Disclaimer: I do not own Lockwood & Co.

When I woke up, it was night time, and it was cold. I sat up in my bed to see snow drifting down from the heavens like falling leaves. I curled tight in my blanket, attempting to warm myself from the chill seeping in through the crack of my window. I rubbed my eyes, and believing that I wouldn't be able to sleep again, I switched on the light.

I pulled a beat-up paperback from my nightstand, and began to read... or I tried to. I'm afraid the book wasn't very interesting.

"Penny for your thoughts?"

The skull's voice pulled me from the story, and I looked over at it. The phantom face was there, alright. It was vibrantly glowing green in the dim lamplight. It's bulbous nose and bulbous eyes seemed more grotesque in this lighting. The grimy skull's eye sockets looked as if they could go on forever, like great chasms, the teeth like they formed a malicious grin.

I set the book face down, and crawled back into the warmth of my bed.

"No. Nothing really."

"Oh, come on. There must be something."

I shook my head, and then paused. Maybe there was something.

"What did you feel... or what did you sense with Elizabeth's spirit?"

The ghost was quiet for a few moments before replying. "Anger. And fear. And most of all, confusion."

"What could that possibly mean?"

"How could I know? I'm trapped in this jar! If you let me out, maybe I could explain a bit better-"

"No way."

The face turned in a circle like an exasperated child, and looked at me again. "You'll come around some day."

"Don't count on it." I huffed.

The skull let out a huff, "You'll come around some day."

"No I won't." I said.

"Alright." The skull said, drawing out the last syllable dramatically. "Her spirit seemed... fragile. Not in the visitor's sense, but in the sense that she was mentally unstable when she was alive."

"Do you think Elizabeth's husband was the one to do it?" I asked.

The ghost paused, and the spoke. "No."

I sat up, swung my legs over the edge of my bed, and padded down to the rapier practice room. The cold seeped through my nightie, and I questioned wether I hadn't brought a bathrobe. Lockwood's desk was where the article was. I hesitated, wondering if I should take it. If Lockwood were to catch me, he may think i was snooping. And who knew how that would end.

I hesitantly walked to Lockwood's desk; picked up the article about Elizabeth's death. I hadn't read it thoroughly enough before, and I feared I may have skipped over some important information. The cold floor was chilling my feet, so I sat down in the chair parked opposite of the desk. I began to read.

"23 year old Elizabeth Allen Anthonyson was found dead in the upstairs parlor of the home she shared with her husband and his family at 27 Burkes Road on the morning of the 14 of April. Her throat had been slit.

What? The obituary said her abdomen was cut open... I brushed it off, and kept reading:

"The family claim that they had no idea who killed her, and mourn for their loss. Elizabeth Anthonyson's burial took place on The 17th, and her husband Benjamin was seen somber as her body was lowered into the ground."

I set the article down. The obituary had said her abdomen had been cut open, but the article I had just read said otherwise...

Which one was true, though?

My arms dropping to my lap in exasperation. I stood up, and was getting ready to walk back to the stairs when I knocked into a bookshelf. I watched in horror as a thick, heavy book fell from its space, followed by several thinner ones. I dove forward attempting to catch them, but before I could, the books made contact with the floor with a deafening thud!

I sat in silence, listening for footsteps, but they didn't come. Cautiously, I stood again, trying to not make any more noise. I lifted the books and was placing them back in their place when I heard footsteps. I froze, and hurriedly pushed them in, and began to scramble to my feet. I tripped into the chair, causing another loud crash.

The footsteps quickened.

I was hoisting myself up when the person making the footsteps tromped down the metal staircase.

It was Lockwood. His hair was tousled, and his rapier was in his hand. His shoulders were tensed. He was running towards the desk.

He was getting ready to swing. I guess he hadn't realized it was me. I scrambled out of the chair seconds before his sword swung down, Slicing the fabric.

"Lockwood! it's me!"

Lockwood dropped his rapier with a clatter. "Lucy?! What are you doing down hereat this hour?! Are you hurt?!"

I was partly glad it was dark, because I could feel my cheeks were burning. "L-looking at the article. The one from the archives. And no. I'm not hurt."

"It's good that you're not hurt, but why were you snooping?" Lockwood wanted to know.

I looked at him, shocked. "I wasn't snooping! I couldn't sleep! I woke up, and came down to re-read the article."

"That's no excuse for going through my things."

"I wasn't! Lockwood, I was only reading the article. Honest. And I noticed something too."

Lockwood studied me for a second before speaking. "What is it?"

"The article here says that her throat was slit. The obituary says her abdomen had been sliced open. Lockwood, it's either one of them was tampered with, or one of them is fake."

Lockwood paused before lifting the obituary and the article I had just read from the desk. After a second, he turned to me, grinning.

"Good job, Luce. You're right. I wonder though, Which one is fake, and which one is real?" Lockwood pondered this for a second before speaking again; "We'll have to do some more digging tomorrow. For now, head back to bed. I'll ask George for some insight."

And with that, Lockwood tromped back upstairs, bidding me goodnight. I turned to follow him, when I tripped... Over his dropped rapier. My ankle had been scratched by one of the coils of silver on the guard. It wasn't deep, but it was enough to sting. I stood up, propping the sword against his desk, and looked at the chair. The gash Lockwood cut sure would have to be mended.

I walked back to my room, and curled up back in my bed.

I was able to fall asleep after that.

Oh my god! I'm soooo sorry I took so long to update. School keeps getting in the way, but I'm back now. Also, I see many of you have noticed the character names. That was courtesy of me, sending an e-mail to . So yay! I got tired of not having names to filter in this fandom's archive, so I had them put in. Someone had to do it! Anyway, stay tuned!

~Starry