Demon Criminal Investigative Services:  The End Jury.
 
 
 
 

The two higher beings looked at each other, one grimacing.  She shifted her position to watch what was going on with their beings.  "We have given them every opportunity and reason to call on us and they have not."

Her brother nodded.  "They have forgotten that we are over those called, not the Elders."  He changed one of the views.  "Due to that one's interference, things will not go as they should."

She stared at the witch.  "It is true that she had to undo some of what Rosenburg did, but it was not what we had wanted," she agreed.  "Therefore we have no champions.  The worlds will end."

"There are some but they are too young to do their duties," her brother corrected.

"They will be called thanks to that one's warping."

He looked at her.  "They could be activated already.  Then we would have none when we fixed this issue."

"That is true.  The balance will suffer until they are older, but that can be evened out within a year of them coming of age," she offered.

He considered their plans.  "There are too many things that may go wrong.  Too many higher evils.  Plus we do not know if one would automatically be called if something did happen to the older lines."

She considered it.  "We will give them one last test?"

He shook his head.  "They have failed too many times.  We will make them remember who they do belong to."  She smiled back and they joined hands.  Their will would be done.

***

Xander walked out along the fence.  He had a headache.  He wasn't sure why.  It wasn't like Sam's visions being passed along or even his own sort.  It wasn't his sinuses.  It wasn't like the time the telepathic demons had tried to shout themselves mentally hoarse.  But something was making his hackles go up.  It clearly wasn't going to be good.

***

Abby woke up with a gasp, looking around.  Rodney and John were off moving Atlantis to her new home.  She was alone tonight but something was seriously wrong!  She got out, grabbing clothes to throw on.  She did not want to face a bad something in her bat jammies.  She walked out hopping while putting on her sneakers.  She ran into House in the lobby of their building.  "What's going on?"

"We don't know yet."  They headed out together.  Others were converging on the area between the main building and the slayers' building.

Xander wasn't there, Abby realized that first.  She looked around, spotting Bauer.  "Xander?" she called.

"Last time I saw him he was heading for a walk," he called back.

"Pretend really well," she ordered.  Sam Winchester grabbed his skull, groaning as he tried hard not to fall to his knees.  Dean was at his side so he helped him sit and got him out of the vision.

"Danny, get the vault stored!" Dean shouted.  Bauer gave him a horrified look but got it moved into bags as fast as he could.

Abby started to feel something tickling in her brain.  She grabbed onto House's arm, making him grunt and look at her but the flash hurt like hell when it hit.  She didn't remember screaming but most everyone else would.  And the flash that happened during it.

***

Xander felt the vision bleeding over and winced, grabbing his forehead.  He kept himself moving back toward the base.  He fell down to his knees when the flash happened, his mind screaming but he wasn't going to allow himself to scream.  He made himself get up, blinding headache, spots in his vision, and all.  He hurried back, finding two missing buildings.  It was clear down to the dirt.  He stood for a second, looking around.  A few people were still there.  Daniel was gone.  John was there.  Jack O'Neill was there.  Fargo was gone.  He looked around again.  "Who had what vision and what was the flash?" he finally asked since they were all staring at him.

"You saw that?" John demanded.

"It hit me as I was coming back from the jogging path.  I've had a headache all night but then I got hit with a vision from someone else."

John moved closer.  "Sam had one.  Then Abby had one and screamed.  Everything flashed."

Xander shook his head slowly.  "No, the flash I saw wasn't part of the vision."  John glared.  "The bond, John."

"That's why I'm asking, Xander," he said firmly.

"Sam's was the girls in a battle, somewhere darker gray.  Almost like nighttime but there aren't any stars.   Fargo with a weapon.  An explosion but it wasn't any of us being hurt.  I got a flash from I guess that was Abby's that was different.  It was somewhere foggy, starlit, light and airy....."

"That sounds like the Powers' realm," a female voice said.

Xander stared at the demon who had appeared.  "It does?  The last time we saw them, it was in another realm."

"It is," she said with a smug look.  "Pity they're saving their favorites."  She snapped her fingers and the gate blew in.  "You should be happy that they'll be taken care of by someone else."

Xander pulled his gun but John shot her first.  Xander looked at him.  "Armory?"

"With them."

