Demon Criminal Investigative Services: Ghosts of the Past.
 
 
 
 
 

Dean was walking out of the slayer's dorm when he looked up at his row of the married quarters building.  "What is that?" he muttered, seeing a glow from Xander's apartment.  "Candles?" he decided, heading that way.  John came out.  "Hey, Dad, is that candles in Xander's place?"

"Aw, shit," he muttered.  "We told everyone how to do the salt wards but him?" he said.

"Um,  he was doing a wellness check with Anna in the infirmary.  I thought you told him!"

"No, I thought you or Sammy did."

"Not me."  They went to check on Xander.  The moan from their apartment made them divert.  Sam was in a broken salt ring talking to his former girlfriend.  "Hey, Sammy?" Dean asked quietly.

"Guys, they're not going to hurt us.  If there's pain, it's emotional pain."  He looked at her and smiled.  "You never did get to meet my dad.  Dad, this is Jess."

She turned to look at him.  "Pleasure, Mr. Winchester."

He smiled, waving a bit.  "Nice to meet you too, Jess.  Wish it had been the normal way."  She smiled and nodded, bobbing some.  "We're not going to do anything bad?"

"I'm certainly not.  If the others have ideas, that's their problem."

"Good point.  Dean, go check on Xander."  He went to do that, coming back shaking his head.  "He's not home?"

"Door was open.  Ghosts gone, no Xander."

"He's headed for the big building and all the shiny lab equipment," she said happily.  "Some of his former friends showed up too."  She hovered lower, seeming to sit across from Sam.  "I do miss you.  I'm pretty bored without you teasing me."

He grinned.  "Me too."

She reached over to smooth down some hair.  "If you spend the next thirty years moping over me, I'm going to kick your butt, Sam.  I'll start sending you really nasty visions of whorehouses," she said quietly.  He blushed, ducking his head down to give her a sheepish look.  "Seriously.  I don't want that."  He nodded at that order.  "Good boy.  You're such a good boy most of the time.  That's why all the little girls up the walkway think you're cute."  He blushed brighter red, making her giggle.

Dean and John backed out.  John sat down further back to deal with her just in case something happened.  Dean went to check on Xander.

***

Xander frowned at the spirits next to him.  "What?" he asked, sounding cranky.  "You guys keep interrupting my sleep. They all think I'm bitchy around here because of how many times I never get to sleep."

Andrew gave him a look.  "You can sleep tomorrow!  Someone needs to follow in my brilliant footsteps.  Me and Johno both."  He floated closer.  "If no one does, then the geek's universe is closed and no one'll ever survive."

He sighed, getting out of bed.  He apparently needed clothes for this.  "More anime?"

"No, we were going to show you how to build some things we had planned."  He grinned.  "Please, Xander?"

"Science isn't my strong suit, Andrew."

"So?  You can build it without science.  You do good enough with the robot stuff."  He floated closer.  "Please?"

"Fine."

Andrew lunged into him and through him, then Jonathan snuck his way through too, leaving a little bit of themselves with their plans in him.  "See, not so bad."

"If I end up on the possession ward again, the girls are going to fuss and banish you two painfully."

"We know," Jonathan said, smirking at him.  "We'll take that risk.  Someone has to follow in our footsteps.  You're the only geek we trust and know."

"Fine."  He headed to the R&D lab, going to gather what they wanted him to build.  He fell into a near trance once he started.  They were guiding him and it was good.  It'd mean their life's work was done and they could rest peacefully.

Anya floated in and pouted.  "Why can't I have my time with him?" she demanded.

"Because our life's work needs to be completed," Andrew told her firmly.  He swatted her.  "Besides, you could visit more often, you just don't."

"Dawn put up a barrier."

"Is it down?" Abby asked as she came in.

"Oops," Anya said.  She smirked.  "Only for tonight."

"Uh-huh."  She went to tell the guards that then came back to monitor what Xander was doing.  Jonathan ran a hand over her head and she got into the building frenzy too.  She could fill in the gaps Xander had in his experience.  They'd work well together.

When Dean came in, they got him too since he clearly knew what they were trying to do.  "Why does that look like a light saber?" Dean asked.  They lunged through him and he went to help.  He had to help now.

"You're taking all the cute ones," Anya complained.

"Go find his current girlfriend," Andrew suggested.  "That way you can make sure she's good to him."

"He doesn't have one.  Dawn's guarded so I can't talk to her.  I don't want to talk to Faith either."  She pouted.  "I should sulk."

"You do it very well," Andrew said, giving her a hug.  "You can have him back later on."

She pouted, going to bother the others she could feel.  They needed to appreciate her Xander bunny more often.  She found Stella and Calleigh watching a movie and went to talk to them.  They were women, they'd understand why she wanted Xander to still be hers and do kinky things for her viewing pleasure.

***

John watched as Jess finally faded, going over to hug his son.  "You good?" he asked quietly.  Sam shook his head.  "Go to bed, son."

"I should find Dean.  He never came back."

"He's with Xander.  Go to bed.  I'll ward your bed for you."  He helped Sam up and walked him into his room, laying him down and putting salt around his bed to protect him.  He turned and found Anya there.  "You look familiar."

"I'm Xander's.  Even the women don't understand us."  She pouted.  "I'm not mean anymore."

John gave her a look.  "Which women did you talk to?"

"The blonde and the one with the curly hair."

"Stella and Calleigh are both officers, Anya," Sam told her.  "They don't do the need- driven stuff."

"Poo."  She floated closer, stopping at the barrier then crossed over it, making John moan.  She smirked.  "I'm not the usual spirit."  She settled on the foot of Sam's bed.  "Would you watch out for my Xander bunny for me?"

"I thought you had a bunny phobia," he teased lightly.

"Well, I do, but he's very bouncy and he has a cute, twitchy nose when he grins, and he's evil enough to be a bunny."  John laughed at that.  "He is!"

"He can be," Sam agreed.  She smiled at him.  He could see what Xander saw in her.  "Tell me about you two, Anya.  Most of the time we only understand half of Xander."

She nodded, settling in better to tell him what she had told the girls.

John settled into a corner to watch over his son yet again.  Another spirit floated in but had to move off at the wards so at least they were holding.  He hoped.

***

Daniel looked up at the ghost floating above him.  "I didn't know you were dead, Jack."

"Banged on the head.  Probably just out of my body.  Now I can see why you liked it so much."  He looked at the salt then at him.  "Can I cross?"

"Sure."  He let him across then closed the ring again.  "Let me call the infirmary."  He did that.  "It's Daniel Jackson.  Is Jack okay?" he asked when he heard a familiar voice.  "No, his ghost is here.  He thinks he's out of his body at the moment.  I'm making sure he's not dead."  He nodded.  "That'll work.  Hopefully tomorrow."  He hung up.  "You're still living."

Jack smiled.  "I figured I'd know."  He settled himself down.  "So what is this?"

"Halloween.  The veil's the thinnest and the spirits come to check up on their former friends and family.  It's a minor fall apocalypse."

"Wonderful," Jack said dryly.  "At least I wasn't off world doing this."

"True.  None of the ones who died in any of the battles near us showed up yet."

"Another good point."  He shifted.  "This is kinda strange.  I feel like I'm sinking into the bed."

"You are."

"Ah.  Why does salt work?"

Daniel shrugged.  "No idea.  John told us what to do."

"I like Winchester.  He's a stand-up guy most of the time I guess.  He's got fierce dad syndrome over the girls to keep them from being brats.  He's not too bad."  He shifted again and floated above the bed slightly.  It kept the bed from sucking him in again.  "So, how you been?"

"I've been good.  The dispo runs for the weapons Xander's team got went well.  The ATF took back their agent that we had hired.  He decided he was too sane for here.  That meant Calleigh moved to Xander's team and he's training her."  Someone pounded on his door.  "I'm all right."

"Sir, the lab's sensors just went off.  We've got a small energy discharge that way."

"Who's up there?" he called, sitting up better.

"The cameras show Scuito, Harris, and Dean Winchester, sir."

"They all tinker.  As long as they're not hurt it should be fine."

"Any idea what it was?" Jack called.

"No, sir.  Though I saw something like a play light saber."

"That could be what happened," Daniel said.  "Monitor it and get me up if something major happens."

"Yes, sir."

"Thank you," Jack called.

"Um, sir, we didn't register a visitor."  Jack floated through the door, making the guard go pale.  "Oh, hey.  You're gone?"

"No.  Out of my body," he said with a smirk.  "Too big a bang on the head again."

"Oh."

"Danny said he enjoyed it so I thought I'd try it too."

The guard nodded and walked off still nodding.  He nodded all the way back to the security office to tell his boss and take some tylenol from his desk before sitting down in front of the monitors.

Jack floated back in there and settled on the foot of the bed again, getting comfortable.  He stared at Daniel for a minute.  "We need cards.  This side is really boring."

"It can be, yeah," Daniel said with a grin.  "I still have to sleep sometime tonight, Jack."

"I know.  Pity."  He leaned down to run a hand over his friend's head.  "I can see the block they put up.  Huh."

"If I go insane because you touch it, you can't put me back in the asylum," he joked.

"Yeah, sure, you betcha, I can do that."  He reached into his friend's head and wiggled, making him hiss before passing out.  "I guess it worked."  He finished wiggling it and removed it about halfway.  It was all he could do but at least his buddy would have some of his old memories back.

***

Mac looked up and around.  He wasn't being visited apparently.  He wasn't sure if that was good or bad news.  He had wanted to see Claire.  He really wanted to talk to her.  But she wasn't showing up.  Maybe she had moved on?  He heard Stella let out a girlish scream and hopped out of his bed, grabbing his weapon on the way to her apartment.  He found the ghost in there and fired at her, making her dissipate and head off.  "You ladies all right?" he asked.

