The Gift of a Family chapter 27. Jack's Promise.
not beta read.
Wesley sighed and conceded temporary defeat. He wasn't going to be finding the answers tonight. When he returned from taking cover from Faith in the kitchen he found Daniel to be blushing so darkly that he wondered if the other man might burst a blood vessel. Faith looked particularly cat that ate the canary; so, without saying a word, he sat and continued his research. It was some time later that a still blushing Daniel, who had been very distracted, got a call from his employers. Since then he had been frantically trying to reach Jack regarding an emergency at his work. He, was in the other room grabbing his and Jack's things while periodically calling Jack's cell phone, muttering that someone named Hammond was not going to be happy that Jack wasn't answering.
Pulling his own phone out he dialed the one man he hoped may have found some answers for what they had been looking for all this time.
Giles' voice sounded frantic when he answered the line on the first ring. "Buffy?"
"Er, no. Sorry. This is Westly Windham Price calling. Mr. Giles, I was hoping we could compare notes on what happened. I am afraid I haven't found much in my research so far, but the bulk of my library is still in Los Angelus. I haven't found anything that would explain what enabled Buffy to heal Jack, except for some archaic riddle about the sword. As far as Buffy's fears about being a new member of the House of Aurillius, I haven't found anything at all. How is your research going?"
There was a long moment of silence as Giles was furiously cleaning his glasses. "I hardly know where to begin responding to what you just said. I have been left in the dark regarding the going's on there for days! I have only received two short and cryptic voice-mail's from Buffy. The first telling me not to worry about researching the swords, and the second voice-mail telling me that the apocalypse had been diverted, however Buffy sounded frightened, and indicated that something else was going on and she would call me back when she could talk about it. That was almost two days ago! I haven't been able to reach her blasted cell phone in all that time. I was ready to get the coven to teleport me to Sunnydale to find out what is going on!"
"Oh! Buffy hasn't updated you then on everything that has happened? Well...this is, awkward. I hardly feel that it is my place to be telling you everything that has happened. I should have considered that Buffy wouldn't have been up to calling you that night, and the next day she was sleeping and healing from her wounds and the trauma of everything that happened."
Everything that Wesley was alluding to was only winding him up more and making him more nervous about what had happened to his slayer. "Good lord. What is wrong with Buffy? I knew it I should have teleported back as soon as I got that first cryptic message and was unable to get a hold of her again. What happened? Is she...is Buffy...?" Giles's voice trailed off hardly able to voice his fears for Buffy.
"Oh, Buffy is fine, she and Colonel O'Neill have gone to LA for the day to get to know each other."
"I thought she only just met the man, why is she going to L.A. with him to spend the day?" Giles asked. "How can she trust him so quickly?"
"It's hardly anything to be worried over, he is her father after all." Wesley stated.
"I thought you said she had gone to LA with Colonel O'Neill. When did Buffy's odious father get there, and why would she go with him? Buffy told me herself she was through with him." Wesley could hear the concern in the other man's voice.
Westley opened his mouth and closed it several times trying to imagine where to begin, how was he going to explain everything to Giles?
"You know Giles, I think I will let Buffy explain everything to you when she and Jack get back from LA." Giles was beyond confused at this point. Had Buffy gone to LA with Jack and her father? Before he could voice his confusion Wesley continued to blow him out of the water. "For now, I will just say that everything is fine and I will contact you after Buffy has delivered her own report to compare notes. I would like to keep in contact with you regardless. I have a feeling I am going to need all the advice and help I can get from you in regard to Faith. Especially since I have agreed to move back to Sunnydale to act as Faith's Unofficial Watcher."
Meanwhile Daniel was once again trying to reach Jack. "Come on Jack answer the phone." He grumbled while he continued to carefully yet quickly pack his and Jack's things together for the flight back to the mountain. Once again Jack's phone went directly to voice-mail much to Daniel's dismay.
"Jack, not to alarm you or anything, but in case you haven't gotten my last five messages, we are needed back at the base right away. I am starting to wonder if Thor picked you up again," Daniel mumbled the last part then spoke up again to say, "Look, just please call or something as soon as you get this message. They are sending someone to pick me up, and they should be getting here any time now." With a sigh Daniel ended the call and couldn't help wondering why they couldn't reach Buffy on her cell phone or Jack on his.
