Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Author's Note: This episode was one of my personal favorites. Pete and Myka got a call from HG about an artifact case that ends up completely disrupting her perfectly normal life. But despite some initial rockiness between HG and Myka, the two part on good terms with a promise to meet up for coffee. After Mrs. Frederic ordered HG to radio silence to protect the astrolabe, I think this was the first time they had heard from her in a while. So naturally, I think Claudia would immediately want to call her after Pete and Myka returned. In the other storyline of the episode, Claudia steps up as future caretaker and saves the Warehouse. She also mends her nonexistent relationship with Abigail. I decided to expand on that fledgling friendship for the second part of this chapter. The scene I wrote here has actually been in my head since I first started work on this story over a year ago, so I was super excited to finally get to write it. Hopefully the extreme symbolism doesn't come across as too cheesy. I just couldn't resist. Sorry this chapter is a bit late getting up. I've been gone literally all day. Enjoy!
The Twilight of the Dawn
Claudia looked down at the Post-It in her hand to make sure she had dialed the correct number before pushing the call button. She had barely given Myka time to copy down the digits for her before grabbing up the Post-It and dashing up the stairs to her room. Now she paced her floor impatiently as she listened to the dial tone on the other end.
Finally she heard a click.
"Hello?" a British voice asked.
A wide grin spread across Claudia's face and she just barely contained a squeal.
"HG!" she cried. "It's good to finally hear your voice."
"And yours, darling," HG said with a chuckle. "I was wondering when I might be hearing from you."
"Well, they've only been back about fifteen minutes," Claudia told her sheepishly.
"And here I was expecting five," HG teased.
"I had to give Myka long enough to tell me what happened," Claudia said. "Sounds like you guys had a crazy time."
"It was definitely interesting," HG agreed. Claudia could hear a door closing on the other end as HG went into another room. "At the very least, it was a change of pace from my usual work."
"Sounds like you're all domesticated," Claudia joked.
"Oh, I wouldn't go that far," HG said lightly. "But life here is definitely much more normal than it ever was at the Warehouse."
"Do you ever miss the abnormality?" Claudia asked curiously.
"If you had asked me that yesterday, I would have said no," HG told her. "But now... I think I miss certain aspects of it. I miss the feeling of saving the world. Of knowing that what I did mattered. Don't misunderstand me, I love my work here. And I finally have a normal life. That's what I wanted, after all."
"But sometimes normal is overrated," Claudia said in understanding.
"Exactly," HG said. "Caturanga often said that no one ever really leaves the Warehouse. I'm beginning to think he was right."
"You know," Claudia said, sitting down on the end of her bed, "Myka said that Adelaide really looks up to you. And Nate sounds like a great guy. Maybe it's time to stop saving the world for a while and just focus on your world for a change."
"That was quite insightful," HG said. Claudia could hear a smile in her voice.
"The first session is free," she joked.
"You're so kind," HG said drily. "But enough about me. How have you been? Myka told me about everything that's happened. Are you doing alright?"
"Yeah," Claudia said honestly. She let herself fall back onto her bed. "I really am. I actually got to save the Warehouse today. It was so cool! And all of a sudden it was like... like there was this... connection between me and the Warehouse. Like all of a sudden I knew that I really could be caretaker, and for the first time ever I actually wanted it, and it was like the Warehouse was telling me that it wanted that too."
"This is going to sound a bit odd," HG said, "but did you by any chance smell apples?"
"Yeah, actually," Claudia said. She pushed herself back up into a sitting position as curiosity took over. "How'd you know?"
"I used to smell them too," HG explained. "Caturanga once told me that it's like a sign of favor from the Warehouse. Those it has a special connection with can sometimes smell apples. Sort of like a thank-you or a token of approval."
"Wow," Claudia said in surprise. "I thought the goo was just messing with my nose."
"Not quite," HG said with a chuckle. "And for what it's worth, I think you would be a brilliant caretaker."
"Thanks," Claudia said sincerely.
She heard a door opening on the other end, and then a young voice was saying something. HG's muffled voice answered back before the door closed again.
"Adelaide is going to bed," HG explained into the phone. "She wants me to come tell her good night. You'd like her. She reminds me of you sometimes."
"I'm glad you found her," Claudia said. She hesitated a moment before adding, "Can I ask you something? Are you... happy?"
"I am," HG said honestly. "I really am."
"Good," Claudia said firmly. "You, um... you should go tuck her in. But maybe we can talk again sometime?"
"I'd like that very much," HG said. "And maybe someday I can... come by and visit. We could get lunch or something."
"Sounds good," Claudia said with a smile.
"Righty-ho then," HG said. "Take care of yourself."
"You too," Claudia told her. "Bye, HG."
"Good-bye, Claudia."
There came a small click signaling that the call was ended. Claudia pulled the phone away from her ear and slipped it back into her pocket.
"Righty-ho," she said quietly.
X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X
It was well after midnight, and Abigail was still wide awake. No matter how she tried, she just couldn't seem to fall asleep. Maybe it was that her room was still so new. But for whatever reason, her brain refused to stop working.
Finally she gave up. She kicked off the blankets and swung her legs over the side of the bed, sliding them into her waiting slippers. She grabbed up her bathrobe before heading to the door. Maybe a late-night snack would take her mind off of things.
