A/N: I love my Warehouse peeps. Just a little post canon that fits in with my other pieces.
"I'm going."
Claudia's determined voice echoed across the office.
"Don't try and stop me," she continued, striding to the desk in front of her and placing her palms down flat. "I have to go. Myka's due date is getting closer, and I promised her. She's my family."
"Of course you're going," Mrs Frederic said in her low, measured tone. She rested her elbows on the desk and clasped her hands together, looking Claudia in the eyes. Claudia looked taken aback.
"Wait, what?"
"You said it yourself," Mrs Frederic answered. "The Agents Lattimer are your family, Claudia, and at a time like this, the support of a family is what is required."
Claudia withdrew her hands from the desk and folded her arms across her chest.
"Oh," she said. "Well, um, thanks."
"Ms Donovan, why do you always assume that I will refuse your wishes?" Mrs Frederic asked.
"Old habit," Claudia said, her cheeks flushing. "Artie always put up a fight, which, granted, I never listened to anyway."
"I am not Arthur," Mrs Frederic said evenly. "And you are a grown woman, Ms Donovan, and the future Warehouse caretaker. Your decisions are your own to make."
Claudia grinned sheepishly.
"Thanks Mrs F," she murmured. "So... I'm gonna go catch a plane."
"Pass on my best wishes to Myka and Peter," Mrs Frederic said with a soft smile. Claudia winked at her as she turned and hurried away.
Claudia could hear the argument raging inside the Lattimer house as she stood on the stoop and tentatively knocked on the door. Steve answered her knock, a look of relief crossing his features as he took in her face.
"Oh thank God you're here," he muttered, pulling Claudia into his arms. "They've been at it for days."
Claudia winced as the sound of shattering glass echoed down the hall from the kitchen. She ditched her bag into the hall closet and followed Steve into the kitchen, where they found Myka and Pete staring each other down from opposite sides of the island bench. The remnants of a broken drinking glass were lying against the far wall.
"Wow." The word fell out of Claudia's mouth before she had the chance to stop it. Myka and Pete broke eye contact long enough to look towards the doorway. Claudia couldn't take her eyes off Myka's enormously pregnant stomach.
"Myka, wow, you're..."
"Choose your next words very carefully, Claud," Myka warned. Claudia swallowed her words.
"You're so pretty," she said hurriedly. Myka cocked an eyebrow.
"That was a rotten save," she commented, "but nonetheless, I am glad to see you." She shuffled away from the bench and gave Claudia the best hug she could despite her pregnancy.
"I need you to get me out of here," Myka muttered to Claudia, "before I commit murder."
"Uh, is that such a good idea?" Claudia asked, glancing at Myka's belly.
"I am pregnant, not infirm," Myka snapped, and then turned to glare over her shoulder.
"Pete, you are hovering again!"
Pete took a step back, a pained look on his face.
"Mykes, I just want you to sit down and put your feet up," he said gently. Myka let out an exasperated growl.
"I don't want to sit down!" she cried. "I'm not a child; I'm quite capable of deciding what I can and can't do!"
Claudia backed up until she hit Steve's chest. He put his hands on her shoulders reassuringly.
"Pete has been hovering over her ever since I got here," Steve murmured in Claudia's ear as Pete and Myka started shouting at each other again. "He's nervous, but Myka's frustrated and tired and quite frankly, I am actually surprised that she hasn't smacked him over the head with frying pan."
"Right!" Claudia cried brightly, clapping her hands together to get Pete and Myka's attention. "Myka and I are going out!"
"Oh thank God," Myka groaned as Pete let out a yelp.
"Oh relax Pete, I'm not taking her skydiving," Claudia snarked. "We're just going to get ice cream."
Pete screwed up his face in frustration as Claudia held her hand out for his car keys, but eventually he pulled the keys out of his pocket and handed them over. Myka was already halfway to the front door as Claudia stood on tiptoes and kissed Steve on the cheek.
"Second A team to the rescue," she whispered with a grin. "Try and get Pete to calm down, ok?"
Steve grunted in reply as he kissed her back, and Claudia rushed to catch up to Myka.
"Butter pecan, caramel sauce, chocolate sprinkles," Claudia recited, handing the loaded ice cream cup across to the passenger seat of the car.
