Cordelia stared at Xander, trying to wrap her head around what he'd told her after she'd signed the non-disclosure. The secrets locked up in his brain, the job he loved. No wonder he loved it. Xander had been a sci-fi geek as long as she'd known him. He had his dream job. He got to meet aliens. He'd ridden in alien space ships. He'd walked on alien worlds. The Asguard were the Roswell greys.

"Any alien princesses hit on you?"

He looked uncomfortable, which meant yes, he'd been hit on. She giggled, vampires, demons and aliens, how the Hell did he manage to attract them? He was good looking, but not movie star handsome and yet.

"So why are you telling me about this now? Is it because Janet moved me to the base after the accident? I thought that was just so she could look after me herself. It's not like I saw anything while I was there."

"No it's because of something they discovered while you were there. In your blood work. The aliens that built the Stargate were humans. They evolved on another planet, in another galaxy. They came to this one several million years ago. They were extremely advanced, not just technologically, but in terms of evolution. They could heal each other without technology, which may have been their downfall. A plague devastated their population. Afterward, they decided to leave. We recently found out where they went. They went to another galaxy. About 10,000 years ago, they came back. They were on the verge of an evolutionary leap. They Ascended. Not like the mayor ascended. In the case of the Ancients, they became living energy, shedding their human form in the process. We've met one, she likes to hang out on a planet we visited and help others who want to Ascend. When Daniel disappeared for a year and we thought he was dead, he was with them. They sent him back. He broke a bunch of rules."

"He would, wouldn't he? If he doesn't like it, he has to fix it."

"Anyway, some humans here on Earth have a connection to them, how involved that connection is, we're not yet sure, but those humans have what we've labeled the Ancient gene, it allows those who have it, to access and control the Ancient's technology. So far, only a handful of people have been discovered who have it. And only five who have it strongly. Jack, a guy named Major John Sheppard, the doctor who discovered the gene, Carson Beckett and you and me."

"Us? We have this gene?! The one that connects us to an alien race?!"

"Yes, but there's more. We've found the origin of the legend of Atlantis. It's not on Earth at all. It was a city built by the Ancients and it's in another galaxy. They're sending an expedition there. Problem is, it might be one way. We have just enough power to get there. Unless we find Ancients or a power source on the other side, the expedition will be stuck there. In another galaxy. They want us to go with. I won't go without you. If you say no, then no it is. I love you and what we have and won't leave you. If you decide we can go, your position would be as Dr. Weir's assistant. She has multiple degrees, including one in law and until recently, negotiated treaties for the U.N. Security Council. She'd teach you how to negotiate and eventually that would be your full time position."

Cordelia was very much a woman of the modern world. She loved shopping and malls and modern technology. The idea of traveling to another world, let alone another galaxy, wouldn't be her first choice, but she could hear the suppressed longing in Xander's voice, he very much wanted to go, but would sacrifice his dream for her. Because he loved her more then his dreams. If she said no, he'd be satisfied with the dream that had already come true. As she looked into the chocolatey brown eyes she loved so much, Cordelia made her decision. She would go on the adventure of a lifetime. She prayed it would be everything Xander dreamed it would be.

Once the decision was made, people had to be told something. The cover story was an expedition to a remote area of Earth, where technology was scarce and communication would be difficult, if not impossible. Xander would be going as a translator, Cordelia as a junior law advisor. Buffy and Willow were both deeply unhappy over their going. Buffy because of the Classified label she hated so much. It pissed her off that Cordelia got to know what the Classified was, but she didn't. Willow was pissed because Xander was moving even farther away from her. She'd somehow thought Xander was just going thru a phrase and would eventually come back where she thought he belonged, where she could keep an eye on him. That he was doing just fine without her, confused her greatly. It didn't fit her idea of Xander.

Faith was all for it. "Go, live, explore. Safe can be boring Queenie! An adventure! I wish I could go with you! Don't have too much fun without me! But still, have fun!"

Joyce wished them well and reminded them to call when they had a chance. They were sure Giles would have been equally as happy for them, if his work with the Demon Command hadn't killed him two years ago.