Wish Fulfillment

Author: moonfirefic

Beta Goodness:
milady_dragon

Characters: Pete Lattimer, Myka Bering, Claudia Donovan, Dr. Artie Neilson, Leena, Steve Jinks, Mrs. Frederic, (Warehouse13) Ianto Jones (Torchwood)

Rating: PG

Summary: After returning from a routine artifact retrieval, Pete and Myka rejoin the team and unpack Cora Scott's spirit mirror, last in the possession of one Mrs. Wintergreen, resulting in chaos, wishes, and changes to the Warehouse 13 team.

A/N:I wrote this a few weeks back, and since Gareth is on the next episode as a guest star, it seemed like a good time to post it, though it in no way reflects that character. Not sure if this a one off or not. Let me know what you think!

Written for the LongLiveIanto Cliché Bingo Challenge. Prompt: Episode Tags and Codas (House of the Dead)


Warehouse 13

Somewhere in South Dakota

"Where's the other crate?" Artie asked Leena as they sorted through the latest shipment of artifacts.

"I think Claudia was going to bring it down," she answered, wrinkling her nose at a dirty baseball cleat before dropping it into a nearby container of purple goo.

"Keep your pants on," Claudia called out from her perch atop a large crate as she rode the rail system used to transport larger items in the warehouse. "Figured I'd save the big one for last," She added as she flipped a switch and the chains surrounding the crate elongated to deposit it alongside the others.

"This isn't some Hollywood action movie," Artie chastised as she hopped down beside it. "Inside that thing-"

"Are dangerous artifacts of unknown origin that could blow us all to smithereens," she recited, rolling her eyes. "I know boss. That's why I made sure to place the crate in a stasis field first."

Holding out a small remote, she flicked a switch and a soft blue light flickered into view around the crate before disappearing.

"And now for the cool part," she said, flicking another switch. The bolts and nails securing the front of the crate started shaking loose ultimately flying through the air to the magnet she held up in her other hand.

Artie jumped back as the front of the crate fell open, exposing the packing material and artifacts inside.

"What the heck was that?" Artie demanded as the dust settled around them.

"I call it the GBG," she quipped, turning off the device and slipping the magnet into one of the pouches on her belt.

"I know I am going to be sorry I asked, but why GBG?" he asked, picking up a clipboard and handing it to Leena to inventory the items inside.

"Grunt Be Gone," Claudia replied with a grin. "No more grunting and getting all sweaty prying crates open." When Artie just raised an eyebrow she looked at Leena for support. "Back me up on this one sister; I can't be the only one who's nearly dislocated their shoulder trying to get one of these babies open." She kicked the side of the crate with her combat boot for emphasis as Artie scowled.

"She has a point," Leena answered, ignoring Artie as he looked at her in disbelief. "But I guess if I get hurt trying to open up a crate the regular way, Pete could always take another turn in the kitchen."

Artie shivered and Claudia made a gagging noise, remembering the beef, pepperoni, potato chip, and Funyans infused concoction coated in barbeque sauce that Pete had attempted to serve them a few months back.

"I'm sure he'd love to make some more Pete-loaf for you," Leena added sweetly, knowing she had already won.

"Blackmailer," Artie muttered as Leena batted her eyelashes back at him. "Fine, fine the GBG stays," he sighed in defeat. "Just don't kick the crates, okay?"

"You got it boss," Claudia replied with a grin as she snapped on a pair of gloves. "Alright team, let's unload this baby! Myka and Pete are due back tonight, and I was promised cakey goodness to celebrate."

Shaking his head at her antics, Artie went to help her unload the newest additions to the warehouse.

Waiting with her pen poised over the inventory list, Leena smiled to herself watching her friends go to work. As much as he tried to be hardnosed about things, when it came to Claudia, Artie would back down almost every time; even if it meant her pushing him to do so.


Several hours later…

Artie's Farnsworth started ringing just as they finished off categorizing the last of the artifacts. Opening it, he beheld the rather frazzled face of Agent Steve Jinks.

"I'm back from the airport with Bering and Lattimer," he said struggling to be heard over the sound of Pete and Myka arguing in the background.

"What?" Artie asked, unable to hear him over the noise.

"I said I'm back from- hold on a moment," Jinks tried again before turning away from the Farnsworth to yell at the others to shut up. "Sorry. Where are you guys at?"

"Acquisitions station three," Artie replied. "Did they get the goods?"

The picture tilted out of focus and the sound of scuffling could be heard before Pete's face suddenly filled the screen.

"Arthur my good man," Pete said in a poor imitation of a British accent. "Miss Bering and I have returned forsooth from across the pond with artifacts of-"

Pete was shoved off screen as Jinks reclaimed his Farnsworth. "We're on our way," Jinks said panting for breath as Pete staggered to his feet behind him. "See you in few," he quickly added as Myka started ranting at Pete again.

As the picture winked out, Artie looked above him and saw a small bolt of blue lightning strike in the distance near the warehouse office.

