Episode 2: Secrets of the Damned
Author's note: New episode, kind of cheesy but oh well. I might update future eps this close, to the last one, or might go a week in between depending on how I feel, most of this was done last night, and unlike the 1st episode I actually got some sleep, so I hope you enjoy it.
Disclaimer: I own nothing of the show, blah blah blah, SyFy "owns" the show, and all properties there in. *cough* we want more episodes, and no cancellation *cough*
Inside the Warehouse,
Looking at the mess that was left over from the battle between Claudia and Paracelsus, Artie was astounded at just how much had actually survived, but what didn't was left nothing more than a pile of ashes. "Remind me to never piss her off." Artie said as he turned to go back inside his office, only to find the woman behind him, smirking. "What's going on gramps, how are things shaking?" Giving her a look like he wanted her to shut up he walked close by her, and smiled at her. "You know, since the Warehouse is kind of a mess, and is in need of CARE, who better to CARE for it by cleaning it up, than the caretaker?" and he finished his sentence off by handing Claudia the broom-stick he'd been holding. Whistling a little tune he opened the door to his office, and went inside.
"YEAH THANKS ARTIE!" Claudia shouted back at him, shaking her head side to side, then patting the Warehouses wall. "Don't get mad at him baby, he doesn't think sometimes." "I heard that!" was heard from the office in response, and she scurried away before Artie gave her more work to do. She made it down to the floor in record time, and began thinking about the changer her life had taken in the last week, going from future caretaker, to THE caretaker. Smiling she looked back at Artie's office, of course Mrs. Fredericks stayed on to help, in an "advisory" role, no action. Smiling Claudia walked down a random aisle, and saw Pete standing there, lamenting the loss of his precious Jeep.
"You know Pete, now you can join the Prius club." He heard from behind him, and he smiled a little. Pete had made himself kind of a recluse the last week, since it all went down, and he felt he had every right to be. He showed up on time, started on the punishments Artie had heaped upon him, and then when a ping came through he snagged bagged and tagged the artifact, and brought it back, no muss, no fuss, and most importantly no jokes. He knew he'd made a big mistake trusting Paracelsus, and he was implementing a form of self-punishment, and he felt he deserved it.
Shaking her head Claudia set the broomstick aside, and folded her arms under her chest, she knew what he'd been doing the last week, and why, but she'd totally forgiven him, why couldn't he just see that it was all good? Shaking her head again she walked up to him, and put her hand on his shoulder, she couldn't explain it, but over the last week, she'd known almost exactly where he was, and what mood he was in, usually depressed, or guilty. "Pete, come on man, this isn't healthy," she said, and kept her hand on his shoulder, "I forgive you, and I know the others do as well, especially since you came back and helped me save the Warehouse, which now wants to be called 14 by the way." Seeing he still hadn't responded, she turned around, and put her hand on her head, trying to think of something to do to help him, of course that was to get Artie to lay off on the punishments, Pete had already re-mapped the entire Warehouse 3 TIMES!
Getting an idea, she walked away for a minute, knowing she'd be able to find him anywhere, something which still freaked her and him out to no end, and had the council of regents watching them closely. She spotted the gooery, and looked back to make sure Pete hadn't followed, and opened the door. "Okay now let's see, what do I need?" she thought out loud while getting a small amount of goo, or at least small to her. She was still trying to get the "small" amount of goo out, when she heard a voice behind her. "Now what have we here?" Steve asked as he caught Claudia with a deer in the headlights look. "Um, um, "Claudia tried to think of something, and failed, sigh she said, "Alright, I MAY be trying to cheer Pete up." She saw a slight resentment in Steve's eyes before it was squashed, she knew Steve had forgiven Pete, but he was getting hung up on it even happening in the first place. "No, I know what you're thinking, and he's already beating himself up for it." She said pointedly at Steve who held his hands up in surrender.
Steve dropped his hands, but couldn't stop himself from saying, "But Claudia he DID put the Warehouse in danger." He knew that was a mistake as soon as he said it, and the look Claudia gave him said so. She shook her head for a second, and then fixed him with a glare, "Don't you think I know? I also know he was trying to save Myka, and frankly I would have, no I DID the same thing, remember?" Steve knew what she was talking about and dropped his gaze to the floor, "No, you look at me when I'm talking to you Steve." Steve picked his gaze back up and saw a face of near stone looking back at him, she only did that when mad, or making a point. "Not only did he fix the problem, he injured himself to save ME, to save the Warehouse. That should be more than enough to make up for what happened, and if you and Artie don't lay off him, don't expect a rosy greeting from me."
