Disclaimer: I still do.
For all my reviewers. You guys rock. Hope you know that.

Warnings: Again I have to say, parts are necessarily missing here at this R-rated site. Check it out in its entirety at tthfanfic dot com.

Prom Night And Variations Thereof

Jack brushed off some imaginary specks from his dress uniform. He had just rung the door bell to Buffy's apartment. It was Friday evening, the evening of the Christmas formal and Jack was nervous as hell. An unusual feeling for him.

After a long inner debate he had asked Buffy to accompany him. He remembered that he didn't give a damn about most people's opinion anyway. The right people would figure it out and the other could just kiss his...

"Good evening, General O'Neill." Buffy's low, seductive sounding voice interrupted his musings.

"Good... gracious." Jack simply gaped.

Before him stood Buffy in a simple, but elegant black gown. The hem was nearly brushing the floor and her feet were encased in high heels with some kind of sparkly application. She had done her hair in an up do Farah Dibah style with some tendrils artfully escaping on the sides. Her make up was demure, just highlighting her natural beauty, a dark red lip stick accentuating the delicate bow of her lips, making Jack's mouth water. Pearl earrings and a matching long necklace were her only jewellery. The gown was high necked but sleeveless and when she cheekily posed in her door frame he could see a slit coming up to about knee height.

He swallowed, she looked absolutely gorgeous.

"I take it, I pass then." Buffy said through a knowing smile.

"Oh yeah!" That came from the heart. "Why exactly should we leave the house today?"

Buffy chuckled. "Because it took me hours to get this done, my nerves are shot and you look no slouch yourself. Check out the major hottie I got meself."

"General hottie actually."

Jack found his feet again and ever the consumate officer and gentleman offered her his arm. "Shall we face the firing squad?"

"We shall." Buffy grabbed her purse and coat and off they went.

"How am I doing so far?" Buffy managed to squeeze out between her frozen smile.

"Better than I do. I already called that old dotty over there pasty faced in so many words and managed to insult General Hobanks on the loo."

"How so?"

"You don't want to know." Jack answered expressionless.

Buffy snorted but managed to turn it into a throat clearing when another couple approached Jack, ostensibly wanting to exchange the usual pleasantries but very obviously checking Buffy out thoroughly.

At least an hour more of this, Jack said. I can do this. Nothing horrible has happened because of me. Yet.
Remind me to never again agree to something like this. These people are so stuck in the 60s. If I have to listen to another Stepford clone prattle on about the virtues of half curtains, I'll slay her outright.

Thankfully Sam had reassured Buffy that she had managed to completely pull the wool over the eyes of everyone. Sam had discreetly played spy and told Buffy afterwards that most guests thought her delightful and charming.

Gargh!

No mention was made about her being too young.

So at least on that front the evening was a success.

Buffy knew she should be grateful but couldn't help feeling a completely female peevishness at being able to pass for ten years older so easily.

She was also secretly glad that she didn't have to meet Jack's other friends from work, Daniel and Murray. She had told Jack in short words about meeting Daniel but didn't go into the exact details of how she probably managed to weird out another of his friends.

Apparently this gettogether was only for the military types and since neither Daniel nor Murray seemed to belong to that category they just weren't invited.

Lucky shirkers, they are.

Buffy couldn't help but envy them heartily.

Meanwhile she smiled and laughed at the appropiate intervals over jokes she didn't find funny and as the one redeeming virtue of this evening, shared a non verbal camaraderie with Jack at the worst excesses.

Just now he was rolling his eyes at her over the head of some incredibly pompous sounding guy whose name Buffy had promptly forgotten not two seconds after being introduced. Buffy nearly giggled when Jack mimicked falling asleep with his face ending up in the hors d'oevre when suddenly Jack became serious and reached into his pocket, fishing out his cell phone.
A frown appeared on his face while reading the display.

"Please excuse me for a second." Jack smiled apologetically at Buffy and pompous guy.

Buffy nearly swallowed her tongue when he left her holding the fort alone. Luckily pompous guy could hold the conversation on his own, leaving Buffy free to follow Jack with her eyes as he stepped out on the porch. Jack vanished from sight and Buffy spent the next ten minutes wishing she was allowed to show the gumption of just leaving pompous guy holding his monologue in privacy.

She nearly hugged Sam and Pete when those two glibly managed to pry her away from Colonel Topitzky from Provisions and Supplies.

Luckily Sam had remembered his name.

"Thank you guys. If I would have had to stand one more minute of him I think I would have told him I was really a man and after his wife." Buffy blew a nonexistent strand of hair from her face in her annoyance.

Pete laughed outright and even Sam grinned broadly.

"I can relate. Last year I spent half an hour hearing all about the difficulties of getting us grunts adhering to the proper procedures when ordering new pencils or some such." Sam offered in sympathy but started suddenly and reached for her purse, taking out her beeper.

Buffy watched as Sam also frowned and then started looking around searchingly. When her eyes found Jack approaching fast, she apologized herself to both Pete and Buffy and joined Jack, the two of them confering briefly. Buffy noticed several others scattered across the room checking their beepers or listening on their cells.

