Notes:  The leaving of Fargo scene and introduction was written by the wonderful Josette, who knows Eureka much better than I do.  The whole first scene and the introduction part of the meeting is hers.  The idea to add Fargo came from her and a few others on the Imaginings list so thanks to them as well.
 
 

Demon Criminal Investigative Services: Membership Drives
 
 
 
 

Fargo ran a cloth over the inscription in the marble archway, tucking it into his pocket as he took one last look around the Dr. Nathan Stark memorial Hallway.  Straightening Dr. Stark's picture, he turned to walk away, his work here in Eureka finished.

He'd been getting job offers from DCIS almost since the agency had formed, but working with Dr. Stark had made dealing with Eva Thorne worthwhile.  When Dr. Stark had sacrificed himself to start time moving forward again, he'd quietly put in his two weeks notice and started working on a fitting memorial.  Now that it was done, all he had to do was say goodbye to a few people in Eureka and drive away; his belongings had been boxed up by a quiet moving company and he was sure that not even his neighbors were aware that they'd been there.

He turns to look over his shoulder at the picture of Dr. Stark, blinking as he almost swears the man nods in approval at him.  Shaking his head he turns and walks away, walking to his office and boxing up his remaining personal items.  He looks up at the knock on the door, seeing Sheriff Carter looking inside.

"Then it's true, you did take the job in North Dakota." he says calmly, walking into the room and helping him take down his framed diplomas.

"How did you find out?" Fargo asked, looking up from packing the box.  Taking the frames, he placed them carefully in the box before checking his desk for any stray items.

"They called me last night to confirm they were packing your belongings." Jack picked up the box and followed him out of the room.  It looked bare without Fargo's books cluttering the shelves, his diplomas and pictures on the walls, and his notes scattered on his desk, in an order known only to him. And Stark, Jack thinks wistfully, the other man had always been able to find anything in Fargo's office.

"I miss him too, Sheriff." Fargo says, looking over at Jack as he shut the lights off in the room.  "Dr. Stark was the only thing keeping me here, now that he's . . . gone."

"I understand Fargo, really." Jack put the box in the packed back seat of Fargo's car and watched him leave Global Dynamics one last time, absently patting his pocket with all the contact information Dr. Jackson had given him on Fargo's new job, address, and e-mail, knowing others in Eureka will be asking him where Fargo is once they finally figure out the other man has left. A cynical part of him asks just how long it will take them to realize he's gone.

"So our little boy has finally grew wings and left the nest." a rough voice says over his shoulder and Jack turned to see Taggart watching Fargo's car drive out of sight.  "I wondered how long he would stay with Stark gone and Thorne being an evil bitch."

"Just long enough to make a fitting tribute to Stark." Jack says.  Taggart nods, turning to walk away.  "Do you need his e-mail once he gets settled in?" Jack called after his back.

"Already got it mate," Taggart smirks as he heads back into the bowels of Global Dynamics.  "I'll write him once he gets settled in."

Fargo pulls into a parking space across from Cafe Diem, smiling softly as he sees Jo and Henry walk in, Vincent is already there of course and doing a quick mental check of Zoe's work schedule tells him that everybody he wants to say goodbye to is there.  He walks across the street and enters the room, automatically catching Zoe as she runs into his arms.

"I'm going to miss you Fargo," she says, quickly hugging him.  "Promise me you'll write?"

"I promise Zoe," he says softly, patting her on the shoulder.

Jo is the next one to come up to him and she grabs him by the tie, pulling him forward and kissing him firmly on the mouth. "You tell them to treat you good or I'll come and kick their asses." She growls. "I don't care who they are, you're one of us Fargo, even if some people have their heads so far up their asses they don't know what's going on."  She turns to look at Henry. "And yes, I do mean Dr. Blake, she's changed the last couple of months and it's not just losing Dr. Stark; she was acting like a bitch before that."

Henry shakes his head but he can't argue, pulling Fargo into his arms and handing him a envelope.  "Stay in touch, Fargo." he says softly before walking out.  Jo follows him out and he turns to Vincent, only then realizing the Cafe is strangely empty for this time of day.

"I told the others we'd be closed this afternoon so we could say goodbye in private," he says at Fargo's look.  "I'm not about to let the gossip get back to Ms. Thorne, she'd probably find some excuse to have you arrested."  He goes into the back and comes out with a big basket of food.  "Here, this should keep you until you get to your new job.  I'm going to miss you, Fargo; you were one of the few people here who appreciated me for more than just a pretty face."  He smiled and patted Fargo on the shoulder before heading back into the kitchen.

Fargo puts the basket of food on the passenger seat and got behind the wheel, gulping silently as he leaves Eureka for the last time.

***

Daniel hung up with the president, smiling a little bit.  "That's not bad news."  He moved to get some things ready for the new guy.  "Xander?" he called.  "Tony?"  They came into his office.  "Someone answered the president's plea to give us a deputy director."

"His office is the one up the hall to the right," Tony said with a point.  "Everything but furniture and a secretary, boss."

"Is this going to be some stuffed shirt?" Xander asked.  "Because I don't want to have to correct them and all but the first time they step in on the girls or my case...."

Daniel smiled.  "He's from a classified DoD project, science based.  He's fairly young.  He's a scientist himself and he doesn't have a lot of self-confidence from what the general we just talked to said.  Apparently he got fed up and the president accepted him since he's the first one ever.  The president apparently tried to recruit him a few times during the early days but he wouldn't leave back then.  He was going to be Abby's second originally."

Xander nodded slowly.  "Can he put science into terms I can understand?"

"We'll see," Daniel promised with a small smile.  Xander grinned.  "He's used to strange things happening.  Their science project is *seriously* going to end up here some day according to the general.  Especially since they're fairly tired of that town at the moment."

"Okay," Xander agreed.  "And what's his downside?"

"He's a bit fussy and this is first time in command.  He was the assistant to the head of the other project."

"So, he can proofread reports, talk to the press, all that for us?" Tony asked.

"Hopefully.  I hate doing it."  They smiled.  "He has a high enough security clearance to know the details from Jack's project."

"NID?" Tony asked.

"No.  Not funded that way.  Top secret Department of Defense science project gone huge."

Xander looked confused.  "I heard something about that from someone."  He shook it off.  "When does he get here?"

"Tomorrow.  Be nice to the new guy.  He's fragile.  He walked off his last one when his former boss died."  They nodded.  "Give him a chance, Xander.  He might not step in your way all that often."

"Sure, until he does."

"Good."  He smiled, walking them down to that office to look at it.  "We'll need to get him furniture."

"New budget month just started, boss," Tony said with a grin.

Daniel smirked back.  "I know."  They went to the main work area.  "People, the president has found us a deputy director."  Everyone looked at him.  "He is young.  Give him a chance please?  He was working on a highly classified DoD science-based project.  He's got a clearance high enough to know everything we do.  He's got brains like Abby does.  He's supposed to be a nice guy, just a bit young and possibly not real sure of himself in command yet.  He'll be here tomorrow."

"Don't threaten him until he gets in your way, Xander," Eric ordered with a grin.

"Or take him to the demon strip club," Stella added with a grin of her own.

"I don't usually go to the demon one," Xander complained.  "Just now and then I seem to end up there."

"No more going on vacation with Sam and Dean," Daniel reminded him.

"They sent me a letter begging me to take on the thing that's bothering that realm because it's about to release a biological weapon."

Daniel sighed, considering it.  "Where does that one lead to?"

"No clue."

"I don't want you going alone."  Xander gave him the most odd look.  "Biological weapons can hurt you too, Xander," he said patiently.

