Ok, umm high everyone. Once again I apologise for the length between posts, I would love to get the chapters out more often but Murphy is having a great time stuffing me round. My modem still isn't fixed (gotta love internet café's) and work has been a bitch these last two weeks. So the delays will continue to continue until stupid Murphy garbage face leaves me alone.

Chapter 13 The problem with plans.

Summers Kitchen

Sunnydale, California

"So" Sam stood up, taking a moment to stretch arms high above her head arching her back, Jonas cringed as the vertebrae in her back cracked, she walked behind the bench to stand next to Jack "What's to eat?"

"Nachos" Jack looked at her and grinned in an attempt to be nonchalant, but he was a little wary of his cooking. It had been a while since he had last had to cook Nachos.

Sam's eye's lit up in anticipation…

"The only problem is" Jack continued while stirring the meat sauce "We don't have any guacamole dip"

Sam sighed, no guacamole dip!

"I wouldn't be too upset about it" Faith called from the other side of the kitchen where she and Jonas were still eating Oreo's "That stuff tastes like shit"

"What do you care what it tastes like Faith" Buffy interjected as she came in with Janet and Mac trailing behind her "You'll just inhale it faster than you can say Taco Bell anyway"

"Hungry and horny?" Faith smirked when the blond slayer blushed.

"Nudity and crocodiles" Buffy replied through her blush as they both remembered their first meeting.

Jonas looked back and forth between the two girls grinning at the imagery their comments presented.

"So" Jack said loudly with a slight blush creeping up his cheeks "Buffy, do you want to explain our plan?"

"I'd be delighted" Buffy grinned and started to out line the plan she and Jack had come up with.

Cheyenne Mountain

Colorado Springs, Colorado

"So let me get this straight" Jacob Carter started slowly from his seat in General Hammond office.

"Sam took a vacation" He leaned forward with his hands resting on his knees.

"That's correct" George want to laugh at the shocked look on Jacob's face.

"Willingly?" Jacob continued one of his hands raising and waving around slightly, "I mean, Jack didn't have to forcibly drag her out?" His eyebrows raised "hogtied, blind folded and gagged?"

"No he didn't" George was trying really hard not to laugh, "She left willingly. A friend needed help…"

"So of course Sam went running" Jacob interrupted, with only a little bit of sarcasm seeping through his words.

George nodded, not trusting himself to keep a straight face.

"So what are the rest of the team up to?" Jacob asked innocently

Summers Home

1630 Revello Drive

Sunnydale, California

"Are you insane B?"

"Sir I'm not sure whether this is the best idea"

"Sounds like fun"

"O'Neill, I do not believe your plan would work in its current form, however with some work it could become viable"

Upon hearing what Buffy and Jack had come up with Faith, Janet, Sam, Spike and Teal'c had all expressed their opinions rather loudly, however Mac and Jonas remained quiet letting the others do all the talking.

"I know it wouldn't work, that's why we're sharing, to see if we can make it work somehow." Jack looked at each of the protesters in turn "Yes we know it's insane that's why it's a good idea." He then grinned at Carter and Spike who had spoken the same words "Does sound like fun doesn't it!"

"So…" Mac started slowly speaking up for the first time since re-entering the house "Where are we going to get everything? I mean, I can call a friend a get my hands on some tracers and other hardware, but we'd need proper clearance and authority. It would be impossible to get on such short notice and as for the other…" Mac shrugged helplessly.

"We're not worried about hardware. If we can't get our hands on it I'm sure Carter'll be able to rig up an alternative" Jack placated her "It's the other were worried about, we're still trying to work out the logistics. Where we're going to find something big enough…" he brought his hands palm upwards and gave the group a helpless half smile

"So that's our biggest problem" Jonas spoke up "Logistics?"

"Yep" Buffy and Jack both nodded

"So after we eat" Jack started but was distracted when he wouldn't find plates "Where are the dinner plates?"

Buffy walked behind the breakfast bar and pulled them out so Jack could continue "We get a few hours shut eye, then I want Jonas and Teal'c to go find us some transport, towns empty so if you find something suitable grab it, Doc and Faith your on supplies, food, first aid etc. Spike, sorry buddy but you're here…" The Vampire grinned in superiority at not having to do anything "coordinating everyone else," The grin fell off Spike's face "there'll still be nasties around and probably pissed off, so everyone checks in with Spike hourly." Looking at the plates he made sure that they all had an even amount of food on them. "Buffy and Mac you're looking for a priest. A real, not evil Priest who'll do the job for us. Meanwhile Carter and I are looking for Hardware"

He looked around the group who all nodded "Ok lets eat"

At the grins he was met with, Jack knew he wasn't the only one looking forward to the meal.

Cheyenne Mountain

Colorado Springs, Colorado

"Jacob, I can honestly tell you I don't know where they are…" General Hammond exclaimed.

"But" Jacob leaned forward in his seat "I'm sensing a but in here and I didn't need Selmak to tell me that"

Both the Generals were getting sick of this line of questioning.

"No buts at all" They both knew when the other was bull shitting "Listen Jake. Get out of the mountain, stay at Sam's place for a couple of days" George held his hand out for Jacob to shake. The Tok'ra took it reluctantly, knowing that George knew more than he was letting on.

