DISCLAIMER

DISCLAIMER!:

All the characters appearing in Gargoyles and Gargoyles: The Goliath Chronicles are copyright Buena Vista Television/The Walt Disney Company. No infringement of these copyrights is intended, and is not authorized by the copyright holder.

All other original characters belong to me and may not be used with my permission.

The four humans and two gargoyles stared at each other from their places in the dining area. It was First Sergeant Sweet who broke the silence. "You know Smith, that tee shirt isn't authorized with that uniform," he said.

Jessica clapped a clawed hand to her face, moved to attention, backed up a step, and walked away quickly. She returned and held out a handful of brown scraps. "Thank you first sergeant, I realize that. However, these are what remain of my brown shirts after trying to get into something decent, first sergeant." Dropping the shirts into a heap at her feet, she moved back to where she had started.

Jack Kasandy groaned beneath his own hand and gave a shake of his head to the specialist. "If we could, let's figure out what to do and then worry about uniform dress codes. Smith, why don't you make something for everybody?"

Growling low, Smith snapped to attention, did an abrupt about face, and headed for the kitchen. "What do I look like," she mumbled to herself as she got out of earshot, "a maid? So much for equal opportunity in the military."

Back in the dining area, Specialist Vasquez had been given the rest order, snapped to attention, and made a small gesture for the officer and NCOs to sit down. "Um, sirs, if you give have any questions I'll try to answer what we know. I'm sure Sergeant Kasandy filled you in as to what he knows - which is really all we kno…"

Captain Gilhoon placed a hand on the male specialist's shoulder. "Calm down son," he chuckled. "You're as nervous as a long tail cat in a room full of rockers. We're not going to bite yer head off here."

Aaron nodded and for a moment let his calm demeanor slip. "So, what is going to happen to Smith and me?" He wrung his hands in slight agitation. "A military career wasn't really our goal, but we were at least hoping to complete our enlistment, sir."

The colonel nodded and settled into a chair. "We'll get to all that as soon as possible. First of all, why didn't you and Smith bring this stuff you found," here he indicated the scrolls and box still on the table, "to the attention of your superior officers?"

Smith returned from the kitchen with several mugs of coffee balanced on a tray, a sugar container in the tray free hand, and a gallon of milk clasped by her tail. "Because sir, the runes on the box definitely weren't military issue and I thought it'd be fun to investigate it myself." Setting the stuff on the table, she stepped back.

"What were you hoping to find," Kasandy asked.

Aaron spoke up quickly. "A lot of paper ash really, sir." He gave a nervous chuckle as he continued. "Maybe a few pictures or what not. Definitely not what we found, nor were we expecting this, sir."

First sergeant Sweet peered at Jessica's tail curiously. "Did that take extra effort," he inquired.

Jessica looked at the large male. "Did what take extra effort, first sergeant?"

"Using your tail just now?"

Perplexed, Jessica gave a shrug. "No first sergeant. In fact, it felt quite natural." She moved away and stood behind Aaron as if for protection.

"Are you afraid of us, Smith?"

Aaron turned slightly to look at her from his seat. She felt his eyes on her, but chose to look at the floor instead. "Yes first sergeant. As sergeant major Jenkins pointed out, we're not exactly human in appearance anymore. How many people are going to be able to look past the skin and see us as whom we are? How many are seriously going to be able to accept us? If we had turned to stone this morning, would there be a morning where we didn't come out of it because some maniac thinks were demons? I mean, Vasquez and I are shunned because of our religion. I can just see it being taken a step further and some Christian bible wielding hero wanna be – no offense – decides we're working minions of Satan? Hell first sergeant, I got called into the chaplain's office because of my bumper stickers are Pagan in nature. Yes I'm scared. I'm quite addicted to breathing and would like to continue doing so for as long as possible." A brief pause followed her spill before she added yet another, "First sergeant."

Monroe Sweet looked at this soldier. He had noticed her when she first arrived because then she dared not look at anyone directly. She had instead, kept her eyes forward like every soldier is trained to. She spoke with the proper title all the time at the beginning and end of every sentence. He remembered his truck master asking her back then if she was afraid of him. She had answered very much the same as she had just then, though stating her job compared to her gender, her religion, and finally her absolute fear of disappointing her mother. Yes, as a female mechanic she had received much criticism from her female peers – many of them claiming she chose the job just to be around all that testosterone. Had it not been for her friend Vasquez, Sweet was certain Smith would have given up a long time ago. Sweet stared at the female as she continued talking to him and the others. There was hope for the armed services if even half of today's recruits could turn out to be as determined as the two in front of him. "I can't speak for my fellow soldiers here Smith, Vasquez, but if you two are serious about continuing your military services, I will stand behind you 100."