"She was the most pushy ghost I've ever seen," Calleigh told him.  "She was complaining that she couldn't have her Xander anymore for orgasms.  Not sex, not love, not cuddles, orgasms," she said hotly.

"Xander said Anya was blunt and like sex a lot," Danny said as he leaned in.  "Anya, you okay?"  She faded in and nodded, smirking at him.  "Why aren't you bothering Xander or Dawn?  Or even Buffy in Cleveland with Willow?"

"Dawn's got a bigger protection going," she said with a pout.  "The geek boys have Xander."  She floated closer.  "You think I could see Buffy?"

"Don't know, go try.  She's with the slayers in Cleveland."

She beamed.  "Thank you for that suggestion. You're adorable!  I would've tried to jump you when I was human."  She faded out again.  She ignored the mean one.

Danny poked Mac on the arm.  "Would you mind coming and talking to your former wife since she's chatting with Don?"

Mac moaned.  "Why?"

"No clue, Mac.  I was on my way to get you when Stella screamed."

"She was talking about torturing people and wanting sex," she defended.

"Uh-huh.  Dawn said that's what she was like as a human if you didn't look real deep."  He gave her a look.  "You two okay?  Cute jammies by the way."  They covered up with the couch throw and he walked Mac off to find his former wife.  "Hey, Don, they're fine.  Found Mac too."  He noticed Mac put his gun down on the table he usually put keys on before walking back to the bedroom.  "There you go, Claire."

"Thank you, Daniel.  You're so adorable."  She pinched his cheek, getting a blush.  "Let me take my pouting thing into the other room so you two can get some sleep.  It's going to be a long few days figuring out how to get the one boy out of the lab since the two with him wanted him to complete their life's work."

"Xander?" Don asked.  "Dark hair, kinda tense now and then?  Mouthy?"

"Yes, him.  He's with the cute goth girl in her flying bat pajamas and the one cute one with the shotgun he's not using."

"Probably Dean," Danny said, looking out the window toward the main building.  "Yup, silvery glow.  Wonder if John knows his son's possessed."

"If we tell 'im, he'll go pounce," Don warned.

"Good point."  He climbed back into bed, watching Mac and Claire go talk in the other room.  "Why come here?" he asked quietly.

"News of the translation goof reached the other side," Don said dryly.  "She said as long as we're good to him...."  He trailed off at the groan and Danny hiding his face in Don's shoulder.  "It's all right."  He stroked his head gently, smiling at his buddy.  Such a drama queen sometimes.

Mac came back twenty minutes later.  "Hey."

"Hey," Don said quietly.  Danny was nearly asleep.  "You okay?"

"I'm fine.  She just yelled at me for moping."

Don grinned.  "Stella yelled at you about that last week."

"Good point."  He sat on the foot of the bed, rubbing Danny's foot when he kicked him.  He quit moving and fell into a snoring, deeper sleep.  "She thinks it's a good idea, even though I told her what happened.  She gave me the most disgusted look and said 'I knew that, Mac' and huffed a bit then told me why it'd be good for me."

Don nodded slowly.  "Danny and I are still workin' things out, Mac.  We'll talk in the morning?"

"I can accept that."  He gave him a gentle smile.  "It'll be okay.  I know she's pushy.  That's usually how I ended up painting something."  He stood up.  "Have a good night, guys."  He went back to his own apartment, finding Stella napping on his couch.  He smiled, tucking her in better before going to bed to think.  Claire obviously saw things he didn't at the moment.

"You moved from New York to North Dakota for them, Mac," Claire whispered in his ear.  "You're not usually this dense."  He rolled over to look at her.  "Don's right.  They do have to work things out but they'll be good for you and you'll be good for them or I'll have Stella spank you.  Again."  He blushed but let out a quiet laugh.  "You mope worse than a puppy who can't play fetch, Mac.  You really do."  She smoothed over his hair again.  "Are you not doing dawn PT anymore?"

"I do it after lunch.  The gym's empty except for a few of us who go over self-defense work."  She smiled at that.  "I can't jog right now.  There's too much snow."

"Use the road, dear.  Just don't get hit by a car.  You'd hate being on this side."  He nodded.  She settled in next to him, letting him get what cuddles he could.  He clearly needed someone to cuddle.  She sighed in displeasure.  "Stella!" she called.

"Let her sleep," Mac said.

"No, you need cuddles and I can't do it right now."  Stella stumbled in, blinking at her.  "Come cuddle my man for me please?"

"I might end up married to him too," she joked.

"No, I'm sure you won't."  Stella came in and snuggled against Mac's back, holding him.  "There, that's better though you're still moping.  Keep it up and I'm going to ask Danny to help."  He cleared up the pout.  She would do that.  His wife was a stubborn woman.  She stroked his cheek, then smiled.  "Be my good Mac again," she whispered.  "You have a long life left, Mac.  Be happy with someone and something."  She faded out.

Stella put her chin on Mac's shoulder.  "She get you for moping?"

He gave her a sad smile.  "She threatened to have you spank me again for it."

She laughed, giving him a squeeze.  "We all need it now and then, Mac, but you've been moping for a long time.   You're ready to jump or we'd still be back at the lab being bothered by Lindsay."  He nodded that was true.  "Have you heard from Sheldon?"

"I have.  He's threatening to come out here to work in the local ME's office too."

She smiled at that.  "He'd hate it.  He'd be bored."

"Probably.  Alexx said it's nice she only gets two a week right now."   He patted her hand.  "I can sleep by myself."

She snorted.  "She'll come haunt me, Mac.  No, you're not.  Not like I'm going to jump you or anything."  She went back to cuddling him, getting comfortable to sleep.  Mac shook his head but accepted it.  Stella was more stubborn than Claire had ever been.  They bonded over being stubborn.  Once they had even had a stubborn contest.  That had not been a good week but it was funnier in hindsight.  He smiled, letting that make him drift off to happier dreams.

***

John walked into the lab, clearing his throat.  "Guys, it's two in the morning.  Shouldn't we go to bed sometime soon?"

Abby glared at him.  "We have to finish this so their life's work is completed."

"Uh-huh.  Why?"

"Duh," Dean said.  John glared and he shrank back.  "They said so, sir."

"Should we find the town's priest?"

"It won't take them too much longer," Andrew said.  "Unless Jonathan added more."

"Only the one thing because I think it could help them," Jonathan said dryly.  "They are busting ghosts and demons."

Andrew looked at him.  "You're scary."

"As scary as Warren?" he asked, looking hurt.

"Nowhere near that scary but you're becoming the King of Geeks again, Johno."  He grinned at that compliment.  "C'mon, we can talk one of the girls into watching anime with us."  They floated off to do that.  One of the older ones was up and sighed but let them lead her back to Xander's so they could watch anime.  They couldn't work the DVD player and some of their favorites had new eps out.

John sighed, coming over.  Abby turned to push him out of her lab, forcing him out the door then shutting it in his face.  "Hey!"

"No, let us work!"  She made shooing motions and went back to it.

John stared then called Gibbs to wake him up.  "Abby, Xander, and Dean got possessed by some of Xander's former friends.  They're building the rest of their life's work."  He grimaced.  "In the lab still, Gibbs.  They won't let me interrupt."  He nodded.  "I can do that."  He went down to the soda machine, getting her a Caf Pow.  He handed it off to Gibbs when he met up with him in the lobby.  "Dean and Xander too."

"I figured Xander would be.  He's too open to being possessed."

"He's got a shield up," John defended.  "I don't know how it happened this time."

"Some of them have been stronger than they should be," Gibbs told him.  "Even Dawn said so when someone woke her up.  She and her mother are talking."

John hid the hurt that Mary hadn't shown up yet.  "That's a good thing though."  They went up there to try to separate Abby and Dean from Xander.  Hoping it'd keep them from working and it'd mean they could pull Xander out of the lab too.  Abby took her soda, gave Gibbs a hug, then went back to work.  Dean took it to sip, passed it to Xander, then she got it back.  They kept fiddling with whatever they were working on.

"We need the reactor core," Xander told her.

She nodded.

"Are you building a bomb?" Gibbs demanded.

Xander pouted at him.  "I can but nope."  He went back to work.

"This is really fascinating.  I've never built anything on this level before," Dean told them.  "The light saber was pretty cool.  I didn't know how you built a laser before."

John moaned, shaking his head.  "It works?"  Dean lit it up and they all moaned at the pretty blue energy beam.  It was as long as Xander's usual sword.  Clearly built for him or Dean instead of Abby.  "Turn that off, son."  Dean turned it off.  "You can build it tomorrow.  You need to sleep tonight."

"Sammy's fine."

"I know that.  I was with him when Anya came to chat."

Xander gave him a hurt look.  "Why?"

"Because you're busy.  She went to bother the girls in Cleveland."  Xander pouted.  "If you weren't in here, she might show up."

Xander pouted at Abby, then at Dean.  "We need to fix that."

"We do," Dean agreed, going down to the kitchen to get a few snacks.  He came up with them and three two liters in a basket then kicked the 'adults' out so Xander could lay the spell.  Time distorted and they got back to work.  This way they got some sleep tonight and Xander could be kept up by Anya - just like old times.  Those geeks had some really cool ideas.

Gibbs and John looked at each other then at the blank spot that used to be a door.  "We need a higher level of geek."

"Abby is our highest geek.  The other two are on vacation this week.  Unless you think one of the CSI can get in?"

"Ryan might but he's sedated in the infirmary from where he had that wreck last night coming in from the movies and hurt his back.  Speed?"

"Is a geek," he admitted, calling him.  "Speedle, Gibbs.  Strange stuff in the lab.  Xander, Dean, and Abby were all possessed by some geek friends of Xander's.  Who?" he asked John.

"I heard Johno be mentioned earlier."

Gibbs listened.  "They've already got a working light saber, Speedle.  They just cast a spell in the lab to continue working.  It looks like they blinked out."  He nodded once.  "And we do what?"  He sighed.  "How do we get them out?  We were hoping for a higher level of geek."  He smirked.  "I can ask.  She's up."  He hung up.  "He suggested McKay."

