Cassie was walking down the hallway at school on the last day before vacation started when she spotted Jon staring into his locker like it held the meaning of the universe.
"No deep space telemetry in there, right?" She asked, pretending to peer over his shoulder inside.
Jon laughed and slammed his locker shut. "What's up Cass?"
"How do you feel about a trip?" she asked casually.
His eyes alight when he said, "Where, when and who with?"
"To Cleveland, a couple of days and with Jay and me."
His fist shot in the air, "Yes!"
Cassie continued down the hallway, "Come over tonight!" She called and disappeared into Computer Science class. Jon smiled from ear to ear, finally he got to go somewhere. Maybe he could see the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame while they were there…hmm, and they had a minor league hockey team too. Possibilities.
Continental Airlines flight 27 was in the air winging its way towards Cleveland with Cassie in the window seat, Jay in the middle to keep the peace and Jon on the outside to flirt with the waitresses. Jay was immersed in his spy thriller, Cassie in a fashion magazine, but Jon was drumming his tray table to an unheard tune in his head.
Spying the stewardess coming down the narrow aisle Jon turned to Jay, "Can I get a beer?"
Jay nodded absently, "I don't care."
Cassie shot him a look but noticed the small half smile on Jay's face and went back to reading.
"Would any of you like a drink?" the stewardess asked cheerfully.
Jon piped up, "Beer please."
Cassie smiled, "Dr. Pepper please."
"Pepsi if you would be so kind." Jay smiled charmingly, making the stewardess melt.
She nodded and then focused her eyes on Jon, "Can I see some i.d.?"
Jon sighed, "My Dad said I could."
Jay yelped and glared at Jon, "Nice try! I'm not his Dad, I'm his Uncle who is going to pound him into the ground as soon as we hit Cleveland."
"Pepsi please." Jon grumbled and the waitress smiled cheerfully. After they were served Jon looked over at Jay reproachfully, "I thought you were one of my best friends."
"In about 15 years you moron." Jay replied affectionately.
"Age shouldn't matter." Jon said piously but his eyes shone with suppressed laughter. "Ok, you got me."
"Yeah, and what did I do to deserve it?" Jay griped, grinning at Cassie.
"Are we there yet?" Jon asked, tongue in cheek.
Buffy was shoveling snow out of the driveway when the blue Ford Explorer pulled up to the curb. She stopped to look and squealed with delight when she saw who it was.
"Jay!" she launched herself at him, wrapping her legs around his waist and kissed him passionately.
Cassie gave Jon a laughing glance as they watched the two 'adults' suck each other's face off. The front door opened and Dawn stepped out.
"Cassie!"
"Dawn!" the two girls gave each other hugs and Cassie introduced Jon. "Dawn, this is Jon O'Neill, Jon this is Dawn Summers."
Jon was feeling absurdly shy as he nodded at the absolutely fucking gorgeous girl in front of him.
"Hey."
"Hi, welcome to Cleveland." Dawn smiled, her blue blue eyes meeting his.
"Um, thanks."
The door opened again and they turned to see Giles, hands on his hips and scowling.
"Buffy! Quit trying to extract the Colonel's tonsils and bring in our guests out of the cold!" he scolded, sounding very stuffy and English.
Inside the cozy, warm house Jon looked around in satisfaction. It was comfortably furnished, leather couch and recliner, blue overstuffed chair, lots of pillows, fireplace that was crackling merrily, a large tv and s small Christmas tree twinkling in the corner.
"I really like your house." Jon said to Dawn who looked around in surprise, "Thanks, it's comfortable."
Buffy looked over at Dawn and watched the incipient attraction between her and this Jon kid. Narrowing her eyes she wondered why she kept getting the vibe that she knew him.
Jay came in the front door with a gym bag that he tossed at Jon's head. The kid had good reflexes and said, "For cryin' out loud Coburn."
Buffy gasped and suddenly realized what was going on.
"Jack?"
Jay, Jon and Cassie all looked at her with the 'deer in the headlights' look.
