Special thanks to my friends who pushed me to write something, anything! And push it out. So thanks to Kendralynora and Cora Sinclair.

Major spoilers. This is how I think the next few minutes will go after the last episode of Season 4.

"Claudia NO!" Myka screamed.

She and Steve caught up to Claudia and Artie a second too late. The girl had already plunged the artifact knife into Artie.

Instantly, Claudia started to cry and Artie's mind snapped back to himself. He took the knife to his chest silently, sliding down the wall as his knees went out. After all, this was what he had feared, hoped for, and in the end, asked for. Just like that, his mind was clear. The possession that gripped him was gone but it took his vision coming true to make that happen. Claudia, the person that he cared about the most had to kill him to cure him.

Claudia grabbed his shirt, desperately trying to hold him up, to somehow undo what she had just done. She sobbed and whispered, "I'm sorry." almost incoherently.

Artie put his arm around the girl. She fell into him and broke down. He managed to mumble out through the pain. "It's…" Artie, the closest thing that Claudia ever had a father, comforted her, holding her close, as he slumped back against the old brick wall of the mill. "It's ok…"

The blue orchid floated through the air, but Myka and Steve,could only gape at the scene before them. Pete came rushing in, a second behind the other agents. He dove head first, sliding under the flower at the last minute stopping it from hitting the ground. But still, the artifact released it's disease, dissolving into millions of tiny particles of death upon impact with the agent's skin.

Pete was the very first to be infected. The sweating disease permeated his nose and eyes. Quickly, it flew to everyone in the room, infecting Myka and Steve, then even Artie, stealing the last of his strength. The black death of the disease flew into the air, infecting the country of France, the continent of Europe, and soon after, the globe.

Oblivious to everything but her own world crumbling, Claudia sobbed into her dying mentor's shoulder. He wasn't even able to comfort her anymore. His arms fell and hung loose, throwing Claudia into further hysterics. Life sped away from Artie, drawn out by the knife buried in him.

"Claudia!"

The girl cried, clutching Artie to her.

"Claudia!" Steve called to her urgently. He pulled at her, but she clutched to Artie tighter. "Claudia, please! I can help him!"

Steve tugged at Claudia again, but this time, she let him pull her off. She kept a grip on Artie's shirt, the only thing holding him up against the wall. The knife protruded from his chest, moving with his breathing, it's motion slowing as Artie's breath slowed.

"Artie!" Steve called to his boss who was sitting motionless, and eyes closed and held up by Claudia. "Artie!" Steve knelt down. He gulped at the knife sticking out of Artie's chest but focused and shook him.

"Steve, help him!" Claudia pleaded.

"Not yet." Steve said. "Artie!"

"Steve! PLEASE!" Tears flowed freely from Claudia's eyes.

"Claudia! I can't!" Steve blurted out. "I have to be sure."

"Of what?" Myka said. They had almost forgotten Myka and Pete.

Steve glanced at Myka quickly, then back at Claudia. "Mrs. Fredric gave me an artifact to save Artie, but I have to make sure that it's him." Steve's blue eyes pleaded for understanding from Claudia. "I can tell."

He didn't wait for permission from her, he knew that Artie didn't have that kind of time. Steve shook him again and slapped his cheek. "Artie, Artie!"

Artie's eyes fluttered. His brown eyes were unfocused but they seemed to find Claudia.

"Are you Artie?" Steve asked insistently.

Artie breathed weakly. His eyes stayed on Claudia.

Claudia sobbed loudly. Her face contorted into a frown. She didn't bother to wipe the tears flowing down each side of her face.

Artie grunted softly. Slowly, his eyes shut again and he went very still.

Claudia screamed frantically. "ARTIE! Steve. Steve, please!"

Steve quickly reached into the pocket of his jacket and pulled out an unimpressive grey scarab. "Claudia, you have to; I need you to pull the knife out." Steve nodded to the dagger sticking out of Artie's chest. Claudia hesitated the briefest of moments.

"I'll do it." Pete offered. He looked pale.

"It has to be her." Steve said.

Claudia sucked in a courageous breath. She put her hand flat against an unresponsive Artie and gripped the handle of the knife.

"Ok Claudia, pull it out." Steve waited a tense second. Claudia looked at Artie's closed eyes. "Claudia NOW!"

Claudia screamed and jerked the knife free. Artie's chest moved only the slightest amount. Steve quickly jammed the Egyptian scarab over the wound that quickly started to show blood seeping out around it.

Everyone in the room held their collective breaths.

A long second passed.

Then another.

"Stev-" Pete started.

"Shh!" Steve hissed. Yet another second passed and Artie stayed limp. His eyes stayed closed.

"Mrs. Fredric said that it would work…" Steve said. Claudia started to cry again.

But then, a small glow that no one had noticed flared up and flashed bright. In that moment, Artie jerked.

Steve blinked. He continued to press the artifact to Artie's chest, afraid of interrupting the process.

Claudia's brow crinkled. She was caught between hoping and fear of a false hope.

They all jumped when Artie sucked in a huge breath. He exhaled, then sucked in another and opened his eyes.

Claudia choked on a sob and fell into him, this time with tears of joy. As Artie caught his breath, he raised his hand to give her a one armed hug again. The gesture made Claudia cry harder, and laugh at the same time, completely over come with relief.

Artie glanced around, then focused on the girl in his arms. He used both arms to console her. Calling to her, he said, "Claudia, Claudia, it's ok. It's ok."

She clutched him, balling his shirt in her fists. "I thought… I thought I killed you."

"Hey, hey. You did the right thing." He said into her hair. "You did the right thing."

They stayed like that for a moment more before he added. "I'm here now."

Claudia lifted her head from his shoulder. Her tear stained face broke his heart. He tried to smile for her sake and used a thumb to brush a tear away. Seeing his eyes open again and looking at her, Claudia smiled. She breathed heavily, recovering from the ordeal. She leaned into him again, resting her forehead on his shoulder.

Artie rubbed her back, giving her a moment more. But he took inventory of his team. They looked horrible, but alive. His eyes came across the grey scarab in Steve's hand. He recognized the artifact.

"Pharaoh Khufu's heart scarab." He nodded at Steve. "Mrs. Fredric." It was more of a statement than a question.

Steve glanced at his hand. He said, "She thought that we could save you, if- well if you were…"

"If I became me again." Artie finished for him. He nodded in understanding and agreement.

Pete coughed, getting everyone's attention. They saw for the first time that Myka was holding him up. He was pale and his eyes were sullen.

Claudia pushed herself up against the wall and then quickly helped Artie to his feet. Myka and Steve were helping Pete to sit down by the time that Artie and Claudia got to him.

"Easy, take it easy." Artie said. He felt run down and sick himself, but as he looked at his agents, he knew that they were all exposed to the sweating sickness released by the deadly blue orchid.

"Myka, Steve, help Pete." He ordered. Steve grabbed one of Pete's arms while Myka took the other. Artie glanced at his team, "Come on. We have work to do."

See the artifact at:

explore/highlights/highlight_objects/aes/s/steatite_heart_scarab_