The Past is the Beginning

by shannyfish

My take of the aftermath of the Season 3 Finale – "Emily Lake" & "Stand"

6. All That Matters

Title: The Past is the Beginning

Author: Shannon – shannyfish

Disclaimer: I do not own "Warehouse 13" or its characters, Syfy and other people do. This is merely for entertainment purposes only.

Rating: PG-13

Summary: My take of the aftermath of the Season 3 Finale – "Emily Lake" & "Stand"

Warning: Season 3 Finale Spoilers. Seasons 1-3 are fair game. Death of a canon character.

Author's Note: For some reason I have this like huge longing to make a soundtrack for this fic, but instead I found a good sort of theme song that works for me in my head with this story. It's very much the Myka theme song of the fic.

The Myka fic theme song - "Stand in the Rain" by Superchic(k)

Also! Reviews make me happy :D And I'll write faster too! So, keep that in mind!

. . .

Chapter 6 – "All That Matters"

"What really matters is what you do with what you have." ~ HG Wells

Time was ticking away.

They were safe.

But the clock continued to count down.

Less than an hour remained now.

He must have fallen asleep because he was nudged and found Artie, Claudia, Steve, and HG standing around Myka's bed when he opened his eyes. None of them seemed hopeful. There were tears falling from her face. That didn't make him feel very well. He felt physically sick.

"Vanessa—" Pete started.

Artie shook her head. "They said we could have a few minutes with her and then we have to proceed to the Bronze Sector," he said grimly.

"No…" he breathed.

"I'm sorry," Artie said. "I wish there was something I could do… I wish I could have warned her…"

"I won't let her be bronzed and then wake up a century later with everyone she knows and cares about dead," Pete told Artie. He took a breath. It was something he'd thought about after he'd overheard them saying that there was really nothing to do for her. "If bronzing her is the only way to save Myka, then they're going to have to bronze me too. "

"What?" was shouted in unison by several people.

Pete looked around to see that more people had overheard him and were now gathering in the bedroom. He was starting to feel a tad bit claustrophobic. "Myka has to have someone she knows there with her when someone can fix her."

"Pete…" Jane breathed.

He could see the worry and fear on her face, but he felt like it was the best thing to do. And ever since he'd made that decision, he'd had this overwhelmingly good vibe. He'd assumed that was why.

"It's the right thing to do," Pete told them all.

"But…" Claudia started, tears fell from her eyes for at least the third time since the fact that Myka wasn't doing well had come up.

Pete frowned and looked over at her. "If it were Steve…would you want your partner waking up all alone?" he asked. He was happy that Steve had moved while he was talking to try to console Claudia. "And besides… I know you guys are going to find a cure for Myka. We'll only be napping in the Bronze Sector for like a week…a month tops!" he said, trying to sound super confidant.

"We should proceed to the Bronze Sector before the watch stops ticking," HG spoke up.

Pete had noticed that she'd been relatively quiet, but he had a feeling that she was still processing everything. That she and Myka were related had to be a big blow. Though HG had been quiet and had stayed out of sight most of the time, he'd also noticed that Doctor Calder, Leena, and Mrs. Frederic had disappeared. Maybe they had to see to other things?

He carefully gathered up Myka. She opened her eyes for a moment, but it was only for a moment. HG, Claudia, Steve, and Artie were already out of the room by the time he had her securely in his arms. His mother was standing there by the door, tears falling from her eyes. Pete knew that this wouldn't be easy on anyone, but he had to think of Myka. Maybe if HG Wells had been bronzed with a buddy then she wouldn't have gone crazy when she was de-bronzed.

"You can't talk me out of this," Pete told her. "I've made my decision."

"I know," Jane choked out. "But I just need you to know how proud I am of you…and how much I love you."

"I know, Mom," he said quietly.

. . .

The Bronze Sector came too quickly. Normally, it seemed to take forever to get from one place to another in the warehouse, but it seemed like they arrived there quickly. Pete oddly felt unbelievably calm as he carried Myka to the Bronze Sector. His mother had remained quiet since speaking to him at the artifact Leena's Bed & Breakfast. Mrs. Frederic and Leena still had been a no show. Pete was sure that there was a reason.

Artie was at the console setting things up and the bronzing pod opened. He figured it would be easiest for Myka to be bronzed first. He wished that they could go at the same time, but there was only a single pod. He stepped up onto the platform and headed with Myka towards it.

"Wait!"

Pete stopped at Mrs. Frederic's voice.

