How It Starts

A Haven / Warehouse 13 Crossover

By Amanda Croft

Spoilers: A few for the pilot of Haven and very minor ones for Warehouse 13.

Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I am not nearly talented enough to have come up with either of these shows and therefore do not own them.

Summary: Ever wonder who Agent Howard is talking to on the phone about Audrey staying in Haven? Here's one possibility.

The first time the alarm sounds he takes note of the location indicated and recalibrates the machine. As he does he mutters about "glitches" and "over twenty years". The three younger people in the office watch, their mouths opening once or twice in curiosity, but none ask because they prefer when he takes his frustration out on inanimate objects.

The second time the computer shows a disturbance there is less than a week later and this the two people near enough to notice quietly trek back out into the warehouse to wait out this most recent storm. Neither knows what the problem is, but the curly haired woman and dark headed man would rather be doing inventory than ask and risk the older man's wrath.

When the computer trills the third time, the bespectacled man is alone in the office. His initial thought is that the upgrade to the system in a few weeks might not be such a bad thing, because there is nothing noteworthy about that town – not since 1984 anyways. Still this is the third time in less than a month, so he sits at the consol and starts to sort through the data collected all three times the sensors went off.

"This is not possible … that was … I know we took care of that almost thirty years ago. They can't be back. … Oh, this is not good, not good at all. They're back."

"Who's back? What's not good?"

"Claudia! How many times have I asked you not to sneak up on me?"

"Who's sneaking? I fell on the steps right outside the office. Artie, don't tell me you didn't hear that." Catching a glimpse of the screen, she moves closer, "Whacha got there? We got an artifact in Maine? I'm sooo glad that Myka and Pete are stuck with that assignment. You want me to just call –"

"No Claudia, I do not want you to call Myka and Pete because there is no artifact to snag, bag, and tag," Artie cuts in distractedly.

"What do you mean no artifact? Artie that thing has gone off three times for the same town … Haven. There has to be some kind of artifact. I mean just look at that, it is so not normal!"

"I didn't say that there's not an artifact –"

"But, you just said, and I quote, 'there is no artifact'."

"No, what I said was there is no artifact to snag, bag, and tag. The whole town is essentially the artifact."

"How cool would that be? Living in an artifact?"

"Trust me Pete, it's not nearly as fun as it sounds."

"Come on Myka, how would you know?" Pete challenges his partner.

"Two words: Alice's mirror," she answers with a slight shiver.

"Riiight, sorry," is his sheepish response.

"Children! Would you please just shut up! I have a call that I need to make. I hope he has managed to prepare her for this," he finishes to himself as he dials a phone number. After a few minutes of tense silence, he speaks again, this time into the phone. "Howard, this is Nealson. We need to enact the backup plan. … Yes, I'm sure. I'm looking at the information now. They're back. … Positive, there have been three incidents in the past month. … I hope she's as good as you say she is. … I have seen Parker's file, and she looks like a promising agent, but are you sure she's ready for this? … What do you mean 'now all we have to do is wait for a legitimate reason to get her there'? It's Haven, Parker's as connected as Wournos, just slip her the picture of her mother, she'll go on her own. … Of course I trust your judgment; I'm just concerned that we don't leave it too long. … Yes, I'll keep you updated provided you do as well. Bye."

The two warehouse agents and Claudia watch Artie with an expectant air waiting to be filled in. Who the heck are Parker and Wournos and what exactly was going on in Haven, Maine? Before any of them can ask, Artie has left the room muttering to himself once again about "troubles". Whatever was going on, it was going to be interesting.

Meanwhile across the country, a blonde woman is awoken by a pounding on her front door. Her first instinct is to reach for the alarm clock, but she hasn't slept in so she allows herself to take her time. Answering the door, she comes face to face with her boss and a new assignment. FBI Agent Audrey Parker is being sent to Haven, Maine, and although she doesn't know it yet, her life is about to get a whole lot more interesting and challenging.

Two hours later, a tall man with a stoic expression and brown jacket stands in the shadow of a cliff examining the dead body of a fugitive. Shaking his head, he climbs into his truck and back into the heart of town. As he's driving he notices a red car swerve in the road and come to a stop teetering on the edge of a different cliff. Getting out to help the blonde in the car, he doesn't know that he's helping the one person who can help him fight off his worst fears – the Troubles.

Author's note: This is just a kinda random thought that came to me tonight. For those of you reading my "First Impressions" story, I will be posting the chapter for this weeks show sometime this weekend. Thanks, and as always, I welcome questions, suggestions, and constructive critisism.