Colonel Caldwell looked the young man over carefully for several long moments. "As of this moment, specialists Smith and Vasquez and the happenings we've been informed of are TOP SECRET. Gentlemen, lady, we need more information. How much leave time have you accrued?"

Jessica thought for a moment. "I have forty-five days of leave."

"Same here, sir," Aaron added.

Caldwell nodded. "As of this moment you are on temporary leave. You will be informed of when you can return to work as soon as we know what to do with you."

Aaron nodded. "Thank you, sir." He took in the men at the table as Jessica returned to the kitchen. "So, gentlemen, any other questions you want to know answers for before I ask a few of my own?"

"Why were you stone," Jenkins asked, clearly still awed by that part.

"I think it's a way of storing energy. According to the scroll, it's rumored that gargoyles may store solar energy in their stone form. One rumor claims it's a spell cast on the first gargoyles as punishment for something."

"Why would it affect you? You're not gargoyle by birth," Jack interrupted.

"Who knows, sir? It may have been worded to affect all gargoyles, so long as they were gargoyle. Maybe birth had nothing to do with it. Maybe the spell we cast last night – accidentally – was intended to act as the gargoyle that created the scroll."

Jessica stuck her head out of the kitchen and spoke to the group at the table. "Can we move to a more informal meeting? I mean, we are in my home and I'd like speak a bit more freely than 'freely', sir."

Colonel Caldwell nodded. "Of course we can, Smith."

"Thank you, sir," she sighed, disappearing back into the kitchen. Her voice floated through the room after a moment. "Hey Aaron, get yer tail in here and help a moment, please?"

Aaron moved to excuse himself, but the first sergeant waved him to sit back down. "I'll go, Vasquez," he said. He nodded to them and stood up, heading into the kitchen quietly for such a large man.

"Don't startle her, first sergeant. She tends to lash out when scared," the specialist cautioned from his seat.

The colonel frowned at Aaron. "What do you think we should do with you and Smith?"

Aaron took a moment before answering, knowing his next words could very well be his fate and that of his heart's desire. "Sergeant major I can't tell you what to do with us or even what I think should be done. I know I'd like to get more familiar with this form for starters. We can't learn everything through these scrolls." He dropped his head into his hands. "I can see us being useful in night recon assignments, airborne unit, or scare tactics," he sighed miserably.

"You make that sound like a bad thing," Gilhoon noted.

Aaron chuckled mirthlessly. "The last thing on Earth I want to be viewed as is a demon, but I'm willing to follow the orders of my superiors to in order to fulfill my enlistment." And stay alive.

Caldwell had pulled out a small notebook and was writing things down in it. "Ok, so familiarization of bodies. Maybe we should see about someone you trust moving in with you for daytime protection if you feel it's necessary."

Aaron nodded weakly, the weight of what had happened finally hitting him full in the face. He was no longer human, but some sort of guardian of sorts. His normal life had been whisked away and yet he couldn't help but think that this life would prove better even with the problems already arising. He sat like that for a few moments longer while Jenkins continued listing things down. Sobbing reached his ears and his heart twisted in ache. "Excuse me," he muttered, moving towards the kitchen.

First sergeant Sweet held Jessica in a light embrace. They had been talking as they prepared something that would serve as a meal in such short notice. As the meal near completion, the specialist had fallen prey to every woman's weakness. She had cried. He resisted the urge to chuckle at the circumstances, afraid Smith would take it the wrong way. Instead, he allowed her to sob on his shoulder even though she was a bit taller than he was now. It was awkward for him as a military soldier, but as a male and a husband, he had comforted his wife plenty of time. He arched his eye brow over at the noise in the doorway and saw Vasquez. Nodding his head slightly, he indicated for the gargoyle to take over.

Aaron nodded in response as he moved to take the spot his first sergeant was offering. He wasn't given the chance.

Jessica straightened up and smiled weakly at Sweet. "You weren't supposed to ever see me cry," she mumbled. "Soldiers don't cry."

Monroe gave the young woman a smile before scooping up the batch of potatoes. "But people do." Balancing the bowl in one hand, he clapped her on the shoulder. "You're only human, Smith." With that, he grabbed the butter and left the room.

Aaron sighed heavily. "Reality hit you," he asked softly.

Jessica busied herself with pulling out the turkey she had warmed up. "Yeah," she replied after a long moment. "Kind of hard too. Aaron, what are we going to do?"

He shrugged. "Take it a day at a time?"

"I'm scared," she whispered to the floor.