"Well that's not good," he observed as Claudia followed his gaze.

Fifteen minutes later, Jinks, Myka, and Pete arrived at Acquisition station three.

"Greetings from Merry Old England!" called out Pete as he and Myka strolled up the aisle towards them with Jinks in tow hauling a large suitcase and looking very put out. "Did you miss me old chaps?" he asked keeping up his fake British accent and ignoring Myka's look of annoyance as she and Jinks hoisted up the suitcase onto an empty crate.

"Indubitably my good sir," Claudia replied attempting a British accent of her own and dropping into a mock curtsey.

"Don't encourage him," Myka scolded. "He tried to convince the flight attendant that he was on business from London all the way from New York. If I hear him say 'cheerio' one more time, I am going to kick him in the cheerios."

Pete held his hands up in surrender and changed back to his normal voice. "Fine Mykes, geesh. Can't blame a guy for trying though; she was hot and had these amazing legs that-" he stopped when he saw the others frowning at him. "Were perfectly adequate for her height," he finished as another bolt of lightning cracked overhead. "Come on guys, I was only joking."

"Right," Myka replied shaking her head and turning back to help Jinx.

Claudia gave Pete a conspiratory wink before sliding up alongside Myka bouncing on her heels. "So did you get it?" she asked, watching as the various items inside the case were unpacked.

"Get what?" Jinks asked wondering what she was talking about.

"The spirit mirror of Cora Scott," Claudia replied watching impatiently.

"Oh you mean the Mirror that Wintergreen Lady had over in Bristol? Yeah we got it," Pete replied picking up a discarded bit of packing paper and wadding it into a ball. "She seemed a bit scared of it too; something about rifts and ghosts at her last séance in Cardiff. She practically begged us to take it." He threw the make-shift ball in the air and caught it, amusing himself.

"What do you mean ghosts?" Jinks asked as he came across the mirror and pulled it out.

"Cora Scott was a spiritualist in the 1800's," Artie explained as the ornate mirror was pulled from its wrapping. "She used the mirror as a conduit; it would fog over and spirits would leave messages written on the glass."

"It was the inspiration for Ouija boards," Claudia added, looking at the surface of the mirror with interest. "Supposedly if you concentrated hard enough, the dead would communicate."

"Except this one actually works," Artie added frowning as the glass started to cloud over.

"Pete," Myka called out, as the first letter started to form.

"Yeah," Pete answered from down the aisle. After tossing his 'ball' too far up in the air he'd managed to get it stuck on one of the shelves, and was in the process of getting it down.

"I think we need the mobile neutralizer," Myka said as the letters started to spell out a word.

"On it," Pete replied, knocking his ball down, along with the wishing kettle beside it. "Oops," he said as it clanked to the floor. Thankfully the others were so intent on watching the mirror that they didn't notice. Deciding that it was harmless as long as no one touched it, he ran down the aisle to the cart holding the large vat of neutralizer they used for emergencies.

"Pete hurry up!" Myka yelled as several other items they had unpacked with the mirror, including the odd clockwork device that they had recovered from a military museum in Cardiff started to glow.

"I'll go help him," said Claudia running down the aisle to where Pete was struggling to push the cart towards them.

By the time they arrived with the cart the words, 'Help Me Ja-' had been written, and the lantern that had once belonged to Florence Nightingale beside it started to flash.

"We need to douse the light," Artie told Jinks as he handed him an extra large neutralizer bag to place over it while he tried to flick the lantern off. "It's trying to heal whatever is coming through and I for one don't want an evil spirit playing havoc with the artifacts." Jinks nodded and opened the bag to place it atop the lantern, trying to douse the light within.

Pete opened the vat and Claudia reached for the mirror only to have Artie holler at her to stop.

Sensing the fear of the agents, the artifacts surrounding the mirror started to produce negative energy and the blue lightning around them grew stronger.

"Not until the lantern is out," Artie cautioned. "And use tongs. That thing has trapped people in it before and I don't want any of you to get trapped on the other side." Claudia drew back as Leena ran forward with a set of tongs.

As the lantern finally dimmed, the clockwork device seemed to glow stronger.

"Artie what do we do?" Myka demanded, as the device started to pulse.

Glancing at the tongs still in Leena's hands, Artie grabbed them and flung the device into the vat of neutralizer, hoping to stop it before it pulled something through.

At the same instant, lightning cracked above them and struck the vat, causing it to explode in a shower of purple goo as the team ducked for cover.

Once the lightning storm cleared, they staggered to their feet, and Artie checked the mirror. Half doused in goo from the explosion, it seemed to be clearing.

"Well that was fun," Pete groused as he flung the goo off his shirt onto the floor.

Claudia pushed herself up, wincing in pain and glaring at the object she had landed on. Recognizing it as the wishing kettle, she picked it up, planning to neutralize it just in case. "Just once," she said as she set the kettle down atop an empty crate and leaned forward beside it. "Just once, I wish you would bring me back a hot guy with a nice accent, instead of an artifact that tries to kill us."

