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

An Angel

Feet blistered and fingers freezing Lockwood continued calling for Lucy, they had let her be alone for the first fifteen minutes figuring she just needed air but after 45 minutes Mary got frantic and George became worried. Lockwood would love to say that he had been a strong reassuring leader, but he had been worried since the first five minutes of Lucy's disappearance.

The first place they had searched, upon Lockwood's request, was the Thames. Then around the neighborhood, then the next few neighborhoods and the next few. They then decided to split up and check more open areas such as the park Lockwood now dragged his aching feet through.

With the sun setting behind his back he worried Visitors would soon appear. Looking around he studied the park, it was mostly a plain of grass with rose bushes around the perimeter but there was one bench under the shade of a tree, on it was a person, huddled in a little ball. Lockwood stood there for a moment watching the little ball, if it were Lucy what would he do? What would he say, would she run from him again, or would she be glad to see him?

Lockwood's stomach churned as he walked up to the bench, he was relieved to see it was Lucy and that she was peacefully sleeping, her nose and cheeks pink from the cold, it was nice to see color in her face again. Lockwood bent down and picked her up, her bony shoulder stabbing him in the chest. In the few times Lockwood had ever picked up Lucy while she slept he always loved how perfectly she fit in his arms, never once did he feel uncomfortable as she leaned against him but now she was bony, hard to hold, and uncomfortably light.

Along the way home, Lockwood found George and Mary, they rushed home as the sky darkened. Once home Lockwood set Lucy on the sofa, grabbed the bottle of pills and a cup of water and set them on the coffee table he then sat in his chair and waited for her to wake up.

"Anthony. Lockwood. Whoever, it's already eight just come eat dinner, it's getting cold and George is getting irritated. She's obviously exaughsted and asleep for the night, you can just wait till tomorrow to talk to her." Mary grabbed Lockwood by the arm and pulled him out of his chair.

"I need to talk to her now." Lockwood ran his hand through his hair, on the walk home he had a lot of things going through his head, he had a whole speech planned out, if Lucy would just wake up.

"Lockwood just leave her alone, we'll have an intervention tomorrow morning or something but right now you need to eat." George rubbed his glasses on his sweater as Lockwood picked up the glass of water and poured it on Lucy's head. Lucy shot up.

"Well that intervention idea just jumped out the window," Mary whispered to George, he nodded.

"What the hell Lockwood!" Lucy yelled after waking up and wiping the water off her face.

"I should say the same! What on earth did you think you were doing running out like that! We spent hours trying to find you! You aren't well Lucy you can't just run away from it either you need to take the pills or you won't get better!" Lockwood shook the bottle in Lucy's face, she slapped his hand away.

"I don't need drugs to get better!" Lucy's face was a bright red like it always was when she got mad, her wet hair sticking to her face.

"Just take it! If you don't take it you won't get better and if you don't get better I'll have to fire you! I don't want to fire you but if you don't get better you won't be able to work."

"You wouldn't fire me..."

"Yes, I will!" Lockwood was shaking from rage and frustration.

"Lockwood calm down. You know you really don't want to fire Lucy." George testified.

"I'm giving you one more chance, take the pill." Lockwood opened the bottle and grabbed a pill and held it out to her. Lucy looked up at him tears glistening in her eyes.