Chapter Text
The space felt like a chasm between them, but both of them were grateful for the chance to pause and take a breath. "We're a right mess, aren't we?" Lockwood sighed as he tried to smile. He was sure it came off as more of a grimace.
"The messiest," she agreed. "I'm sorry for starting this insanity."
"You didn't do anything wrong, Luce," he mumbled, "I shouldn't have reacted like that."
"You're allowed to react however you want," she murmured. "We just... we need therapy, Anthony."
A laugh escaped him as his thoughts raced. "That means trusting adults," he mused, “That's a big ask, darling."
"We have to start somewhere.”
"Yeah, alright," he finally conceded, "we can take a look. I know DEPRAC has some resources. We’ll figure it out." Lockwood wasn’t completely convinced, but Lucy was right. They both had a lot to work through and having someone impartial to help them sort through the mess could be beneficial.
"We always will," she promised. "Let's pack up and head back, yeah? Or we could do some more sightseeing? We still have a while before we should be back for dinner."
He kept his gaze steady on her face, letting her eyes draw him in. "We could go to the castle? We should probably stop by the B&B to drop off the basket, though," he replied with a glance at their abandoned picnic.
"Probably," she sighed, "I think it's smart to not have to lug that around."
He let his hands move to take hers, lifting them to his face to press a gentle kiss to her knuckles. His lips grazed the signet ring where he lingered for a moment. "Come on, then. Let's not lose daylight," he said before stepping away and starting to pack up their mostly untouched lunch. Lucy knelt to help him, smiling slightly at his sweetness.
"Hey, Anthony?" He stopped and turned back towards her with a querying hum and a raised brow. "Thank you. For earlier; with the source and with…you know."
“Of course,” he replied before closing the distance between them to kiss her softly, stealing her air.
Lucy found she didn't mind in the slightest. He could take her breath anytime he wanted. He eventually pulled away, dropping a kiss to the tip of her nose, "Yeah. I’m the luckiest guy alive to get to do that all day."
"I must be the luckiest girl, then" she murmured, "To have such a handsome guy kiss me like that." He grinned, his eyes getting the familiar twinkle in them again as he stole another kiss.
"You flatter me, Mrs. Lockwood."
"Mr. Lockwood, you are a flirt," she teased, "But I don't mind."
His nose scrunched up and his grin only grew, "Guilty as charged, darling."
She kissed him on the lips this time, tongue tracing the seam of his lips. His hands flew to hold her face, calloused fingers stroking along her cheekbones as he opened his mouth and tilted his face to the side. Lucy fell backwards, pulling Lockwood with her. God, his mouth was an addiction.
He barely pulled away to breathe, his hair falling in his face. "Luce, as much as I'm loving this, we are in a park as you aptly reminded me a while ago." Lucy flushed and looked over to where the young family was. The man was watching them with concern.
"That man looks like he's three seconds from calling the authorities." Lockwood sat up a bit, tugging Lucy with him and offering the man a small wave.
"You're right," he replied behind a smile, "We should probably make ourselves scarce, yeah?"
She chuckled, "Wouldn't want to get fined for public indecency."
"Among other things," Lockwood murmured with a glance to her neck. There had to be something he could do to help it heal better. He was surprised no one had commented on it that morning. He shook his head slightly to clear his thoughts and started packing things away. "So, to the B&B and then the castle. Anything else you'd like to see?"
She blinked, realising what he was talking about. It took everything in her to not reach up and touch the marks on her neck. "Is it really that bad?"
He paused to look back from the half full basket, "Yeah, Luce. You scared me half to death this morning. I'm surprised they haven't been bothering you that much."
"I think other things have been on my mind," she replied softly. Although now that she was aware of them, they were beginning to hurt. He reached out to caress her cheek with a soft smile, trying to lighten the mood,
“Hey – none of that. We’ve got sights to see,” he turned back to finish packing the basket and stood to offer her his hand. "Right, just the blanket then we're off."
She took his hand, hauling herself to her feet before picking up the blanket, shaking it out, and folding it across her arm. "I am sorry for scaring you this morning." Lockwood reached for her free hand, fighting off the images that flashed in his mind.
“It’s alright,” he replied, focusing his attention on her so as to not flashback to the all encompassing panic he had experienced when he woke to hear Lucy crying in the bathroom. He let their hands swing a bit as they began their walk back to the bed and breakfast.
