Disclaimer: I don't any of the characters nor anything else related to either show.
A/N: previously posted on tumblr. Also, in my headcanon, Claudia and Fargo's daughter would look a lot like Juliette Goglia.
Reviews are love! :-)
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The teenage girl, Mara, looks entirely disenchanted at the sight before her as she takes in the exterior of the Warehouse. "It's not this underwhelming inside, is it?"
Claudia can hear Artie's gleeful, taunting voice as he had pointed to her ever expanding abdomen fifteen years earlier and he had chuckled, "Just you wait till that one's born. It's going to give you the same Hell you've given me and I cannot wait."
Claudia takes a calming breath as she presses a button on the remote, opening the outer entrance to the Warehouse. "Well, everyone else has always been impressed their first time seeing the Warehouse."
Fargo nods. "It is awe-inspiring."
"Right," the teenager says, following her mother and father into the umbilicus. "Look, it's cool that you save the world all the time and that there's all this random stuff in the world that does crazy shit—"
"Watch your language," Claudia admonishes as the door closes behind them. "Warehouse 13 was originally built in—"
"1914, I know. I've heard this story at least a dozen times since you've become, ooh, wow, the super-special Caretaker," the girl says full of snark, complete with jazz hands, her fingers grazing one of the bombs.
"Oh, don't touch the bombs," Fargo warns.
Mara does a double take. "Bombs? Really? You're kidding, right?"
"No, they're bombs and they're real. There's a reason the words 'danger explosive bolts' are printed in angry red letters. Don't touch them," Claudia reiterates.
The girl eyes the bombs, making sure to keep her arms tucked in as she walks behind her parents. "Wait, dangerous objects are stored here andsurrounded by bombs?"
"It's a safety precaution. They're only powerful enough to damage, or destroy, the umbilicus."
"Oh, well that's comforting," Mara says sarcastically, edging closer to her father.
"Welcome to the inner sanctum that, as long as I am around, will always be known as Artie's office," Claudia says as she leads them out of the umbilicus.
Mara looks around the the drab office. "Still underwhelming."
"Just for that, no cookies for you," Artie's voice booms from the alcove just before he appears with a plate of oatmeal scotchies. "You don't get the full effect until you see the Warehouse proper."
"Looks like somebody still hasn't grasped the meaning of 'retirement.' I thought we put you in a home for old folks," Claudia greets by way of snark.
"Watch it; clock stopped or not, you're halfway up this hill yourself," Artie says gruffly, setting the plate of cookies down. "You might want to start looking at walkers for your husband. He's not looking quite as spry as he used to."
"I am standing right here," Fargo says.
Claudia pats Fargo on the back. "Artie's never had the best eyesight and it's only gotten worse since he became an ancient."
"And I can still hear you," Artie grumbles.
Mara swipes a cookie. "Mom, I don't understand why you give me such a hard time about myattitude when you act the same way towards Grumps. And you're an adult."
Artie gives Claudia a smug grin and she just looks exasperated. He looks at his surrogate grandchild. "Oh, you are just like your mother was when she was younger. I know it's hard for you to imagine, but she was young once."
The girl wrinkles her nose in a manner similar to how her mother does and snickers along with Artie.
"Yes, Artie, you were right, I should have respected my elders and the fact that I didn't has come back to haunt me in the form of my ever so charming Mini-Me daughter," Claudia deadpans.
He sighs. "It's perfect. I love it, I really do. Moments like this make it all worth it."
Mara's never been the most patient. "So? Can I finally see what the big deal is supposed to be about?"
"You do it best," Claudia prompts Artie.
He shakes his head, taking a step back. "She's your one; this is your show and tell."
"Okay. Come on." Claudia pushes the door to the balcony overlooking the Warehouse floor open.
Her daughter is close behind her and groans when Fargo places his hands over her eyes. "Really, Dad? So lame."
Claudia shoots Artie another exasperated look and he continues to look tickled, mouthing "Payback."
Claudia walks to the railing, Fargo and their daughter, eyes still covered, shuffling behind her. They come to a stop and Fargo removes his hands.
"Welcome to Warehouse 13," Claudia announces, making a grand sweeping gesture with her arm. She shakes her head and sighs. "Artie, you do this so much better."
Mara blinks a few times, her jaw dropping slightly as her eyes widen and she takes in the sight before her, taking a few steps and placing her hand on the railing. "Oh my God."
Fargo leans towards Claudia and whispers, "I think she's overwhelmed."
"I think so," she whispers back.
Not all wonder is endless.
In an instant, Claudia's taken back to her first outing with Mrs. Frederic as the former Caretaker had begun grooming Claudia to take her place. There's a feeling deep within her gut — call it maternal instinct, a woman's intuition, the sixth sense for all things Warehouse-related that comes with her being bound to it as its Caretaker, or a combination of all three — and Claudia knows immediately that this is the first of many days to come that her daughter is destined to spend at the Warehouse.
It fills Claudia with as much pride as it does fear.
"It's…home," Mara breathes.
Fargo blanches. "What did you say?"
Their daughter looks at him, shrugging and shaking her head. "It just…it feels like home. That's weird, right?"
Artie opens his mouth to respond but thinks better of it and retreats back into the office.
Claudia takes Fargo's hand and squeezes it. "We'll talk about it when you're older. You wanted to see the Warehouse, so, let's go."
The teen moves past her parents and down the stairs to the Warehouse floor. Claudia starts to follow her but Fargo keeps a hold on her hand and pulls her back.
"Claudia?" There are questions and fear in his eyes.
The dangers that working at the Warehouse poses towards its agents has not waned over the years and while Fargo has his own admiration of and respect for the Warehouse and its personnel, he has never been so happy and calm in the knowledge of Claudia's well-being since she became Caretaker and Director. He doesn't have to worry as much as he did when she was still an agent.
"Doug…" She sighs.
He deflates and nods, resigned, and gives her a quick kiss. "The Warehouse wants her. You'll keep her safe. I know you will."
Mara's voice floats up from below, "If you don't hurry up, I'm just going to start roaming through the aisles and touching things!"
"Don't touch any of the artifacts!" Claudia yells down.
"And don't push any buttons!" Fargo adds.