A/N: Hello. Sorry this took a while, but I got scared. In fact, I'm still extremely terrified to hit the 'add new chapter' button. It's not the best artifact story line out there, but it's what I got, so please just try to look past the choppiness. I'll try to keep this story interesting, plus... now we'll be getting back into the fluffiness of Bering-Wells at home with their family so YAY! Anyway, I hope you enjoy this one. :)

"How much longer?" Helena kept her gaze on the open road, her jaw clenched tight as she listened to thin fingers tapping on computer keys. "Claudia!"

"Sorry." The red head flinched, looking into the Farnsworth. "About twelve minutes?" Helena's eyes twitched before she lowered her head to look pointedly at Claudia. "I know, I know it's a long way, but if it makes you feel any better, Myka is still sitting in the cab outside the evil warehouse."

"Drive faster Pete." Helena said, ignoring Claudia's attempt to make her feel better. "Claudia?"

"Yes?" The techie answered hesitantly.

"How is Sarah?" Helena's voice shook, her eyes watering up a bit.

Claudia let out a breath she had been holding for fear of her life. "Don't worry about her. She's been hanging out with grumpy bear today, and Leena gets back tomorrow. I filled her in. I promise, Sarah will be fine so you can focus all your energy on getting Myka back."

With her young friends reassurance, Helena nodded and took a deep breath. "Thank you. Let us know if anything changes." With that, she closed the Farnsworth and leaned her head against the window.

...

Myka sat in the back seat of the cab, silently trying to figure out how she ended up here. No matter how she tried to rationalize it, she couldn't. 'An artifact.' She thought. 'I've been affected by an artifact.'

"Miss?"

Myka looked up, blue eyes greeted her in the rear view mirror. "I'm sorry?" Myka concentrated on the voice talking to her, trying to sort out the noise in her head.

"I said, the meter is still running?" He looked at her, concern written on his face. "You're sure this is the right place?"

"Yes. This is the right place." Myka reached into her jacket pocket, taking out some cash and handing it to the driver. "Keep the change." She opened the door in a haze and stepped out, the driver slowly pulling away.

Myka walked toward the warehouse doors, calmly; but on the inside, she was trying to regain control of her body and walk away. Something was pulling her closer and closer to the doors; a voice, some music, something that kept her in a trance she couldn't break.

Before Myka knew it, she was standing in a dark and damp room, looking around for reason that she couldn't quite grasp. 'Why am I here?' She asked over and over again, getting frustrated by the constant tugging at her stomach. 'Why am I here?' Then she saw him; the man in the mask. 'The artifact!'

"Myka." A whisper, a shallow breath. He called to her and this time it wasn't in her head.

"Myka?" This voice was louder, harsher and it belonged to a woman, but Myka couldn't see her face. "What is she doing here!?" When the man wearing the mask didn't answer, the woman stepped toward him and gripped his arm tightly, turning him so he would have to look at her. "Why is detective Bering here?"

'That voice,' Myka thought... 'I've heard it before.'

"I called her here." He answered simply.

"You were only supposed to call the girls that I told you to. I gave you a list! You said you'd do anything for me and I gave you the power to have whatever you wanted." She stopped looking at the entranced woman before her. "And you wanted this? Send her away now."

"No." The man turned his gaze back to the agent. "She's mine now and I love her."

"Stupid!" The woman yanked on his arm. "You don't love her! The mask is making you think you love her and you know what? She doesn't love you. You're controlling her. So make her leave!"

"I said no!" He swung his arm roughly, knocking the woman off of him. She hit the ground hard, her head slamming against the concrete floor and she was unconscious.

"Myka." He returned all of his attention on her. "Come in. I've been waiting for you."

Although Myka didn't want to, her legs wouldn't listen and walked further into the dank warehouse, until the man could reach her.

"My angel." He whispered into her ear, his lips right up against the side of her face.

Myka tried to fight him, pulling out of his grasp. His grip on her arms tightened painfully and she flinched, feeling that her bones were about to snap.

"Don't fight me my love. You're mine now. My angel."

All Myka wanted to do was knock this psychopath unconscious like is crazy friend there. She was able to look down at the young woman's body and saw her face. Green eyes went wide. 'Natalia.' Myka went through it in her mind, putting it all together and now it made perfect sense. This poor man was just a victim to the ballerina's obsession with being on top.