"That is one King Geek," John agreed.  He went to talk to Daniel, making him grumpy.  "Xander did something to the lab Abby and Dean are locked in with him.  It looks like a temporal distortion.  Gibbs and I think we need a higher level geek to bring them out of it and help them either do it faster or unpossess them."

"Who got them?"

Gibbs walked up behind him.  "Andrew and Jonathan.  Two of the king geeks of Sunnydale.  They're the ones who built the Buffy robot if you've been told that story."

"Barely.  What are they doing?" he asked.

"So far they have a working light saber," John told him.  "We think it's going to take the power of Geek this time and not even Sammy's this big of a geek."

"Go for it if Dawn can pull it off."

"She's talking to her mom."  They went to talk to her.  Gibbs went through since he had more information from Speedle.  He walked out of the portal and found people staring at him.  "DCIS needs McKay right now."

Sam Carter came out of the office.  "Why?"

"Three possessed geeks tinkering," he said dryly.

She winced.  "What are they building?"

"I have no idea except that Xander said it's not a bomb they need the reactor core for.  So far they have a working light saber and a bunch of other stuff on the table.  It's going to take a higher level of geek to help them."

She nodded.  "He fits.  Let me call him.  How are you doing that?"

"Dawn."

She winced.  "Okay.  A better explanation?"

Gibbs shrugged.  "Not a clue beyond magic and Dawn."

"Ah."  She went to call him.  "McKay, you're needed on the DCIS base right now.  Three possessed geeks building things with a reactor core.  Not a bomb but otherwise they have no idea.  No, Gibbs is here with a shiny portal.  Gate room."  She hung up and came back out.  "Give him twenty to change shirts.  The comm unit going off made him jump and spill his coffee."

"That's fine.  Done that before," Gibbs promised.  He looked back at Dawn, who shrugged it was fine with her.  He smirked at Sheppard as he came in looking confused.  "At home it's ghost central.  Xander, Abby, and Dean Winchester are all possessed and building things in the R&D lab.  Need a light saber?"

"They got one to work?"

"Yeah."

"Hey, Sam?"

"Go," she said tolerantly.  McKay hurried in with his backpack.  He saw John and grumbled but tossed him his from the rack and they followed Gibbs through.  She shook her head once the portal was closed.  She went to write Jack an email to find out how they had done that.  She really wanted to know.  This magic stuff was just strange and wrong in many ways.  The portal had violated a lot of rules of physics.  She could name five off the top of her head.

***

Gibbs pointed at the lab.  "In there."

"Is that a temporal field?" Sheppard asked, staring at it.

"We think so."

McKay grimaced but went to get something from the vault with a sigh, putting it against the doorway barrier.  He keyed in a code and it went off, creating a clear spot.  They walked into it and time seemed to stretch.  They both got very old then deaged back to five then back to their normal ages as they stepped out the other side.  "That's interesting," McKay said, staring at it.  "I'll have to study that if we get any free time."  He looked at them, crossing his arms over his chest.   "If we're creating new laws of physics, you should have invited me."  Abby gave him a hug and showed him.  "Is that what I think it is?"

"A nuclear accelerator, dude," Dean agreed, staring at it.  "We're out of wires."  He frowned.  Xander gave him a look then summoned something in.  The box thumped and they got into it.  It was the spare parts box.  That gave them the last wire they needed.  They turned it on and hit the wall.  It did burst.  They smiled and got back to work.

Sheppard coughed.  "Guys, maybe we should take a break, have a snack?" he offered.  "McKay gets cranky when he doesn't eat."  Rodney shot him a glare.  "You do."

"Not cute," he noted.  He got Abby to finish her Caf-Pow and the boys to drink something.  They were talking about their next project.  Xander pulled out the stuff for that one and they had to scavenge a bit but it was fine.  They did talk them into eating and all that.  After that one was done Sheppard tried to get them to bring down the field.  That way they could get more wire.  Xander walked through it and came back a minute later with an armful of stuff.  Then he went and came back again.  The field stayed up and didn't seem to bother him in the least.  They went back to creating after being forced to eat another snack.  Sheppard and McKay ate from their pack and it was fine.  They finally got Abby and Dean to rest while Xander tinkered, then Sheppard knocked him out.

"Know how to exorcize a spirit?" Sheppard asked.

"Barely.  Abby gave me a book of it in case I ever needed it."  They felt the spell shift and watched it as it bulged toward them.  It held.  They grimaced and put the field distortion generator back on it.  A ghost floated through, a female one.  "Who're you?" Rodney asked.

"Tara," she said, going to check on Xander.  She sighed.  "Xander."  He moaned, shifting in his sleep until he was curled up on Dean's arm and shoulder.  "Good boy, you nap, Xander."  She stroked over his hair.  "There's plenty of time to create tomorrow."  He moaned and made pulling motions.  "No, I can't cuddle yet.  You'll get to cuddle me some year soon."  She looked at the men.  "You'll come out in about an hour after you went in, normal time.  Watch out for mistakes?  Xander's last language is science, not his first."  She floated back through the field and disappeared, going to nag Willow some more.  She clearly needed the nagging.  She was screwing up somehow.

They sighed and checked what had been built already.  A few things they'd have to figure out but most were geek boy dreams so they both knew what they were.  Abby got up first and looked around then wandered out still half asleep, finding the bathroom.  She came back.  Gibbs had tried to grab her but his hands had gone through her arm.  The boys woke with a poke from her and they got back to work.  They had other things to build.  The boys went to the bathroom too.  Still not able to be grabbed.  They came back and it was good for them.  They ate something at John's urgings and got back to work.

John and Rodney yawned but kept up with them.  Rodney had to stop something in the middle and remove it before it exploded and killed everyone in the state but that was fine.  The last thing they built was another robot.  It didn't look totally lifelike but it was pretty darn good.  Xander went to the chemical analysis system and typed in something.  He got back a null answer and tried something else.  Abby came over.  Rodney came over.  Something floated in and got put next to them.  Ah, that worked.  They put the skin on the robot and it was better.  Now it looked like Tara.  They all smiled.  Then they fell limp.  John caught the two guys and Rodney caught Abby. The field fell.  John and Gibbs walked in.

"Nap time first," John ordered.  "Don't touch the blue thing."

"Please don't touch the blue thing or the pack system," Rodney said, sounding tired.  They let them curl up together in the corner again.  It had been three long days of building.  Dean grabbed Abby to pull her on top of him but let Xander have his shoulder.  She nuzzled his chest a few times then let out an ungirlish snore.  The men all shook their heads.  "Kids," Rodney said quietly.

Gibbs looked at him.  "What is all this?"  He looked at the robot.  "I saw you a minute ago."  The robot came to life and came to fuss over the three sleeping geeks.  "Hey!"  He stopped her but she shrank away.  "I'm not going to turn you off, miss.  What is going on?"

"Jonathan wanted to build another of us so Tara could come back legitimately without creating a new First Evil situation," she said quietly.  "Please?"  He let her go.  "Thank you.  They need to nap.  Xander's a bad one at being possessed."  Anya floated in.  "They're passed out, Anyanka."

She pouted.  "Shoot."

"Give him another hour or so.  You know how he sleeps," she said with a blush.

Anya nodded.  "I do."  She settled down next to them, looking at the new men.  "I could learn to appreciate men like you."  She pinched Sheppard, making him jump and yelp.  "Hmm, firm.  Very nice," she said with a leer.  "Since I'm not with Xander anymore, how do you feel about multiple orgasms for me later on?"

"You're incorporeal," John Winchester reminded her.

"I can change."

"Uh-huh."  He stared her down.  "Don't force him."

"Fine," she pouted.  She blinked her big, wet eyes at him.  "Xander turned me into a better girl when I got rehumaned after he broke my power center."

Sheppard smiled.  "You sound like you have an interesting past."

She nodded.  "I'm Anyanka, Vengeance over Women Scorned."

He blinked.  "The nutty exes call you when their stalker ploys don't work?"

She snorted.  "And ones that got cheated on or hurt.  Yes."

"Wow.  How old are you?" he asked.

"I was eleven-hundred-twenty-three when the last battle happened."  He gaped.  She smirked.  "I've kept incredibly well, haven't I?"

"You have.  Think you'll be around tomorrow?"

"Only if I break the spell and the covenant he made with the spirit realm."

"Who?" John asked.

"The dweeb in Delaware.  This is his version of chaos to prove he's bigger than Ethan Rayne."  She looked at Xander.  "We really should pull Ethan out of him."  They all gaped then John went to find holy water.  They'd need it soon.  His muttering was best off not heard by others.  Xander was carefully separated and frisked for weapons, Anya even got in some groping during it, but Xander slept through it.  They did the exorcism.  Ethan floated out complaining.  "My Xander," she pouted.  "Get your own."

"Janus only made one of him.  Were he twins I'd share."

"He hasn't been twins since my ex hit him on the head with a troll hammer," she said dryly.

Ethan moaned.  "And I missed it."   She smirked. "You might want to take Travers out as well, boys."  They got back to work.  John Winchester knew who that was and he was not happy.  "He really should have been guarded."

"We thought the other was going to tell him," Dean admitted.

Ethan sighed.  "That's because the little pretender to my throne offered the soul of his choice for the night's chaos.  Many want that one's.  I did protect it very well.  Even if the temporal spell was a stroke of genius to help those two nerdly little boys pass on so they could be reborn."

"To a slayer?" John Winchester asked.

"Who knows.  That's not up to us."

Anya looked at him.  "You're not dead."

"No, I'm out of my body so I could get away from the torturing arseholes dear Ripper gave me to."

Gibbs stared at him.  "They were shut down."

"The main project was shut down.  Someone else had some interesting research topics and had borrowed," he said genteelly.  "Which is where I am.  As well as two other witches."

