I believe that this requires a bit of explanation. This story had been completed in my mind, but the more I considered it, the more it was obviously unfinished. Feedback would be nice to encourage, or not. ;)

Thanks goes out to CuriosityCollection for the help. CC has a great, epic story out.

Happy Thanksgiving. I'm thankful to have agents and a Warehouse to play with.

Myka recovered and sealed the bag, folding the flap over to secure the high powered dish. Both agents let out a breath of relief at finally getting the artifact bagged. Myka looked at Artie. "How you doing?"

Artie realized that he was wiping blood from his goatee. The ground spun slowly around his pounding head, but his ears felt better. Myka's voice no longer caused him ridiculous pain. He looked to Myka with what he hoped was an encouraging expression. "Better."

"Think you can stand?"

In response, he nodded, then held his arm out and shoved off the ground. Myka grabbed his arm and pulled Artie to his feet. He rose with a grunt and a whimper. She held onto him while he staggered. Artie's hand went to his head and stayed there. He winced as Myka put her arm around his shoulders.

"This is going to take a lot of explaining." She said, surveying the make shift battle field.

Artie looked up, as if realizing the mess for the first time. "Hm? Oh. Yeah, well we're not sticking around to explain it." He motioned to their SUV and turned Myka towards it. He pushed off of her and started towards the vehicle.

Myka let him go, turning to quickly checked the pockets of the big goon who hit her in the container earlier. He was clutching his chest where she shot him, but she could tell that the wound was to the side of his chest and he would probably live. The guard made no effort to stop Myka from pulling out his cell phone. She dialed 911, then handed it to the bleeding guy.

"After you get patched up, I suggest claiming amnesia about us. Trust me, it'll be easier for you." Myka said. The man dully nodded his agreement. She held the phone out to him until he positioned himself on his elbow to free up an arm to hold it himself.

Myka gathered Artie's things, listening for the goon to talk to the 911 operator before quickly catching up to Artie who was taking a rather serpentine route to the SUV. She grabbed his arm, steadying him.

Artie gave Myka a quick glance of thanks. "Did you get- ah, my bag." She handed it to him. Artie set the bag on the hood as they approached the car, then jerked it open and plunged his arm in past his elbow. Quickly, he came out with the car keys. He clicked the rental remote, unlocking the SUV, but Myka held out her hand. "Oh, uh, yeah…" He handed the keys over to Myka who sighed inwardly at his hesitation.

Artie shrugged her off when she helped him to the passenger side of the SUV, but she held the door open for him anyway and helped him up. "Careful Artie."

"Leave this to the local police. Complications… Mrs. Frederic- not to mention the Regents…" Artie mumbled mostly to himself, ending with a shudder.

Myka shut the door then ran around the vehicle and got in herself. Her boss had laid back against the headrest and was still mumbling through heavily hooded eyes. Myka started the car then told him, "Don't worry. I'll get you checked out."

Artie's eyes opened and he started making unintelligible, but clearly negative sounds. "N, n, n, no…"

"Artie, you're barely standing. You have to go to a hospital!" Myka said with emotion.

Artie sat up. His voice grew strong with the force of his personality giving power to his words. "And tell them what? That I was blasted by a sound amplifying artifact made into a noise gun by guy who tried to sell it to the mob?" He added sarcastically. "Oh, that won't raise any questions at all!"

Myka bit lip a bit as she tried to figure out what to say next, but Artie added, "Let's go! I don't want to be here when the next round of mob hit men start showing up."

She silently agreed with this one point of his. The black Cadillac with the the guy in charge did get away and might be back any minute. She put the car into gear forcefully, sending gravel flying as they pulled out of the port.

Once on the road, and away from all of the mobsters, the agents visibly relaxed. Out of the corner of her eye Myka saw Artie pitifully try to piece his broken glasses back together. He swayed in his seat, and grabbed at his head, letting out a soft groan.

The younger agent jerked the vehicle suddenly to the side. Myka ignored Artie's questions as she pulled over to the side of the road. She still ignored him when she pulled out her recovered cell phone and started swiping and typing on the screen.