"Yes!" Myka crooned, grasping for the cup gratefully. She had a spoonful in her mouth before Claudia even had the chance to climb back into the SUV with her own dessert treat. Myka leaned her head back against the headrest and exhaled loudly.
"Oh my God, this tastes like freedom," she commented.
"Little over-dramatic, don't you think?" Claudia asked, scooping up a spoonful of her mint choc-chip. Myka shot her a look.
"Claudia, you have no idea what it's been like," she said. "Pete never leaves me alone. I can barely go to the bathroom, which I have to do practically every five minutes by the way, without him following me. I swear, there are days when I wake up and I'm convinced that I'm under some artifact influence."
"Oh no you don't!" Claudia warned. "I asked you like five times before your wedding whether you were whammied, and you denied it every single time."
"How did I get to this point then?" Myka shot back. "I'm married to Pete Lattimer! I'm pregnant with not one, but two of his children, at the same time!"
"Myka, you love Pete," Claudia laughed. Myka gave her a put-on look.
"Really, Claud?"
"Really," Claudia smiled. "You laugh at his terrible jokes. You're actually in awe of how much food he can fit in his mouth at one time. You still haven't asked him to get a haircut despite the fact that he looks so ridiculous right now..." She trailed off with a smug look at the goofy grin that was crossing Myka's face.
"See, told you."
Myka rolled her eyes and stuck another spoonful of ice cream in her mouth.
"Fine, I love Pete," she mumbled. "He's just so annoying right now."
"Right now?" Claudia cracked. Myka wrinkled her nose at her, and then ran her hand over her swollen belly with a sigh. Claudia sucked on her spoon as she watched her friend for a moment.
"Ok Myka, so what's up?"
Myka set her ice cream cup on the dashboard and stared out of the window for a moment before glancing over at Claudia.
"What if I'm bad at it, Claud?" she asked softly.
"I'm sorry, bad at what?" Claudia asked, setting her own ice cream cup aside. Myka indicated her body.
"This," she said. "Being a mom. What if I'm just bad at it?"
"Myka," Claudia breathed, reaching over and resting her hand on Myka's stomach, covering Myka's own hand with her fingers. "You are not going to be bad at being a mom."
"How can you be so sure?" Myka murmured.
"Well, for one, you've been raising a man-child for the last five years," Claudia cracked, and Myka's mouth twitched as she fought against a smile.
"Easy Claud, that's my husband you're talking about," Myka said mock-warningly. Claudia smiled.
"And there's the other reason. You protect your own, Myka. These babies are going to be the two most loved kids in the whole world." Claudia's eyes suddenly lit up as she felt movement under her palm. She gave Myka a wide-eyed look.
"Feels pretty amazing, doesn't it?" Myka asked with a smile.
"Was that a kick?" Claudia asked, and then laughed as the movement happened again. "Ha ha, wow! You've got a little ninja in there!"
"They're going to be just like their father," Myka said as she rolled her eyes. Claudia couldn't wipe the grin off her face, and Myka reached out and ruffled Claudia's hair.
"Thanks for talking me down, Claud," she murmured. "I've really missed having you around these last couple of months."
"Aw, Myka, please don't go all weepy on me," Claudia said with a wry smile, reluctantly pulling her hand away from Myka's belly. "I miss you guys too. But I'm here now."
Myka picked up her cup of ice cream from the dashboard and took in the melted mess.
"I think I'm ready to go home now," she told Claudia with a smile.
A few days later, the four former Warehouse 13 agents were gathered together in Pete and Myka's living room. Myka was stretched out on the couch, flipping through a book of baby names while using her stomach as a bookstand. Pete sat on the floor by her head, and occasionally Myka would reach out a hand and run it through Pete's hair, which was freshly cut after Steve had dragged him to a barber. Claudia was sprawled across an armchair nearby, her legs dangling over the arm. Steve sat on the floor in front of her, playing a game on his phone, which Claudia kept interrupting regularly. Myka looked over at Claudia and Steve.
"You guys should go out and explore," she said. "Honestly, you're on vacation, and you're just sitting around here. You must be going crazy."
"Myka, we came here for you," Steve said gently, handing his phone to Claudia so that she could finish his game. "Believe it or not, I'm actually happy to be sitting around doing nothing."