"Jack!" he bellowed.  "Closet of the barn!  My office, under the desk, Sheppard's room thanks to Tiff."  He nodded, sending people off to grab whatever was in those spots.  Xander and John started to shout orders about how to form things.  Most of the remaining people were doing what they had to do since people were streaming in through the main gate and then through a breach in the fence.  The natural disasters of herbology they had gotten from the Pegasus galaxy planets were slowing them down a lot.  There was a lot of bellowing as things got into the spiny vines.   Xander and the agents were firing on the demons pouring in.  The first bag of gear came back.

O'Neill opened it and stared in horror.  "Harris, I'm paddling you!" he yelled.

Xander glanced back, ducking a shot at him.  "Why?  Did they grab something besides weapons?"

"No!  You didn't let us know we had these!"

"You don't!  They're mine!  You're borrowing them!" he shot back, yelping when something hot creased his thigh.  He glared and shot the demon who looked too smug.  "Ha!  Bastard!"  He reloaded and went back to it.  Jack fired on the first group of demons.  They went flying in bits and pieces.  The agents in front were sprayed but most just made complaining noises.

Horatio wiped at the goo, growling.  "How dare they," he muttered.  He took aim and shot another few.  The next time he heard the whine of artillery, he got behind a convenient concrete sign obelisk.  It saved him from more problems.  "How many more?" he called.

"No visions," Xander called.  "Not about this one."  They all nodded.  Xander was keeping himself from panicking.  He hadn't panicked this bad during the invasion.  "Jack, the prison?" he called.

"Shit," O'Neill called.  Someone went running that way.  The guards had locked it down but someone was trying to get in.  Winchester went running to help with that problem.  The rest of them were holding on.  O'Neill was swearing while calling in reinforcements.

The demons made way for humans.

Humans with anti demon armbands.

Guns.

Way too many guns.

The demons sneered at the agents and joined with the new humans.  Some of the humans took them on but they wanted the agents gone apparently.  Enough that they would deal with the demons later.

Sirens were coming up the road.  SUV's with agents.  Helicopters started to come in.

***

Daniel looked around the darker, softer looking realm.  They were standing on dark earth that felt spongy.  There weren't any mountains they could see.  Nothing.  "Who do we have?" he shouted, gathering people.  The slayers were with them.  Faith took charge of the girls, getting them with Dean, Sam, and Bauer.  They were deploying to watch for whatever was going to happen.

Sam looked around.  "Guys, this isn't the apocalypse battle," he noted.  They all stared at him.  "It's not.  All of us who've seen it saw an invasion.  The buildings were back in North Dakota."

"Then what is this?" Danny Messer demanded, glaring at him.

"This isn't the demon in that portal," Fargo said, closing his eyes.  He opened them and they were glowing.  "I did not call upon you, though you could release me if you wished."

"No chance," Daniel said.  "What's going on.  And get out of Fargo.  He's not Xander."

"He could be the specially chosen one if we so wished," he said smugly.  Sam came forward but the demon shoved him back.  "Do not try, mortal.  I'm not harming him but I'm too powerful to appear in front of you.  So I'm ...borrowing for a few moments.  What are you doing in my confinement?"  He looked around.  "Did you choose to come here?" he asked when no one said anything.

"No, we didn't," Danny Jackson said.  "We were woken up by something going on and got sent here by someone."

"Hmm."  He considered it.  "I don't know why a higher being would send you here."

Faith moved closer, staring at him.  "First, which ones could send us here.  Second, can you get us back?"

"Hmm, no, I cannot move you without you releasing me."  He smiled.  "Which does work out well for me, young Chosen."  He looked over her shoulder then back at her.  "It is fortuitous."

"Not really.  What's going on back at home?" Faith demanded.  "Can you see that?"

His eyes unfocused and the glow faded a bit.  "Yes.  They're not having a good day.  And sending you back in the middle of the fight is not a good idea, young Chosen."

Faith stared at him.  "Why?"

"Because the ones that are not your duty to solve are involved now."

She looked around.  "So how do we get back?"

"Release me," he said bluntly.

Sam smirked.  "I can get you out of Fargo.  Would that help?"  He started an exorcism chant.  The demon giggled but Sam put all his skills behind it.  The demon finally yelped and had to leave.  "Danny?" he called, glancing around.

