Disclaimers: I don't own any of the characters, situations or dialogue found in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel the Series, or Stargate SG-1. This is purely a work of fiction and no intent to defame or gain profit from this enterprise is intended.

Dawn was the one who broke the silence. "So, what's a Stargate?"

Jack and Daniel stared pointedly at Sam. Explaining the Stargate was definitely her province. "It's a device that is capable of generating a stable wormhole. These wormholes are able to connect Earth's 'gate to any other planet that has one, as long as we have the proper set of coordinates, called an address."

"How do you get these coordinates?"

"Most of them came off a cartouche wall on a planet called Abydos. We've found some more along the way."

Buffy and Dawn looked mildly interested, but not overly impressed with what they were hearing. "So you just keep going through this Stargate and discovering new planets? Sounds interesting, but not particularly earth-shattering."

"Er, yeah, about that..."

Buffy sighed at Daniel's hedging statement. Of course it wasn't that simple. For one thing, this was her life and she should really know better. For another, this was the U.S. government they were dealing with–proud sponsors of the Initiative. "After you went through this 'gate thing, you found out you'd opened Pandora's Box, right? Started messing around with things you didn't understand and weren't ready for and now the entire planet's in danger? A lot."

Riley cleared his throat and took a careful step backwards from Buffy.

Dawn seamlessly picked up her sister's thread. "And you don't have nearly the personpower or weapons you need to fight them off successfully, so you decided that you would ask a slayer to risk her life to clean up your mess. Again."

Teal'c raised an eyebrow. Jack and Sam exchanged a look. These women sounded remarkably blasé about what was usually a pretty earth-shattering revelation. Knowing better, Riley took another few steps back from Buffy and Dawn and cast a longing glance at the front door, wondering if he'd be able to make it outside and down the block before Buffy or Teal'c caught him.

Jack took over the explanation, trying to ignore the fact that the Summers sisters seemed to agree with the Asgard and the Nox about the Tau'ri's proper place in relation to the rest of the universe. They'd probably tell him he was young, too–which made no sense whatsoever, since he was probably at least twice Buffy's age. He tried not to sound defensive. "Okay, so, yeah. Maybe we did screw up. Point is, we're out there now and they know about us and we have to deal with the situation, since the dumb snakes refuse to leave Earth alone no matter how many times we kicked their asses. Assi? Anyway...They're Goa'uld."

Buffy gave Jack a look that clearly said she didn't believe him and flipped her hair. "The U.S. government wants to send a slayer to other planets to help fight an apocalyptic battle against jewelry?"

Dawn, knowing Buffy, snorted at her sister's deliberate misunderstanding. Never let it be said she didn't still get mileage out of the dumb blonde routine. Dawn was well aware that Buffy was paying close attention to what was being said, but that didn't mean that she wasn't above yanking a few chains at the same time. She winked at Buffy. "We could always volunteer Cordelia. She's not a slayer, but she's good with accessories."

Daniel caught the wink. While he appreciated the value of anyone who could find a new way to harass Jack and would definitely make a note for future O'Neill-baiting opportunities, he decided to impart some background information before Jack's head exploded. "That's Goa'uld, not gold, Buffy. They're parasites, and they've been using human beings as slaves as far back as anyone is able to tell. They set themselves up as deities–usually Egyptian, but sometimes Celtic, Hindi, Greek, Roman."

Dawn rubbed her temples. "Why do the humans put up with it? I mean, I could move to Miami and tell people I'm a goddess and that they should worship me and be my slaves, but no one would because they'd be too busy laughing and carting me off to the psychiatric ward so I could be fitted with a nice coat with extra buckles."

Daniel began to pace, now in lecture mode. "Most of the humans were taken off-world millennia ago. Among other things, the Goa'uld steal advanced technologies and adapt them for their own purposes. They use them in front of these more primitive cultures and the humans think they're using magic. They're worshipped accordingly."

"You're the military. How come you haven't just found where they live and blown them up with a big honkin' ray gun or extra-bomby space bomb or something?"

Sam groaned. Great. O'Neill had just stopped asking for big honking ray guns. Now there would be requests for extra-bomby space bombs.

Despite the seriousness of the topic, Jack smiled. It was nice to know that he and Buffy thought along similar lines. There was also the undeniable skill at being a smart ass that she'd displayed just a few minutes ago–he wouldn't assign her with the diplomats on SG-9, but at least he wouldn't have to worry about her not being able to hold her own against the Marines on SG-3.