“We don't get a lot of sleep usually. I think that's part of why I had the dream." She shrugged, giving his hand a slight squeeze.
He looked down at their hands and took a breath. Now her scream from earlier was playing on a loop in his mind; but Lucy was okay, she was right here next to him. She was safe. "Where'd 'poppet' come from?" He asked in a sudden redirect.
She blinked, feeling a little bit of whiplash over the topic change, but she went with it. "I don't know, actually," she admitted. "I feel like it might have been something I read once?"
They reached the road and Lockwood turned them the way they needed, humming as he thought. "I like it, I just haven't heard it that often."
"If you like it, maybe I'll keep using it," she said. "I mean, there's Anthony, but I like having something else. You've got a few pet names for me."
"That's true," he mused as he looked at her with a smile. "You know, if you call me Anthony while we're near George, he may have a heart attack."
Her eyes sparkled, "I'm gonna have to try it. For science, of course."
"For science," he echoed with a laugh that bounced off the cobblestones.
She laughed with him, gently bumping him with her shoulder. "Poor Georgie. He has no idea what's coming."
Lockwood let himself sway away from her before coming back, "He really doesn't, does he? God, we'll never hear the end of it."
"You know him best," she said, "what do you think his reaction will be?"
He released a breath, his cheeks puffing out slightly, "Well, it depends. If we're just talking about you calling me 'Anthony'?" He paused to wait for her confirmation.
"Everything, really. But we can start with me calling you Anthony. Or poppet."
"Probably offended first, then he'd put two and two together and we'd have the worst conversation about house rules and what we can and can't do in proximity of him," he said with a smile towards the cobblestones. "But the marriage thing I think he'd be on board with. He likes you, Luce. He doesn't want to lose you either. He will be angry, though, that we didn't tell him. He would have wanted to be our flower girl."
She gave a dramatic gasp, "We should have brought him to be the flower girl! That would have been lovely!" She chuckled, "But he'd probably be right about what we can and can't do in the house."
He had to stop walking for a moment as laughter took over him at her reply. He couldn't remember the last time he had laughed this much. "Well, we'd have to hear what he says first. You know some of his rules can be a bit much," he said with an affectionate eye roll as he started walking again.
"As long as he doesn't make a stupid rule about being in the same room together," she said, shifting the blanket on her arm so they could clasp hands again. "Or that we aren't allowed to call each other by anything but Lockwood and Lucy."
"I'll fight him on that one," he replied quickly, bringing their now joined hands up so he could press a kiss to the back of hers, "Besides, I think it would happen naturally to the point of him having to concede."
"I think we'd both have to fight him. I like all the sweet names you have for me." She smiled up at him, tugging his hand just enough to stop his walking. "Even if it's hard for me to trust, I do like it when you call me love."
He stopped, looking at her in confusion before she started speaking. Then his eyes lit up and he gave her a small smile, "I'm glad. I was going to ask you later, but I'm glad you're okay with it. I wasn't sure after..." He trailed off, keeping his gaze on her.
She kissed him, right there. She wanted to tell him that she forgave him, that she was trying, that she understood. She just... didn't know how to say it with words. His smile grew against her lips as he kissed her back. He had to fight to keep a hold of the basket, wanting to hold her more than he currently was. He pulled back for a quick breath before kissing her again, offering her comfort. His understanding.
“You'll be the death of me, Luce; you know that?" He whispered. Lucy shuddered, trying to breathe again.
"I hope not," she replied. "I want you alive for a while to come."
It was his turn to kiss her instead of providing an answer, this time tender and sweet. A promise – one he hadn't thought he'd make to anyone.
"Let's get going, yeah?" Lucy suggested when they broke apart for air. Anthony didn't trust his voice when they separated and instead opted for a nod. They began walking down the cobblestones again. The tips of Anthony's ears were red.
They were silent for the rest of their walk, the sounds of nature and gravel crunching under their feet as they approached the B&B. The front entrance was swarmed with people when they arrived and Lockwood heaved a sigh at the sight. “Shall we see If they have a back entrance?” He suggested. Lucy nodded and the pair resumed their walk around the side of the building, through a garden, and up to a door that opened into the kitchen.
