Season 5, Episode 1 :
Author's Note: Due to my feelings on the ending of season 4, and more ostensibly, the cancellation. I have seen too many shows I LOVE get cancelled due to an outdated "ratings system" and stupid reality shows. Dark Angel, Firefly, TSCC, BSG (2003), Eureka, so on and so forth, I'm tired of it! So this series, different from my other series "It's A Warehouse Thing", will venture forth from 4x20 into "My" season 5 and, if you enjoy it, more.
Disclaimer: I own nothing of the Warehouse, not the warehouse itself, nor Artie, Pete, Myka, Steve, Leena, and sadly…not Claudia. The show belongs to SyFy, and by extension, NBC/COMCAST, if it didn't the show wouldn't be cancelled simple as that.
Claudia stared at Paracelsus, not once moving, no blinking of the eye, no shake of the head, only the rise and fall of her chest as she breathed, and the fire of hate and anger that he would DARE hurt the Warehouse, hurt Mrs. Fredericks, Pete Myka and Artie and Steve, and of course her. Smiling Paracelsus cocked his head again, and looked at her inquisitively trying to gauge her reactions, and her strength, to see just how "strong" this replacement caretaker for the old one might be. All the while she kept her focus on him, funneling her inner emotions into something she might be able to use against this man; she also felt the strength of the Warehouse filling her, hiding its strength in her to keep him from getting it. She stood as got closer to her, close enough to see into his eyes, a trick that the caretakers could do, he was trying to use an ancient power he knew to be neigh unstoppable.
Paracelsus opened his mouth to say something, when he found he couldn't speak, his body wouldn't respond to his commands, and he tried to move his eyes, get them out of her vision to undo whatever she was able to do. "Didn't know I a defense had been made huh?" Claudia spoke, a small smile forming, "you've forgotten one thing, I have been training for this, to be caretaker." For the first time since he'd been imprisoned in bronze, Paracelsus felt fear, real honest to God fear. Looking into Paracelsus's eyes Claudia smiled, because she knew while she had an advantage, he also had tricks up his sleeve to beat her, but she wouldn't let him win, not at all.
"How, I-I mean how could he gain control of the Warehouse!?" Artie shouted, still not willing to accept that someone other than him or his team had control. Dropping to his knees, he let a tear fall down, "How could he do this, keep Claudia here?" and he felt Steve put his hand on one shoulder, and Mrs. Fredericks hand on another, in a weak attempt at comforting him. One hand he didn't feel however was Pete's, looking over he saw Pete staring out at the distance, 'why was he doing that?' he thought. Mrs. Fredericks had already beaten him to the punch though, and asked Pete he question, "What's wrong Agent Lattimer?"
Pete didn't answer for the first few seconds, so much running through his head, he just wanted to help Myka. He never, NEVER should've listened to Paracelsus he should've followed his gut, and gotten the hell out of dodge, but the need to help Myka had trumped it, and now, look what had happened. By the third time Mrs. Fredericks asked the question he turned around, tears in his eye, and his wind pipe closed up, preventing him from talking. Next he knew Artie was up off his feet, and was this close to strangling him, barely being restrained by an angered Mrs. Fredericks, and a close to hostile Steve.
Steve was the first one to say anything, "Pete, what happened? And don't play games with me the truth, or I WILL kill you." Mrs. Fredericks looked sideways at that, but knew Pete had to have, HAD to have had a reason for this gross misconduct which has led to this very, very real threat. He looked into Pete's eyes and knew what was going to come out was the truth, and that he wasn't going to like it. Pete's eyes got as wide and as wet as they could've been, and he also saw sadness, and immediate regret, but not remorse for what had happened.
Artie wanted to strangle Pete, he really did, but something was holding him back, maybe it was Pete's eyes, or maybe it was the part of him who wanted to hear Pete out, hear why Pete let Paracelsus out, and forced Claudia to make this choice which has split them all off from each other. He vaguely saw the sorrow on his face, the pain, and he knew the information that would come out would impact him more than anything up till this point.
