Quill:
We walked to the tube station in a tense, awkward silence. We both found the cracks in the pavements immensely interesting and I was certain we could both write extensive reports about lengths, depths, and grass growth by the time we reached the underground.
When we got on the train, it was even worse. My headache didn't make things better.
We kept looking at each other and saying nothing until Tony apparently had enough.
"About Lucy, I uh..." he trailed off.
I sighed heavily. "Don't worry about it, Tony. It's fine."
It really, really wasn't fine, but what could I do?
"No, but -"
I rubbed my forehead. "It's okay, so drop it. I don't want to talk about it."
"It's just that I think that maybe -"
"Stop it," I bit out. "I have duct tape in my bag and I'm not afraid to use it."
He pressed his lips into a thin line.
"Your parents. They know that I'm coming then?" he wisely changed the subject.
I nodded slowly. "I called my mum after I called Kate. She's been asking about it since the Joplin case.
He looked a bit stumped. "She has?" he asked in a small voice.
I scoffed. "Of course, she has. My dad as well. Hell, even William has asked about you once or twice."
He looked at his shoes and didn't say anything more.
When we arrived, we took almost the same route as I had gone with Lucy but rather than going through the bushes and over the fence, we followed the path the long way around.
All the way, we walked at a snail's pace. The usual jaunt was missing from Tony's step and he was dragging his feet. It reminded me of taking a dog to the vet.
I had realised, however that Tony would never come by himself, even if I had the suspicion that he wanted to. It was up to me to facilitate this.
I walked through the wrought-iron gate when we reached it but stopped halfway up the pathway when I realised I was alone.
I backtracked a bit and saw that Tony had stalled on the pavement behind the hedge, just out of sight of the windows. He looked at the ground with wide eyes.
"I can't do this."
I scoffed. "Of course, you can. Come on."
He shook his head. "I haven't been here since…" He took a deep breath through the nose and pressed his lips together in a hard line.
"I know."
"I haven't even seen them since…" He ran both hands through his hair and rubbed his face hard.
"I know." I put a hand on his shoulder and gave it a squeeze.
He looked at me imploringly. "If you know, then how can you make me do this?"
I rolled my eyes. "Because they need it. And because even though you will probably fight me over it and won't ever admit it, you need it too."
He paced back and forth a bit, mumbling "I can't do this, I can't do this" to himself over and over.
I sighed heavily and stopped him with a hand on his arm. "If I can accept and even support what I saw this afternoon, then you can do this," I resorted to blackmail.
Tony huffed. "That's not – Just listen to me!" he said imploringly. "I didn't -"
"Let's go," I cut him off and pulled him through the gate by the arm.
He had been almost lethargic as we walked through the woods, but now he quivered with nervous energy.
I rang the bell.
"I think the girls might need our help; I'll just go –" he turned around.
I grabbed him hard by the arm and shoved him in front of the door.
"Anthony?" My mum said softly as the door opened.
"Hi, Aunt Emily," he said in a small voice.
I hadn't really thought about it before, but Tony had grown to be almost a head taller than her. That much was obvious when she wrapped her arms around him.
He froze for several seconds, but I knew my mum well. She could be a Pitbull with hugs. She wouldn't let go until he hugged her back, no matter how awkward it could get. Many of our arguments had ended in that way through my teen years. Me being angry and her determination to simply hug it out of me. It was only a handful of times it hadn't worked.
Ever so slowly and hesitantly, he put his arms around her and hugged her back. I went past them and into the hall. I looked back over my shoulder to see Tony wrapped around my mum with tears streaming down his face, I soundlessly slipped further into the house, in search of my dad who I predictably found in the kitchen.
"Quinoa!" was his way of greeting me.
"I'm quite sure it says Quill on my birth certificate. Is that what you would have called me if I had been a girl?" I asked with a raised eyebrow.
"No, if you had been a girl, your mum wanted to call you Clementine. I mean that we're having chicken with mushroom, spinach, and quinoa for dinner." He winked at me.
I tried to remember which places served food after dark.
"So, is he…" my dad trailed off.
