Title: Off Kilter

author: Cindy Ryan

category: alternate universe/storyline

notes: Yes I know Univille doesn't have a hospital but for this story it does :)

It was pure instinct that enabled Agent Pete Lattimer to catch his partner as she fell. One moment Myka Bering had been walking next to him out of the warehouse office and the next she swayed.

"Myka!"Pete exclaimed part surprise part concern.

"She probably just fainted."Artie said moving towards them.

"Myka doesn't faint."Pete replied almost automatically.

"Everyone faints."Claudia Donovan muttered.

Pete eased his partner onto the floor. She was white as a ghost. Her dark hair stark against her pale skin. Pete searched for her vitals. Her breathing was good but Myka's pulse was thready.

"I'm taking her to the hospital."Pete stated as he stood and scooped Myka into his arms."Her pulse is thready."

"Oh no."Claudia commented.

Pete turned and hurried out the door. He hadn't had a vibe when Myka had fallen. He didn't have one now. Myka didn't stir as Pete placed her on the back seat. He checked her pulse again and bit back a curse.

"Hang in there."Pete whispered as he slammed the door and got into the driver's seat.

As he paced the waiting room Pete thought of the last few days. Myka had seemed tired but that wasn't unusual. She'd been sick one day but she thought it'd been something she'd eaten. Myka had a headache the week before after coming back from a flight to Boston.

Pete ran a hand through his dark hair. Artie and Claudia sat on the sofa having arrived shortly after Pete. That had been forty minutes ago.

"What could be taking so long?!"Pete exclaimed."Place was practically empty when I got here. Not like this is a big city ER!"

"Pete blood tests and things take time."Artie said calmly.

Pete slumped into a nearby gray chair. While he and Myka hadn't always gotten along she was still his best friend. They'd been at the warehouse for two years. Things had been a bit strained since they'd been affected by an artifact and lost their memory of the previous day. They'd woken up in each other's arms in his bed in a hotel in Paris, France naked as the day they'd been born. As their memory had returned it became clear they had sex the relationship had started to tilt. Even though Pete had told Myka that whatever had happened while they were under the spell of Co Co Chanel's experimental love potion perfume what mattered was their friendship and partnership. That they could get through the weirdness. That had been five weeks ago.

"She didn't eat dinner with us last night."Artie commented breaking the silence.

"Myka picked at her breakfast this morning."Pete added worriedly.

"See, that's all this is."Claudia said as she placed a comforting hand on Pete's left shoulder."She hasn't eaten, combined with travel which screws up your sleep..."

"Are you here for Myka Bering?"A blond forty something man in a doctor's coat asked briskly entering the room.

"Yes."Pete replied as they all got to their feet. "How is she?"

"Are you Pete Lattimer?"The doctor inquired.

"Yes, is she alright?"Pete asked his voice rising with worry.

"Agent Bering is awaiting a few more test results but I need Agent Lattimer to come with me."The doctor stated as he turned on his heel and left.

Pete glanced at Claudia and Artie.

"Go."Artie urged.

Pete quickly followed the doctor before the man disappeared into the crowd of staff.

Myka felt a shell of herself. She sat up in the hospital bed clutching the thin blanket to her chest. The words the doctor had told her echoed like a broken record in her spinning thoughts. Her world had been turned upside down in the last year since Mrs. Fredric had tossed her into the Warehouse and away from the Secret Service. Now this; how did she deal with this?

'You're pregnant.'

All too clearly Myka remembered waking up in Pete Lattimer's arms in his hotel bed in Greece. Her head pounding like the worse hangover she'd ever had or read about. They'd both been naked the sheets tangled around them. The artifact that had whammied them had taken their memory of the last twenty-four hours. It'd come back in pieces and it'd been clear they'd had sex; more than once. Pete had always been irritating, child like at times. Then again he could be steadfast, kind and compassionate. He'd said that their friendship would survive the weirdness that had fallen over them. Myka hoped that was true. She needed him more than ever.