Author's Notes:- Thanks to Stonedtoad for betaing as always.

Dimac99 and anyone else who thought Xander was Jack's nephew, I was hoping that would happen.

Getting some actual plot in now, the next part is winging its way to Stonedtoad as soon as I've posted this so enjoy.

Willow stopped walking suddenly.

"Your spider-sense tingling?" Xander asked, barely managing not to walk into her.

Willow frowned at him, "It's a message."

"A message?" Xander looked at her confused.

"More like a summons," Willow replied grabbing his arm, "Come on."

Xander followed his best friend as she led him through the streets towards…

"A cemetery?" Xander cried, "Why am I even surprised?"

"Come on," Willow snapped slightly, "We need to get there as fast as possible before she leaves."

"Who?" Xander asked but his answer was only Willow running faster, "Will," he called thinking he'd lost her.

"Here Xander," Willow appeared from behind a crypt a small smile on her face, "There's someone who wants to say hello."

Xander rounded the crypt and stopped in amazement, "Tara?"

Tara stood in front of an oak tree only slightly insubstantial a smile on her face as she looked at her friends.

"Hello Xander," she smiled, "I don't have much time, I'm here to warn you."

"About?" Willow asked her eyes wide as she looked upon her dead lover.

"He wasn't meant to be here," Tara explained, "But they pulled him away from his true destination."

"Can't you give us a straight answer?" Xander sighed making the young woman laugh.

"I can't exactly," Tara replied with a soft apologetic laugh, "You see they gave me a job."

"Who?" Willow asked.

"The Powers," Tara told her, "Although it was my time to die the acts I had performed whilst on Earth made me a suitable candidate to be a messenger. You're my first…clients."

"We're honoured," Xander told her blandly.

Tara laughed again before she became serious, "Listen carefully; I don't have much time left. He has a dark side, one that if they can harness it could destroy everything. They've started moving already so be careful."

"We will," Xander told her. "We miss you."

"I miss all of you too," Tara smiled before returning her gaze to the other woman, "Willow, I will always love you and I know you will always love me but your future lies in your past."

"I…" Willow struggled to speak but Tara hushed her.

"I have to leave now," their messenger told them. "Remember what I have told you and prepare yourselves. The battle is coming."

As she faded away Xander sighed, "When isn't it?" he turned to where Willow was standing her hand frozen at the spot just where Tara's face had been, "Come on Will, we should get home."

Willow sniffed back the tears that had filled her eyes turning back to her best friend, "She looked good."

"Yeah," Xander whispered before he wrapped his arms around her, "And at least we know she's happy and considering it's us, we'll probably see her again and again."

Willow gave a half laugh as her tears rolled along her cheeks while Xander rocked her.

Daniel stopped dead as the man in front of him stared in amazement. He felt Sha're bump into him but couldn't move.

"Daniel?" the man said again.

"Who are you?" Daniel whispered.

"Don't you know me?" the man asked, looking a little confused and hurt.

"No," Daniel shook his head retreating, "I'm sorry."

He knew they were all watching him and he also saw the hurt look cross Sha're's face when he brushed past her as he started running from his past. Entering his room he sank onto the bed not sure why he'd reacted that way but he couldn't make himself leave the room.

x

"Not the reaction I was expecting," Jack murmured.

"Jack?" Sha're said softly, stepping closer to him amazement covering her face before crying, "Jack," she stepped into his arms and hugged him tightly.

"At least you know me," Jack laughed hugging her back, "I can't believe this."

"Hold on," Buffy interrupted, "You know who they both are?"

"Sure," Jack grinned as he turned resting his arm over Sha're's shoulder, "But first I need to talk to Daniel."

"So that is his real name?" Dawn asked.

"Wait," Cassie frowned, "You didn't know his real name then why were you calling him it?"

"How about we give the full story?" Buffy said.

They all sat down as Buffy gave them the story of how Daniel had appeared leaving out any supernatural occurrences. Cassie stood at Jack's side every so often glancing at Sha're who she had only known through stories and a picture that rested on Daniel's desk and for the last year in Jack's house.