He hadn't expected her to appear after being gone for so long. He turned and found her accompanied by Doctor Vanessa. Leena wasn't anywhere to be seen. "We don't have much time," Pete reminded.

"Set Agent Bering down please," Mrs. Frederic instructed.

Pete looked to the doctor, who nodded. He did as he was asked and kneeled down next to her. When she stirred, he leaned over her to make sure she was okay. She didn't sound like she was in pain, which was good, but Pete still worried.

"Claudia," Vanessa spoke up. "We need you." She held up a long green ribbon.

"What…" Claudia blurted. "No… One of the other warehouse's isn't trying to link again, right? I'm not ready."

"This is your destiny, Claudia," HG spoke up behind her.

"If you want to save Agent Bering, then we must do this," Mrs. Frederic said. "And we don't have much time…"

Pete was confused; he looked between Mrs. Frederic and Claudia. He looked over to the doctor and then Artie, hoping to understand. He was still clueless. He looked to his mother, who looked even more filled with fear and worry than she had before.

"Irene, there has to be another way," Jane spoke up.

"I've lived for a very long time, Jane," Mrs. Frederic spoke up calmly. "I've had a good life. It's time to pass the gift of life on to someone who deserves to continue on. Believe me, this isn't a split second decision. I have weighed the options." She turned to Claudia. "And you are ready. You may not think you are, but you are… I have every faith in you. You are stronger than you realize."

"Why? Why now?" Claudia asked. "I just got bumped up to agent… I haven't gotten like any field time under my belt… I don't even have my degree yet…"

"If I am going to give my life for something or someone, I would rather it be of my own choosing," Mrs. Frederic said. "You have formed a family here. All of you. In some ways, that is incredibly dangerous. But in other ways, it's what makes you all such exemplary agents." She paused for a moment. "Please Claudia. Let us begin." She held out her hand and stared in Claudia's direction.

Pete was still confused. In a way, he was pretty sure he understood what was going on. But then, he felt like there was a lot he wasn't getting. He had a feeling that it was because there was so much trying to process in his head. He'd committed himself to being bronzed with Myka and now…now he didn't have to? Mrs. Frederic was going to sacrifice herself? And he was pretty sure that Claudia was going to be the new Mrs. Frederic.

He watched as Claudia stepped forward and extended her hand towards Mrs. Frederic in kind. Doctor Vanessa started to wrap the green ribbon around their hands and arms. Pete wasn't sure how the ribbon came into play, but he had a feeling they'd eventually be filled in. The process took a couple of minutes, but once it was done both Mrs. Frederic and Claudia looked wiped. Vanessa fussed over Claudia as Mrs. Frederic approached him and Myka. She held out the watch and he accepted it. He stared down at the time.

"There's only a minute left on it," Pete told her.

Mrs. Frederic nodded. "I know. We have to let all of the time expire."

"But… If we do that, Myka will die."

"She has to die in order for this to work," Mrs. Frederic said. "Trust me."

Pete just nodded.

"Move away, Agent Lattimer," she instructed.

He didn't want to move away from Myka, but he trusted Mrs. Frederic. Pete got to his feet and backed up. He found his mother putting her arm around him. It brought him little comfort as he watched Mrs. Frederic anxiously. The watch ticked its last seconds. And then finally, it stopped. Myka stopped breathing and he felt like he couldn't breathe.

He watched as she crouched down over Myka. She held Myka's head on either side and closed her eyes. A visible light left Mrs. Frederic and entered Myka. For a moment she hovered at Myka's head and then slowly her hands moved down over Myka's body. Down and then back up. She stopped and focused over Myka's chest.

It only took a few moments before the light dissipated. Mrs. Frederic teetered backward and was caught and eased to the ground by Doctor Vanessa. Pete was going to say something when Myka started to breathe again. Before he could move forward, the doctor moved to Myka. His mother's arms left him and she hurried to Mrs. Frederic. Claudia joined her after a moment. It was obvious that Mrs. Frederic was dying. She was starting to change, to age…and rapidly. Artie moved to her side as well.

Pete felt like he should say something, but he didn't know what to say. Instead, he just stood there and tried to process.

"Pete…"

Myka's voice and weak and quiet, but Pete heard it. He moved back to her side and knelt down. Doctor Vanessa left Myka's side and went to Mrs. Frederic's. He assumed that that meant that everything had gone as Mrs. Frederic had planned. But why did it have to end like this? Myka's whole mission had been to save everyone. Of course, Myka had told them that they'd lost Steve, HG, and Mrs. Frederic. She'd prevented all of their deaths and still two would live. He thought that those were pretty impressive odds.