Pete tried to work past the huge ball in his neck, wishing he didn't have to say anything, but knowing he needed to, needed to tell them, needed to explain. "Um...Oh GOD what have I done?" was all he got out before he had to wipe his face, just to get the tears cleared enough to see. "He was in…in stasis, and I was guarding him, when he started talking..." "YOU TALKED WITH HIM!?" Artie cut in anger on his face. "Let's hear him out." Mrs. Fredericks said to Artie, and nodded to Pete, making sure to give him the look to get to the point. "Yes I did, but only because he mentioned he knew how to. To help Myka." Stopping again Pete looked into the sky, and even he couldn't believe the groaning noise that came from his body when he told them, all his anger filled in with it, and was sure he was heard miles away "MYKA HAS CANCER!" He looked down again and fixed eyes with Artie. "God, he was telling me about some artifacts that could help cure her, and tricked me into using the philosopher's stone."
Eyes wide, Artie looked at him, so many things running through his head, and just stared at Pete, crossing between wanting to kill him right there, and going to hug him, as a family member would. He heard Mrs. Fredericks open her mouth, and waited for her response, on this matter Artie was stumped, and would base his reaction to Pete from her own. "Agent Lattimer, just why would you take such a huge risk, risk everything?" Pete dropped to his knees and slumped his shoulders, like he'd given up hope, and looked straight at her, with haunted eyes. "I just wanted to save her, save her from the cancer that's been killing her for weeks, I was stupid, so stupid, and I'll do WHATEVER I can to make it right." Artie just looked at him, and made his decision, Pete wouldn't die, but he was definitely going to be in serious trouble, he voiced his opinion. "That's going to take A LOT Pete." And then he turned away to see Steve looking with both anger, and pity on Pete, and added, "Don't come back until you can do it." He turned Steve around, and walked away to try to find something, ANYTHING, they could use to get back IN the Warehouse.
On his knees Pete just looked at Artie, he couldn't move, couldn't say anything, couldn't even cry, he knew he deserved to feel this way, prepared to let Artie and Steve do whatever they wanted to him, but this feeling was worse, way, WAY worse. "Whatever you will do to 'fix' this, you must do it quick, and as Artie said, don't come back until you can FIX THIS!" Mrs. Fredericks said to him, her eyes wide with anger, but also showing pain, for whom he didn't know. Pete slowly, shakily got up, and nodded his head, turning toward his Jeep he stopped when he heard her say something else. "Fulfill YOUR destiny Agent Lattimer." Whipping his head around, he saw her holding out a piece of paper, "This address, and make sure to explain EVERYTHING, now GO! HURRY! DO IT FOR YOUR LOVE!"
Turning around Mrs. Fredericks heard Pete slam the door to his Jeep, and speed off, and shook her head, feeling the anger at the betrayal, but cooled and saddened by the newest revelation, she slowly made her way up to Artie and Steve. "How? How could he do it?" Artie said, obviously shaken by the news, and still unable to completely catch up with everything that was happening. Claudia now the caretaker, fighting for her life, and the life of the Warehouse from a psychotic nutcase, Pete, however accidently helping Paracelsus, and now Myka dying of CANCER?! Dropping to his knees, Artie yelled to the heavens, and didn't stop until both Steve, and Mrs. Fredericks had to grab him, and calm him down.
Wichita, Kansas, 2 ½ hrs later,
Pete drove down the last street the GPS had said to go, and he still couldn't control his crying, he was sad, angry, hopeless, and worn out from everything that was going on, and had a vibe that it was only to get worse. Stopping at the location Mrs. Fredericks had given him, he turned the Jeep off, and replayed everything in his mind, from Myka's face as she told him about her having cancer, to Claudia's face as he left, he had a feeling she already knew, and had forgiven him, or he hoped so, but he couldn't be sure. Trying to gather all his strength, he closed his eyes, and hardened his heart, something he'd learned in his time in the corps, focus on the mission, you have a goal, which is to end this, and he had a target, which is Paracelsus. Opening the door to the Jeep, he felt all his emotion get hidden under lock and key, he would get the final piece, the plan, and he would end this, either by helping Claudia, or by sacrificing himself for them all.
