Ok. So they kissed last chapter. Now I don't know what to do. So, I'm going to wing it. Anyway, enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own Lockwood & Co.
Lockwood and I walked home hand in hand. We laughed about the oddest things, the cold stinging our faces. We arrived at 35 Portland row, breathless and cold. George had prepared dinner.
Lockwood and I stepped inside, and I sighed as my body began to warm, the heat contrasting sharply with my cold cheeks and nose. Our hands were still loosely linked.
"Eat up, you two." George grunted, noting our hands and flushed faces. "Were going back to the Cartwright's tonight."
Lockwood nodded. "Yeah. I'm aware." His hand slipped from mine, and he sat down at the table, and began eating. I followed suit, and sat down across from him.
After we were finished eating, we prepared our supplies, hailed a taxi, and we were off.
Why was he acting like it didn't happen?
He kissed me and now this?
Lockwood treated me just as he had before, the feeling that he was just beyond my reach weighing heavy like a stone in the pit of my stomach.
This left me in a whirlwind of confusion. He kissed me. And now... nothing.
It wasn't fully dark yet, so I trekked elsewhere in the gargantuan house, shouting something about searching elsewhere for activity.
I walked down a dank hallway, rapier swinging at my side. The ghost in the jar hadn't said a word all night.
The only light illuminating the hall was from a dim lamp, which was set upon a thin wooden table, casting the shadows slanted, dancing across the floor. I crossed the hallway, and placed my hand on the door.
Cold. Freezing. So cold I could feel the chill radiating through the wood. Hesitantly, I opened the door.
The room was a sitting room, with tall windows casting slanted shafts of moonlight across the floor. A red fainting couch was pushed against the wall to my left, and two overstuffed arm chairs sat on either side of a dark wood sideboard, on which a lamp was placed. I stepped forward, and observed that the bulb was shattered, littering the surface of the table with glass shards.
An intricate floral rug was placed on the floor, underneath the chairs. Bookshelves lined the walls, and a dogeared book lay open, face down on the arm of one of the chairs.
It would have been quite pleasant if the room wasn't freezing. I zipped my parka up to my chin; pulled my hat on over my ears.
"Creak...Creak...Creak... Creak..."
I froze mid-step.
Malaise. Intense malaise. Miasma too.
Where was that coming from?
I lay my chains hastily, stepping inside. With a squeal of metal, I drew my rapier.
I glanced at my backpack.
"Is there something here?"
The skull jar was silent for a moment before replying. "Oh yes. There is indeed. Maybe if you let me out, I'll help you-"
"No." I said firmly.
"Oh, you're no fun."
I adjusted my stance, and ripped my walkie talkie from my belt.
"Lockwood. I'm getting some activity here. I'm not sure what it is, but it's frigid in here."
Lockwood's voice came crackling back. "Luce, where are you? Can you describe anything?"
I thought for a moment. "Location-wise?"
"That too. But I meant the haunting."
"Uh, on the other side of the house. The doors on the right side of the lobby. And the haunting... Strong miasma. Malaise too. It's extremely cold, and I heard a creaking noise."
There was silence on the other end.
"Ok. I would like to see if you get any apparitions, and if you do, call me again. Luce, be careful."
He hung up. I sighed, my breath pluming in front of my face, and shoved the walkie talkie back into my belt.
"Creak... Creak... Creak..."
I froze again.
Something was there I hadn't noticed. It was an old rocking chair, the grain of the wood cracked with age. I turned to it.
"CLANG!"
I jumped, whirling around to the source of the noise. It was a trey. A silver trey. It had fallen from the top of a bookshelf. Hesitantly, I stepped forward; retrieved the trey from the ground. A shockwave of emotion shot through me.
Love and hate, and finally sadness so strong it left my eyes prickling. And rage.
I dropped the trey, stepping away quickly.
A pressure began to build in my head.
I could feel eyes on the back of my head. A presence, weighing on my inner ear heavily. I slowly began to turn.
Nothing.
I decided that risking it wasn't a good thing, and retreated back to the circle of chains.
The presence made a sudden crescendo, and something began to appear. It couldn't be Elizabeth... could it?
I tightened my grip on my rapier.
That was exactly who it was. her blond hair blew around her face in an unseen wind, dress billowing around her ankles. The scarlet tears dripped from her cheeks. Her wounds were faint, but still visible. Blood dripped from them, splattering on the ground. I pulled a packet of salt from the pocket of my coat, but there was no need. She was gone.
...And in her place was a piece of paper.
I hesitated once, twice, then stepped forward.
The paper was in a pool of plasm, and I used my rapier, to nudge it to where I could pick it up. I reached down, and picked it up, retreating again to the circle of iron chains. The paper was yellowed with age, the edges cracked. Careful not to tear it, I unfolded it.
It was an old newspaper article.
"The trial of Benjamin Anthonyson began yesterday evening. Mr. Anthonyson is facing the accusation of killing his wife, Elizabeth Evens, who was found dead three days ago. Anthonyson was found innocent.
