A/N: Good news, everyone. I have nearly everything finished and will be posting the final chapters (about 5 or so) at regular intervalls. Inshallah.

Once Burned, Twice Shy

All of them had spent a pleasant afternoon, talking and eating. All except Buffy who was on a hair trigger whenever she was near Murray and was deeply shocked when she found herself clutching her steak knife murderously when the only thing Murray had done was lean close to grab the mustard.

Nobody had managed to pry Daniel and Dawn off the topic of academic trivia. And it was only when Buffy plunked a stack of dishes directly into Dawn's hands, that it stopped by default.

Buffy herded Dawn into the kitchen while Jack took care of Daniel. She hoped to find the time to tell Dawn about her suspicions concerning Murray but they were never alone long enough.

Sam and Pete were taking Murray home right now because it had started snowing heavily and they were slightly worried about not being able to make it to Murray's place in the dark. So now the remaining four stood in the kitchen sorting dishes.

When Jack stepped up to Buffy to ostensibly hand her one of the bowls and took the opportunity to drop a short kiss on the side of her neck, Buffy couldn't help but tense up.

Jack looked at her, raising his eyebrows in question.

Buffy managed to squeeze out a smile and was infinitely relieved when Dawn gave her the opportunity to latch onto something.

"Guys, I need some fresh air. Daniel, you coming with?"

Buffy couldn't believe Dawn was serious: "It's snowing, Dawn!"

"I know." Dawn smiled blithely and ignored Buffy's pleading look not to leave her alone.

Daniel looked rather surprised but said of course he would. And the two of them left, leaving Buffy alone with Jack, normally a good thing but right now the last thing she wanted.

She had her back turned but imagined Jack getting ready to put their alonetime to some good use.

She wasn't ready. Her back ached from the tension, her nerves were shot and her head hurt from thinking too much.

She knew she had to be suspicious but she didn't want to be. She liked Jack, liked him a lot and when she was perfectly honest with herself, it felt as if she was already halfway to much more. And her instinct told her that she could trust him. But her instinct had been wrong before, not recently but decisively and painfully. It was a pain she wasn't willing to ever feel again. And the risk of being wrong about trusting him especially with Dawn around wasn't something she was willing to take.

"You think they need a chaperone?" Jack's amused sounding voice broke through her heavy thinking.

"Huh?" Buffy had been so engrossed in her own thoughts, that she didn't understand what Jack meant at all.

"I mean, come on! Those two have been inseparable since Dawn got here, practically finishing each other's sentences. And now she wants to go outside. With him. And he goes along, when I know for a fact that Daniel positively hates being cold." Buffy turned around to see Jack smirking in the direction Dawn and Daniel had left.

"You mean... no!" Buffy stated vehemently.

"You gotta admit, it sounds kinda hokey."

She hesitated and then admitted: "Well, maybe." And it showed how preoccupied Buffy was with her own problems that this little tidbit didn't get a rise out of big sister.

"Thank Goodness! I really needed this." Dawn was taking a deep breath.

"I can relate, though I quit after grad school."

"Wise move. Buffy would have my head on a platter if she knew." She was taking another lungful of her cigarette. "Thank you for coming along. It would have been hard to explain why I wanted to come outside otherwise."

"No problem." Daniel hunched his shoulders inside his parka. Dawn didn't seem to mind the cold but he was always happiest with temperatures firmly above freezing point. They were sitting on a wooden bench which they had cleared of snow beforehand. The roof kept the still falling snow away, barely. It felt very peaceful, what with the night surrounding them like a comforting blanket, the falling snow gentling the usual noises.

Dawn was eager to resume picking Daniel's brain: "So, you think that I should try to get on this excursion?"

"Yes! It's a great way to get your feet wet and see if you really want to write your thesis on the Hitites."

"But most of the students on that excursion only know what's in C.W. Ceram!" Dawn scrunched up her nose in disgust.

"But the prof doesn't! And that's the point. You need to get them to notice you otherwise you'll just be another student and it'll be that much harder to get anyone to be your advisor for your doctorate."

Dawn was so glad to have found someone who actually knew how everything worked. German universities weren't big on giving students a helping hand with tips and tricks, but rather expected them to figure it out for themselves. She was so engrossed listening to Daniel that she nearly went through the roof when suddenly an ungodly racket arose next door.

She craned her neck and saw some guys, apparently the neighbours or their kids, since none of them looked over 25 and sort of grungy, standing together on the front lawn around the kicked over trash can. The tranquility of the continuously falling snow in sharp contrast to the actual proceedings next door.

Dawn couldn't hear a word Daniel was saying as the guys started kicking the trash can about, laughing and having a good time at the expense of everyone else's ear drums. Never mind the fact that it was already past nine o'clock and someone might want to sleep.

She stood up, turned around and yelled across the lawn: "Hey, you morons! Quit with the racket already!" She sat down again, gratified when the noise stopped. Daniel just repeated what he had said before unflustered and Dawn settled her scarf securely around her shoulders, already completely engrossed again.

Daniel always gestured expansively, so when he suddenly stopped and went bug-eyed behind his glasses, Dawn couldn't help but notice and sat up. "What's the matter?"