"I'm pretty sure it'll be like the fishman incident."

"Huh?" Tony asked.

"Swim team."

"Oh, that."  Tony shuddered.  "Take a short break, go," he ordered, looking at Daniel.  "He's only got one case."

"Fine.  How long?"

"Last time it was a day and a half."

"Go," Daniel sighed.  Xander whooped and went to get what he'd need, then came back for the invitation once he was redressed.

"Leather?" Calleigh asked.

"Light body armor."  He grabbed it off his desk and disappeared, bag and all.  He looked at the demon there.  "You needed my help?"

"We do.  They're getting frustrated and want to end the world."

"I'm there then."

"You cannot bring...."  Xander pulled out his axe to look over.  The demon gulped.  "I know of that weapon."

"I sent it to Florida with the slayers because it had been in all the other hell god battles."  He grinned sweetly.  "I'm dressed and I have supplies on me.  I can go now."

"Let me check."  He checked with the bosses, who agreed it was fine since it was so desperate.  He sent Xander to start the quest.  In the demon casino, a few groaned.  A few cheered.  And a few ran to place bets on how the women would try to kill him this time when he bedded them.

***

The car stopped at the gates and the young man in the back held up his new ID.  "I'm here to meet my people," he said with a quiet smile.  "Are they in?"

"They usually are unless they're doing something that makes the news, sir.  Is this your usual driver?"

"He was sent to pick me up.  I don't have a personal car right now.  I got told it was too classified to let out of town when they tried to stop me from leaving."  Thorne had heard somehow and had tried to have him stopped on the way out of town.  Fortunately Carter had heard and come to run interference and drive Her Bitchiness back into the shadows of Global Dynamics so she could suck it more dry and destitute of talent.  He had given him a ride to the airport after calling the general that had gotten him the job.

"That's fine then.  If you want to, he can park in the pink triangle lot and your things can sit in the security office for a few minutes."

"Thank you."  He took his ID back and they drove on.  He got out and got his three bags plus basket of food, putting them inside where the guard was waiting.  "Hi, Douglas Fargo."

"Sir, nice to meet you.  Doctor Jackson is upstairs in his office fielding calls on why one agent is in Las Vegas having fun and creating a panic."

"On purpose?"

"No, things like that happen around Harris.  You get used to it."

"Couldn't be any stranger than my last job.  Which floor?"

"Third.  Second is the lab."

"We have a lab?" he asked, his face lighting up.

"Most of a floor's worth.  Abby's over that but she's off to help her boyfriend, who runs an associated lab, with a problem he's having."

"That's fine.  Thank you."  He shook his hand and used his pass on the elevator, going up to the third floor.  He looked at the hallway.  "New light bulbs?"

The maintenance guy looked up from his mopping.  "We know.  They ordered the wrong wattage.  A few people have complained they're getting a tan."

Fargo nervously brushed off his clothes as he tapped at a door, a muffled come in has him turning the knob and walking in, finding a tall man wearing glasses behind a desk.  Papers were piled on every flat surface, books and strange artifacts cover the shelves.

"Dr. Jackson?  I'm Douglas Fargo, your new executive assistant."  He holds out his hand as the other man looked up.

"Welcome to DCIS."  He shook the hand.

"Thank you.  We have a lab?"

"We mostly deal in forensics but one of our classified sub-projects does deal with many things that're lab-based.  Including physics and alien artifacts."

"Seriously?"

Daniel smiled.  "Seriously.  The head of the lab is presently off-world."

"Wow.  That's gotta be cool."  He grinned but he was still a bit nervous.  "So, I wasn't being appreciated at GD."

"GD?"

"Global Dynamics."

Daniel moaned.  He'd run into them as a subcontractor for the Stargate program a few times.  "Yeah, you can handle it here.  Just watch out for Xander's cases."

"Is he the one in Las Vegas?"

"He once won a game while on vacation there.  It was a live action D&D game."  Fargo sat down, looking very attentive at that.  "The demons running it are using it to cure a few problems on some realms.  They sent Xander a desperate plea to please come back and fix the new one since they were going to use a biological weapon.  Xander stopped the demons, found the human helping that, and dragged him plus his chemicals back.  He called the local liaison out there, who is a CSI, and he got their lab involved.  Their lab isn't happy, and they don't like the biological stuff.  Hence them being unhappy with Xander for making them deal with a demon for a few hours."

"I can understand that.  Demons, even the thought, still freaks me out some."

"There's some very good demons.  Some very nice ones.  Some that're very handy and helpful.  Then there's our caseload.  We're here to be the wall that separates the bad ones from the rest of humanity and demonkind."  That got a nod. "We stop it no matter which side started it.  We're also the chainlink fence between demons and humans for the most part."  That got another nod.  "I won't lie.  A lot of your job is going to be boring.  Proofing reports, covering me for me if I'm off on a case with that sub-project.  If you can do press stuff, we'd all love you to death."

"I've never even seen a member of the press," he admitted, eyes wide.

Daniel grimaced.  "I hate talking to reporters.  Xander stumbles over his words.  Tony's smooth but doesn't give them anything they want to know so they hate him."  He stood up.  "We'll figure it out but a lot of your job is going to be reducing some friction when it happens, proofing reports, and possibly putting lab work into more mundane terms for the officers and agents who aren't."

"Am I going to be going on field calls?"

"No, probably not.  It's just that I used to work on that sub-project and I'm a linguist.  I get called now and then for negotiations and things."

"That's reasonable.  Do I have an office?  I know the one who hired me said I'd have a full apartment."

"We all have apartments and your office has no furniture so you can make your own choices."  That got a smile.  "Tony forgot to outfit it."  Fargo laughed.  "C'mon.  We're right next door to the work area."  He led him in there.  "Guys, this is Douglas Fargo, our new deputy director.  Fargo, this is Jack.  He's my DD over that sub-project since it's highly classified."

"Hi," he said, waving at him with a grin.  He looked at him.  "Deputy director?  I thought I was an administrative assistant."

"Same thing most of the time around here," Daniel said.  "Higher paycheck with the fancier title though."

"Where were you last stationed?" Jack asked.

"Global Dynamics."

Jack shuddered.  "Sam would moan in geek glee, but I'm not the science sort."

"Our sheriff is that way and I spent a lot of time explaining things to him.  Him and my last boss."  He swallowed.  "I can do that here."

"Help Xander," a few people said.  Stella laughed at that, shaking her head.  She had been one.

"Xander came from a hunting background instead of a legal one," Daniel said.

"Okay."

"He's also on the slayers' training team.  Second in command in their Council."

"That's cool."  He smiled.  "Do we have a dictionary for demon words and names since I'm told I'll be doing some report proofreading?"

"Here," Speed said, handing over the ones he had gathered.  "We've had to make those up for ourselves over the last few years.  We're not formal, so ask if you think it's strange."

"I can do that."  He smiled at Tony.  "Thank you for letting me pick my own furnishings."

"Not a problem.  Fair warning, the girls still squeal and pounce but don't pinch anymore."

"I can handle that."  He probably couldn't but they'd hopefully be nice and realize he was a bit shy around real girls.  They smiled at him.  "Okay, let me get settled in today, find a good catalog of furniture...."  Calleigh handed over two.  "Thank you....."

"Calleigh.  That's Stella.  We don't have a lot of women here because most of us have too much sense, but our teams needed us."

"That's fine."  He smiled.  "Teams are good things.  They support you when you need them to."  She smiled back.  "Let me go unpack and all that stuff.  Then can I have the tour, Daniel?"

"Sure."

"How do you want to be addressed?" McGee asked.  "Some people are picky."

