See No Evil (Anthony Lockwood)

chapter 14

AN: Wow. This chapter was intense for me to write. Emotions-wise. Because with this story, I decided to try a way of writing that could encompass all of the characters emotions and thoughts about certain things. While it is still centrally focused on Violet and her character, I also added scenes without her in order to strengthen bonds between other characters as well. So I have to switch between so many types of people and emotions all at once and I'm actually having fun with it.

~

Violet's breathing came out quickly as adrenaline pumped through her system. The cold wind rushed through her ears and made goosebumps appear on her arms. The fresh blood on her face ran down her neck and seeped into the fabric of her camisole.

She had always been so good at running away. It was all she had ever done. All she had ever known. Ever since she could remember. When her foster father at age 6 drank himself into a rage, she ran. When they tried to drag her back there kicking and screaming, she ran. Every single home she went to that treated her so terribly, she ran away. It had become her reputation. When she woke up in that box in the alleyway, she ran. When she would get in fights at her old agency, she ran. She kept running. Lockwood & Co. was the only place she had never run from before. And yet here she was, running again.

Violet only stopped running when she no longer could. And then she collapsed to her knees, sobbing in the middle of the road that was only lit by a few street lamps. Her head fell to the ground as she grasped at her hair tightly, trying not to scream.

She hated it. She hated it all. She hated herself. She hated the world. She hated everything.

Even Lockwood?

Violet's heart stopped when she thought of Lockwood. She could never hate him. She ran from him. Why did she run away from him? She told him she wouldn't leave him. She promised.

Oh God she promised.

What was she doing?

Violet got to her feet and took a few breaths before she started to run again. This time in the direction of something. Home.

~

Violet was exhausted by the time she got home and barely had the energy to open up the front door and slip inside. She pulled off her rapier and dropped it in the holder by the door.

"Where the hell have you been?!" Lockwood was angry as he spotted her after storming out of the living room and into the hall.

Violet turned around, "I-I'm so sorry, Lock. I didn't...I just wasn't thinking straight."

Lockwood approached her, not even taking note of the blood that covered her face and neck, "Yeah, I got that! No one here is thinking straight! Everyone was scared! But you and Lucy were the only ones to take off!"

Violet shrunk back at his tone, "I'm sorry. It won't happen again."

"Yeah, you're right. It won't. You're suspended from jobs until you can get your act together," Lockwood said.

"What? You can't do that, Anthony! That's not fair!" Violet finally snapped back, "I made one wrong choice!"

"And that choice could've got someone killed! Passing out like that and then running away! We needed your help and you couldn't handle it!"

Violet didn't understand. Everything had been fine earlier. Before the job they had been dancing in the library. So serene. So happy. And now he was yelling at her. He was so angry.

Violet threw her arms up, "What do you want me to do about it, Anthony?! It happened! It's over! I can't change it! So what do you want from me?!"

"I already told you. You're suspended," Lockwood spoke in quiet anger this time before turning away and walking up the stairs.