Hello readers! I've been sitting on the beginnings of this story for a while, and have finally decided to post it. But I'm still working on a continuation of it.

It's also set in a slightly Alternate Universe, where Leena is alive. Mrs. Frederic is also still the caretaker.

WARNING: This story contains suggested themes of abuse, rape, and torture, though none will be explicitly described.

Disclaimer: I don't own Warehouse 13 or any of its characters. Warehouse 13 is the property of Jack Kenney. No money has exchanged hands with regards to this story.

The team had been on the trail of an artifact for three days. A tiara which made the wearer's immune system impassible had been stolen from a museum by a petty thief. They guessed he didn't even know of its supernatural abilities.

As Artie did his research, his thoughts once again wandered to Claudia. The old agent put his head in his hand and rubbed his eyebrows. It had been two and a half years, but the pain was still fresh.

The girl had gone to relax at a local bar after a particularly long day, shortly after her 21st birthday. That night she had never come home. Her purse with her Farnsworth, phone, and wallet had been found in an alleyway two days later. Although there was an extensive search by the police and the Warehouse agents, she had never been found. The team still put up flyers and did research, but they had been told she was likely either dead or had been trafficked.

Artie tried to focus on his research, but wasn't getting anywhere when Leena came in to check on him.

"Need a break?"

"Oatmeal scotchies?"

The woman nodded and handed him the plate. "Do you want to talk?"

"No. It's just... About her."

"I know." She put her hand on his slumped shoulder.

"Do you still think about her?"

"Every day."

"Do you think she's…"

"No Artie, I don't think she's dead."

The tiara thief's house had been located, and Pete, Myka, Steve, and HG had gone together to collect the artifact. They were concerned there might be a gang in the house, so all four of them went.

Steve entered the house quietly. Pete, Myka, and HG were guarding his back. After searching several rooms, he heard a gunshot and whipped to the side, where a man stood holding a large shotgun, a woman cowering behind him.

"Drop your weapon now!"

After seeing the four of them, the man did. As Pete made sure he was otherwise unarmed, and Myka cuffed the woman, they heard muffled screams.

"What's that?"

"Nothing. The TV," the woman said.

Steve and HG followed the noise to a door which led down to a basement. Going downstairs, they couldn't find anyone. The room was empty besides a bookshelf and a couch.

"Is someone down here?"

They heard a scream for help which seemed to be coming from behind the shelf. HG tugged at it experimentally, and it swung on hinges, revealing a heavy door with three locks on it. At first, Steve wondered how he had heard the screams, but then he noticed a small vent at the top. Unlocking the door, they opened it and found a dark, damp room which smelt of blood and human waste. A young woman was in the corner of the room on the floor. She was bound hand and foot, and had a cloth gag. HG quickly bent to remove the gag.

"You've gotta help, please help her," the girl blurted out immediately.

"Okay, it's okay. Who needs help?"

"You have to help Claudia!"

Steve's stomach twisted into a knot. It couldn't be his Claudia...

It was hard to see, so he turned on a flashlight from his belt and made out a dirty mattress on one side of the room. Turning, he flashed his light on the form of a second woman. She was tied to a chair, and her head was lolling to one side, her matted hair covering part of her face. Steve reached to check her pulse on her neck, which was thready and rapid. Then, he hesitantly lifted her hair from her face.

HG gasped. "Is that..."

"It's Claudia," Steve answered breathlessly.

"What happened to her?"

"She's really sick. I don't know what's wrong… I tried to take care of her..." The other young woman's voice sounded distant and childish. She seemed to be caught in her own world.

"It's okay, darling, we know."

"HG, can you call an ambulance?"

"Of course."

Steve worked at the knots binding Claudia's wrists to the arms of the chair as he tried to digest this information. As he pulled them off, he could see how much she had struggled; her wrists were raw and bloody. Next, he got her feet unbound, and finally as the rope around her torso loosened, she slumped forward and he caught her.

"Claude, it's okay. I'm here. It's okay." He picked the girl up and she let out a tiny, pitiful moan. She was far too light.

Meanwhile, HG told the 911 operator the address and situation.

The girl in the corner had been waiting patiently.

"Hello darling, I'm Helena. What's your name?" the brunette asked as she worked on the knotted ropes.

"I'm Diana."

"How long have you been here, Diana?"

"Six years."

She finished untying the knots. "Do you think you can walk?"

The younger woman nodded. "Where are we going?"