"Fargo is fine.  I'm used to it from my old boss and everyone."  They smiled and nodded.  "I'll see you soon I'm sure.  Hopefully I won't be babbling and bouncy."  They all smiled brighter at that.  So maybe he'd find some new friends here.  They went to check out his office and he nearly moaned at the space.  "I had a desk before."

"This is all yours but I would suggest some filing cabinets or bookcases," Daniel said.

"I can do that.  Do we allow pets?"

"Of course.  The slayers have two unicorns, a walking shrub demon, and a few stray cats."

Fargo smiled.  "I have two cats."

"That's fine.  If your apartment on base isn't big enough, the local town has a very low cost of living."  That got a nod and they walked down to get his bags then head over to his apartment.  Daniel got the keys from Cloris.  "This is Cloris, she's our housekeeping head.  She assigns apartments, makes sure nothing needs done, that stuff."

"That's fine.  Thank you, ma'am."

"You're welcome, young man."

"Fargo's fine for me."

"Fargo it is then."  He smiled and she led them to the apartment.  "This is one of the new ones.  As you can see we're still working on the other building.  They had some material screw ups."

"They switched nametags on the doors too," Daniel said.  "Tried to move House to the second floor over there."  They walked in and Daniel put the bags in the bedroom.  "This is all yours.  You can eat with us in the caf if you want or cook here.  Most of us do eat together except our armory master."

Fargo looked around.  "It's nice.  It's bigger than I expected too."

"We knew we'd be getting a DD sometime, Fargo.  Most of the apartments are a bit smaller.  I will warn you, you're overtop of House's apartment and he has a piano.  There's soundproofing but he thinks with it."

"That's not going to bother me."

"Good."  He smiled and led him back outside.  "That's the high rises.  Married on the right."  That got a nod.  "Xander, Tony, and the Winchester boys live there as well.   The low building between us is the slayer dorm."  He turned him around.  "That's the unicorn's barn.  The girls built it.  Binky is the gray one and anyone can pet her if she likes you.  Digger is the white one and he's a traditional one.  Virgins only."  That got a quick nod.  "The walking shrub's name is George; don't stand in his sun.  He has poisoned spikes to get you with."  They shared a look.  "A few of them will chase you if you're smoking."

"Not my thing."

"Just a warning."  He smiled.  "Let's do the tour."  He led him to the armory.  "This is Jack.  He's hiding and being our armory master.  He's responsible for weapons maintenance and checking in after cases where we confiscate."

"Can you use a weapon?" Jack asked after looking him over and shaking his hand.

"Theoretically."

"Do you need lessons?"

"Should I have some?"

"There have been a few occasions, back when we first started, that got us invaded," Daniel admitted.  "I would advise taking it, even if you don't think you need to.  Just in case it should ever happen again."

"I can schedule some time for that if you can teach me then," he offered to Jack.

"I can and have others."

"Okay."  He grinned.  He shook his hand again, looking at the gym.  "My last one had an employee only spa," he sighed when they got to the gym.

"If we had more room maybe, but not yet.  There is one in town and they do offer us discounts," Daniel offered.  "We're only a few years old."

"GD has been around since the forties so that doesn't surprise me.  We had a whole town to ourselves."

"Seriously?" Daniel asked.

Fargo nodded.  "A full town, including top notch schools, a really great restaurant where you could get anything, the spa, all that.  The whole town was heated and air conditioned by our labs."  He smiled.  "You'd like Eureka."

"I may have to visit.  The general that nominated you said that too many more problems and he'd ask to put them under us."

Fargo smirked.  "That might make for some interesting times for Sheriff Carter."  They walked on.  He got to meet the doctors, handing over his medical records.  He got to browse the lab.  It was below what he was used to but they were doing forensics and genetics stuff.  Which he could do very well if he did say so himself.  He'd have to get with Abby to see where he could help her.  He saw someone walking in wearing dusty leather and carrying two swords and an axe.  "Long case?" he asked.

Xander looked at him.  "You must be the new guy.  Hi, Xander Harris."

Fargo shook his hand.  "Douglas Fargo, call me Fargo."

Xander grinned.  "That's cool.  Just...don't try to step on my toes over my cases.  I get given the ones I do because I'm me."  Daniel scowled at him but nodded for Fargo's benefit.  "I can get along with anyone; just don't step on me for what I have to do.  I get enough shit like that from everyone else."  He glared at the boss.

"You're the one who dragged the human back and had the local CSI lab nearly shut down to handle the biological weapon."

"That's because it would've taken out that realm and spread, boss.  Speaking of, we need to send it to Abby up there.  I'm fairly certain it's another crossover."

"Zalenka's still in the lab."

"Cool.  I had Grissom and them send all that stuff here once they had the majority done and send a sealed sample vial Dawn."  That got a nod.  "It's nasty, boss.  I don't know what it's supposed to do but it gave everyone a horrible pustule disease from hell.  Literally."  That got another nod.  "I need to tell House too.  I couldn't be sure he didn't have a few test subjects and I think it can pass to humans but the ones I saw looked closer to chicken pox."

"That's fine.  Drop the weapons on your desk.  Talk to House.  Give us a comprehensive report on what happened.  Did you get another box?"

"They said I couldn't since I had been called in for the emergency.  The bettors booed them for it."  He grinned, walking off to put his weapons down.  "Don't ask," he said at the curious looks.  "Las Vegas is very mad that I brought back a germ doc."  He went to find House.  "Bad news."  House shuddered.  "I'm fine."

House looked up at him from his reading.  "That's not really *bad* news, Xander.  Odd news but not bad news."

"The germ doc in that realm had a hell-born pustule virus that can and did cross over to humans when he tested a few.   Looked like chicken pox in humans.  In demons it was worse.  It also looks like something Rodney needs to see.  Dawn's getting called for a pickup of a sample once they have most of it destroyed and figured out."

"I'll get with the lab.  Chicken pox?"

"Looked like it to my untrained eye, yeah.  On demons, it was exploding pustules and high fever, then their feet turned purple and swelled so much they couldn't move.  A few had exploding feet and died from it."

"Good to know.  How soon?"

"Probably a few hours, not really sure."

"Decent.  Go change before you scare someone."

"Yes, House."

"Not even a scratch?"

"Stiff neck.  I slept on a rock last night."  House got up and moved his head around then popped it for him.  Xander moaned.  "Thanks, House.  Seen the new DD?"

"He seemed nice but unsure of himself.  He'll grow balls here."

Xander grinned.  "We all did."  He went to shower and change after warning Dawn.

***

Carson Beckett and Radek Zalenka were waiting when Dawn opened the portal.  "Is that the whole sample that's left?" Carson asked.

"No, there's two more that've been frozen," Greg Sanders said as he stepped through.  He handed that one off then took the styrofoam container with the reports on top.  "I'll be back by tomorrow, Gris.  Thanks."  He stepped out of the way and she closed it.  "Thanks, Dawn."  He kissed her on the cheek.  "Want to come to UNLV?  I'll show you all the good clubs," he teased.  They had become buddies when they were in Vegas over the firewall between the realms incident.

"I might come for the parties but Xander wanted me closer since I'm still not quite eighteen yet.  Giles wanted me in England."

"Pretty country but it's just as good over here."  Radek took the container and Greg took back the reports.  "I've got chemistry, DNA, because we did find some, and all the other tests we could run on it.  Plus we debriefed the idiot before the people Xander called got him."  Radek took those back and they hiked up to the lab.  "No Abby?"

"She's dating their coworker.  They're subbing while she's off with him since he's running an associated lab and having a few problems."

"Awww.  Geek date," he said with a coo.