"No clue," he admitted.  "What do we have, Jack?"

"A lot.  The whole armory came with us.  Plus the buildings."

Daniel looked back at him.  "What got left?"

"Xander's been leaving hidden bags of weapons around the base," Dean said calmly.  "Including some stuff he just got done the other day."

Daniel nodded.  "Good!  Why didn't he tell me?"

"He had another vision," Sam sighed, looking at him.  "That some of us weren't going to be at the battle.  He kept having that vision of Fargo with a weapon but it wasn't at the fight."

Daniel nodded, looking at Fargo.  Faith was letting the girls fuss over him.  "Okay.  Why didn't he tell me?"

"He didn't see you there either," Sam pointed out.  "We had another layered one."

Dean nodded, swallowing hard.  "We saw some flimsy, foggy stuff," he told him.  "No idea why."

Faith stiffened, staring at him.  "Foggy, blue-skinned beings, togas?"

Dean nodded slowly.  "Yeah, that's something I saw that the others didn't."

"The fucking Powers!" she shouted.

The demon snickered from inside Brenda.  "Indeed, probably."

"Not her," Sam growled.  "You'll taint the baby."  The demon gave him a gentle smile and nodded, floating over to Dean.  "Dean?"

"Yeah, fine," he muttered.  "I guess it's my turn."  The demon entered him.

"Hmm, this one is good."  He looked at Faith, smiling at her.  "You can have him back later.  I don't want to keep him."

Daniel looked around.  "You're sure it was the Powers?"

"There's not many that could send you here who are still around today."

"Why?" Faith demanded.

"I am here, I am not privy to their plans."

"Can we call on Leo?" one of the younger slayers begged.  "They help us."

"Who is this Leo?" the demon asked.

"He's a White Lighter," Sam said.

"Ah!  An Elder's lapdog."  Faith muttered something she had heard Xander mutter a few times while injured and kicked the corner of the slayer dorm.  "Someone still speaks that language?"

"No," Daniel said.  "I taught it to Xander.  My people deal with them."  The demon stared at him.  He stepped forward and the demon moved closer, laying a hand on his head.  Dean's eyes went wide and he floated out of the boy's body.

"Huh," Dean said.  "They're seriously not fond of the blipped beings."

"I'm not always fond of them," Daniel admitted.  The demon went back to Fargo.  "If you get him stuck that badly, we're going to kill you."

"As you wish if you want to try.  I could use some entertainment."

"We're not that entertaining.  That's Xander, and he's back in the battle," Brenda snapped.

"Calm down," Dean ordered.  "Sit down too."  She huffed but sat down. "We keep seeing a battle," he told Daniel quietly.

"From?"

"No clue."

The demon pointed off to the south.  "They really are not pleased that you overthrew their plans.  Especially since they removed some of the other battle to here."

"Any chance our people are all right?" Daniel asked.

"I cannot see that," he said dryly.  He stood up.  "If you're going to fight up here, you should probably be ready.  They are here to make you pray to those you forgot."

Faith snorted.  "We didn't forget the Powers.  We threw them over for being dicks."  She looked around.  "Brenda, help Jack with the weapons."  The younger slayer opened her mouth but Dean pointed with a scowl.  "Preggers," she reminded her.  "Too valuable to fight."

"Fine, but the next one I'm kicking major butt."

"Fine," Dean agreed.  "We can babysit."  She smirked but got busy handing out weapons.  Demons showed up.  Dean looked.  "Aren't those...."

"Sword vulnerable but not shooting," Sam sighed.  "Guys, swords!"  They grabbed them.  A few of the girls looked at the battle axe. One of the agents grabbed it and headed out.  The girls got their scythes.  The main one from the library got handed to Faith.  Then it was on.

***

Xander winced as Ryan fell next to him, checking his throat.  "Damn it," he muttered, banishing him at the medics they had set up.  That small gift for magic was giving him a migraine but Ryan could be saved.  He was blocking out the ones who had fallen already.  Some of O'Neill's people were gone.  Two of the agents were down and he didn't want to grieve yet.  That would mean giving up.  If he dwelled, he'd do something stupid and heroic.  Then he'd be gone too.