He watched as she turned away, and knew what she meant, Pete was family, and if family can't forgive, when the offending member risks even his or her life for the family, then there IS no family. He said to her back off in the distance, "I got it." And then turned around and walked off to find Pete, he may not forget that it happened, but he himself had forgotten a lesson he'd kept learning in his time here, people made mistakes, and when they set them right, don't hold it on them. So Steve walked to find Pete, he may not forget it, but he most certainly will forgive Pete, he needed to. He smiled a little as he saw Claudia slide up beside him with a smile on her face, and they both walked down to where Pete was last.
Pete was still standing there when he found him, Artie hadn't forgiven, or forgotten what Pete had done, how many time has he told ALL of them, the FIRST priority is the Warehouse? How many time has he told them to not use an artifact to prevent a tragedy, his own case was an example of the risks, and the costs of doing so. He knew he'd been acting like a child in the last week, but damn it PETE had caused the man to get free after they caught him, PETE gave him access to the Warehouse, PETE ALMOST GOT CLAUDIA KILLED! Artie wouldn't forgive him for that, he didn't think he ever would either, and he also knew Pete would do anything to make amends, thus he kept putting more and more work, work that's rather unnecessary, as a way to punish him. "Pete!" he yelled to get the man's attention, who turned towards him, clipboard finished and checked off, "I got something else for you to do." Nodding Pete comes over, and takes an equally long list and inserts it into the clipboard, it was another copy of the same paper.
Ten minutes later Claudia and Steve saw Artie walking from the aisle that Pete was just in, and saw Pete behind him, clipboard in hand, and it looked to have a new sheet of paper. "Fuck!" Claudia cursed, then turned to Steve, "That BETTER not be another checklist sheet, Pete's already done 3, or was it 4 of those!" Steve shrugged his shoulders, "I don't know, I only saw a clipboard." She looked at him, and he swung his arms out to the side, "I don't know Claudia, I don't know what Artie's making him do, he never told me, just said Pete was working." She turned her head, shaking it knowing that Steve was telling the truth, he didn't know, and then she turned back to him. "Artie better hope it's not." And with that she followed them, the checklist started in the Warehouse 1 section, she knew it by heart, he'd made her do it as punishment a few times, but never 4 in a week.
Claudia was mad, she knew Artie was punishing Pete, but she also knew that Pete would hurt himself doing whatever Artie asked him to do, because he thought that he needed to, to make it up, but she knew it wouldn't work because Artie wouldn't forgive him, she saw it in his eyes. So when she and Steve got to the Warehouse 1 section, and saw Pete working on the list she looked at Steve, " Steve help him, I'm going to find Artie." Steve nodded at what she said, and went up to next to Pete. "Hey man, what's up?" he asked, and Pete flashed the clipboard at him, "Just working on some small stuff Artie wants me to do." Steve nodded, wondering how to approach the subject, before he tipped the clipboard his way a little bit, and started doing the next item Pete had on the list, Artie wasn't even putting new stuff on. "What are you doing?" Pete asked him, and Steve smiled at him and patted him on the back, "I'm helping a friend." Pete smiled a little, and said thanks, then continued on with his work, Steve knew it was going to be tricky and awkward for a little bit, but he knew Steve got his message.
Artie was sitting at his computer, searching up on a new lead for an artifact to give to Pete to look for on his next case, and since Myka was still recovering he'd be going alone once again. So he didn't expect when the door to his office was thrown open, and the red haired storm named Claudia came storming into his office, and slamming the door and locking it. "Hey!" Artie said in surprise, but stopped talking when he saw the look on her face, she was pissed, she was beyond pissed, and he had a feeling he knew why, "Why'd you do that Claudia?" he asked before he could stop himself, and he saw her eyebrow rise, not good. "Oh like you don't know?" she said in a low voice, and Artie knew he was right, though he didn't get why. "Come on, he should be gone he put the Warehouse, and all of us in danger!" he explained, trying to make her see. "True, but he also corrected it, and he saved me, he helped me defeat Paracelsus, not to mention it happened because he was trying to help MYKA!"