"Where?" Gibbs asked.  "I'll have them shut down."

Ethan smirked.  "Will you?  How?"

"I know the president's phone number at home," he said bluntly.  Ethan gave him a pleased look.  "Torture is not right for any reason.  This would fall under DCIS."

"Well.  Not bad."  He stroked a hand over his head.  "Absolutely headblind.  Pity."

"There's a spirit like you with the director here," Anya told him. "Jack can help them.  He's with those two."  She pointed at the two Atlantis crew members  "They do alien stuff."

Ethan smirked.  "That's not a bad idea, chippy. Thank you.  Do have fun with Xander.  By the way, Travers is attached to the cursed mark he wears on his back."  John flipped the boy over to find it and cut it off if he had to.  Ethan found the other spirit and went to talk to him, plus the human.  This one was awake.  "Can you do me a favor?" he asked.

Jack shrugged a bit.  "Depends."

"The Initiative rented me out to a scientist.  That headblind one in the lab seems to think they can release us."

"I didn't like the Initiative.  If I had known, I'd have been there to take them apart at the seams.  Where are you?"  Ethan merged with him for a minute, then Jack found himself waking up.  "Fer cryin' out loud, turn down the damn lights in here!" Jack shouted.  A nurse came running.  "Paper, pen," he ordered.  She started to fuss.  He glared.  "Now!  It's important."  She got him one and he wrote it down, then let himself drift back off.  It made very little sense to him.  "Goes to Danny at DCIS," he said sleepily, falling into a natural sleep.

She handed it to her supervisor, who told the base's second-in-command, who was taking over after the new year.  "Sir, General O'Neill woke up, demanded we turn down the lights in the infirmary.  He wrote this down and said it goes to someone named Danny at DCIS?"

He took the note.  "Jackson runs DCIS."  He called over there, waking up the night officer.  "Good morning."

"Not fully, at least not here.  What's wrong, sir?  Ghosts on the base?"

"General O'Neill woke up from a near coma to write a message and said it had to go to someone named Danny at your agency, son.  I'm guessing it's the director."

"That's fine.  Can you fax it to us please?"  He nodded, finding the fax number already on speed dial.  The agent smiled.  "Jack and he pick on each other now and then, sir."

"Of course they do.  O'Neill is bored stupid doing the paperwork here."  He sent it.  "There you go, Agent...."

"Caine."  He got it off the machine.  "I'll give it to him at breakfast, sir.  Or is it more urgent?"

"No clue.  Doctor?"

"No idea.  He didn't say."

"That's fine.  I'll get it to him at breakfast, sir.  Have a better night and ignore any ghosts that may be showing up.  It's an unusual fall apocalypse."  He hung up as John Winchester stormed in.  "What?"

"The dweeb in New Jersey did this and offered Xander's soul in exchange for the ghosts.  Did you get something from O'Neill?"

"I did."

"The Initiative gave some of their people samples of their inmates.  Including a sorcerer named Ethan Rayne who got handed over by Rupert Giles."

Horatio stared for a minute then licked his lips.  "Wasn't Mr. Giles part of the reason they went down?"

"Yup.  The whole team out there was.  Ethan is a chaos sorcerer.  He bothered Giles so he did the expedient thing."

"I see.  Should I wake Daniel up?"

"Please.  Let me get someone to New Jersey to beat the brat.  Some of the girls are there," he said at the odd look.

"Have them bring him here to arrest him properly," Gibbs ordered from the doorway.  "Move, Horatio."  He got out of the chair and Gibbs took the message, nodding at it.  "I know where that is."  He logged into the system and used his old password, which still worked for some reason.  He got the nighttime Staffer on duty.  "This is ISC Watcher Gibbs.  I need the president now."

"More dragons?" he demanded.

"Worse, a classified military project that got shut down with prejudice is still going after he ordered it stopped for torture."  The staffer moaned and went to get the Chief of Staff up.  She was in her office.  Gibbs nodded.  "The Initiative."

"Them?  I thought they were all dead."

"Finn's in Homeland," Winchester said, getting one of the girls.  "Who's in Delaware?  Get the little dweeb, bring him here.  He offered Xander's soul.  They were building weapons, Rona.  Today."  He hung up, looking at the Chief of Staff.  "Someone had a researcher with samples outside the base."

She moaned.  "Okay.  Where are they?"  Gibbs held up the note to the camera.  "I know where that is."

"It should be under our authority," Gibbs said.  "Want us to go with another agency or not?"

"You can go but you'll need backup and probably medical support from what little I know."

"I sat on the tribunal," Gibbs said honestly.  She shuddered.  "Exactly, ma'am.  We'll take a few teams first thing in the morning."

"Agreed.  Summon whoever you need."

"There's an NCIS office in San Diego.  It's about two hours away.  Have a team meet me there please.  I'll go as the ISC rep."  She nodded, moving to make the plans.  "Thank you for your cooperation."  He hung up and looked at John.  "Warn House.  Get up ...."

"I'll go," Horatio offered.  "Since I'm up.  My team's on for the next case."

"Go for it.  Get me the New York team too.  At least Flack and Taylor."  He nodded, going to do that.  He looked at John.  "Good luck with them."

"Not an issue.  I'll let them geek at Sammy until he explains things to the rest of us."

Sheppard leaned in.  "Can we help?"

"They might be current military.  I'm having the nearest NCIS branch going in with the teams here."

"I can still help, Gibbs."

"Help them with the lab clean up and figure out what they built."  John walked in the list.  He and John Winchester both moaned.  "That's ..."

"A geek's wet dream," John agreed smugly.  "McKay's still petting the nuclear accelerator."  He walked out to warn House and Chase.  "Guys," he said as he walked in.  Chase looked up from his reading.  "Team effort going tomorrow.   At least three hostages we know of and they've been tortured."

"I'll lay in supplies.  How long?"

"They're going soon to bust it.  Plus flight time back.  I'd say probably ten at the earliest?"

"Plenty of time.  Thank you."

"Not an issue.  By the way, we unpossessed Dean, Abby, and Xander."

"All of them?"

"Yes."

"I meant all of Xander's."

"No.  Just the geeks that made them build stuff, a chaos sorcerer, and a former Watcher."

"Charming," he muttered, going to make note of it.  "Do we have names?"  John wrote it down for him.  "Thank you."

"Welcome.  They were in a temporal fold."

"I'll check them over after breakfast."  He nodded and left, going back to the lab.   He needed some of the geek toys too.  Chase called House.  "We'll have trauma patients at the earliest by ten. At least three, possibly more.  I was warned they'd have undergone torture."  He hung up and checked supplies, getting the nurse's help to get more things.

***

Horatio took point up to the gate, holding up the desist order.  "The president said to turn over all prisoners and samples to DCIS.  Immediately."  The guard reached for something and Mac got him down.  "No, we'll tell them ourselves.  Secure him."  They walked onto the base like an avenging small army.  What they saw inside made Flack puke off to the side of the hallway.  Horatio grimaced but they managed to find the people in charge and arrested everyone on base before getting the poor people loaded to go back to their base.  It was safer for them there.  House was not going to be pleased.  He called once they were on the plane.  "House, Horatio Caine.  You'll need support.  We have ten demons, fifteen humans, and they're bad.  Mac's gray, House.  He saw combat injuries.  He was in Lebanon and he's gray."  He hung up with that warning, reaching over to pat Mac.  "We'll do what we can for them," he reminded him.

"How in the hell did this happen?"

"They were Initiative," Horatio said.  "The ones the group in Sunnydale took down."  Mac glared.  Horatio pointed at one.  "Rupert Giles turned him over."

"Damn him," Flack said, glaring at them.  "Why?"

"The only records Gibbs had said he was being a pain by being a chaos sorcerer.  There's ones left in Homeland."

"Over my dead body!" Flack said firmly.

"Once we have them back, we'll see what we can do," Mac said calmly.  "I did not fight and bleed for my government for them to do this."  Flack nodded, calming down and going to check their patients.  "How many are critical?"

"Two.  Gibbs forwarded the records they were gathering directly to our infirmary.  He'd go through Abby but they're still asleep."

"Hmm.  They were up late last night building geek toys while possessed," Horatio admitted.  Flack smiled at that.  "Including a working light saber according to the list I glanced at."

"That's talent," Mac decided.  The plane changed altitudes.  "Is the copter waiting on us?" he asked the pilot.

"Yes, sir.  We're touching down at an unused strip nearer to the base.  It's usually used for crop dusting."  He did what he had to do to land.  "It'll be bumpy."  They buckled in and checked the patients as they landed.  The nurses they were borrowing from town came over to check the patients.  A few gasped.

"The demon ones are coming in the next shipment," Horatio offered.  "With Gibbs."  They nodded.  Everyone got the people offloaded and onto the helicopters, taking the SUV's back to the base with the nurses for now.  The pilot took off again.

***

House saw the first one coming in and shuddered.  "They're in jail, right?" he demanded as the first agent came in to help.

"Heading here to do that," Horatio promised.  He helped move one onto a gurney.  "Where can I help?  I can at least bandage."

"Stock for now," he ordered, waving a hand at the supplies.  The fifteen humans got worked on nearly silently.  Chase had to call for more bandages a few times when he found a bleeder with an artery that was damaged very close to the surface.  The others they did what they could and let the surgeons they were borrowing from the nearest hospital have the ones they could work on.  The others got what they could until it was their turn.  The agents helped by bandaging, moving, holding pressure now and then.  Mac ended up clamping Chase's bleeder once so he got to visit surgery for a few minutes as well until they got his fingers free.  They were nearly done when the first demon came in.  "Aw, shit," he muttered.  "Someone call Connor, see if we can get a demon healer?"   Danny Messer did that and Dawn opened a portal a minute later to bring a few healers through.  They came over to work on the demons with them.  It was much faster since there were less of them.  Most of them would be okay.  One of them the healers refused to touch.  "What?  DNR order?"