"I'm enjoying not being constantly schooled by Mrs F," Claudia quipped as she smoothly completed Steve's game. "Honestly, Myka, if you want to hold those babies in for another week or so, that is completely fine by me."
"Not so much by me," Pete commented, craning his neck to give Myka a grin. Myka poked her husband on the nose.
"Believe me, I'm with you," she told him wryly.
"So what's with the name book?" Claudia asked. "You can't possibly convince me that you guys haven't picked names yet."
"We're having a little trouble agreeing," Pete said, and Myka scoffed and rolled her eyes.
"Pete wants to call them Thor and Loki," she said dryly. Claudia's face lit up.
"Cool!" she exclaimed, and Pete grinned. Myka gave her a look.
"What?" Claudia said innocently. "You know, this would be a lot easier if you guys had found out if you were having boys or girls."
"I had other suggestions!" Pete said defensively. Myka turned back to her book.
"What other suggestions?" Steve asked. There was already a smirk on his face, like he knew what was coming.
"Bruce and Tony," Pete grinned. "Romeo and Juliet. Laverne and Shirley. Spock and Uhura."
Steve and Claudia were laughing hysterically.
"Katniss and Peeta!" Claudia threw out excitedly. "Tris and Tobias. Dean and Sam. Hazel and Augustus. Percy and Annabeth."
"Are you literally just naming every internet fandom?" Steve asked, craning his head back to meet Claudia's eyes. Claudia poked him gently between the eyes as she smirked. Steve grabbed her hand and kissed her palm. Across the room, Myka cleared her throat and made to sit up. Pete was instantly on his feet.
"You ok, Mykes?"
"I'm fine," Myka huffed out, holding out her hands so that Pete could help her up. "I'm just going to the kitchen."
"I can get you whatever you need," Pete told her. Myka tilted her head to the side.
"Pete, sit down, and I'll make you a sandwich," she said, and Pete's eyes lit up.
"Peanut butter and jelly?"
"If that's what you want," Myka smirked, stroking her husband on the cheek. She looked over at Claudia.
"Come with me?"
Claudia manoeuvred herself out of the armchair, patting Steve on the head as she went, and followed Myka into the kitchen. Myka pulled sandwich ingredients from the refrigerator, then suddenly turned and grabbed onto the kitchen bench, letting out a ragged breath as pain flashed across her face. Claudia was by her side in an instant.
"Myka, are you ok?"
"Yeah," Myka said softly, blowing out her cheeks and then straightening up. "Someone's just got their feet all tangled up in my ribs, and it's not a pleasant sensation."
Claudia squinted at her suspiciously for a moment before reaching over and unscrewing the lid on the peanut butter jar.
"You want to talk to me about something, Myka? I know you didn't just offer to make Pete a sandwich for no reason."
Myka laid out a few slices of bread and then looked up at Claudia.
"Does Steve know, Claudia?"
Claudia had just stuck a blob of grape jelly in her mouth.
"Know what?" she mumbled, sucking on her finger.
"That you're in love with him," Myka said softly. Claudia slowly lowered her hand away from her mouth and met Myka's gaze. She looked pained.
"Oh man," she murmured embarrassedly. "Is it that obvious?"
"You can't keep your hands off of him," Myka said with a wry smile. "And that look on your face... well, I see it on my husband every day."
Claudia had gone scarlet. She busied her hands by slapping some peanut butter on a piece of bread. When she looked up at Myka, there were tears forming in her eyes.
"I can't tell him, Myka," she whispered. "He's gay. That's not going to change. So what's the point in ruining what we have?"
"The point is, you're hurting," Myka said, reaching for Claudia's hand. "And Steve is your best friend. He wouldn't want you to be in pain."
"Uh, Myka?" Claudia said, looking down at her hand. "I'm in pain right now, and it's not because I love Steve. You're kind of breaking my hand."
Myka winced and withdrew the steely grip she had on Claudia's fingers.
"Sorry," she apologised. "These kids are running out of room. Every move they make hurts."
"Myka, are you sure everything is all right?" Claudia asked, shaking out her hand. Myka threw her completed sandwich onto a plate and gave Claudia a short nod.
"All good," she said. "Are you going to be ok?"
Claudia swallowed hard and nodded.
"I have to be," she said resignedly. "The alternative is losing Steve, and I refuse to let that be an option."