Artie was practically beside himself by this time. "Myka, Myka, Myka. What are you doing?! We, we have to-"

"I'm getting you to a doctor." Myka responded tersely, not looking up from her search for a hospital in the area.

"N… n… n…" Artie took a breath to gathered himself. "Look. Hey… Hey!" Myka gave him an angry glance. Artie sighed and said, "Look, I'm ok."

"Artie, you're not ok!"

"Myka! I AM fine." The supervisor held her gaze for a long moment before saying, "You want me to feel better? Then get to me back to the Warehouse! THAT will make me feel better."

The brown haired agent clenched her jaw, then looked out the window when she felt her emotions rise. Artie was unprepared for the sight of brimming tears.

"Wh- are you... Myka?" He tilted his head to try to look at her.

She inwardly cursed herself for being in this situation. Myka quickly brushed moisture from the corner of her eye.

"What? What is it?" Artie let his voice go soft.

She looked down at her hands, that somehow helping her force out the words. "I just can't help but think that if you weren't covering me- if I was in a better position, then- then he wouldn't… you wouldn't have…"

Eyebrows furrowed, Artie finished, "Gotten hurt?" He tilted his head further. "Hm?"

Myka looked at him, then raised her chin to face him. "They got the jump on me. I was reckless."

"You were doing your job. So was I. It happens. " he said. Myka started to fight still so he cut her off. "It happens! This is a dangerous job."

Myka sniffed, considering, as she looked out the windshield. A light, miserable drizzle had started. Her emotions were back under control, but her logic wasn't satisfied quite yet. She said to him, "If I had checked the area better, done a full sweep instead of focusing on the first suspect I found, then I-"

Artie shook his head; very gently. "Myka…"

His tone made her stop and look out the window again.

The senior agent searched for something inspiring or comforting to say, but his headache wasn't letting him think straight. "You and Pete, you're the best agents I've had… and…" Myka turned her head to look at him again. "Listen, I know that, in the past, your partners-"

Myka set her jaw, and shrugged, but also nodded. "Yeah."

"But, uh, if you, you want to talk about it…"

Myka frowned and shook her head, playing off the moment. "Maybe. I mean, after."

"Ah, ok. After." Artie agreed, not entirely positive what to.

Myka forced a half hearted smile. "After, we get you taken care of." She looked at her phone again.

"We just, I thought-"

Myka put the phone to her ear. She said, as if she knew the person who picked up, "Hello? Oh hi."

Artie frowned. "Who did you call?"

Myka shushed him. "I'm afraid that we need a visit. As soon as possible. Yes. No, I'm ok." Myka looked in the rear view mirror and gently touched her bruised and swollen cheek. "Yes. Yes. Can you talk to him?"

Artie questioned her with a look. His agent clicked on the phone's speaker. She gave the phone to Artie so she could put the car into gear.

"Uh, hello?" He said, hesitatingly to whoever Myka had called. He looked at number on the phone just as a sweet, light voice came out of it.

"Artie? Are you all right?" Dr. Calder's voice said.

His cranky frown melted into a surprised, loopy grin. "Vanessa!" he breathed out. "I'm… I'm fine. Just a little, uhm…" He knew that he wouldn't get away with lying to her. "Wait, just one…." Artie clicked off the speaker to have a little bit more privacy. He put the phone to his ear, shooting Myka a sideways glare. Myka couldn't help but grin at the sweet relationship between the doctor and her boss. "Hi Vanessa… Yeah, well no. I- we're heading back now… Yea. I think I- we both do… Hate to bother you… Well, of course, I would like to see you again… Vanessa, can you, can you wait one second?"

"Myka?"

Myka barely glanced at him, her attention back on the road to drive them back to Warehouse 13. "Yeah Artie?"

"Nice work today."

"What?"

Artie gave her a serious look. "You came though when I needed you. Thanks."

Myka returned his gaze. She nodded, accepting his validation of her; her skills, her value as an agent.

Artie gave her a small smile, then turned his full attention to the phone. He rubbed his sore forehead, shading his eyes, which helped his headache, but his goofy smile returned. "Vanessa? Ya, hi. Yes we did already say this… Well, hi again…"

I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it.