Carson smiled.  "You have no idea but they're adorable together, lad."  Fargo got the elevator for them.  "Which field were you in?"

"I was working at Global Dynamics with Nathan Stark."

"Come on then," Radek ordered.  "That way we don't have to translate for Doctor Jackson.  He's a social scientist so he only gets half of what we're saying."  He looked at Dawn.  "This is dangerous."

"And I need to see if it's magically reactive in case we have to quarantine an area with it and I have to put up a shield, docs."

"Good point," he admitted.  "Stay out of harm's way.  Xander would beat me worse than Ronon would."

"He was kinda big and strong looking," she quipped.

"Aye," Carson agreed with a smile.  "Single too."

"Not my type.  Now, Buffy's type, yes, definitely.  Dangerous, likes weapons, good in bed and in a fight?  Definitely her type.  Think you could use another slayer up there?"

"We think Tiff's wonderful but your sister wouldn't be able to shop," Radek teased back as the elevator doors opened.

"That might kill her," Xander agreed.  He had been waiting.   "I've got my camera from the area that I'm fairly certain had his test bunnies."  Fargo took it to upload the photos after shaking himself out of his thoughts.  Buffy was real?  He had her picture on his wall once!  Wow, so they must've made that show he saw in tribute or to help cover up some of the strange stuff they had gotten into.  "Wow, you're a real lab geek?"

"I am," he said with a smile.  "My grandfather won a Nobel."

Dawn punched him on the arm.  "Be yourself, Fargo.  We'll know otherwise and make fun of you."

"Please don't."

"Just be yourself and we won't," she assured him.  "Though, the girls will flirt to see how easy you are to make blush."  He blushed.  "I'll let them know you're real easy on that."  She gave him a pat on the arm.  "Any idea if it's magic reactive, Xander?"

"I've got mine locked."

"Did they have up a quarantine shield or anything?"

"They basically had a whole town that was sealed non-magically."

"Charming.  Okay.  Greg?"  He got out of the way, putting one of the frozen samples down for her.  She cleared her mind and created a shield around it then frowned and moved closer.  "This is definitely Rodney stuff."  Radek looked.  "We see some of it down here.  Like the crystal was."  She got onto the computer and initiated the uplink.  "Hi, Rodney's coworker.  It's the DCIS lab and we have more of your stuff."

"Abby and Rodney are off on the mainland working on something.  Can we help?" she asked, spotting Zalenka.  "Do we need to know that badly?"

Radek looked up and nodded.  "Looks like a wraith-born virus that got mixed with chicken pox."

"They said it was hell-born, not other realmy," Xander offered.

"Interesting."  Radek shrugged.  "We'll have to see."  He looked at his coworker again.  "I'm faxing over reports.  Get them to Abby as soon as humanly possible please.  Then have them call.  We're testing it here.  We have a pretty good sized sample and I have Carson, still."

"Sure, Radek.  When are you coming back?"

"Ship after next.  We keep finding more and more of our things here."  That got a grimace.  "Including a generator crystal."  She moaned so he sent the reports.  "Give that to Rodney."

"Of course."  She hung up.  He cut the link.  She put out a call, hoping they were in a jumper.  Nope.  Sheppard came in instead.  "More of our stuff ended up at DCIS."

"Charming!"  He took the reports.  "That's a disease, right?"

"Yes.  Radek said to tell McKay and totally ruin his day."

He nodded.  "Probably, yeah."  He went to call him the better way.  "McKay."

"Must you interrupt what little free time I get?" he demanded back.

"Someone found what looks like a wraith virus somewhere on earth."

"Excuse me?" Abby demanded.

"It came from your lab, Abby."

"Oh, someone's going to pay.  I'm going to sic Xander on them," she said.

He smiled.  "Carson and Radek are down there working on the other stuff.  Still.  Radek's list of what's crossed over is very impressive.   When you get back, I've got reports for you from them."

"It'll be an hour," Rodney said then hung up.  It'd take them a good ten minutes to find all their clothes then flying back time since he would be careful with her in the jumper.

***

Dawn got a strange text and frowned, texting it back.  It came back worse.  She called Abby's phone.  "Was that you?  Sure.  Picture?"  She hung up and got a picture sent.  It didn't quite match the feeling so she sighed, going to get Jack.  "Picture of the base?  Abby and Rodney are back."

"Crap," he muttered, finding one of his team inside the base.  "Caf."

She looked then opened the portal, making most of the Marines jump and grab a gun.  "Chill, dudes, we're DCIS.  See, General Jack."  Jack waved them back down.  "Abby and McKay?"

"I'll page them, ma'am," one said.  "How are you doing that?"

She smirked.  "I'm amazing."  Abby came stomping in.  "It's really scrambled there."

"Had to send it out through their filters."  Rodney followed with two bags.  Abby took one and went back to find the other thing and bring it.  "Okay, we're here."  She closed the portal and they carried stuff up to the lab.  Abby frowned at the new guy.  "Do I know you?"

"Douglas Fargo, new Deputy Director and formerly of Global Dynamics."

She blinked.  "Wow, we recruited for strange brains."  He smiled and nodded.  "Cool.  Get out of my way, Fargo.  This disease is of the bad as the slayers say.  Oh, this is Rodney McKay, he runs the labs on Atlantis."

"Nice to meet you," he said, holding out a hand.  Rodney shook it quickly but followed.   He followed them back up there.  "Xander got a lot of information and the CSI team out of Las Vegas got more on where it came from originally.  He did admit he found part of it naturally occurring and then tampered."

"That still makes no sense.  How is so much of our project getting down here?"

"It's not that temple," Radek sad as they walked in.  "Abby."  He kissed her on the cheek.  "Nice to work with you again."

"Hi, Radek."  She gave him a hug.  "Hi, Carson."  She gave him a hug too.  "What do we know for sure?"  They pointed at the wall of hanging sheets of evidence and reports.  She and Rodney came to look.  "That's wraith or is the other wraith?"

"That's wraith virus," Rodney said with a point.  "What's the other?"

"Xander said in humans it looked like chicken pox.  In them it was exploding pustules," Carson said.  "His camera took a few good pictures of the end stage."  He got into that file.  "House even said 'eeww' over them."  Abby shuddered.  "The problem is that this isn't the only thing that's crossed over."

"Was the last game in the same universe?" Abby asked.

"No.  The realm's readings were farther off.  Xander took a recording device when I ordered him to," Radek said.

"Good!"  She smiled.  "Did he win?"

"Yup," Dawn agreed, hopping up onto a desk.  "I can tell you it's from wherever that funky, glowing, magicky crystal came from.  Same feeling of the overall environment."  They stared at her.  "We can get the feeling of 'it belongs here' if it's not from here.  Their 'not from here' feelings matched."

"Can you quantify that?" Rodney asked.  "And get off the table."

"Fine."  She slid down, shrugging a bit.  "I can tell you what else feels the same.  I can tell you they've got some differences because the crystal nearly bit me.  It did zap me and a few other things around here have felt the same way, including a holy artifact we ran into last year."  Abby groaned at that.  "And another thing, Rodney, are you infected with radiation?  You're feeling off too."

"I am?" he demanded.  He took Carson aside to let him check him over.

"A bit of it...." he mumbled, checking himself.  "Me too."  Dawn looked over when he came back.  "Do I feel the same as the crystal?"

"Close but more closer to ours.  If I took what you feel like and added some underlying current and the feeling of gamma heaviness, that'd be them once you added some sulphur feeling and stink."

He considered it.  "Same universe?"

"If we had samples I could narrow it down to a planet or a plane."

"That might help," he agreed.  "I'll figure out ours for now."

"Ask House."