Without another word General Hammond walked out of his office, leaving Jacob to stare at the small piece of paper in his hands. Written on it were simply a name and address.

Buffy Summers

1630 Revello Drive

Sunnydale California.

Summers Residence

1630 Revello Drive

Sunnydale, California

Buffy rolled onto her back and sighed, she couldn't sleep. Her injuries had almost healed and after the huge meal that Jack had cooked up she was almost buzzing with energy.

Sliding out of the bed so as not to disturb Faith, Buffy sat down at the window seat and stared out at the clear day that had dawned.

What was she going to do? Assuming she survived this, that any of them survived this, what would she do with the rest of her life?

It was tempting to just leave and start over, but what about Dawn? Would she be willing to go with her, cut the ties with Sunnydale and all that was here? After all the gang had been through together would she be able to just up and walk away?

She knew what the answer was. She knew that if she really wanted to she could leave, walk away from Sunnydale, but not the fight. Buffy could never walk away from the fight, from her calling. She had told Faith the truth down in that cave. She was no longer The Slayer, but that didn't mean that she ever stopped fighting.

It wasn't possible.

She could never simply walk away; the fight had been a part of her to long.

It was who she was.

Even if it wasn't here on the hell mouth she could fight somewhere else, fight what ever else was out there.

Couldn't she?

"You can't sleep either?" Faith spoke softly from the bed.

Turning her head to look at the younger woman Buffy smiled when she saw Faith sitting up.

"Nah, too much energy after my nap earlier"

A dangerous glint came into Faith's eyes "You wanna spar B?"

Buffy grinned back in anticipation "Your on F"

It was horrible.

Sam had never heard a sound like that.

She pulled the pillow round her ears.

Who knew that something that atrocious could come from something that small?

Jack O'Neill was uncomfortable. No matter what anyone ever said sleeping on a couch no matter how comfortable it could be was nothing compared to your own bed. This morning's attempt at rest was a perfect example of this.

There was something else, a noise that was disturbing him. There it was again…

Thud…

Thump…

Crash…

Crash? That wasn't right. Sitting up straight he threw the blanket off.

A voice…

"Where in the hell did you learn that move B?"

Everyone was supposed to be asleep.

Crash

"Something you learned in gaol F?"

Those two…

Why was he not surprised?

Wait a minute… Gaol?

Finally he got up off the couch and followed the sounds of the fight through the kitchen. When more speaking caught his attention

"Time for toys?" Buffy's voice floated through

"What ya got in mind" Faith replied

He couldn't hear Buffy's reply but what Faith said next was worrying.

"Cool"

Then came the unmistakable sound of metal against metal.

What the…

Walking up to the door he gingerly peeked through the blinds and was floored when he caught a glimpse of the two girls in light workout clothes…

Sword fighting.

Whoa

"Scary isn't it" The soft voice of is 2IC came from behind him.

Jack jumped and brought a hand to his chest as he turned in shock "Geez, Carter give me a heart attack. A little warning next time and, aren't you supposed to be asleep"

"Yes Sir" Carter sniggered "Sorry Sir. I would be asleep, but who would have thought that Janet snored… loudly"

Jack choked back the urge to laugh at the thought of the tiny Doctor being a snorer. "Well it looks like those two wouldn't mind if you took Buffy's room"

"Nah, I'm awake now." Standing next to Jack, Sam looked out the window "I was watching them from upstairs for about the last 20 minutes" She shook her head "you should have seen it, they're not playing around, if it we're any of us… well I'd be a walking bruise right about now"

"No they're not playing" A voice from behind them said, "They never play." Jack and Sam froze at that particular voice. They turned slowly to see someone they had so recently lost and had both cared for dearly. "They've fought each other so many times… to the death even." The image of the ascended archaeologist paced in front of them. "As you can see neither of them won" He stopped and looked at the two of them "They could be the greatest team out there." Daniel grinned; "If it wasn't for jealousy and stubbornness they would be formidable" The grin slowly changed into a snarl "and that's why they'll never win" The image sniggered.

"Why you'll never win"

With an aggravated sigh hiding the tears that were trying to fall, Sam looked at him with undisguised disdain.

"You won't get to us… Not with him" She waved a hand at him "So go plot your evil plot and we'll stay here and plot to foil your evil plot" Sam turned her back on the image to watch Buffy and Faith again.

"You're a bad influence on her Jack" and with those parting words the image disappeared.

Not really wanting to talk about Daniel, or the fact that The First was trying to use his memory against them, they wordlessly continued to watch the two girls fighting.

Sam and Jack cringed as Faith's foot caught Buffy in the stomach, but the blond slayer barely seemed phased by the blow, she simply rolled with it and countered with an attack of her own.

Instead of flipping herself up to face Faith again, Buffy started to roll over her left shoulder and used the fence to propel her legs back at Faith hitting her in the upper chest with both feet. Not expecting a counter attack like that Faith stumbled backwards giving Buffy time to grab her sword and get back onto her feet.

Both girls had a unique style, but an experienced fighter like Jack could see that the root moves were the same. Their training had started the same but time and experience had developed in each of them and individual fighting technique that he had never seen before.

The girls were still going strong, not showing any sign of fatigue, Jack turned to face Sam.

"Coffee"

"Sounds good"