Summary: Jack O'Neill has another son. Big Brown Eyes and a Sarcastic Sense of Humor, sound familiar? Xander Harris - Like Father Like Son.   (SG1: S6, but will have Daniel; Buffy:S4ish)

Author's Note: 1) Apparently when I first posted this to Twisiting the Hellmouth I called it "Gates and Stakes"
2) Additionally, you may have seen this start in another story. It was originally copied without permission; however, the other author and I have made our peace and he went on to take my start and create an entirely different story.
3) I believe this was the first of the now vast number of Jack is Xander's father stories. I guess that makes me a trendsetter. :)

"It appears that reports of Senator Kinsey's death were erroneous. The Senator and the man accused of his murder, Colonel Jonathan O'Neill USAF, were involved in a top-secret governmental sting operation" The newscaster reported as the station queued up footage of the press conference.

"Jessica!" A man bellowed as he watched the news.

"What?" Jessica said as she entered the living room to see what her husband wanted.

The man stood up, his eyes on fire with rage, and gestured to the television set.

She looked up at the TV screen displaying clips of the news conference and gasped, dropping her cup of tea.

"You said he was dead! You . . . " The man seethed as he walked over to his wife and slammed his fist into the side of her jaw.

"I thought he was!" She screamed back at him. Her voice then became softer and she repeated nearly in a whisper, "I thought he was."

The last comment was all the provocation he needed as he slammed her again. She fell to the ground crying. However, she wasn't crying from the pain. She was use to that. As he began to kick her, she could only smile through her tears. Jack was alive.

* * * * *

"What?" Jack O'Neill called out in his usual sarcastic tone.

"Unfortunately, I haven't been able to translate the tablet. It appears to be an early form of Celtic, but it just isn't translating. No one on base has been able to help either." Jonas explained.

"Well, than we will just have to contact someone off-base."

"I thought of that Colonel; however, none of the To'kra were able to help either." Jonas added.

Jack sighed, "I meant other humans."

"Sir?" Carter asked.

"I thought we would raid Danny's address book and see if we can dig ourselves up an expert." Jack explained as he reached over to his desk drawer and to the surprise of his team pulled at the book in question.

Sam glanced at him with a questioning look. Jack only shrugged.

"How will you know based on their names?" Sam inquired.

Jack laughed, "Easy. Daniel didn't alphabetize by last name, rather by fields. I think this was more of a directory for him then an address book. Jack thumbed through the book. " Cantonese . . . Ah, Celtic," Jack smiled, "slash ancient. I think that will do the trick. Several names, but one has a star."

"So, who we callin'?" Jonas asked.

"Rupert Giles, of Sunnydale, California and Bathe, England" Jack declared.

"Do you think he knows Daniel is gone?" Sam asked concerned. Jack only shrugged.

"We'll have to come-up with a cover story. We can't tell him the truth." Sam sighed.

Jack just smirked at her. "Ya think?"

* * * * *

"What?" Xander summarized for the rest of the group when Giles finished his explanation of the latest apocalypse.

"Unfortunately, I haven't been able to get a precise translation of this text." Giles sighed. "I do however have an old friend who maybe able to help with the translation. I shall try to contact him immediately."

"This is going to be bad." Dawn said shyly.

Xander looked at her incredulously, "Ya think?"

* * * * *

"Rupert Giles." He answered absent -mindedly still concentrating on his translation.

"Mr. Giles? My name is Samantha Carter. We have a mutual friend, Dr. Daniel Jackson."

"Ms. Carter. I appreciate your calling back so fast. I had just left a message for Daniel. I hadn't expect to him to get back to me so soon." Giles sighed. "I assume that Daniel explained my problem. You must be quite talented for him to trust you with my request. Not to mention the fact that you are intelligent enough not to dismiss Daniel as lightly as many do."

"Mr. Giles?" Sam said again. She had been trying to interrupt him since he began speaking. It was apparent that this Mr. Giles didn't know that Daniel was . . . gone. "Mr. Giles, Daniel didn't ask me to call."

"What? Oh, he didn't? I'm sorry then. I just assumed." Giles gathered his mind together. "If Daniel didn't tell you to call, what can I do for you."

Sam looked over at Jack who was listening in on the conversation. He mouthed to her, "Tell him."

