Buffy replaced the receiver and turned to Giles who was watching her silently.
She knew she could say anything to him and he would still accept her, still love her for the person she was. Hell, she'd already blurted out her most hidden secret. She'd been sleeping with Spike. He had laughed, hysterically and disbelievingly at first but they had ended up laughing themselves senseless about it. He viewed her with the eyes of a father, always had done. She trusted beyond anything to do the right thing and to give her the best advice - his actions over the entire time she had known him had proved that. Even the test she had taken at the age of 18 where at the time it had seemed an agonising betrayal, even that had faded and now her faith in this man was immoveable.
"That was Riley" Giles' eyebrows raised a fraction in question "He and Sam have been called in on a project, a secret project, and they need our help."
"A military project?" he asked quietly.
"Yes" Buffy paced for a moment before looking at him "He's asked that we all go and help. You, me, Willow, Anya, Xander, Dawn and Spike. He says he needs all of us."
"And we're going?"
Buffy sat herself down on the couch and he lowered himself to join her, knowing how it was for her to face this problem but knowing her well enough to let her work through it until she came up with her own solution, her own decision.
"Well, I trust Riley. He'd never do anything to put me in danger that I couldn't handle. And since he's asked for all of us I think it's all above board. Or as above board as it can be with the military involved."
"You'd have to ask them all. It's their decision" Giles took off his
glasses and cleaned them absentmindedly "But I will accompany you and provide as much help as I can."
"It must be something serious if he's asking for all of us." Buffy
glanced at the picture on the mantelpiece of the gang, it had been taken before they had taken on Adam and Riley sat, central, with Dawn on his lap and Buffy next to him hanging on to Xander who had his other arm round Anya. Willow, Tara and Giles took up the rest of the picture on the other side of Riley, Willow looking adoringly at Tara who was smiling up at Giles." He said it was important and that it was urgent. He's left a number for me to call him on with our decision."
"I'll call everyone over now then" decided Giles, heading for the
phone.
The briefing reconvened exactly one hour later. General Hammond turned first to Riley Finn, asking him if he had managed to contact the Slayer." Yes General I have. I've requested the assistance of the entire group. They're going to discuss it and I've left a contact number for her to let me know."
"How long exactly is it going to take for these people to decide to help us?" O'Neill questioned dubiously "I'm not sure I'm on with the idea of allowing a bunch of civilians on to the base."
"Would you prefer to travel to California and meet them there?" Riley asked.
"Never really got the hang of California - all those beach babes, surfboards and that 'valley talk'." O'Neill visibly shuddered.
"In that case you're going to get a bit of shock when you meet the
Slayer."
Riley laughed "She doesn't look very threatening but she could tip you on your ass before you get the chance to draw that gun you carry."
"I'd like to see her try" said O'Neill affronted "How old is this girl
anyway?"
"She's 21. And she's the oldest Slayer in history."
O'Neill noted that tone of pride in Riley Finn's voice and saw the
flash of awe across Sam Finn's face. There was definitely something else going on here. And he was going to find out what the hell it was before they went jumping through the Stargate with a bunch of vampire experts or whatever the hell they were.
"I have a question" Riley looked at O'Neill. "You speak as though you know the Slayer very well. How did you meet her?"
"I was stationed in Sunnydale. We ran into each other while I was
located there with my unit. She aided us on several occasions." Riley Finn's voice was expressionless as he said this quickly.
"Oh please" Sam Finn laughed "You may as well tell them, they're going to find out anyway." She turned to the SG1 team "He dated her."
O'Neill and Carter turned their eyes back to Riley who avoided their gaze. Daniel Jackson, who until this point had remained an observer, was genuinely shocked.
"You dated her? Like romantically?"
"Yep"
"Wow, you're one hell of a popular guy" O'Neill murmured before Carter elbowed him hard in the ribs.
"It's OK. She's a great girl, we've met before." Sam tried to allay their fears "And she's very focused, right?" She now elbowed Riley Finn in the ribs who nodded and played with his pencil.
"You dated the Slayer? When were you planning on telling us this?"
O'Neill asked.
"I didn't think it was important." Riley hedged.
"Bullshit. Is there any other history you need to take us through before we meet these people?" O'Neill was getting angry now.
This had explained Sam Finn's reaction. She wasn't jealous of the Slayer, because, lets face it, the Slayer would have to be one hell of a woman to beat this girl. She respected and admired this Buffy Summers but was comfortable with calling her in on this project but she still hadn't wanted to because she thought Buffy had enough to deal with without having to worry about a planet full of vampires.