Looking at his destination he thought it to be a normal house at first, you know the type, white Pickett fence, yellow/white paint which Claude would hate if she saw it he knew, and a ton of windows, enough to know that the owner knew he was here. And also a very defensible position, 2 stories, and one or two entrance/exit spaces, very paranoid, and very, VERY Regent. He walked up the cobble stone walk path and knocked on the door, for half a second before it was swung wide open, and he knew then why Mrs. Fredericks had sent him there. "Hey mom," he started slowly, turning his head to see her security advisor watching him, "we need to talk." Turning his head back to his mother he saw her looking at the paper in his hand with fear in her eyes. Looking back up, she shook her head slightly, then turned around, and moved forward just enough to allow him entrance to her new home.
Inside the Warehouse,
She knew her eyes were hard, and she was letting her anger best her, but she had to let him know who he was messing with, and she cocked her head slightly, and got an idea. Smiling Claudia backed up a fraction of a meter, and returned her head back to normal, "You will not win Paracelsus, you will lose, and I will do whatever it takes to save MY warehouse." Then she made her face hard again, as hard as stone, in an instant her eyes glowed golden red, not too unlike a Phoenix rising from the ashes of the old, and with a nod of her head, she flung Paracelsus as far back as she could, sending him into the spike from the wheel of Julius Caesar's chariot. Smiling her now creepy smile, she shouted out with furious anger, "THIS. IS. MY. WAREHOUSE!" loud enough to make the whole building shake like an 11.0 X 10 earthquake. "AND I WILL DEFEND HER!"
Outside the Warehouse
Artie felt the shaking coming from the Warehouse, and had a feeling that it was Claudia, not Paracelsus that was the cause of it, or so he hoped at least. Then something amazing happened, as if the warehouse was fighting back with her, the shield changed color for a second, glowing a golden red, and then splitting half of the shield between red, and blue. "YES! GO CLAUDIA!" he couldn't help but say, and then he gained control of his emotions. Looking at Mrs. Fredericks he smiled, "Let's go see if that change in color will be just enough to let us pass, shall we?" Nodding Steve looked at Mrs. Fredericks, and saw something on her face, good or bad he didn't know, but he knew he saw it. "What is it?" he asked her, and she didn't answer him, at least, not for a while. "I think, were seeing something," she paused, and took stock of her words "AMAZING!" Smiling Mrs. Fredericks grabbed both Steve and Artie by the shoulders, "I think, were seeing the birth of a new, a new Warehouse!"
Regent Lattimer's House, Wichita, Kansas,
"NO!" he heard his mother gasp, and felt a pang of regret deep in his heart, but he was too focused on his mission to let his emotions interfere anymore. Standing up, he fixed her with a stare, and looked deep into her eyes, he saw something there, like he was looking into them with new eyes. "Mom, it's true," and he saw her recoil as if slapped in the face by him, which it just might have been. "Now what must I do to fix it?" She looked at him for a second and knew, he KNEW that she wasn't going to tell him, and he was right. "No Pete, the council, they. They must be told..." Grabbing her shoulders he stopped her, he also felt the security guy moving to make him stop, and turning his head Pete sent him flying into a wall, knocking him out. Turning back to her, he noticed his eyes in a mirror, and saw they were, different, they were a golden red. Looking at his mother he said, "Mom, I must do what I must, Mrs. Fredericks told me of a Destiny I must complete," Seeing recognition in her eyes, he got even more serious. "Mom, tell me." Shaking her head he felt his mother grab him, and turn her head from side to side, not wanting to say anything.
'How, how can it be time already?!' Jane thought to herself, wishing that she'd known NOTHING of Pete's destiny, or of the warehouse. But she also knew that this was it, the 13th has come and gone, and the 14th must be born. Calming herself down she picked her head up to look through still tear filled eyes, and nodded to him, then pointed to the chair next to her. "How about," she chocked back a sob, then she looked into his eyes, which by now had returned to something like normal, but they were different as well. "How about I show you," Seeing the confusion on his face, she picked her cell phone up, and dialed a number. "Mr. Kosan, come see me at my house please, and bring another regent as well." Then she closed the phone, and looked at Pete, smiled at him for a second and asked him, "Sure this is what.." she trailed off as he nodded his head yes, so much like his father, all those years ago.
