Disclaimer: Still don't own yet.

Notes: thanks for my reviewers so far. The more reviews the better.

Summary so far: Aliana, the first dead and alive again slayer has reached W&H. There are plans to save Fred while keeping Illyria. Daniel has discovered Aliana has flown the coop and isn't too pleased

"Did I embarrass you?" Aliana sticks her head in Wesley's office.

"Yes," Wesley replies.

"Sorry," Aliana ducks her head.

"No you're not," states Wesley.

"You're right," Aliana grins. "I missed you."

"I know," Wesley replies. "You want to help me translate this? It's like Ancient Egyptian, but not."

"Let me see," frowns Aliana, as she demands the text. He hands her the book. She opens it and looks through the text.

"Goa'uld," she mutters softly. "Interesting."

"Grab a seat," Wesley invites. Aliana sits down and starts making notes on a pad of paper.

"You can translate this?" Wesley asks.

"Yup," Aliana nods. "I've been working on translating similar stuff through my work. I've learned the language pretty well, considering I had the foremost expert helping me learn."

"Really?" asks Wesley. "Who?"

"My boyfriend, Daniel," smiles Aliana blushing. "You would like him."

"I would?" Wesley asks.

"A bit of a nonconformist, very opinionated and given to doing what's right even when it isn't necessarily popular," Aliana grins describing Daniel. "Oh yeah, and hot as the day is long. He isn't British though."

"Well, we can't all be perfect," replies Wesley. "Speaking of perfect and British, I notice you've mostly lost your accent."

"It let's me blend in better to not use it," Aliana shrugs. "I still have it. Don't worry about that. It's just a lot easier for them to think I've lived here for a long time. Less questions."

"Ah," Wesley nods. "So why archeology? I thought you were going to teach."

"I don't know, even though I was officially off duty in the Slayer biz, I still felt the need to slay," Aliana stares blankly down at the pad of paper. "I never really lost the hunger, just the sheer drudgery of it was no longer that important to me. I tried to quit, but I couldn't. So I figured I would want to travel a lot because of it. In addition, archeologists travel a lot, going from dig to dig and all. So, I got my degree in Archeology. I've enjoyed it too. I've seen things you wouldn't imagine."

"Where are you working right now?" Wesley asks.

"For the US Air Force," Aliana grins. "I'm based at Cheyenne Mountain, though I go all over the world on a fairly regular basis."

"Why is the military hiring archeologists?" Wesley frowns.

"Classified," replies Aliana. "It's the most interesting work I've ever had though."

'You always did have a short attention span," Wesley teases her.

"Hey," she whacks him with a pen. "That wasn't nice."

"Payback for that high school story earlier," replies Wesley smiling evilly.

"Naughty brother," Aliana growls playfully. She's imitating Drusilla. She had a talent for impressions.

"Dead on as always," Wesley replies. "Well done."

"Of course," Ali nods smugly. "I always am." They sit in companionable silence, both working on projects. Aliana hadn't felt this relaxed and homey in a long time. It reminds her of growing up, except, minus the nasty Mr. Wyndam Pryce. The two of them had spent many hours working together hunched over a collection of dusty books. It had been one of their biggest pleasures; just sitting together putting together a puzzle of clues into a demon and the method of killing it.

Aliana laughs softly as she realizes once again the trueness of the statement about the person you wind up loving being a lot like what you grew up with. Admittedly, Daniel was a bit better adjusted than Wesley is, knowing that for the first eight years of his life, he was loved by his parents, but they had similar habits. Both so incredibly brilliant it took her breath away, both nice and cute and funny and sweet. Aliana smiles. It's rare you find one guy like that, and she had found two. She was lucky to have them to help her.

Daniel never realized how much he helped her just by being there for her. She was passed the point where she needed a watcher type person. She'd always been a good researcher, and she was familiar with nearly every earth style of combat. She did need someone to remind her that there was life out of slaying, thoughand Daniel did that.

"What are you thinking about?" Wesley asks.

"Stuff," Aliana replies. "Remembering my first vampire."

"You were so uncoordinated," Wesley replies. "I was surprised you didn't get killed."

"Hey, had to protect my baby brother," Ali shrugs.

"Just because you're a month older than me," Wesley snarls. "You still wound up on your ass."

"Not my fault, I didn't see him trip me," Ali frowns. Her first vampire had been when she was fourteen. It had been right after she realized she had received slayer powers. She had taken Wes out with her to see what killing a vampire was like. She hadn't told his father yet so they had to sneak out in the dark of night. They'd chosen a freshly risen and she had laid into it with her training. She had just forgotten one thing. She was supposed to have a stake with her. Wesley had had to run all the way to the house to grab a stake so she could kill it. She learned after that first time to carry a stake with her always. The experience had been a learning one. They'd told Mr. Pryce the next night. Big mistake. She'd hated taking him on patrols with her. Of course, she never liked him anyway, but having to spend more time with him was high on the list of things she liked to do least, right up there with getting demon blood on a brand new shirt and failing classes. Not that she'd ever failed a class but the sentiment remained the same.

"Do you have the text translated yet?" Wesley asks.

"Yup," Aliana nods. "I think so."

"Is it doable?" Wesley asks impatiently.

"I think so," Ali nods. "If I can get some items, I'm going to need to see a manifesto of artifacts of Wolfram and Hart. The Egyptian stuff especially as well as anything really old."

"I'll see what I can do," Wesley nods. "I'll have you given full access to the artifacts rooms."

"Great," Ali nods. "Show me a list of stuff. I need to see any sarcophagi and any Canopic jars."

"Okay," Wesley frowns. "Those are odd things to need."

"I know," Aliana nods. "Don't worry. I know what I'm doing."

"I hope so," Wesley mumbles.

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