I nodded. "He's with mum. They're hugging it out in front of all the neighbours."
"To hell with the neighbours. But is he alright?"
"Alright is a relative term. I think he will be in time. He has good people around him." I sighed and rubbed my face.
My dad frowned. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine," I responded automatically and jumped up to sit on the counter.
"That there is not a 'fine' face," he pressed.
I rolled my eyes. "I'll have you know that this is a perfect face." I gestured at my own visage.
He shook his head. "Well, you look like me, so I can't argue with that. But I can tell something's bothering you. I'm ready when you need to talk."
"I have a concussion if that's what you mean. I can see four of you right now," I joked poorly.
He looked at me over his glasses and I almost broke and told him everything then and there. But this evening wasn't about my woes.
A light knock sounded on the doorframe. Tony came in hesitantly. He looked smaller than I had seen him for quite some time, as if he were expecting an attack at any time. His eyes were red, and his hair stood up in odd places. His hands were in his pockets and his shoulders up near his ears.
"Hello, Uncle Charlie," he said softly, sounding a bit fragile.
My dad's face lit up. "Well, come in here lad and let me have a look at you."
Tony took a few steps into the kitchen and my dad went to give him a brief, but tight hug. He kept his hand on his shoulder though.
"My god, you've grown. You're a right beanstalk, aren't you? Just like your father."
Tony grinned and a couple more tears spilled out. My dad and I pretended not to see, and he quickly wiped them away.
"I uh – I suppose I am," he shrugged. He seemed to slowly relax a bit more.
My mum stood, leaning against the doorway, wiping away tears of her own. She gave me a nod and put a hand over her heart.
"Now, head on into the dining room. I'll bring the food in a moment," my dad waved us off and went back to the stove.
My mum cringed at the prospect of dinner. It was a testament to her love for my dad that she was willing to eat spinach.
"Where's William?" I asked as we sat down.
"Oh," my mum pursed her lips. "He's out with uh… Nadia?" she looked at my dad with a nose wrinkle.
I raised an eyebrow. "Nadia? I thought his girlfriend's name was Sandra."
"Well," my dad said tightly as he came in with the food. "They broke up a couple of weeks ago. And he's not out with Nadia. They were on a date last week; this one is called Tina."
My mum rolled her eyes.
"Someone's busy," I remarked with an exasperated headshake.
"Unlike others," my mother shot back, looking at me pointedly.
I sighed and rubbed my face. This was the last thing I needed.
Tony cleared his throat. "Well, actually –"
"Don't you start now." I bit out.
My mum and dad looked at each other and had an entire wordless conversation.
"Tell us something about your business, Anthony. Quill tells us bits and pieces, but you know, he can be a bit superficial." My dad broke in. I couldn't decide on whether to feel grateful for the subject change or annoyed with the insult.
Tony smiled widely. "Well, I was licenced a few years back and started up, first with George who is my researcher. I've had a number of different assistants since then, until uh – until Lucy started. That's a couple of years ago now too," he looked at me carefully and I was determined to give nothing away.
"Then as we got more and more successful, I had to hire Holly, who at first was a secretary but is now working as a field agent as well. And then of course, Quill has been an invaluable help,"
I raised an eyebrow at him, feeling that he might be laying it on a bit thick.
"Someone has to keep you from getting yourself killed," I remarked with a sardonic smile.
My mum made a small gasp. "Is that a frequent hazard?"
I made a sigh. "Mum, you know that while there's a small risk with everything, taking the proper precautions, and following the right procedures makes agent work much safer. Isn't that right, Tony?" I looked at him pointedly.
My mum scoffed. "is that why half your face is burned?"
I grimaced and Tony shrank an inch in his seat.
"That would be my fault," he mumbled.
I snorted. "You throw just as bad as Cubbins."
Tony scoffed. "That is not true. There was a wind!" he argued.
"Yeah? Was it coming out of your ar –"
"Quill!" My mum cut me off. "We're about to eat." She looked at me pointedly as if to tell me that the food was bad enough as it was.
"Yes! Please, boys. Dig in!" My dad offered us excitedly.