It was only a few moments later that his thoughts were interrupted by the noise of a man bellowing out what could only loosely be described as a song. The sea shanty was accompanied by the laughter of a group of people. Rushing down the stairs he watched as a young man and Jack helped an obviously inebriated and wounded old man to the couch. Buffy had pulled out a first-aid kit and was seeing to a wound on the man's leg. The entire group was sopping wet.
"What happened?" Wesley asked as he took in the scene.
"We went deep sea fishing and ended up off the coast of Sunnydale." The young man stated.
"And the Sunnydale Swim Team Mutants happened." Buffy continued looking irritated.
"They all ganged up on Buffy and pulled her into the water."
"Why did they go after Buffy? If they were hungry there are a lot of fish in the Ocean and plenty of easier catches."
"Don't...even...ask." Buffy growled looking very angry as she remembered her encounter. "They weren't looking for food."
Under his breath Daniel asked Jack, "If they weren't looking for food what were they after?"
"Daniel, I mean it DON'T EVEN ASK." Buffy hissed from across the room.
"No reason to be upset girl." The old man stated from the couch.
"Ike." Buffy warned and gave him a look.
"They were teenage boys before they were mutated into Fish-men." Ike explained to Daniel.
Absolute horror dawned on Daniel's face. "You mean..."
"There will be absolutely no more talk of the attack of the horny fish-men!" Buffy shouted.
There was absolute silence in the room for a long moment before Wesley decided it was time to change the subject and cleared his throat to speak. "Er, Daniel didn't you have some sort of urgent message for Jack from your work?"
"Oh! They are sending some men to pick us up and we will be flying back on the Prometheus." Daniel explained to Jack with a slight emphasis on the word Prometheus.
"Crap." Jack declared.
"They should be here to pick us up any minute now." Daniel further warned Jack before turning to Buffy. "It was incredible meeting you Buffy." He smiled and pulled her into his arms for a hug and a quick kiss before Jack could pull them apart. "I hope to get the chance to see you again soon." Very soon he amended to himself.
"Thank you so much for all of your help Daniel. You really saved the day by finding that information for me." Buffy responded trying desperately to appear calm and not like she was about to break into tears. "I," Buffy stopped speaking for a moment when her voice cracked. "I am going to miss you two." Buffy glanced at her father wondering if she would ever get to see him again. They had their own life and she knew that they would be leaving to go back to it soon. She just wished she could have more time with them before they did.
Jack winced seeing the mask slip back into place on his daughter's face. He wasn't ready for this. Not by a long shot. He couldn't leave his daughter here on the mouth of hell anything could happen to her. Yet, he had to go. If it was important enough that they were going to use the Prometheus to get them back to the Mountain then it was VERY important; end of the World important.
Stepping forward he pulled Buffy aside for a moment just as someone knocked on her front door.
"Buffy, I have to go honey but I promise to come back as soon as this problem at work is resolved. I am not abandoning you." He was desperate that she should believe in his desire to be a part of her life.
"Jack," Wesley's voice interrupted his goodbye, "the Air-force has landed and they seem to be in a hurry. There is a helicopter out in the street."
"You better go." Buffy whispered still trying desperately to be strong. "Whatever emergency is going on with your Deep Space Radar Telemetry promise me you will be careful and stay safe." Buffy smiled at the joke that he worked in Deep Space Radar Telemetry.
"I promise and I will be back as soon as I can."
"No rush, I have a job interview out of town this weekend anyway." Buffy smiled and he could tell that she still had doubts. Shoving his hands into his wet pockets Jack found his now ruined phone and keys and was struck with inspiration.
"I will have an airman pickup my truck and bring it here, We can use it to help you move to your new job, or just in with me if I can talk you into it." Then with a wink he pulled her in for a long hug and kissed her cheek.
"Y...you want me to move in with you?"
"Honey, I am going to do everything in my power to get you to move in with me. You will love Colorado Springs, and I can take you Ice Skating all the time." Then with one more hug he breathed in the scent of his daughter to try and take with him and walked out the door.
Review please.
Sorry it has been so long. the rest of the story is coming soon and the next book is being worked on as well.