A/N: KNOCK KNOCK.

This is the very first chapter I ever posted here, and I'd appreciate feedback a lot. Warehouse 13 is definitely one of my favorite shows ever, and Clinks is a total OTP of mine, so I hope you enjoy reading this.

I do not own Warehouse 13, because I have yet to stumble across a wish granting artifact.

KTF CLM

Chapter 1: Undercover Again

Claudia didn't know whether she loved or hated this case. She and Steve were in Nashville, because they got a ping that led to a music contest in town. Against her will, Steve and Artie had decided she should go undercover as a singer. She loved singing. She even sang at open mic in Univille whenever she could. Claudia also loved undercover investigations, as long as she could stay in touch with her team. She shot a glance to her partner, who was standing beside her, holding the Farnsworth. She remembered losing him, and she couldn't go through this again.

"Just don't get yourself killed!" she heard Artie bark. The younger agent gulped.

"We'll try our best! Not our first case, geezer!" She needed a second to realize how she was talking. Claudia was angry. Not really because of Artie, not this time at least. But right now she was hung up on the memories of Jinks' previous undercover assignment and its consequences. How she had found him. How she'd lost him. That day, it felt like she lost an important part of herself, a great piece of her heart. She wasn't sure if she ever fully got it back.

The tech genius took a breath in, listening to her heartbeat, making sure she was still alive. She looked to her best friend, listening to his breath, watching his eyes open and close, making sure he was still alive. Apparently, she'd been staring, because Steve sent her a worried look now.

"Are you alright, Claude?" he asked quietly, careful not to shock her out of the trance she seemed to be captured in.

"Yeah. I'm fine, Jinksy. I just ..." She paused, considering her choice of words. She was what? Restrained by depressing memories? That would only worry him even more. "Just spaced out for a sec."

He raised an eyebrow. Claudia wondered if his lie detector had pinged. She wasn't really lying, was she? Then she realized that the Farnsworth was shut by now. How long had she been thinking? Well, she guessed it could take a while to mentally relive one of the worst moments she could remember.

When she'd lost her parents and Claire, she was too young. She could barely remember them. In all those years without her brother, she had hoped that he was still out there somewhere. She had felt terribly alone, but losing Jinksy had made her thoughtful. He had died for her. He had even said it. All that Steve went through, he had gone through for Claudia. He saved her life. Probably all of their lives. Sadly he couldn't save her heart, because he couldn't save himself. But she did. The tiniest smile crossed Claudia's lips. Yes, she had gotten into trouble at first, but it wasn't the first time she didn't do as she had been told.

But never before had she been so certain of it: This was totally worth it. He was worth everything. There was no risk she wouldn't have taken to get him back.

Sometimes she would silently think about how it would be if he wasn't just her best friend. Her gay best friend, she forced herself to remember. She had to remind herself of that fact too often. It had come rather unexpected when he'd told her, and she had more trouble getting it into her head than expected. It wasn't something she usually had a problem with, but in this case, it somehow bothered her. She had to admit that there was the one or other thing about him that she liked. His calm and loyal nature, his skills and appearance… Maybe she'd gotten her hopes up then, without even realizing it.

Claudia quickly shook her head. No, not that thought again! Not now. Now they were working. They had to finish their case. People were in danger! Something about deep depressions and drugs. Not that this was anything new to Nashville's music scene…

"Well, then let's get you checked in, Rockstar." her best friend said, obviously trying to reassure his young partner. The redhead merely nodded numbly, still a bit absent. Steve started to walk towards the table, where a young blonde woman was sitting. Suddenly, Claudia grabbed her partner's wrist.

"No! I… I can't do this! I mean… there are so many people an-and… Maybe I'm barely good enough for a couple of fools in the Badlands of South Dakota! If I have to go out… out there I will lose consciousness! I will stop breathing and drop to the floor! Besides, let's not forget that there is an artifact involved!" she stuttered nervously.

Steve turned around, seeing the panic in Claudia's beautiful brown eyes. For a moment he caught himself mad that he rarely appreciated the stunning sight, warm and inquisitive yet so often painfully guarded. (Except when they were alone, but he chose not to read too much into that.) She was actually a gorgeous young woman.

He mentally shook himself. He could not think of his best friend like that. He just couldn't. She was his BFFEWYLION, almost his sister. And he, well… he was gay.

Jinks took a deep breath in and spoke softly, hoping to calm her down. He'd do anything to take some weight off her shoulders. "And what if I would go up there with you?"

Claudia shot him a confused look.

"What do you mean?" she asked slowly, before she quickly added "Not that it wouldn't be a little bit better if it wasn't just me, but I didn't know you…"

He nodded understandingly. He always understood her. It was a gift to her, even though it could make her oddly nervous sometimes.