"I'm here, Myka," he whispered and smiled down at her. He took her hand and held it in his. Pete looked over his shoulder to see Doctor Vanessa checking for a pulse on Mrs. Frederic. He couldn't really see Mrs. Frederic but by Vanessa's reaction and then gasping a moment later, he assumed that Mrs. Frederic had passed.

. . .

Days passed…and some things had normalized, but some things had stayed tense. They'd been allowed to leave the warehouse, which had been exciting. The only thing was that Leena hadn't come out of her room since they had gotten to the B&B. Artie had been staying there as had Doctor Vanessa and his mother. It was a bit awkward with the food acquiring though, normally Leena made coffee and tea and cookies… He missed that.

"Pete, you can't stay in here all the time."

He looked over to see his mother standing at the door. Ever since they'd returned to Leena's, there had been a lot of hanging out in their "the artifact that almost killed me" shirt (Claudia had made sure that Steve even had one) and pajama pants. He'd been camping out in Myka's bedroom since they'd returned. Doctor Vanessa had been checking on her, but Pete felt like she needed to be kept company.

Maybe he'd made himself at home. There was a stack of comic books nearby and he'd brought his pillow in and blanket in. He'd pondered moving his TV, but Steve had said something about that going too far.

"Sometimes I leave," Pete said slowly as he looked up at his mother. "You know…to use the bathroom…and you know to get food. I tried to train Claudia and Steve, but they need some intensive training…"

"Vanessa says that Myka is going to be fine, Pete. Do you think she's going to wake up and expect that all of you just stopped time around her until she was ready to wake up?" Jane asked.

"She would do it for us," Pete told his mother gently.

There was silence and staring that passed between them for a good moment until it was interrupted by Claudia and Steve running up and down the hallway with lightsabers (they were even lit up). He was sort of suddenly jealous that he didn't get to play with lightsabers as well. He'd have to convince Myka to do that when she woke up.

"Maybe you should just think of this as a vacation we all really need," Pete told her a moment later. "Usually we try to do something fun and then artifacts ruin the day."

"Just think about it…" Jane said. "And maybe think about changing your wardrobe. Claudia explained the shirts to me. Don't you think that's a bit depressing?"

Pete shrugged. "Artifacts try to kill us…on pretty much a daily basis… It's sort of fitting… Plus, that's when you really know you're a warehouse agent."

Jane smirked at him a bit before leaving him alone.

Laying back into the bed, he looked over at Myka. "You know, I just got us talked into having vacay time and you're still napping… I already went through my stack of comics, but if you don't wake up now you're going to have to hear'em again," he half threatened. There was something calming about talking to Myka. Maybe it kept him from feeling like she really may not wake up. Maybe it was something else… He wasn't sure. Whatever it was, he wasn't going to stop. He'd keep talking to her and hanging out. Maybe he'd get annoying enough that Myka would wake up just to tell him to get out.

. . .

"Have you tried yelling at her?" Claudia asked.

Pete shook his head and blocked Claudia's attack on him. She almost got him, it was a good thing these lightsabers weren't real. Claudia would have injured him pretty badly by now if they were. "No… I'm afraid Artie and Vanessa will come running in and yell at me and then banish me…"

Claudia swung again and advanced forward. "Really? Run? Artie? You'd have time to escape by the time you heard them coming," Claudia responded. "Plus, you know if you were anyone but Pete…what you're doing would be deemed as creepy…"

"Ow!" Pete exclaimed as he hit a wall and Claudia smacked him good. "It's a good thing I'm Pete then, isn't it?"

She turned off the light on her lightsaber and lowered it and retracted it. "Look, Dude. Myka's going to wake up. I'm thinking we all need to go in there…maybe when Artie's distracted…and just yell and stuff. I mean, Myka may wake up swinging and yelling but at least she'll be awake."

"What if it doesn't work? I don't want to be banished," Pete asked. He didn't know what he'd honestly do if they kept him from Myka. Myka needed someone there. He was her partner.

"We have to at least try it right?" Claudia asked. "And I mean…if all else fails, I'll figure out a way to get you back in there."

"You are like a ninja!" Pete told her. He turned off the light on his lightsaber and collapsed it as well. "Just remember to use the Force for good, young Padawan."

"Really? You're calling me a Padawan? I'm a Jedi Master! You're the Padawan!"

