Chapter Text
I was home alone. Both Lockwood and George had gone out on separate cases. I had stayed home because I had felt under the weather all day. I was just making myself a cup of tea when I heard the front door open and close.
'Hi!'
'Hey!'
Lockwood was back then. I heard him put his kit bag down and put his rapier in the rapier stand. Then he walked into the kitchen.
'Hey, how was it? Do you want a cup of tea?' I asked with my back to him. 'Yes, please. The case was fine. A type one like we thought.' I finished the teas and handed his to him. We both sat at the table, our knees touching. 'Well, that's good! What was the source?' I asked.'Oh, nothing interesting. Just a pair of cufflinks. Maybe an heirloom or something? Anyway, how are you feeling?'
'Oh, I feel better.' It was true. I was already feeling better. 'Just a good nights sleep and I'll be fine!'. 'Perfect!' Lockwood said. He drained his tea and stood up. 'Well, I think I'm going to head to bed. Goodnight Lucy.' 'Already?'I asked. Normally he would stay up till he made sure we were all home safe and George wasn't back yet. 'Yeah, I'm quite tired.'
'Oh, ok. Goodnight.' As he turned to leave I saw a chain around his neck flash in the light of the kitchen. But before I could ask about it he had already left.
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That night I had a nightmare. They weren't uncommon in our line of work but they are still unpleasant. I couldn't fall back asleep so I decided that I should go make myself a cup of tea. I crept down the stairs so I didn't disturb anyone. George is a very heavy sleeper so it was mainly Lockwood I was worried about. He must of been exhausted if he went to bed so early. Well, at least for him. I got down to the kitchen and put the kettle on. While waiting for my tea to stew I looked out the window. I saw the ghost of the man with the carpet like always and the shade near Arif's. We really should get rid of it for him. And there, a ghost I hadn't seen before with a long coat and a rapier. No, wait. What? That was Lockwood! What the hell was he doing?! I watched him walk down the street and stop in front of the house. A few seconds later I heard the front door open and close and a rapier being sheathed.
'Lockwood?' I called, confused. 'Oh, hey Lucy! What are you doing up?' He walked into the kitchen and under the light I got a good look at him. He had changed his clothes. He wasn't in his usual suit and tie. No, he looked like a normal teenager. He was wearing jeans, a grey jumper and his hair was mussed. He looked… good. 'I should be asking you that! Where have you been?' I said, maybe in a bit of an annoyed tone. I was confused okay! 'Oh, just out.' He said casually. 'Just having a little fun. It's been a hard few weeks!' 'Out?! Since when do you go out?' I whisper-shouted. 'It just seemed fun, you should try it sometime.' 'Well, why didn't you say anything?' He'd just said he was going to bed, not out! 'I just didn't want to worry you, that's all! Well, I am actually going to bed now. Goodnight Lucy. Or good morning.' He grinned at me but it didn't look like his normal smile. This one felt sharper. I watched him walk up the stairs and out of sight. I didn't really feel like tea anymore. I poured my over-stewed tea down the sink and went up to bed.
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Lockwood didn't come down till late in the morning. 'Do you want to talk about last night?' I asked when he walked into the kitchen. I had lay awake the rest of the night, trying to figure it all out. 'Can we leave that for another time? My head's killing me.' Lockwood said. 'Okay, fine. Tea?' 'No, thanks. Is there any coffee going?' 'Coffee? No, we don't have any.' George said, surprised. 'And what happened last night?' Oops, I had forgotten to tell him about Lockwood's late night escapades. 'Should I tell him or do you want to?' I asked Lockwood, who was making himself some toast. 'I can. I went out, nothing big or dramatic.' He still sounded so casual. 'Why?' George asked, sounding just as confused as I did when he told me. 'We all need to let loose a bit! We spend so much time focusing on jobs we don't have time for anything else.' He shrugged. 'And you thought going out was the way to let loose?' George looked at me with a questioning look. I shrugged back. 'Yeah, it's fun! Anyway, anything on tonight?'.
'We have a case tonight in Greenwich. I still need to go to the Archives so I will see you both later. Be ready and packed at 5pm. And if I'm late, Wait. For. Me' George sounded stern. Although I don't blame him after what happened at Sheen Road. 'Ok, we will. Do we need anything restocked? I can head down to Satchell's' I wanted to get out of the house after being cooped up all day yesterday. 'Yeah, that would be great. We need some more flares and maybe some iron filings.' 'Okay, cool! Lockwood, do you want to come with me?' He didn't answer me. 'Lockwood?' When I turned to look at him he was staring into his mug with a far away expression. 'Lockwood!' He looked up and his eyes cleared.'Yeah, what is it?' 'Do you want to come to Satchell's with me?' He nodded. 'Yeah, sure! Let me just get ready. I'll be down soon.' With that he got up and left. 'Is he ok?' George asked. I looked at the kitchen door where he just left. 'Yeah, I hope so.'
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Lockwood and I wandered down the street to the tube station. It was a lovely day and the sun was shining. I could hear children laughing and shrieking in their back gardens and birds singing. I turned to Lockwood and asked him if he was okay. He had just seemed a bit off this morning. 'I'm fine! Don't worry about me.' He said. 'And you'll tell us if something is wrong, right?' 'Yeah, of course!' He turned to look at me and smiled. Somehow he managed to convince me. He could do anything with that smile.
We arrived at Satchell's and split up to look for what we needed. I grabbed some flares and thought we might need some more salt bombs so I grabbed some of them too. When I rounded the corner, I saw Lockwood talking to some Rottwell agent. They looked quite close but I'd never seen him before. 'Alright, I'll see you Saturday Lockwood!' He called. Then he walked out the door and down the street. 'Who was that?' I asked. Had Lockwood known him a while? What was happening Saturday? 'Oh, hi. Just Daniel Wilson. Great guy! Anyway, where are the filings?' Lockwood replied, looking around. 'Where they always are? Next to the rapiers.' 'Ah, ok! I'll grab them! You have everything else?' 'Yep, right here.' I held them up to show him. 'Cool, I'll see you at the counter.' He started walking in the wrong direction. 'Um, other way Lockwood!' I called after him. 'Oh, yeah! I knew that... this way right?' I rolled my eyes and he at least had the grace to look sheepish. 'You know what, we can grab them together.'
On the way back home I decided to ask Lockwood about Saturday. 'So, what's happening on Saturday. That Daniel Wilson was saying something about it.' Was it some joint job Lockwood had managed to get? I wouldn't put it past him, he'd done it before. 'Oh, his mate's throwing a party and I thought I might go.' Okay, that's definitely not what I expected! 'We don't have a job on Saturday do we?' 'No, we don't, bu-' 'Perfect! So I guess I'll go! Oh, look there's a cab!' He hailed the cab and climbed in. I was left standing on the pavement very confused. 'You coming?' Lockwood called. 'Yeah, I am.'