"I can do that as well."  He went to get House in on that problem.

Dawn looked at Abby, shrugging a bit.  "You've got some."

"The shields are probably miscalibrated."

"We just calibrated them, Radek.  They had been malfunctioning.... Rod?"  He looked over.  "Could that be why the shields went down again?"

"Of course.  Now if we knew the source...."

"Could be naturally occurring.  It's not like cancer treatment radiation, Rodney.  It's more like microwave radiation.  Warm radiation."  Dawn shrugged.

"Sunlight radiation?" Radek suggested.

"I haven't been up there for more than a few seconds but not yours.  Yours feels more like water than not and you've been gone too long to tell.  We'd need another sample that hadn't been in the same places they've been."

"Carson showed some," Rodney said.

"Radek doesn't.  Huh."  She considered it then went to ask Carson a pointed question.  "You have it and Radek doesn't.  It's not the natural sunlight warmth radiation on the base but it's fairly close.   It's a warmth, microwave warmth, feeling radiation.  Who else wouldn't have it?"

He considered it.  "I don't know why we have it."

"Exposure?"

"Does Xander have it?" House asked.

"No.  I checked to make sure.  Abby has a little bit.  It may be what sent the shields down."

Carson frowned.  "We need samples."

"Then Tiff needs a witch," she said dryly.  "And no, I'm not volunteering.  I'm not sure I'm able to handle that stuff."  She smirked suddenly.  "But... is there a way to test them and bring me back samples?"

"The scanners will work to find it," he admitted.  "I'd have to get into the recent notes."  They went back to the lab, taking a computer off to the side.

Fargo came over.  "Can I help?"

"Sure," Carson agreed.  "Can you identify what type of radiation wave this is?"

He looked then pulled out a calculator to figure it up.  "It's a lower level Gamma radiation.  Kind of close to sunspots but not really."

They all stopped to stare at him.  "Really?" Rodney asked.

Fargo nodded, getting into the system under his new login to find what he needed.  "There we are.  An older, semi-classified report.  Sorry, Dawn."

She waved a hand.  "Not an issue.  I can double check the exactness of the match without it."  She sat down on a chair this time.  Rodney could be such a crank when he didn't get enough of Abby.

"That does seem to match," Rodney admitted.

"The difference would be the point of origin probably.  This was made in the lab when someone was screwing around to make the H-Bomb more tight and less weighty.  They found that wave by accident."

Rodney grimaced.  "That's not a good sign."

"If it's naturally occurring, and it does feel that way, why is in some and not the others?" Dawn asked.

"ATA genes," Abby said.  Rodney gave her an odd look.  "Carson has it, Radek doesn't. You took the therapy and have it, mildly.  I redid your test myself to see how the proteins would combine, in case it'd come up with little deformed geniuses some year?" she prompted.  He blushed.  She kissed him with a smile.  "It's still in there even though it's not registering.  It's like a recessive for you right now."

"Faulty point," Dawn said.  "Xander's one.  Daniel had House test."

"I'm not telling anyone that so he can't come up and drive us all insane," Radek said dryly, cracking Dawn up.  "The consensus is that he'd get into worse trouble than SGA-1 ever could.  All by himself."

Dawn nodded.  "Yup, just about."   She smiled at Fargo.  "We have some greatest hits of Xander's past cases, the brave yet stupidly effective moments, on youtube."  He moaned.  "Oh, yeah."  She got into that file for him.  "It's only when he *has* to do something but now and then he has to."  She looked at Abby.  "Why are you showing it slightly, Abby?"

"I'm a recessive ATA carrier."

"Really?" Carson asked, smiling at her.  She nodded.

"Those kids will be worse than Sheppard," Radek muttered.  Rodney glared and Abby swatted.  "They will be.  They'll probably want to slack because of their parents' brain and will turn that giant IQ to mischief."

"I was like that when I was younger," Abby admitted.  Rodney moaned.  "My parents let me get into trouble, Rod."  She took another kiss.  "Okay.  So....."  She considered it.  "Could it be something like sunspots?"

Rodney shook his head.  "I've been trying to correlate why the shield flickers now and then.  I already looked at that explanation and it doesn't happen at the same time."

Dawn coughed.  "Could it be a subspace fluctuation?"  Rodney gave her an amused look.  "You guys use wormholes, right?"  He nodded slowly.  "Doesn't that disrupt something by forcing a hole between molecules?"

"It could be the gate but she's got it and she's never gated; Radek has a few times and doesn't."

"The gate's not the only wormhole around," Radek pointed out.  Rodney moaned.  "The Dadelus uses one too."

"Didn't you say something about another ship you found?" Abby asked. They nodded.  "Was Radek there?"  They shook their heads.  "Was Carson?"

"Once, and Radek was on it once as well shortly," Rodney remembered.  "But if it sticks to the ATA sequence...."  He moved to do a calculation.  "Why did you get slow computers, Abby?"

She sighed, moving his chair to another one. "Because my processor is half-used by the mega brain we have here for all the machines and internal server.  Plus probably some agency is trying to hack in again."  She moved to fix that, making them sorry.  She called.  "Danny, got the CIA again.  You might wanna yell when their hackers pout.  Tell them they can ask."  She looked at Dawn, spinning suddenly.  "Can you combine magic and hacking?"

"Um.... don't know.   I know there's technopagans out there.  Willow's first teacher was."

"Hmm.  That might stop them."  She smiled and spun to get back o work.

"The only way it's a wormhole is if it's one we haven't gotten to.  It's above the planet."

"Or it's on a planet you visited," Dawn pointed out.   "A tiny, pinpoint one maybe?"

"That's not a bad suggestion but the instruments would've read it."

"How many places has our instruments went funny?" Radek asked.

Rodney moaned.  "Too many.  How do we prove it?"

"Better question, can we prove it is the link between there and here," Radek countered.

"Actually, I think I may know what the connection is," Dawn admitted, getting up and heading for the library.  She found the book she wanted in John's hands and took it. "Thanks.  Need this in the lab."   She hurried back, handing it to Rodney since he'd snatch it from anyone else.  "Does that look familiar to you?"

He stared.  "It does.  It's shown up in a few drawings by some of the ancients of some civilizations."

Radek looked over his shoulder.  "I've seen that recently.  What is it?"

"Demonic.  An overlord that was fighting the order so he was pushed to a realm of his own.  He's trying to get back, has been since he got banished, and if you guys have it and we guys have it...."

"He's the connection.  He's pulling things in to try to get him free and plugging them down here when it doesn't work or the lock's down here," Rodney said.

John leaned in.  "Why are we worried about the theoretical demon that was the head of the third side in the ancient battles?"

"Locked in a wormhole or a made realm," Dawn said dryly.  "Not that theoretical."

"Do I need to know as a hunter?"

"We need to find all the other crap it's sent down here."

He considered it. "How?"

"We can hook a scanner into the satellites," Rodney said, moving to do that.  Radek helped once Abby and Fargo got him logged onto one.   They got a list of where that specific signature was.  He handed it over.  "Are those areas known hotspots perhaps?"

"Six of the ten are.  Two are abandoned and I'm not sure anyone lives in the other one."

Fargo pointed.  "That's Eureka."

Dawn smiled at him.  "Explains some things?"

"Yeah, it does."

John shook his head.  "I don't need to know, kid."

"This is the new Deputy Director and proofreader," Dawn told him.  "Douglas Fargo.  This is John Winchester.  He's over the slayer's daily life stuff and part of the training team."

"You've done a good job.  Watching them work out today scared me," Fargo said with a smile.

