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

No Longer

"Wake up Lucy, wake up Mary!" Lockwood called from the kitchen, George pounded on their door, mumbles and curses were his response. Soon enough the girls were dressed, hair brushed, Mary even did a little braid in Lucy's hair, they then headed downstairs to find Lockwood making breakfast. He made French toast, scrambled eggs, and sausages and poured everyone a glass of orange juice.

"Special occasion?" Lucy asked.

"Yes, I guess you could say that today I'm re-hiring you. You're coming out on a case with George and me tonight. We need your excellent Talent, I don't know if you've read our notes but our last few cases haven't gone exactly perfect."

"When do they ever?" Lucy questioned.

"When did we discuss this Lockwood? I sure don't remember agreeing to this."

"I am the boss, you have to agree with everything I say. But I know why you are concerned. Lucy, if something is to happen, if you freak out or throw yourself out of a window again I am afraid you will be fired, for good, you'll still get to live here if you need but I won't let you be an agent any longer." Lucy took a deep breath.

"Fair. What's our job?" Lucy grinned, Lockwood smiled back. They discussed the gruesome details of their newest case, Mary gagging each time George went on a rant about how he thought the Visitor would look. He even made sketches, though crude they were enough to make Mary leave the room. Lucy excused herself to go check in on her sister, once in the sitting room Mary tackled Lucy in a hug.

"Mary get off of me."

"Nope! Because you are in love and we need to celebrate that!"

"Wait for what!" Lucy's face was pink immediately.

"Am I not allowed to use the 'L' word around you, come on it's obvious. Think about it! Lockwood is crazy in love with you, what person would fire someone but let them keep living with them. Plus just the way he looks at you, it is love!"

"How would you know, he looks at everyone that way, hell he once looked at a rotten corpse that way."

"Gross and no he doesn't, there's something special about the way he looks at you, George and I both agree." Lucy rolled her eyes.

"Why are you talking to George?"

"Don't change the subject."

"Just shut up." Lucy went back into the kitchen, Lockwood immediately greeting her with a big smile, Lucy turned back into the sitting room, her face even pinker. "He likes me." Mary laughed and grabbed Lucy by the arm pulling Lucy up the stairs. Mary spent two and a half hours going through all of Lucy and her clothes trying to find the cutest outfit for Lucy to wear.

Downstairs Lockwood and George stocked and checked their equipment, then spent a while practicing with their rapiers, George ran off to the Archives to do extra research and then Lockwood went upstairs to make Lucy a little surprise. Lockwood put on an apron and grabbed all the ingredients to make chocolate chip cookies, it wasn't long before the entire kitchen, and Lockwood was covered in flour. After Mary had finished fussing with Lucy's outfit Lucy ran downstairs to, as Mary explained it, strut her stuff. Wearing Mary's favorite black blouse with white lace trim and a dark blue mini skirt with a white flower design. Lucy was confused, to say the least when she saw Lockwood trying to grab a tray of what looked like pieces of coal out of the oven without any oven mittens. Lockwood screamed in pain and dropped the tray immediately after touching it.

"Why on earth would you do that? What are you even doing?" Lucy rolled her eyes at Lockwood before walking up to him, grabbing his hand and thrusting it under cold running water. "Honestly, you're so absentminded sometimes."