"The Goa'uld gestate inside the Jaffa, who are dependent upon them for their survival. While it is young, a Goa'uld provides its host Jaffa with immunity to foreign or alien diseases. Without a primta, a Jaffa is extremely vulnerable."

Buffy looked pointedly at Teal'c. "And these Jaffa guys? They're tough? I mean, I can see that you look like you're really tough, but sometimes looks can be deceiving. Or maybe you're the only tough guy out of everybody."

"The Jaffa are highly trained warriors. We are formidable." Teal'c looked especially smug.

Jack gave Teal'c the once-over, trying to figure out what was going on in the Jaffa's head. He'd been displaying a great deal of emotion that night, unusual for he of the amazing raised eyebrow. "T, here, used to be the First Prime of Apophis. He was responsible for training and commanding his entire army."

Buffy raised an eyebrow. "Cool. How do you feel about girls?"

"I find most girls very agreeable. In my experience I have found Tau'ri females to be just as obliging as Jaffa females."

Jack snorted. Talk about being damned with faint praise. Buffy rolled her eyes at her first experience with Jaffa humor. "Not for dating, Teal'c. For training and fighting. See, we're always looking for new people to be Watchers, since there's this huge shortage..."

For a moment, Teal'c looked quite intrigued by the possibility of training warriors again. O'Neill couldn't believe that they'd messed up the recruitment speech so badly that Buffy was offering Teal'c a job with her organization. "No."

Teal'c raised an eyebrow. Sam and Daniel were snickering.

"Y'know, Daniel, we could really use all your language skills, too. Lots of old journals, spellbooks, and prophecies in big, dusty stinky books and scrolls just waiting to be translated. Dawn, Wes, Giles, and...oh god, Andrew...when the hell did that happen?...are all we've really got in that department. The pay's not great and the job security sucks..."

Now Daniel was starting to look interested, damn it. Jack couldn't take it anymore. He went non-verbal. "Phhst!"

As if that wasn't enough, it sounded like Finn was laughing his ass off in the hallway.

Buffy smiled innocently at O'Neill, thrilled that he was so much easier to annoy than Giles. She mentally rubbed her hands together, anticipating a day when he met Xander and Willow for the first time. Oooh, not to mention Spike and Faith. Big bad Air Force General would crawl back to Colorado sobbing, thanking his lucky stars that all he had to deal with were parasitic aliens.

"Actually, Buffy, we'd like to offer you a job."

"A real job? Like with health benefits and a 401k plan?" Now that she was spoiled by getting a regular paycheck, Buffy was all about getting benefits.

"Yes."

"Depends. What do you want me to do?" To work on another top secret government project, they'd better be some damn good benefits. Like a Porsche.

"We'd like you to join an off-world team and do some exploring. Hopefully lots of Goa'uld butt-kicking. That kind of thing."

Buffy blushed, which Jack wouldn't have expected, and picked at the sleeve of her sweater. "I wouldn't have to be in charge, would I? I've got issues with authority."

Dawn snorted. Ladies and gentlemen, her sister. Queen of the understatement. Coronation pictures available on the Scooby website. "Yeah, both her own and other people's." Buffy stuck her tongue out at Dawn, making Daniel wish for the second time that evening that he'd had a sibling growing up.

Jack smiled. "Sounds familiar." Daniel wasn't big on authority either.

Deciding that the time for Summers explosions had passed, Riley returned to the living room and sat on the love seat, stretching out and crossing his ankles in front of him. Remembering how Buffy had been while she was testing her limits with Maggie Walsh, he linked his hands behind his head and waited for the show to start.

Dawn blinked back unexpected tears as the conversation between Jack and her sister continued and she rose silently, unable to listen anymore. It just figured–Buffy was the one with the job offer. She was just the tagalong. Again. And now, on top of everything, she felt guilty because they'd just found out that the world was in danger, again, and she was mired deep in petty sibling rivalry. "Excuse me. I need to get some fresh air." And give herself a mental kick in the ass.

Buffy stood up to follow her sister, but a head shake from Dawn stopped her. She frowned and sat back in her chair, arms crossed under her breasts. "Okay, so I'll just stay here and get the deets...and you go...enjoy your air."