John looked at him.  "If they hit on you, run, kid.  You'd never survive it if they caught you."  He looked at Dawn.  "Do we need more references on that?"

"If you can get us some," she said with a sweet smile.  "Or Sammy can."

"Bobby has at least one.  Sammy can probably find others.  I'll tell Thomas you're looking."  He got handed the book.  "Give us a few hours."  He took the list and book back to the library.  "Thomas, Sammy?" he called.  His son came out of language lessons.  Thomas came out from dusting the artifact cases.  "This thing is apparently the link between Rodney's project and why Xander keeps getting sent stuff from up there."  Sam looked then moaned.  Thomas sighed in displeasure.  "They need to know.  Also, these areas have things from them."  He put down the list.  "We know the new geek is from one of them."

"Interesting," Sam said.  "Okay, let me finish class time and then we'll start researching."

"I'll call Bobby since he's got one," John agreed.  He went to do that outside.  Demons in space, what a charming concept that was going to give him an ulcer!

***

Fargo sat down to write the first email home, being careful not to mention the demon theory.  Though he did tell Henry about the strange radiation pattern they had found from the satellite to see if he could narrow down the area and see what else had been sent to Eureka so they could find a timeline possibly.  Then he sent one to Carter telling him he had seen the wilder, less science-capable version of him in one of the agents.  Who had a thing for leather pants and swords but he guessed that was just Xander being Xander.   Jo's was a bit more funny because he still idolized her.  Maybe they'd get to put Eureka under DCIS and then she'd have the whole armory to work with.  She'd enjoy that and Xander could teach her how to use a sword if she didn't know how already.

Zoe would go nuts with all the slayers as friends.  Sheriff Carter would go nuts watching them be friends and possibly bad influences on poor little Zoe.  He recounted the tale of dinner, where the girls had pulled him to their tables.  Mostly to interrogate and pick on him but it was in a nicer than usual way.  They had calmed some of it down when he had blushed.  Then Sam had gotten there and glared so they had stopped and just pumped him for information.  He wrote Vince about the cafeteria and how he had his own kitchen in his apartment.  And to please send on his cats.  He missed his kitties.  He logged off when he was done, going to take a shower and collapse into bed.  This had been a long day.  A very long day.

***

Dawn wandered out to the benches outside the slayer dorm, relaxing on one while staring up at the stars.

Dean shoved her feet out of his way and sat down so she put them in his lap.  "Thinking about going to join Rodney?"

"No."  She looked at him.  "I'm too much of a trouble magnet.  They'd be driven nuts by me."  Dean nodded at that.  "You?"

"Maybe if we get all the demons gone and stuff.  Who knows."  He looked up then at her.  "So why the heavy thoughts?  We heard that we may have identified the demon in the mystery wormhole or whatever."

"He's trying to get out."

"Charming.  Can he?"

"If he can find something that'll open the lock."

"Can he take you?"

She snorted but looked at him.  "Probably not."  He grinned.  "Thanks for worrying though."

"So why the heavy thoughts?"

"When I was getting Radek I saw a Knight of Dagon."  Dean looked clueless.  "The ones that came after me to kill me.  One was by his house and caught me bringing him here."

"Okay, do we think they'll try again?  Since you guys defeated Glory she can't use you."

"I don't know.  Wesley thinks no but I'm not so sure."

"Then we'll make sure you're protected, Dawn."

She nodded, shifting some to get more comfortable.  "I'm hoping it's nothing and I got Mom's worrywart tendencies but I'm not sure."

"If they come here, we'll knock them out and arrest them.  If they try anything we'll even keep Xander from killing them."

"Last time they tried to kill everyone who was protecting me.  Mostly arrows but a few did learn some more modern weapons."

Dean shook his head.  "We're better than any creepy knights, Dawn.  Dad's better and I'm better with weapons than he is.  And if we're not, Xander and both Jacks are."

"Good point."  She looked at him.  "So why are you out here?"

"Trying to make sure we don't have to traumatize Xander by making him answer guy questions."

"He'd do it for me."  She grinned.  "He loves me like my big brother should."

"So do I, kid."  He patted her ankle.  "Does anyone beyond Wes know?"

"Don't know."

"We'll make sure of it tomorrow.  Just in case.  We can talk to the European house and the girl in Rome."  She relaxed further, nodding some.  "If they come, they'll be stomped on until they see sense or are gone."

"Thanks, Dean."

"Welcome, princess.  Now, we've gotta do something sweet for Brenda soon."

"A few of us are working on the baby shower."

"Thanks.  Didn't want to prompt Sammy to go into mushy overdrive again."  She kicked at him, making him swat her knee.  "Quit."

"You're the one who picks on your poor brother.  Some day one of the slayers will kidnap him to treat him better."

"Sammy would pout and sulk them into giving in," Dean said dryly.  "He'd miss it if I didn't pick on him."

"You do know that you're showing us how to be good parents to our future hellions by how you treat Sam?"

Dean shuddered.  "I don't even want to see how spoiled Xander will make your kids."

"Some year, he'll have kids.  Or you might."

"If we're still doing this, he'll spoil ours too."

"Especially if they're Faith's," she agreed smugly.  "Then he'll demand to be a spoiling uncle."

"If so, I'd let it happen.  He's important to her."  He looked at her.  "When do we have to pack you into the dorm?"

"Apartment just off campus."

"They don't let freshmen do that according to Sammy."

"I'm not the normal student.  I've got a part-time job and all that.  Xander worked it out."

"That's cooler than the dorms.  Going to the frat parties?"

"With what Buffy found at frats?"  She snorted.  "No thanks."

He laughed.  "There's probably not going to be any dehumanizing beer."

"So?  Buffy found a guy who was breaking in freshmen for points too.  I don't need that sort of stress.  I'd kick his ass."

"She should've."

"Yeah, but she got him back during that beer episode."  She smirked at him.  "Though I might try a party or two.  Not to get blitzed because I know you, Sammy, John, Xander, and Buffy will be there the next morning to rub my hangover in, but maybe just to make some nicer friends."

"Sammy said he didn't meet his good friends at parties.  He met Jess at one," he said dryly.  She giggled.  "Or the bar, something like that."

"If I find a nice boy I'll let you guys vet him and Xander threaten him for me."

"Of course we will," John said as he walked behind them.  "Not too much longer, Dawn.  If you're here, you've got to do daily PT with the girls."

"Yes, John."  She smiled at Dean.  "The senior girls are coming in for more advanced training when?"

"Two days."  He smirked back.  "Gives me more to do than to work on the young ones."

She nodded.  "Then in a few years we'll have the other new ones, the present potentials."

"Yeah, we've got to start working on that in a few years.  Some are getting young kid self defense lessons."

"Two have hard drinking, not real fond of them parents," Dawn pointed out.  "And one's mom is a long-haul trucker so she travels with her."

"That's gotta suck like ours did sometimes," Dean said thoughtfully.  "We can start on them during the summers once they're school age."  She nodded.  "Did you notify them all?"

"Yeah.  They all know.  The two drunks are being monitored through the local police department thanks to Wesley asking them to.  If anything happens, their sealed files will go to Social Services the minute something happens.  The one whose mother is a trucker knows and agreed it might do her daughter good to be in a steady location for the summer."

"I can definitely see that.  She sounds okay."

"She's fairly decent.  I went with the notification team.  Buffy did too.  The mother was impressed by the super strength and all that and agreed if something happened, she was coming here or to Cleveland automatically.  Because she did know that auto accidents happen."  Dean nodded.  "So we have a good file on her.  The others are mostly with good families.  A few are with parents who can train them nearly as well as you guys can up to the slayer level and special skills."

