Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Author's Note: This episode involved an artifact that turned people into crazed and freezing cannibals. In the B-storyline Claudia met a guy named Dwayne who asked her to jam with his band. She also had a run-in with a fortune telling artifact that caused her to spend most of the episode thinking she was going to die. In the middle of the episode Steve finally answered one of her phone calls only to tell her that they were no longer friends. In short, Claudia was on a bit of an emotional roller coaster. There was a quick moment where she nearly broke down in front of Leena, but then a call from Pete needing assistance forced her to pull herself together. This chapter is what I think happened after the end of the episode. Enjoy!

Optimist Prime Strikes Again

The zombie crisis was finally over. The cannibals had all been returned to their normal human state, Claudia had returned power to the Ithaca grid, and Artie was already spinning a cover story that the media seemed more than willing to believe. World War Z had officially been averted.

Claudia looked up from her computer as Leena entered the Warehouse office.

"Artie just called," she told the innkeeper. "They booked a flight back. They'll be here in the morning."

"So everyone's okay?" Leena confirmed.

"Looks like everybody is back to normal," Claudia said. "Ithaca is safe once more."

"Good," Leena said. "That one could've been bad."

"No joke," Claudia said. "The rate that thing was going, we almost had a level two outbreak."

"A what now?" Leena asked skeptically.

"Have you not read The Zombie Survival Guide?" Claudia asked. Leena shook her head. "Well, in that case, know that when the apocalypse comes, Pete and I will both outlive you."

"I'll try not to lose any sleep over it," Leena said drily.

"Hey, Leena?" Claudia said in a more serious tone. "Thanks for earlier. You know, saving my life."

"You're welcome," Leena said. She came to stand beside Claudia's chair. "If you ever want to talk, my door is always open."

"I'll keep that in mind," Claudia said without looking up.

"Okay," Leena said. She couldn't make Claudia talk. "Well, I'm going back to the B&B. I'll see you later."

She turned away and began heading toward the door. She was halfway there when Claudia's voice stopped her.

"Steve finally answered my calls," Claudia said quietly. Leena turned around to see the younger girl still looking at the computer screen. Her shoulders had slumped a little. She looked over her shoulder, her eyes making it clear that she wanted to talk.

"That's a good sign," Leena said, heading back over and sitting down in the desk chair beside Claudia's.

"Not really," Claudia admitted. She stared down at her hands fiddling against the top of the desk. "He, um... he said that we were nothing more than coworkers. Only we're not even that now, so apparently we're nothing. Because the fact that we spent three months working cases together is absolutely meaningless."

"I'm sure he's just upset about what happened in Atlanta," Leena said sympathetically. "Give him time."

"He doesn't want time," Claudia said, finally looking up. "He wants me to stop calling him. He acts like our friendship was just some fling and now he's over it."

"That's why you were so upset earlier," Leena said in sudden understanding.

"He's my best friend, Leena," Claudia admitted angrily. "The only one I've ever had. And now he's throwing me under the bus. How can he do that?"

"I don't know," Leena said honestly.

"And why was he even fired in the first place?" Claudia demanded. "We've all screwed up before. We've all done dumb stuff. And we're still here. What could Steve possibly have done that was so bad that Mrs. Frederic had to fire him?"

"I wish I knew," Leena said.

"And why now? We need all the help we can get if we're gonna beat this Sykes guy! So why the hell would she fire Steve right when we need him the most?"

"There had to be a reason," Leena said softly.

"Well, why won't anyone tell us?" Claudia asked. "I just want to know why I lost my best friend. Is that too much to ask?"

"No," Leena assured her. "I don't know what happened in Atlanta. But I do know Steve. He would never hurt you like this in purpose."

"So he just accidentally told me to lose his number?" Claudia asked bitterly.

"Steve cares about you," Leena said gently. "But right now he's hurting and he's pushing you away because he doesn't know how to handle that. You did the same thing to me after MacPherson made me impersonate you."

"I guess," Claudia admitted. She reached up and wiped her misty eyes before looking back at Leena. "So what do I do?"

"Don't give up on him," Leena advised. "He needs a friend right now. My suggestion is to keep calling him. Let him know that you're still here for him no matter what. Maybe the message will finally sink in."

"Okay," Claudia said quietly.

