stargateficrec | Your Friendly Radioactive Alien from Utah, by Lady Foxfire (PG)

Show: SG-1. Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Rec Category: Jack O'Neill
Characters:Pairings: none
Categories: gen, crossover
Warnings: none
Word Count: 10,857
Author on LJ:

lady_foxfire
Author's Website: AO3 Profile
Link: Your Friendly Radioactive Alien from Utah

Author's Summary:

There is a very good reason why your mother tells you to never pick up hitchhikers, and Colonel O’Neill is going to find out why.

Why This Must Be Read:

Jack picks up Xander on a back road in Utah and ends up taking him back to the SGC.

Of course, there's a fine line between magic and science, aliens and demons, prophets and theoreticians. They all appear in this too-short piece. It ends at a place that begs for another 25K words but it's fascinating as it stands.

Colonel Jack O'Neill was driving down the highway when he spied a thin column of smoke rising into the sky in the distance. Jack's eyes narrowed as he drew closer and closer to the source of the smoke.
As burned out remains of a car sitting on the side of the road came into view Jack started slowing down a little.

Letting the truck roll slowly forward as he took in the sight of the smoldering car, Jack also looked around to see if anyone needed aid.

Reaching down, Jack plucked his cell phone from his belt. With his eyes scanning the surrounding area, Jack punched a few buttons and brought the phone to his ear, only to pull it away again. Looking at the display and seeing no bars, Jack grumbled, "Nationwide coverage my ass."

Sighing Jack looked around one more time before he pressed down on the accelerator. "With my luck I'll find a lunatic with an ax," he grumbled.

Farther down the road Jack caught sight of someone walking along the side of the road. "Right, ax murderer right on schedule," the figure turned around and held out his thumb, "or maybe it's the teenager the ax murderer is after," he mumbled to himself as he turned on his blinkers and started to slow down.

The teen ran up to where Jack had pulled off onto the side of the road to wait for him.

"Need a ride, kid?" Jack asked as the panting kid reached the passenger side door.

"Oh yeah," The kid said as he opened the door and climbed in. "Thanks for picking me up."

"Not a problem," Jack said as he checked his mirrors before pulling back onto the road.

"Where you heading?"

"Colorado. Central Colorado," the kid replied. "Umm… did you happen to see a burning car back that way?" The kid pointed a thumb back in the direction they had come.

"Yeah but it wasn't burning when I drove past," Jack replied glancing over at the kid.

"Oh good," the kid relaxed in his seat. "I wasn't sure it would go out."

Jack looked over at the kid, an eyebrow raised questioningly. "That was your car?" he asked.

"Yeah," the kid replied glumly. "I was driving along when the song Disco Inferno starts coming over the radio. Next thing I know there a puff of smoke from the engine. Pulled off the side, grabbed my backpack and bailed out of the car. I turned around to look at it and it's engulfed in flames. Since no one came to investigate I started walking, hoping to run into someone."

"Damn," Jack shook his head. "Damn. I mean talk about bad luck. By the way, name's Jack."

"Xander," the kid said in reply