Title: Day Six - Making a mark

Author: hellbells101 / hellbells(tth)

Summary: Atlantis is besieged by Wraith but they should learn one thing - stay the hell away from Buffy's man. Buffy/John

Crossover: Stargate Atlantis

Disclaimer: I only own my twisted imagination!

Characters: Buffy, John Sheppard, Rodney McKay, Dr Weir and Col Caldwell

Challenge: for the livejournal 2011 August Fic a Day Challenge.

Timeline: S2 Stargate Atlantis and Post S7 BtVS

Authors note: Sequel to Finding your back home.

Rating: Fr 13

Word Count:1458

Premise: Au of S1 Atlantis. Sheppard wasn't in Antarctica because of a black mark nut rather because he was grieving his wife, one Vampire Slayer.

Buffy was relishing the chance to fight, having spent so long without a form. She didn't realise just how frustrating it could be to watch and not be able to do something.

The soldiers were initially weary of her but they trusted their CO. Once she beheaded the Wraith, the soldiers realised that she could look after herself. The team she had folded into worked well together to secure the perimeter. As they were encountering fewer Wraiths, Buffy hoped they had stemmed the tide. Buffy assumed John was having success at taking out the crashing darts, as fewer Wraiths were beaming into the city.

They all heard Dr Weir's voice over the comm system, "Rodney we need that shield up in thirty seconds or we are dead."

"That's just perfect." He was clearly upset, "Can we have some reinforcements in the Chair room, please?"

Buffy looked to the leader of the group, "Where is he?"

The group started moving in the direction of the main chair room knowing that Dr McKay was also, their monitoring the systems. Buffy was going to send a very clear message that some rules do not ever change. Her favourite being, attack her but stay the hell away from her man.

The Marines were unsure what to make of the diminutive blonde. She had seemingly appeared out of thin air, they had heard mutterings about an ancient woman. It seemed that their commander had not lost his way with ascended women if they were still saving his ass. However, Stackhouse is sure that there was more to that story, especially, as she was wearing a wedding band that matched the Major's.

As the team rounded the corner, they heard gunfire followed by McKay's whine, "That's just perfect."

"I'll enjoy your defiance." The alien rasped.

Buffy just rolled her eyes, villains everywhere really did use the same clichéd jibes. Buffy walked into the room, "You know I have two simple rules."

The Wraith did not know what to make of this female human. She showed no fear and unlike the others, she did not carry any projectile or energy weapons.

She carried on completely blasé, "First one doesn't matter for now. The second one does; stay the hell away from my husband."

The alien would have blinked in surprise because one minute she was standing still, the next minute she had attacked. He stared in shock at his severed feeding limb. The Wraith was in shock he was bleeding from a wound that he could not heal from, he would need additional energy. Foolishly, he snarled and launched himself at the defiant human.

Buffy was not concerned; an anxious opponent was usually a dead one in the end. This time was no different; the scythe was still a perfect weapon. As the alien reached her, she swung the scythe gracefully, removing the Wraith's head from its shoulders.

Rodney was staring at her in shock and maybe, a little bit of awe. Buffy could see that John was concentrating on the ancient systems. He was so deep in the system that he was unable to respond to external threats. She stood guard over him, prepared to take on anyone that would threaten them.

Weir wanted to know, "How we doing Rodney?"

Rodney was coming down off his adrenaline rush, "Well female Sheppard has cut swathes through the Wraith and the Major has been blasting the ships."

All could hear the relief in Weir's voice as she made a citywide announcement, "For the moment the threat is clear and Earth has sent a ship."

The cheers could be heard throughout the whole city. Buffy didn't care she was focussing on John as he disconnected himself from the ancient chair. John still wasn't too sure it wasn't all a dream. He was grinning crookedly at his wife, "The helps late."

Buffy grinned, glad that he was okay, "Come on. We should say hello. It's polite."

Rodney watched the couple intrigued. They were still so many questions to be answered but for the moment, they were momentarily safe. Rodney watched as his usually stoic friend smiled lovingly at Buffy, "By the way, I'm glad that your death still won't stick."