Riley Finn thought about O'Neill's question. Any other history? Jesus, where was he supposed to start?
"If you need to know anything you can ask her. But I can assure you, you couldn't have a better person covering your back." Sam answered for him. O'Neill gave Carter a sideways glance, meeting her gaze and gave her a quick smile. Nope, there was only one person he trusted covering his back, not that anyone at SGC would ever know it apart from her.
Buffy paced the room and looked at her friends who were staring at her. She looked at her sister who was looking straight back at her, expecting to be left behind again.
"You too Dawn. He asked for you too." She caught the flare of surprise in Dawn's eyes but it was quickly covered up and Dawn simply nodded.
"I'm in" she said.
"Me too" Xander said, not even having to think about it.
Anya and Willow sat side by side on the sofa with Spike draped across the arm of the sofa. Buffy turned to them.
"What about you guys?"
"What's their attitude to demons?" Anya asked cautiously.
"Anya, it's Riley. He knows you. He wouldn't put you in danger."
"Then I'm in."
"Will?"
Willow looked up, fear evident in her eyes but she nodded bravely and bit her lip.
"If Giles thinks I can handle it then I'll come."
"You'll be fine Willow. We're all here for you." Giles stretched his hand out and she moved across to him, clasping his hand and sinking on to the floor next to his chair, gaining strength from him.
"Spike?" Buffy turned to him.
"You know me. Always the helpful sort. Besides, you're all bound to
get into trouble and need rescuing at some point."
His forced humour was obvious but everyone laughed. Unlife had been very hard for Spike since his return to Sunnydale. The presence of his soul was painful, often tortuous and they had all seen him at his lowest ebb, trying to fight off the insanity that had ensued. Even Xander had dropped his dirty spiteful comments and instead watched in silence as Spike learned to deal with all the evil that he had wrought in his life. It was, perhaps, too much to say they had become friends but maybe colleagues would be a more appropriate word.
A mobile phone pealed in Riley Finn's pocket and he answered it,
flicking it open and simply saying "Finn".
"Yes…..yes….all of you? Thank you. We can send transport for you. I
don't know how long it will take……As soon as possible if that's OK with you. OK……We'll see you soon….. Yes she is…..Yes I'll tell her."
Riley Finn clicked the phone shut and turned to Sam. "Buffy says hi."
And then he turned to the rest of the meeting room.
"They're in."
She knew she could say anything to him and he would still accept her, still love her for the person she was. Hell, she'd already blurted out her most hidden secret. She'd been sleeping with Spike. He had laughed, hysterically and disbelievingly at first but they had ended up laughing themselves senseless about it. He viewed her with the eyes of a father, always had done. She trusted beyond anything to do the right thing and to give her the best advice - his actions over the entire time she had known him had proved that. Even the test she had taken at the age of 18 where at the time it had seemed an agonising betrayal, even that had faded and now her faith in this man was immoveable.
"That was Riley" Giles' eyebrows raised a fraction in question "He and Sam have been called in on a project, a secret project, and they need our help."
"A military project?" he asked quietly.
"Yes" Buffy paced for a moment before looking at him "He's asked that we all go and help. You, me, Willow, Anya, Xander, Dawn and Spike. He says he needs all of us."
"And we're going?"
Buffy sat herself down on the couch and he lowered himself to join her, knowing how it was for her to face this problem but knowing her well enough to let her work through it until she came up with her own solution, her own decision.
"Well, I trust Riley. He'd never do anything to put me in danger that I couldn't handle. And since he's asked for all of us I think it's all above board. Or as above board as it can be with the military involved."
"You'd have to ask them all. It's their decision" Giles took off his
glasses and cleaned them absentmindedly "But I will accompany you and provide as much help as I can."
"It must be something serious if he's asking for all of us." Buffy
glanced at the picture on the mantelpiece of the gang, it had been taken before they had taken on Adam and Riley sat, central, with Dawn on his lap and Buffy next to him hanging on to Xander who had his other arm round Anya. Willow, Tara and Giles took up the rest of the picture on the other side of Riley, Willow looking adoringly at Tara who was smiling up at Giles." He said it was important and that it was urgent. He's left a number for me to call him on with our decision."
"I'll call everyone over now then" decided Giles, heading for the
phone.
The briefing reconvened exactly one hour later. General Hammond turned first to Riley Finn, asking him if he had managed to contact the Slayer." Yes General I have. I've requested the assistance of the entire group. They're going to discuss it and I've left a contact number for her to let me know."
"How long exactly is it going to take for these people to decide to help us?" O'Neill questioned dubiously "I'm not sure I'm on with the idea of allowing a bunch of civilians on to the base."