"Buffy, I'm sorry but something has come up at the mountain." Jack had stepped up to her.

"Oh?"

"Yeah, I'm really, really sorry but would you mind if Pete took you home?"

"Sure, no problem." Buffy smiled reassuringly at Jack when she noticed that he was genuinely concerned about leaving her like this.

Out of the corner of her eye she also witnessed with bewilderment as a tiny exodus started with several people disentangling themselves from their dates and/or conversational partners and heading determindly for the exit.

"Good. Again, sorry about this. I'll call you as soon as I can." Jack briefly embraced her, gave her a lingering kiss on the lips and after a last apologizing look headed for the exit himself with Sam in tow.

Buffy could only stare after them until Pete brought her her coat and the two of them left as well.

What can be so urgent with Deep Space Radar thingummy?

Pete was really quiet during the drive, which as far as Buffy could tell was unusual for the easy going detective and careful probing brought only monosyllabic answers.

Either he doesn't know either or he doesn't want to talk. Curiouser, curiouser.

Pete dropped her off at her flat and after debating with herself whether to wait up for Jack's call, decided she had enough of the little wifey routine and headed for a lonely bed tonight.

The next morning Buffy had to work early shift from 6 'til 2, coming home showed no message from Jack on her answerphone. She was slightly peeved.
After doing some shopping, straightening the apartment and doing the dishes, it was six o'clock and she settled herself on the sofa with a magazine.
When she noticed that for the last fifteen minutes she had stared at the same ad for safer and cheaper breast implants, she threw the magazine on the table again and caved, grabbing the cordless.

The fifth ring got her Jack's answerphone and she angrily hung up without leaving a message.

By Monday Buffy was sure something had happened. She had passed anger and that left only deepseated dread and fear.

Even if he's up to his eyeballs in work, it's only a phone call.

No word from Jack at all and no response from his home. Buffy had even driven past his house and peered through the windows in her desperation.

She had tried to reach him through the official channels at the base but had gotten the brush off by the increasingly less polite receptionist. When even that brought no response from Jack even though someone surely would have told him about the madwoman on the phone, it told her something had to be fundamentally wrong.

She had no number of Sam's but had managed to get a hold of Pete, knowing that he worked as a detective. He had no word of Sam either but assured her that sometimes work at the mountain tended to run a little longer.

All that deep space must be really hopping if there's no time for even a brief call in between. This isn't like Jack at all.

Buffy was sure that she wasn't in on something and Pete wasn't about to tell her. And it drove her stark raving mad.

Increasingly desperate she was about to resort to drastic measures like walking up to that mountain and using her slayer strength to punch a hole in it and demand some answers when finally, thankfully on Monday evening her cell rang.

"Yes?"

"Buffy? It's me, Jack."

"Jack! Thank goodness. I was about to do the girly thing and start burning your pictures 'cause you didn't call. Then I realized I didn't have any." Buffy's attempt at levity sounded lame even to her. "I was really worried." She amended in a quiet tone. All her anger and resentment about Jack leaving her like that during the formal vanishing in the face of finally hearing his voice again.

"I'm sorry, kiddo. But some really serious stuff came up and they kept us there until all was resolved. There was this bigwig who absolutely wouldn't understand a no as an answer."

"Are you home right now?"

"Yeah, finally." Jack sounded relieved.

"I'll just pop by then." She just had to see him.

"Actually about that…"

"No, no, no! There's no way you can leave me hanging for three whole days and then keep me on the fringes for even longer. No way, no how." Buffy was determined to not let herself be put aside again.

"Buffy..."

Buffy continued as if he hadn't spoken at all. "I'll just grab my stuff and come right over."

"Buffy! I'm sorta… well, not at my peak right now."

"Doesn't matter. I'll just bring something to eat and you won't have to stir at all." Buffy knew she sounded like an over eager puppy but she had been so anxious and even angry at some point. But she was determined to leave that for a personal confrontation. "I just missed you so."

And I was so worried.
I thought you worked this nice cushy, totally harmless job, looking for aliens or something.
Turns out there's probably more to it. And I'm not sure I want to think about that.

"Oh kiddo." Jack sighed. "I missed you too. You not already on your way?"

When Buffy hastened up the steps to Jack's house she was laden with Chinese take out and a whole assortment of different snack foods not sure what Jack would like.

The drive and shopping trip had taken only a record 40 minutes, Buffy's beetle was still smoking at the wheels.

Jack opened the door before she could even reach for the bell and smiled down at her.

"What did you do? Bought out the drive thru?" But he smiled as he said it.

"I'll have you know that I bought only stuff of all the basic food groups. Everything with great nutritional value. At least that's what it says on the package."

Jack peered dubiously at the label of Dunkin' Donuts and just looked at her pointedly.

"Ok, ok. But I was in a hurry to get here. Now, take some of the loot and then let me in properly. And be prepared for a talking to, you big insensitive lug. Not calling for ages after leaving me like that. Tsk. Unbelievable!"