"Am not! I was totally holding back!" Pete tried to defend himself as he walked back towards Myka's room. "I mean, you're a girl! I wouldn't want to hurt you!" he tried. Claudia reached out and smacked his arm. "Ow!" he screamed as he held where she'd hit him. "Hasn't anyone told you that hitting isn't nice?"

"I think they said hitting girls wasn't nice… Nothing about boys… You know you're supposed to be all strong and manly and stuff," Claudia teased.

Pete just tried to mock her last comment as he crabbily imitated her. Which only resulted in him getting smacked again. "Ow…" he whined more this time. "I'm going to have a bruise because of you!"

Claudia just laughed. "It's good for you. Someone's gotta keep you in line until Myka decides to join the rest of us in the land of the living…"

"I really feel that that plan is only going to get us all in trouble," Pete told her.

"How's she getting us into trouble now?" Steve asked as he pointed towards Claudia, a smile on his face.

"Hey! I'm pretty sure you're both pretty good at getting us into trouble without my help," Claudia told them and then paused. "Just remember my trouble making is far more epic!"

"I think we need to have a tournament," Pete announced after he peeked in on Myka. She hadn't moved. It was okay to play…for just a little bit, wasn't it?

"Tournament?" Claudia asked. "And you all think I'm the big geek…"

"I haven't gotten to go up against Steve yet," Pete pointed out as he waved the unlit and collapsed lightsaber at Steve.

Steve shook his head. "I'm pretty good, Pete."

"Come on, I'm good! I was totally holding back against Claudia. I mean, I wouldn't want her hurt or anything…"

"Right…" Claudia said lowly and slowly. "Steve is pretty good. He's definitely a Jedi while you're just a Padawan."

"What?" Pete exclaimed.

Steve laughed and shook his head.

"Come on…" he said, putting on his best sad tone. He paused for a moment and let confidence fill him. "I mean…if you're scared…"

"Really?" Steve and Claudia asked at the same time.

"I just don't want to keep doing this until you win," Steve said. "You may apparently hold back with Claudia…but I don't hold back. And from all the screaming I heard from you a few minutes ago, I'm not sure you can handle further bruising."

Claudia giggled.

"I was not…screaming…" Pete said with a heavy frown. He slowly tried to gather his words. "I was just…surprised…by the force in which Claudia hit me."

. . .

"The Force is strong with this one!" Pete said in between attempting to strike Steve. He'd opted for the red lightsaber and was using his best Darth Vader voice as they went along.

Claudia watched in pure amusement from the safety of Myka's bedroom doorway.

"You know if you did less quoting and more actual attacking, you could actually be pretty decent at this," Steve told him as he back Pete into a wall.

Pete was a bit surprised by the wall meeting his back, but quickly dodged Steve's attempt to stab him in the gut with the blue lightsaber. He turned quickly, because Steve was already pivoting around to go after him again. Pete backed up a few steps and raised his saber high and then brought it down and actually hit Steve. He rejoiced briefly but was back to business with their fight. He swung wildly.

"Watch out for the Claudia!" she shouted.

Steve lunged forward and his lightsaber plunged in the tight space between Pete's side and arm.

Pete, in full overboard mode, dropped his lightsaber to the floor and then proceeded to fall to the ground. He heard Claudia's squeals for happiness and made a mental note to have a talk with her about whose side she should be on for any future lightsaber battles. But he had to focus now, he was dying, the performance was important. He reached up, squinting his eyes to try to make it like he was barely keeping his eyes open. He was barely holding on. "Luke…" he said in his Darth Vader voice and then did the heavy breathing. "I am…"

"Pete? What are you doing?" Myka asked.

He froze. His eyes went wide and once he'd confirmed that Myka was actually there and not a figment of his imagination, he popped up. Her head was tilted and looked rather confused and had a Claudia currently attached to her. "Myka! You're back!" Pete said quite enthusiastically. He held open his arms and thought about pushing Claudia aside, but he settled for a group hug instead.

"What is with all the racket?" Artie yelled.

"Pete's just…being Pete!" Steve yelled. "Oh! And Myka's awake!"

Myka laughed as Claudia and Pete hugged her and didn't seem to want to let go. "I do need to breathe…and maybe not fall over."

Pete backed off and just beamed at her. "We're just so happy to see you!"

"Look!" Claudia exclaimed. "Artie even RAN!" she teased and didn't let Myka go.

Steve pried Claudia off of Myka and smiled at her. "It really is good to see you. I would hug you, but I think you'd probably prefer not having Claud attaching herself like a parasite."