"I am too, babe, but we've been up against a wall before and we made out all right. All we have to is stay strong." His tail wrapped around hers as he spoke.

She sniffled once before wiping her eyes on a paper towel and nodding towards the microwave. "Grab the veggies," she said. She quickly piled the turkey on a platter, stacked up some plates and forks, and headed for the dining room, silently thanking the Great Lady for her after school job as a waitress. Setting the things down around the still conversing higher ups, Jessica retreated back to the kitchen.

After a few minutes, everything had been placed on the table and the lull in conversation was filled with the clatter of silver wear and glasses against plates. It would be the colonel who would break the tense silence first. "We're going to need a couple of old photos, your enlistment contract, everything and anything on Wicca and Gargoyles, and whatever you think will be a help with your case. We'll also need you to compile as much information from these scrolls as you can by five A.M.. The more you give us to work with, the quicker we can get you back to work."

Aaron nodded. "I'll have all the information translated and on the table before sunrise."

"Good," Gilhoon responded. "Then it's settled. Kasandy will be back here before sunrise to collect the information."

"I can ask my wife to come over and keep an eye on you two today," Sweet offered.

"Think she'll freak," Jessica asked without thinking.

"No, I'll bring her over in the morning after explaining everything to her. Sir, I'll collect the information instead of Kasandy." Monroe knew that his wife was the type of woman who might be a bit startled, but was not afraid of anything. "She knows these two from our last company picnic and actually got along quite well with them."

Captain Gilhoon nodded. "Then we'll do that instead. Smith, Vasquez, get what you can done tonight done. Tomorrow night is probably going to be the longest night of your lives."

Midnight

Aaron flopped down on the couch, but instantly leapt back up with a yelp.

Jessica's wings snapped open as her eyes flared scarlet. "What's wrong," she growled, every nerve in her body tingling.

He grinned sheepishly, rubbing the smarting spot. "I, um, pinched my tail when I flopped down."

"Men," she muttered, settling back down. "So, are you finally done with all that information the captain wants?"

Nodding, Aaron pointed to a large folder of paper sitting near the scrolls. "That's everything I translated, everything I found on the web with any mentions of gargoyles or flying demons/beasts/what not. A lot of the net stuff is just rumors or junk on the glorified rain spouts, but I figured I'd give them as much info as I could. The battalion commander's a smart man, so I figure he'll understand why I put it in there. Also in there is a brief summary of our religion and how we believe it works. I also typed out a letter for us explaining our position on what happened and all. Why we didn't take our discovery straight to our chain of command and what not. You want to sign it?"

Jessica took the letter and looked it over. Dear Sir; Our names are SPC Aaron Vasquez, 153-75-5602, and SPC Jessica Smith, 469-89-0836. Enclosed are pictures as of last night and just after sunset this morning along with pictures prior to this incident. Please allow us to explain what happened. On our field exercise to Yakima – 1993August11 to 1993August21 – SPC Smith found a sealed box covered in runes along with a small bag of scrolls. Both are translated and in front of you now. Being curious in nature and doubting it'd be more than a few pieces of junk, we took them both back with us to Fort Lewis. Two nights ago we sat and started looking over the scrolls, after partially opening the box. We were deciphering the scrolls when we came across a spell, in which the regents were available. The spell cast, the regents used, we found ourselves transformed to what you see in the pictures. Sir, we would like to continue our military services and perhaps even make it our careers. We are too well aware that some people will see us only as demons, creatures to be hunted and destroyed. We are not creatures. We retained our intelligence, our motor skills, and the like. We have new restrictions set upon us by this new lifestyle, but we have not been reduced in spirit or in dedication to our superiors. We are not what some will make of us, just different. We trust in your judgment and extend an invitation to our home if you need further assurance. Sincerely, SPC Vasquez, Aaron & SPC Smith, Jessica. US Army. Jessica looked up from the letter, glaring at her friend. "You wrote this as if we both agreed on what to say here. I don't recall offering my input."

Shaking his head, Aaron handed her a pen. "First Sergeant Sweet's wife's gonna be here today. We don't have to worry about anything happening during the day and at night even you're strong enough to take out one unarmed man."

"You assume fanatics would be alone in the first place," she grumbled, scratching her name down with the pen. Holding it was awkward and her name looked little more than chicken scratch. Sighing, she tossed the pen down and dropped her head. "Gargoyle sized pens."

Struggling as well, he managed to sign his name below hers. "Wonder why no one ever thought of that."

"Items of necessity. It wasn't necessary, until now."

"You feeling better," he asked as he slipped the letter back on top of the folder.

"No."

"Why don't we go test these wings, eh? What do you say to jumping off your roof a few times?" He stood up, extending his hand her way.