"Carlos?" Myka finally found her voice again, throwing the man off guard for a moment, his hold on her loosened.

"You know me?"

Now Myka knew her way in. She could work around this artifact, figure something out.

"Carlos." She breathed, her mind wandering back to the artifact, the origin of it, the novel. She slowly reached her hands up to the side of the mans head. He jumped back. "Please. Your angel wants a kiss."
Myka forced a smile, focusing on wanting to get her hands on the artifact and he let her. She touched the mask, lifting it slightly and Carlos leaned forward, placing a kiss on her forehead.

Just then, the doors flew open; Helena and Pete rushing in with their teslas ready to go. Carlos pulled away, causing Myka to stumble backward, taking the mask with her. She fell back staring at the object in her hands.

"Myka!" Helena ran forward, but her love was being blocked by the man who just had his hands on her. Helena's vision went red. "You will be wanting to step out of my way right now." But Carlos didn't move, instead he stepped back and put his hands back on the agent, roughly yanking her up on her feet. "Let her go right now!"

"She's mine!" Helena dropped her tesla, running toward them.

She knocked him away from Myka with her left hand, gripping his wrist with her right hand. Helena spun around, elbowing him in his ribs, the force and precise placement effectively cracking a few of them, sending the man spiraling down in pain. On his hands and knees, Helena took her leg and kicked him square in the face. When he was on his back, the Brit was instantly on top of him, punching him over and over. He was a bleeding mess, choking and desperate to breathe. He underestimated the small woman and now he was paying for it.

"Please..." He struggled to say, blood gurgling in his throat; but Helena was relentless and she wasn't going to stop.

Pete ran over to Myka, pulling the mask out of her hands and tossing it in a neutralizer bag. The sparks flew, and he saw Myka for the first time since the previous evening. Her eyes came back to life, but the hold the artifact had on her left her weak.

"Mykes stay here, I have to save that guy from your wife." Pete turned around and tried to pry HG off the man who was very likely near death now. "HG!" He tugged at her desperately, but her rage seemed to give her the strength of ten Pete's. "Please don't make me do this." Pete stood up, pointing his tesla at the inventor, about to shoot before a hand on his shoulder stopped him.

"Helena, baby." Myka's voice was the answer, as the raging woman instantly stopped her actions and turned to look at her wife. "Baby." Myka lowered herself next to Helena, pulling her off of Carlos and into her arms. Helena sobbed, all the anger leaving her body to be replaced with relief; holding her wife in her arms.

"I'm sorry Myka." Helena choked on her words.

"Helena, I'm fine. He didn't even really hurt me, just a few bruises from when he grabbed me okay?" Helena was covered in blood, but Myka could care less, pulling the woman into her and placing kisses on her face. "I'm here and I'm not going anywhere."

When Helena started to calm down, Myka looked at Pete. "Check on him."

"Okay. I already called for help." Pete went over and checked the mans pulse. "He'll live... I think."

They waited in the warehouse for the police to arrive.

...

Myka, Helena and Pete answered as many questions as they possibly could when the authorities got there. Searching the warehouse, they found the missing women, taking them in for questioning, they were all in a daze, but seemed to have been in control since the artifact was taken care of. They apprehended Carlos and almost allowed Natalia to go free, but Myka stopped them; telling them that she was a part of the kidnappings.

After all was said and done, the three went back to the car and drove back to the hotel.

"I say we get a good nights sleep. I talked to Claudia and Sarah is fine. She is a little worried, but she's just happy you're both gonna be home tomorrow." Pete looked in the rear view mirror, looking at his partner, holding onto her wife tightly.

Myka looked into Helena's eyes. "Let's get some sleep and go home okay?"

"Please." Helena's hand found Myka's, their fingers tangling together comfortably. "I can't wait to have you and Sarah in my arms again."

Both women knew this would cause some trouble back home with the regents. Helena's actions would be questioned, but she could care less. Her family was safe and that's all that mattered.

So that was the end of the artifact hunt, but that doesn't mean the artifact isn't still gonna cause some problems so stay tuned for more. :) (also, I will be dipping into the Natalia thing a little in the next chapter to explain why she was there, but you guys are all so smart and I'm sure you figured it out on your own) I hope it was okay. Please review and feel free to tell me what worked and what didn't, especially if there was something else I should have put in here to deal with the artifact. I've said before that I don't really write artifact story lines well... this is why. So I'd love to learn what people like. Love you all. XO