"I'll always be right here, if you ever need to talk," Myka told her, and Claudia smiled thankfully.
"Myka, did you eat my sandwich?" Pete's voice echoed from the living room. Myka rolled her eyes and picked up her plate.
"Feeding time at the zoo," she cracked, and Claudia chuckled.
"Practice for the future," she quipped, and Myka laughed as she led the way back out of the kitchen.
It was 3am the next morning when Claudia's cell phone started buzzing. Claudia untangled herself from Steve's arms, noting to herself that she was really going to have to stop sharing a bed with Steve, and squinted at the cell display, answering quickly when she saw Pete's name.
"Myka's in labour," Pete said anxiously. "I'm taking her to the hospital now."
"Pete, calm down," Claudia soothed, swinging her hand around to wake Steve up. "Labour can take hours."
"I've just been informed that the contractions started roughly 12 hours ago," Pete told her tersely. Claudia swore.
"I knew she was lying when were in the kitchen," she hissed. "Ok, all systems go, Pete. We'll meet you at the hospital."
"Spock out," Pete rang off. Steve was rubbing at his eyes.
"What's going on?" he mumbled sleepily.
"It's go time, Poopypants," Claudia informed him, patting his knee. "Let's move."
Several hours later, Claudia and Steve sat waiting in a hospital corridor. Steve was dozing, but Claudia sat ramrod straight, jumping at every noise that came from the nearby rooms. She dug her fingernails into Steve's palm as a high-pitched shriek echoed out into the hallway.
"Claud, you're not the one giving birth right now," Steve said, prising her fingers loose. "Also, that wasn't Myka."
The next shout that filtered out into the hallway ended with a "Get your hands off me, Pete!", which made Steve snicker.
"That was Myka," he laughed.
"Please remind me of this every time I indicate I may want to have children," Claudia said stiffly. Steve pressed a kiss to her temple as he continued to chuckle.
"Am I too late? Did I miss it?"
Claudia and Steve both looked up at the familiar voice that echoed down the hall, and Claudia sprang to her feet to envelope the older man in a hug.
"Artie!" she breathed happily, squeezing him tightly before stepping back. Artie straightened the glasses Claudia had knocked askew and nodded towards Steve, who had stood up and wrapped an arm around Claudia's shoulders.
"Did I miss anything?" Artie asked.
"Just Myka verbally assaulting Pete at regular intervals," Steve informed him with a grin. Artie offered a half smile and then let out a wheezing breath as Claudia hugged him again.
"I didn't know you were coming," she murmured in his ear.
"I promised Myka that our family would go through things together," Artie said gruffly, settling onto the bank of chairs Claudia and Steve had been sitting on before his arrival.
"Oh, you big teddy bear," Claudia teased, taking her seat again. Artie grunted at her, but there was a smile on his face.
"So, how's it been in San Diego?" Steve asked Artie. A slow smile spread across Artie's face.
"It's quite wonderful," he said. "Spending time with Scott and his family; it's been... Oh, Claudia, my little granddaughter Jasmine, she's such a delightful child."
Claudia was wearing a devilish grin.
"Wait, does this mean I can legitimately call you Grandpa now?" she asked. Artie frowned and grunted at her.
"I have not missed that mouth of yours," he commented, and Claudia smirked.
"You were saying, about your granddaughter?"
"She's a brilliant child," Artie said. "Only two years old, but so inquisitive, and smart."
"I'll remember to keep an eye out for her in twenty years," Claudia said with a wink.
"Yes, well," Artie mumbled, but his face showed his satisfaction. Claudia suddenly stiffened again as another scream sounded from Myka's hospital room. She looked queasy.
"Why are those babies torturing Myka?" she asked through clenched teeth. Steve held out his hand for her to grab onto again as the shouting from the room intensified. Suddenly, it seemed like everything had gone quiet. Claudia glanced from Steve to Artie and back again.
"Someone please tell me that everything is ok," she demanded softly.
"Claud," Steve murmured, but he was cut off from saying anything further when Pete emerged from the doorway in front of them, a grin a mile wide plastered across his face. Claudia, Steve and Artie sprang to their feet.
"It's a girl!" Pete announced delightedly. Claudia let out a squeal, and then cocked her head questioningly.