The Hospital,
Myka woke up from her surgery, and immediately felt pain, searing white hot pain when she tried to sit up. "Ah, ah, ah," a nurse said to her as she came in to check the I.V. bags, and monitoring equipment for vitals, "you don't want to hurt yourself now do you? Doctor will be here in a minute." As the nurse walked out, Myka thought she saw a slight glow, like a HALO around the woman, but thought nothing of it, and sat, waiting for the Doctor to come, and give her a full report. As an afterthought she opened up her phone to see about a hundred messages from Artie, half as much from Steve, and NONE from Pete. "Maybe I should give Pete a call?" she asked herself out loud, but a second later her decision was made for her, as her doctor came in, and he looked confused.
5 Hours after Warehouse take over,
Pete couldn't believe what his mother had told him, but now it all made sense, his vibes, the way he was still just a kid at heart, always believing in the good of everyone, and everything. But also about the uncanny need to do what was right, even if hurting someone good meant to protect others, and his easy way to judge people based on his feel of them. He looked her in the eye, and knew that she was telling him the truth, even if parts were abnormal or weird, and most of all, just what kind of man his father really was. Shaking his head he stood up to look out a window, as Mr. Kosan entered the building.
"Right, we are here now, what is it that you need Jane?" he asked in his usual voice, one that always seemed to put everyone off base just a bit, not out of evil, but out of judgment of character, of THEIR character. Still slightly shaken up Jane looked at him and said, "Mr. Kosan, code," turning to look at her son one more time, knowing it would be the last, and she let a single tear, one last tear drop, before turning back. "Code Phoenix Mr. Kosan, we must do it now!"
Looking between mother and son, her took a deep breath, and looked straight at Pete, who didn't flinch or move. "I assume that something bad has happened, and it has forced your hand." Nodding Pete looked him in the eyes, and was about to speak before Kosan held his hand with its ring up. "No! Do not say anything Peter Lattimer, your destiny, your life, must begin again, and you mustn't influence my decisions." Looking at the last surviving Regent from the terror of Sykes, the only other one who knew the full story of the warehouse, besides Jane Lattimer, and himself Kosan now knew what must be done, while undesirable with him as regent lead, must come to pass. "Prepare." Was all he said before he moved to mother and son, grabbing their hands, and looking at the other regent.
Pete didn't know EXACTLY what was going on, but he knew that it was a game changer, and that his destiny was about to be fully exposed. Only a few regents knew of this plan, and its history, and that it had been done, 13 times before, or so his mother had told him. Also he was told, that this should be, according to prophecy the last time, it would break the cycle, and never happen again. What that meant he did not know, but he was sure it was a good thing. What he didn't expect was for the glowing light to knock him out.
Outside the Warehouse,
Mrs. Fredericks was still conversing with Artie and Steve on how to try to get into the red side of the warehouse, what they were thinking was Claudia's side, when she felt it. She knew it wasn't from the Warehouse, nor Claudia, nor Paracelsus, as all those connections were severed. Then she felt what it was, it was like, hope, extreme unadulterated hope, and life had suddenly moved into everyone, everywhere. Smiling she turned to Artie, and said, "I'm sure you feel it too Arthur?" Stopping Artie looked at her, and thought for a second, FELT for a second, and nodded, he did feel it, the joy, and the hope that was filling him, warming his soul. Looking at Steve he noticed Steve felt it as well, judging by the smile on his face. "But Mrs. Fredericks, what is it?" Artie asked, and she looked at him, with a contented look on her face. "Arthur, that is hope, that is Destiny," looking around she smiled, "It is life, but most of all, its love." Steve looked at her, and his eyes widened, "You mean?" he asked her, and she closed her eyes, and nodded her head, smile still in place. "Why yes Mr. Jinks, that feeling, is coming from Pete."