She knew her face was red with anger, but she couldn't believe how unforgiving, and bastard like Artie was being, yes Pete had made a mistake, a big one, but he'd also corrected it, saved her, and it only happened because he was trying to save Myka who had had cancer. "I know Claudia, but it doesn't excuse…" she cut him off by moving dangerously close to him, her eyes showing her anger. "No Artie, this ends, now!" she looked him square in the eye, she still hadn't forgotten about her sister either, "No more fucking secrets, no more punishing Pete, you stop it all now, or so help me God you won't be allowed back in MY Warehouse." She said the last part so low she thought he'd almost didn't hear her, but he did. "But Claudia…" "No, my terms or your gone Artie, remember I'm your boss now." That shut him up, and she walked out the door, an air of anger towards how CHILDISH Artie was being, not even willing to forgive.
Pete and Steve were about half way through the Warehouse 1 section when Claudia returned to them, still a little steamed at Artie and his childish stubbornness behavior of the situation, and she'd slammed the door open, stopping them. "Sorry," she said quickly, "Stupid Artie with his stupid games, you can stop Pete." Pete and Steve looked at each other, they both knew she'd been mad at him lately, but not this mad, not mad enough to make her slam doors, she hadn't done that in a while. "It's okay, and Artie wants this done, and Steve's helping me see?" Pete said to her, and she looked him in the eye. "Yeah, well he's only having you do it to punish you for doing what you thought was right, and your letting it happen because you think he's right." She said, slowly walking up to him, and putting a hand on his shoulder. "Guess what Pete, you didn't do a damn thing wrong, stupid and foolish for listening to Paracelsus maybe, but not wrong." She said looking into his eyes so he could see what she was saying was the truth, "And besides, as caretaker I'm boss around here, numero uno okay, so stop." She added with her customary smirk in place.
Pete thought about the 21 year old woman running the Warehouse, ordering Artie and them all around, and he suddenly felt a shiver down his back. "Oh my god, Pete?" Claudia said in response, and he shook his head, "Nah, just a shiver from thinking of the Warehouse being run by a 21 year old, I can see Artie cowering now." He said, and both Claudia and Steve laughed in response. "So now," she said after she stopped, "Let's blow this pop stand for a bit, and get some food in town, I know a new place…" she carried on as the three walked toward the front of the Warehouse, and subsequently Artie's office, to leave for Univille.
Artie was looking at some old case files, and some old maps, still thinking through in his mind about what Claudia had said, and thinking that she most likely was right, but he knew he was too proud to just let it be like that, he was still believing that Pete was at fault. He saw the three walk in and head toward the umbilicule that lead outside, and he said, "Shouldn't you be working?" All three stopped just before the door, and Claudia responded without even looking at him, "Were going out, my call." And with that the three walked out the door, leaving a slightly mad Artie in their wake. "Hey!" he tried to shout, but they were out of the sound of his voice, and he knew they wouldn't be back for a while. Thinking it through he also noted that she'd said, 'my call', and it was then that he noticed Mrs. Fredericks standing there. "She's right Artie, she's the caretaker, and she's one of the big bosses now, besides you can't keep punishing Pete for a mistake, when you yourself changed TIME AND HISTORY on purpose." The accusation hit him like a sledgehammer to the gut, and he opened his mouth to respond, but the look in her eyes told him to not even try it.
In Univille,
Pete watched Claudia's face as she drove through the town, and he could tell she was angry, and her mind wasn't quite on driving at the moment, he knew that Artie was on her mind, and he wasn't quite sure why she mad at the man. Ignoring it though for the fact that they were going out into the town with Steve, and all three have a good time, Pete cracked a smile. Looking back at Steve he saw a puzzled face looking back at him. Twitching his eyes toward Claudia he grinned conspiratorially, and saw the light bulb go off in Steve mind as the man shook his head slowly back and forth before mouthing 'no' at Pete. Nodding a little bit, Pete turned back, confident that he'd made it look like he was looking back at a car or something and he watched the road again. 'Whatever your planning Pete, don't make me angry." Claudia said without even taking her eyes off the road.
