I wrote this chapter at 2 in the morning-may be boring….you've been warned.

Taking it Jay rolled it around thoughtfully, "It's light like volcanic rock, but has more of a crystalline structure. I'd say…" and suddenly it glowed, emitting a quiet note.

"Exactly where did you get this?" Jay demanded and Hayden snatched it back and placed it exactly where he got it. Standing quickly, everyone avoided the rocks as they all began to glow and emit different notes, the sound a pleasing harmony but no recognizable tune.

Lt. Hailey looked at her feet, "I wonder what they do?"

"Early warning system? Goa'uld detector? Who knows." Hayden remarked, quietly.

Ballard looked around, "Is it just me or is it getting louder?"

"Retreat back to the gate and don't move any of the rocks." Jay said quietly and as they picked their way back the music did get louder. Streams of light started interconnecting the rocks and they all scrambled onto the platform the gate was standing on.

"Well Hailey?"

She was listening carefully, "It's like they're communicating Sir. I'm trying to isolate each rock and listen and so far each and everyone of them is making a different note."

Jay looked at the interconnecting lights thoughtfully. They were all 1/2 to 5 inches off of the ground, looking like a security system to him.

"Subsonic too?" his head was started to ache, and he noticed the other men rubbing their tense necks.

"I'd guess so Sir. I want to try something." She asked.

"What?"

"Throw something into it and see what would happen?"

Jay looked at her doubtfully, "And what if it, or they explode?"

"I don't think that they would risk explosions this close to the gate Sir."

"A point. Ok, take an energy bar and toss it in."

He watched as the blond Lt. took an energy bar out of her pocket, smirking as she opened it and took a bite, "What? I'm hungry." She said and tossed the remainder into the lights.

The lights flared and suddenly the sound, noise, pain was overwhelming and they all dropped to the platform unconscious. They didn't see the person appear, looking around curiously. When it noticed them its eyes went wide and it walked quickly through the lights and knelt down, checking each of them. Jay awoke suddenly and realized that his team was down and they weren't alone. When it reached Jay it touched him and Jay reached out and gripped it gently by the wrist.

"Let me go." It said, trying to pull away.

"Who are you?" Jay asked quietly. He could hear the panic in the other's voice.

It knelt down and in a quiet voice it said, "You can understand me?"

Staring, then sitting up slowly without letting go Jay nodded, "Yeeeah. Are you Nox?" He remembered the descriptions that Daniel had written in his reports and this fit this guy to a T.

"You have heard of us?" It gasped, looking like he was going to burst into tears.

Jay nodded, "Are there more of you here?"

"No, I am alone. I was caught by the goa'uld and left here many years ago. I was a child. I could not get back to my home or to my family. My name is Mihal."

Gently letting go of the man's wrist he said, "I'm Jay." He looked at his unconscious team, "Are they going to wake up soon?"

Mihal shot them a look, "Yes, they were on the platform, not in the rocks. I did not intend to kill, just to incapacitate."

"So." Jay shifted his weapon and sat Indian style, "Why didn't you go home?"

Mihal's face was sad, "I did not remember where I lived. I still don't, my power has only recently manifested itself in this dry place." He looked around distastefully.

"Yeah, I can see why. You have tons of trees on your planet." Jay said offhanded, and was surprised when Mihal's head whipped around, his face pale as he looked at him. "You, you have been there?"

"No, my friends have though."

"I can go home?" he whispered.

Jay shook his head, "I'm not sure. We don't know how to contact them, they usually contact us."

Mihal seemed to settle, "Your race is too young then. They don't want to interfere with your development."

Jay laughed wryly, "We hear that a lot. So, can you explain the rock chorus?"

Mihal laughed himself, "They are my defense. After several attacks through the gate I assembled the rocks and made them what they are. They did not mind, knowing that they were protecting me, and I them."

"They're sentient?"

Mihal grimaced, "I should not have told you. They are a quiet people and do not want to be disturbed."

Jay got up and walked down the ramp, kneeling carefully and placing his face close to one to peer at it. "Neat. We won't disturb you guys." And he got back up to walk to the platform.

Mihal stood and looked at him with respect, "How did you know that they could hear you?"

Jay shrugged, nudging Ballard gently with a boot and was rewarded by a groan. "I just did. Let's not mention it for right now, Ok?"

In about 5 minutes the rest of his team was up and Jay had introduced them.

"So, Mihal are you staying here? We could contact someone and see if they can contact your people."