"Anything that cannot be healed naturally of his kind, they are expected to die," he said in accented English.  "It is their way."

"Bandages?"

"Acceptable.  Stitching as well.  He has a bruised liver though.  Plus a ruptured stomach."

"That's stitching," House pointed out.  He moved to get what he needed and dug in to do that.  The demon moaned but he glared.  "I'm only stitching it closed.  If you die from it, so be it."  The demon nodded, passing out again.  He looked at the healer.  "Antibiotics?"  He shook his head.  "Any chance?"

"It's possible.  They are very good healers."

Xander stumbled in and got something out of a case, handing it to House.  "Mohra demon blood."  The healer perked up and split it between that one and another demon who needed it.  Xander moved around people until he found the tylenol box.  Then he went to check on his people.  "Guys?  We good?"  Mac glared at him.  "What?"

"You let them take someone?"

"Huh?"

"The remains of the Initiative had them," Gibbs told him.

Xander nodded slowly.  "I did protest.  Buffy and Giles sent him with Riley Finn."  He took the drugs and a sip of water from his hand after dipping it under the closest faucet.  He swallowed the pills.  "I would've thought the tribunal would've heard and shut them down too since we had no idea where he went.  You guys took the records before Willow could hack to see where."

Gibbs grimaced.  "I never heard they took people off."

"Finn knew.  He handed him over.  His whole team, Gibbs.  Beyond that, yeah, I complained.  We had to rescue a friend.  Giles thought they'd poke him a bit, scare him, and keep him secure so out of his hair.  Not torture him."  He came over and looked then sighed.  "Asshole.  This is why you left me the healing spell, huh?"  He calmed himself then grimaced.  "I need help with this."  He grabbed Don's hand.  "Help me."  He focused.  "I'm using you as a straw, Don.  Just relax."  He did as Ethan had left instructions for and healed the worst of the injuries.  Then he passed out and Don passed out.

"Just what we needed," House complained.

"He said Rayne left the healing spell last night when he possessed Xander," Gibbs said, helping move those two to empty beds.  "They'll be fine in a minute."  Don woke up. "See?"

House checked them both.  "Go eat," he told Don, getting a nod and him going to do that.  House came over to look at Ethan.  He had been in very bad shape.  Now, he was in less bad shape.  The gaping cuts were down to minor wounds.  The bruises were fading.  His hair was growing back where it had been scalped off him.  The skin too.  He checked his vitals then smacked him on the face.  "C'mon."  Ethan blinked at him. "Welcome to DCIS.  Don't make him do it again."

"I won't," he said quietly.  "I owe him."  He rubbed his eyes then looked at him.  "The females?"

"In the other room," Gibbs said calmly, coming over.  "I need the names of who did this to you, Rayne.  I was on the tribunal and we never heard."

"Captain Finn took me into custody and handed me over after a short report on what I could do.  I was starting to come around from the sedative dart."

Gibbs nodded.  "We'll be debriefing you later.  Once you're ready."

Ethan nodded.  "Where is Ripper?"

"Cleveland," House told him.  "Wesley and Gibbs are our watchers locally."

Ethan swallowed, letting Gibbs help him sip some water.  "I would like to talk to dear Ripper."

"No," Xander said, holding his head.  "I just got rid of that headache."  House swatted him.  "Hey!  Easy on the prettiness."  Gibbs gave him an odd look.  "What?"

"That's a Dean line," he said dryly.

"Yeah, I know.  We're working on that now.  Jonathan was a bit zealous."  He shook his head.  "Tim word."  He slid off the bed and came over.  "You can't curse him while you're on base.  No harmful magic inside our protections."

"It can be done."

Xander stared at him.  "Then I'd have to kick your ass, Rayne."  That got a nod of understanding.  "You want Giles, you go to Cleveland.  I'll even give you the address.  Or we'll hold a meeting in the middle of nowhere.  That's acceptable to me.  I'm sure Wes would agree."

"The one who works with Angel?" he asked.

"Him.  He and I do most things while Giles rebuilds the Council.  How in the hell did Travers get me?"

"He knew he could work through you to fix whatever Ripper was bollixing."

"Ah.  That's wonderful.  He comes back, I'm ripping his soul apart."  Gibbs gave him a look.  Xander held up a hand.  "There's past issues there, guys.  Leave it for now."  He looked at Ethan.  "Your word?  I'll arrange for you to be able to beat his ass.  Just don't do it inside our wards."

"I will not cast harmfully while I'm inside your protections."

"Thank you."  He stared into his eyes.  "He's in his own personal obsession hell, Ethan," he said quietly.

"I don't care."

"Good.  Maybe you can snap him out of that.  Even Buffy's said stuff."  He patted him on the arm, getting a hiss.  "I thought I fixed that."

"Still a bit sore even though it's no longer broken," he said tiredly.

"You sleep.  You need it more than I do."  He walked off, going to tell Wesley in Daniel's office.  "Boss, the next time I get possessed by Travers I'm ripping his soul apart."  Danny spluttered. "The same man who tried to kill me, kill Faith, kill Buffy?  Yeah."

"That's vengeance, Xander.  Not justice."

"He's already dead.  Justice is past his limit."

"He can be judged if you can send him to a judging body," Wesley corrected.

"He decided to possess me so I could kick Giles around," he said blandly.

"Ah.  I see."  Wesley nodded.  "Get him to a judging body.  We can do that."

"If we could find him again."

"He's here, I heard and instructed John on how to trap him."

"Take him to the box in New York," Daniel suggested.  They smirked at that.  "Other news?"

"I healed Ethan Rayne partially.  He left a healing spell in my head and he needed it."

"Good.  Do you want to hit him too?" Wesley asked.

Xander looked at him.  "I have a promise from him not to work inside our wards if I arrange it so he can face Giles down about giving him to the Initiative." Wesley went pale.  "Do you want to do that there or somewhere in the middle of nowhere?"

"A secret meeting," he decided, gathering his composure.  "Did we not protest?"

"Not like they listened to me, Wes!"

"Good point."  He patted the boy on the shoulder, watching him hiss.  "Sore?"  He checked.  "A bit bruised."

"I slept on Dean's shoulder and the floor last night.  If it's magic based, it's from the temporal spell Ethan had me do while he was possessing me."  He looked at Daniel again.  "I did protest."

"I know you would have, Xander."

"They weren't on the base and the tribunal confiscated the records almost immediately."

"I know."  He gave him a gentle smile.  "We don't blame you.  You're still human, not a full god."  Xander relaxed.  "Now, what other problems are we foreseeing?"

"I hate that word."

"That sounded like Dean's voice," Wesley said, giving him an odd look.

"Jonathan got too happy sharing knowledge," Dean said as he walked in.  "He did ask if this was the right thing to do since they knew what they were doing," Dean reported.  Gibbs walked in.  "He did say it wasn't right, Gibbs."

"I know he did.  The kid doesn't support torture."  Xander slumped and nodded.  "Why the worry?"

Xander looked at him.  "Because they tried to charge us for taking them down, Gibbs.  That was the first part of the tribunal.  We had to prove why we did it."

Gibbs grimaced.  "Must've been before we broke in."

"Probably.  I don't know.  They still tried to charge us and they did promise they would find a way to charge us.  This is the excuse they need."

"No, it's not, kid.  The first tribunal was flawed and corrupt.  They were taken out and we were put in because of it.  Most of them are in jail."  Xander gave him a hopeful look.  "Two are still in the government, one in public service as a lobbyist.  They will not be doing this.  The president gave us a desist order and I'll make sure he knows that they tried that if he doesn't already."  Xander gave him a hug.  "How are you linked with Abby since they did it first?"  That was an Abby hug, complete with minor bouncing against his chest.

"Jonathan went back through him after us," Dean said.  "We're working on it.  I need him for now, Daniel.  That good?"

"That's fine.  Do be careful.  He's usually exhausted after doing anything magically."

"Of course he is."

"He just passed out after having Don Flack help him with a healing spell for Rayne," Gibbs said.

Xander looked at him.  "If I'm that injured, let me go or find a healer," Xander said bluntly.  "He was handed over six weeks before we had to take them down."

Gibbs shuddered.  "I'll make sure the base shrink goes to see if they want help."  Xander nodded, letting Dean lead him off.  He looked at Jackson.  "We have a preliminary report."

Daniel got out of his seat, letting him have the teleconferencer.  "Go for it.  I know he has meetings today."

"That's fine, I can leave it with the Chief of Staff since she knows."  He dialed out and let Daniel put in the code.  "Ma'am."

"Gibbs.  Any news?"

"Fifteen humans, ten demons."  She winced.  "All in need of critical care support.  The infirmary here had to borrow staff from a local hospital.  Some of them are going to need long term care.  Including one who's pregnant.  The question has been raised about the first tribunal since they might have known, and the ones who were given enough leeway to go to the UN hunting squads and then to Homeland?"

"Is it pertinent?"

"At least one was handed over directly by Captain Finn, ma'am."

"I see."  She considered it.  "Let me talk to the president, Gibbs.  How many are able to be debriefed?"

"None.  One's slightly awake thanks to Harris doing a healing spell he learned off him last night during the ghost incident."

"I saw that," she said blandly.

"Some little brat in Delaware.  He's being brought here by the slayers to face charges."

"Good.  That was very annoying.  I had to listen to my mother nag again."  She shifted in her chair.  "When should we be able to debrief them?"

"Doctor House thinks within three days."  He coughed then looked at her.  "The first tribunal threatened the people who took them down?"

"They did?" she asked coolly.  He nodded.  "We're sure?"

"I talked to Harris, ma'am.  He was threatened and they did say they would find a way to charge him someday."

"They're in jail?"

"All but two in Homeland and one in a lobbying firm."

"Charming," she sneered.  "Is it pertinent?"

