Dear old Dad…

"Faith, have you any idea what time it is here?" Giles sounded more than a little upset.

"Sorry." Faith winced, "Were you sleep?"

"Yes, I often am at 3am. Is there something you want?"

"Do you have the you-know-what handy?"

"Yes, just a moment." There was the sound of braking glass, followed by a low hum that soon died away, "Ok, according to Willow, anyone listening in will now think that we're discussing the latest plotlines on Eastenders."

"That girl needs to get out more."

"That may be, but I'm guessing that this isn't a social call. What happened?"

"Well, I've been poked with enough needles to kill an elephant, but they've accepted that I'm the daughter of Tony Starke. He's slowly coming to terms with the idea: we're going to go looking for somewhere for me to live tomorrow."

"So you'll be staying in New York?"

"Yeah, I know I'm supposed to head back to Cleveland as soon as, but Fury offered me a job, and that's what I'm calling about: I need complete background checks on every member of the field team. I'm talking the works: they've already set me up a false history to cover my identity; so don't believe the first thing you find. I'm not sure what it is, but every time I'm around some of them my Slayer senses start going off like a Frat Boy on Spring Break."

"A most colourful euphemism. I'll have Willow and Andrew start on it in the morning."

"Also, the chances are S.H.E.I.L.D. is going to start digging into your personal history. I needed to put someone down as my next of kin, and you're the closet thing I've got until I straighten things out with Dad. You might want to double-check everything's set."

"I assure you that everything is in place. Have you any luck with your other mission?"

"Yes and no: as a probationary member of the Ultimates, I've got limited access to the mainframe. I can find out where he lives, but they're watching my every move like a hawk right now. It'll probably be a while before I can get close enough to him and make the offer."

"Very well, take as much time as you need: Robin and hold the fort in Cleveland. Anything else?"

"Yeah: find out as much as you can about Thor: something about what Fury told me about him doesn't right true. Call it a hunch, but I suspect he may possibly be the real deal."

"Given that we've already gone up against one god, a second arrive in our reality wouldn't be that unexpected. I have a contact in MI-5; I'll see what he can find."

"Thanks. I'll try and see if I can get close enough to Mjolnir to see if it registers as supernatural."

"If you can, but don't do anything that might break your cover."

"So beating the living daylights out of half of the Ultimates was probably a bad thing?"

"Faith…"

"What can I say: I was a little over excited about finally meeting my old man, and things got a little out of hand."

"I must have done something horrible in a past life to be made your Watcher."

"And being B's is any better? Anyway, I've got to go: this phone call is costing me a fortune, and that spell won't last forever. Love to everyone."

"You stay safe Faith: this is a dangerous game you're playing."

"You know me G: always on the edge. Goodnight."

"Goodnight Faith."

TBC