"Would you prefer to travel to California and meet them there?" Riley asked.
"Never really got the hang of California - all those beach babes, surfboards and that 'valley talk'." O'Neill visibly shuddered.
"In that case you're going to get a bit of shock when you meet the
Slayer."
Riley laughed "She doesn't look very threatening but she could tip you on your ass before you get the chance to draw that gun you carry."
"I'd like to see her try" said O'Neill affronted "How old is this girl
anyway?"
"She's 21. And she's the oldest Slayer in history."
O'Neill noted that tone of pride in Riley Finn's voice and saw the
flash of awe across Sam Finn's face. There was definitely something else going on here. And he was going to find out what the hell it was before they went jumping through the Stargate with a bunch of vampire experts or whatever the hell they were.
"I have a question" Riley looked at O'Neill. "You speak as though you know the Slayer very well. How did you meet her?"
"I was stationed in Sunnydale. We ran into each other while I was
located there with my unit. She aided us on several occasions." Riley Finn's voice was expressionless as he said this quickly.
"Oh please" Sam Finn laughed "You may as well tell them, they're going to find out anyway." She turned to the SG1 team "He dated her."
O'Neill and Carter turned their eyes back to Riley who avoided their gaze. Daniel Jackson, who until this point had remained an observer, was genuinely shocked.
"You dated her? Like romantically?"
"Yep"
"Wow, you're one hell of a popular guy" O'Neill murmured before Carter elbowed him hard in the ribs.
"It's OK. She's a great girl, we've met before." Sam tried to allay their fears "And she's very focused, right?" She now elbowed Riley Finn in the ribs who nodded and played with his pencil.
"You dated the Slayer? When were you planning on telling us this?"
O'Neill asked.
"I didn't think it was important." Riley hedged.
"Bullshit. Is there any other history you need to take us through before we meet these people?" O'Neill was getting angry now.
This had explained Sam Finn's reaction. She wasn't jealous of the Slayer, because, lets face it, the Slayer would have to be one hell of a woman to beat this girl. She respected and admired this Buffy Summers but was comfortable with calling her in on this project but she still hadn't wanted to because she thought Buffy had enough to deal with without having to worry about a planet full of vampires.
Riley Finn thought about O'Neill's question. Any other history? Jesus, where was he supposed to start?
"If you need to know anything you can ask her. But I can assure you, you couldn't have a better person covering your back." Sam answered for him. O'Neill gave Carter a sideways glance, meeting her gaze and gave her a quick smile. Nope, there was only one person he trusted covering his back, not that anyone at SGC would ever know it apart from her.
Buffy paced the room and looked at her friends who were staring at her. She looked at her sister who was looking straight back at her, expecting to be left behind again.
"You too Dawn. He asked for you too." She caught the flare of surprise in Dawn's eyes but it was quickly covered up and Dawn simply nodded.
"I'm in" she said.
"Me too" Xander said, not even having to think about it.
Anya and Willow sat side by side on the sofa with Spike draped across the arm of the sofa. Buffy turned to them.
"What about you guys?"
"What's their attitude to demons?" Anya asked cautiously.
"Anya, it's Riley. He knows you. He wouldn't put you in danger."
"Then I'm in."
"Will?"
Willow looked up, fear evident in her eyes but she nodded bravely and bit her lip.
"If Giles thinks I can handle it then I'll come."
"You'll be fine Willow. We're all here for you." Giles stretched his hand out and she moved across to him, clasping his hand and sinking on to the floor next to his chair, gaining strength from him.
"Spike?" Buffy turned to him.
"You know me. Always the helpful sort. Besides, you're all bound to
get into trouble and need rescuing at some point."
His forced humour was obvious but everyone laughed. Unlife had been very hard for Spike since his return to Sunnydale. The presence of his soul was painful, often tortuous and they had all seen him at his lowest ebb, trying to fight off the insanity that had ensued. Even Xander had dropped his dirty spiteful comments and instead watched in silence as Spike learned to deal with all the evil that he had wrought in his life. It was, perhaps, too much to say they had become friends but maybe colleagues would be a more appropriate word.
A mobile phone pealed in Riley Finn's pocket and he answered it,
flicking it open and simply saying "Finn".
"Yes…..yes….all of you? Thank you. We can send transport for you. I
don't know how long it will take……As soon as possible if that's OK with you. OK……We'll see you soon….. Yes she is…..Yes I'll tell her."
Riley Finn clicked the phone shut and turned to Sam. "Buffy says hi."
And then he turned to the rest of the meeting room.
"They're in."