The Gift of a Family chapter 4. Beware of Slinky.

I would like to thank my new beta reader dharkcharlotte. from Twisting the Hellmouth. You are the best!

Warnings and disclaimers are in chapter 1.

Traveling the galaxy, Jack had been through stable and not so stable wormholes traveling the galaxy. He had flown all kinds of jets, a stealth bomber even the X-302. He had even flown the classified Aurora project (that was one he couldn't even tell his team about.) Yes, Jack had been on some wild rides where his heart raced and he wondered if he would live to see another day. But nothing could have prepared him for his daughter driving them to the hospital.

When the truck came to a stop, Jack thanked the fates that they had not gotten in an accident and killed on the way to the hospital. He could have almost kissed the ground when he got out of the truck but he was determined to not let his greenish pallor show.

It's the perfect punishment! Once we get our hands on Anubis, we will just force him into a car with Buffy. We can let her drive him around. By the end of the day he will agree to tell us anything we want to know, just to avoid the terror ride.

Her driving was bad enough but at one point she had reached over and picked up Daniel's cell phone. She used it to call a doctor that was on duty at the local hospital to let him know that they were coming. In the middle of her conversation with the doctor she looked back at Jack to ask him what Daniel's blood type was. He nearly had a heart attack when he realized that the light she was about to go through was red. It was only because it was so late that they didn't end up dead. There were fortunately no other cars on the road. It took him a moment to come to his senses and remember Danny's blood type.

Get a hold of yourself Jack. He thought to himself. You have to get in there and get control of the situation. The Doctors are going to have to file a report and you need to make sure nothing gets out to the media about this.

Shaking his head Jack walked into the building to see Buffy and a Doctor in a corner talking. Quickly he walked over to join them.

"So, Buffy." The Doctor was saying. "What should I put in my report? The old meat fork accident or the gang related PCP thing?"

"It's always the meat fork or PCP thing. Why don't we say someone's pet snake Slinky escaped and bit him?"

"Slinky?"

"Hey! I think it's a great name for a snake."

"I'll figure something out. Are you going to stick around tonight?" The Doctor asked.

Buffy turned to look at Jack. "Did they make your friend drink anything?"

"I don't know what would they have made him drink?"

"I doubt they made him drink but I'll stick around just in case."

"Hello?" Jack asked still waiting for an answer. "Could someone tell me what is going on!"

Buffy and the Doctor turned to look at Jack.

"We need to talk." Buffy stated simply.

"Go to room 217 Buffy. The two of you can talk there. We will bring our patient in as soon as he is more stable." The Doctor turned to leave but stopped. "Oh, and Buffy thank you for sticking around to be sure. Those of us who know really appreciate it."

"Just keep those who know in silent mode and we're sittin' pretty." Buffy said with a brilliant smile. Jack could swear the old doctor walked away blushing.

Jack's mind was reeling as he and Buffy walked to the room the doctor told them that they could have a private discussion in. He was with his daughter. HIS daughter. He had never even gotten to hold her as a baby. He had never comforted her in his arms. He never taught her to ride a bike or any of the things dads did with their daughters.

She was a beautiful young woman. He had a feeling that there were a number of young men that he should have been threatening to stay away from his daughter. Looking at her, he couldn't help thinking. I'm going to have to beat them off with a stick. That is if she'll let me. What if she's is angry that I let Joyce talk me out of being a part of her life? What if she doesn't want anything to do with me because it took me so long to get back to her after she sent that letter? What if she really is under some alien influence? He blanched at the thought. What else could it be. Normal human beings were not that strong.

Unless she is on drugs? Jack took another look at her and shook his head. Her eyes were too sharp and focused to be on drugs. Her eyes. That was another thing that was different about her. Her eyes expressed a world-weary look that usually only happened when soldiers got too much time on the front lines in a war. Her eyes were full of sorrow and yet focused. When they entered the room, he noticed she looked over the room much like he did. She was looking for threats and alternate escape routes.

He had been so excited to finally get a chance to be a father again. But how was he going to tell her? He also wanted to make sure that she wasn't a Tokra. He knew she couldn't be a snakehead, after all she had saved them and killed the other fang faced things. No Goa'uld would do that. But there was always the possibility of another alien life form controlling her. They had a lot to talk about tonight, and he decided that if possible he would hold back on the father/daughter stuff for a better time. Right now he wanted to concentrate on getting answers. Specifically of her health and safety, Daniel's health and safety and of course the protection of the planet. He needed to call Hammond and let him know about the foothold situation but first he wanted something to tell him. Buffy seemed to know about these things so he would get some information from her first.

She sat down in a chair next to the bed and he took the one across from her. "I know you have a lot of questions but I have a few of my own first." Hesitantly Jack nodded, he wished Daniel were awake so he could do the talking. I'm not exactly known for my patience. But, he wanted to be patient with her. He just hoped he could control himself.

"My name is Jack." He stated trying to get the ball rolling.

"I realize that you couldn't be a part of the Initiative program, but you knew my name and I have never met you before. You are also very obviously military. So before I make with the explanations I want to know how you knew my name and what the military is doing coming back to Sunnydale?" She asked with a look in her eye that reminded him of himself.

"Military?" Jack asked innocently. "What makes you think I am with the military? I'm in civs." He stated looking down at his street clothing.

"Civs? Who not in the military calls their normal clothing civs? Besides, I have gotten very good at spotting M.I.D."

"M.I.D?" Jack asked wondering if she was talking about that evil thing called the NID.

"Military in disguise." She explained.

Jack couldn't help smiling. This was the daughter he had learned about from afar. Joyce would often forward 'Buffy quotes' to him. "I'm not in disguise. I'm on leave. I came into town to look up a member of my family. Now will you tell me how you managed to throttle those powerful satanic cult mongers, how you made them disappear in a cloud of dust and what you know about them?"

Buffy laughed. "Those powerful satanic cult mongers are called vampires. Maybe you have heard of them. They stalk the night looking for a bite." She launched into an explanation leaving out the explanations about how she was the slayer. She decided she could tell him about vampires but she wasn't about to let him know about her slayer abilities. He still hasn't explained how he knew my name.

Please Review!