Tony looked sceptically at the grainy dish before loading a few spoonsful on his plate.
He took a bite, and I enjoyed the way he forced it down with a smile out of politeness.
"Tastes lovely, dad," I remarked after eating a bit. And I really thought so.
My mum scowled at me, obviously not wanting me to encourage his cooking. She too was the very picture of someone only eating out of love. Not for the food, but for the one who cooked it.
"Now, tell us. What sort of case were you on that led to this?" My dad gestured at the side of my face.
Tony and I shared a look.
Oh, we broke into the fake tomb of one of our national heroes.
"It was a Revenant." I started slowly, trying to get us at least somewhat close to the truth.
"It caught us off guard," Tony continued.
My dad shook his head. "Nasty business, that is."
My mum looked out the window, suddenly seeming a bit distant. "Neither of you should be in that industry."
She sighed and shook her head, trying to rid herself of whatever thoughts were occupying her mind.
"Never mind that. I'm happy you're doing well. I only want you to be careful."
She smiled gently at Tony who looked slightly uncomfortable.
"Of course, we are. That's why we aren't on tonight's mission, isn't that right, Tony?" I looked at him pointedly.
"Oh, uh – yes. It's a uh – girl's night I suppose."
"Well, tell us about it," my dad prompted.
I looked at Tony, letting him do what he did best.
He grinned, showing off those dimples that everyone liked so much. "Well, it appears to be the spirit of a performance artist from the beginning of the last century. She did a lot of work with illusions. Always in ways where she appears to have died, but then turns up alive in spectacular fashion. She had a rumour of seducing men and it seems like this is her modus operand. She exerts some sort of power over uh – over young... men... particularly ones in some sort of uh – emotional turmoil." He looked at me sideways and I rolled my eyes.
"Turmoil or not, I still believe it better that we didn't go, wouldn't you say?"
He sighed. "Perhaps," he admitted.
"Too right," my dad added. "One never knows what sort of turmoil one might be in until one is confronted with it."
"Indeed," Tony gave me a rueful smile.
My mum looked at me calculatingly. That was never a good sign. "And do you find yourself in some sort of turmoil?" she asked me with the hint of a smirk.
"No, mother. I find myself perfectly sorted," I lied.
"Anyhow, Anthony," my dad cut in, like a true diplomat, "How are your relations with Fittes? Have they made any offers? I saw Dullop and Tweed are merging with them in the newspaper this morning."
That was news to me. "Really?" I looked at Tony. He nodded slowly.
"Yes. We went over the newspaper before you and uh – before you arrived."
I nearly slapped him when I saw the eyebrow my mum had raised in my direction.
"Dullop is retiring," my dad explained. "In a way, it was to be expected anyways. Tweed couldn't exactly take over, being dead and all and none of them had any children."
My mum scoffed. "That's only because a couple of two men can't legally adopt. That's one of the reasons they mostly took in orphans as agents. I know at least four women John Dullop has walked down the aisle. Worst kept secret in the city."
I gave a wry smile. "It's a shame. They did good like that."
There was a small lull in the conversation.
Tony cleared his throat "Yes, Fittes did make an offer, but I didn't take it –"
"Good." My mum cut in before Tony managed to finish his sentence. "I mean, it's good of you to keep your independence."
Tony nodded with a large smile. "I do feel like a lot of our success is owed to our independence."
Slowly we finished eating and my mum brought out a tart of some sort of which Tony and I each took a slice of and went down in the basement with.
"Julius Winkman is out," Tony told me as soon as we had reached the bottom of the steps.
I felt my stomach drop. "Does Lucy know?"
He winced. "I didn't really have time to tell her before they left."
I snorted. He had plenty of time, he just chose to use it on something else.
"I mean, I wanted to, but –"
"Shut up, Tony. I have something for you," I cut him off and went into my bedroom.
I fingered the knob on the bedside table a bit before opening the drawer. That drawer had been opened many times over the last almost eight years, but I hadn't put my hand in it at all in all that time. I knew the contents well though. Two sweet wrappers, a scrunchie with a hairpin on it and a charm bracelet.