She opened her door and stepped out into the quiet semi-darkness. There was a bit of light coming from the living room. Abigail expertly tied her bathrobe as she headed forward to investigate. She reached the living room and stuck her head in to see someone sitting on the end of the couch. The lamp on the end table beside it was turned on, providing the low level of light. Then the person turned around to reveal Claudia's face.
"What are you doing up?" Abigail asked as she stepped into the living room.
"Self-diagnosed insomniac," Claudia said. "What's your excuse?"
"Clinically diagnosed insomniac," Abigail told her.
"And we have a winner," Claudia said, mildly impressed.
"I wasn't aware it was a competition," Abigail said as she walked around to the front of the couch.
"Around here everything is a competition," Claudia informed her.
"I'll keep that in mind," Abigail said. She sat down on the couch before looking over at Claudia. The young agent was sitting with her legs crossed and a book in her lap. "What are you reading?"
"H.G. Wells," Claudia told her. She stuck her finger in to hold her place and then flipped the book closed to show Abigail the cover of the collection. "It's an autographed copy."
"Of course it is," Abigail said with a shake of her head. "I read a lot of Wells when I was in college. There was some good material. Do you have a favorite work?"
"I like a lot of them," Claudia said. "But The Invisible Man is probably my favorite."
"I always liked The Time Machine," Abigail said. "The story is fascinating. And it holds one of my favorite quotes by Wells."
"Which is?" Claudia asked curiously.
"'We should strive to welcome changes and challenges, because they are what help us grow'," Abigail quoted.
"Good one," Claudia said. "My favorite was always the one about beginnings in The Discovery of the Future. 'The past is but the beginning of the beginning-'"
"'-and all that is or has been is but the twilight of the dawn,'" Abigail finished.
"You know it," Claudia said with a grin.
"Like I said, I read a lot of Wells," Abigail said. "I don't know if I agreed with all of the ideas he presented, but I had to admire his intellect." She paused for a moment as something occurred to her. "Of course, that was before I knew H.G. Wells was a woman."
"Well, technically her brother Charles did the writing," Claudia clarified. "HG was mostly the idea girl."
"Still," Abigail said. "Some of those ideas are amazing. Like the concept of the time machine. The idea of time travel wasn't a new one, but Wells was the first to make it actual science by suggesting using a machine to do so. Plus I was always intrigued by the idea of traveling to different times. Being able to see the future or the past."
"Did you know HG actually made a working time machine?" Claudia asked smugly. "We have it in the Warehouse."
"Really?" Abigail asked in surprise.
"Yup," Claudia said with a smile. "We had to use it once to solve a case. Although it doesn't transport your whole body. Just your consciousness. And only for a certain amount of time. Or at least, it used to. We sort of fried it."
"This place just gets crazier and crazier," Abigail said, shaking her head.
"I never would've pegged you for a Wells fan," Claudia said with a curious look.
"There's a lot you don't know about me," Abigail pointed out.
"That's true," Claudia agreed. She looked down at her book and then back up again. "I, uh... I kinda owe you an apology. I haven't exactly been the friendliest the last few days."
"It's okay," Abigail said. "Between your experience with shrinks and your fear that I was replacing Leena, it's understandable that you might be hostile."
"That sounded awful close to psychoanalyzing," Claudia said with a raised eyebrow.
"Sorry," Abigail told her. "Old habit. But for the record? I'm not trying to replace Leena. And I'm not a Regent spy."
"I know," Claudia said honestly. "I was just worried that you being here might complicate everything. This place has become my home and the people here are my family. I was afraid that if the Regents knew Artie was struggling, they might make him leave."
"Well, I'm here to make sure that doesn't happen," Abigail told her. Claudia nodded to show she believed her. Then she looked around the living room and shook her head.
"My first few weeks here, I couldn't sleep much either," she said. "There was just so much to see. I thought my head was gonna explode."
"It's certainly a lot to take in," Abigail agreed.
"Leena used to have trouble sleeping too sometimes," Claudia said quietly. "We, um... we'd make Scotchies together. She made awesome Scotchies."
"So I've heard," Abigail said with a hint of smile. "My roommate in college used to cook when she couldn't sleep. She tried to teach me a few things when we were up on the same nights. I'm not much for Scotchies, but I do make a pretty mean Brownie."
"Really?" Claudia said in interest.
"Really," Abigail said. A mischievous gleam entered her eyes. "And last time I checked, we had all of the necessary ingredients."
"Did we, now?" Claudia asked with a growing grin.
"We did," Abigail confirmed.
"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Claudia asked.
"Oh, I definitely am," Abigail said, returning her grin.
"Then lead the way, Dr. Freud," Claudia said.
Abigail got to her feet and stepped around the back of the couch. Claudia jumped up and hurried after her. Together they crossed the floor and headed into the kitchen
"Just for the record," Claudia said as they crossed the threshold. "This does not mean that I like you."
Abigail laughed.
"Fair enough."
You guys know the drill. Leave a review and make the writer happy. :) On another note, my family is going to a conference this whole next week, and I'm not entirely sure what my internet situation will be. Hopefully I'll be able to keep updating this every other day. But if not, bear with me and I'll make up for it when I get back.