"What was that all about?" Daniel watched Dawn's progress to the deck, saw her slide the door open, walk through, close it, and eventually lean forward against the deck railing, studying the stars. Once upon a time, he'd spent a lot of nights doing the same thing. He just hoped it wasn't for the same reasons.

Buffy sighed and ran a hand through her hair. "I don't know. She'll tell me when she's ready. Finding out that everything we've done and everyone we've sacrificed could be completely destroyed because the government's stupid...it's a lot. She's never had her world implode like this before. Me? I'm getting used to it."

"You don't seem that bothered by it." Sam was almost accusing.

Buffy began to twist her hair behind her head in what was obviously a nervous gesture. "It's a thing with us–my friends and I, I mean. Apocalypses, demons, prophecies, vampire boyfriends turning evil..." Riley tensed. Buffy didn't notice, busy piercing Jack and Sam with her gaze, hoping they'd get it. "...we've seen it all. We fight because there's no one else who can do the job we do."

She took a deep breath as the reality of their new situation began to hit her. "Whatever the bad thing is, it's coming, and it's going to hurt someone we love. Probably even kill them. So we make bad jokes and come up with plans that have a snowball's chance in hell of ever working. We know that sitting around and being all glowery and broody won't make the bad thing stop in its tracks–the best thing we can do is be prepared and relaxed. And fight. We can't forget the fighting."

Buffy continued, now begging Riley with her eyes. He'd never understood why she fought–not really. "We fight because, somewhere, there's the blind, stupid, useless hope that we'll win. That the Earth will be safe. That there's a reason for all the death and suffering. That somehow, we'll be...finished." She sniffed.

Jack dug in his pocket and handed Sam a crumpled handkerchief. She promptly began twisting it into a rope. Riley covered his eyes with his hand, unable to meet Buffy's eyes any longer.

The brittle, worn woman in front of them wasn't anywhere in the Pentagon's files. This young blonde looked as weary as Jack on his worst days–the ones when he really comprehended the scope of what they'd gotten themselves into by opening the 'gate and killing Ra. The days when the decisions he made meant people died or would keep dying, and he realized that he couldn't stop it from happening.

Buffy's ancient hazel eyes locked on Daniel, receiving sympathy and understanding in return, but not pity. She took them as the gifts they were. For once, he was content to let someone else speak.

She took a deep breath, hoping that it would clear her head of old ghosts. It didn't. "And now...now you tell me that no matter what I do...even if the slayers kill every demon or vamp on the planet...stop every apocalypse...there's a very good chance that the planet will be destroyed or that all the people we've worked so hard to save...they'll become nothing but slaves."

Teal'c met her stare, which was becoming a bit vacant as she lost herself. Buffy Summers was a warrior. He was confident that she would make the proper decision, no matter what it cost her. "Yes."

After a moment, Buffy nodded and straightened her shoulders, again becoming the woman who'd first walked into Jack O'Neill's house. "Okay. You've got me."

"Why?" Jack was going to kill him for what sounded like an argument, but Daniel's curiosity was strangling him.

Her gaze was steady. "Because I refuse to be a slave. Because I refuse to let the bad guys win. Because I don't trust any government to save this planet." She had other, more personal reasons, but she wasn't going to divulge them to a roomful of virtual strangers, Riley included. She'd spilled enough of her soul for one night.

Jack nodded. After what she'd said, he was almost desperate to get her on his team. This woman wouldn't give up fighting until she died. "That's fair."

"I won't do this alone. I need some of my people to know, so they can make their choices."

Jack cleared his throat and began to fidget. Some days it seemed like everyone in the federal government knew about the Stargate program, but in reality it was still highly classified. He wasn't completely comfortable divulging information to everyone Buffy Summers asked him to, no matter what the Joint Chiefs said. "I'd like to keep the group as limited as possible."

She nodded once. "I'd like to tell them in person. This...it isn't something you can say over the phone or in an e-mail."

Jack lay a warning hand across Sam's shoulders and gave them a squeeze before she opened her mouth and started babbling about secure lines and dedicated servers, even though she knew rationally that it wasn't what anyone needed to hear at the moment. During emotional stress, Sam resorted to technobabble. He knew that–he just didn't want to deal with it right now.

"Where?"

"Cleveland. There's a complex, and it's fairly central."