Claudia tried her best to hide the grin as she heard Pete groan a little at being caught, and him ask how she knew he was planning something. She shook her head, her attempt failing, before turning her gaze for a second to him at the next light, "Simple, you caveman, you simple to read." She said with a grin, making a joke picking on his intelligence. "Hey hey hey!" she heard him say, before she focused back on the road, and found the new restaurant she was planning on stopping at. Now she personally didn't like German food as much as other, to her it was average, and there was better, but she knew Pete loved German food, well really ANY food, but he had a secret love for German food, and she'd heard that this new German restaurant had opened up a few days before, and thought it might make him happy, and distract him from any guilt he was having.
Steve felt the turn and then the quick park that she'd done and took his eye out from his phone to see where they'd stopped and he knew that It was that new German place that he'd told her about like 3 days before then, and made the connection, Pete liked German, and Claudia wanted to get him smiling, really smiling for a little bit. Both she and Steve jumped when they heard the wonder in Pete's voice, "WOW! This is the new German place right? I heard about it a few months back!" Steve saw Claudia look back at him, "He's like a kid in a candy store, no?" she said with a grin, and he just laughed. "If you count being 7 feet and wielding wooden clubs and fish bones for clothes as a child."
Pete saw the smile Claudia was trying to contain, it wasn't hard as her eyes were shut and made a few small wrinkles around her eyes from the squinting she was doing, and he looked at them. "What am I now, chopped liver?" he said making a funny face, and Claudia lost it, putting a hand on his shoulder, "Only if medium-rare buddy." Shaking his head Pete looked at Steve and pointed to him, "Hey Steve, I know you probably don't know this but, who's on first?" Claudia had to stop laughing as Steve cracked a grin, "Well Pete," he started with a straight face, "Who's on first, what's on second, and I don't knows on third." Pete and Steve busted out laughing at Claudia's face, she looked like Trailer when he was thinking about something before she said, and "I think he meant who's getting paid to be on first." The laughter didn't stop until the three went inside and found a table to sit down at.
In the Warehouse,
Artie looked at himself in the mirror in his room, and kept running over everything in his mind, trying to think of everything objectively. Artie thought of the situation as a whole, everything from them stopping him when he went psychotic, to Pete rushing into the fray to help an embattle Claudia in this very Warehouse, CLAUDIA'S WAREHOUSE it now seemed. The more he thought about, the more he realized not only was stress affecting his life, and the life of his agents, but he realized that HE was affecting THEM, his anger, his emotions, and his demons were affecting his choices, and his feelings. As he came to this realization he realized why he was so angry with Pete, it wasn't that Pete had made a mistake, it wasn't that that mistake nearly cost them Claudia, and the Warehouse, no, it was simply that Artie felt that it was a betrayal of HIM for Pete to not TELL ANYONE about Myka, to try to fix everything himself. As he realized this, he dropped to the floor and sobbed, and he'd felt like he'd been lied to, not unlike Artie himself had made Claudia feel. Shaking his head Artie got back up, and looked around at the Warehouse, "Time to set things right with the family." He said, to no one.
At the Haus Von Klaus,
Immediately Claudia and Steve worried about the choice to bring Pete here, yes he needed to unwind, and not focus on his own mistake for a little bit, but in doing so they'd forgotten something important, Pete doesn't drink. That wouldn't have been a problem, except that as a gift to visitors in its first week, visitors over 21 of course, they were giving out free beer. "Um, on second thought Pete, we might want to leave." Claudia stumbled out, looking at Pete's frozen face, he looked funny, like a deer in the headlights look, with his mouth kind of open, and kind of not. "I agree." Pete said, looking at the good food, but knowing the presence of alcohol might force him to drink, it was a bad habit he'd been fighting with for a long time. Steve knew Pete didn't drink much, or if at all, but he didn't see a problem, "Come on guys, it's only a little beer, what can go wrong?" He knew he'd crossed a line when Pete walked out the door, not saying a word, and Claudia stared at him. "He doesn't drink," she said, "he can't let himself, I don't know why, but he refuses to touch the stuff, makes him do that." She said in a voice that wasn't characteristic of her, and then she turned and headed through the door.