Below the text, written in spidery handwriting was five words.
"It is all my fault."
This time, without hesitating, I pulled my walkie talkie from my belt.
"Apparition."
"Was it Elizabeth?"
Before I could answer, I began to hear footsteps. Boots, by the sound of it, and the distinctive patter of bare feet.
"L...cy? Lucy? Wh...t's go...g on?"
"I'm getting some activity." I gasped.
"D... y... ne...d bac.. up?"
"No... I don't thi-"
The line went dead.
I shoved the walkie talkie back into my belt, and groped for my rapier. A flutter of panic arose in my chest when I felt nothing but air. I glanced around in a frantic circle. I had left it beside the pool of plasm I had found the paper in. The crying made a sudden crescendo, and I turned on my heel.
Elizabeth's ghost was suspended in mid-air, her inky eyes gleaming in the moonlight. Her dress and hair were billowing violently.
I tore a salt canister from my belt, and ripped it open. I poured some into my hand, and threw it in a wide arc at the Specter before a spectral shriek that made my already pounding head slam, she plowed backwards, but was no sooner repeating this in reverse. She slammed into the barrier, sending drops of plasm showering over me, singing the floorboards. I moved my arms above my head, protecting my face.
I needed my rapier. I needed my weapon. I'd die if I didn't get it. But getting could kill me too.
I decided to take a risk. I made a dash, taking wide strides. The handle was inches from my fingers, and then I could feel the cool metal in my hands. I fell backwards hard onto my elbows, and Elizabeth's ghost was inches from me. I swung my rapier in a broad slash, and she was gone with a wail. I stumbled back to the circle of chains and collapsed onto my knees; panting heavily.
The door burst open.
"Lucy!"
I looked up. It was Lockwood. He knelt down beside me.
"Are you ok?" He said, dark eyes uncertain. I nodded. I would rather keep this to myself than get a lecture on how reckless I was being.
"Lucy, the line went dead. What happened?"
I looked at my knees. "I... I dropped my rapier when I found the paper... and I was nearly Ghost-touched trying to get it back."
To my surprise, no lecture came. Lockwood hugged me. He was warm, which felt incredible against my cold body. I buried my face in his chest. He slowly tilted my face to his; his lips were mere centimeters from mine. And he was moving, the space rapidly growing smaller.
His mouth was on mine. Warm, soft lips, and I kissed him back, intertwining my fingers with his. His free hand went up; cupped my cheek.
When we separated, Lockwood stayed as we were, our hands intertwined, his hand on my cheek.
"Luce, don't ever scare me like that again. You could have been hurt or..."
I looked at my knees. "I know."
"Lucy, can I tell you something?" Lockwood said quietly.
"Sure," I said.
It was Lockwood's turn to look at his knees.
"Lucy... I..."
He didn't get to finish. The presence was back.
"Drat." Drawled the skull, "That one just won't leave you alone."
I stood, and grabbed a salt bomb, ripping it free from my belt.
Elizabeth stood before me, her sobbing now hysterical. I threw the salt bomb, and she was gone in a spurt of plasm.
Lockwood rose beside me, and I turned back to him.
"You were saying?"
Lockwood took my hand; squeezed it. His other arm looped it's way around my waist.
"Lucy... I like you."
It felt as if a weight had been lifted from my shoulders, one so familiar that I had gotten used to it. It felt wonderful to have it gone. The weight was reblaced by a longing, that felt so close, but so far.
It was then when I realized how dense I had been. So dense that a knife wouldn't have been enough to get through to me.
It was obvious to me now that I liked him too. How long, I didn't know, but it felt like another, even heavier weight had been lifted.
I looked at him, and wrapped my arms around him, held him tightly. "Lockwood... I feel the same."
He was kissing me again. Passionately, and warmly, filled with emotion. I could feel him smile against my lips.
The hand that was holding mine went to my cheek, stroking it lovingly. My arms were around his shoulders still, hands linked together loosely.
We separated slowly, and looked into each other's eyes. Lockwood gave me a smile. Not a grin. Just a smile. A real one. One just for me. It made my heart flutter.
"Luce, go out with me. Please. I know a tea shop I think you'd like... and will you go with me?"
I smiled. "I'd love to."
Sunlight was beginning to leak through the windows, shining down upon us, warm on our bodies.
I rested my head on his shoulder; he stroked my hair gently, and we just stood there, holding each other until the sun had fully risen.
ACK. I AM SUCH A BAD PERSON FOR NOT UPDATING SOONER. I AM SOOOO SORRY. So here you go! Extra fluff to make up for my absence. I hope you liked it! I'm going to be figuring out how to solve the case, and who murdered Elizabeth. I have an idea who it'll be, so that's taken care of. Anyway, if you enjoyed, I'd love to see your response, and if you have any questions, feel free to message me!
See ya next time!
~Starry