They stepped into a lush and green world, bright with sunshine and blue skies. As soon as they walked off of the ramp they were met by Lya and others.
Lya's eyes saw the bruises and the hospital gown and came up, "Let me take her. We'll get her clothing."
Jay nodded and let her down, where she was whisked away by the women. Mihal smiled, "Let's go see to the food."
"Food is good." Jay smiled and the two men walked off.
*^*^*^*^*
Lya used her abilities to heal Buffy first thing, and tried to put Buffy in a trance-like state. Humoring the woman Buffy relaxed and let herself be taken to one of the cities in the sky. As they traveled she decided that she was bored and sat up, startling Lya and her assistant.
Buffy shrugged, "Sorry, I know I'm supposed to not be aware of what's going on but I am."
An expression of quick dismay crossed Lya's face, "You are not supposed to be able to break the trance."
"It's because I am the Slayer."
"What is a Slayer?" Lya asked, concerned that she was now in danger.
Buffy curiously touched the window that was not like any glass she had ever seen, "In my world there is unspeakable evil, demons and monsters live with us." She looked back at the gentle woman, "I am the Chosen one, charged with destroying the evil. It was my destiny."
Fascinated Lya asked, "You say it like it was past tense."
"About 5 years ago I was in a battle to save Earth from an overwhelming evil. We used an ancient weapon and activated all of the potential Slayers. Before, if a Slayer died then a new one was chosen. Most Slayers never made past the age of 17. I am the oldest living Slayer, but not the only one anymore. I now could fall in love, have children, choose another path."
"I hadn't realized that your evolution was progressing so rapidly on your planet." Lay commented.
"We were created many thousand of years ago to protect the innocent. Evolution doesn't really apply." Buffy replied.
The thing that they were riding in pulled slowly to a stop and Lya and her astonished assistant escorted Buffy into a building that formed around the them, it's fluid motions indicating a living, breathing organism.
"Organic?" Buffy dredged up the word from a college class she barely remembered.
"Yes, we live in symbiotic harmony with all living things on our planet." Lya smiled.
"Coolio."
There was a politely puzzled look on Mihal's mother's face, "I'm sorry?"
Buffy laughed softly, "Sorry, it's beautiful."
*^*^*^*^*
Mihal led Jay past the place where the food was being prepared, on into a secluded glade on the edge of a small pristine lake. He picked up a small stone and threw it violently, anger in every movement of his body.
Jay tucked his hands into his pockets and leaned forward to look into the lake, thinking for a moment that Jack would be jealous of the fish here, "So, you wanna tell me what's going on? What kind of party is this?"
"It is my rebirthing ceremony." Mihal began.
"Mihal?" came a voice and he spun around, "We're coming Byla." Jay took his arm but Mihal shook his head, "Never mind." And the two men walked towards where the people were gathering.
*^*^*^*^*
Buffy looked at herself and smiled slightly, "I look like an elf."
"What is an elf?" Mylen, Lya's assistant, asked curiously.
"Creatures of myth and legend on my planet." She looked at her herself and smiled slightly at the tunic with many shades of brown from deep like Jay's eyes to light golden brown that draped to reveal her bare shoulders, some kind of tight pants made of a very soft dark green cloth and soft shoes that Buffy hoped she would be able to keep.
"You look lovely." Mylen said firmly, "Are you sure you don't want me to do your hair?"
Buffy looked at all of the wild curls that made Mylen's hair what it was and shook her head, "Nope, I'm good."
Lya transported them back to the planet's surface and looked at Buffy solemnly, "What you have seen must remain secret."
"I understand, I'm very good at keeping secrets."
Jay was watching Mihal as he paced slightly, apparently very unhappy.
Then he heard Buffy's voice, "Hey."
Both men smiled at the beautiful woman as she walked up. Mihal took both of her hands, "You look lovely in the dress of my people Buffy."
"Watch it bud, get a girl of your own." Jay teased gently and both he and Buffy were shocked at the shadow that crossed the handsome mans' face.
"I would if I could." He tried to pull back but Buffy held gently but firmly onto him. "Talk to me Mihal."
"My emotions are disturbing my people. This is to be my rebirthing ceremony, a ritual to wipe my memory." This was thrown bitterly at his mother who stood close by.
"It is necessary for the peace of our people Mihal."
"But it's wrong!" Buffy protested.
Jay put a hand on her arm, he could see she was gearing up for a confrontation, "Buffy."
"How will he ever learn if he is made to forget? Of course he is not at peace, what happened to him was traumatic, but with the support of his family and friends he should slowly, and yeah, it takes time, gain some peace." She looked into Mihal's startled face, "You saw me and knew my pain and I felt like I wasn't alone."
Sighing she continued, "He has something that will make him a stronger man, to know what it feels like to suffer and come out stronger on the other side. Why would you take that from him?" Buffy asked, looking at Lya reproachfully.
Lya cocked her head as she thought about what Buffy had said, "His pain makes us uneasy."
"Pain often does, but life often involves pain. You will say that it doesn't happen here, but it happened to Mihal. You believe nothing bad will happen again? Get real. When something does happen Mihal will be in a unique position to help your people."
Gazing at her son whose hands were still in Buffy's she sighed, "We accuse you of being too young, then you show surprising maturity." She walked to her son and Buffy let go and stepped back as mother enfolded son in a loving hug. "I am sorry for your pain. We will support you and help you become stronger."