Inside the Warehouse,
Dodging a random ball of fire from Paracelsus Claudia quickly moved from spot to spot, using the power of the warehouse, HER warehouse, to keep from getting hit by one of his fire balls. When she sent him flying into Caesar's chariot, Claudia had also broken the spell the warehouse had allowed her to put on him, yes he had a spike through his chest, but he lived, and he could move, and he had gotten very angry.
"WHERE ARE YOU LITTLE GIRL?" He growled out at the top of his lungs, trying to scare her into coming out, he'd already used up everything she holds dear though, and still she hadn't given up. But cockiness comes before the fall, and suddenly he was behind her, she'd been herded into his side, and he blasted her with a seismic wave. "Foolish girl, now you will pay for your insolence." Looking into each other's eyes they saw the end coming, and as he powered up for the final attack, they both felt something, something so sudden he stopped, and she used the distraction to hit him in the neck, and go back to her side, DEEP into her side.
Kansas,
Suddenly waking up, Pete gasped for breath, and he sucked in air like a vacuum, getting every atom of the composition in his body. Then he suddenly stopped, wait he could, could SEE ATOM NOW?! "This is SOOOOOOO COOL!" he said smiling. "Hey mom, can you do this too?" He asked looking around the room. First he saw the unnamed regent, someone he thought looked familiar, but he couldn't put his finger on what, also he appeared to be dead. "Mom? Mr. Kosan?" he asked, picking himself up off the ground, and trying to look around in the fog. He saw a black dress shoe on the floor, and went to grab it, when he picked it up, it came back with pants, but no leg. Swiping the fog away, he got a good look why, there was Mr. Kosan's clothes, lying on the floor, but nothing was in them but a fine powder of dust, and then the memories hit him, memories of lives lived thousands of years ago. From the very first, to the very last, from a lonely little boy named Peter, sitting along a river, and finding the first Artifact, to…."NO!" he yelled as he searched more furiously.
Then he saw her, sitting against a wall, her body badly burnt, yet looking as healthy as ever, and he knelt down beside her, and he couldn't keep the tears from his eyes, no matter how much training he'd had. "Mom, no." he said, and she slightly turned her eyes towards him, and smiled. "It was," she started, but coughed into her hand, and blood came out, "It was already decided Pete, centuries ago, YOU are the one to help the last caretaker," she stopped and coughed again. "No mom, you can't..." he trailed off, not wanting to continue with the line of thought, but she did it for him. "I must Peter, that is my job it has ALWAYS been my job." She smiled again, and shakily moved her hand to touch his face, "YOU are the last guardian Pete, you know it, everything, it's all led up to this." Still smiling she whipped his tear from his face, and then patted him on the chest. "I did it for love, and so, so did your father."
Peter watched as she coughed again, and then he shifted around a little bit, to be closer to her, and let her have some piece, and that was when he felt it, the shackle, on his right wrist, right where it should be, and he realized something. "This, this was the plan after all?" and she looked into his eyes, from hers which showed the life which was slowly fading away, and she nodded. Then she pulled him close with what little strength she had left, and he let her, she wrapped her now shaking arms around him, and whispered into his ear, "Always remember love Pete, never have hate, only pure love can.." she slowed to a stop, and coughed one more time, "WIN." Then as he looked into her eyes, Pete saw the last of her life fade away, and he let the tears flow, but they weren't tears of anger, they were tears of happiness, and joy, joy for the life he'd been a part of, and happiness that it was now in a better place.
Laying her down, Pete stood up, and took one last look at his mother, Mr. Kosan, and the other regent, and nodded to them, ready to move on. Turning away slowly he walked to the door, and opened it before stopping, and giving one last look at the room, the room where the last piece had finally fallen into place, the piece that would seal the Warehouse's protection, for good. Smiling he walked into the early morning light, and closed the door, he had a friend to help, and a friend to save.