"So he has no idea?" Jack frowned, before he stood up and squeezed both Sha're and Cassie's shoulders, "I'm going to have a chat with him."

"Hold on," Cassie frowned, "Why does Sha're remember you but not Daniel?"

"No idea," Jack shrugged, "But we'll work on that later."

x

Jack walked with Sha're up to the room she shared with Daniel and stopped outside.

"You really don't remember him but you remember me?" Jack asked.

Sha're shrugged, "I felt as though I knew him before I woke here but I could never remember. You are very clear in my mind."

"Let me talk to him," Jack told her.

"You are friends?" Sha're asked.

"As crazy as it seems to many yeah," Jack grinned at her worried look, "Trust me."

Sha're nodded and slipped downstairs before Jack walked into the room not bothering to knock.

"Please leave me alone," Daniel sighed.

"I'm Jack O'Neill," he introduced himself grabbing a seat and pulling it over, "And, barring some freakish similarity, you are Dr. Daniel Jackson."

When Daniel didn't say anything Jack pushed on,

"You were a member of my team, SG-1," he explained, "You're a friend of mine. Last year you died."

Daniel stared at him, "I'm dead?"

Jack frowned slightly, "Obviously not. You just sort of died. Actually, you...ascended to a higher plain of existence. Last time I saw you, you were helping us fight Anubis."

"Anubis?" Daniel asked still looking absolutely confused.

Jack nodded, "Yeah, kind of an over-the-top, cliché bad guy. Black cloak, oily skin, kind of spooky. Anyway, obviously since then, you've retaken human form, somehow. I..." he stopped shaking his head, "Actually, I can see how this might sound a bit unusual..."

"A bit?" Daniel's expression didn't change, "Why am I here?"

"Hey, why are any of us here?" Jack grinned, "Honestly, I don't know, but you've gotta trust me. You are Daniel Jackson."

"What about…" Daniel trailed off, "Am I…Do I have any family?"

"Well basically there's me, Carter, Teal'c, Jacob, Cassie and Doc Fraiser are mostly your family and I'd say Hammond too in a way," Jack smiled before adding mischievously, "And of course your wife."

"Wife?" panic filled Daniel's eyes.

"Yeah she's sitting downstairs upset you ignored her," Jack grinned.

"Huh?"

"Yeah, you've met her," Jack continued enjoying teasing his friend, it'd been too long since he could, "Long black hair, sweet smile, crazy about you for some reason."

"Sha're?" Daniel frowned "But she didn't know me?"

"I have no clue why but let me help you bring back your memory," Jack said.

After a few moments Daniel nodded.

"Daniel?" Cassie looked up from her seat beside Dawn, she jumped up and ran over to the man she thought of as an uncle before stopping knowing he didn't remember her.

"Hi," Daniel gave a soft smile, "Cassie, right?"

"Yeah," she smiled, "It's so good to see you Daniel. I missed you so much."

"That's nice to know," Daniel smiled back.

"Dan'iel," Sha're stepped over to him, "Are you alright?"

Slowly Daniel reached out and touched her cheek before turning to Jack, "Was what you said true?"

Jack nodded.

Daniel turned back to Sha're, "My wife."

Sha're's eyes widened, "What?"

"According to Jim…"

"Jack," Cassie corrected.

"Jack," Daniel continued, "We're married."

"Yes," Sha're whispered crinkling her nose in thought, "I remember being given to…someone…a messenger of Ra…but not."

"Looks like her memory's coming back," Jack commented, "Though we need to work on yours."

"Why would I not remember this before now?" Sha're wondered before she wrapped her arms around Daniel's neck, "But I was right."

"Right?" Daniel asked her confused.

"You are mine Dan'iel," she told him.

x

Willow burst into the house making everyone turn as she rushed straight upstairs leaving Xander standing at the bottom.

"Xand?" Buffy asked worriedly.

"She's okay," he sighed, "I'll explain later," he stared at the Cassie and Jack, "Who are they?"

"This is Jack and Cassie," Oz replied stepping forward.

