Title: So Much More Sci Fi or The Curious Tale of Claudia Donovan (and How She Became a Total Lesbian Matchmaker) - Just kidding, but wouldn't that be an awesome title?

Full summary: H.G. Wells is a mysterious woman, one Claudia still hasn't figured out completely. Then H.G. asks for an unnamed favor, and Claudia accepts because, hey, she'll be getting a favor in return. Pretty quickly, though, Claudia finds herself getting to know H.G. Wells more than she had ever planned to... And helps Myka and H.G. discover each other along the way as an added bonus. Takes place after Where and When, and before Buried (unless I decide to write it through Reset).

AN: I do not own Warehouse 13 nor the characters. This is a totally new fandom for me (I started writing this after Buried and before Reset, so before Reset Redux and How Very Empty), and I'm still getting a handle on the characters. Fortunately, the lovely stargate_sg1sg1 has been doing quality control and character checks for me. Much appreciated. :} Oh, this is also a new thing for me to have the story 'voiced' from someone not part of the main coupling. You'll see what I mean. One last thing to note is that this is also a different writing style for me, due to the wonderful body language all of the actors use in W13. I just couldn't ignore that.

Claudia walked into the library to find H.G. Wells sitting in one of the armchairs. The out-of-time traveler looked up and nodded at her, then went back to reading, her dark eyes seemingly focused on the book. Pausing in the doorway, Claudia wondered if she should come back at a later time.

"I see I still make you nervous," H.G.'s smoky voice lilted out as the author turned the page in her book, "I was under the impression we had worked through our differences."

"Differences?" Claudia blurted out before she could stop herself, chastising herself as soon as the question slipped out.

One corner of H.G.'s mouth turned up, and the woman straightened, closing her book with a fast clap. She stood up, tucking the book under her arm as she brushed her hair behind her ear in such a way that hit Claudia as completely English. "Yes, dear. When I became a Warehouse agent again, you still did not trust me. I had hoped the bloody mess that became of the mission with my time machine had changed that."

Claudia nodded, moving aside from the doorway a little as H.G. walked towards it and her. "Oh, it did. I mean, we did. We're good. One hundred percent good. You and me?" She pointed at H.G. and then at herself in a quick motion of her wrist. "Regular old pals. Like Scooby and Shaggy. Batman and Robin. Buffy and Willow." Getting a measured look and raised eyebrow from the woman in front of her, Claudia pushed forward, "…Holmes and Watson? Total buds. Who solve mysteries and fight evil baddies together. Warehouse mysteries and… Artifact baddies? – Ugh, shutting up now." She abruptly closed her mouth.

H.G. chuckled smoothly, patting Claudia's arm reassuringly, "Aren't you a darling?" Then, tilting her head and leaning forward, her dark eyes studied Claudia's face. "Claudia, seeing as we're such good friends now, do you think," she breathed, righting herself, smiling enigmatically, "That you could do something for me?"

"What?"

"A favor. Nothing too strenuous." H.G. looked down dismissively, her smile now a bit more modest.

Claudia's eyes widened. She wasn't sure she really believed that it was 'nothing too strenuous'. Still, she chose to take the high road. "It really depends on what you want. Computer stuff, I'm there. Donating a kidney, not so much."

"If it was reasonable?"

Claudia thought for a second, then nodded. At the satisfied smile that crossed H.G.'s face, she wondered what she had just signed on for.

"Then I shall hold you to that at a later date. Have a good evening," H.G. stepped around Claudia and started down the hallway behind her, the book still tucked under her arm, turned so Claudia couldn't see the title.

"Wait!" Claudia called out, pushing her hands on the sides of the doorway.

H.G. paused and turned back, one corner of her mouth turned up again, "Yes?"

"I get something in return, right?"

"Of course."

When Claudia didn't respond, H.G. nodded, "Good night, Claudia." She turned a corner and disappeared.

Claudia blew air out of her mouth, slumping against the wall just inside the library. It was dang annoying how easily H.G. had just played her. "Let's just hope it's nothing too important," she murmured to herself, then brightened, "But hey, this'll mean H.G.'ll owe me! Score!" She pumped her fist.

"Hey Myka?" Claudia rapped lightly on the open door to Myka's room, sticking her head in.

Myka glanced up from the laptop propped on her thighs. She was sitting on her bed and leaning back against the headboard, probably finishing up a report. "Yeah, Claudia? Come in. I'll just be a sec." Scrunching her eyebrows up a bit at the computer screen, she started rapidly typing again.

Claudia bobbed her head up and down and slipped into the room, closing the door behind her by habit. Noticing that Myka was already dressed for bed in a gray tank top and shorts, her dark curly brown hair up in a messy bun on the top of her head, Claudia took a seat on a chair opposite the bed, idly tapping her fingers on the tops of her legs. Her eyes roamed around the room aimlessly.