Hospital, 13 hours later,
Myka still couldn't believe it, she'd jumped happily in the room when he told her, at least until the pain kicked back in. Apparently the cancer had not been near as serious as they had thought, and he'd only needed her to stay to have some extra examinations. "Now Ms. Bearing, you might still have to be very careful what you do, and how you live, this threat is gone, but, judging from data collected, and past visits, it seems you need to be more careful." Tuning him out after he'd said the threat is gone Myka smiled, and asked if she might be able to leave soon. "Ms. Bearing, you had a major operation, and are still in pain, not until I'm sure you're okay will you be allowed to leave, should be 2-3 days, tops, just to make sure you're clear of an residual effects, okay?" Nodding she went back to sleeping, feeling much better, but thinking the doctor was right, she felt tired, and needed sleep.
Inside the Warehouse,
"SHIT!" Claudia cursed as the latest attack from Paracelsus came and went, and she knew she was wearing out from all this offense here, run here, defense here, run here she'd been doing, she just needed a LITTLE more strength to win, but she didn't know where she'd get it from. "Tiring out little miss attitude?" he yelled across the Warehouse, "I really hope you are, you're becoming a rather bore some, tiring child, I want to end this quickly." She huffed a little but stayed quiet, as he continued to assault where she'd just been about ten minutes, or might it have been ten days?, ago. She couldn't really tell, but she was hoping for some extra go-juice soon, apparently her anger had faded out somewhat, and he just kept on like he had an infinite supply.
Somewhere between Kansas and the Warehouse,
"CRAP!" Pete yelled as he looked at his watch, he could feel Claudia needed him, and her time was coming up short REALLY soon, he needed faster transportation, when an idea came to him. Part of the process to make him into what he needed to be to do his destiny had been centuries of genetically continued data, knowledge, but another part had been powers, and lots of them, from healing to just what he needed. Unfortunately there was a tradeoff, it would temporarily weaken his powers should he do it, but he had no other choice, and he made a decision. "Geese I hope this works!" he said as he though on it, but fir he needed to warn Claude, and another far far less taxing power popped into his mind, communication, telepathy, "Why not?" he asked himself out loud. Focusing on Claudia he sent a message to her, telling to hold on, he was coming to back her up. After he did that, he looked around at the Jeep, "Sorry old buddy, but you won't be forgotten."
Closing his eyes Pete began to focus on the Warehouse, its surroundings, and most importantly the two people inside, one of then, the sinister one moving close behind the other one, like he was stalking his prey now. "Not gonna happen bud." He said as he opened his eyes, and they turned a fantastic shade of red/gold, and in the next instant the Jeep, which had been useful much of its life, was suddenly no longer there, instead, there was a big char mark on the road, and a steering wheel, which was all kinds of melted.
Outside the Warehouse,
Mrs. Fredericks felt, rather than heard or sensed the arrival of Pete Lattimer, which wasn't too hard as his jeep went flying in at very low level, and she knew that this was something that hadn't been done in a long time. But she also knew it meant that Claudia would get some much needed help, as they'd seen her side of the Warehouse barrier slowly slip, barely a centimeter in the time it had gone up to combat the other, but a slip, is a slip none the less. "Hey Mrs. Fredericks, is..." Steve and Artie both said, "Is that Pete?" they both sounded stunned as he flew by, and into the shield, and THROUGH the walls of the Warehouse. Smiling she looked at them, "Who did you think it was?" and she turned back to the Warehouse, and then, she sat on the hood of Steve's Prius. As Artie both guffawed, and went about worrying hoping, and praying things would be okay, she KNEW they would so, she allowed herself to relax, and watch the shield.
Inside the Warehouse,
Claudia had felt Pete tell her to hold on, and that he was coming for her, and the Warehouse, how she knew it, and felt it she didn't know, but she was emboldened by it, and it made her energies pick up a bit, enough to notice Paracelsus had found her, and was hunting her. So she wasn't too surprised when she turned a corner and there he was grinning like a Cheshire cat who'd just gotten his big prey, and was about to toy with it, before the kill. "You've led quite an admirable chase Frau Donovan, but the game is over." Shaking her head, and smiling to herself she slightly grinned at him, "You think because you have me here, I'll give up?" Scoffing she folded her arms, and glared at him, "I WILL beat you, old man, this is MY WAREHOUSE."
