Please remember that I don't own Warehouse 13, or the adorable Artie Nielsen, but would accept both if SyFy offered.
Dinah moved away from the two men who approached, her swollen belly causing her to move slowly. They stopped a few feet away and they seemed to be considering what to do next. The sunlight hurt her eyes, and not even the heavy shade she was in, helped.
After a few minutes, one of them approached her. It took Dinah a minute to recognize the man. It was Artie! He knelt down and held a hand out to her. She hesitantly took it, and let him help her up. He wrapped an arm around her and helped her walk. When they stepped out into the light, Dinah cringed and took a step back. Artie looked at Pete, who walked around the corner. He came back a few minutes later with a piece of cloth and handed it to Artie. Artie then turned to Dinah, and smiled at her.
"Will you let me put this on you?"
Dinah stared at Artie for a few minutes. Her mouth worked, but no sound came out…at first. When she spoke, Artie could barely hear her.
"How long will I have to wear it?"
Artie smiled again, but this time it seemed forced. He pulled Dinah into a gentle embrace that lasts but for a moment.
"Only until we can get you inside. The sun is shining bright today, and it seems to hurt your eyes."
Dinah looked at Artie for a moment before she let him put the blindfold on her. She could feel his hand guide her gently as they walked. Dinah could tell they were inside as it went from warm to cool as they entered the Warehouse.
It only took a few minutes to get Dinah inside and into Artie's office. Daniel was screeching in his crib. Artie shook his head.
"Can you handle him?" Artie asked, while shaking his head at the child. Pete hurried over and scooped Daniel up. Daniel stuck both arms out at Dinah and waved his hands at her. Dinah knew, although she wasn't sure how, that the child was hers and he wanted to be with her, to be held by her. Dinah backed away from him. She didn't know what to do, and didn't want to mess things up. She had been away for so long, and missed so much that she wasn't sure if she should stay. Daniel started to cry. Artie took the child from Pete, and hugged him. He reached for Dinah, who took a step back. Artie hugged Daniel again and set him on his feet. He took Dinah aside.
"I know it is hard, but he is your son and he wants you to love him. Can you try?"
The question hung in the air as Artie watched a wide range of emotion play across Dinah's face, everything from fear to desire. After a few minutes, she picked Daniel up and held him close. The little boy wrapped his arms around Dinah's neck. She closed her eyes and breathed in his little boy scent. The longer she held him, the tighter her grip became. As she held him tighter, Daniel leaned over her shoulder and stuck his tongue out at this father. When it became too tight, Daniel pushed against her shoulder.
Dinah looked at Daniel, tears forming in her eyes. He smiled at her, and rested his head on her shoulder. Dinah held Daniel until he fell asleep. She was reluctant to set him down. She had missed so much and didn't want to miss anymore. Dinah turned when she heard a sound behind her. It was a chair that Artie had pushed towards her. She sat gratefully and Artie covered them both with a blanket.
Dinah held Daniel and watched him sleep. After a few minutes, she yawned. Artie could tell that Dinah was falling asleep herself. He attempted to remove Daniel, but that roused Dinah, who clung tightly to the sleeping child. It took her a few minutes to realize that it was Artie who was trying to take him. She released Daniel and followed Artie to the sleeping area. He lifted the blanket on the bed and helped Dinah climb in. He tucked Daniel in next to her and slipped out to let them sleep.
When Dinah woke several hours later, she was starving. She started to climb out of bed when she hit something hard. Dinah pulled the blanket back and found Daniel looking at her sleepily. He yawned and curled back up on the bed and went back to sleep. She let the blanket fall back over the toddler and waddled out to find food. Artie was leaning over his computer, calling it names. Dinah took a step closer to Artie when he turned around.
"What!" He yelled before he realized who had entered the room.
Dinah screamed and ran back to the bedroom. Shoe dove into the bed, waking Daniel, who stared at her sleepily. After a few minute, Dinah could hear Artie enter the room. He sat on the edge of the bed. After what felt like forever to Dinah, but was really only a few seconds, Artie spoke.
"I am so sorry I yelled at you. Can you forgive me?"
Dinah sat under the blanket for a minute before coming out. She leaned over and hugged Artie. He pulled her over and held her close. They sat in silence for a few minutes before Artie spoke again.
"Hungry?"
Dinah sat up and smile at him. "I am."
Artie got off the bed and held a hand out to Dinah. "Then we had better get going before Daniel decides to get up. He can eat a lot."
She let Artie help her up and they walked into his office. Daniel was already there, eating. He stood from his place on his father's chair, syrup dripping from his face onto the chair. He grinned at his parents, and then waved at them. Artie sighed. He didn't know how Daniel got to the syrup, but somehow he did. Artie had set it where he thought Daniel couldn't get it.
Dinah looked at both of them. She wasn't sure what to do. Daniel did look happy, but that could be the massive amount of sugar he was wearing. Daniel took another bite of the pancakes he had on the plate in front of him, and got off the chair. He raced across the room and wrapped his sticky arms around his mother. Dinah stood as if frozen, and after a moment, looked at Artie. Artie nodded at her as if to say that it will be alright to pick the little boy up. Dinah slowly reached down and picked Daniel up. He gave her a sticky grin and quickly kissed her on the cheek before demanding to be set down.
She set him on his feet and he raced up the steps to an extra room. When Daniel reached the top, he looked down at his parents and yelled, "Bafs is bad!" He quickly disappeared from sight, and was followed by the sound of a slamming door.
Dinah was surprised. "I wonder what that was about."
Artie looked at her. "I always give him a bath after he has that much syrup."
"Oh," was Dinah's response.
Artie gave her a gentle hug. "You will do fine. All you need is a little time, and you will be great." Dinah leaned against Artie for a moment as he rubbed her shoulder. "Are you ready to eat?"
Dinah smiled at him. "I think I could eat."
Artie pulled his chair out and looked at it. He sighed deeply and pushed it in under his desk. "He always does that, and I don't know why."
Dinah's smile broadened. "So he can be like you. You always use that chair."
Artie pulled another chair out that was clean and helped Dinah sit. He hadn't said anything about her pregnancy, and she hoped that he wasn't angry about it. She didn't know when the child would come, or what would happen. She shifted uncomfortably in her seat. Artie must have noticed because of what he said.
"Is the baby due soon?"
Dinah looked down at her lap. She was embarrassed. She didn't even know who the father was, or anything about him. Artie knelt down and took her hands in his.
"Dinah," he started, "As far as I am concerned, the child is mine. I just don't think I am comfortable, considering what happened last time, with you having the baby at a hospital. Did he say anything about you leaving again?"
Dinah's eyes filled with tears. She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. She paused a moment before speaking. "He said the same rules apply."
Artie let go of her hands and stood. "Then," he said, "I will have to do it."
Dinah frowned. "You? Do you think you can?"
Artie laughed. "For thousands of years babies were born in homes, barns, and in fields. If anyone can do it, I can!" He ended his speech with a triumphant flourish of his hand.
Dinah shifted again. She gave a gasp and rubbed her belly. Artie was right beside her. "Are you alright? Is the baby coming?"
She shook her head. "I think we are about to find out if you are right."
Is she right? Will the new addition be accepted by all? Find out soon, but not too soon. My muse likes her vacations a little too much sometimes.
Now that you have read this chapter, I beg of you to review and let me know what you thought of it.