren't you out killing innocent people?"

"Sonuvabitch! Buffy!" Simon cursed.

A/n-so, who is Simon? And how does Buffy know him? Hmmmmm.