Monkey Fight

[maevebran]

Title: Monkey Fight

Author: Maeve Bran

Rating: FR18

Summary: Buffy and Daniel have a field trip in the wilds of nighttime
Colorado Springs.

Disclaimer: I own neither Stargate SG-1 nor Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I
am just having a little fun with the characters.

Notes: Part of the New Job series. Set after "Ethon" 9.15. Also written
for the Ninja Daniel challenge that Michael Shanks has issued at
several conventions.

Wordcount: 1109 words



"So is this really what you did every night in high school?" Daniel
asked as he and Buffy sat on a marble bench someone had ordered as a
memorial for their lost loved one.

"You mean hang out in cemeteries with hot guys? Pretty much," she
replied.

After the tragic events of the last week, Buffy decided Daniel had had
enough training. It was time to take him on patrol. Fortunately, a new
vampire had moved into town and had started making fledges while she
was off world. It meant there was actually something to fight.

Daniel had gotten almost giddy at the idea actually going out on
patrol. He had probably been high on stress, lack of sleep, and too much
caffeine. Buffy didn't think he was being disrespectful of those that died
at Tegalus. He just had to have something to look forward to or he'd
break.

She had had that response often enough in her years as slayer. She
indulged him with the Ninja look and helped him strap on a real sword, live
steel instead of the practice wooden ones they had been using. It was
rather funny to see Daniel being all Ninja like.

Buffy stood and surveyed the cemetery. She spied movement to the
southwest. "Daniel, over there," she pointed.

Daniel followed her. Both had swords drawn as they moved silently in
the direction she had indicated. Buffy sneaked up on the man who had been
moving. She got behind him and had her sword at his throat when Daniel
suddenly recognized him.

"Jack?" Daniel asked.

"Daniel?" Jack answered.

"Jack!"

"Daniel!"

"Daniel, do you know this man?" Buffy asked.

"Um. Yes. Buffy, release him," Daniel said. "You remember Major General
Jack O'Neill?"

"Umm, yes." Buffy moved in front of the man and now that she saw his
face she knew him. She didn't have to wonder if he might be a vampire
since she had seen him alive and well that afternoon at Colonel
Pendergast's memorial. "Sorry, sir. I saw movement in the cemetery at one in the
morning and thought..."

"I might be one of those things you hunt?" Jack supplied.

"Yes," Buffy answered.

Now that he didn't have a sword pointed at him, Jack noticed Daniel.
"Daniel, what is this? Have you gone all ninja or something?"

"Why yes, Jack. I'm a bona fide Ninja. Buffy has been teaching me how
to use a sword," Daniel answered.

"I'll bet," Jack muttered

"What was that?" Daniel asked, knowing full well what his friend had
been implying.

"Nothing. Just that I have been hearing rumors that you have been
spending most nights when you are on world with her and that you have been
spotted leaving her quarters in the morning. Very sloppy, Daniel," Jack
teased.

"General or not, you won't talk to Daniel like that," Buffy said,
getting in Jack's face as much as her petite frame was capable.

"Easy, Buffy. He was just teasing me. He meant nothing by it," Daniel
said to get the slayer to back off. "Right Jack?"

"Definitely. I'm happy as a kid in a candy store that Danny-boy here
has finally found someone," Jack said seriously.

Daniel spotted movement at a fresh grave a row over from where they
stood. He drew his sword and reached the grave as the fledgling vampire
emerged from the earth. With a few swift moves, Daniel cleanly severed
the vamp's head from its body.

Daniel stood amazed as he was showered with dust. He sneezed once.
Clearly the allergy medication he now took was good for everything but
Vampire dust.

"Bless you," Jack said automatically as he and Buffy reached Daniel.
"That was some sword fighting, Daniel."

"I had a good teacher," Daniel said as he put his arm around Buffy. She
tried to dust him off but some stayed in his hair.

"Yes, you did," Jack reluctantly agreed. "Shouldn't you two be heading
home? I could have sworn Hank said the mission debriefing was set for
0900 and it is already 0130."

"Right. I think that is the only fledge scheduled to rise tonight,"
Buffy said.

"Speaking of late hours, what are you doing here Jack?" Daniel asked.

"I had been thinking about family today after the service. I just
couldn't leave town without a visit," Jack said as they walked back the way
they had come. He paused at the grave they had found him in front of.

Daniel looked at the headstone. It read, "Charles Tyler O'Neill,
Beloved son."

"I'm sorry, Jack. I should have known," Daniel said as he manly thumped
Jack on the back as a show of support. Turning to Buffy, he said,
"Jack's right. We need to be heading home."

"All right. Nice seeing you again General," Buffy said by way of
good-bye.

"It has been interesting, Miss Summers. Take care of Daniel. If not..."
Jack let the threat hang in the air.

"I know. I know. If I don't I should expect some unpleasantness
possibly involving a shovel," Buffy said as she looped the arm not carrying a
sword around Daniel's waist.

"Daniel, I like her. Do your best to keep her," Jack ordered.

"I will. Drop by my lab before you leave town?" Daniel invited as he
put his free arm around Buffy's shoulders.

"You can count on it," Jack called to their retreating backs.

------------

"Congratulations, you got your first vamp," Buffy said as they walked
back to the car. "I was impressed with how well you wielded the steel
sword."

"Thanks. You could have warned me about the dust," Daniel said before
sneezing again, which sent more dust raining down on Daniel. "Apparently
the really good allergy meds work for everything off world as well as
on world-- except vampire dust."

"You poor man," Buffy teased. "So want to go back to my place? It's
closer than the mountain."

"Sure, I've been wanting to see your house. But what will Clem think?"
Daniel asked.

"He'll think that your skin is stretched too tight." At Daniel's
questioning look, she added, "You'll see when you meet him. If you're
wondering about what he'll think about me bringing you home, he knows that I
am seeing you. He has actually wanted to meet you for a while now. Don't
worry, he's harmless."

"All right, your place it is," Daniel said as they loaded the swords in
to his jeep. Buffy gave him directions and five minutes later they were
taking the swords inside her house.

"Did you choose this place for its proximity to the cemetery?" Daniel
joked.

"As Teal'c would say, 'Indeed.' I like to live close to my work," Buffy
answered.

-~-