Buffy laughed softly, "John I'd never willingly leave you. Just like you promised to keep living."

He had come close a few times but he could not willingly break his promise.

In the gate room, the carnage was starting to be cleared up. She watched as John walked into the gate room being held up by his newly returned wife.

Caldwell froze upon seeing the tiny blonde, "Your file suggests you were dead."

Buff shrugged; before adding flippantly, "How is Dr Jackson these days?"

Caldwell could acknowledge she had a valid point. However, he really wanted to know how a woman who had died on Earth was alive and well over the other side of the galaxy. Caldwell did not miss the fact that, at the same time, Buffy Sheppard was shrewdly assessing him, "I already have security clearance. Henry asked me to smooth things over with the IOA."

Elizabeth froze she remembered Buffy now. Of course, when she had met Buffy she was Lady Elizabeth Sheppard. Buffy and her adoptive father Lord Giles had run roughshod over the IOA. Caldwell looked at her again; it was clear that there was more to her than met the eye.

The Major was clearly exhausted, "Elizabeth. I'd like to give my initial debrief so I can grab some sleep. Col Everett's incapacitated so I'm back on top."

She nodded, "Let's go to the conference room."

Buffy let John lean on her. She was well aware just how tired he was. She knew that debriefs were important but she was not averse to dragging his ass back to sleep.

Caldwell listened to everything, "So Everett allowed you to ride a bomb?"

Sheppard knew what he was thinking, "There was no other option."

Caldwell snorted, "Forgive me, your pretty sprightly for a dead person."

Elizabeth shuddered a little remembering the events, Buffy was the one to jump in, and "That's where I come in."

Caldwell frowned, "What do you mean?"

Buffy rolled her eyes, "I was an ascended power."

Caldwell looked at her shrewdly, "You were ascended?"

Buffy sighed, "Not in the way you were thinking. The Powers actually hold more power than the ones you call Ancients. We ensure balance and order." Buffy did not want to dwell on her use of the royal pronoun.

Elizabeth remembered a conversation she had had with John after his return from the sanctuary planet, "The rules are that important?"

Buffy smiled sadly, "The last time they were broken that badly on Earth, a town disappeared and many good people died. These rules are not made to be broken. Trust me, I'd have broken them myself if they weren't."

Elizabeth was well aware that John would be suffering from spending so long in the chair, especially, as he had been, awake for so long before that.

She said softly, "Go on. I'm sure you and your wife have much to catch up on."

Elizabeth watched John leave, happy for him that her friend just might have a chance at happiness. "You're just letting her leave?" Caldwell looked as if he was about to burst.

Elizabeth called on all her years as a diplomat, to refrain from rolling her eyes. "Let me make something clear Colonel. Buffy and John are married and ignoring ascensions, Buffy Sheppard has more power than either one of us could ever hope to hold."

Caldwell snorted; he obviously did not believe her. Elizabeth was too tired to try to convince him, "Lady Elizabeth Sheppard has the President and the Queen of England on her speed dial. The Atlantis expedition only proceeded thanks to the involvement of her organisation in brokering a treaty."

Elizabeth knew Caldwell's type. He was ambitious and she could see; he was all but fitting the Chief Military Office for drapes. She would fight it; the only Commander who had managed to grasp the situation so far, was Sheppard. Plans already started to form in her head. She would wait and see what help Buffy would give. She had a feeling that Buffy Sheppard could be an amazing ally.

In another room, John watched in amazement as his wife changed into one of his ratty Air force t-shirt. She slipped into bed beside him, gladly curling up into his side. He rolled her over so that she was snug in his arms. He still was not too willing to let her go. He was not sure that she was not an elaborate dream he had thought up in his exhaustion. He just hoped that when he awoke in the morning; that she still would be there.

John despite having much he wanted to say, was fighting exhaustion. He was so content with Buffy in his arms that he quickly drifting off to sleep. He heard Buffy whisper, "I love you."

He blindly kissed the top of her head, "I love you too."

Tomorrow was a new day, full of repairs and never-ending questions that he and Buffy could not answer. Strangely, he didn't care and for once, he was looking forward to the new day.