Jessica looked at his hand as if it were a poisonous thing before arching her eye ridges. "Jumping off my roof? Could you not have termed that differently?" She let him take her hand and lead her to her room, towards the window that would lead to the roof above the kitchen. "I'll jump off the roof with you if you tell me what this did to you last night." Her talon traced the same spot her hand had been on when she assisted him with his shirt.

Aaron gave a low, sultry growl and spun around quickly to face her. "It did the same thing then that it did just now," he grit out through his clamped teeth. "Now let's go!" He practically dragged her onto the rooftop and then up even higher so that they stood beside the chimney.

Grinning like that cat that ate the canary, Jessica chuckled before asking, "So, how is this supposed to work?"

"In theory? We glide on hot air currents. Truthfully? I have no idea and no words of wisdom except this: try not to break anything when you land."

Her eyes went wide as he leapt off the rooftop, pulling her after him. "LAND?! We haven't even gotten into the aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaair." She found herself hovering for a few seconds and then plummeting to the ground.

"Jess. Jess! JESS! Open your damn wings, woman!" He moved in a small path over her falling form, wincing as he waited for the forth coming thud that he was sure he would hear. Instead, there was silence.

The wind was cold, so very cold, as it rushed briefly past her face. She was aware of Aaron yelling something about her wings. Wings! That was it. Her wings flared open and leveled her descent just before she would have left a garg shaped crater in the ground beneath her. She skimmed the ground for several yards before faltering and crashing to the ground, tumbling to a stop.

Aaron tipped his wings towards his fallen friend, stifling his chuckles. To him it was like hang gliding, a sport that he had excelled at before joining the Army. Jess, having a dislike of heights, had only watched from the 'safety of the ground, thank you very much.' As he landed he caped his wings, but stumbled a step or two. Ok, not a ten point landing, but a hell of a lot better than Jess'. "Hun, you ok?"

Jessica, after noting nothing was broken, roared and launched herself at him. "Why is it you stayed in the air? How come your landing was a nine out of ten?"

Side stepping her, Aaron shook his head. "You remember all those hang gliding lessons I had? You know, the ones where you wanted to…"

"…watch from the safety of the ground, thank you very much," she finished with a shake of her head. "So, back to basics?"

"Back to basics."

Aaron worked diligently to get Jessica in the air and to keep her there. He wasn't even focusing on the landing yet. Not that it would have mattered as she couldn't stay aloft long enough to learn a proper landing technique. It took most of the remaining night for a strong steady flight around the grounds and back. He had managed to teach her the basics, adapting hang gliding to gargoyle gliding the best he could. Her landings weren't pretty, but at least she stopped landing on her face. Eventually, he concluded, she'd be able to make a presentable landing. She was just attempting her final landing of the night before they went back inside. He looked up from his musings just in time to brace himself for …

"Look out!"

…her running straight into him. He caught her and allowed himself to tumble backwards with her. A tangle of wings, tails, and limbs found him staring up into her eyes. "Hi beautiful," he chuckled.

"Hey handsome," she quipped back. "Thanks for the soft landing spot."

He reached a hand up to caress her cheek. "Anytime, babe. Anytime." She was so beautiful. Being turned into this gargoyle creature had not diminished her in any way. In fact, in his eyes, she'd had her inner beauty brought to surface. Her eyes sparkled with laughter as she rested her head briefly on his chest. His heart began to beat faster, but he hoped she didn't notice that. He turned her head so that she looked back at him and leaned up – his lips hovering towards hers. Just a little close…

The sound of the doorbell kept him from completing his thought.

"Ack," Jessica said as she jumped up, "that would be First Sergeant and his wife. Goddess, what was her name?"

"Vivian," he replied as he stood up and brushed the dirt from his pants. Trudging through the house, he opened the front door and managed to smile as he ushered in … "Sergeant Kasandy? Mrs. Kasandy? What are you two doing here? I thought… First Sergeant! What happened to your wife staying here?"

Sergeant Kasandy moved further in to an anxious looking Smith who stood near the table. He accepted the folder, scrolls, and box from her.

The first sergeant gave a chuckle and stepped aside to allow his wife to enter. "Specialist Vasquez, there has been a slight change in plans. My wife called his wife after our meeting broke up last night and asked if she would sit with her today. I hope that is ok with you," he explained. His manner almost made it clear that he'd hear no argument even if it bothered the specialist.

"That's fine, first sergeant, but why exactly?"

Vivian smiled. "Because a woman alone can get into trouble," she started.

"But two women can cause plenty of it," Kasandy's wife Rebecca finished.

