Guardian: Chapter 12
Summery: When a threat on her life appears, Claudia is forced to leave the Warehouse and go to the small town of Haven, where she will be safe - if she isn’t killed by the odd, supernatural occurrences around the town, of course. However, once at Haven she realizes that the town and its inhabitants - especially Audrey Parker - might have more of a hand in her destiny - and true purpose to the Warehouse - than she thought.
Rating: PG-13 for violence and swearing.
Pairings: Audrey/Nathan (romantic), Artie/Claudia (father & daughter)
Spoilers: For Season 1 of Haven and all 2 seasons of Warehouse 13.
Disclaimer: I don’t own Haven or Warehouse 13.
Credit for banner: This awesome banner was made for me by the great dandilandi22!
Recaps: Read this quick recap to find out what’s currently happening on both shows!
Previous Chapters: Chapter Index
Chapter 12: The Last Hour of Peace
“Run?” Audrey asked, looking at Claudia who had turned pale. Audrey couldn’t imagine leaving Haven like Claudia had left the Warehouse, and she wasn’t sure Claudia could go through an experience like that again.
“It might be the wiser option.” Vince said. “When the Regents come looking for you, then they won’t stay in Haven any longer than to realize that you have gone.”
“We can’t just leave Haven.” Nathan said, stepping forward.
“We?” Audrey asked quizzically.
Nathan shot her a look. “You didn’t seriously think I was going to let you leave alone, did you?” He asked.
“What am I, nothing?” Claudia said, attempting to make a joke, even though her face was pale and her voice was faint.
“Don’t worry.” Nathan said, putting his hand on her shoulder. “We won’t let anything happen to you.”
“Nathan, I can’t ask you to -” Audrey said.
“I want to.” Nathan said.
Their gaze met and Audrey felt something, almost like an electric charge, inside of her. It was a spark of something, almost a flame.
“Ah.” Vince said, looking from Audrey to Nathan. “We should talk about that, as well.”
“Hmmm?” Audrey said, coming out of her trace.
“This is more - private. It’s about your Guardian, Audrey. If we could ask everyone to please clear the room.” Vince said, nodding to Duke and Claudia.
“I’ll drive you home.” Duke said softly to Claudia. “I don’t want you going back to the restaurant for the car, just in case.”
“Okay.” Claudia nodded, looking numb with all the information she had gotten today.
“Stay at home.” Nathan instructed her. “We’ll be in touch with a plan soon.”
Claudia nodded. Audrey turned from Vince and Dave’s concerned faces to smile at her, but she was already gone.
*
The drive home was awkward - silence rang clearly throughout the car. Duke turned on the radio, but shut if off when the only thing he could find was static and country music. He wasn’t a fan of either.
“Sooooo...crazy stuff, huh?” Duke asked Claudia.
“I’m kind of used to it.” Claudia said, staring out the window.
Duke wasn’t stupid - he got the idea that she didn’t want to talk to him, and gave up. Three minutes later he found himself opening his mouth again, desperate to get rid of the crushing silence.
“I mean...whoo, Caretakers. Big world defining power, almost makes up for the insane responsibilities.
“Yeah, it’s awesome.” The sarcasm should have warned Duke not to go further. But it was either that or country music, so...
“I mean, it’s pretty cool. You’ll probably be able to find out the secrets of the universe, you can definitely bargain that knowledge on E-Bay -”
“I don’t want to know the secrets of the damn universe!” Claudia’s voice rang out, sacred and trembling, but still loud. “I don’t care about the stupid secrets! I don’t understand why I was chosen - I’m not smart enough or special enough or - I don’t even want the job. There are people that would give their whole lives for this job - that’s why they’re hunting me down. They’re trying to kill me for something that isn’t even my fault! I was chosen for this job, but that doesn’t mean I want it! And I had to leave my home - and my family - and go hide in some stupid little town where the town reverend thinks I’m the descendant of Satin himself -” She turned away from Duke and looked towards the window, covering her mouth with her hand. She was crying, but valiantly trying to hide it from him.
Duke sighed and pulled over to the side of the road, right in front of her house. He wasn’t equipped with the knowledge of how to deal with traumatized teenage girls, but he knew he couldn’t leave Claudia like this. He walked over to her side of the car and opened the door, leading her into her house.
Once inside, he sat her down and looked around the kitchen. Kitchen, food. Something warm, something that might calm her down. He looked through her cabinets until he found a packet of hot chocolate mix. Chocolate - that released some chemical that helped people, didn’t it? He looked over the Claudia, who had stopped crying but was staring out the window instead, and got out the packet. Well, it was worth a shot.
He brought the cup of hot chocolate over to her and set it down on the table next to her. She didn’t turn away from the window. He sighed. He hated this “sharing your feelings” crap.
“Look, I’m sorry about...talking about Caretakers. I didn’t mean that it was an easy job or anything...” He looked around the room, anywhere but at Claudia.