As Jack, Buffy, and Sam began to work out the logistics for what was shaping up into some kind of trip, Daniel noticed that Dawn hadn't returned. She had to be freezing on the deck by this point.

"I'm going to go check on Dawn. She's been out there a while."

"Thanks, Daniel."

Daniel grabbed an afghan from the back of the sofa on his way out, jostling Jack and Sam a little as he did so. He walked outside and saw Dawn, huddled in her thin denim jacket, arms hugged around herself, still staring at the stars.

She spoke as soon as she heard the door close and his foot step onto the wood, not looking at him. "She would have done it anyway, y'know."

He laid the blanket around her shoulders and she clenched it tightly around her, instinctively seeking warmth. "What?"

"Buffy. She would have done it anyway. You didn't have to lie to me."

Daniel was baffled. Twenty-seven languages, over one hundred planets, three PhD's, a year as an ascended being and he still couldn't understand women. "Didn't have to...you think I lied to you?"

"Yes."

"What about?"

"Being my advisor."

Clarity was going to be on sabbatical for a little while longer. "I didn't lie to you about being your advisor, Dawn. I want to be your advisor. Very much. You seem like a great person and your work is fascinating. And apparently valuable."

"As long as I brought Buffy with me to meet General O'Neill."

"It was your idea to bring her with you, remember?" Daniel yelled, completely exasperated. He grabbed Dawn's shoulders and turned her towards him. The blanket fell to the ground as she instinctively came up swinging and hit him on the ear, knocking his glasses loose.

She was furious, burning with rage at him, Buffy, herself, the situation. "Keep your hands off me, Dr. Jackson. I kill things that would scare you to death."

Fine. He went icy cold and removed his glasses, putting them in his pocket. "You have no idea what scares me, Miss Summers. No idea at all."

He picked up the blanket and walked back towards the house. Maybe Buffy or Riley would be able to figure out what the hell was going on with Dawn.

Dawn sighed. She needed him, and it really wasn't his fault. "Wait."

He turned and folded his arms across his chest. And waited.

She slid a hunk of hair behind her ear. "I'm sorry. It's not you, it's me."

Daniel still wasn't talking. Especially since Dawn seemed to be giving him a standard break-up speech and he was confused again. He hadn't known they were dating.

Goddess, this was hard. Did Buffy have to do this every time she jumped to a bad conclusion? "I...I was angry. Because Buffy got offered the chance to save the world. Again. While I got offered the glorious and fun-filled chance to stay here where it's safe and translate some ancient journals that may...someday...be vaguely useful."

"Riley told me you wanted to be a Watcher."

Dawn shook her head and wrapped her arms around her torso again. Daniel handed her the afghan. She accepted it as the peace offering it was meant to be and draped it around herself. "It was what I wanted, but only because there was nothing else for me to do. I'm human." They'd get into the key stuff later, if it became necessary.

"Okay." Daniel considered that a point in her favor.

"No, I mean...I'm not special. I'm not super strong or uber witchy. I don't get visions. I don't have special healing powers. But I know about vamps and demons and the kind of fight that's going on under everybody else's noses. I can't just ostrich myself and pretend nothing's happening. So I decided I was going to help the people who were special."

"Sounds special to me. You have no idea how many people refuse to fight. Especially if it means doing boring stuff in the background." Daniel didn't even want to think about what the SGC would be without Walter Davis and Sergeant Siler. He made a mental note to buy them both dinner.

She waved him off and began to pace. He leaned against the railing and watched. "Except I've been talking to Giles and Wes, and it looks like I won't even be a Watcher."

Daniel was shocked. "What? Why not?"

"It's my decision, actually. I can't work with a slayer, teach her everything I know, and then send her off to fight. To die. I'm sick of people protecting me and dying for me–and I'm not worth all the fuss, trust me. I know exactly what Buffy went through–how much she didn't want to be a slayer. How tough her life is and was because she became one. I won't ask someone else to go through that when I can't."

He didn't have anything to say to that. "So what are you going to do?"

She stopped and shrugged, looking at her feet. "Dunno. Probably translations. I can do those without working directly with a slayer."

"May I offer you an alternative?"

Dawn looked up at Daniel. He'd put his glasses back on. "Sure."