"We're going to the hospital to assure everything is alright."

"But they don't want me to leave!"

"Who? That man and his wife?"

"They said they'd kill me if I leave! And if I leave, there will be no one to protect Claudia."

"It's okay. We'll bring you somewhere safe. They can't hurt you now. And Claudia is coming along."

HG helped the girl stand up. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," she said distantly, but then stumbled as HG quickly caught her.

"Diana, I'm going to carry you up, alright?"

When they got outside, two ambulances were waiting, and a number of police men were surrounding the man and his wife, reading them their rights. Once HG had set Diana on a gurney, she stalked over to them and put her face inches from the man's.

"You are infinitely lucky that the justice system arrived before I got my hands on you, or you would be suffering far more than those two girls ever did."

Myka approached quickly. "What's going on?"

"We found Claudia," HG said slowly.

"What?!" Myka ran over to where Steve was placing Claudia on a gurney, but stopped when she saw the woman up close. Her hands slid to cover her mouth and said something unintelligible. Pete had also wandered over, and his fist was pressed to his mouth, his whole body tense.

"I'm going in the ambulance with her," Myka piped up suddenly.

"I suppose I'll go with Diana. She was also in the basement. I don't want her to be alone," HG said. Pete and Steve drove to the hospital and stayed in the waiting room while doctors examined Diana and Claudia in separate rooms.

They cut off the ratty dress Claudia was wearing in order to examine her. Myka sucked in a breath when she saw the young woman's body. It was covered in bruises, cuts, and scars. Some of the scratches looked more organized, and when she took a closer look, she felt dizzy.

"I need to go for a while," she said to a doctor. "Let me know if she wakes up or if you need info on her. I'll be in the waiting room." After that, she quickly left. HG was talking with the men when she reached the waiting room.

"Did she wake up?"

"Is she alright?"

"They... They cut her," Myka said, feeling sick.

"What?"

"They carved horrible names into her skin."

Steve's jaw clenched tightly. "I swear to god, I'll kill them."

"Not if I get to them first," HG said crisply.

Myka sat down. "I don't think she's had a shower since she was abducted. And she has these bruises and scars everywhere. Steve, do you think he..."

"Of course he did. Why else would he have kept her there."

Myka stared at the ground. "Any word on the other girl?"

"She started to panic, so they subdued her. Her heart rate is jumpy, so they'll either move her to the ICU or the telemetry unit," HG replied.

"I'll go check on Claude again." Myka entered the room again and saw the doctor examining Claudia's lower region. The young woman now had an IV and a heart monitor, but was still unconscious. After several minutes and much scribbling on a clipboard, the woman stood.

"I'm doctor Caroline Baur."

"I'm Myka Bering."

"I'm going to send these swabs and blood down to the lab, and keep one of each for court uses. They should be helpful for her case. Are you family?"

"No. But I know her power of attorney, Arthur Weisfelt. Do you need him to come in and sign things?"

"Yes."

"I'll call him."

"Okay. Ms Bering, I know this is a lot to handle, but Claudia needs you now more than ever."

Myka nodded and went to call Artie. She had no idea how she would tell him.

Artie had come to the hospital and come into the cubicle to see Claudia. She had been dressed in a papery hospital gown, and looked so tiny and broken. The agent scarcely heard Doctor Baur as she tried to explain all of Claudia's medical issues and the course of treatment she recommended. But somehow, he gathered that his surrogate daughter had two serious infections, some heart problems, and traces of methadone were found in her bloodstream. He stared at her face, which was covered in grime, with traces of what looked like dried blood near her nose and creeping from her hairline. How could anyone do this to her? Artie boiled with rage.

As they were transferring Claudia up to the ICU, Myka had a chance to talk to Artie.

"Hey, how are you holding up?"

"I need to murder the bastard who did this to her."

"I know. But Artie, that's not what she needs right now. She needs you to be here for her."

"I know. She's so sick, it's just…To think we lost her and then to lose her again-"

"Artie, we're not going to lose her. She has a kidney infection, a uterine infection, and a heart murmur. She'll recover from those."

"But who knows how she'll be psychologically? It's been over two years. The trauma from a situation like she's been in never really goes away. What will we do? Or say?"

Myka put a hand on his shoulder. "We'll help her through it. As a family."

Poor Claudia. What did you think? Any ideas or suggestions?

Also, if anyone is great at writing Pete or Myka, let me know, as I rather suck at it.