The Healing has to start somewhere.

Claudia/Artie

PG-13

Chapter 1

Claudia helps Artie to start to heal after everything.

I own nothing about W13 just like to borrow them.

Authors notes: If you in anyway don't like Claudia and Artie being shipped, if you're going to be immature about the fact that a young and older person can have a relationship then DO NOT READ THIS. Also if you going to read this anyways then don't leave stupid reviews about how gross or wrong it is to have these two in a relationship. Thank you. Everyone else please read and enjoys and feel free to review. Also I do know that Claudia and Artie are OOC on this, I was going for that.

It was a month to the day that they plague had been released, the team had once again managed to save the world from another deadly artifact, only difference was this artifact had been realest my their boss. And all though everyone had known that Artie was not Artie when he did it, the memories from that day and the days before it were still hanging hard with all the team members, especially Artie and Claudia.

Artie was barely speaking to anyone and when he did speak it was short, to the point and mostly gruff. Artie and Claudia had kept their space from each other since Claudia had saved him from his own mind. Claudia knew what she did was the right thing to have done; she just wondered how long it would take Artie to see that. Every night was the same thing for Claudia, Nightmares of that day in the watermill house, When she had somehow connected with the really Artie, and him telling her to do it, save me Claudia. Claudia eyes would always snap open right at the point when she was plunging the dagger into Artie's chest. She would sit there crying for a while remembering every detail of it.

How she caught him and followed him down the wall as he collapsed how he tried to hug her and hold her telling her and it was ok, the last words he spoke before he passed out. Claudia would sit there and rock herself back and forth whispering only; I did what I had to do.

Noises from down the hall broke Claudia out of her trance, being the investigator that she was she quickly got up and quietly walked down the hallway following the sounds that were coming from Artie's room, standing there debating whether or not she should go in to his room a scream of what could only be described as pain from the other side of the door was all she needed to make up her mind, Claudia opened the door and rushed in to see a sleeping Artie tossing and turning in his bed, mumbling and talking. He was having a nightmare and Claudia could tell it was getting the best of him. Claudia walked over to the side of the bed and gently sat down on it, Artie kicked his legs a few more times and then seamed to settle down some, Claudia reached up and put her hand on his forehead, Artie was sweating and his pulse was racing, she jerked her hand back and gasped in fear when Artie yelled loudly again and sat straight up waking himself up, Claudia realized he was awake and quickly tried to calm him down.

"Shh…Artie, it was a dream."

Artie was talking incoherently and looking around the room.

"Leena…the orchid…I killed…you stabbed me."

Claudia put her hands on his shoulders; she was fighting back her own tears when she saw that Artie's eyes were reddening from the tears that were building and the fear that had taken over them. Claudia really didn't know what to say. The once strong brilliant man she knew only a few short weeks ago was now sitting in front of her crying in fear and heartache. Artie lowered his head and covered his face with his hands and just let the tears fall. Claudia did the only thing she thought might help, she moved closer to Artie and pulled him into her and held him tight, Claudia expected Artie to pull away from her but instead he just sat there sopping letting Claudia hold him and rock him gently. Claudia felt Artie's arms wrap around her, his head resting on her chest and her face resting on the top of his head. It took a bit but Claudia could feel Artie was starting to calm down, still not sure how long Artie was going to let this go on she figured the worst that would happen is he would pull away from her.

So she slowly started to lean back resting against the bed frame, her back needed the relief. Still Artie didn't pull away from her; he simply adjusted to the new position and held onto her. It was in that moment that Artie realized how much he had needed Claudia this whole time, sitting there with her arms around him in the fragile state he was in, he knew he was safe, safe from harm, judgment, torment, anger and fear. Nothing that had gone on over the last month seemed to matter to him, because this beautiful young woman whom he admired so much and had grown to love was holding him tightly.

It seemed like forever that the two of them sat there and Claudia was sure that Artie had fallen asleep by now, he had not moved or said anything and his breathing had leveled out, but when Claudia went to pull herself away Artie quickly held on to her tighter, speaking finally for the first time since he had awoke from his nightmare.

"Don't leave." Artie looked up at Claudia and when she saw the look of plea in his big brown eyes her heart broke for him. Giving him a loving warm smile, Claudia cupped the side of Artie's face in her hand and let her thumb run over the thick stubble that was forming.

"I'll stay all long as you want me to." Artie's hand found Claudia's on the side of his face; he gently laid his hand over hers and then pulled her hand over to him mouth and gently kissed her palm, Claudia had didn't know what to do or say at this point, Artie had never been so open with her like he was now. Taking a deep breath and breathing it out heavily, Artie's voice was weak when he spoke.

"I'm so tired Claud." Artie moved his arms back around Claudia and held onto her again. Claudia's own tiredness was taking over her as well she knew they both needed to sleep, she didn't know how much longer she would be able to set up holding him without succumbing to her own lack of sleep.

"Here…" Claudia tried to push Artie up so that she could move, but Artie quickly held onto her.

"No, don't go." Artie was quick to say, Claudia was almost worried at this point she had never seen Artie so defenseless before.

"It's ok…" Claudia managed to get Artie to set back up long enough for her to get under the covers with him.

"See, I'm not going anywhere, now lay down." Claudia got situated lying on her side so that she was facing Artie. Artie hesitated for a second, but complied when Claudia patted the pillow again. Another deep breath and Artie snuggled down under the blankets resting his head on the pillow facing Claudia. Knowing now what Artie needed, Claudia's natural instincts took over and once she was sure Artie was settled and lying were he wanted she gently wrapped him back up into her arms, placing one arm under his head so that he was now resting on her shoulder, her other hand resting on the side of his face again. she let her thumb play back and forth across his cheek and moved her hand to rub the back of his neck and through his hair, anything she could think of to try and give him some comfort and peace so that maybe he could sleep for a while.

It took Artie a few minutes to ease into the amount of human contact he was getting, it had been a very long time since he hand been touched by a woman, especially in such a loving and caring way, but when he draped his arm over Claudia and pulled her into him so close that their noses were only inches away from each other, Claudia knew she had finally broke through, braking through not only the hurt and fear Artie was going through, but their feelings that they had been fighting for each other for all this time.

Artie finally found the courage to look at Claudia who smiled at him again. Claudia could feel Artie sliding his hand up her back and around to the side of her neck, Artie's eye's darting from her eyes to her lips. Claudia knew what Artie wanted to do, she felt the butterflies in her stomach start to flutter, and before she could blink her eyes, Claudia felt Artie's lips lightly touching her, Claudia's eyes closing as she felt herself deepen into the kiss.

Artie's tongue tracing her bottom lip asking for permission to enter, Claudia' parted her lips just enough to let her tongue slid out and meet Artie's, their tongues were locking in a duel for quite a while, Claudia was careful to not let her hands start to wonder, as much as she was enjoying their new found closeness, she also knew that they were both vulnerable right now. Finally braking for air, Claudia's eyes opened to see the Artie looking at her, he almost seemed to be back to himself, as Claudia lay there looking into his eyes, she couldn't see the hurt or fear anymore, all she seemed to see was happiness and love. A few more soft slow kisses and Artie could feel himself finally wanting to fall asleep.

"I'm tired Claud." Artie said closing his eyes. Claudia ran her hand through his hair on the side of his head.

"Sleep, I'll be here when you wake up." Claudia spoke softly. It didn't take long before sleep intruded on both of them. Claudia woke a few times to check on Artie, but was reassured that he was sleeping peacefully every time.