"Alright, done." Pushing her laptop off her lap and scooting over to the side of the bed to swing her feet down to the floor, Myka closed her computer. She looked at Claudia expectantly.

"…Oh! Yeah." Claudia scratched the side of her head, squinting her eyes a little. "Say… Can I talk to you about something?"

Myka shrugged her shoulders lightly, looking to the left and sliding her gaze back to Claudia, a smile beginning to form on her mouth, "If I can help, sure." Obviously, it meant something to her that Claudia wanted her advice.

"Okay, good. Thanks. I didn't think you wouldn't… But thanks."

"Of course." Myka nodded.

"So…" Claudia drew out the vowel, crossing her legs and lacing her hands together to cup her upper knee. "I… Kind of… Have this problem." Claudia made a face, "And I need your advice how to deal with it."

Myka furrowed her brow, looking a little confused. "Claud," she prompted, "I'm gonna need more information than that."

"Uggghhh!" Claudia threw her hands up in the air. "I don't have much more information than that! It's all… Unknown possibilities. I promised to do something, but I don't know what that something is."

"Please tell me it's not for Pete. I do not want a repeat of the Girl Scout cookies incident."

"No-o-ho-oh!" Claudia shook her head, "I learned my lesson there, yessiree. No… It's, ah…" Claudia shut one eye and braced herself for an outburst, rattling off quickly, "It'sforH.G."

A sudden transformation flowed across Myka's face, and she sat back, freezing, then continuing the motion. "H…. G.?" One of her eyebrows went up, the other down. She pursed her lips, then grabbed a Twizzler from the open pack on her nightstand. She chewed on it thoughtfully, sitting forward again. "Uhm, okay. H.G. And she didn't say what it was?"

Claudia, who had been watching in silent wonder at all of the emotions that had crossed Myka's face, shook her head. "Not really. See, that's the thing. I kind of feel like she…" A firm knock on the door to Myka's room cut her off. "…Played me a bit?" Claudia looked at the door, then at Myka, and back at the door, then back to Myka again.

"Of course. Sorry, Claudia, hold that thought, okay?" Myka rose from the bed, finished stuffing the Twizzler in her mouth, and strode over to the door. Opening it, Claudia saw an almost deer-in-the-headlights look on Myka's face, and the woman swallowed noisily. "Helena! What a…" Myka took a step backwards in an inviting motion, then glanced at Claudia, smiling wryly as she looked back at H.G., who took a step forward into the room, "…Nice surprise. Is there anything I can, uh, do for you?"

"I do apologize for this intrusion, Myka." H.G. walked past the open door and smiled at Claudia, not looking the least bit surprised that she was there. Claudia mouthed a 'hey' and waved her hand, feeling a little like she was caught red-handed. Of course H.G. would have known she was there; the Englishwoman was ninja like that.

"It's okay," Myka replied, shutting the door behind her.

"Ahh, did I interrupt a 'slumber party'? What fun!" H.G. walked over to take a seat on the end of Myka's bed, looking expectantly at Myka and Claudia, "We didn't have such things back in my day. Probably not proper, which I think absolute rubbish."

Myka seemed stunned that H.G. had so easily sat down on her bed, but she blinked, shook herself slightly, and then walked around to take a seat for herself. It wasn't too close to H.G., but it wasn't too far either. Claudia leaned forward minutely in her chair, studying the two women. There was something going on between Myka and H.G., she just knew it.

"Ah, Helena, Claudia and I aren't having a slumber party. We were just talking."

"Oh?" H.G. frowned slightly, looking disappointed. "I see. That's what I get for assuming, I suppose."

Myka worried her lower lip lightly, "Yeah."

Claudia looked quickly back and forth between the two women again. Myka was fidgeting with her hands, her eyes seemingly stuck in a loop of studying H.G. and looking down at her bed. H.G., meanwhile, was gazing around Myka's room, a closed off expression on her face. Claudia started to feel itchy, like she was intruding on something.

"Well!" she said loudly, standing up from her seat, garnering two startled looks from Myka and H.G. "I think I'll go find Pete and challenge him to a game. So you two," Claudia poked her pointer fingers together, then spread out her hands to encompass both women, "Can talk about whatever it is you wanted to talk about. I'll wait for another time."

"Wait – Claud – " Myka couldn't seem to get what she wanted out, eyes wide as she shook her head back and forth behind H.G., who couldn't see her.

Claudia clapped her hands in front of her face, bowing her head apologetically – though she didn't feel sorry in the least, "Sorry, but the game's afoot. I need to go make sure I'll get the characters I want." She twirled her left hand in the air, motioning at the door, feeling for the doorknob behind her with her right. Grasping it, she turned it quickly, quipped out, "Laters!" and ran from the room, answering Myka's swift self-composed question of what game she was going to play with a "Doesn't matter!"