Aaron looked at the women, trying to gauge their reactions. Neither of them seemed at all disturbed that they were in the presence of something not all together human looking. "I don't… scare you ladies," he asked tentatively.

Vivian and Rebecca spared him a second glance and shook their heads. "Should you," Rebecca asked. "I remember you and Smith coming over for dinner on a good number of occasions to end up playing the D&D stuff with Jack and the others."

"Yes," Vivian continued. "And you helped Monroe here with more than a few tasks after that storm ruined our home. You may not be human in appearance, but Monroe vouched that you hadn't changed on the inside and what have I always told you?"

He chuckled. "That it's what's on the inside that counts."

"Exactly. Now, where's Smith?" Vivian looked around for the female in question.

"She's over there," her husband answered. "It looks like Jack has the information we need. Now, you have everything you're going to need today, dear?"

His wife waved him off and went right over to her target. "Now, you tell me exactly what you need done today before they cut off our conversation."

Jessica stepped back and looked down at the older woman in slight surprise. "Um, I paid most of the bills online today. The only thing really left to do is get groceries. I made out a list and have some money here. Um," she gave a nervous chuckle before continuing, "just what are you going to do today to keep from being bored out of your mind, ma'am?"

"Don't you worry about me, young lady. I have Rebecca for company today. Her and I have some FRG stuff we can get taken care of while we're here. Do you have a computer and printer we could use if we need it?"

She nodded. "Yes ma'am. You can use that one there in the corner." She opened her mouth to say more, but Aaron's wrist watch went off.

Everyone turned to look at him, which caused him to go a bit scarlet under his green skin. "Sorry, that's my ten minute warning for estimation of sunrise," he explained. "So we wouldn't be caught in the air when we turned to stone."

Jack nearly dropped the folder he was holding. "You went flying?!"

"More like falling and crashing," mumbled Jessica.

"Actually," Aaron corrected her, "we went gliding. We can't fly." He realized that he might be clarifying that misconception for a very long time.

"I take it you didn't excel at it, Smith," the first sergeant commented.

Instead of answering with words, Jessica merely shook her head. She was not in the mood to recount her many, MANY connections with the ground. Even now, the scent of grass filled her nose – most unpleasantly, too.

First sergeant Sweet didn't push it any, but merely decided a topic change might be the best idea. "So, where are you two hanging around for the day?"

"Somewhere outside, I think. Last night we sort of ended up breaking something with that stone stuff we shed," Aaron answered.

"No," Rebecca interrupted. "Viv and I want to keep you two in our sights. You will stay inside and we put up screens or something to protect the rest of the house."

Jessica shrugged, not feeling up to an argument with people who were just looking out for her and her friend. With a sigh, she moved to the empty area under the stairs and sat down. "Is this ok then," she yawned.

Vivian nodded. "That'll satisfy us, if that's what you're asking."

Smiling, the gargoyle yawned again as Aaron joined her. "I never was much of a night person now that I think about it."

Chuckling, Aaron chose to remain standing. "Oh before I forget, I owe you something, love."

Standing with yet another yawn, Jessica blinked. "And what might that be?"

Aaron ran his talons lightly between his friend's wings. The scrolls said that this was a highly sensitive spot on the gargoyle body and stroking or touching was a form of stimulation. He felt her tense up for a second before trying to stifle a lusty growl of her own.

Turning, she glared daggers through the lust in her eyes. Her wings snapped open and she pointed her talon at his chest. "W…" The four humans would not learn what had happened because the sun decided to peek over the rim of the earth and freeze the two gargoyles in stone.

Sergeant Kasandy flipped through the scrolls' translation text and went looking for something that may help explain what had happened. Unfortunately, he was stopped by the first sergeant who had snapped a picture of the two staues.

"Let's go, Jack. We need to get moving."

Jack nodded, kissed his wife, and followed the first sergeant out the door.

Closing the door behind her husband, Rebecca looked at Vivian. "So, how are we going to help these two if they have all the information?"

Vivian had already sat down at the computer and was skimming the desktop. "Easy," she grinned and pointed to the screen. "We open this."

On the dragon clad background of the desktop was a folder icon labeled "Gargoyles".

--

FGR – Family Readiness Group – Used to prepare soldiers and their families for long term deployments. Usually works in conjunction with the FSG – Family Support Group - which you will hear a bit more about in future chapters.

Author's Note: I know it seems like Jess and Aaron are moving along fast, but if you're going to flame me for it, re-read chapter one before you start typing. Jess and Aaron have known each other for quite a while. And I don't know about other people, but when I read something that can be tested I generally have to find someone to try it on.

Coming up next time: "The Post Commander."