Instead, he grabbed a bigger gun and fired it at the group of rushing humans and demons.  It clicked and he groaned, using his pocketknife to cut the lock off it.  Someone had put a zip-tie lock on it.  This time it worked but they were closer.  Horatio glared at the new spots of blood on him.  Xander threw the empty housing at the demons, making them scream.

Dawn appeared in a flash of light.  "Oh, *HELL* no!" she shouted, calling up power.  She fried a good few people.

"No!" Xander shouted.  "Go help the medics!"

"I'm...." she started, pouting at him.  He pointed at the missing buildings and she swore.  But she agreed, she might need that power to get them back.

Xander turned in time to block a blow and duck another one.  This bitch wasn't getting past him either.  He saw Horatio get knocked out but he wasn't bleeding.  He banished him and prayed heavily at the Old Gods to help them.  Because this was clearly a bitchy Power issue.  More agents streamed in and he shouted an order to get the ones struggling out of the plants.  They rushed at them and a few went after the back-end of the attacking force.  Things weren't looking good for them but they had backup.  He heard a zapping/hissing sound and looked back, finding Cameron Mitchell.  "Thank you, Goddess," he shouted.  "Jack has the special bags!"

"I know."  He fired on another human.  Xander got back to the fight.  His troops from the Stargate program were a lot of help, though he did wish they had more on hand.  Like Sheppard's people.  They had bad timing to go move Atlantis!

***

Daniel shot at one of the demons bumbling his way.  "Oh, hell no!" he muttered in Chinese.  He used his sword instead and it helped, some.  "I need to take more lessons with Xander!"

"Us too," Faith called.  "Damn!"

"You good?" Dean yelled from where he was defending some of the weaker agents.

"Yeah.  Ripped my pants."

"Pity, but we'll handle it later," he agreed.  Personally, Dean wasn't sure he wanted his to disappear until *after* he got the crap stains out of them.  Or burned them to destroy the proof.  He hoped the base assault was going better than theirs.

Fargo found some things that Jo had exported from the Eureka armory and it felt like home again.  The situation of the week that had to be destroyed.  Pity for the demons.  He fired the energy weapon and it blew the demon apart.  He almost smirked at the chorus of 'eeww!' but that was just like the agents.  The girls would go 'ew' later.

***

Xander ducked another blow and kicked them back then found out he was out of ammo.  The human sneered.  Xander hit him with the gun, knocking him out.  He tossed it aside and grabbed something from the bag.  He had put assault rifles and reloads in there.  There should be at least one left.  Yup!  He was in luck but not many reload clips.  So he'd have to make his shots count.  Which he did.  He did graze an agent but the guy who was going to kill him was dead.  The agent looked then nodded his thanks before moving to disable the next being.  "That one takes lead, Agent FBI clone 2!"

The guy flinched but nodded and knocked it down and handcuffed it instead.  That worked just as well to him.  The one that the information had been meant for did the same thing.  It was what they were trained to do.  The FBI agents heard a roar and looked at the empty area.  "Prison?" one begged.

"No," Eric shouted.  "They're locked down."  The agents relaxed and went back to things.  Eric hoped they were still locked down anyway.  Or else they were screwed!  And he hadn't been to Mass in weeks.  He'd fix that oversight in the morning.  He winced when he saw something heavier than a bullet be fired at them but Dawn stopped it and turned it back on them.  The agents gaped in horror.  "Leave her alone, she's ICW," he called.  The agents nodded, moving to guard her and the others in the make-shift infirmary.

***

House looked at the newest one being brought over with injuries.  "Did you have to fall on your sword?" he demanded.  The guy whined and shook his head.  "Damn it!"

Chase looked over.  "We'll handle it.  He's not that bad."  He moved to help the one with the open wound on his chest.  "Shit!"  House moved to help him contain the bleeding and stop the sucking from the chest wound.  Saran wrap was make-shift but it'd do for a few minutes until they could stabilize her better.  Calleigh needed a lot more help than they could do until the battle was done with.

***

Xander fired off another rocket and prayed that they didn't have any more reinforcements.  A few demons appeared but attacked the ones attacking them.  He prayed really hard at the Goddess.  The Powers could screw themselves, he wanted a God on his side this time.

"Keep your concentration, kid," a familiar voice ordered.

Xander spun, staring at the balance demon.  "What are you doing here?" he demanded.

