Timeline: SGA: anytime, BtVS: post-Chosen.
Disclaimer: Nothing copyrighted belongs to yours truly.
Author's Note: Written for Day 6 of the 2024 August Fic-A-Day.

"Evan and John sitting in a tree. K-I-S-S-I-N-G." Buffy sang teasingly in a low voice as soon as the rest of their team was far enough away not to be able to overhear.

AR-2 was once again taking a stroll on a supposedly non-inhabited planet. This one had a more rocky terrain, but the Stargate had still stood in a half-circle of the ever-present trees that always seemed to be nearby. The main difference was this one had a well-worn path leading away from the Ancient device. The Slayer could also hear voices in the distance.

Captain Cadman and Dr. Parrish had taken the lead, allowing Buffy and Major Lorne to keep watch from the back. There was no one there, but one could never be too careful.

"Shhh."

Buffy just smiled back. "Easy tiger. Laura already knows about your preferences, even if she doesn't know who you're bumping uglies with, and David doesn't care. After all, it's not a flower or some kind of greenery, so it's irrelevant to him."

"Be that as it may, I don't want it getting out. He's skittish enough already, and I don't want to get him into trouble. Most of the brass hate him already, and this could easily be the excuse they need to finally boot him."

"Don't ask, don't tell is on the way out, and everyone knows it. If they try they're going to make themselves really unpopular."

"True, but there's also the little case of fraternization, and THAT isn't something he or I, can get around."

Buffy frowned, she'd forgotten about that detail. "Point taken, but it wasn't like I was going to tell anyone." She paused, "Does he know I know?"

Major Lorne thought about it for a few seconds before he replied, "I don't think so, and it's probably best if it stays that way. Or not, he'll most likely react badly if I don't tell him you know." He gave a small grimace.

Whatever he intended to say was cut short by a rain of arrows that pierced the dirt path ahead of Cadman and Parrish. Both of whom immediately scurried backward while Laura raised her P-90. Buffy needed to step up her game, because she had missed the archers hidden between the trees further up ahead while she was talking to Lorne.

Besides her, Major Lorne had raised his weapon and she mirrored their actions. A second volley of arrows came from a group much closer to them and narrowly missed David. Lt. Cadman responded by firing her automatic weapon in the same direction and was rewarded by bullets hitting flesh.

Meanwhile, the other three of them retreated behind some conveniently placed large rocks and hunkered down. Lorne shot into the second group while Laura ran the short distance to join them.

"How did we offend them already? We didn't even get the chance to say hello." Buffy asked no one in particular before she quickly stuck her head out from behind the rock she was hiding behind to see how many hostile there were.

Cadman shrugged carelessly, "Who knows? Maybe they don't like visitors?"

"Sitrep?"

"At least five in the closest group, and another eight in the first. We can take them, but from what I can see of the village I don't think it's worth it."

After a quick discussion, they all agreed that it was better to return to the City.

"Okay," Major Lorne ordered, "Cadman and Parrish, make for the pile of rocks behind us, and Summers and I will cover you. We'll repeat as many times as necessary."

They had finally gotten the Stargate in their sight when a lucky archer managed to graze Lorne's shoulder. It was a small cut with very little blood, but it had made a tear in his BDU jacket. The man glared at the wound and then fired several bursts of bullets toward the offending man, before he ordered Cadman to run for the DHD and send her code through.

Laura and David made it through the gate first. Buffy was only a few steps behind, but stopped and turned around as she knew the villagers had stopped too far away to be able to hit them anymore. Fired up on adrenaline and still remembering the conversation from earlier, she grinned at her team leader and said teasingly, "Maybe Colonel Sheppard will kiss your boo-boo better."

Then quickly stepped backward and into the blue waterlike substance.