"A member of the group out there turned one of our patients over for annoying them."  She stared.  "Mr. Giles turned over the chaos sorcerer Ethan Rayne.  The one Xander healed.  Xander did protest.  He did suggest they knew what they were doing was wrong and bad.  Giles sent him anyway with Captain Finn."

"Ah.  The healing spell?"

"He was out of his body and came to possess Xander last night."

"Interesting.  How did he find him?"

"He had done things to Xander in the past," Daniel said as he came around the desk to look at her.  "During one Halloween he ran a costume shop and turned all the people into their costumes.  Xander was one."

"What did he go as?" she asked with a small smile.  "I can't imagine him dressing up."

Daniel smirked.  "He does lose his serious demeanor around base, ma'am.  You only see him when there's a problem."  She nodded that was true.  "He went as a soldier."

"That's where he got the training from," she said, standing up.

"The former owner was apparently Special Ops by what we know of what he learned," Gibbs told her.  She moaned, sitting down again.  "But yes, and then he added the new training on top of that.  That is how he planned graduation."

"That makes so much sense."

"He still had to train himself," Gibbs told her.

"Yes, but it must've given him a framework."

"He's still a weak puncher, ma'am," Gibbs told her.  She smirked at that.  "He still has all that combat history and he was hunting before then."

"Good.  It's clear he took advantage of the opportunity he got given.  Is he all right?"

"He's fine.  They're unlinking a few people that the ghosts took over to build geek toys last night," Gibbs admitted.  "They built a light saber."  She giggled.  "A working one."  She stared.  "The geeks who got them were from the town as well."

"Anything of use to a defense contractor?"

"I don't know," Gibbs admitted, looking at Daniel.

"The very lifelike robot possibly," he admitted.  "I don't know about the other stuff but I have a few of the people Jack works with here because they had to help break up the geek toy party last night.  With Rayne possessing Xander, Harris cast a temporal spell to give them three weeks to build geek toys overnight."  She shuddered.  "So they're all exhausted right now.  McKay saved them from blowing up the state during an experiment."

"Good to know.  Let me tell the president and mention that concern, Jethro.  We'll see what we can do.  I know the boy would have gotten him out of there if he had known."

"The first tribunal confiscated the records of where they took the others, ma'am.  We might need to search them for more.  We never heard a thing about it."

"You were on the second?"  Gibbs nodded.  "Good.  I'll see what I can do, Jethro.  Stay there today."  She hung up and went to talk to the president.  "Do you have a moment?"

"Bad news?" he asked.  "The morning report gave me heartburn."

"Worse news.  Ten demons, fifteen humans were found at the research site."  He glared at her.  "Gibbs went with the DCIS and NCIS team to shut them down.  They were tortured."  He moaned.  "The first tribunal may have known.  They also threatened to find a way to charge Harris's former group with interfering with the program.  Gibbs said he's not sure there's not other sites.  They confiscated the records."

"I'll have them sent to him.  How bad?"

"He said torture, sir, and it'll be a few days before they're able to be debriefed.  They had to borrow doctors on the base."

"They're treating the demons?"

"DCIS has always said that they treat any pacifist society the same as they do humans, sir.  It's not their fault they were captured.  Though, the reason may be in Homeland and at least one of them over there knew one of the humans had been taken off base."

"Who?"

"Finn."

"Where is he?"

"Homeland.  Along with two members of the original tribunal.  One's in a lobbyist's office."

"Get them."

"Gibbs wanted to know if he's arresting them."

"We'll see.  Who handed that human over?"

"Mr. Giles did."  He glared again.  "Apparently Harris did protest because they knew they were doing something wrong at the very least.  Harris was probably worried they'd use this to discredit him and the agency.  He said DCIS is a family to him."

"Good to know.  We'll look into that.  Tell the Counsel I want to talk to him about that.  Get the records in here."  She nodded, going to do that for him.  This was not good news.  His heartburn was coming back.  He took two rolaids and belched, then went to get some milk.  This was not going to be a good day.

***

Ethan woke up to find a young woman on the foot of his bed.  She looked slightly familiar but he couldn't place her.  "Candy striper?" he asked.

"No.  You had a magical flash while you were dreaming and it woke me up."  She leaned down.  "I had to recode the infirmary's wards so they wouldn't zap you, Ethan."

He smiled.  "You are a witch.  Have we worked together?"

"My mother and Buffy would've freaked," she said dryly.  He gave her a hurt look.  "I'm Dawn.  Buffy's little sister."

"Talent runs in the family," he said.

"We're not fully sure where Buffy gets hers from," she said dryly, making him smirk.  She stood up.  "Anyway, I made it so the infirmary's shields won't hurt you and won't hinder any more healing spells.  Just don't use Xander again."

"He...."

"Protested," Dawn told her.  "Not like Giles, my sister, Willow, or Riley listened to him.  Or didn't you see that?"

"I did," he admitted quietly, looking around.  He saw him in a bed.  "It exhausted him that much?"

"Breaking the bonds between the three made him pass out again.  He should be fine."  She leaned down again.  "Next time, don't use Xander.  Please?" she asked quietly.  "If you had shown yourself to Wesley, any of the rest of us here, we would've come for you.  What they did is wrong."

"It was.  Whatever would Ripper say though?"

She snorted.  "Like I give a damn?  He's busy rebuilding the Council, Ethan.   Even the girls don't get watchery support from him."

"Travers was in Xander, not him."

"I know.  I finished what John started."  She stroked through his hair.  "You're on the schedule for a bath in about an hour if you can stay awake."  He nodded at that.  "Xander was the main push to get Oz out of there, Ethan.  He doesn't believe in those methods.  Even if now and then he does go badass and beat some demons for information when it's critical."

"It is a slippery slope," he told her.

"Unlike them, Xander has a firm line.  In emergencies is one thing.  Shits and giggles is another."

"Good to know."  He stared at her.  "I could swear I've felt your magic."

"You probably have.  I'm the one who laid most of the wards around here."  She smiled. "Not bad.  My teachers helped."

"The Devon coven?"

"No.  The charmed ones."  He shuddered.  She shrugged.  "I needed kick ass teachers.  I'm going to be a good watcher some year."  She stepped back.  "Gibbs wants to get an account from you if you'd let him.  He also said to tell you if you wanted it, we do have a base shrink for you to talk to before you go beat the crap out of Giles."

"You won't mind or try to stop me?"

She stared at him.  "What he did is wrong, Ethan.  That's called Justice.  As long as it stays justice and not vengeance, we're good."

Ethan nodded.  "I know the difference," he assured her.

"Good."  She smiled and pinched him on the chin.  "You'll heal.  Your natural magic is working to help the original healing spell.  Some of the others are a lot worse off and even the healers aren't sure they can save a few of them."

"I'm very lucky."

"Praise Janus?" she teased.

"Indeed.  What of the little twit that inadvertently helped so much?"

"He's facing charges today.  Our judge has him later on.  Maybe some day you'll teach him better, as long as it doesn't impact the girls or Xander."

"I have no interest in the girls.  Or the whelp."

"You know, Xander's responsible for a lot of good stuff going on.  He used the memories your halloween stunt gave him very well to save others."

Ethan smiled.  "Some balance must come?"

"No.  The Powers and I are having fits."  She tucked him in better.  "Feel better and if you need magical stuff let me know.  They can page me down here when I'm not in school."

He stopped her from moving. "Rosenburg?"

"On probation in Cleveland for trying to have all our utilities shut off.  The FBI was not happy."

"I probably wouldn't be either.  She was very pure the last time I saw her."

"Hmm.  Then she found black magic, Ethan.  She's somewhere in the gray range right now."  She smiled.  "Need anything?"

"I'm fine for the moment.  Thank you."

"Welcome."  She left him alone.  Chase had been fussing a few beds down and gave her a nod.  She smiled, stopping to give him a hug.  "He's a great doctor.  He babies us girls horribly," she told the patient, who smiled at that.  She left, going back to make a report to Gibbs.  She was worried about Xander.  He hadn't felt very well to her.  She'd let Faith hover for a bit while she did some fast research.  "Hey, Thomas?  I need something on healing spells.  Specifically when you have someone lower powered who uses a spell left to him by someone like Ethan the day after a possession."

"Xander's in a bed?"

"Looking kinda washed out and he feels off.  I'm not sure how."

"There's three good books on healing spells," he said, leading her to them.  "No eating."

"Yes, sir."  She went to sit down with them and go over the mechanics.  Maybe something would pop out at her.  If not, Tara was inhabiting her robot self at the moment so she could hug people.

***

Daniel walked into the R&D lab.  "Why does it look like they built a Ghostbusters's trap and proton pack?" he asked.

"Because they did."  Sheppard grinned.  "Neat, huh?"

Daniel gave him a look.  "Vacation?"

"Temporal loop.  We had to come get them out of the dilation field."

"Ah.  So the other pain in Sam's butt is...."

"Checking on Abby."

"That's fine.  What other toys did they make?"

"They work."

"They do?"

"Yeah." He pointed at the hole in the wall he had stuffed with a sweatshirt Abby had given him.  "It works very well."

"Oh, no."

"What?" Sheppard asked, looking confused.

"If we let this out, someone will want to know how."

"We already checked, the lab's cameras caught them doing it," McKay said as he bustled back into the lab.  "The others are more safely put away for now.  We're testing these two at the moment."  The Tara robot walked in and hugged Daniel, making him jump. "That's Tara.  Miss Rosenburg's former girlfriend as I was informed.  Her spirit seemed to stick around after last night and they had them build a robot body for her."

"I miss hugs."

"I know you do," Daniel said, smiling at her.  "I did when I was gone too."  She beamed back, giving him an extra squeeze.  He moaned a bit so she blushed and let go.  "They got you really realistic in this form, Tara."

"They had the Buffy robot too but the demons got it," she said quietly.