"As for Walter Sykes," Leena continued, "we know who he is now."

"But we still don't know what he's planning," Claudia pointed out.

"That's true," Leena admitted. "But we'll figure it out. It's what we do. We save the world every day. And we're pretty good at it. Besides, the Warehouse has been around for thousands of years. It survived the fall of Rome, the conquest of Napoleon, and both World Wars. If none of that could destroy it, I'd say that Walter Sykes' chances are pretty slim."

"It's not the Warehouse I'm worried about," Claudia admitted.

"Then what is?" Leena prodded gently.

"Us," Claudia said. "The Warehouse may have some sort of mega invincibility powers, but we don't. We're just people. Look at the Regents. Sykes is killing them off one by one and we can't seem to stop him. What's gonna keep him from killing us too?"

"Maybe he will," Leena said quietly.

"Gee, that makes me feel so much better," Claudia said drily. Leena smiled a little.

"When I meant," she continued, "is that I don't know what's going to happen. What I do know is that we have been charged with protecting the Warehouse and we're going to do everything we can to uphold that task. At the end of the day, that's all we can do. But I also know something Walter Sykes doesn't."

"What?" Claudia asked curiously.

"Us," Leena said, repeating Claudia's earlier answer. "We are a team. A pretty good one, I might add. And we are not going to go down without a fight. Walter Sykes has no idea who he is messing with or what we are capable of. I believe in us. All of us. And together I think that we can beat him."

Claudia shook her head.

"Optimist Prime strikes again," she said. "How are you always so positive?"

"I have a gift," Leena said with a teasing smile.

"Well, you definitely have something," Claudia said. She reached up and wiped her red eyes with her sleeve.

"Do you want a hug?" Leena asked with a fond smile. Claudia nodded. Leena scooted her chair forward and wrapped her arms around the younger girl. Claudia's arms looped around Leena's waist as she rested her head against Leena's shoulder.

"We're going to be okay," Leena promised. Claudia sniffed before nodding into Leena's shoulder.

The younger girl pulled away after a moment, taking a deep breath to collect herself. The beeping of the computer saved her from having to comment on her emotional state.

"The diagnostic finished," she said, pushing a few buttons on the keyboard. "The Ithaca power grid looks good as new."

"You know," Leena said slowly, "we have the B&B to ourselves tonight."

"What are you suggesting?" Claudia asked warily. "And please don't say Monopoly."

"No," Leena chuckled. "If you weren't planning on going to bed right away, I was thinking maybe we could make some cookies and watch a movie. We haven't spent a lot of time together lately."

"I'm down," Claudia agreed. "One condition. Well, two. First, we make Scotchies."

"That's sort of a given," Leena said. "And second?"

"I get to pick the movie," Claudia said. Before Leena could protest, she rushed on. "I am not sitting through another Hallmark sob fest."

"It was not a sob fest," Leena insisted. "It was a beautiful movie!"

"You and Myka went through an entire box of Kleenex," Claudia reminded her. "I would rather not repeat that."

"Well, I'm not sitting through another Doctor Who marathon," Leena said firmly.

"Fine," Claudia said. "We'll find something we both agree on."

"Fine," Leena agreed. A devilish gleam entered her eyes. "Or we could just talk about Dwayne instead."

"Dwayne?" Claudia asked innocently. She stood up and headed to the table by the file cabinets to pick up her messenger bag. "Dwayne who?"

"You know who," Leena told her.

"He's just a guy who wants me to jam with his band," Claudia insisted. "That's all."

"I think he's cute," Leena said. Claudia pushed the button to open the umbilicus door.

"Well, good for you," she said as the door swung open.

"And he likes you," Leena added, heading toward the door.

"Did his aura tell you that?"

"No. I just know. Just like I know that you have a crush on him."

"I do not," Claudia said defensively.

"Oh, you so do," Leena told her.

"I'm ignoring you now," Claudia said as she headed out the door into the umbilicus. Leena grinned and hurried after her.

"I think you should go out with him."

"I'm not listening!"

"But Claudia, he seems really nice."

"I can't hear you!"

They were still going at it as they rounded the corner of the umbilicus. The heavy office door swung shut behind them, leaving the Warehouse quiet once more.

So what are your thoughts on this chapter? Leave a review and let me know! Next chapter begins the first half of the two-part season three finale.