"But what about all the grand adventure?" Myka snarked wringing the goo from her hair.

"Claudia," Leena whispered watching in horror as the kettle she had been holding began to shake.

"Oh crap," she answered, holding up her hand to see that her glove had ripped in the explosion and she had touched it with her bare hands. "What did I do?"

Before anyone could answer, a burst of energy shot out from the kettle at the mirror and caused it to rise up into the air before spinning in place and landing on the ground, shattering into pieces. A curl of smoke rose up from the shards and as the others watched, it slowly took on a human-like shape until finally it receded, leaving a young man in a three piece suit standing atop the ruined mirror.

Pete raised his Tesla and aimed it at the newcomer who was looking about curiously.

"Right then," he said, putting his hands on his hips as he surveyed his surroundings. "Tall ceilings, rather rusty and need of a good coat of paint I might add, rows of artifacts in need of a good sorting," he lifted his rather expensive looking shoe with an expression of distaste. "An over abundance of neutralizer, a distinct aroma of fudge, and a Tesla," he finished looking at Pete. "Unless I am wrong, and I very much doubt I am, this must be Warehouse 13."

"Who the hell are you?" Myka asked, concerned that the man, whoever he was knew so much about them.

"Agent Ianto Jones from Torchwood Three if I'm not mistaken," Artie answered before he could speak.

Ianto turned to face him with a raised eyebrow. "Doctor Nielsen I presume?"

Artie nodded.

"Wait, Torchwood? You mean the alien hunters?" asked Claudia as her mouth dropping open in surprise. "I thought you guys were all dead?"

"He was," answered a voice from the darkness.

All eyes turned to where Mrs. Frederic had emerged from the end of a nearby aisle.

"Agent Jones died twice saving the world from harm," she added as she came to a stop before him. "Apparently there was enough residual energy in the mirror from his last appearance to interact with the kettle and bring him back for good."

Ianto looked down at the shards beneath his feet and quickly stepped back. "You mean it's permanent this time?" he asked looking to Mrs. Frederic for confirmation.

Claudia reached out and pinched his arm. "You look solid enough to me," she said with a grin.

"His aura is a bit golden, but other than that it seems fine," Leena observed staring at him.

Ianto took a deep breath. "You're certain that my being here won't cause the rift to reopen?" he asked with concern scanning the area around him. "There are several objects here giving off low level energy, and…oh!" he stopped spying the clockwork device Myka and Pete had brought back from Scotland.

"That's a rift-key," he explained, bending down to observe it where it rested in a pile of goo. "Best put that under guard somewhere far away from ley-lines or time locks."

"I see your talent for detecting energy signatures has increased from your time in the rift, Agent Jones," Mrs. Frederic observed as Ianto stood back up.

"Yes well," Ianto sputtered, blushing at being the center of attention.

"Oh he's adorable," Claudia said clapping her hands. "Sexy accent and good looking just like I wished for," she added watching his blush deepen. "Can we keep him?"

"Well that depends on Agent Jones," Mrs. Frederic answered.

"But I already have a job," Ianto replied in confusion. "Or at least I did," he added staring back at the shards on the floor.

"Torchwood has been disbanded," Mrs. Frederic stated wanting to make sure he knew the truth. "Captain Harkness has left the planet, and Agent Cooper-Williams has gone underground with her husband and daughter."

"I see," Ianto whispered only letting his face fall for a moment, before he regained his composure. "And my family?"

"Under protection of the Queen herself," Artie replied drawing a several questioning looks from the rest of the team. "What? Someone has to keep an eye on things. When a secret agency like Torchwood falls, the rest of us are bound to pay attention."

Ianto shot him a grateful look and Artie nodded in acknowledgement. He knew all too well what it meant to be underappreciated in your work. He wondered if Jones would stay, he could use someone with his skills, both in the warehouse and in the field.

"Can I send a message to Rhiannon?" Ianto asked.

Mrs. Frederic shook her head. "It's too risky. To your family Ianto Jones must remain dead. While we don't dabble in things as insidious as Retcon," she paused to give him a disapproving look. "We do have the means to cleanse your mind of the past if you want to start over." She paused to let him consider the implications of his answer. "On the other hand, you have a chance to do a lot of good here, and Leena can give you a place at the inn along with the rest of the agents to help you settle in."

"So back to protecting mankind from imminent peril, or a quiet life blissfully unaware of the truth?" he clarified, holding her gaze.

"Sounds about right," answered Pete as he finally lowered his weapon. "Oh and we have cookies too, even Jinksy likes them."

Ianto turned to the other agent, who had remained quiet throughout the exchange. "What do you think?"

"I'm the new guy," Jinks replied with a shrug. "Only been here a few months, but I have to tell you, beats the hell out of ATF."

Ianto smiled and turned back to Mrs. Frederic. "With an endorsement like that, how can I say no?"

"Well then, Agent Jones," Mrs. Frederic replied with a ghost of a smile. "Welcome to Warehouse 13."