With a sigh, I put the wrappers in my pocket to throw out later and picked up the two latter items.
I came back in the sitting room where Tony was eating his tart.
"I uh – Jess forgot these the last time she was here. I figured you ought to have them,"
I carefully put the scrunchie and the bracelet in his hand.
His mouth opened a bit and his eyes widened. He put his tart down on the table to touch the small charms.
"Do you have any idea how long I've looked for this?" he breathed "And all this time, you had it? Wait, why do you have it?" He frowned.
I scratched the back on my head. "Well, sometimes, when she went to sleep, she would get annoyed with it, because it kept snagging on her hair or digging into her wrist, so she would take it off." I shrugged.
I could see his mind working. "So why is it here?" he demanded.
I sighed heavily but didn't say it. I didn't feel I needed to.
"Unbelievable!" He made a growl of frustration and ran a hand through his hair.
He paced back and forth with the scrunchie and the bracelet dangling from his hand. "You! And – and Jessica?"
I sat down on the sofa with a sigh. "Do you really mean to tell me that you didn't know? Or at least suspected?"
"Of course, I did," he scoffed. "But that doesn't mean I like the confirmation!" he barked.
He deflated a bit and plopped down in the armchair.
"Did you love her?" He asked in a small voice.
"Very much. And I miss her every day. She was my best friend," I told him quietly.
"Then what about Lucy?" he questioned.
I took a deep breath. "Lucy is different. But that doesn't matter now. Not anymore." I gave him a rueful smile.
He rubbed his face. "Of course, it matters! How can you say it doesn't matter?"
"Because all I want is for Lucy to be happy. If I'm not the one who does that for her, then that's just how it is." I rubbed a bit at the scrapes on my hands. One of them had gotten infected.
Tony sighed heavily. "Do you still love Jessica?"
"In a way. I probably always will, but I'm not in love, if that makes sense." I shrugged.
He nodded slowly. "I need to think about this." He let out another frustrated sound. "I can't believe you – my sister!" he half-yelled.
I chuckled. "Well, if you must know, she was the one to –"
"No. No, I don't want to know. I don't want to know anything about this. In fact, just erase my memory and tell me you found the bracelet on the street." He rubbed his face.
I grinned. "I have no regrets. I would offer you to punch me in the face, but you did throw a flare at my head yesterday."
"God, I hate you right now. I should have stabbed your arse harder when I had the chance."
I laughed, but it was broken by a hiss when a sharp pain shot through my skull.
"Are you okay?" Tony asked worriedly.
I scoffed. "I have a concussion. Define 'okay'."
"Right," he winced. "Maybe we should get back to see if the girls finished with the case?"
"Yeah, but let's take a night cab," I groaned. "I don't have patience to walk to the station."
We finished out tart in silence before heading back up the stairs.
"Are you two alright?" My dad asked when we returned to the kitchen. "We heard shouting."
"Professional differences," Tony explained with his most charming grin, coming up beside me. "The two of us have rather different approaches to agent work and I suppose I can get a bit defensive about it at times."
I raised an eyebrow at him, and he shrugged.
"Ah, yes." My dad looked at my mum. "Passion can bring out the best and the worst in us."
He sighed as he looked at my mum who was skimming some paperwork with a frown.
"You two be careful, you hear?" he added.
We both nodded.
"And we'll see you both on Sunday," my mum butted in and left her paperwork. It clearly wasn't a request.
"Of course," I replied for us both.
She put her arms around Tony.
"We've missed you so much, Anthony," she whispered wetly.
"I've missed you too," he admitted with a small sniffle.
The night cab arrived, and we sat in the back, staring out of each our window. Slowly, we approached Marylebone.
"Thank you," Tony said, so quietly that I almost didn't hear it.
"You're welcome." I smiled at my own reflection.
My heart was in a thousand pieces, but my family was slowly mending. Someday everything would be alright, I told myself.
…
I love these guys. I can't help it. And I will remain completely unapologetic about it.
The next chapter is in progress. It'll probably be up soon-ish as well.
What did you think of the little revelation? I had hinted at it previously, but as Lockwood says; confirmation is something else.