“I know.” Her voice sounded like she had a cold. “It isn’t your fault. I just...” She took a few deep breaths to calm herself down and to keep herself from crying again. “I wish that I wanted this more, so at least I could convince myself it was worth everything.”
“Maybe that’s the reason you’re the Caretaker...because you don’t want the power.” Duke said before mentally smacking himself. He couldn’t believe that something so corny had just come from his mouth.
Claudia nodded, still looking out the window.
“I know how I’m going to die.” Duke said in a rush. Claudia looked over at him.
“A psychic predicted that a man with a certain tattoo would kill me.” He said, watching as her eyebrows raised. She smiled, but without joy - it was a grim smile, a smile that belonged on a woman older than her.
“Makes us opposites then, ‘cause I’m going to be alive until who knows when. All my family, all my friends, they could die decades, even centuries before I finally kick the bucket.” She said.
“That sucks.” He said.
“Yeah.” She took a sip of her drink and continued to stare out the window.
Duke nodded. “What I’m trying to say is - I know how hard...life is when there’s something in your future that you can’t control.
“Well...” Duke said, seeing that she looked a bit better. “I’m gonna go...Call me if you need anything.”
“Yeah.” Claudia said, her voice horse. “Thanks. And Duke?”
He turned back to her.
“I’m sorry about your death. I - I hope it comes really late in your life.”
Duke nodded and walked away from Claudia, both speculating on their grim futures.
*
Claudia watched through the window as the sky darkened from a soft gray to a bruise colored purple. The clouds were still there - midnight black soft tuffs against the sky. Outside, the water was calm, but Claudia wasn’t fooled. She had lived in Haven long enough to see the signs of a storm coming.
Was it true what Duke had said? Was it the fact that she didn’t want the power of the Warehouse helped make her a good future Caretaker? It meant, at least, that she was better than those psychopaths lining up to kill her...She shuddered at the thought of the immense power of the Warehouse being in any of their hands.
Her cell phone ringing distracted her from the silence and her thoughts. She took her phone out from her pocket and looked at it. The number was blocked. A prick of fear started to eat away in her chest, but her curiosity got the better of her and she opened her cell phone.
“Hello?”
“Hello Claudia. It’s so nice to hear your voice again.” That voice - But it was impossible that he was talking to her. The fear began to grow, making it hard to breath.
“Mr. Valda?”
“You recognize me - I’m glad. This will make the entire experience much more pleasurable.” He hadn’t named his intentions yet, but with every word he spoke Claudia felt her fear growing.
“What experience, what are you talking about?” The fear was growing, eating away at everything.
“The experience of killing you.”
Rating: PG-13 for violence and swearing.
Pairings: Audrey/Nathan (romantic), Artie/Claudia (father & daughter)
Spoilers: For Season 1 of Haven and all 2 seasons of Warehouse 13.
Disclaimer: I don’t own Haven or Warehouse 13.
Credit for banner: This awesome banner was made for me by the great dandilandi22!
Recaps: Read this quick recap to find out what’s currently happening on both shows!
Previous Chapters: Chapter Index
Chapter 12: The Last Hour of Peace
“Run?” Audrey asked, looking at Claudia who had turned pale. Audrey couldn’t imagine leaving Haven like Claudia had left the Warehouse, and she wasn’t sure Claudia could go through an experience like that again.
“It might be the wiser option.” Vince said. “When the Regents come looking for you, then they won’t stay in Haven any longer than to realize that you have gone.”
“We can’t just leave Haven.” Nathan said, stepping forward.
“We?” Audrey asked quizzically.
Nathan shot her a look. “You didn’t seriously think I was going to let you leave alone, did you?” He asked.
“What am I, nothing?” Claudia said, attempting to make a joke, even though her face was pale and her voice was faint.
“Don’t worry.” Nathan said, putting his hand on her shoulder. “We won’t let anything happen to you.”
“Nathan, I can’t ask you to -” Audrey said.
“I want to.” Nathan said.
Their gaze met and Audrey felt something, almost like an electric charge, inside of her. It was a spark of something, almost a flame.
“Ah.” Vince said, looking from Audrey to Nathan. “We should talk about that, as well.”
“Hmmm?” Audrey said, coming out of her trace.
“This is more - private. It’s about your Guardian, Audrey. If we could ask everyone to please clear the room.” Vince said, nodding to Duke and Claudia.
“I’ll drive you home.” Duke said softly to Claudia. “I don’t want you going back to the restaurant for the car, just in case.”
“Okay.” Claudia nodded, looking numb with all the information she had gotten today.
“Stay at home.” Nathan instructed her. “We’ll be in touch with a plan soon.”
Claudia nodded. Audrey turned from Vince and Dave’s concerned faces to smile at her, but she was already gone.
*
The drive home was awkward - silence rang clearly throughout the car. Duke turned on the radio, but shut if off when the only thing he could find was static and country music. He wasn’t a fan of either.