"You're up!" Artie said after a moment as if he'd just realized Myka was awake and up.

Vanessa hovered and pushed people back to make room. "How are you feeling?" she asked.

"I'm okay… A little confused," Myka admitted.

"What's the last thing you remember?"

Myka shrugged a bit. "I think we were sitting in a bedroom in Leena's…" she recalled. She turned towards her room and looked confused. "But not our rooms…"

Vanessa nodded. "It was the Leena's in the warehouse. It was a little more comfortable than you all napping in the warehouse's main office." She looked her over a bit more. "But other than the confusion, you feel okay?"

She nodded. "I'm afraid I don't remember anything past that point."

"I'm not surprised. You were asleep most of that time," Vanessa explained. "I still will want to look you over more thoroughly later."

"Are you afraid of side effects from the process?" Artie asked.

"Sometimes there could be small ones that can be worked through," Vanessa told him.

Myka frowned. "What process?"

The room and hallway went quiet.

"Maybe we should talk," Artie suggested.

Pete thought about how that may go over for a moment. Artie did well at the fatherly figure most of the times, but he wasn't quite sure how Myka would take it. Artie was the one who had produced the artifact for Myka to use originally. Would she feel like she'd failed? Would she lose it? "Maybe I should," Pete said.

"Somebody…just tell me what's going on," Myka begged.

She looked scared. It wasn't often that Myka looked scared. Pete hated to see her like that, especially when she'd just woken up. Things were confusing enough; Myka didn't need anything more added to it.

"You know," Artie said and eyed Steve and Claudia. "I think you two are cooking dinner tonight. Let's go," he said as he motioned for them to head down the hall. "And pick up your toys!" he added a moment later.

"They're not toys!" Claudia complained. "They're lightsabers!"

"They're made of plastic! They're toys!"

Pete turned to Myka and smiled at her. "I'm really happy you're awake. I was starting to think I wasn't being annoying enough."

"What?" Myka asked.

He stepped into her room and motioned around to his pile of comic books, his candy wrappers that were strewn around her room, and his pillow and blanket that were on one side of her bed. "I've been hanging out…keeping you company…reading comics… Artie said I should try one of your books, but…they're pretty boring…and long…and no pictures…" When she laughed and smiled in response, he added. "And plus, I couldn't make you too comfortable."

"How long have I been out?"

Pete shrugged. "Four…five days…"

"I've been asleep for that long?" she asked, disgusted with herself as she went and sat on the edge of her bed.

"We honestly thought that you'd be sleeping for a lot longer," Pete told her as he turned to stand in front of her. It was time to tell her everything. He knew it was going to be a lot to take in, but Myka needed to know. "The pocket watch—"

"The artifact?"

Pete nodded. "The artifact apparently has killed a warehouse agent before…"

"But I'm not dead. I'm okay."

He nodded again. "You're not… The watch was almost at the point where it was going to stop. They'd agreed to bronze you. We actually had you in the Bronze Sector."

"What?"

"It was the only way at the time," Pete defended.

"But I'm not bronzed…and it's only been a couple of days," she said, trying to keep things straight.

"Mrs. Frederic decided there was another way," Pete told her. "You had saved Steve and HG…and Mrs. Frederic…" He paused for a moment, trying to figure out the best way to convey the rest. "Mrs. Frederic did something… I don't know exactly what…there may have been an artifact involved…I didn't see one…" He went quiet again.

"Pete?"

"Mrs. Frederic basically sacrificed herself and gave her life energy so that you could live," Pete told her. He cringed a bit as he watched an array of expressions cross her face. He just waited.

"But…" Myka started and then stopped. "The warehouse…"

"She transferred control or whatever to Claudia before she saved you," Pete said, trying to fill in the blanks. "Leena's taking it pretty hard. She's been hiding out at the warehouse while the rest of us have been here."

"I wasn't worth it…" Myka whispered.

"What?" Pete asked, confusion now setting in.

"I'm not worth her life," Myka said. "Where's the watch…you have to stop her…"

She started to get to her feet and he gently pushed her back down. "What do you mean? Of course you were worth it! We need you, Myka! The warehouse needs you!" he practically yelled at her. It took him a moment to realize how loud and worked up he'd gotten. She looked shocked and possibly like she may cry. He didn't mean to be upsetting. "I'm sorry," he whispered a moment later.