Mihal's eyes closed over the tears of relief that had sheened them, "Thank you mother. I will try to be worthy of your understanding."
There was no ceremony, only a dinner to celebrate life. Buffy and Jay held hands as the meal progressed, and Jay watched with a smile as several hesitant women approached Mihal to chat.
After Mihal escorted them back to the gate he turned to Buffy, "You are so wise Buffy. I owe Jay, and now you my life. Thank you."
Buffy hugged the man, "I'm glad that you'll be ok." She stepped back and the gate activated. As the even horizon stabilized Jay and Mihal clasped each other's forearms in farewell, "Take care of yourself Mihal."
"You as well Jay." Then Buffy and Jay stepped through to go home.
****
In the gate room they were met by…Jack?
"Welcome back kids!" Jack said cheerfully.
"Where's the General?" Buffy asked, going to Jack to kiss him on the cheek absently.
"He had to go to Washington to bang some heads together." Jack inclined his head towards Buffy and Jay's face went grim.
"What about the NID?" He asked.
"Let's just say that Senator Kinsey's pet thugs are in Secretary Bretano's bad graces."
"Good." Jay said viciously.
****
President Ryan and Secretary Bretano were listening to Senator Kinsey rant about separation of powers blah blah when General Hammond stood up slowly and dangerously.
"With all due respect Senator, "His voice indicating the total opposite, "Your puppets intentionally injured one of my people, and spouse of one of my SG team leaders. There was a very real possibility of a tragic outcome of the accident, then how would you explain it?" His voice thundered and the Secretary stood up, "Have a seat George. Let me pour you some coffee." He watched the General sit, poured him a cup of coffee form the White House coffee service and then stayed standing.
"General Hammond is quite correct. If Mrs. Coburn had died I would have burned your ass Kinsey. You wouldn't be able to get a job as dog catcher in Nome, Alaska when I was finished with you." Anthony Bretano may have been short of stature but his self confidence was a force to be reckoned with.
The Senator gulped slightly, knowing that this man, late though he was to the political game, had significant power. "President Ryan, he's threatening me."
Jack Ryan lazily stirred in his chair, "He was being too polite. I would have buried you and forgot where I left the body." He stood and faced the pale Senator, "You are messing with things that have higher security clearances than you will ever have." He paused, eyeing the Senator thoughtfully, "I am disbanding the NID, I feel that it's outlived its usefulness. Even as we speak FBI Special agent Pat O'Day is dismantling the offices and reassigning all of the personnel, or putting them in Leavenworth as the case may be."
Kinsey's face turned a mottled red, "You can't do that!"
President Ryan's face went cool, "Oh, but I can." He turned to Andrea, "Please see the Senator out." No one was prepared for the Senator to totally lose it and launch himself, hands outstretched, at the President but two of the Secret Service agents made sure Kinsey was dead before he hit the floor. Suddenly the office was flooded with more agents and the West Wing was in lock down.
"Mr. President, are you all right?" Andrea asked.
Jack nodded, "For the second time someone tried to kill me in my office, yeah, I'm alright." She nodded and there was radio chatter as the White House corpsman was called and the area secured.
General Hammond was shaken, "I'm sorry Mr. President, if I had known.." but the President waved it off, watching the agents check the body before letting in the corpsman and his gurney.
"Power does funny things to people." He replied absently.
"Are you alright Jack?" Arnie came hurrying in and checked over his President anxiously.
Jack flapped a hand, "I'm fine Arnie. How are we going to explain this?" he waved to the body as it was being rolled out.
Arnie Van Damm shook his head, "Give me a quick run down of what happened."
Andrea started, The Defense Secretary adding some and General Hammond finished it, making the Chief of Staff shake his head, "We'll call it a heart attack. Everything else is just too wild, including the truth." He looked around to the people who were in the room, "What happened here stays here, understood?" There were 'Yes Sirs' and Arnie nodded, then headed out to do damage control.
"George, head back to Cheyenne Mountain. This will make the news pretty soon and you don't need to be here when it does." Secretary Bretano said and one of the agents escorted him out.
At the end of a very long hallway a shaken Paul Davis stood up and smiled with relief, "General!"
"Major, its time to head home. Thank you son." He smiled at the agent who nodded and quickly headed back the way he came.
"What…" Paul began but the General shook his head, "Later Major." And the two men got into their staff car.
"Back to Reagan son." He said gruffly to the driver.
"Yes Sir."
As they boarded the plane all that Paul could think about was the very obvious dead body that had disappeared into the elevator, the red staining the sheet covering it. Once the plane was in the air the General visibly relaxed and undid his tie, then took off his jacket and tossed it onto the seat beside him.
"Sir?"
"Senator Kinsey died of a heart attack in the Oval Office." The General said shortly.
"Holy shit!" Paul realized that something bad had happened if this was the cover story.
"Remember Paul, heart attack of a patriotic American."
Paul shook his head, "Ok, now I am going to be sick." General Hammond rubbed his bald head and chuckled, "The good news is that the NID is out of business, permanently. Special Agent Pat O'Day is dismantling it even as we speak."
"That is the best news that I've had all day Sir."
"Tell me." The General grunted.