"It's time to make a choice," he said smugly.  Xander hit him.  "Hey!  Not nice!"

"I'm not fucking nice, Whistler," Xander growled.  The balance demon backed away slowly.  "Tell the Powers no thanks.  The Slayer line doesn't bow, blow, or suck them.  They turned their backs on us when we needed them, they tried to kill us for no fucking reason, screw them."

"If you're sure," he offered.  "I can make their next wave be held off."  He did *not* want to be here, but the Powers were making him give the kid an offer he shouldn't refuse.

Xander snorted.  "No you can't.  You don't have that sort of power."

"You could pray to them."

Xander smirked evilly.  "I can do other things too."  He let out a loaded wish in the demon language he knew.  The demon tried to get him to stop but oh well!  Suddenly things were quiet.  Xander saw everything frozen and looked at the wish demon that appeared.  "This is the Powers' idea of 'pray to us because we're feeling neglected'?"

She nodded.  "It is," she agreed, moving closer.  "You caught most of the clues, Xander.  Why call on me?"

"Because, Hallie, I know you're not one of them anymore."  He stared at her.  "Innocents will die, including children.  Including the warriors you're over."  She nodded.  "Switch ten people from this battle to that one.  I can tell it's going on."

"You'd be more use up there with the sword training."

Xander shook his head.  "No."

"Calleigh could and will die if House doesn't save her."

"We have other docs coming and Chase is a good doc.  If she's not meant to die, she won't.  I trust Chase with everything in me."

She stared at him.  "Just ten?  Not twelve?"

He shrugged.  "They need the heft and I need some things that's in the building.  Like your diary from your third year of service."

She smirked evilly.  "That's asking for a lot."

"No, not really."

She considered it.  "What if I say no?"

"Then we destroy each one, we rebuild, and we become what the demons fear instead of what we are now.  Because I will end every single demon if everyone else here falls."  Whistler looked impressed but he faded out to let them know their ploy had been averted by some quick thinking from a smartass of the universe.

She nodded.  "True.  You'll drive them that way."  He nodded.  "Fine."  She snapped her fingers.  The battle resumed and Xander forgot all about the talk.  But the personnel switch was done and the book appeared next to Dawn's hand.  She manifested to Dawn for a minute.  "A wish got asked for."  She disappeared.

Dawn grabbed the book to find the spell it had to contain.  She found it and started to cast it, putting all the Key's strength behind it.  Suddenly, a loud shriek went off and she looked at the prison.  That was a bad noise.  She finished the spell and the demons fighting against the agents dissolved.  So did the ones trying to escape.  She got up and walked out there, arms out, hair flowing back like there was a breeze.  "Oh, no you don't!" she shouted.  She let the rest of the spell hit the stupid anti-demon humans.  They all screamed.  "The things you learn from books," she said sarcastically.

"Nice Crucio, Dawn!" Speed shouted.  "Go help the wounded!"

"Fine!"  She went back to helping them while the agents mopped up things and the prison riot got stopped.  She saw Xander fall to his knees but there were a lot of injured.  She couldn't take the time to help him calm down.

***

Daniel looked around at the new flash.  "What the hell!" he shouted at Dean.

Fargo, and his passenger, looked around.  "Hmm, that young one is very crafty.  Very Slytherin of him."

"You read Harry Potter?" Sam quipped, stabbing the next demon.

"I got bored, a copy of the movies appeared.  It only took a second to watch it."  He shrugged and blew away a few more demons.  This was *his* realm and the Powers had declared war on his realm.  They were not going to be happy when he got free and took them out.  He felt the lock spell weakening.  The one holding him closed was weakening.  Interesting.  It was a bloodline lock.  Though the person wasn't up here.

***

Dawn noticed Ryan was starting to bleed again and moved to stop it.  "Damn it!  I need House or someone!" she shouted at the sky.  "Before he fucking dies!"  A military medic came running over to help her.  "It was just a graze.  We bandaged it."

"It might've been done psychically.  I've seen it before, Miss Summers."

"How do you know me?" she demanded.

He grinned.  "I'm SG and Tiff told us."  She stared at him for a moment but helped.  He'd never admit he used to be Initiative but had hidden it after the take-down.  Thank god he had been on leave that week.  Stargate suited him just fine.