"I know some groups that could use the robots."  She blushed again. "Not you.  Ones trained and made to go into dangerous situations."  She nodded and settled down to watch the boys play.  "Is Willow here?"

"No, she's pouting in Cleveland.  They said she's not allowed to leave the city without telling them first.  Or else she goes to jail."

"Xander asked for her to get probation."

She looked at him.  "She and Xander have been friends for a very long time," she told him.  "He's always protected her, Daniel.  He probably always will, even when she's being a kitty butt.  He's the one that stopped her after I died."  Daniel nodded he knew that.  "Xander's a very deep guy and he cares very deeply, but now and then he needs to let go.  Like of the spell he cast earlier."  Daniel moved to the phone to call Dawn.  She smiled. "It'll be fine.  He can be exhausted.  He doesn't want to use magic.  It's just that last night made him."  She gave him another hug.  "Jack's fine too.  You should call him."

He smiled.  "I will in a while.  He's probably still grouching up the infirmary."  She nodded.  "You can see him?"

"Mm-hm.  I can see everyone that came back last night and all those affected.  Thankfully Travers decided to tell the demon he couldn't have Xander's soul.  Your judge was not amused."  She pinched him on the cheek.  "Now, go do something fun.  You never get to do fun things anymore."

"Yes, Tara."  He went to translate something for fun.  It was good for him.  Especially after last night.  He saw Dawn go jogging past and smiled.  That was good, she had it well in hand for him.  He'd have to see if she'd become an agent instead of a watcher.  Sam too.

***

House leaned down over Xander's prone form.  "If you so much as *think* about magic in the next week I'm going to strap you down to that bed and let every single slayer in existence come fuss over you.  I don't care why you did it.  I don't care if you were possessed while you did it.  Your body is exhausted and nearly shut down for a while thanks to the healing spell earlier.  You will not do a damn thing for the next week.  Am I clear, Xander?"  He nodded slowly then yawned.  "That's a good start.  Yes, go back to sleep.  You can play with the others and the toys later."  Xander moaned, trying to move. "No!" he snapped.  "What part of you're not to do anything did you not get?"

"It's a compulsion," Ethan called.  "The spirits are trying to get him again.  This has left  his shield wide open."

"Would a warding circle work?" House asked him.  He nodded.  "Then we'll get someone to do that."  He called Sam.  He was sane and available today.  "Samuel, come ward Xander.  I'm told he's under a compulsion to go build more geek toys."  He hung up and stared at Xander until he went limp.  "Do you know why you passed out this time?"

"I needed to go to the bathroom."

"I saw that when we picked you up from in there.  We can give you a urinal, Xander."

"I'll hold it."

House stared at him.  "For the whole week?"

"Can't I go potty?"

"Maybe tomorrow."

"I can hold it that long."

House snorted. "If you can, it's not good for you."

"So?  I haven't wet the bed since I was three and I'm not doing it now."  Sam walked in and drew a salt line around his bed.  "Tell him I don't have to pee in a cup while I'm in bed?"

Sam looked at him then at House.  "He does?"

"He's exhausted.  Like Dawn was after the dragons."

"Yes, you do," Sam told Xander, who pouted.  "Keep it up and I'm bringing Dean down to handcuff him to your bed."

"Dean's not mine, he's Faith's."

"He's already whined her into stomping off," Sam said dryly.  He finished his line and checked it, adding some extra salt in a thin spot behind the head of the bed.  "That should help."  He moved the bed down a bit so Xander's head was fully inside the warding line.  "There we go."  He smirked.  "Behave, Xander.  We need you rested and healthy."

"Can I block off any more freaky magic stuff?"

"There are ways," Ethan assured him.

"That would require him to do magic," House said, glaring at him.  "Be a good patient or I pull out the huge needles and the ugly nurses."  He looked at Xander again, smiling because he was hiding under the sheets.  "Don't like needles either?"

Sam pointed at Faith.  "He's being a bit fussy."

"He's under a compulsion to go work in the lab," Ethan said, sounding amused.  "Ah, the dark-haired one."

Faith stared at him.  "I redeemed myself, Rayne.  You?"  He laughed at that.  "Thought so."  She came over.  "We could put him and Dean in the same bed.  Let your dad fuss over them both."

"Dad's fussing?"

"He went to make Dean eat soup even if he  had to use a set of clamps to keep his mouth open and pour it down his throat with a hose according to Papa Smurf."

"That means he's tired of Dean whining too," Sam told her.  "Should've seen it when he had chicken pox."

"No thanks.  This behavior is why I'll *never* have kids."

"There's many benefits though," Ethan said.

She looked over.  "Don't make me get the unicorn in here."  He went silent and his eyes got very big.  She looked at House again.  "Can he block it off?"

"Once he's not exhausted."

"It could still be drawing out of him," Ethan admitted.  "With the type of power he shows up with, it's not unheard of for a bit of exhaustion like this to be hiding a slow leak back into the source void."  They all stared at him.  "He doesn't have nature magic.  He has void style magic.  It's fairly powerful but also fairly limiting.  It's like a stronger form of chaos with some balance thrown in."

"I'm blocking it," Xander muttered.  He concentrated and then recited the blocking spell he had looked up once.  Suddenly he felt better.  At least until House and Faith both swatted him hard.  "Ow," he said weakly.  "It stopped that."

"I don't care," House told him.  "I said no."  He stomped off, going to call the girls.  "Xander's awake and needs fussed over."

"That's cruel," Xander called over.  "They need to study, not fuss."

"Suck it up, X," Faith said smugly.  A few of the younger girls ran in to come hug, crawl in with, cuddle, and help Xander any way they could.  She walked off cackling.  She ran into John walking Dean that way.  "X is getting fussed over."

"Good.  Dean needs it too."  Dean tried to pull away but he was too tired to do that.  Faith picked him up and went to put him on Xander's bed.  The girls all cooed and welcomed him.  The bed got bigger so it would fit both of them and the girls.

"You shouldn't be doing it either, Rayne," House yelled.  "I need to put up a sign saying no magic unless you're doing a needed healing spell," he muttered to himself.  "And then one at home too.  Just in case someone changes Cuddy into something cuddly and fluffy or Wilson into a meaner puppy."

"It's just to make them more comfortable," he called back.  Watching the girls torment the two macho, tough guys was rather amusing.  Amusing to the father and brother too apparently.  They walked off smirking evilly.  "Poppet, he could use something to drink.  Both of them are probably dehydrated after the temporal spell I helped them do in the lab while they were busy being possessed and creating strange machines to help you lot."  The youngest one beamed and went to get them some juice from the cafeteria, bringing back two full glasses with straws.  Then the older girls made them drink it through the straws.

The girl pulled out some carrot sticks from her pocket to feed them too.  Ethan nearly smirked.  The boys probably did need the vitamins, but they were trying so hard not to look disgusted at having to eat vegetables.  House smirked and waved from his seat, going over the latest results.  The one who would die instead of accept medical attention was healing nicely.  A few of the humans were too.  Some weren't and that was worrisome but they'd do whatever they could.  If they had to, they could forward them to a regular hospital.  Maybe even back in New Jersey to make Cuddy help the government for a bit.

"Can I please nap?" Xander asked politely.  They all cooed and fluffed the pillows, handcuffing Dean next to his buddy before leaving.  Xander looked at Dean.  "I'm sorry the guys did that to us."

"It was neat to create that way.  We'll live this down."  He yawned.  "Hey, Doc, got a key?  I can't sleep in this position."  House came over to let him go so he could shift around then cuffed him to Xander this time.  He drew the curtain around them and let them sleep.  It'd be the best thing for them.  "We should escape when we wake up," Dean said quietly.

"Hide from the fussing girls," Xander agreed with a yawn of his own.  Dean gave his head a shove.  "Sorry, no one gave me a toothbrush yet."

"That's okay."  They drifted off together.  Upstairs, Abby was doing the same thing on her lab couch.  Sammy and Dawn were napping in the sunny part of the library.  It was a good day to nap apparently.

Ethan gave their privacy curtain a long stare.  "Someone really should unlink them all.  Soon.  Before they start to get symbiotic."  He looked around.  "Can I call someone?"

"Dial nine," House called.  "No international calls."

"Thank you."  He picked up the phone and did as instructed, calling the number he had once looked up in San Francisco.  Just in case.  "Is Prue there please?  Oh, dear, sorry.  Um, one of her sisters perhaps?  Ethan Rayne.  Tell them I'm staring at a most odd mish- mosh problem."  He was put on hold then a shrill voice demanded to know what he was doing on the base.  "They rescued those of us the Initiative had earlier," he said quietly.  "Has anyone looked at the links going on around here?  No, I'm staring at Harris, who has two different sets.  One due to the possessions last night, and me admittedly so they could rescue us this morning.  The other appears to go to the delightful young woman who came to make sure the wards wouldn't hurt me further earlier.  Yes, Dawn.  No, I have promised not to do anything harmful inside the wards.  I'm also healing.  Yes, someone should.  Before they become symbiotic.  Exactly.  The infirmary.  Where else would we be?"

House came over and took the phone.  "Phoebe?"  He smiled.  "Sorry, Paige.  Had to guess.  The ghosts last night possessed Dean. Abby, and Xander to make them some super geek toys.  I know there's rumors of a working light saber and possibly a proton pack."  She said something quietly.  "Somehow it linked those three last night.  There's still the bond from the incident before I got here as well.  They did try.  They may not have succeeded.  I'm not sure.  No, he's being a good patient.  Even if he did break my rules to expand Xander's bed so it was big enough for him, the girls, and Dean."  She giggled.  "He blocked off his I think.  Please do.  We're here and we do have a lot of patients here.  I'll tell you when you get here.  Healing spells, temporal folds....."  She babbled something and hung up.  He smirked as he hung up.  "Nice work, Rayne.  They do love to fuss over him and Dawn."  He limped back to his chart reading, making another note.  He went to check that patient, finding her doing better for now.  He was hopeful that one would survive.  Especially with the new doctors coming in today.