"Oz!!!" Xander cried part of Tara's message becoming clear to him, "What are you doing here?"

"I came to visit," he replied, "Is Willow…"

"Give her a few minutes," Xander replied, "And Buff, you better warn her she's had enough surprises for one day."

Frowning Buffy headed upstairs to check on her friend.

"Are you all hungry?" Sha're asked deciding to distract everyone.

"We can just order in," Xander suggested before stepping back as Sha're gave him a dark look, "Or not."

Sha're shook her head at him, she gave Daniel a quick kiss and murmured something softly to him before disappearing into the kitchen.

Daniel turned back to Jack, "Can you tell me more about my life?"

"Sure," Jack nodded, following on as Daniel led him to the dining room so they could talk.

"Giles, I'm going to show Cassie around," Dawn said, "We'll be back for dinner."

x

Buffy stood at the door to Willow's room waiting until her friend was ready.

"We saw Tara," Willow finally found her voice, "She had a message and it was…"

Buffy moved over to her friend and hugged her, "I know how you feel, I know it hurts."

"It doesn't." Willow whispered, "Not anymore. She's happy and she's doing good. I just needed a few moments."

"Well, considering what else is going on you needed some time," Buffy told her, "Oz is here."

Willow looked amazed at her friend, "He is?"

"And that's just the start," Buffy grimaced slightly before telling her what else had happened.

Willow let out a long sigh, "If he knows them it looks like Daniel and Sha're will be leaving soon."

"I never thought about that," Buffy sighed.

Willow took a deep breath, "I suppose I should go say hi to Oz."

Buffy smiled as followed her friend downstairs. Willow reached the bottom of the stairs and saw Oz sitting talking to Giles. She saw his nose twitch slightly as he smelled her arrival and he turned a smile on his face.

"Hey," he stood up and walked towards her.

"Hi," Willow met him half way and wrapped her arms around his neck, "I'm so glad you're here," she whispered hugging him tightly, "I'm so glad you're here."

Dinner was strangely quiet.

Jack had decided he wasn't going to tell Daniel much hoping that his memories would come back which had annoyed Daniel no end. Sha're was worried about him so was silently keeping a watch on him. Buffy, Xander, Willow and Oz couldn't talk about everything they'd been doing in front of outsiders while Dawn and Cassie both picking up on the awkwardness were trying to keep out of it. In the end Jack and Giles were making small talk about the road trip.

"Dawn, you're on dishes duty tonight," Buffy reminded her sister.

"Cassie," Jack added, "You help."

Cassie nodded, "You'd better call Mom and let her know we're alive and well."

Jack nodded back before excusing himself.

x

"Before they come back," Xander said when Jack, Cassie and Dawn had left the room, "We ran into an old friend while we were out."

Willow rolled her eyes at him, "Tara came to us, she had a message."

"What was it?" Giles asked.

"That there was a battle coming and that Daniel may be the key," Willow explained.

Daniel's eyes widened in worry, "Me?"

Xander nodded, "Something about your dark side."

Sha're caught Daniel's hand, "You do not need to worry," she told him, "You are a good man."

"But he has a hell of a dark side," Jack interrupted from the doorway.

"You were listening?" Buffy accused jumping up.

"You shouldn't talk so loud," Jack replied.

Buffy's expression darkened and she moved to Jack, "Really?"

Jack held up his hands and stepped back slightly, "Do I look daft enough to go up against a Slayer?"

All but Oz spun to stare at him.

"You know what a Slayer is?" Giles asked darkly.

Jack nodded, "Just like I know you're a Watcher, Willow is a witch and Xander seems to have re-grown an eye."

They all turned to Oz accusations in their eyes.

"He already knew about Slayers and Watchers," Oz told them.

"How?" Giles asked Jack.

Jack grinned, "I know all about Watchers because my mother is one."

"O'Neill," Giles frowned in thought, "O'Neill…Grace O'Neill?"

"That would be her," Jack told him, "When Oz discovered he was werewolf he also found out about the rest of the family."