Mihal looked at him thoughtfully, "Then that is what we shall do. I will wait for your message." Jay nodded and gave a glance to the waiting rocks, watching the one he had spoken to wiggle slightly, making him smile.

They carefully walked around the rocks and Jay looked at Ballard, "Dial us up."

"Yes Sir."

As they waited for the gate to activate Jay kept his eyes facing forward, a frown on his face. He knew he should report the rocks, blah, blah, blah but Jack had warned him that the NID and the Armed Forces Chief's of staff were breathing down the General's neck, and he was to use his own discretion on who he met and what he put in reports. He had a feeling that General Hammond knew and approved, and that was all that mattered to Jay.

The event horizon engaged and Jay turned to Mihal, "I'll let you know when we find anything."

"Thank you Jay." And he disappeared, the rocks let out a chime and SG-2 stepped through.

General Hammond was waiting in the gateroom, "Welcome back SG-2, but you weren't supposed to be back until tomorrow."

"Yes Sir. We found out what happened to the Malp Sir."

"It was a Nox!" Hailey blurted out.

"Really? Well, debriefing in 15 minutes." And the General beckoned to Jay to follow him into the hallway. "Is everything ok son?"

"Yes Sir. It was pretty straightforward."

The General looked at him searchingly and nodded, "See you in the debriefing then."

He let Hailey tell what she knew, then the rest of their team before he started.

"Mihal was taken by the goa'uld, and from SG-1's notes it was probably Apophis. He's been there for probably several hundred years, but that's just a feeling on my part." Jay paused, "He's alone, and really wants to go home. He's made himself a makeshift security system with rocks somehow, but it works."

The General looked at him for a moment, "What do you suggest?"

"Contact the Asgard and ask them to send a message to the Nox Sir."

"Very well, let Colonel O'Neill know."

"Yes Sir."

Jay walked thoughtfully to his office, fingering the envelope from Buffy. He walked in, shut the door and sat in one of his chairs. Carefully slitting the envelope he opened it to reveal a handmade card made of construction paper. It was red, with a pink heart and lacy paper doily on the front, 'I love You' printed on it. He grinned for a moment then opened it.

'To Jay'

You have made me that happiest I have ever been.

You have made my dreams come true. When I became the Slayer it was pretty much understood that I wouldn't live past my 18th birthday, wouldn't marry, would never have children and the house with the white picket fence. My duty, my destiny was all that mattered.

Now I have you. With you I have everything I ever wanted. Even if tomorrow never comes, you have made all of my dreams come true today.

I love you Colonel James Coburn, (by the way, what's your middle name?)

All of my Love, Buffy

Ps. Couldn't find a card that said this so Willow helped me make this one. I am artistically challenged so I hope you liked it.

Jay's eyes had tears, and he picked up his phone and dialed. There was going to be hell to pay for the personal long distance phone call but he'd make it right with the General. Oh yeah, the middle name could so wait until they got married.

It was early the next day when the gate activated and Lya of the Nox stepped through.

"Greetings Lya." General Hammond said graciously, aware of her eyes darting all around.

"Yeah, hey." Jack said and she smiled at him.

"O'Neill. You sent a message about our lost one, Mihal." She was visibly anxious and that was uncommon. The Nox were the most peaceful people that Jack had ever met.

"Well, I didn't actually see him, it was Colonel Coburn." He gestured to Jay who was standing quietly beside him.

Instantly Lya's eyes went to his face and her eyes softened, "Then you will take me to him?"

The General nodded, "If that is what you wish, Colonel Coburn can take you to him."

Lya walked deliberately up to this man, whose dark eyes were filled with love, laughter, pain, and joy. She could feel his strength, his passionate honesty and knew he was protecting Mihal. She turned to the General, "General Hammond, I wish Colonel O'Neill and Colonel Coburn to escort me through. I will not return but I give you my thanks in advance."

"I'm glad that we could be of service Lya. Colonel's, go get suited up."

"Yes sir." They replied in unison and left the gateroom.

Jack eyed his quiet friend as they walked to the locker room. Jay looked up, shook his head and Jack nodded thoughtfully.

"So, we get to escort Lya. She seemed to like you Coburn."

"I'd read Daniel's reports on the Nox and was fascinated to finally meet one. I think Mihal is going to be thrilled to be going home."

Jack's face clouded, "Yeah, can you imagine being taken from your family and dumped on a totally alien world, wondering if you were ever going to see them again?"