"Um Buffy…" Jay began but Buffy turned to him, "I'm not stupid Jay. That is Colonel Jack O'Neill." She said flatly pointing at Jon. The door opened and Willow came in, taking off her coat and smiling at the guests.
"Hi Jay!" she went over for a hug and kiss. She looked over at Cassie and Jon, "Hi Jack, you look different, and you must be Cassie."
Jon's mouth dropped open, "How the hell did you know?"
"Every time you open your mouth, moron." Jay murmured in disgust, cuffing him along the side of his head.
Willow laughed, "I see who you are, not the packaging Colonel." She looked at him and smiled slightly, "Ok, what's up with being 'mini-me'?"
Cassie smirked at Dawn who was watching this all with wide eyes, "Ok, this is Jon. Jon here is a clone of Jack. Long story, way classified but Jon has all of Colonel O'Neill's memories, experiences etc. but is now 18, though he is technically only 3 years old."
Jay snorted, "Acts like it too." He mumbled under his breath. He smiled at Cassie, admiring her short and succinct report that told them everything but no details.
Dawn smiled, "Oh boy." Her eyes going starry. Jon looked at her with a smile, feeling a connection that he couldn't explain. More of one than he had ever felt with Sara. Though Sara wasn't his and ..oh never mind.
"This is all classified." Jay said repressively. He looked at Giles and Willow who both nodded, then over at Buffy who raised her eyebrows at him as if saying, "Duh!"
Jon laughed, "And now I'm an 18 year old guy that would kill for a beer."
Buffy snorted, "Now I know that you're Jack. We have some kind of British stuff or Bud." She walked to the fridge and opened it, looking over at the people in the living room, "Well?"
"Um, Buffy.." Jay began.
"Jay, I think Jack," she waved a hand, "Sorry, Jon can handle one beer." Seeing her sisters face she added, "No Dawn, none for you or Cassie. In fact, take Cassie up to your room and get settled in. Faith should be here soon and we can decide what's for dinner." The girls smiled and began chatting as they made their way upstairs.
"Buffy, if I didn't know that Jay would stomp me into a little greasy spot on the carpet I'd kiss you." Jon said and went over to take the Bud from her hand.
"Jay?" she asked and he smiled that heartmelting smile of his that made her hormones sing.
"Bud please."
"Giles? Willow?" Willow shook her head no, her red hair swinging gently.
"Nothing for me dear." He looked at his guests, "I am sorry that your secret came out so soon."
Jon shrugged, "I guess that Slayer stuff is for real."
Buffy huffed at Jay, "I guess that cat being out of the bag goes both ways."
He held up his hands in surprise, "I didn't tell him." He turned to the smirking Jon, "How did you find out?"
"I wasn't a black ops soldier all of those years for nothing." Jon sipped his beer and sighed, "This tastes like the best thing in the whole wide world."
Dawn and Cassie were seated on Dawn's bed talking in hushed tones. "Ohmigod! Cassie, he's gorgeous." Dawn said.
Cassie smiled, "Yeah, but it's weird for me. I mean, this is the old guy that rescued me inside the young guy's body, yeah he's cute but it's like in that annoying brother sort of way."
"Rescued you?" Dawn asked curiously.
Cassie settled down to tell her story, Dawn listening in fascination. In turn Dawn told Cassie her story, making Cassie's eyes widen as she exclaimed, "You and Jon have a lot in common!"
Dawn sighed, "Is that a good thing?" She looked over at Cassie, "I'm am so glad that you're here. How long can you stay?"
A shrug, "Until Jay gets his hormones under control I guess." And both girls giggled.
Downstairs the front door banged open and Faith swept in. "God it's bitchin' cold out there!" she complained before she saw that they had company.
"J!" she yelped gleefully and gave him a big kiss on the lips, ignoring Buffy's snort.
"Hi Faith, torturing Robin still?" He asked giving the brunette Slayer a hug.
She leaned back and looked him over carefully, "Always. Lookin' dangerous Jay." She complimented, then turned to Buffy, "Anytime you want to cut him loose just let me know B."