"Did I know any of this?" Daniel asked softly.

"Nah," Jack replied, "I wasn't letting you get involved with this too. You had enough on your mind."

"I've been trying to get in touch with your mother for months," Giles interrupted, "Ever since the Council was blown up I need help to restart it."

"Yeah, she and Travers disagreed on a lot of things," Jack grinned thinking back to his mother's thoughts on the leader of the Watchers Council, "I'll get her to call."

x

The topic was shelved for the night; they all sat uncomfortably watching a movie.

Buffy checked the clock and sighed, "I'd better patrol."

"I'll come with you," Daniel jumped up needing something to do. He ignored Jack's surprised look giving Sha're a quick kiss, "We won't be too late."

"Be careful," Sha're whispered, "Both of you."

"Don't worry," Daniel told her before he and Buffy left the house.

They headed towards the nearest cemetery both lost in their own thoughts.

"I thought you would stay and see what else you can find out about yourself," Buffy said after a long silence.

"I don't think I want to know," Daniel sighed, "I'm happy here with Sha're and you guys besides why would I have had my memory taken away unless it's a punishment of sorts?"

"You can't believe that?" Buffy cried in shock, "Daniel, you are the nicest guy I've ever met. Honestly, this wasn't a punishment."

"I wish I could believe that," Daniel sighed.

"Okay, look at it this way," Buffy told him, "If this was a punishment, surely they'd drop you somewhere else where you'd have no chance of surviving happily. Your life here has been good hasn't it? We love you and Sha're loves you more than anything."

"I love you guys too," Daniel replied, "But this life is filled with peril, what if I'm here to atone?"

"Then that would mean we all are," Buffy argued back.

Daniel gave a half-laugh, "Sorry."

"If this guy knows you then let him help you get your memory back," Buffy told him, "Besides he's already soothed your fear about whether you should be with Sha're or not."

"My wife," Daniel smiled before nodding behind Buffy, "Heads up."

Buffy grinned before spinning and staking the lead vampire as it reached her, "Isn't normality wonderful."

Daniel gently slipped in beside Sha're making sure he didn't wake her spooning up beside her resting his arm across her waist smiling as she turned snuggling into him. Softly Daniel kissed her forehead smiling as she opened her eyes.

"I thought you were sleeping," he breathed.

Sha're smiled back at him, "I was waiting for you," she replied before sliding to lie on him initiating a deep kiss.

Daniel kissed her back his hands sliding through her hair twirling his fingers around her curls before he pulled at the t-shirt she was wearing.

"Dan'iel," she giggled in his ear, "At least we know now my father would not be unhappy with our being together."

Daniel pulled her under him and smiled down at his lover…wife, "You know how much I love you?"

"I do," she smiled.

"I…I'm worried about what will happen once I remember my life," he told her, "I…I…"

"Dan'iel," she cut him off, "No matter what I love you and you love me. Nothing will change that."

x

"So," Willow said as she handed Oz some hot chocolate, "Now everyone's away to bed we can talk."

Oz nodded.

"Or I can talk and you can occasionally say something," Willow grinned as he laughed.

"I'm sorry about Tara," Oz told her, "When Xander told me…"

"How…"

"We sort of kept in touch," Oz explained, "He needed a guy friend."

Willow laughed, "He did end up surrounded by a lot of girls last year. So, do you have…someone in your life," she finished lamely.

"No," Oz shook his head, "What about you? Since Tara?"

Willow wrinkled her nose, "I got involved with one of the potentials last year, Kennedy but to be honest it was a major rebound not to mention she was a brat."

Oz gave her another smile before taking a long drink, "How do you like teaching?"

Willow grinned, "I love it, I always did. And since its not High School Students it's easier cause my students want to learn."

Oz tried to find something else to say but wasn't sure what to ask. Willow however knew exactly what she wanted and leaning over kissed him.

Lucas stood waiting as his minion set up the circle. They had waited for a long time for this and now had to step up their timetable due to that idiot who went out and was killed by the Slayer.

"This would have been easier if you had brought him here to begin with," Lucas snapped as he started to pace.

