Disclaimer: I own nothing. Not even the high heels, thank goodness.

Author's Note: So I realize it's been like six months since I updated this story, and I do apologize for that. My spring semester of college was busy beyond belief, so I didn't really have a lot of time. My summer has also been pretty crazy, and from the looks of things it will only be getting crazier. But I recently received a very nice PM from a reader who said they were very hopeful that I would continue this story. Their message prompted me to reread part of this story, which inevitably led to me writing another chapter. Since then I've been on a bit of a kick, so I have a few chapters ready to go and hopefully more to come. I'm not entirely sure how many I'll get through before life gets too crazy. But I should at least be able to make a solid dent in the rest of season four over the next few weeks. And I really do mean to carry this story right up through the finale. It just may take me a little longer than expected to get there.

Anyway. This episode had Claudia getting lunch with Mrs. Frederic to discuss caretaker things. (Claudia gives a bit of summary in this chapter, so hopefully that will jog your memory as to the details.) While seeing an artifact born was all fine and good, I think seeing Mrs. Frederic's grandson in a nursing home would have caused Claudia to think twice about just how much this position could cost her. And who better to get advice from than Leena? Since I did take a completely unintentional hiatus from the story, I'm a little bit rusty as far as the writing of these characters. So this chapter may not be my best work. But hopefully you'll bear with me. Enjoy!

***Special thanks to Logi123 for motivating me to pick this story back up.

To Caretake or Not to Caretake

It was late when Claudia got back to the B&B. Dinner had already been cleaned up and the living room was empty. Claudia started up the stairs, intent on changing her clothes, but then she realized Leena's door was partway open. The light was on inside. After a brief hesitation, Claudia headed back down and knocked on the innkeeper's door.

"Come in!" Leena called.

Claudia pushed the door open the rest of the way. Leena was sitting at her desk writing what looked like a letter. Probably to her friend Tyler. He was back from Afghanistan now, but he and Leena still wrote regularly.

Leena looked up and smiled when she saw Claudia.

"Hey, Claude," she said warmly. "Wow. You look nice."

"Thanks," Claudia said awkwardly. After so many years on her own, it was still sometimes a little hard for her to take a compliment.

"How was lunch?" Leena asked, draping her arm over the back of her chair.

"It was okay," Claudia said.

"You don't sound convinced," Leena told her.

"No, lunch was great," Claudia insisted. "It was everything before lunch that was a little whacko. First there was the whole 'Bam!' artifact origin thing, and then we had to wait for the ambulance to get there- well, we didn't have to, but I wanted to since I didn't stop her from getting shot- and then I had to sit around while Mrs. Frederic won three games out of five and she took forever to make her moves, so by that point it was really more like dinner, really..." She trailed off when she saw the confused look Leena was giving her. "Can I sit down?"

"Sure," Leena said. Claudia walked quickly over to the bed and sat down on the end. Then she kicked off her heels, dropping them both on the floor.

"I hate these things," she muttered venomously. "They were probably created by some idiotic man who couldn't get a girl unless she couldn't run away."

"Actually, heels were originally created for men," Leena informed her. "They kept their feet from slipping out of the stirrups. Then during the Renaissance heels became a male status symbol. Women started wearing them to show their equality with men."

"Why any woman would want to wear them is beyond me," Claudia said.

"They're definitely a pain," Leena agreed. She turned her chair around so she was facing Claudia. "Now. Tell me about today. You said something about artifact origin?"

"I saw an artifact being born," Claudia said. There was excitement in her voice as she pulled her legs up onto the bed and crossed them. Leena had to fight back a smile at how childish it made her look. "There was this jewelry store, right? And this guy came in with a baby and then this dude came running in with a gun and tried to hold the place up. And he was waving the gun all over the place and it went off at the baby. Only this random lady actually jumped in front of the bullet. She totally saved the baby's life."

"Wow," Leena said, clearly impressed. Claudia nodded.

"I know, right?" Claudia said excitedly. "The bullet hit her in the shoulder, but the EMTs said she'll be fine. And then her bracelet did this weird glowy thing and actually turned into an artifact! I didn't even know normal people could make artifacts. But Mrs. F said the birth of an artifact is just the meeting of an object, a person, and a moment. So I mean, hypothetically, I could even make an artifact under the right circumstances. Pretty cool, right?"

"It's really interesting," Leena agreed. "Claudia, you were really lucky to see that."

