About Time

George watched as Lucy raced out the door while hastily putting on her jacket. If he had to make a guess, she was off to catch up to Lockwood and something he said or did caught her off guard. Holly caught his eye and gave him a grin as she sat down.

"Well...do you think they're finally moving forward?" Holly asked with a chuckle.

George took off his glasses and rubbed them with his sweater. His own grin growing on his face as he put them back on. "I hope so. It's been infuriating watching them take baby steps."

"I can't imagine what their relationship was like when she was first hired. I mean, it's apparent to anyone with common sense that Lockwood fancies her and she fancies him. I expect a full juicy report from you sometime." Holly said, nodding her head like she had just solved a huge mystery all by herself.

George snorted and gave a genuine smile. "I'll get right on that." He said, sealing the promise with a handshake and another round of tea.

George knew it was only a matter of time before Lockwood and Lucy's feelings for each other would accumulate into a full blown relationship. From the moment they met, George knew that Lucy would become someone more precious to Lockwood then he would be willing to admit out loud. He watched Lockwood care for her like a doting Boyfriend and he watched Lucy as she struggled to make sense of her own feelings. It was infuriating. Like watching two kids who didn't know what love was learn how to love each other in a romantic way for the first time. But, he supposed that wasn't too far off the mark. With how emotionally detached Lockwood was at the beginning of the relationship, it wasn't too hard to think that he never considered finding a lover.

"I'll be heading out pretty soon. I need to pick up a few things before I head back to my apartment, after this cup of tea I'll start packing up." Holly said, looking at her watch on her wrist and taking another sip of tea.

George nursed his cup in his hands and looked at the clock on the wall. He had no idea when Lockwood and Lucy would be back but he assumed that they wouldn't stay out too long. Considering it was still early, he wasn't too worried they would be out all night.

"I'll probably be doing some experiments in my room like usual or I might tackle that huge stack of books I've been putting off in the Study." George said. He didn't have much he wanted to do after the big fiasco with the Fittes case.

Holly raised her cup for a toast and they clinked their cups together. They were tired and they were ready for some much deserved rest and relaxation before getting caught up in another case.

After a while, Holly gathered her things and walked to the door. George did the gentlemanly thing and saw her off when they heard steps coming to the door.

"That must be them. Back before nightfall, what good lovebirds." Holly chuckled and George couldn't help but hold back a chuckle himself.

George took a breath and grinned deviously at Holly. "At the count of three we open up the door and shock them, sound good?"

Holly nodded her head.

"One...two...THREE!" George said, flinging the door open.

What they saw made them stand there completely dumbfounded.

Lucy looked just as shocked as they did as Lockwood held her in his arms. His hand wrapped around her waist and her body firmly pressed up against his. His other hand cupped her cheek as he kissed her tenderly on the lips. Soon they parted and Lockwood looked over to George and Holly with a smile as he registered their presence.

"Hey George, Holly. You heading out now?" Lockwood said in a completely normal tone while Lucy struggled to hide her red face from everyone.

George was the first one to speak, "Holly's just heading out."

"Yeah! I'll see you later." Holly said in a sing song voice, grinning wide like a Cheshire cat at Lucy as she stepped down the steps and started making her way back home.

For a moment there was an awkward silence between the three of them until George laughed out loud for the first time in a while. "It's about time you two hooked up! Though we're gonna have to establish some rules because I'm NOT dealing with lovey dovey affection when I wake up. That's not happening."