"Wait, a girl?" she asked. "Pete, there were twins in there."
"And there's also a boy," Pete grinned happily. "We got one of each!"
There was a sudden ambush of hugs and happy cries and congratulatory pats on the back.
"Can we see them?" Claudia asked expectantly. Pete screwed up his face.
"You might want to give us a bit of time," he said. "There's like, cleaning up and stuff going on in there."
"Right, got it," Steve said as he cleared his throat uncomfortably. Beside him, Claudia wrinkled her nose in disgust.
"I'll let you know when it's all clear," Pete grinned, stepping back into the hospital room. Claudia let out an excited squeal and wrapped her arms around Artie before turning and trotting down the hallway.
"Claud, where are you going?" Steve called after her. Claudia turned to face him.
"Gift shop!" she announced excitedly. "Come on people, let's go!"
An hour later Claudia trooped into Myka's hospital room carrying a giant teddy bear that was almost as big as she was. Steve and Artie followed carrying balloons and flowers. Myka looked up and let out a surprised laugh.
"Dear God, Claud, what on earth do you think we're going to do with that?" she asked incredulously.
"Honestly, at this point, I don't care," Claudia commented, throwing the teddy bear onto a chair and making a beeline for Myka's bedside. "Let me at that baby."
Myka held a tiny pink bundle in her arms. She shifted the baby slightly so that Claudia could take in the little sleeping face. Claudia let out a sigh.
"Hey there, beautiful," she breathed, and then looked at Myka. "Myka, she's perfect."
Myka couldn't keep the goofy grin off her face.
"I know," she said softly. "They both are."
Claudia followed Myka's gaze to where Pete stood holding his son, with Artie and Steve peering over his shoulders. Pete wore a look of complete pride on his face.
"Do you want to hold her?" Myka asked Claudia. Claudia looked flabbergasted for a moment, and then held out her arms to accept the baby girl from Myka. Claudia melted.
"Hey baby girl," she crooned, rocking the child gently.
"Do you still want to be reminded of the screaming if you say you want children?" Steve asked from across the room. Claudia looked up to find that Steve now also had a baby in his arms.
"Shut up," she teased, walking across the room to stand next to her best friend. She leaned up to kiss Pete on the cheek.
"I did good, huh Claud?" Pete asked, as Artie leaned over Claudia's shoulder to take in the face of the baby in her arms. Claudia snorted.
"Pete, I really don't think you did anything at all," she commented, glancing over at Myka, who despite radiating happiness, did look truly exhausted.
"Did you guys decide on names yet?" Steve asked. Myka nodded.
"You're holding Martin," Pete said proudly to Steve.
"You named him for your father?" Artie enquired, and Pete nodded.
"It was Myka's idea," he said gruffly. "Both of their names were."
Three faces looked over at Myka expectantly. Myka's face flushed.
"My sweet girl's name is Leena," she said softly, and Claudia's face crumpled.
"As long as it's ok with you, Artie," Myka continued, looking at the older man pleadingly. Artie cleared his throat.
"I think that Leena would be honoured," he said thickly, and Myka bit her lip.
"Thank you," she whispered. Artie nodded and wiped at his eyes quickly before accepting baby Leena into his arms. Claudia wandered back to Myka's bedside and hiked herself up onto the bed. Myka smiled at the younger woman tiredly.
"Still think you've been whammied?" Claudia asked teasingly, and Myka rolled her eyes as she shook her head.
"Even if I have, I wouldn't change a thing," she murmured happily, watching Pete, Steve and Artie coo over her newborns. She put her hand over Claudia's.
"You know that you're their godmother, right?" Myka said, and Claudia's eyes widened in surprise.
"Seriously?" she asked, her eyes welling with tears. Myka nodded, and Claudia enveloped her in a hug.
"You'll be their godfather," Pete said to Steve, who looked even more surprised that Claudia.
"Me?" he asked incredulously. "Are you sure?"
"Of course," Myka said reassuringly. "We insist."
A proud look settled over Steve's face. Artie walked over to Myka's bedside and gently passed the baby girl in his arms back to her mother.
"You really are a family now," he commented, casting his eyes over all inhabitants in the room.
"We've always been a family," Pete piped up. "We just gained a few more members."
"And we'll always be family," Claudia said. "All of us, always."