Author's Note: This somehow managed to take on a life of its own. I've removed the "complete" status from this series, as there will apparently now be further installments, and am working my hardest to get this all down as it comes. We'll see where we go from here.

- KJay99 and Stairway to the Skies: thank you very much for your encouragement. That you took the time to leave a review meant a lot to me.

As always, I do not own or claim to own the idea or creation of the characters and plot lines that are related to Warehouse 13. They remain in the capable (so far) hands of the SyFy network.

Pete lay underneath his comforter, Myka snuggled soundly against his side. He stroked her curls silently, listening to her decide what she wanted to do that day. "An' I wan' a ham sammich for lunch, 'nd then 'laudia said she had the Care Bears on video that we c'n watch. Do you t'ink Leena will take me to the library if I ask real nice?"

"Well, I think you'd have to ask Leena but maybe if she can't, Artie and I can walk you down tonight," Pete replied, not wanting to commit Leena to anything without having asked first. Myka lit up at the idea of Artie and Pete spending time with her, and his heart clenched a little at the sight of her dazzling smile.

The door made a creaking noise as it opened slowly and Myka threw the blankets over her head, unsure of who was on the outside. Pete threw a look at the alarm clock as Claudia poked her head in – 8:43, almost right on time. He nudged Myka. "Hey, Mykes. Hey. What time is it? Can you tell me what we're supposed to do now?"

Myka rolled over, snaking one hand out to grab the alarm clock and quickly pulling it under the covers. There was a pause and then she hissed, "Peeeteee. I can't read it. Too dark!"

Pete rolled his eyes as Claudia leaned on the door jam, shaking in silent laughter. "Stick your head out here, Mykes, and it won't be a problem."

"No."

"No?"

"Nooooo, Peteeee," Myka whined. "Don't wanna."

"Alrighty then." Pete ran his fingers over the clock's base, finding the little button that made the face light up. Myka's squeal of delight let him know he had found the correct one, and she quickly piped up, "Eight four seven, little a, little m!" Lifting the edge of the blankets just enough to see the chart above the bed, she gasped and looked at Pete with wide eyes. "I'm late!"

"Yes, you are," Claudia voiced from the doorway, "and so are you there, Ferrethead. Artie's stewing down there, waiting for you." She inclined her head towards the blankets. "Are you coming out of there anytime soon, My? I think there's something in my room for you…"

Myka popped her head out from under the blankets when Claudia rattled a DVD case. "Care Bears?"

Claudia grinned. "Maaaybe. And I think Leena may have put some of that yummy fruit you like so much in a bowl on my table—" Before she had even finished her sentence, Myka was up and down the hall, dragging her bunny by one ear behind her. Claudia waggled her fingers at Pete and started to follow. "Seriously. Geezer's stewing, I'd get moving," she tossed over her shoulder.

Pete sighed. If Artie was stewing already, the rest of the day did not look promising.

Artie pushed his glasses up his nose with one hand, huffing as Pete finally made his way outside chewing on another snickerdoodle. "Well, look who's finally decided to grace us with his presence. Thought you were going to lounge about for another hour or so before you finally got down here."

"Lies." Steve Jinks took a sip of his coffee. "He's been fretting like an old Yenta over there," he commented, leaning back in his chair. "What? You have been!"

Artie sputtered indignantly. "Have I mentioned to you within the past day that I find your strict code of honesty to be –"

"Endearing? Oh, only once or twice." Steve grinned at Pete while Artie glared at him.

Pete cleared his throat. "Okay, not to change subjects, but Claudia said you were stewing? Did I break something again without knowing it?"

Still glaring at Jinks out of the corner of his eye, Artie pushed two folders across the table. He shoved his glasses up his nose again and sighed. "I wish it were that easy. No, this time I need you to unbreak something."

"Well that doesn't sound complicated at all," Jinks deadpanned, perusing his folder carefully. "Oh, Orlando! Think we can make a stop at Disney World? Claud'll love that."

"Well, I'm sure she would but A – NO and B – Claudia won't be going on this mission." Steve looked over the top of his folder, but Artie wasn't looking at him. Artie's focus was directed at Pete, who was poking at the folder in front of him with his index finger. "I need someone with a little more experience this time around."

Pete looked at Artie warily. "Man, we talked about this. Until we find a way to reverse…whatever it is that thing did to her, I am –"

"Dude, it'll be fun! A guy thing, bonding or something," Steve tried to interject.

Pete held up his hand. "That's a great thought, Jinksy, but I was pretty sure we had an agreem—"

"I wasn't asking you, Pete," Artie interrupted him. "More like –"

"Artie, come on, you said that—"

Steve frowned. "If it's me that's the problem, you can take Claudia and I'll stay here with—"

"It's not you, it's the fact that –"

"ENOUGH." Artie thundered.