"Dawn, is that what I think it is?" Daniel sounded very quiet and stared fixedly over Dawn's right shoulder.

She turned around and her eyes grew huge.

"Fuck!" She dropped her cigarette, whirled to face Daniel again who was still staring. "Get inside! Now!" She shoved him to get him to move. Behind her she could hear snarling noises getting closer rapidly.

Suddenly Daniel galvanized into motion, dragging her with him. He headed for the verandah door.

"You get your sister, I'll distract Jack. She packing?"

Dawn looked at him in utter bewilderment not understanding at all. "Huh?"

Daniel explained urgently: "Dawn, those are vampires. She's the Slayer. Is she prepared?"

"Always."

"Good! Get moving!" And he shoved her through the verandah door, closing it behind them.

While hurrying towards the kitchen Dawn managed to gather her wits enough to gasp out: "How?"

"I read." Came the tight reply and Dawn couldn't help but roll her eyes.

Dawn burst into the kitchen just behind Daniel who made a beeline for Jack saying something she couldn't make out.

"Buffy! You gotta see this. Like right now." And she didn't wait for Buffy to ask the whys and wherefores but simply grabbed her hand und dragged her back into the living room where her sister finally dug her heels in.

"What in hell are you doing, Dawn?" She sounded annoyed.

Dawn simply stepped aside, letting Buffy see what was outside.

Her mouth settled into a thin line and she squared her shoulders. "Crashers. I see. Dawn, you have to distract Jack and Daniel. They can't see..."

"No need. Daniel knows and is taking care of Jack."

Buffy's gaze burned a hole into Dawn who just shrugged. "He knew before."

"Go figure." Buffy determinedly pushed aside any thoughts about that particular piece of absolutely disastrous news for later examination and turned back to the big window where six vampires could be seen milling about on the deck baring their teeth and showing off their game faces at the humans so tantalizingly out of reach.

If they make any more noise everyone will know.

The Slayer slid open the verandah door and stepped out to play.

"Boys, who forgot to tell you this is a private party?"

One vampire dressed in black leather pants and a totally weather inappropiate shortsleeved black tee stepped to the front.

"Lookee what we have here." He smirked at his buddies. "Found ourselves one of the itty bitty slayers to have fun with. Let me show you how the big boys do it." He finished with a leer, stepping closer.

Buffy spun around, gathered momentum and hit him with a high kick to the temple making him fly clean over the railing into the snow below.

"If you're sure you can handle me." Came Buffy's lackadaisical reply.

His buddies had been momentarily taken aback but after a few seconds they all turned on Buffy.

When number two came into range she tossed him effortlessly to join his friend in the snowdrift below

Number three received a swift, merciless jab upwards with the palm of her hand which drove the bone of his nose into his brain. It didn't kill him, but put him on the deck for the time being, to be dealt with later.

Number four managed to grasp her by the shoulder. She trod heavily on his instep, hearing the bones crunch and then cleanly twisted his head off. He exploded into dust.

She pulled her stake out of her boot and whirled around to plunge it into number five who had tried to get her from behind.

"Is this what your friend had in mind?"

She grinned at the last vampire still standing. He was clearly the newest of the bunch since he was looking at Buffy in bewilderment and was still hesitating, unsure what to make of it all.

Buffy didn't have time for him to make up his mind and threw her stake accurately.

It clattered to the ground, ash gently fluttering downwards around it.

Buffy sauntered over, picked it up and got rid of number three who just started stirring again from his place on the ground.

That left the first two. She vaulted over the railing. There was no sign of number two but for a patch of dark grey around a smashed wooden bird house.

Leatherpants was already standing again, not looking so cool anymore with snow clinging to him in odd places and his face nearly blue from the cold. He was eyeing her more warily.

"Summers." He snarled and showed his teeth.

"Gosh! You a fan?" Buffy put her hand on her chest as if flattered.

He didn't answer but instead launched himself at her, his fingers hooked like claws. That caught Buffy by surprise. She managed to sidestep barely.

"Gee, you must know 'Nosferatu' by heart."

He lashed out with his hand and caught the edge of her sweater, yanking it hard and making her stumble towards him. She used the momentum to barrel into him sideways, tumbling them to the ground. They rolled through the billowing snow, each determined not to let the other one get on top.

They were stopped by the edge of the deck, with Buffy smashing into it painfully and somehow Leatherpants managed to end up sitting on her stomach. He wrapped his fingers around her neck and squeezed.

Jeez! What was this guy in life? Some kind of secret mud wrestling addict? This way he can't even bite me.

She put all her strength into an upward jab to his face making him loose his grip, while kicking up her legs, wrapping them around his head from behind and flipped him over backwards.

He landed on his stomach not three feet away with a satisfying 'oomph' and Buffy scooted over to put Mr Pointy to its designated use.

Dawn kept throwing anxious looks alternatingly outside and back into the house.

She hoped Daniel would manage to keep Jack distracted long enough for Buffy to finish.