She knew he'd be hiding outside, near a lake, or some tree or something, anything to help the calmness come back, and drive whatever upset him out of his mind. She'd known he was like this for a while, her and Myka talked about drinking on day, and she'd asked Myka if Pete drank, and immediately Myka got quiet, 'That's something he thankfully doesn't do', was all she said before moving the conversation on. Walking up next to him she noted that his shoulders were moving up and down, ever so slightly. Putting her right arm around his shoulders, she stood at an angle to look at him, "it is okay Pete, whatever it is, we can help, I can help." She saw him finish composing himself, or trying to at least, and saw him flash one of his fake smiles, "It's okay, I mean, what kind of man gets afraid of some beer?" he said with a shrug. Moving to stand in front of him she looked him in his eyes, "I mean it, I'm here for you Pete okay? You don't have to do anything alone."
Pete felt the tears come again, how could she possibly think to help him, he'd almost gotten her killed, and he'd almost gotten the Warehouse destroyed, or something worse, and that was when he broke, for only the third time in his life since his dad's death did he break. He felt the cold, and the sting from hitting the ground a few seconds after it, and saw Claudia move down to help him, and he knew if she continued, in a few minutes she'd leave him, leave his life too, but he couldn't find any way to stop it. "My dad," he said, "he was the first one too..." he trailed off, not wanting to say it.
Claudia watched him struggle with saying anything, and felt that he needed this, he needed this release, "Come on big buy, what happened?" she asked him. Looking at her, but his eyes focused beyond her, he smiled, "My dad was the best person, and you would've liked him, calm, level headed, but still fun." Then the eyes watered, and she had to stop herself from looking away, "When they told us, they wouldn't even look my mom in the eye, I mean how could you tell a lady her husband had just died, or the man's kids?" Shaking his head she saw him fight the emotions, "Then my mom began to distance herself, doing work and more work, what at the time I didn't know, no I do, she was a regent." Claudia had to close her eyes to keep Pete from seeing her flash of anger at that, she still hated Pete's mom for what she'd done, and she wanted to have a talk with the woman later, but not right now.
Pete saw Claudia open her eyes again to look at him, and felt her hand squeeze his shoulder, "You can go on, I'm here." she said, and nodded. Taking a breath he opened his mouth again, "Then my older sister, who's deaf, that's how I know sign language," he said working his hands out to spell something, and she smiled, knowing sign language too she knew he'd spelt her name. "Well then she got married, and moved in with her husband, real nice guy as well by the way, took me out a few times, and we had some fun, haven't seen them much since." He said, looking down again, and the light bulb went off in her mind, everyone he's loved has left him, but that didn't much explain the parts of the 12 step Pete was trying to do. "Then what happened, what made you… you know?" she said fumbling around with her words.
Steve had gone after both of them a little after Claudia had left after Pete, and had seen her kneeling next to a crying (?) Pete obviously trying to make him feel better, so he listened in on the conversation the two were having. "I enlisted right out of high school, by that time I was just another soon to be jobless looser, no career, no prospects, and nothing to show for in the romance department, I graduated with a 3.8 GPA, but had too much of a bad attitude to make any use of it, the corps fixed that." Smiling he squeezed her hand a little bit, and cracked his neck, thinking about his time in boot camp. "Drill Instructor Rosado was a tough son of a bitch, made us run PT twice as long as normal, or so the general thought was, and always made us carry our gear, his saying was, 'When the shit starts, you'll need all of that, even if it's just to be used as a tourniquet'."
Claudia saw his eyes glass over for a second, and nodded her hear, a sign to tell him if he wanted to stop he could, and Pete shook his head, he had to do this. "My friend went into boot camp with me, we were lucky enough to be in the same platoon, I wouldn't have made it out of boot with my attitude the way it was, without him, a few year later we got partnered up as a sniper team, just in time to head into Iraq, of course all of this was after me marrying way to early, you know what they say about high school romances." He chuckle/sobbed at that and moved his hand to wipe his eyes. "God Claudia, Iraq in those days, with the I.E.D's an unknown, and violent threat to our vehicles and men." His face turned less warm then, as he remembered it all. "I remember the days after quitting, sitting there with nothing but nightmares, a bottle of something, vodka, scotch, I didn't care what, just something." He closed his eyes, and then opened them again to fix hers with a stare like he was going to ask a question, "Have you ever had day blend together? Like not normal, not from work or anything but truly blend, like day and night have no meaning at all?" She shook her head no and he let out a small chuckle, "Well make sure you don't, especially not when you're behind the wheel," he stopped and closed his eyes again, and Claudia got a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. "I was young, angry and reckless, I was driving drunk with a friend, when I crashed the car, the crash sent my friend flying, he ended up with broken legs," Stopping again he closed his eyes before they could water up, but he was a second too late. "Claudia, they couldn't, the doctors couldn't do anything for him, he lost his legs, and me, I walked away, not a damn scratch, I hurt my buddy, I DID THAT."