“Sooooo...crazy stuff, huh?” Duke asked Claudia.
“I’m kind of used to it.” Claudia said, staring out the window.
Duke wasn’t stupid - he got the idea that she didn’t want to talk to him, and gave up. Three minutes later he found himself opening his mouth again, desperate to get rid of the crushing silence.
“I mean...whoo, Caretakers. Big world defining power, almost makes up for the insane responsibilities.
“Yeah, it’s awesome.” The sarcasm should have warned Duke not to go further. But it was either that or country music, so...
“I mean, it’s pretty cool. You’ll probably be able to find out the secrets of the universe, you can definitely bargain that knowledge on E-Bay -”
“I don’t want to know the secrets of the damn universe!” Claudia’s voice rang out, sacred and trembling, but still loud. “I don’t care about the stupid secrets! I don’t understand why I was chosen - I’m not smart enough or special enough or - I don’t even want the job. There are people that would give their whole lives for this job - that’s why they’re hunting me down. They’re trying to kill me for something that isn’t even my fault! I was chosen for this job, but that doesn’t mean I want it! And I had to leave my home - and my family - and go hide in some stupid little town where the town reverend thinks I’m the descendant of Satin himself -” She turned away from Duke and looked towards the window, covering her mouth with her hand. She was crying, but valiantly trying to hide it from him.
Duke sighed and pulled over to the side of the road, right in front of her house. He wasn’t equipped with the knowledge of how to deal with traumatized teenage girls, but he knew he couldn’t leave Claudia like this. He walked over to her side of the car and opened the door, leading her into her house.
Once inside, he sat her down and looked around the kitchen. Kitchen, food. Something warm, something that might calm her down. He looked through her cabinets until he found a packet of hot chocolate mix. Chocolate - that released some chemical that helped people, didn’t it? He looked over the Claudia, who had stopped crying but was staring out the window instead, and got out the packet. Well, it was worth a shot.
He brought the cup of hot chocolate over to her and set it down on the table next to her. She didn’t turn away from the window. He sighed. He hated this “sharing your feelings” crap.
“Look, I’m sorry about...talking about Caretakers. I didn’t mean that it was an easy job or anything...” He looked around the room, anywhere but at Claudia.
“I know.” Her voice sounded like she had a cold. “It isn’t your fault. I just...” She took a few deep breaths to calm herself down and to keep herself from crying again. “I wish that I wanted this more, so at least I could convince myself it was worth everything.”
“Maybe that’s the reason you’re the Caretaker...because you don’t want the power.” Duke said before mentally smacking himself. He couldn’t believe that something so corny had just come from his mouth.
Claudia nodded, still looking out the window.
“I know how I’m going to die.” Duke said in a rush. Claudia looked over at him.
“A psychic predicted that a man with a certain tattoo would kill me.” He said, watching as her eyebrows raised. She smiled, but without joy - it was a grim smile, a smile that belonged on a woman older than her.
“Makes us opposites then, ‘cause I’m going to be alive until who knows when. All my family, all my friends, they could die decades, even centuries before I finally kick the bucket.” She said.
“That sucks.” He said.
“Yeah.” She took a sip of her drink and continued to stare out the window.
Duke nodded. “What I’m trying to say is - I know how hard...life is when there’s something in your future that you can’t control.
“Well...” Duke said, seeing that she looked a bit better. “I’m gonna go...Call me if you need anything.”
“Yeah.” Claudia said, her voice horse. “Thanks. And Duke?”
He turned back to her.
“I’m sorry about your death. I - I hope it comes really late in your life.”
Duke nodded and walked away from Claudia, both speculating on their grim futures.
*
Claudia watched through the window as the sky darkened from a soft gray to a bruise colored purple. The clouds were still there - midnight black soft tuffs against the sky. Outside, the water was calm, but Claudia wasn’t fooled. She had lived in Haven long enough to see the signs of a storm coming.
Was it true what Duke had said? Was it the fact that she didn’t want the power of the Warehouse helped make her a good future Caretaker? It meant, at least, that she was better than those psychopaths lining up to kill her...She shuddered at the thought of the immense power of the Warehouse being in any of their hands.
Her cell phone ringing distracted her from the silence and her thoughts. She took her phone out from her pocket and looked at it. The number was blocked. A prick of fear started to eat away in her chest, but her curiosity got the better of her and she opened her cell phone.
“Hello?”
“Hello Claudia. It’s so nice to hear your voice again.” That voice - But it was impossible that he was talking to her. The fear began to grow, making it hard to breath.
“Mr. Valda?”
“You recognize me - I’m glad. This will make the entire experience much more pleasurable.” He hadn’t named his intentions yet, but with every word he spoke Claudia felt her fear growing.
“What experience, what are you talking about?” The fear was growing, eating away at everything.
“The experience of killing you.”