"Dot?” Lucy called as they entered.
Lockwood followed behind her, closing the door softly before turning back to the room. "She's probably swarmed with guests," He said as he deposited the basket on the counter.
She shrugged, "Well, we could just head back out? Go to the castle? I'm sure she won't mind us leaving it back here."
He nodded, leaving the basket to walk to where she stood. “Let's get going then." He took her hand again and led her back outside. Anthony was finding he rather enjoyed holding her hand. "It's quite a walk, we could hail a cab?"
"Can we afford it?" She looked up at him, a frown on her lips. "I know this whole thing is costing a lot, and we really don't have the money for it."
He bit the back of his tongue, stopping just short of the garden gate to look back at her. "No more secrets, right?" He asked as if he was stepping onto a patch of thin ice.
She frowned, looking at him with suspicion in her eyes. "No more secrets," she agreed. "Are you about to tell me something I won't like?"
"Well, I don't know that you won't like it. More about the whole not telling you bit," he took a deep breath.
"Money isn't exactly a problem."
She blinked, the words making absolutely no sense. "What?"
"Remember how I mentioned my parents were always going on these trips to look for ancient sources?" He started, subconsciously trying to bide his time.
"Yes?" What did that have to do with anything? It made no.... oh shit. Oh shit. He wasn't.... "Are you telling me that you have a secret fortune that you haven't told us about?"
He watched her face carefully as she pieced it together much quicker than he thought she would have. For the short time they had known each other, she could read him like a book. "I wouldn't say fortune, but a fair amount."
She tilted her head, "What's your definition of a fair amount?"
"5 million pounds?" He replied with a wince.
She froze, completely unable to process what he'd just said. And then she slapped him in absolute disbelief.
His head snapped to the side as a hand came up to rub at his quickly reddening cheek, "Ow! Lucy, what--?"
"That's a bloody fortune!" She scoffed, shaking her head, "I'm sorry I hit you but Christ, Lockwood. You can't just spring that on someone! Why not use some of that to pay the bloody fine? Then we're not indebted to fuckin' DEPRAC!"
He shifted to rubbing his jaw which had gotten the brunt of her slap, "I would if it came down to it," he retorted, voice raising slightly as he tried to reason with her, "but no one else knows about it! Don't you think it'd be strange if an up and coming agency just magically paid all the fines without so much as a job? DEPRAC would let the hounds loose and all sorts of questions would be asked -- questions I don't have answers to!"
"What do you mean you don't have the answers?!" She was incredulous, her voice reaching higher pitches as she practically interrogated her husband. "How does no one know? Anthony, none of this makes sense!"
"I didn't know about it until Sykes got a letter one day-- for God's sake, keep your voice down!" He hissed as he dropped his hand, "My dad didn't tell me anything! He had the letter sent to me when I reached a certain age telling me about the accounts. I wasn’t at Portland Row when that happened, so it went to Sykes, who didn't tell me about it until a few weeks later. I don't have answers because I don't know how my dad got that much money! I don’t know here it came from, if it's clean, and there's something about their death that doesn't add up!" His chest was heaving by the time he finished with, "I swear, Lucy. That's all I know right now. I've been digging into it since I got that letter. No one else knows because I don't know who to trust besides you. George doesn't even know because of him working with Fittes. Though I'll have to tell him now.”
She listened to his explanation, realising exactly what he was saying. "We have to tell George. He can find out where the money came from, right?"
"I'm going to tell him," he repeated, pinching the bridge of his nose, "but that's no guarantee that he'll be able to figure it out."
She took a deep breath, "Right. Of course you're right. I'm just... Anthony, poppet, are there any other secrets you're hiding?"
"The only thing I've been able to uncover about their deaths so far is that Fittes may be involved," he sighed as he dropped his hand from his nose to look her dead in the eyes. "That's all. I swear."
She nodded once, accepting his answer. "Okay."
"Okay?" he echoed as his eyes darted between hers.
"Okay," she repeated, before taking another breath and stepping back. "Where will we get a cab?"
The fight left him, though he did rub at his jaw again, working it for a moment before answering, "Not sure. I figured we can walk towards the main square? There has to be a few there just circulating."
She nodded, taking his hand and beginning to pull him towards the city. "I'm sorry for hitting you."