But as Jack stepped aside having the decency to look slightly sheepish Buffy couldn't help but notice: "You're limping." And all her carefully reactivated anger receded again.

She looked up from her observation and said drily. "Fell over a telescope?"

Jack chose to ignore it and blithely said: "It's just the knee acting up again."

"Right." She didn't push it, having made her decision already anyhow.

After the Chinese was gone and some sandwiches too for good measure, Buffy and Jack still lingered in the dining room, chatting about everything and anything.

Buffy had tried a few half hearted attempts at getting Jack to spill about his work but he sidestepped neatly, diverting her with his dry observations about the people from the formal.

They took the dishes to the kitchen and without much fuss started the washing up together, the radio in the background playing some soft jazz tunes.

"Have I told you that Dawn will arrive the day after tomorrow already?"

Jack had told Buffy that she was more than welcome to join him and 'his kids' in their Christmas plans but Buffy had declined, intending to spend some quality sister bonding time first and in truth felt that she didn't want to become one of those clingy girlfriends, preventing Jack from spending any time with his friends without her being there too. So when Dawn had told her that she would be arriving on 24th already it all neatly fit together.

"No. Not bad. Are you looking forward to showing lil' sis all the spectactular sights Colorado Springs has to offer?" Jack's voice was fairly dripping with sarcasm.

"Absolutely. I'm standing next to the best one right now. She's dying to see you." Buffy teased and Jack paled a bit.

"Goody! Any particular warnings?"

"Nope, just your regular inspection by the in-laws."

"In-laws. Hmm." Jack nonchalantly polished a glass to crystal clear perfection, holding it up to the light.

Buffy blushed a deep red.

Way to go on the freakometer. You spend just two weeks together and you're already mentioning in-laws.

"I mean.. you know… I was just kidding! You know what I meant!" Exasperated Buffy snapped her towel at Jack.

He lithlely avoided it, game leg nothwithstanding and instead caught her arms in an embrace. He buried his nose in her hair and inhaled deeply.

"You staying over?" He murmured, still trying to pinpoint how she managed to smell of cinnamon.

Buffy smiled: "I'd planned on it but with you making like Cpt. Blackbeard minus the beard," she pointed to his leg "I wouldn't want to make a bad thing worse."

"Naw, not possible."

"You mean, it's already the worst?"

"Of course." Jack's grave reply was only slightly hampered by him breathing it seductively into her ear, nuzzling her hair, obviously distracted.

Buffy felt a shudder run through her body and goosebumps rose on her arms.

Jack's fingers traced idle patterns on her skin.

"Yawn." He didn't do it, he actually said it, Buffy noticed with a grin. "I'm suddenly awfully tired."

"No!" Buffy sounded entirely disbelieving and entirely false and continued brightly. "Then by all means, let's go tuck you in." And she disentangled herself from Jack's embrace, took his hand in hers and set out for the bedroom resolutely.

Once they were there, Buffy had a slight attack of nerves.

I've only been here once. What if he suddenly decides that he doesn't want this anymore? Doesn't want me? And what kind of underwear am I wearing?

Jack had no such thoughts, except maybe about Buffy's unmentionables but more in the context of getting her out of them ASAP.

Jack took her face into his hands, lowering his lips to hers. Starting out slow, the kiss soon turned heated when both of them got into it. Their tongues dancing in fast and slow strokes, winding around each other, small nips and teasing bites in between drawn out licks and insistent pressure.

Buffy felt a lazy heat coiling low in her belly, spreading slow tendrils throughout her body, dispersing any lingering doubts. She let her hands roam freely over Jack's chest and back, eventually arriving at his lower back, enjoying his reaction as she let her hands dip just that little bit lower.

Jack pressed in closer, trying to envelope the whole Buffy into his arms. He slid his hands under her sweater intent on getting rid of the hampering garment.

Buffy stepped back and easily pulled off the sweater, bent down to slide down the zippers of her boots and stepped out of them, already reaching behind her to open her heavy woolen skirt and let it fall to the ground.

Jack was torn between not wanting to loose a second of the show and getting out of his clothes as soon as possible himself. He reached for the fly of his jeans, nearly groaning in relief when sliding it down eased the pressure on his aching erection. He easily stepped out of both his jeans and boxers.

Impatiently he yanked his sweater over his head and dropped it on the heap.

When Buffy began reaching back for the clasp of her bra, he stopped her: "Mind if I open my Christmas present early?"

She smiled at him and let her hands fall to her sides in clear invitation.

Quite some time later the two of them lay in a content tangled heap snugly under the covers.

Buffy was lying full length on top Jack and both were on the verge of drifting off.

"Am going to miss you." Buffy mumbled somewhere in the vicinity of his solar plexus.

"It's only going to be a few days. And anyway, it was your idea."

"Stupid. Stupid idea. Stupid Buffy."

"Now come on, not all your ideas are stupid." Jack tightened his hold on her.

"That was just your bodacious bod tempting me." Buffy speech was slurring as sleep crept up on her.

Jack snorted. "Yeah right. And here I thought you liked my for my titillating conversation."

"Sure." It floated up dreamily and then she was out like a light.

tbc