"I'm sorry," Frost bowed his head, "But it was hard enough to bring him here in the first place, I was lucky to get him in the same city."

"That is not the problem now," Lucas waved him away, "Have you almost finished?"

"Yes Lord," Frost lit the candle, "Just step into the centre."

x

The shade appeared in the hall entering the living room to find Oz and Willow cuddled up asleep on the couch before he moved upstairs. In the first room Dawn and Cassie were lying across from each other talking quietly. Moving on the shade checked the next two rooms in one slept Jack, the other Giles both men oblivious to the shade as it moved further into the house.

Finally it entered the right room finding Daniel asleep but he filled with anger seeing the woman curled up beside him. That wasn't right.

The door suddenly opened spilling light in and destroying the shadow.

"What?" Daniel muttered sleepily as light hit him, looking over to the door he saw the redhead standing in the doorway, "Willow?"

Willow stared around the room feeling Oz arrive behind her, "Sorry, Daniel, I thought I felt something enter the house and it stopped here."

"There's nothing here," Daniel groaned squinting in the light.

"Sorry," Willow told him, "I'll let you get back to sleep."

"I'd appreciate it," he sighed as she left the room.

"Dan'iel," Sha're murmured sleepily.

"Go back to sleep love," he settled back down allowing sleep to claim him again.

x

Lucas tossed Frost across the room, "Who is she?"

Frost shook his head in confusion.

"He should be alone," Lucas snapped, "Friends were fine that can be worked around but a lover, she could destroy everything."

"How?" Frost asked confused, "Once we release the darkness surely it will destroy any feelings he has for her."

Lucas snorted, "If he loves her which he does, the aura from them spoke volumes, she will be able to save him."

Frost frowned as he thought, "There is a way to eliminate her. It shall take some time before it incapacitates her completely but it will remove her from our way."

Lucas nodded, "Do it. I want her out of the way."

"Yes Master," Frost nodded.

Lucas watched Frost scutter around trying to find what he needed to start the spell; the warlock was powerful but obviously not powerful enough. He glanced at the page where Frost had opened the book to a smile touching his lips as he saw what the warlock was going to do to the woman. This was perfect.

"Janet, we're fine," Jack promised her, "We're in Cleveland visiting some of Oz's friends."

"And Cassie is behaving herself?" Janet asked.

"She's being an angel," Jack laughed.

"And are you behaving yourself?" she added, Jack could hear the smirk.

"Completely," he answered, "How's your conference?"

"I'm dreaming of zat guns," Janet told him with a sigh, "I am so bored."

Jack laughed, "I offered to let you come with us."

"If it stays as boring I may just come and join you," Janet laughed.

"I'd better go," Jack told her, "I have to check in with the others."

"Tell Cassie I love her and stay out of trouble," Janet reminded him.

"Bye Doc," Jack hung up on her and turned to find Cassie standing behind him.

"You never told her about Daniel," she said.

Jack shook his head, "If I had she'd be on her way with Carter, Teal'c and very likely Hammond following her. The guys here don't need extra attention."

"Why?" Cassie asked, making Jack wince remembering that he had kept Cassie out of knowing what was actually going on but she was here. It was more than likely going to be impossible to keep her out of this.

"Okay Cass," he rested his arm around her shoulders leading her into the lounge, "There's something I need to tell you."

x

Daniel turned the ring over in his hands, he was glad to be able to go back to what he thought of as his work. Their guests had gone out for a walk while Xander, Willow and Buffy had gone to work. Sha're was working around the house and Daniel was keeping out of her way, the one time he'd tried to help Sha're had unequivocally told him to stay out of her road so he did.

He felt relaxed studying; he knew this must be a part of who he once was. Dr Daniel Jackson, it felt…right in a way he couldn't describe. Ji…Jack, was also familiar and although Daniel felt annoyed that the man had decided not to tell him details of his life he was comfortable around him.

Shaking himself Daniel returned to his work, as he flipped through the book he was using Daniel found the inscription and frowned.

"Uh oh."