Piper appeared and came over to look at Xander.  "What did you do this time?" she demanded.  Xander glared at her.  "Do not give me that look, young man.  I will treat you like my son."  He growled and put his head back down.  She knocked them both out then looked at their auras.  She sighed and went to get what she needed from Dawn's supplies.  Then she'd work on the longer term one.  It could only be eased but the new one was leaking back into the old one through Dean and Xander.  No wonder Sam and Dawn were napping in the library and hadn't called them.  She got done and both boys sighed and smiled in their sleep.  She cleaned up her mess.  "They should be fine.  Xander basically put a padlock on his magical gift so he can't use it unless he's really desperate.  It was a good job; it even kept earlier spells from continuing to drain him.  I also refirmed up the shield over his mind so no more possessions again."  She went to find John Winchester, finding him in the lab of all places.  "I didn't know you were a techie."

He jumped, turning to stare at her.  "Piper."  He smiled, shaking her hand.  "Which one?"

"Xander and Dean.  I need to fix the other one, just in case some of it remains."  He pointed at the couch in the office so she went to deal with her contagion from Xander.  She came back ten minutes later.  "Not only did they all get possessed by the same two spirits, which I removed, Xander managed to use that bond to suck part of the living souls up too."  John moaned, shaking his head.  "He's fine.  He also padlocked any magical talent he may have.  So unless he's desperate he's out of that game."

"His seer ability?"

She shrugged.  "No idea.  That's one of those fickle talents.  Just ask Sam."  He nodded at that wisdom.  "It also kept the leaking magic problem from going on."  She gave him a look.  "It's very cute that Dean and Xander are handcuffed together on the bed in the infirmary though.  Is he stating a choice?  His growl said the hyena was sniffing.  I reassured her and she went back to her enclosure again."

"No, most likely she was discontent with the last possessions.  He had Rayne, Travers, and the two geek ghosts last night."

She moaned.  "Poor kid.  Well, he's fixed now.  No more problems there for a while. The older one we need to examine better."  He nodded quickly at that, making her smile.  "It's not making you happy?"

"Not unless Dawn wants one and Xander wants the other."

"Xander and Dean would be fairly explosive together," she offered.  "He and Sam might be a bit at odds at first but Sam would end up treating him like he does his brother because they're so much alike.  Dawn said she thinks of Xander like a brother so she can't go there."

"That's fine.  It'll happen however it does.  Faith's too."  He nodded.  "Come to look at the toys too?"

"I did.  It sounds like they had a great time building."

"Inside a time distortion field," McKay told her.  "I know you."

"I'm one of Dawn's teachers."

"Ah.  Is the spell still here?"

She looked then finished banishing it.  "Xander isn't a magical person.  It was one of the possessions he had."  She came over to look, oohing at a few things.  "That's pretty cool."

"It is," John Sheppard agreed with a grin.  "They're going to be okay?"

"They'll be fine."  She smiled.  "Need to get home?"

He nodded.  "Sometime soon.  As soon as he can finish up the plans."

"That's fine.  Dawn's in the library taking a nap."

"We'll get her after dinner probably," John said.

"She's fine to go whenever you are as long as there's not a whole lot of others that she has to do."

"I still don't understand how that gift works," McKay complained.

She smiled.  "A small part of every spell is belief."  She patted him on the cheek.  "Are you running a fever?  You're flushed and warm."  He shook his head.  Though he did check, never could be too careful about those things.  Both Johns nodded.  "Go see someone before you get really sick.  After all, she said you're important wherever you're working."

"I am.  I'm the head scientist."

"Then you can't afford to be sick.  Go get medicine."  He sighed but did that.

"I feel the same way about the stubborn girls," John Winchester told her.

She smiled. "I'm figuring it's a parent thing."  She waved and orbed out.

John stared.  "How did she do that?"

"Magic," he said.

John nodded.  "Uh-huh.  Can I do that?"

"Who knows.  Ask Dawn."

"I can do that."  They shared a smirk then John got back to the plans.  They could use a few of them on base.  The other scientists and the doctor would love to have a working light saber.

***

Gibbs sent over his report a few days later and the president gathered it to read over.  "This is bad," he told Gibbs.

"Did it translate itself, sir?"

"Not the language, Jethro. The facts."  He looked at the camera.  "They're in jail?"

"I presented that to the judge.  He gave them life.  They're all humans so they can be moved back to a regular prison.  They're highly offended being in the same prison as demons."

"I'll see what we can arrange so you don't have the urge to kill them."

"Too late."

"I understand why, Jethro.  Are they healing all right?"

"They're healing fine.  The docs are optimistic about all but one of the humans and one demon at the moment.  His clan took him back and they're not happy either.  Mesesr explained what happened and what we found, how we rescued them and we didn't know or it would've been done years ago.  They decided it wasn't our fault or the government's fault, only the researchers' fault since they were hiding it.  With them in jail, it's seen as a reasonable and good thing so they won't attack them unless they find they've escaped.  The other demons got the same talk.  Two aren't from clans but one did have a husband.  He's babying her even though he's moved on and remarried.  His new wife is appalled but she agreed the poor thing needs help.  We made sure the healers knew where they were going and had healers nearby or some sort of medical facility.  They all do.  The last one's got a pretty good infection but his people don't believe in medicine.  Anything more than stitches and bandages is bad."

"I've met humans like that."

"So have I," Jethro agreed.  "He's growling but quietly.  Mostly because they're trying to find a pain killer that'll work but not kill him.  The others are doing relatively well.  They'll be released from the infirmary here over the next few weeks.  Those who've woken up have called their family or friends to let them know they are alive.  The same thing got explained to them.  I don't think most of them want to sue, but I have no idea, sir."

The president nodded.  "That's good to know.  Not that I'd blame them.  I'd go on CNN for this."  He put down the report.  "The last few?"

"Rayne developed some brain swelling due to an infection.  They're working on it.  They're also planning on how to get him and Rupert Giles together so he can punch him.  Repeatedly."

"Again, reasonable."

"Harris is fine as well.  Doing the healing spell that Rayne compulsed him to do plus the one the ghosts did to make him build more things drained him pretty far.  He's barely been released back to his own bed."

"Doesn't he get hurt a lot?"

"Not really.  He's come to work limping a few times and insisted he was fine, sir.  He hardly ever takes time off."

"Huh.  One of those."

"Yes, one of us," Jethro said dryly, cracking the president up.  "In other good news, O'Neill is out of the hospital.  Jackson said to tell you that."

"Even better.  I'm sure their nurses are relieved."  He looked at the report then at him.  "Captain Finn and his people?"

"You can try them or we can try them, sir.  They're on permanent duty assignment.  It's basically a sentence to help however they can."

"I'm still seeing what we can do, Jethro.  If anyone gets antsy, let me know?"

"Of course."

"Thank you.  Are you all right?"

"I'm tired, sir, but I'll have a nap soon.  It's been a long few days.  By the way, Jackson said the new geek toys aren't for rent to defense contractors.  He thinks most of them are too powerful."

"Too powerful?"

"The ghosts of the geeks wanted them to build a proton pack like on Ghostbusters, sir."

He thought back.  "Wasn't that a nuclear application?"

"Abby said it's a proton accelerator, sir.  It's compact, weighs about forty pounds, is matte black."

"I see."  He frowned.  "No, probably not useful."

"The lifelike robot may be but Japan would want that more.  They had another one and are willing to share their methods with others.  The people we borrowed from O'Neill to make sure they didn't blow up the state doing that went home with plans.  They do like the light saber however."

"Light saber?"

"Yes, sir, like Jedi use."

The president smirked.  "Tell me you're joking, Jethro?" he demanded tolerantly.  Jethro lit it up and he moaned.  "Never mind.  I doubt our defense people want us to use light sabers in the field.  Any idea if the technology is applicable elsewhere?"

"Not a clue, sir.  Ask Abby."

"I'll do that in a few days, Jethro.  Is Jackson hanging around?"

"Getting coffee, sir."

"I'll call after some rolaids.  Give me a final report soon, Jethro."

"That is."  That got a smile and a nod of thanks before he hung up.  Jethro looked at the man across the room.  "He did look tired when I turned it on."  He turned the new toy off and put the handle down.  "So, now what, Jackson?"

"Now, things get back to normal after we send Travers to the soul crypt in New York.  Fortunately Don had to go visit his father so he's doing that."  He smirked, sipping his coffee. "Thanks for covering."

"He looked like he needed a nap."  He made sure it was hung up before standing up and heading out to bother the Winchesters.  He had a lot to learn and he wasn't getting any younger.

Daniel sat behind his desk and called Jack to see how he was.  "You feeling better?"

"I'm pretty decent actually.  Sheppard and McKay get back all right?"

"Yesterday.  With plans."

"I'm sure they'll be thrilled.  That's probably why I got a girlish squeal from Carter earlier."  He smirked and Daniel smirked back.  "Election day is when?"

"The first Tuesday of next month."  He checked the calendar.  "Seven days."

"Wow."  He sighed.  "What happens if we get moved under you guys?"

"Less paperwork, Jack, and you'll be my AD over that area."

"Gee, thanks."

"Welcome."  He smirked.  "Which one do you think Sam's working on?"

"No telling with her."  He sipped his coffee.  "I feel old."

"I know.  So do I, Jack.  So do I."  He looked outside.  "Binky's playing tag with one of the guards by chasing him down to horn him.  Again.  Wonder what he did this time."

"Is she still anti-smoking?"

"Very.  Her and George.  The girls think it's cute."  He smirked and Jack smirked back.  House would take care of the guy in a few minutes they were sure.  It'd give him a chance to finish teaching the new guy the standard issues they had.  Hopefully.  The new guy was kinda uptight.

The End.

to part 20