Buffy just shook her head at her friend, "Nice try Faith but I don't think Robin is into threesomes."
Jon abruptly started choking and Jay whooped with laughter while Giles shook his head, "Buffy, please."
Faith grinned, "Um, how about a foursome?" she leered at Buffy, grabbing her friend for a smooch which Buffy returned before smacking Faith up side the head.
"Ewww." She said.
"You're too much woman for me Faith." Jay stated with a grin.
"I'm too much for any man Baby." Faith agreed and headed upstairs two at a time.
Buffy turned to see Jon trying to get his breath and composure back. "That was Faith."
"I guessed."
Jay looked over at Willow, "Hey Red, where's Kennedy?"
Willow's face fell, "She went home for Christmas. Her parents didn't want to meet the lesbian witch her daughter is hanging out with." He went over and wrapped her in a comforting hug, "Oh honey I'm so sorry." Willow sniffled a little and wrapped her own arms around him, "Thanks Jay."
"I hate narrow minded people. They need their own planet so they can make each other miserable and let people like us be happy." Jon stated softly.
Buffy snapped her fingers, "Now that's an idea!"
Dawn, Cassie and Faith came down in time to hear the last of the conversation, "I have a list!" Faith said.
Jay pulled back, "Let's go out tonight. My treat." He looked around, "We need to call Xan first." He missed the approving looks from Willow and Buffy.
That night they were tucked into a corner at Lou and Eddy's Italian restaurant on Detroit Avenue in downtown Cleveland. It was a simple storefront restaurant but the food was authentic Italian and to die for.
Everyone was seated around an enormous table covered in a red tablecloth with big baskets of bread placed strategically in the middle. Xander, Jon, Cassie and Dawn were getting to know each other, Xander making eyes at Cassie while Jon did the same with Dawn. Giles, Willow, Faith, Buffy and Jay were chatting quietly, watching the others in amusement. There was a lot of laughter and teasing as everyone ordered their favorite Italian meal.
While everyone ate Jay fingered the small velvet box in his pocket and decided that he would pop the question tonight with all of her family here. He hoped that Giles would forgive him.
After the plates were taken away and everyone was talking quietly Jay stood and tapped his beer bottle to get everyone's attention. Once he had it he cleared his throat nervously, "Um, I met Buffy and knew that she was someone special. And with her came special people that mean the world to me." His eyes swept over Giles who smiled slightly, to Will who had tears, to Faith with her smile and down to Dawn and Xander.
Turning to Buffy before he lost his nerve he pulled the box out of his pocket and knelt on one knee in front of the stunned woman, "Buffy Summers, you are the love of my life. Will you marry me?"
The entire restaurant was hushed as they watched in anticipation. Buffy reached trembling fingers to the box, "Can't see what's in it babe." She whispered.
Jay groaned, "Shit." He mumbled to quiet laughter. He opened it and there were gasps. Inside, against the background of midnight blue velvet was a delicate platinum ring with small diamonds channel set in the band, and an enormous but beautiful marquis cut diamond that caught the light and reflected it back dazzlingly.
"Oh wow." Buffy breathed before her eyes went to Jay's anxious brown ones, to the man who held her heart so securely. "Yes."
He grinned and pulled out the ring to slide it onto her finger, where it fit perfectly. He brought her hand to his mouth for a kiss, then pulled her up for a real kiss and everyone started clapping. Willow got up and so did Faith and Dawn and they gave Buffy an group hug, admiring the ring with oohs and ahhs.
Jay turned to Giles, "I was going to ask you first but I kind of got distracted."
Giles stood and gave Jay a bear hug, "Treat my Slayer right." Was all he said and Jay closed his eyes in relief. Xander came up and gave Jay a hug as well, "Good going Colonel, you don't deserve her."
Jay laughed as looked over at the beaming Jon and Cassie. He accepted hugs from them as well and everyone sat back down at the table, Jay and Buffy's hands twined together, the ring sparkling brightly.