He let himself be led, easily falling into step beside her. "You already apologised, Luce; It's just a reminder to stay on your good side," he replied with a wink.
"Hey! I'm not that bad!" She laughed, the tension between them fully dissipating. "I'll just make you sleep with George when I'm mad."
"George would just make me sleep in the sitting room," he replied with a laugh.
"Nope. I wouldn't let him. It's punishment, poppet."
He couldn't help the flush that came to the tips of his ears as he looked over at her, "But punishing me at George's expense? Seems rather cruel, doesn't it?"
"George wouldn't care," she said. "Chances are, if I'm mad enough at you to kick you out of bed, he'd also be mad enough to torture you with his experiments."
He barked a laugh at that, "God, now that would be torture. He'd want me to help. What on earth do you think I'd do to deserve that?"
She flushed, "Hmm, saying no to your lovely wife?"
He hummed as he looked back at the street, "There's only a few times I'd say that. Just one word is enough to put me in the doghouse, eh?"
"Possibly," she teased. "Depending on what you're saying no to."
"Do I get an example or will this be a trial and error situation?"
Lucy hummed and rolled her eyes affectionately. “You’ll just have to find out, Anthony.”
"Come on then, princess," he tugged on their still joined hands to lead them down the road again, revelling in the smile that spread across Lucy’s face at the new endearment. “There’s still a castle for us to see before the sun goes down.”
She followed his lead down the road until they got to a more populated area. They were able to get a cab to the castle and Lucy's jaw dropped at the beauty of it.
Lockwood squinted at the lowering sun as they stepped up to the castle, smiling at Lucy's reaction, "Everything you dreamed of?" He asked as he turned to look at her.
"Better," she replied, not looking away from the scene. "It's gorgeous."
He studied her profile, his smile morphing into adoration as he watched her. "It is," he said, unable to tear his gaze from her to look at the castle.
She glanced over at him, smiling softly at the look on his face. "Hey, Anthony?"
"Yeah?" He asked, slightly sheepish at being caught staring.
"If I'm a princess, are you my prince?"
A blush crept across his cheeks as he laughed. He glanced at his shoes, not expecting her words. "If you'd have me as your prince; I suppose so, Luce."
"Does that mean we get to live happily ever after?"
"That's how the stories end, right?"
She wrinkled her nose, "I don't like that the stories end. I want to hear how it happens."
His brows pulled together and his head tilted to the side, "How do you mean?"
"All the stories end with ‘happily ever after’. But all we ever see is the hurt before the happy. I just... I want the happy. I don't want to see pain all the time."
His face smoothed out and he reached out to stroke her cheek, "As much as we can, love." He promised with a soft smile. She pressed her lips to his, kissing him softly. Lockwood shifted his hand to hold her face gently, reverently, as he kissed her. "Do you want to go explore the castle?" He whispered against her lips. She nodded, smiling up at him as she stepped back.
"I absolutely do. Any idea what kinds of visitors might have been here?"
He reached down to take her hand, leading her towards the ruins. "I have no idea," he admitted, "and frankly I'm not too interested in staying past dark to find out."
The pair walked up, spending the next couple hours winding and weaving through the castle. It felt like a playground to the two teens who were grateful for a chance to just be with each other, their respective baggage left behind them.
Once they'd finished their adventuring, Lucy pulled Lockwood to a cab, giving them the address for the B&B. "I wonder what they’ll have for dinner," she mused as he slid into the cab next to her and closed the door with a sigh.
"I have no idea, but I'm famished. We didn't exactly get to eat . . . lunch – shit –" Panic gripped Lockwood as he forced a breath into his lungs. "The source, I left it in the basket. Dot or Line – whoever, they might – fuck!" He leaned forward to the cabbie, "There's an extra £20 if you can get us there as quickly as possible. Alright, mate?"
Lucy’s eyes widened, "Shit!" How the fuck could they have forgotten that? The cabbie sped off, taking them to the B&B, the drive taking much less time than it should have. "Thanks!" she said, bolting out of the cab towards the door, leaving Lockwood to pay and follow her. He all but threw the bills at the cabbie, not really caring how much of a tip the man got before following Lucy out of the cab, hot on her heels.
"I can't believe I was that stupid --" he hissed as he easily caught up to her and threw open the same door they had gone through mere hours before.