***

Daniel saw the last demon fall and panted, leaning down to catch his breath.  "House?" he croaked.  "We good?"

"Hell no!"

"Damn it," he complained, looking at Fargo.  "Get us home so he can operate and save them!  Please!"

The demon stared at him.  "I can't do that unless you release me."

Sam shot Fargo with the special bullets Xander had made for the Colt.  The demon screamed and so did Fargo, but he'd be okay.   It wasn't a fatal shot by any means for the human body.  The demon was released, just not the way he wanted.

***

In Eureka, a special news report started.  Sheriff Carter stared then blindly called someone.  "Turn on the news, Stark.  DCIS just got attacked and the news report is showing missing buildings."  He hung up as he turned it up.  He paged Jo.  She'd want to know and they could be worried about Fargo and their newer friends together.  Plus maybe she could find something new to send the base for weapons if they needed some.

He hoped Fargo was all right.  He hadn't caught sight of him yet.

***

"Someone tell the slug sucking vamp bait to get out of my face!" Dawn shouted.  "Before I shoot the reporters!"  Agents led them off, confiscating their cameras.  Dawn got back to bandaging and stitching duties.  This was not a good time for a reporter to show up.

But it was a good time for the rest of the base to show up apparently.

"Thank you, God!" Eric shouted.  "House!"

"Get her to the infirmary, now!" he ordered when people came rushing his way.  "Unless they've got someone just as bad, she's first in surgery."  The medics nodded, moving them that way.   House looked at the others.  "Damn, people."  He saw the mess.  He saw Xander on his knees, panting, but he had a job to do that went past his need to help Xander not lose his temper.  He limped as fast as he could after a gurney, going to help in surgery until more doctors showed up.  Thank God James had went home for a few days.  He saw more SG doctors coming in and let Frasier, who was still on crutches, take Calleigh for now.  She was a better surgeon than he was.  She could brace herself or they'd find her a stool or something.

***

Daniel looked around as things quieted.  He saw the mess.  He saw the extra agents.  He saw Cam Mitchell panting and holding a slight wound closed.  "Cam?" he asked, moving closer.  "You good?"

"Hell no.  O'Neill called for backup."

"I can see why."  He got him to the less medically necessary line of injured and looked around.  "Who fell?"

"Ryan's injured, bleeding from a graze on the neck for some reason," Dawn reported, sighing as she looked at him.  "Horatio's knocked out.  We lost Mac, I think.  The SG docs took him off but he was sheet covered.  I'm not sure, Danny."  She gave him a hug and broke down.  "Why?"

"Stupid higher ups," Faith complained as she limped in.  She took the girl to look at.  "Never forget they did this to us, munchkin."  Dawn nodded, wiping her face off.  "Come help the girls.  You're a Watcher, they'll listen to you."  Dawn nodded, coming to help the Winchesters.

Daniel got his people checked over and mourned the ones that had been taken by SG personnel.  Who knows what the new general was thinking.  Maybe they'd try the sarcophagus on them.  He hoped so.  He didn't want to lose his people.  He swallowed, looking around.  No Xander.  No Jack and no Xander.  He found Jack staring at Xander's back but someone was walking out toward him.

Speed started to go but had to help Eric.  He was pretty banged up.  He felt for Xander.  He truly did.  He wanted to go cuddle the boy.  Fortunately someone was going to.  The other agents were giving him a wide berth for some reason.  Probably scared of the temper coming back.

Sam walked out there slowly, touching Xander on the arm.  He squatted down next to him, ignoring the blood underneath Xander's knees.  The whole field was bloody and part-filled.  It was smoking in spots.  It looked like the warzone it had been.  Xander was still panting.  Sam tipped his face up.  "We will rebuild," he said quietly.

"Fuck them.  They did this on purpose."

"I know.  I got the same vision, Xander."  Xander shook his head.  "No what?"

"A balance demon tried to get me to make a choice in the center."

"Screw him."  Sam shifted a bit closer.  "We will not forget this, and when it's time, it'll be resolved," he said quietly.

"They did it on purpose because *I* told the girls they could make their own choices," he said bitterly.