Pete flopped down next to her. He stared at the wall. "You saved everyone… You saved the warehouse… I'm pretty sure in saving the warehouse you may saved the whole world…" he told her quietly. He looked over to her. She was looking down and still looked like she was on the verge of tears. "Claudia's going to need us now more than ever," Pete whispered. "She's not freaking out…but I'm sure it's coming…"

"What…what about Helena?" Myka finally got out.

"She's been…pretty much holed up in her room I'm pretty sure." Pete cringed. "Honestly, I wasn't too observant while you've been sleeping… I've been in here…with you… I really haven't paid much attention to anyone else. Claudia and Steve would play in the hallway and peek in here every now and then. Vanessa and Artie would stop by to check on you. There would be dinner…we'd eat dinner together but no HG Wells. I mean, I honestly think I've seen my mom more in the last week than HG."

Myka frowned. "She doesn't blame herself, does she?"

"I honestly don't know," Pete told her. "You know her better…and apparently there's a reason for that," he added a bit quieter.

"Excuse me?"

Pete turned to Myka. Had he said that out loud? Was he supposed to say that? He wasn't sure how Myka really would react. That was a lot more information than he had originally planned on telling her. "Vanessa had Claudia do a check for blood type and something about DNA…"

"Okay…"

"HG Wells…she's like your great-something-aunt…or something like that," Pete explained quietly.

"What?"

"You'd have to ask Claudia about where exactly she falls on the Bering family tree," he told her honestly. "She seemed a bit taken aback…but I think she was willing to give you a kidney if Doctor Vanessa asked."

"That's…sort of weird…"

"Why?"

"Well for one, I'm pretty sure if my dad knew that. We would have known that at an early age," Myka said. She ran fingers through her hair and pulled in a heavy breath. She stared at the wall across from where she sat. "But…everyone else is okay?"

Pete nodded. "Steve and Claudia have been mocking my lightsaber skills…"

"And rightly so from what I saw," Myka teased lightly and looked over at him. She smiled when he saw a smile on his face.

"Hey now… I'm your partner! You're supposed to support my awesome skills," Pete chastised.

Myka just laughed.

"And you know…my mother has been on me to get out of this room…and out of this shirt," he said pulling on his 'the artifact that almost killed me' shirt. "Something about how I need to get fresh air and how this shirt is a bit depressing…"

"It's actually sort of funny," Myka told him.

"I know, right? She just doesn't get it," Pete said as he shook his head.

"For Christmas, we'll have to get her one too," Myka told him.

"Excellent plan!"

They laughed for a moment and then Pete continued. "Vanessa and Artie have been spending quality alone time together," he said as he made his eyebrows go up and down. "We've been trying not to bother him too much."

"Good plan…" she told him and leaned against him. She allowed her head to rest on his shoulder. "I'm glad for the most part…everyone's okay," she said sniffling a bit.

Pete put his arm around her and pulled her close. "Come on, they're going to be making dinner…" He got up and then remembered. He reached out and went through his comic book stack. He retrieved the card that they'd gotten for Artie almost a week before. He, Steve, and Claudia had already signed it…and since then he'd been using it like a bookmark. "You still need to sign this."

Myka took the card and smiled as she read what everyone else had written inside. She was handed a pen and she took a few minutes to write something and signed her name. Myka signed her name and handed it back to Pete. "I need my slippers," Myka told him.

"I need some slippers like that!" Pete said as he pointed down at Myka's feet as she stepped into her fluffy bunny slippers.

"Maybe for Christmas," she teased.

He took her arm and they headed out of her room. It felt amazing to him. Today was a really good day. His family was reunited again and they were going to have dinner. He wasn't sure if he could ask for a more perfect dinner. "I'll make sure I get someone to get HG to leave her room and join us."

"I think that would be nice."

Pete put his arm around her again and hugged her to his body as they made their way towards the dining area. He kissed her forehead for a second. "Do me a favor and don't go trying to kill yourself without me next time, okay?"

"I think next time we can try the whole dying together," Myka told him with a slight laugh.

"Deal."

"Deal."

"I hear you two! You better be coming to help!" Artie's voice echoed down the hallway. "These two do not listen!"

"You said make dinner! That's what we're doing!" Claudia yelled back. "He's just made because it doesn't involve a cake!"

Myka and Pete giggled. "Maybe we should just go hide until they say dinner's ready…" Pete suggested.

"Dinner may never be ready if we do that," Myka pointed out.

Pete's stomach growled and he frowned. "That's so not cool."

"We're coming Artie!" Pete and Myka yelled together and then laughed.

. . .

The End.