"Mr. Giles, I was calling because I needed help translating an important work that seemed to be a very early form of Celtic. We found your name in Daniel's address book. Sir, I don't know where you left a message for Daniel, but he will not be able to call you back." Sam paused. "I hate to be the one to tell you this, especially on the telephone, but Daniel . . . Daniel died about two months ago."

Giles sank down into his chair shock clearly evident. "How?"

"I'm afraid that is classified Mr. Giles."

"Classified? Ms., just who are you? What was Daniel involved in?" Giles asked, distraught.

"I'm Major Samantha Carter, United States Air Force. Daniel and I worked together and more importantly he was my friend."

"Daniel working for the Air Force? I find that hard to believe, yet for some reason I do not doubt you." Giles realized that the military would not hire someone with Daniel's less than stellar academic reputation unless they had good reason not to believe his reputation, which would mean . . . it would mean the colonial government must have some reason to believe his unusual theories. He himself had never believed Daniel's theories of aliens in Egypt and the like. However, he knew there were enough things that were true that humanity as a whole believed to be only myths, so he had tried to keep an open mind. After all, would most people believe him if he announced to the world about demons, vampires, and one slayer to save to them all? Daniel had.

"I'm sorry." Sam said softly.

"I'm sorry. I realize I don't have the market in grief. I just thought that he would enjoy a longer life then his parents." Giles paused and cleared his throat. "You called about a translation?"

"Yes, part of the work Daniel was involved in." Sam explained. "It is of the utmost urgency that we get this translation, but no one we know can read it."

"I'd be happy to take a look at for you in a week or so. Right now I have my own translation problem."

"Perhaps," Sam began as she looked to Jack who nodded his assent knowing what she was about to propose. "Perhaps if you can help us with our translation we would be able to assist you with yours."

"No, I really . . . " Giles was going to say couldn't. How could he turn over a document talking about demons to the American military. Of course, it is a matter of the utmost importance and they would likely dismiss it as mythology or fairy tales. These people worked with Daniel, so they must be use to odd texts. Considering the urgency of the matter, it may be worth the risk. "On second thought, I would appreciate the assistance. I am eager for a full translation of this text."

"Okay, I can e-mail you a copy of the text. What is your e-mail address?" Sam asked.

"Actually," Giles began. "I do not have an e-mail address."

"Sweet! Finally someone who knows less about technology than me!" Jack cheered. "See I told you such a person existed!"

Sam smiled indulgently at him.

"Besides," Giles continued. "I would assume that this would be a transcribed copy of the document not an imagine of the original."

"Yes?"

"Of course. Forgive me of course you would know that you cannot scan some older documents due to their age and the potential for damage when exposed to those infernal machines." Giles took a breath. "It would be better if I could see the original document. Occasionally there is something essential that is missed in the original transcription that is important for an accurate translation."

"Even sounds like Daniel." Jack muttered.

"We would be happy to fly you to our base." Sam offered.

"No, I am afraid that wouldn't be possible right now." Giles offered. There was no way he could leave the children alone to deal with this latest threat even if it did feel like they didn't need him anymore.

"Can you hold on a for a moment?"

"Yes."

Sam hit the mute button on the phone. "Sir?"

"Well we know it is important to get an accurate translation quickly, but it is not an emergency." Jack began.

Jonas cut him off. "Colonel O'Neill, perhaps I could take it to him. It would give me a change to see your world. I could translate his document and he could work on ours."

"It might be nice to get away from the base, Sir." Sam added.

"RupertGiles is in California. I would like to see Hollywood." Teal'c added causing both Sam and Jack to look at him.

"Okay, kiddies. I guess we are off to see the wizard in good 'ole California."

Sam hit the mute button again, "Mr. Giles, how about if we brought the document to you?"

"I believe that would work. When would you be able to arrive?"

Sam looked to Jack who mouthed 'Morning'.

"We could be there first thing in the morning."

"Very good. Will you be flying?"

"Yes."

"I'll send one of my associates to meet you. He'll have a sign that says 'Major Carter'. Is this acceptable?"

"Yes. Thank you."

They made final arrangements as to time of pick-up, etc. Both parties hung-up.

Giles immediately picked-up the phone to place another call.

"Yeah."

"Xander. Giles. I need you to pick some people up at the airport for me tomorrow."

"What time?"

"You should be there by 6:30am."

"6:30? AM?" He sound incredulous. "In the morning?"

"That's usually when 6:30 am is - in the morning."

"Oh, for crying out loud! Fine."

Please let me know what you think so far.

Teri (Garnet_TM[at}yahoo.com)