"Even better.  The one girl whose father is bomb squad is very well trained.  She had some skills before she got here."

"She's doing pretty good in Canada this year."  Dean grinned.  "She said there's no people in the town she's in, but she likes it.  It's quiet."

"She'll be going to a bigger city once the major problem in that area is handled."

"I know.  She does too.  She's looking forward to being somewhere cellphones, email, and cable tv work."  Dean chuckled, shaking his head.  "She is.  There's like forty people in the town she's in."

"Yup, and about eighty vamps."

"Mostly gone."  He nodded he'd seen her reports.  "What about the special watcher classes I need?"

"You're getting most of them in practical education from Wes and us."

"I know but the others that came with Thomas said that there's still stuff I'd miss out on.  They don't like Xander's decision to keep me here for a year."

"They can blow, Dawn.  The council isn't the same as it was.  Even Thomas said that a lot of what he learned in special watcher-only classes was crap."

"I know.  Maybe they're just scared about the modern watchers being of a different class."

"Maybe.  Though you do have a lot more class than a few of those sleezy things."

"Well, yeah," she said dryly, shooting him a grin.  "Of course I am."

"Go to bed," Rodney called as he walked Abby back to her apartment.  "It's late, children."

"Just doing some heavy thinking," Dean called.  Abby came over to hug them both then went back to Rodney's side.  He smiled.  "They're cute."

"They are.  But their kids will make geeks cry for mercy," she said dryly.  He cackled, nodding at that.  "Even Sammy's future geeks."

"Sammy's future geeks will get tempered by me so they're normal people with big brains.  That way they don't have the normal geek problems with people.  Like that Epps brother."

"He is pretty nice and normal."

"Yeah, and down to earth mostly."  He shrugged.  "His dad did a good job and he's doing a great job on Cordette."

"She's so adorable.  She made Don buy her teddybear stuff for the new school year.  Charlie had to help because she was punishing him for not coming home for three days of doing math in his office."  He smirked.  "She's even got a coat that she said makes her look like one with her cap that has ears."

"I'm sure she looks adorable."

"We have pictures somewhere."

"I'll send her a letter after looking for 'em."  He patted her knee again.  "You should hit your bunk."

"I know, but I don't want to have the kiddy bedtime."

"Life sucks when you're young," Dean told her.  "Scoot."

"Fine, be a big brother."

"Hey, I'm a *great* big brother," he said, giving her a smug look.  "Just look at the job I did on Sammy."

"Fine."  She got up with a groan.  "Night, Dean."

"Night, Dawn."  She went to the slayer dorm and her room.  Dean stretched out to think.  He had to think about where he was going with Faith.  He had no idea if he was *that* serious or not since she was acting odd since they had gotten back.  Or maybe she was just scared again.  Who knew since she didn't tell him.  He was used to girls that told him things.  He looked at the slayer dorm then got up and went to sneak into her room.  He found her in bed and laid down next to her, letting her snuggle into his chest without him having to cuddle.  Which he would deny that he ever did.  Men like him didn't cuddle.

Faith sniffed a few times then blinked up at him.  "Did you sneak in?"

"Yup."

"Why?"

"Thought I'd let you think dirty thoughts about me by osmosis."

She blinked a few more times.  "Huh?"

"My studliness would seep into your dreams if you napped on me."

She gave his head a shove.  "I didn't need the help.  I need sleep."

"So sleep."  She frowned.  "Really."

"I'll kick you all night."

"So?  I have my own nightmares, Faith.  Yours don't scare me half as much as Xander's do."

"You slept with Xander?"

"He slept on our couch the other night.  He told me I was wearing cute boxers."

She snorted.  "My man, he needs his own."

"We're looking for one for him."

"Good."  She put her head back down.  "Shut up and put me back to sleep?"

He smirked.  "That's a sweet offer, but I was going to let you nap."  She put his hand where she wanted it so he took the hint, helping her go back to sleep while kissing her to make sure she stayed quiet so the others could sleep too.  She finally drifted off again so he let himself go.  She snuggled in again and he had to let her.  He was that sort of guy.

***

Rodney closed the door to Abby's apartment, looking around.  "No pictures of me?"

"In my bedroom so I can fall asleep looking at you."  She led him back there, giving him a kiss the whole way.  He moaned, looking around.  "Once the new building is done, I can ask to move in over there.  They're slightly bigger."

He pushed her down onto her bed, staring down at her.  "As long as that thing's comfortable, I'm happy enough here.  My own apartment on base isn't this big."  She wiggled up so she could take off her clothes.   He looked interested, staring down at her.  "Can we have breakfast here instead of with everyone?"

"If you want and you cook."  She pulled him down.  "You are wearing too many clothes," she said slowly and clearly.  He blushed but got up to strip then climbed back into her double coffin with her.  He had to wiggle some but she showed him how to get onto his back so she could tease him.  Even if her neighbors didn't like his squealing in pleasure, she liked it.  His neighbors hadn't liked it either but oh well!  He finally had enough and pulled her up to kiss her, taking what she was offering.  She moaned, stretching across him.  "Rod," she moaned.

"My forensic goddess," he said, thrusting up.

"My astrophysics god."

He smiled.  "I'm glad you think so."

"If I didn't, I'd be with Radek, Rodney."  He scowled.  She smiled and kissed him.  "Good thing I think you're more than special and good enough for me, huh?"

"Yes, it is, but I'll be jealous the next time he pats you or hugs you."

She kissed him again.  "We're only friends.  The same as you can't be jealous of Gibbs."

"Yes I can."

She sighed.  "You can be jealous if you want but he'll Gibbs-smack you too."  She took another kiss.  "If you don't hurry up and make me squeal I'm going to nap."  He got back to work making sure she knew he loved her.  She came against his fingers, making him happier.  She got him back and he was happier too.  "You never have to worry, Rod.  I'm yours and only yours unless you become terminally stupid and throw me away."

"I'd never do that. I don't waste resources and you are a splendid resource that makes my life support system work in an astounding way," he said back, smiling some.

She smiled.  "I should be scared that I understood that reference."  She poked him on the stomach.  "Ditto."  He laughed, kissing her again.  "Rod!" she squealed.  He smirked and moved backward to please her.

He ran into the footboard of the coffin, looking back then up at her.  "Do you mind if your next place has two bedrooms?  That way we have one to sleep in and one to play in that I can make you wiggle all over?"

She blushed.  "I'll see if I can find one."  He pleased her until she gave up and gave him what he wanted, which woke the neighbors up enough to make them complain and pound on the walls.

"Oh, do be quiet!" Rodney shouted back.  "She should always be this happy!"  She pulled him down to coo and cuddle, stroking his chest and stomach.  "I'm not that good, Abby."

"I know but you can be cuddled and stroked sweetly."  She snuggled in, falling asleep on his shoulder.

He smiled at her.  "I suppose I can stand not having feeling in my arm in the morning," he decided.  He pulled up the covers and ignored once again that they were in a coffin.  At least she had removed the lid for him.  The time it had fallen had been a very bad night for them.

***

Daniel walked up to the lab, pulling Abby and Rodney aside.  "I got three complaints about the noise last night," he said blandly, not smiling at them.  He wouldn't grin and embarrass them.  "If you two want to use the base to marry, you're more than allowed.  We can get your buddies from Atlantis down or do a second ceremony for them, McKay.   Until then, would we like to consider one of the more ...soundproofed apartments that're going in?  There's a nice set going up with the newest building."

"Can I have a two bedroom?" Abby begged.  "That way we have a bed that's for guests or when Rod wants to wiggle all over and keeps running into the walls of my coffin?"

"You sleep in a coffin?"

