The Pain Within (Sequel To 'Trapped Without You')

Another Unexpected Visitor

"That did not go as I expected." Lockwood ruffled pieces of biscuit out of his hair.

"Yeah, you should wash that jelly out of your hair soon." George sat in his chair emptying crumbs of all sorts out of his boots.

"Let me check on Luce real quick." Lockwood leaned through the doorway and spotted Lucy asleep on the sofa.

"She made us sandwiches." George put them on plates and set them on the table. Lockwood joined him at the table. "Maybe having Lucy at home isn't such a bad idea, she made our favorite sandwiches and even cleaned up a bit. I'm just saying it's nice to come home to a clean house and fresh food."

"Yeah but don't let Lucy hear you say that she'll freak out." They finished dinner, cleaned themselves up, and went to bed.

The next few weeks were relativity the same, with Lockwood and George sleeping late into the day and going to bed even later. Lucy waking up early and going to bed early, George and Lockwood spending their awake time either off at the Archives researching a case or off on a case. Lucy spent her awake time cleaning around the house, trying to cook and doing anything she could to entertain herself.

Though she refused to admit it she felt like a maid and she hated herself for it. Everything now made her feel like a maid, the way she dressed, the way she never saw George or Lockwood, the way she ate alone and went to bed alone. Some days she'd talk to herself just to fill the silence.

Lucy was thankful for having to be alone however when she got a call from a new client. Against her own better judgment she told the man that he could come over right away to discuss the case.

It was a Sunday, one of the only days Lockwood and George went to bed at the same time as Lucy. She had hoped they could all spend the day together but the boys felt they needed to do some research and wouldn't even be in town for the day, they wouldn't even say where they were going. So just to spite them she had her own client over.

The man was rather large, tall with bulging muscles, but Visitors can bring even the strongest to their knees and that's exactly what was happening to him.

She made tea and brang out cookies to settle the man's nerves, then listened tentatively as he explained the circumstances of his problem, she took notes and made sure to ask questions.

"I step into my house and all I want to do is cry, it's awful. I can't see anything there and I don't feel in danger but I feel an awful depression especially at night."

"I'm sorry to hear that sir, I know what it's like." Lucy looked up from her notepad and gave him a reassuring smile. "It sounds like you have a simple Shade, they're known for causing feelings of loss and sadness. They tend not to be aggressive and are easy to deal with."

"Is there any spot in the house that you can sense more sadness in than any other?"

"The Closet. It's also the coldest spot of the house and I can sometimes see a hazy shadow in it."

"Do you know of any deaths that may have occurred there?"

"Yeah. A few years ago this crazy girl locked her brother in the closet and convinced her parents he ran away. A few weeks later the mom found him dead." Lucy whistled.

"That's very messed up. If it works with you I can come over tonight around 7:30 and get rid of the Visitor." The man agreed, thanked her and left. Lucy felt a rush of excitement as she ran to the offices to gather her equipment, she didn't pack the more heavy duty things, such as the magnesium flares, knowing her case wouldn't be dangerous.

Lucy spent the day practicing on the dummies in the basement, though she knew how risky it was to be going behind Lockwoods' back she couldn't help but be excited. The idea of her solving a case, even such a small one as a Shade made her feel in control and independent. A feeling she had almost forgotten.

At seven pm when the boys were still not home Lucy grabbed her equipment and left a note taped to the fridge, then she called a taxi and started her case.

The case went as smooth as it could, after only about fifteen minutes of watching the little Shade Lucy was able to locate it's Source (a small cloth forgotten under the peeling carpet that had probably gagged the boy) and easily secured it in a small silver glass case. She then spent nearly an hour getting it disposed of at the Furnaces. Once home she threw away her note, put away her equipment and checked the house for the boys, she began to worry when they still weren't home.

The train rattled along, Lockwood sat half asleep leaning against a window George next to him. They had spent the day doing extensive research in a little town in the north of England, they had been on the train for hours and were just about starving. Despite all the inconvenience of their little adventure they were both excited to show Lucy their findings.

When they finally arrived home they were ecstatic to find a fresh pot of stew and a fresh loaf of bread waiting for them.

"Think Lucy is still awake?" Lockwood asked dishing up the stew.

"Let me check real quick." George went out for a moment. "She's passed out on the sofa, I may have woke her up by throwing a magazine in her face though."

"Why George?" Lockwood shook his head.

"What the hell George!" Lucy marched into the kitchen, face red, hair messy.

"Lucy!" Mary ran to her sister and hugged her tight.

"Mary? When did you get here?" Lucy looked to Lockwood, he smiled at her.

"Your co-workers came to the house and told everyone what happened to you. Mam was pretty mad that you left without telling anyone and I was so worried. Anthony and George paid to take me here so we could reconnect. I missed you awfully." Lucy thought it was strange hearing her call Lockwood by his first name.

Lockwood stood back and watched in delight as the two sisters caught up with each other over a nice warm dinner. He and George figured it would be good for Lucy to see her favorite sister especially with how stressed she had seemed lately.

Mary was just a bit taller than Lucy with dark long hair, she had the same tired, worn out look that Lucy did. They looked almost identical in physical features with the exception, of course, of Lucy's scars. Lockwood watched them as he ate, Lucy was smiling wide, her cheeks pink and her eyes were full of life. Lockwood wished he could keep her that happy looking forever.

After dinner, the girls migrated to the sitting room to chat while the boys got ready for bed.

"I can't believe you really got kidnapped. I can't even imagine how hard that was on you, why didn't you send us a letter?"

"I guess I just never thought that it would effect mam and you guys much. Plus I've been trying to forget the experience."

"You'll always be my baby sister Lucy and everything that happens to you will have an effect on me. As for mam, nothing effects her anymore, her work has dulled her mind a bit too much." Mary looked down as well, then noticed Lucy's sketch pad laying on the floor, she leaned down and picked it up.

She studied the sketch it was open to, it was clearly of Lockwood. His hair was messy, pressed to his cheeks and forehead in some spots, sticking up in others. His eyes glassy with trails of tears going down his cheeks, but his neck was unfinished.

"Good drawing Luce." Mary giggled as she flipped through three other sketches of Lockwood. "I have to say, your boss is rather cute isn't he. Lucky you."

Lucy's face turned pink, she immediately changed the subject. After talking another half hour the girls finally went to Lucy's room and went to bed.