Title: Cordelia Sheppard

Author: Kyra

Disclaimer: If you recognize it, I don't own it! If I did, I probably wouldn't be writing fanfiction.

Summary: While going through boxes in the attic, Cordelia finds adoption papers.

Fandoms: Buffy and Stargate Atlantis

Spoilers: Buffy: Through Graduation. SGA: End of Season 1

Warnings: None that I can think of.

A/N: I am so sorry this is late! I've been pretty sick the last few days. Also, this is the last of what I have pre-written for this fic so I'm not sure when the next chapter will be up. The last chapter of Life Can Be Crazy will be up Friday, and I have a new chapter of The Cousin Of Ipswich ready for the following Friday. Anyway, sorry again about this being late, I hope you enjoy it.

Chapter 12: The Other Side of Explanations

"Coffee…" Cordy whimpered the next morning as she collapsed down into the chair she had sat in for so long the previous day. "Need caffeine…"

Faith nodded her agreement as she sat down. "Coffeeeeeee…"

John chuckled as he set a cup of steaming coffee in front of each of the girls. Cordy grabbed her and took a sip, sighing blissfully. Faith took a drink of her coffee and moaned happily, grinning up at John.

"If I wasn't fairly certain Cordy would find a way to hurt me for it, I'd totally kiss you right now," she told John as she held her coffee cup close.

"Faith…" Cordy groaned. "It's too early for this."

Faith nodded. "Seriously, who the fuck thought that having a seven in the morning was a good idea?" she muttered. "Whoever it was, can I kill them? Please?"

"Just be glad I managed to talk him out of making you get up when we did," John told her.

Faith glared at General O'Neill. "If you'd have tried it, you would have lost a limb," she told him darkly. "At the very least."

Cordy nodded her agreement. "Evil. You're evil," she muttered before talking another sip of her coffee. "And if you so much as open your mouth to start questioning us before I finish this coffee, they'll never find all the pieces."

"Ditto," Faith said with a tired nod.

Fifteen minutes later, the two girls had finished their coffees and were slightly more awake and aware. Deciding it was safe to get things started, O'Neill put two sets of papers down in front of the girls.

"Our confidentiality agreements," he said. "Both of us agreeing that unless we feel it necessary, anything you tell us will remain strictly between us."

Cordelia picked up the top copy and quickly glanced over it. She may not be a lawyer, but she wasn't stupid. Not seeing anything out of order, she nodded and placed it back on the table before looking up at John and O'Neill.

"Okay, so to start at the beginning," she started, "the world is older than you know. Contrary to popular belief, the world didn't start out as a paradise; instead, it was Hell. Demons ruled the world until one day, they were forced out, into other dimensions. As the last demon was forced out, he mixed his blood with that of a human and the first vampire was created. Um…I'm not really sure how the next part goes, I kinda zoned out about here, but the basic gist of it is that demons exist, vampires, exist and magic is real."

Cordelia stopped talking and Faith picked up where she left off. "That's where the Slayer comes in," she said. "The Slayer is a Champion for The Powers That Be; one girl in all the world with the strength and skill to fight vampires and demons and all the other evil things that go bump in the night. We don't really know much about the Slayer's beginnings, but what we do know is that there's only ever been one and it's always a girl. Don't know why. She has enhanced abilities; stronger than normal humans, better senses and agility, can pick up pretty much any weapon and just know how to use it. When one dies, another is Called. At any point in time, there are dozens of Potential Slayers around the world, and when the current Slayer dies, any one of them could be Called as the next Slayer. No idea how it works, or why one girl is picked over another. Slayers have always been alone, with only one person to rely on. And they generally come with short expirations dates. Most Slayers are Called around fifteen or sixteen and last maybe a year; they're considered lucky if they make it to their eighteenth birthday."

"A few years ago, though, a Slayer was Called who refused to play by the rules," Cordelia said, picking up the story once more. "She made friends, had people she could count on who refused to let her fight alone. So when she was drowned when she was sixteen, a year or so after she was Called, she had a friend who did CPR on her. But she still died. For those brief seconds, she was dead. And it was long enough to Call another Slayer. And then there were two. The new Slayer lasted a year before she was killed and another Slayer was Called."

"That would be me," Faith said, watching as John and O'Neill's eyes snapped around to look at her in shock. "I was Called just over a year ago. And before you ask; no, Cordy isn't the other Slayer. The thing with the dagger yesterday…I think it was something created for the Slayer. When I touched it…It was like this total rush. It was like this wave of power washed through me. I felt completely energized and then completely calm. Ever since I was Called, I've never been completely calm; I've always felt a need to be moving, always had this antsy feeling, almost like an itch under my skin or something. But yesterday, that was all gone the second I touched that dagger. It feels like it belongs to me, like it's a part of me. I don't really know how to explain it." Faith shrugged as she tried to explain what had happened as best she could.

"When you say 'stronger'…" O'Neill said, leaving the question hanging as he eyed Faith skeptically.

"I mean I could kick your ass," Faith replied. "With both hands tied behind my back. Blindfolded. And without breaking a sweat."

"You're kidding…"

Cordy shook her head and enjoyed the looks of complete shock that crossed her brother and the General's faces.

"So…Can I have the dagger back?" Faith asked. "And, uh, you're not going to try to do any experiments on me or anything, are you?"

O'Neill looked shocked as he shook his head. "What? No. No experiments," he said. "And I'll think about giving the dagger back. Maybe when you leave. No offense, but I don't know you well enough to let you wander my base with a deadly weapon, especially since from what you said, you're a deadly weapon all on your own."

Faith nodded. "Okay, I get that," she said, ceding the point. "I don't like it, but I get it."

The four of them talked for the next couple of hours, Faith and Cordelia answering any questions that John and O'Neill had about Slayers, demons, and the world they lived in.

"So, what now?" Cordy asked as the conversation finally started to wind down.

"Later, we'll figure out what's going to happen in the long-term. But for now, you and I go get some lunch and get to know each other," John said as he looked at his sister. "Faith is welcome to join us if she wants; I don't mind. There's not really a lot for her to do around here."

"Nah," Faith shook her head. "I think I'm gonna go back to the bunk and sleep for a couple more hours."

Cordy nodded. "Just try not to maim any of the soldier-boys when you get up and decide you need to blow off some energy."

"Ruin all my fun," Faith pouted and Cordy just laughed as she waved at her friend and followed her brother out of the room.

Hope you all like it!

~ Kyra