"I can play the guitar and sometimes I even sing…. but to be honest, it's been awhile. So, I don't know. Maybe it was a stupid idea." He shook his head and suddenly found an interest in his shoelaces, then the ceiling.

Claudia just grinned, regaining a bit of her usual enthusiasm at his admission. She never said it out loud, but she loved it when he willingly shared something personal about himself with her. She knew he didn't do that a lot.

And a small part of her hoped that she had just found her emergency exit.

"Well, since it seems like we both have a bit of an issue with that kind of audience, I've got an idea: Either both of us are going, or neither of us." she said confidently, expecting him to back out now.

But apparently, her partner thought otherwise.

"Let's go then, Girl Wonder!" Now he was the one grinning, while she could only stare at him in shock. "What's wrong, Claude? You didn't think I'd give up, did you?"

Claudia swallowed audibly. Her mouth opened, but she had no idea what to say. After a few seconds without gaining a response beyond that, Steve gently took her hand in his and led her to the table. The blonde smiled brightly. A little too brightly for the redhead's taste, in that moment. "Let me guess: A duet for our young love birds?"

Claudia was about to correct her, but her partner was faster. "That's the plan. She's just a bit shy. Aren't you, darling?"

She shot him a confused glare, before she settled into the role he'd dropped on her without asking for permission. With a hesitant nod, she cleared her throat and answered quietly. "I don't usually perform in front of so many people, but… I guess with my knight in shining armor here, I'll be fine."

There was a slightly mocking tone in her voice when she let that nickname roll off her tongue, obviously in response to his 'darling', but it was discreet enough so only he would notice. Furthermore, it was well masked by her brown eyes locking on his ice blue ones. Steve offered her one of his always calming, reassuring smiles. The redhead knew that this whole thing was an act, meant to make the woman believe their story, but she couldn't help thinking that he knew exactly how much she'd needed that right then.

"Alright, you just gotta write your names into the list. We'll start soon." the cheerful blonde told them.

Claudia hesitated, quickly deciding that she couldn't use her actual name for this. It was supposed to be an undercover operation after all. Then she remembered the self-made passport she carried around with her since the day she used it at the Regent Sanctum. She took the pen and signed with "Donna LaDouciva". The anagram had worked once already, why shouldn't it work twice? Besides, it wasn't like she never used other fake IDs before. Maybe she wouldn't even need it at all, and if somebody would ask for it, she knew it was authentic enough.

When she glanced down at the list again, Steve had already signed with a made-up name too. "Robert LaDouciva". The redhead raised an eyebrow, but chose not to comment.

To her 'luck', the blonde wasn't quite on her side though.

"Oh, you're married? Congrats!" she said joyfully.

Before Claudia had a chance to say anything, her partner answered for both of them again. "Thanks. We're traveling around at the moment. It's all part of my treasure's dream honeymoon."

Claudia's eyes widened only the slightest bit, but internally she was screaming her thoughts off a cliff. His treasure? Their honeymoon? Where the hell was he getting his ideas today? She struggled to keep up her façade, until her 'husband' sent another bright smile into her direction. It was so caring and affectionate, so sincere, and the senior agent had to admit that she kind of started to like her… their, cover story. So, she decided to have fun and play along.

"Yeah, he's such a sweetheart! Caring about all of my worries and wishes. Couldn't ever ask for a better one." She shot her Jinksy an exaggeratedly dreamy smile, silently hating how much she loved playing this role. She almost had to laugh at how unlike herself she sounded, but it was so damn easy.

Steve really was an amazing undercover agent, although she had already known that. He lovingly gazed into the eyes of his 'wife', as if nothing else in the world mattered to him. It was an extremely convincing performance.

Claudia tried not to make it too obvious when she broke eye contact. Maybe he was a little too good at this. Her eyes found their still entwined hands, and again the gears in her head started turning wildly. She thought about other times when they had been holding hands.

Like on their first mission together, at the hospital. Nice. Warm. Reassuring. Friendly. Sibling-like. The beginning of a great friendship.

Or like when he was dead. Sad. Cold. With something missing, something important ripped away from her.

But now? Again it was nice and warm, reassuring and friendly. Somewhat sibling-like. However, there was something else.

The redhead couldn't quite put her finger on it. She didn't know if it was just her, or if he felt it too. If he even noticed it. If he thought about it. If he would care about it. If he knew what she felt, noticed, thought and cared about.

But most of all, she wondered if he even knew how much he meant to her. Damn it, she wasn't even sure if she knew that!

Claudia forced her gaze to the floor. She had to focus, remind herself again that there were people possibly dying out there and that it was her job to save them! It was their job. She could whine about her own pathetic issues once they were done here.

The younger agent tightened her grip on her best friend's hand, letting him lead her behind the stage.