Myka looked troubled as she glanced at Claudia from the corner of her eye, strawberry juice dripping down her chin. Artie's voice, loud with a sharp undertone, was drifting up and through the window as he read Pete the riot act downstairs. She leaned over and poked Claudia in the shoulder. "Artie sounds mad."

"I don't think he's mad, My, just…" Claudia sighed. "Pete doesn't always like to listen and sometimes Artie has to make him, especially when whatever Artie wants Pete to listen to means that Pete is going to have to do something that he doesn't want to do."

"What doesn't Pete wanna do?" Myka asked. Claudia hesitated.

Myka poked her again. "Wha' doesn't he wanna do, 'laudia? Pete likes doin' evryting. He said so."

"Well, I think Artie wants him to go on a trip," Claudia said, and Myka clapped her hands excitedly. "Ooh! A trip! I like trips! D'ya tink Pete'll lemme go with him?" Claudia made a face. "Wasat? 'laudia? D'ya tink Pete'll say I c'n go too?"

Artie sighed. "Pete, I know you're frustrated. I am working on it but you should know by now that it's not an exact science. It takes time. And while I'm working on that, I need you to work on this."

"No."

"Peter Lattimer, I swear on everything you consider holy, I am not asking you, I am telling you - this case is yours. And you. will. go. Now go pack."

"Artie, we had a deal!"

"And the deal is off!" Artie thundered. "Go and do as you're told!" Pete opened his mouth to interject and Artie slammed his hand on the table, making the drink glasses rattle. "NOW."

Pete shoved his chair back violently and stormed upstairs, his face stony. Artie sighed and pushed his glasses up on his nose again as the banging and thumping of Pete's packing drifted down from upstairs. Leena walked outside and placed a cup of coffee in front of him, which he gratefully took. A particularly loud thud sounded from upstairs and Leena winced. "Pete's really not happy about this, huh?" Artie raised his eyebrows at her above his cup as he took a sip and she nodded. "Okay. Understatement."

Pete stomped down the stairs and tossed his duffle bag in the general direction of the front door. "When do we leave?" he demanded, shoving his hands in his pockets. "The sooner we get out of here, the sooner I can get back here and worry about more important things."

Artie rubbed his temples. "I'm not going to continue arguing about this. When Steve is packed, you can-"

A series of thumps interrupted Artie, and Myka appeared in the doorway dragging her rolling suitcase behind her and her bunny tucked under one arm. Claudia was right behind her, babbling at a mile a minute. "Really My, I think we should just go upstairs and finish the movie. Come on, I bet Leena will even bring up some more fruit if we ask really nicely." She shot a desperate glance at Leena. "Come on, let's-"

"No, 'm gonna go with Pete," Myka said stubbornly. "We're pard-ners. Right, Pete?"

Pete shook his head. "I think Claud is right, Mykes. You should hang out here; you'll have a lot more fun. Besides, didn't you want Leena to take you to the library today?"

Myka stomped her foot. "NO. You 'n' Artie. You said. So I go with you."

"Well, I can still take you," Artie offered slowly. "But you have to stay here with us. Pete and Steve just have a quick errand to run for me, they'll be back in a few days."

"Days?" Myka looked over at Pete worriedly. "You're leavin' for days?"

"For work, My," Claudia piped up. "Like when he goes to the Warehouse?"

"I'm sorry, Mykes, but you'll have to stay here. Leena needs someone to keep her company," Pete said quietly.

"But…we're pard-ners! 'N are you really goin' 'way for days?" Myka asked. When he didn't answer, she reached her hand out to him. "Pete? Days?"

Steve appeared in the doorway with a duffle bag over his arm. "All packed. Are we heading out soon?"

Myka's bottom lip trembled. "Pete? I wanna go. We're pard-ners…I can help…"

"Mykes, I wish you could come but you can't. It's too dangerous." Pete sighed. "And really, you'll have more fun here with Leena, Claudia, and Artie. Remember, the library?"

Leena quickly nodded her head and wrapped an arm around Myka's shoulder. "Yeah, of course we can go to the library. Why don't you and Claudia go grab your books and we'll go right now, after we make sure that the boys get to the airport."

Myka looked at her, bewildered, with one arm still outstretched towards Pete. "But…we're pard-ners…"

Pete nodded. "I know. Just…not today, Mykes." Myka's arm dropped, and she stared at him, a hurt expression on her face as her eyes filled with tears.

"Now that we've gotten that settled," Jinks said, "should we get going? Do we have flights booked?"

"Aaah, yes," Artie said, reaching in his bag and pulling out a third folder. Flipping it open, he pulled out a ticket and squinted at it. "Your flight leaves -"

At that moment, Myka fell apart. Launching herself at Pete, she buried herself in his arms, chanting, "Don't go, don't leave. Please, I'll be good. Don't go, don't leave me." Pete stumbled to the closest chair, pulling Myka into his lap and making soothing noises as she sobbed and tried to get closer to him.

Artie sighed, watching the two of them, and shook his head sadly. "Tomorrow," he said. "We'll make it so your flights leave tomorrow."