Jay nodded and quickly did up his boots, "Multiply that by incursions by the goa'uld and a few hundred years and I think that you get the picture."

"Shit. Poor kid." Jack said quietly.

They walked into the gateroom to find Lya and the General amiably chatting, as soon they entered her eyes lit up. The General said one more goodbye as the gate activated and the three of them stepped through.

Jack stopped short at the desolate view. "Well this is boring."

Lya was looking everywhere, about to step off of the platform when Jay stopped her.

"Not yet, let me." He walked among the rocks and knelt down to the one he had talked to, "Can you get Mihal? I have someone who wants to see him."

"Jay, you just talked to a rock." Jack's voice was full of amusement.

Jay slanted him a glance from his knees, "Duh Jack. Just wait." The rock he had spoken to wriggled like it was amused, then started to glow. It hummed a cheerful note to be echoed by the other rocks on the ground. Soon it became a quiet chorus and just as suddenly Mihal appeared.

"Mihal, I've brought company." Jay said cheerfully.

Lya gasped and brought her hands to her mouth, "Mihal?"

"Mother?" Mihal whispered and suddenly they were in each other's arms, crying and hugging, looking at each other like they could not believe it.

Jay stood and smiled smugly at Jack. Jack moved carefully around the happy family and knelt down to look at the singing rocks, "So, you're like what? A rock band?" he asked.

The rocks wiggled and sang another melody, harmonies intertwining. Jack looked over at his friend, "I don't remember this on the report Colonel Coburn." He said dryly.

Jay shook his head, "I didn't want the NID to get their hands on them. I think they are more than what they seem Jack." He looked over at Mihal who was smiling at him proudly, his arm around his happy mother.

"You are right Jay. This form they took to help me, but they are…something more." He gently stepped away from his mother, "Can I ask why you came here? I didn't ask when we first met."

Jay rolled his shoulders uncomfortably, "We look for technology, things to help us in our fight against the goa'uld. When we sent our probe it showed that there were some kind of signals and it was thought that it came from the rocks. Since I am a geologist, which means I study rocks, they sent me to get a sample."

Mihal cocked his head, "But you did not take any."

Shock flashed crossed Jay's face, "I couldn't, I mean, what about their family?" he gestured to the other rocks and there was a group wiggle and an amused cacophony of music.

The rocks wiggled even more and began to change into human like forms with faces and smiles, causing Jack to back away and say, "Whoa!"

Jay stood, watching in astonishment as the beings finished transforming and mingled, some going over to talk to Mihal and his mother, some watching Jack and the others curious about Jay.

Coming to stand in front of Jay one spoke, "We are the Rylaaa. We will provide you with a sample to take back to your home. If it is something that you can use, then you, and only you can come back and take more."

Jay shook his head, "I don't want to if it's part of your family here."

The musical note of amusement sounded again and the being who had spoken smiled, "These are just stone with some music inside, not of us or our children. There are more than enough to share with your people."

The people smiled and slowly disappeared, leaving Jay to shake his head. "Wow. Just…" He was speechless as he looked over at Jack.

"Welcome to my world kid, you seem to have a knack with first contact." He slapped his friend on the back and they both looked up at Lya and Mihal.

Lya came down and held out her hands, "You have returned my son. You have my undying gratitude." Jay clasped them and following his instinct, bent down and kissed her cheek. Standing straight he looked at Mihal, "I lost my mother when I was a child. Treasure yours Mihal."

A triumphant smile crossed Mihal's face, "I will Jay, and thank you."

Jack cleared his throat just as Lya turned to go, "Can you tell me something Lya?"

"What would you like to know O'Neill?"

"Have you heard from the Tollan?"

Shaking her head, "I have not." Her face was sad.

"Ok, thanks." Jack sighed, he'd hoped for better news. The two men watched as the gate activated and the Nox disappeared into the event horizon.

"Well, let's take that rock back to the SGC and see what we can see, shall we?" Jack asked sassily as he began to dial home.

Jay looked at the stone in his hand, admiring the facets of the crystalline forms and smiled, "You bet. I'll bet Sam is going to give me a big kiss!"

Jack looked at his friend sharply, "I don't think so."

"Bet ya 20 bucks." Jay challenged and spit into his hand, holding it out to Jack. A stubborn gleam in his eye Jack did the same and they shook.

"Not gonna happen Coburn." Jack growled. Both men wiped their hands on their pants with varying degrees of disgust.

"Will."

"Not.

"Will too."

And they continued the argument on the other side, at home.