"I wanted to ask you as soon as I saw your resumé, before I knew about Buffy being a slayer, but then I didn't, because Riley was so positive you wouldn't be interested..."

"Dr. Jackson..."

Daniel sighed. "I'd like you to join my team."

Now Dawn was shocked. "SG-1?"

Flushing slightly, Daniel shook his head. "No. I meant my linguistics department. I desperately need someone with your skills to run the place when I'm not there."

"Where will you be?"

He paused to think. "Oh...Seattle, Russia...stranded on some weird planet...held captive on a mother ship by a system lord–they're the head Goa'ulds, by the way...working with the Tok'ra...sometimes I have conferences..." Sometimes he was ascended to a higher plane of existence...but maybe he'd just keep that to himself for a while.

Dawn was outwardly skeptical, even if, internally, she was jumping around and cheering because Daniel Jackson had decided to hire her before he found out her sister was a slayer. "Uh huh. So I'm stuck in the office translating while you're out having fun?"

He gave a wry smile. "I wouldn't call working with the Tok'ra fun, precisely...but no, if you wanted to, I guess you could be on a field team."

She smiled. This offer was starting to sound pretty good. "What do you do on a field team?"

Daniel studied the side of Jack's house. No peeling paint for Jack O'Neill. "You prepare briefings. You go to new planets, meet new people and learn about new cultures. You try not to get killed or taken hostage by the Goa'uld. According to my last performance review, that's not really my strong point. Um, translate any books, papers, walls, or technology you find on the planet, determine whether there's any important information about how to fight or defeat the Goa'uld for good. I seem to spend a lot of my time running."

Dawn grinned as a thought occurred to her. No demons could kidnap her if she wasn't on the planet to kidnap, right? Bonus!

"Oh, and sometimes we have to shoot and kill. Are you okay with that?" He was serious. Dawn was used to fighting the inhuman–she'd have to be able to fight and possibly kill something with a human face if Jack let her out on a team.

"I'm okay with the running. I usually run about ten miles a day, just in case–rule number one of not being dead is to not let the bad guys catch you."

He smiled. That was a rule he could get behind. Plus it addressed some of the fitness requirement issues that Jack (and the Air Force) had. "Didn't you tell me you've been kidnapped twenty-six times?"

"Sometimes they're quicker than others."

"I see."

She leaned next to him on the railing and offered him some afghan, which he took gladly. Early to mid-fall in Colorado wasn't exactly warm at night. "I don't know about the shooting. One of my best friends was killed by a stray gunshot six years ago and it's still fairly wigsome. But I promise to try."

"I guess that's all we can hope for." Dawn shivered and unconsciously scooted closer to Daniel. He automatically put his arm around her and she snuggled in closer.

"You make a good space heater."

He laughed. Sha're hadn't liked sleeping snuggled in with him during the summer on Abydos because he made her too hot, but she'd slept practically on top of him as soon as it started getting cooler. "I get that a lot."

Dawn tilted her head back and stared at the night sky. She was content with herself and her decision, breathing deeply in the crisp night air. "How many have you been to?"

He looked up. From long habit he found the North Star and the Big Dipper. "In this galaxy? Not very many."

The door opened and Jack stepped through, clearing his throat noisily. He raised a silent eyebrow at Daniel and Dawn, the afghan, their close physical proximity, and the fact that neither one had moved an inch when they saw him approach. "Hey, campers. Looks like we're going to Ohio."

Dawn perked up. "Really? When?"

"Your sister's on the phone right now, coordinating schedules. Probably today or tomorrow." Daniel still hadn't moved. "Everything okay out here?"

"Yes, Jack, everything's fine. We were just on our way in." He removed his arm from around Dawn's shoulders, leaving her with the afghan and walking towards the house. "Oh, and Dawn has graciously agreed to come to work for us."

"Sweet." Jack's eyes bored into the back of Daniel's head as the archeologist walked into the living room and began chatting easily with Riley. He hoped the good doctor knew what he was getting into. He gestured towards the door. "Coming?"

"Yeah. In a minute." As soon as she figured out why having Daniel Jackson's arm around her made her feel comfortable and safe in a way she hadn't since her mother was alive.

"Okay." He left to reassure Buffy that her sister wasn't having a meltdown and firm up their travel plans.

In later years, Daniel Jackson would realize that it was during this conversation that he fell a little bit in love with Dawn Summers.