Ch 8 - "Hello, Goodbye"

Sadly time had made neither of them an optimist, they knew they had at least four hostile monsters. Buffy had started playing with the sensors, before she stretched out her own senses, "There are two in the far corner in a locked of room, the rest are scattered."

Bones assimilated this information, "Search and Destroy?"

Buffy did not like it and knew this would weigh heavily on her friend; he had buried Reaper and had chosen to become a Doctor, giving him a wry smile, "Plan for the worst, hope for the best."

She knew this was a hard test for her friend, after all he was returning to the site where he had become an immortal. It meant he would have to deal with all the memories that were wrapped up and buried deep in his sub-conscious. Buffy gave him a big smile, "We search for any survivors, eliminate the bad guys and have Kirk nuke the site."

His answering feral smile made her relax; she needed him to think like a soldier while down here, "Blast the site back to hell."

"That's the plan."

They had both forgotten the open comm that was being maintained to Kirk, but heard his voice, "You got my vote stay safe."

Bones smirked, "Will do Kid." His calling Jim Kid made a hell of a lot more sense once Kirk found out his real age.

Buffy's own reply was a simple, "Aye, Aye Captain." Even now, she could not resist the odd pop culture reference.

Bones shook his head in feigned exasperation, before squaring his shoulders, "Game time!"

They both shared the ability to switch from playful to deadly in a mere second. Buffy still was not sure how he had managed to convince her to carry a gun. While she may have been carrying a rifle in her one hand, the scythe was in her other hand.

Bones was shaking his head, everything he remembered of the creatures behaviour patterns meant that they should been attacked by now, "I don't get it; they should be attacking us by now."

Buffy mused, "Well they are on the edge of my senses."

He realised that she was using slayer senses to track the creatures, "Can they sense you? If they are animalistic, they may sense you. Prey always can sense when it's in the presence of predators."

Buffy figured he had a point, A little apprehensive, "You wanna play bait?"

"Not yet but it may come to that."

They were converging on the first life signs. They could tell from the alternating sounds of groaning and metal clinking that these were hostile creatures. Their suspicions were confirmed before they opened fire. The one problem with guns is that once the target closes you down then they lose their advantage. The guns did not affect the creatures as she watched Bones go flying; Buffy switched to her scythe. She knew it became a hell of a lot more difficult to get a hit in if they are missing limbs. She finally managed to get the drop on the creature, when she turned around Bones had gone.

She was not too worried, after all, McCoy could handle himself. She did not expect to find him facing off against a more humanoid looking creature. She let him distract the creature as she rummaged through the magic backpack that Willow had created for her when she was still alive. The creature opposing Bones was his Sergeant in a former life, "What is your mate? She is not like us Reaper."

McCoy got a square hit into the jaw, "Guess you'll never know."

McCoy had kept his attention away from Buffy; who he could see was assembling a device.

The creature rasped, "I'll enjoy hearing her scream."

The smile on McCoy's face was all Reaper, "I think she might have something to say about that."

Buffy stood larger than life on the balcony with a Rocket launcher, "Stay away from my Bones."

She watched satisfied as it hit its target, satisfied she removed the Rocket Launcher from her shoulder, "Talk about Deja-vu. Is it dead?"

McCoy was trying to repress the memories of the first mission to Olduvai, giving her a haunted smile, "I owe you one."

She shook her head, "Nope," popping her 'p'. Then cocking her head to the side sensing something, "Bad news three more coming that way."

Both were experienced enough to know that the best bet was to stand and fight, he pointed to the Rocket launcher, "That thing has any more ordinance? Dare I ask where you got an old style rocket launcher?"

Buffy gave him a blinding smile, "It was my favourite 17th present."

"Sweet present."

"I thought so."

Bones adopted Buffy's tactic automatic weapon in one hand and a sword in his other hand. The fight did not last too long, they were just little too strong and a little too clever. Buffy absent-mindedly moved some gore from his left arm, "I do love the wipe-clean black marine uniforms."

Bones smiled, he loved that Buffy would never change, he tugged on her arm, "Come on by my count there are four life signs left."

They were focussing on the two life signs that appeared to be in a locked off section. Along the way, the pair dispatched the last two creatures roaming the hallways.

Neither were prone to bouts of optimism, they were simply too old but both hoped they would find someone unharmed. They opened the door and approached with extreme caution.

Neither could keep the incredulous impression off their faces, before them in a corner sat Adam Pierson and Duncan Macleod. Buffy figured she could be forgiven for her hysterical laughter, "You're an archaeologist. What do you do if you find anything old, present yourself."

Methos had a teasing grin as he stood up with a graceful flourish, "My fair sweet rescuer. Is it not time for me to ask for your hand in marriage."

Duncan shook his head, "You're persistent. It's been what 150 years since you started asking?"

Buffy was smirking, "About that and sorry old man me and Bones are having dinner."

The highlander laughed raucously, "Thank god. I thought you two would never catch a clue."

Buffy gave him a wry smile, "We're slow but least we've got time."

The banter continued as they made there back to the beam site, all were laughing and joking. Buffy tapped her communicator, "Giles to Enterprise. Four to beam up"

Kirk relieved that his two friends had made it back unharmed; he knew that they needed to see this. His voice filtered through to the transporter room, "Bones, Buffy take a detour to the bridge please."

The medical staff were concerned seeing the ripped uniforms they were waived off with explanations of 'not their blood'. They figured they would come up with some explanation later.

The view screen had an enlarged image of the site; Kirk could see the strain in his best friend's eyes, "My Sulu fire phasers."

Buffy standing to the side of Bones watched with satisfaction as the site was erased, she squeezed Bone's shoulder, "Fresh start."

He nodded in acknowledgement, "Come on we need to make sure those two reprobates don't damage my sickbay."

Bones and Buffy went through the check up grateful no molecular scans were done. The results of the pair would raise a few eyebrows. Bones was forced to be his acerbic best to get them released. Through his tirade Buffy just smiled softly, glad that he seemingly had not taken the events to his heart.

Bones gave Buffy a rare smile, "Be at my quarters 20 hundred hours."

The medical staff were listening in fascination to the visitors, Duncan and Adam watched Buffy and Bones with amusement. Adam was smiling, "Remember when she used to be a moderating influence on him."

Duncan gave a rueful chuckle, "God help everyone if they have teamed up."

Adam was in a good mood and dismissed that thought, "Nah I think the federation just became a safer place."

Duncan could not really disagree with his old friend. From his keen eye, he could see that the comparatively young pair of immortals were finally catching a clue about their feelings. Then again, he did think that when the pair had a domestic the whole ship would shake with fear. Still, what he knew without a doubt was that Bones and Buffy were meant to be. It seemed that alternate timelines, chemistry, mating instincts all could agree if what he had gathered from Buffy were true.

He almost started sniggering when he remembered a very old conversation he had had with Buffy. She had confided in him that someone once told her Death was her gift. He could not help but muse if when she connected the dots would she ask for a refund.

Somehow, he doubted it.

A/N Okay truth is this fic has sadly hit its natural end. I have found that once the material from the film was over that it became progressively harder. I am grateful for all the people who read this and reviewed the story. I know that a sequel is supposedly due in 2012 once I have watched that I would love to write a sequel.

Small note could any drop me a line to explain how the hell I can use line breaks with the new formatting on .