"If you didn't, the world would've ended by now," Sam said simply.  Xander shook his head.  "Let it out, Xander.  Please?  You can't be this angry.  Not right now."  Xander swallowed a sob but Sam pulled him closer, letting him rest on his shoulder.  Speed came out to help him move Xander out of sight of the other agents and reporters.  Sam glared at a reporter.  "I'm going to make you fucking eat that camera, dude."  The reporter backed off.  "Guys, please?  We don't need this right now.  The rest of us were in a battle too."

The agents got that reporter and the ones that had snuck back in and confiscated their gear too.  Sam took Xander down to the infirmary.  He sat him down and let Speed hold him for now while he got the stitching supplies and bandages he'd need.  Xander had a few very bad cuts.  One that someone higher should look at, but they were too busy.  Dean came over to help but Sam waved him off, getting a nod.  Dean went to check on the girls instead.  Sam made soothing noises while Speed held him.  He looked around.  Bauer was on a bed too.  Knocked out and bleeding slightly.  Once they got done with Xander, they moved to help him.

Everyone in the infirmary was working as silently as they could.  The prison's near riot was nearly calmed down.  Dawn stomped past the doorway and down to the prison to finish it.  They heard some shouting but it was the demons getting away from her.  A few smiled at that but went back to the task of putting people back together again.

***

Daniel walked out to the press conference he had been ordered to hold.  "Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for giving us some time to clean up the mess and get our personnel back toward healing."  He looked around.  "While I'm not pleased and highly offended that reporters decided to sneak in during a battle, risking their lives and my agents' lives to try to protect them, I'll be nice today to you."  He stared around again.  "Yes, DCIS is still an agency.  The President just gave us permission to hire almost double the agents that we had.  Those who survived attacking us are already being charged with terrorism and other like charges.  I would like to thank all those who showed up to *help* the battle.  All my former coworkers, all Jack O'Neill's former coworkers, all the agents who came in when we needed them most.  Thank you for your help."  He folded up his note card.  "That's all."

"Director, what happened to two of the buildings?" one shouted.

Daniel looked at her.  "Something higher up was mad that we stepped in to stop demon-on-demon and demon-on-human crimes so that was their plan.  They sent some of us, and the buildings, to another demon realm.  Where the head demon had no knowledge or intention of picking a side.  Thankfully we ended that problem as well."  They shivered at his cold tone.  "DCIS is not changing the way we do things.  We are the condom that keeps the harmful demons from hurting humanity and demon-kind."

He walked off, going to find Xander.  He was still mad at the Powers and might try to have a go at them but Sam and Speed had him well in hand at the moment.  He was calming down with House right now.  They were both drunk in House's apartment.  House was teaching Xander how to play the piano while Sam and Speed called out helpful jibes and helped them get drunker.  Sam smiled at him and nodded, giving him a beer.  "Thanks.  The press should be gone."

"I'd hate to feed them to something," Xander muttered, concentrating on the music House was teaching him.

"I'm sure you would," Daniel agreed.  "Xander?"  Xander looked at him.  "Memorial?"

"Tonight?"

"Tonight.  Are you okay?"

"No."

"Want to talk?"

"No."

"All right.  Remember, we're here for you too."  He left, taking his beer to Jack's apartment, where Cam and the others were waiting on him.  He flopped down and shoulder nudged Cam.  "I woke up to a screaming, ranting email this morning from Sheppard."

"I would've expected McKay since his wife was injured," Jack admitted, taking a drink of beer and a handful of corn chips to chase it with.

"No, his went to her.  Sheppard ranted that we had the base assault without him.  Threatened to send me teams for permanent placement.  Threatened to put Abby inside a cotton wool protective suit so she couldn't get banged up again and make the city nearly have seizures because Rodney was having a fit to end all fits, and cities apparently."

"We're rotating teams," Jack said.  "Starting with ours.  Then we'll move onto the next team that needs downtime and healing time."  He took another drink and another few chips.

"Decent.  I could use some time for the stitches to heal," Cam admitted.  "Xander's one hell of a fighter."

"He's still angry enough to go after them too," Daniel admitted quietly.

"We heal and move on, like always," Jack reminded him.  "Just like every other battle any of us have been in, we have to heal and move on again.  Then remember when we have nightmares."

The others nodded and clinked bottles at that toast.

The End.
 

Author's Note:  Before anyone can ask if there's going to be a follow up series or if I'll go back to fill in spots with stories you didn't see, I do not know yet.  It's possible.

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