Steve looked on with wide eyes as he heard what Pete said, he knew it was going to be bad, and judging by the look on Claudia's face, she didn't expect that either. "That was the day I started to get my life back together, I went into a program, and I've been clean ever since. Of course I finished my degree, of all things a video game design degree, figured since I loved video games, and to be an officer all you needed was a degree." Smiling Claudia punched him on the shoulder, "Still just a big kid at heart huh?" she asked, trying to break the sadness in Pete's eyes. "Yeah, sadly that was also the last time I saw him either, hasn't answered any calls or texts since." Looking down Pete held back a sob, "Then…then when thing are making me feel comfortable again, everything from discovering of the Warehouse to finding out my mom had rejoined the 'circus' after my dad died, brought things back, and then last week…" he trailed off, not sure if he should continue. He closed his eyes, waiting for her harsh stinging words, and her hatred of him, of how weak he is to come and burn a hole through where his heart was, one more person who wanted nothing to do with him. He was shocked when she grabbed him in a fierce hug, one fierce enough he had to tap her to get her to let go.
She couldn't believe what he'd been through, it was so similar, yet so different to her experiences in life, he knew pain on HER level, knew what it was like to cause someone else's pain, and to be ignored as someone not worth the time. So she even surprised himself by hugging him has hard as she did, like an assurance she was there for him, and she would help him, she let go when he tapped her. She let go, and started to get her emotions back in control, as he caught his breath, and she looked at him through watery eyes. "Pete, even if no one else is, I'm here for you, and I'll do all I can to not leave. I'm HERE okay, if you need me, come okay?" Nodding he smiled at her, and she saw in his eyes he'd gotten her message, and now they BOTH needed to get back under control. They didn't hear the movement, nor did they suspect it, so when Steve grabbed them both in a hug, calmly agreeing with her, and pulling them into a deeper hug, they were shocked. For a moment, "Aw come one Jinksy, mushy time is over, let go!" Claudia said, and Steve quickly let them go, trying to keep his Zen, and failing. Pete looked at both and said, "Man, what is it about me that have both men and women clamoring to get at me?" In the next instant all three sat there laughing, making passers-by think they were drunk, high, or both, Pete's dopey grin didn't help matters.
A few minutes later Pete was wiping the tears from his eyes from laughter this time, they'd had some fun talking, sharing some funny things when his stomach made itself known once again. "And the food monster strikes!" Claudia shouted, making even more people look at them, but Pete just patted his stomach with a smile, and looked at her. "Yes and where are we going to eat at now missy?" he asked pointing toward the German restaurant. Smiling she lazily put her arm around his shoulder, and looked at him in feigned annoyance, "She lifts her eyebrow at his foolishness, and pulls out her cell phone to find a place." Ending it with a smile she pulled her cell out, and started the search for a close by, convenient, LOUD place to eat, this was just the beginning.
As they watched her walking around in circles, looking at her phone, Steve got an idea, and looked at Pete with a smirk. "Jinksy," they heard, "don't be planning any pranks I have no feels for a prank war right now." Shaking his head he respond with an of course, and just sat back waiting for her to finish. "AHA!" she shouted a minute later, "Let's get thee to the car so we can go." She said walking over to them, hugging her arms to her to keep the cold from touching her skin. They all get in her Prius as Pete thought about something, "Wait, where ARE we going now?" Smiling she pressed the gas, and looked at Pete with a smirk. "Okay, that's unnerving, stop it please." Pete asked, and chuckling she returned her eyes to the road, only to pass under a just turned red light, and a few seconds later, a set of matching strobes blinked on behind her, "Shit!"