"Yeah, it's very comfortable."

"There's one apartment that Xander was going to decorate.  I can see why he wanted to decorate it since he likes living next to the Winchesters."

"Please?" she asked, bouncing some.  "I'm sorry I got so loud."

He waved it off.  "Abby, if you're both happy, I don't give a damn and I'd expect it to be a bit loud now and then."  Rodney blushed at that.  "Good relationships all get a bit loud now and then.  Sha're and I did."  She gave him a hug.  "Let me check on that one.  It's in the building House is moving into."

"Cool.  It's got the underground tunnel too.  Right?"  He nodded.  "Then it'll be fine.  Even if Xander did decorate it for someone else."

"I'm not sure why he was decorating that one anyway."  He went to check on that apartment, smiling when he saw the main bedroom that looked like a dorm room from the Harry Potter movies.  There was a *huge* four poster bed with heavy curtains and a fan above the headboard.  There were heavy velvet looking curtains.  There was a nice, thick rug laid down under the bed and through most of the room.  There were more than one closet too for some reason.  He called Xander.  "The one you were decorating, did you want it?"  He listened, then snickered.  "You had a vision about Abby needing a new place why?"  He said something quietly then hung up.  He called her.  "Come here, guys.  Bring Rodney.  Xander had a vision."  He hung up to look at the bathroom and kitchen.  Xander had changed out the tub for one of the old claw footed ones with a lot of room.  Gold fixtures.  Dual old style pedestal sinks with a large wooden dressing table/vanity between them.  Large, ornate mirrors over each of the three surfaces.  It was good for Abby's usual style.  He went to open the door when he heard her babbling.  "In here."

"He has visions about bad things.  Is it a bad thing?"

"No.  He had it as a part of another one."  He let them inside.  "It's very old English style, McKay."

"You could use my first name," he said stiffly.

"You didn't want me to the last time I saw you.  But okay."

Rodney took Abby's hand to look in the kitchen.  They had a lot of cupboard space, a lot more than her last one did.  They had a huge bathroom that she nearly bowed at the tub.  He tried the taps, then turned on the water at the shut off, letting it run.  He noticed the small remote and played with it, shutting off the water.  That blended his things with hers very well.  The remote handled the lights, to dim or lighten, and the built-in music player.  Plus it worked on the faucet to shut it off if necessary.  They walked into the mostly bare bedroom first, looking around.  "They do have a lot more room over here," he decided.

"My coffin and dresser would look *wonderful* in here," she said, looking happy.  "And my living room furniture would look good out there."  She pulled him to the other room, letting him gasp at the bed and her moan in pleasure.  "Oooh."  She climbed in and bounced a few times.  "He even put a fan in here, Rodney, and there's plenty of places when you want to tie me down again."

He blushed and coughed, closing the bedroom door.  "I don't think Jackson needed to hear that," he said dryly.  He peeked in, finding the fan did cure the feeling of being closed in.  He climbed in to test the mattress.  "It's a bit soft."

"I can get us a new mattress."  She kissed him, moving to cuddle him.  "This is twice as wide as my coffin."

"It is."  He smiled and flipped her over to stare down at her.  "I can do many things in here."

"Yes, you could," she agreed, playing with his collar.  "Later?  After we move?"

"We'll have to take some time to do that."

"I can beg the girls to help."

"They might try to confiscate some of your clothes or things."

She smirked.  "Only the sex toys and they know not to take mine.  They take some of the stuff Anya left with Xander when they don't want to use their allowance to buy their own."  She pulled him down to kiss.  "Do you like it?"

"Quite a lot.  It's a bit more...fanciful than I'm used to but it makes you happy."  She squealed and gave him another kiss.

"I'll leave the keys on the counter," Daniel called before leaving.  He didn't want to listen to her squeal.  He didn't need to know that much about McKay's sex life.  Or hers.  This one had more soundproofing too so they wouldn't keep anyone up.  He found John outside working with the younger girls.  "Can you have the ones on punishment help Abby and Rodney move over to their new place?"

"Sure.  Which one?"

"Underneath Jack's apartment.  Xander decorated it for them."

"He had a vision about her moving?  Is that a bad thing?"

"It was a point that something was going to happen soon."  He moved closer.  "He and Sam are right, there's going to be a base invasion soon."

"Dawn's worried about the knights that came after her for Glory," he said, staying quiet.  "Keep at it, girls."  He pulled him off to the side.  "She saw one when she was getting Zalenka."

Daniel grimaced.  "I'm not sure if it's them or this problem that they're looking at in the lab.  There's at least two months."

"We have plenty of girls on base.  Does Jack know?"

"Some.  Xander told him that we'd be having one sometime before the spring."  John nodded at that.  "So we know we'll have one."

"I'll go over the assault plans.  Before it was pile out and fire.  We need a better one.  I'll make sure Jack knows how the girls work."

"Thank you."  He went back inside to find his Jack in his small office.  "Abby's got the apartment under you now."

"That's fine.  There's soundproofing I'm sure."  Daniel nodded.  "McKay like the gothic period velvet and stuff?"

"She's happy so he is.  He told me to use his first name."

"Hmm.  She's humanizing him."

"I said they can hold the wedding here or have dual ceremonies."

"Sure, I could like that."  He smirked back.  "They're adorable but I'm hoping that there's no kids for a few decades."

"Yeah, me too.  They'd be bigger geeks than Sam and I together."  Jack nodded, laughing so hard he nearly fell out of his chair.  "Have you talked to Fargo?"

"Introduced myself."

"Good.  Also, Xander saw her moving as a key indicator that we're going to have another base assault."

"I'll get with the other Jack."

"John too."

"That's fine.  He knows what the girls can do better than we do."

"Thanks.  It'll be by spring but after Christmas he thinks.  He's not sure if it's what's being found in the lab or the knights after Dawn.  She's worried about that and noted it."

"I can get intel on what happened."  He got up and went to talk to her about that.  If it was possible he needed to know.  He found her in the caf and pulled her down to the armory.  "Xander thinks there'll be a base assault sometime this year.  You think it'll be those knights?"

"I don't know.  I'll be at school."

"Good point but we still need to know."  She sighed and left, coming back a minute later with her diary.  "This has all of it?"

"I added in pages as we found out more about them."  She settled into her chair.  "It wasn't a happy time.  We had just lost Mom too, Jack."

"Sure, I get that.  Can we?"  She nodded.  "Good.  Give us a research paper on it."  She nodded, going up to the library.   He looked at the arms master.  "So we have one.  Danny said that Winchester will be helping since he knows what the girls can do."

"That works for me," Jack agreed, coming over to look over the information.  "Why does she think it might be them?"

"She saw one when Zalenka was retrieved."

"Wonderful."  They sat at the work table to go over it.  Dawn came in with two more books and laid out an outline of their purpose, history, and skills as she knew it.  Then she handed it over and stared at them.  "We'll make plans for it, Dawn.  We don't want anyone that crazy coming here.  I might have to remember saving LA a few times."  She gave him a hug then left.  "She's sweet."

"Too young for you," Jack told him.

Bauer looked at him.  "Not like that.  I had one of those and that was enough."

"Sure, I get that," O'Neill said dryly.

"You?"

"Had one but she left after our son died."

Bauer nodded.  "My daughter turned into a spoiled thing that got in the way of the job on the wrong side."  Jack shuddered.  "Exactly."  He looked over the outline.  "Arrows?"

"They can always learn.  Any good way for them to get weapons in that part of the world?"

"Many."  He frowned, moving to check subtly on some of his contacts that way.  They didn't want them to suddenly show up with artillery while they were expecting arrows and swords.

TBC...

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