Everything seemed to be taking forever outside and every noise sounded a hundred times louder than appropiate. Dawn kept expecting Jack and Daniel to pop up at the most inopportune moments. She nearly jumped out of her skin when the verandah door was shoved open forcefully behind her when she was checking for any sign of the guys.

Buffy stood just outside brushing snow off herself and stomping her shoes energetically. She was muttering darkly: "I just hope this doesn't stain. Damn, why is it always the new stuff this happens to?"

Dawn stepped closer, helping to brush off the last of the snow from Buffy's hair.

"All finished?"

"Yep."

And Dawn didn't say anything else when she noticed the tight set of Buffy's mouth.

The two sisters made their way to the kitchen just as Daniel burst out of it, throwing wild looks behind him. When he saw the two Summers who were eyeing him warily, he slid to a stop.

"Jack's in back, getting changed. I spilled maple syrup over him." Another wild look was thrown over Daniel's shoulder. "Everything ok? I mean..." He made exaggerated stabbing motions with his hand.

Dawn snickered. Combined with his wide-eyed look over the top of his slightly skewed glasses, it just looked too weird. Buffy shot her a look to show her she wasn't amused. Crossing her arms over her chest, she fixed Daniel coldly: "Dr Jackson, you've been holding out on us."

Daniel pushed his glasses up and answered easily, to all appearances utterly unflustered by Buffy: "I know, you're supposed to be a secret. But I found this Watcher's journal misfiled at Oxford when I was studying there. It's fascinating! I assumed that the Slayer was just a myth. But even myths have their roots in reality, I should best know that." At that he looked a bit self-deprecating and smiled disarmingly at Buffy, probably without even trying but she wasn't about to let herself getting taken in.

Her chest felt hollow and only deep seated resentment at Daniel, Jack, the Powers That Be and foremostly at her own naivety rattled around in it.

It had been a set up. The past wonderful weeks with Jack, all a lie, all just for the military to get their grubby paws on her and hers. She had been had, it must be so. Buffy's face burned with humiliation and an ice cold calm settled around her heart.

"So this is where you spring beefy guys with dark cammo and geeky ones in white labcoats on us?" She uncrossed her arms in utter, dangerous calm and took a step forward, nearly bringing her nose to nose, well, chest with Daniel, who continued looking harmless.

"What?" Now he added bewilderment to the picture. "Why would I do that?"

"Because, it's what you do." Buffy's voice sounded ice cold.

"I do?"

"Come on! You can't tell me you and your military pals haven't been setting this whole thing up."

"I can't?"

Dawn's voice broke in hesitantly: "Buffy, I think he might not be what you think he is."

But Buffy continued, without really hearing: "I can't believe, you got me so easily. Guess Jack got some real jollies out of this whole scheme. And I fell right for it! The delicious guy with the sense of humour and a sarcastic streak a mile wide, dinner and a movie and the tried and true Valentino routine on the couch..."

Dawn's muffled snort cut through Buffy's increasingly agitated tirade. Replaying her last sentences she blushed and was distracted for a bit.

Daniel jumped on the chance: "Buffy, I haven't told Jack, haven't told anyone." His blue eyes looked down on her with such seriousness, truly an oscarworthy performance in her book and she had been played by some good ones. "I just read a lot, that's why I know."

Buffy decided to take a calculated risk: "What's Stargate Command?"

While Daniel's expression fell, Buffy heard Dawn gasp behind her: "Did you say Stargate? Is that where Jack's working?" Her tone was urgent and incredulous at the same time.

Buffy turned her head to look at Dawn: "Yes. Didn't I say?"

"No!" Dawn wailed. "If you had I could have told you that Chaapa'ai roughly translates to Stargate."

Thick silence settled around the three of them, which Buffy broke by whispering: "Bummer."

Jack was annoyed. It had taken an age or two to clean up, since he had been positively drenched in sticky stuff.

I swear, Daniel gets weirder and weirder. Nobody can be so clumsy as to manage to spill a whole bottle of maple syrup on someone else when said maple syrup wasn't even supposed to be anywhere near.

He closed his closet with a bit too much force, yanked the shirt he had picked closed and started buttoning and moving to the living room.

The lights were off and Jack expected everyone to be in the kitchen. Thus he was quite surprised at the tableau Buffy, Daniel and Dawn were presenting in the darkness.

"He-llo."

All three of them jumped slightly.

"What did I miss?"

Both Buffy and Dawn spoke at the same time.

"Nothing." Dawn smiled brightly.

Buffy just blurted out: "We gotta go."

"Already?" Jack put some whine into it. "I thought we could give the geeks some money for the library and..." He wriggled his eyebrows exaggeratedly.

Except for a weak grin by Daniel he got no reaction.

"Really Jack, we have to go." Buffy busied herself brushing off some unseen specks from her pant leg and started looking around for her purse.

Fast, as to make Jack's head spin the two women collected their purses and tupperware containers, shrugged on their coats and then he was waving goodbye to their beetle speeding off.

He closed the door and thumped Daniel's shoulder: "What did you do to scare them off?"

He had only meant it as a joke but Daniel shot him an almost guilty look and said nothing.

And Buffy hadn't kissed him goodbye or even met his eyes.

tbc