"It was pretty awesome," Claudia said with a grin. "So after the ambulance cleared the scene, Mrs. F took me to this nursing home nearby and introduced me to one of the residents." She paused for a moment, unsure if she should continue. "Leena, it was her grandson."

"Her grandson?" Leena asked in interest. Claudia nodded.

"He's like almost eighty," she said. "I knew Mrs. F was old, but that old?"

"The Warehouse gives the caretaker extended life," Leena explained. Somehow Claudia wasn't entirely surprised that she knew so much about the occupation. "As long as one survives, so does the other."

"That's kinda freaky," Claudia admitted.

"Most caretakers end up retiring," Leena told her. "They get tired of the long life and turn things over to a younger one."

"Not all wonder is endless," Claudia said softly, repeating Mrs. Frederic's words.

"No it isn't," Leena agreed.

"That's the part that worries me," Claudia admitted. Her voice was so soft that Leena almost didn't hear her.

"Why?" Leena asked curiously.

"If I become caretaker," Claudia explained, looking down at the blanket beneath her, "I could live for... well, forever. Everybody I care about will get old and die. So will their kids. And their kids and maybe even their kids. I don't know if I can go through losing that many people."

"It's not an easy job," Leena agreed. "A caretaker has to give up a lot. They live a long, and sometimes lonely, life."

"Why would anybody want that?" Claudia asked.

"Because some wonder is endless," Leena said simply.

"And that makes it worth giving all that up?" Claudia asked skeptically. Leena shrugged.

"Some people think so."

"I don't know if I do," Claudia said, looking down at the blanket covering Leena's bed.

"No one is going to force you to be the caretaker," Leena told her.

"Doctor V tried to," Claudia reminded her. "Back when Warehouse 2 almost killed Mrs. F. She told me I didn't have a choice."

"Well, you do have a choice," Leena assured her. "And anyone who says differently is going to have to go through Artie."

"He does get kinda protective sometimes," Claudia agreed with a small smile. Leena nodded in agreement.

"Especially of you," she said.

Claudia nodded slowly as if she were thinking something over.

"Do you think I should be caretaker?" she asked suddenly.

"I think it's your decision," Leena told her.

"But do you think I should do it?" Claudia pressed.

"I think," Leena said slowly, "that you are an incredibly talented agent who has a very strong connection to the Warehouse. One of the strongest I've ever seen. You belong here. And if you choose to be the next caretaker, I know that you will do an amazing job. And if you would rather stay an agent, then you will do just as well and the Warehouse will be just as glad to have you."

"That's really sweet," Claudia told her, "but it's not very helpful."

Leena chuckled.

"Maybe not," she agreed. "What I'm trying to say is that at the end of the day it's your life. Being caretaker has a steep price, but it also has a lot of reward. You have to decide for yourself if it's worth it."

"How?" Claudia asked quietly.

"When the time comes to decide, you'll know," Leena assured her. "But whatever you choose, I want you to know that I'm proud of you. We all are."

"Thanks," Claudia said with a small smile.

Her phone dinged in her pocket just then. Claudia pulled it out and punched in her code. Then a grin crossed her face.

"It's Pete," she said. "He wants to know if Mrs. F killed me and hid my body in some secret Regent skeleton closet."

"You should go let him know you're still alive," Leena said with a chuckle. Claudia nodded. She stood up off the bed and bent down to pick up her shoes.

"Thanks for the talk," she said.

"That's what I'm here for," Leena told her.

"What would we do without you?" Claudia joked.

"Starve to death," Leena said flatly.

"Probably," Claudia agreed. She headed over to Leena's door. "I'll see you in the morning."

"I'll be here," Leena assured her.

"You know," Claudia said, turning as she reached the door, "I've really been craving pancakes lately."

"I'll see what I can do," Leena said drily.

"You're the best," Claudia told her with a grin.

"I know," Leena agreed.

"G'night," Claudia said as she stepped out into the hall.

"Night, Claudia," Leena called.

The door swung closed, muffling the sound of Claudia's feet pounding up the stairs. Then Leena heard the sound of Claudia's voice as she found whatever room Pete and Myka were in. A smile crossed Leena's face. There was just something very right about that sound. It was almost as if Claudia had always belonged at the B&B.

Somehow Leena had a feeling that Claudia's voice would be echoing through its halls for many years to come.

So how was it? Probably not worth waiting six months for, but it's the best I have right now. I have the next few chapters pretty much done, so I'll try to update in about three days or so to give myself time to make some solid progress. In the meantime, how about leaving a quick review? It would make my day. :) Thanks!