Grinning he moved a step towards her, like a viper teeth out, and ready to attack, slowly he moved forward, and she backed up, not giving him any emotion, but a blank face. She felt the sudden spike in his power, and knew he would hit her with it, her powers were severely gone, and she could only put up the most basic defenses, as she'd used them all, during the battle, and she wasn't too sure about any offensive powers any more. "Prepare to die, brat!" he spat out as his biggest attack yet formed. Closing her eyes she waited for it, and she even felt its release, and path towards her, and thought 'Damnit!'
He'd managed to keep both of them from hearing or seeing him, and he'd done a pretty damn good job if he did say so himself, no need to mention they'd both used up pretty much all of their powers, him offensive, with NO DEFENSIVE AT ALL, and her with no defensive, but a plethora of offensive powers. He felt the energy spike, the last of Paracelsus's powers, all in one big attack. He knew two things, he could protect Claudia, but he COULD NOT kill Paracelsus, that had to be a connection shattered by the "current" caretaker. So without any thought he charged in, defensive powers at maximum, shields, 'hmm that's new', he thought as the attack hit him square on, and made a big explosion, sending dust all around. Smiling he sent Claudia a boost of energy, the energy of his love, love for the Warehouse, and his friends, and the love he'd always felt his mother rejected him, but later found out that it was love that had kept her from him, her love FOR HIM. Also sending a message her way he said to her, "The guardian is here, protecting you, now I can't attack him Claude, you have to do it, you have to kill him…with love" He felt her aura give a little nudge of acknowledgment as she disappeared, and he smiled, he'd also protected her from being sensed.
"Ahhh!" he heard from through the fog, the voice of Paracelsus, the voice that seemed to only draw anger in him the day before, now seemed to draw…pity, and an acknowledgment of the deficiency of love, true love in the man's life. Sad it would have to end. "I sense that you are no more little witch, but sensing and seeing are two different things." Pete saw the fog begin to clear, and allowed a smirk, and waited for Paracelsus to come through. "WHAT?!" he head the surprise, and anger there, as the man ran right up to Pete. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?!" What had been a smirk was now a full blown smile, and he touched Paracelsus's shoulder, stunning him, and his senses. "Seems, I came back" Not acknowledging Claudia sneaking up behind Paracelsus, he looked him in the eye, to defeat anger and hate I thought before, that we needed those things, but, we don't." Stopping his smile, he let his pity show through, "We need LOVE, not anger, we must love our enemies, and so I forgive you."
Somehow hearing those words didn't hurt Claudia as much as she thought they would, why? She'd figured out the way to defeat Paracelsus was not through anger or hate, it was through love, love and forgiveness. With pity in her heart, and a tear in her eye, Claudia used the powers Pete had given her, the powers of love, and in a second the pure evil, and hate that was Paracelsus turned to fear, fear because it knew it was over. As she swung the sword, imbued with her strength and determination, and Pete's love, and forgiveness, she realized that's why the Warehouse chooses people with destiny's, not for pain, or anguish, but for the immense powers of love. As she saw the burning remnants of what was once Paracelsus, she realized that while the body was immortal, the soul was not, and without a soul, the body was nothing. And Paracelsus had given up his soul a long time ago.
Outside the Warehouse,
Artie almost was asleep, if it wasn't for the fact that CLAUDIA AND PETE WERE IN BATTLE! So when he heard both Mrs. Fredericks and Steve gasp, he had to re-open his eyes, he was a tired man after all, and what he saw he couldn't believe. The field not only was now fully golden red, but the blue was gone, for good it looked like. "I hope that's a good sign!" he heard Steve shout as the three made their way to the entrance, as the shield went down. "COME ON!" Mrs. Fredericks shouted, somehow farther along than Steve. Artie smiled as she opened the door, and motioned them on through, knowing that if Claudia had lost then they wouldn't even be this close. Racing down the tunnel, he couldn't eve care about the name right now, he had one thought, "She did it!"