The officer was a 10 year veteran of the police force, he was grizzled, and he had a nice amount of muscle on him to make anyone think twice about challenging him. As he tapped on the window of the female he looked at the passengers, and noticed something familiar about the one in shotgun. "License and registration ma'am," he calmly started, all the while flashing his light inside the car, he received the asked for items, and took them back to his car. After checking them, he thought it odd that an IRS agent would be so young, and decided to check the two passengers as well, which only confused him more, why would an IRS, an ATF, and a secret service agent be hanging together in a small town like Univille. 10 year veteran didn't EXACTLY mean of Univille's police, he'd just transferred. Thinking they were probably working a joint operation together, and that would explain the abnormalness of the situation, plus they seemed like friends, probably knew each other from the same town, the Secret Service guy, probably like an older brother to both, one Pete Lattimer. Closing his ticket book, and looking away from his laptop, memory hit him like a brick, as he quickly re-typed the man's name, and sure enough, bingo, it was Pete, "Hot damn" he said with a grin on his face. Walking back to the car he held the grin in check, "Okay, I see your badges, and they match with your licenses, and your registration is current. I'm going to ignore your stop light violation, THIS TIME, as probably being late for some case, don't know, don't care." he made sure to say in a rough voice, getting his point across, then he took his glasses off, and looked at Pete, smiling. "And Lattimer, remember don't drop the ball," at the confused look, he shook his head and had to say it, "2, 5, RETREAT HELL!" When he saw the realization hit Pete's face he had to stop from laughing. "Take care of yourself Marine, hope to see you again soon, under, better circumstances." Giving a small salute he walked back to his 2014 Chevy Impala, buckled up and drove off.
"What just happened?" Claudia asked looking at Pete, who had another dopey grin on his face, "Don't answer then, assuming since he mentioned Marine you knew him?" Nodding Pete smiled, "Saved my ass, spending about 5 or 6 hours in a damaged Abrams' tank is very boring, and extremely hot." Her eyes opened wide, and she just looked at Pete, "What, I was the one who went back for him, got him out of there. He's the one who shoved a pamphlet in my hands after the crash." Nodding Claudia faced the road, and drove the rest of the way to the diner.
Artie watched as the three came back into the Warehouse at near midnight, laughing their butts off, and looking about ready to sleep. They stopped as soon as they saw him, and Claudia slightly moved in front of Pete, and so did Steve. Sighing he looked at them and took his glasses off, "I just want to talk with him, civilly, I need to…" he stopped as Claudia appeared next to him, and said in a low voice, "Remember what I told you Arthur." Disturbed by both the threat, and her use of his real name, signifying she was really unhappy with him, he put his glasses on, and nodded, showing both her, and Steve he would play nice, he had to. Looking back at Pete Claudia mouthed, 'we'll be outside', and motioned for a reluctant Steve to follow her. When they were both gone, Artie just looked at him for a minute, running through his head what he wanted to say to Pete, how to say it. In his hesitation Pete got the wrong idea, "Look if you want me to leave, if that'll make things better…" he said, letting Artie fill in the blanks. Groaning Artie stretched his neck, and fixed his gaze on Pete. Shaking his head he motioned for Pete to come near him, hoping this worked, he'd seen it many times on TV, and when Pete was close he reached behind him, and gave him a light Gibbs slap. "How could you think so little…?" Artie said, stopping to close his eyes, "So little of yourself, when it's ME who's been acting the child?" He took in Pete's surprise, and allowed a smile and a tear, "I've been a foolish old man Pete, and all I can do, is ask for you to forgive me."
Claudia almost went in there and destroyed Artie for the slap, but stopped when she heard what he said, Artie asking for forgiveness is a rare thing, but what happened next, had a 0.000001% chance of ever happening, two apologies in less than a minute. "And that goes for you too Claudia," he said looking at her through the shades between the office, and the platform, and was that a tear in his eye? Sure he'd kept her sister from her, and he was a bastard for it, but he'd just apologized to Pete, AND to her, and she couldn't stay mad at him for TOO long. Ripping the door open she walked in, a hesitant grin on her face, thinking he might be going crazy, but when he pulled her and Pete in for a hug once she got close enough, and started repeating 'I'm sorry' and crying, she knew it was really him. Looking at Pete, and in a second both deciding to do it, they hugged him back, and they were sitting there like that when Myka walked back in, with H.G. "Well, this is quite the curiosity, isn't it Myka?" she asked, as both Myka and Steve snapped pick on their camera until they heard Claudia and Pete say, "Let's let Artie get them."