Artie's Office,
Exhausted Claudia had passed out not to long after the death of Paracelsus, and Pete had had to carry her up to Artie's office, As soon as he'd reached the top though, she moved a slight bit, and he stopped. "Claudia, have you been awake this whole time?" he asked, and he didn't move for a few seconds, trying to see if she was just moving in her sleep. When he felt the suppressed giggle, and heard her act like she was tired she said, "No?" Smiling he set her on her feet, and had to stop from laughing at her distaste of having to walk the rest of the way. "Come OOOONNN! I fought him for nearly two or three days alright I shouldn't have to walk." Bopping her on the head he smiled, "True, but I had to fly air Pete from Kansas to here to save your butt when he started getting the drop on you." Smacking him she opened her mouth in an 'O' but it was defeated by her smile, "You suck Pete, besides, I'm the lady, aren't you supposed to carry me off," and she started the dramatics, "when I'm tired?" And then she straightened up, and poked him in the chest, "Especially when it was YOUR fault I was in this predicament?" "Nope, fate, or destiny, or whatever, on another matter, is that chicken I smell?"
Dropping to the floor she couldn't stop laughing, "Hey I'm serious, now get up missy?" he said, and when she didn't stop laughing, he tickled her. She shot up like a cannon the second he stopped, and gave him a murderous look, that was 50/50 joking or serious. "I'll get you Peter, I swear I will." She stopped though as she looked into his eyes, and saw some pain there. "What's wrong Pete?" He nodded toward the office, and she nodded back. Setting off, for the last floor, she looked at his wrist, and saw the shackle, and felt the shield of the Warehouse go down, she doesn't know how she knows, but she does. When they got up into the office half a minute later, she grabbed his arm, and pulled him toward the chair, and pushed him down into, then sat on his lap, and put her head on his shoulder like many times before. They used it as a catharsis, a way to relieve stress and tension from personal matter, and no one knew, they just talked like brother and sister. "You want to talk about it?" She looked up at his face, and he only said three words. "My mom's gone."
He couldn't believe his words, he'd just old Claudia what had made him so down, he didn't expect her to move her other arm around him, but, he was glad for it, and he hugged her back. "I missed you Pete." She said to him, and then she pulled back, and then slapped him across the chest. "Never do something that foolish, no matter the reason we can't lose you either, for any reason, gotta have someone to trick." He looked at her, and he smiled, "That's the Claudia I know, and I have a feeling Myka's gonna be just okay." Smiling she hugged him again, and in a minute, both were fast asleep from the exhaustion, plus Pete needed to heal from that blast, neither noticed, but his back had just healed from having the skin ripped off.
A few minutes later Artie, Steve, and Mrs. Frederick found both Claudia and Pete sleeping in Artie's comfort chair, fast asleep. Artie went to wake them up, but Mrs. Fredericks stopped him, and shook her head. "They need rest Artie, both of them." Looking at the two she changed the subject, "let's get Myka, and then get some food." Artie stood still for a minute, and then nodded, Claudia had earned it, and Pete had redeemed himself, sleep was in order. Steve stayed a little longer, smiling at the two, then he grabbed his camera, snapped a quick pick, and said to no one in particular "Blackmail material", and smiled as he left. After he closed the door, the two "sleeping" people moved, and smiled. "They have NO idea how little sleep we need now right?" Pete asked her, and she poked him, "You sir, forget Mrs. Fredericks." She got up, and found a weird key sitting by her computer with a note. "The Warehouse is YOURS now, take care of it. Mrs. F." Squealing with joy she showed Pete the note and key.
Unknown,
"Yes sir, the Warehouse still stands." The loyalist reported to his boss. Smiling the boss wrapped his old fingers around his old wooden cane, and gripped it. "Good, good, we'll need it for later."
Authors Note (end): So I hope you liked the story, worked for a while on it, and hopefully you'll want more. Also, if you have any ideas for a name for this episode, past S5E1, give me your ideas, and the best one will be picked, as I can't really think of anything, and I thought it'd be an engaging thing for you readers out there.
Thank you for reading.
Jameron4eva