Until the very end ~ Lockwood & Co

7. My first case

I woke up from the sun shining into my face. My head was buzzing, making me regret being awake.
I was uncomfortably warm, making me remember, that I still wore Lockwoods coat. I groaned as I opened my eyes and sat up, trying to control the need to throw up.
"You're awake."
The not expected person in my room made me flinch and then groan out in pain. God, my head hurts.
"You should have stayed in the hospital."
I scoffed, now being wide awake. What a lovely greeting.
"It's good to see you too, Lockwood."
The name slipping from my tongue sounded more like a insult then a name .
"How could you leave the hospital? How did you even had money to pay the taxi ?"
He readjusted himself on my chair, so he could face me even better.
"I walked."
I swung my legs over the bed.
"In the night ? Hurt ? Are you crazy ?"
I tried to push myself up but sat down as soon as some weight came on my leg. It hurts like hell.
"You walked though the night, Hel ? Are you crazy ?
You want to die ?"
I pressed my teeth together , pushing myself up again. I nearly fell but Lockwood stood up and caught me, now holding me up.
"Well you left me, didn't you ?"
I didn't pull him closer but I didn't push him away either. He laughed, making me even more mad.
"I didn't left you."
He helped me towards the door. Just to protocol this, I will kick him in the nuts as soon as I can walk by myself again.
"You did. I woke up and you weren't there."
I could feel tears forming in my eyes. Finally the emotions and the stress from yesterday came to show. But I wouldn't allow myself to cry in front of Lockwood. The voice of my mother haunting my mind.
Stop crying, crying is pathetic.

Lockwood sighed and stopped making me stop too.
We were already halfway across the floor , near the stairs.
"Do you want to go downstairs?"
I shook my head, looking away from him. He sighed, turning around and making his way to his room, automagically taking me with him. He pushed his door open and then helped me in. It was a long time since I was in his room.
I think since I was here I was like 7 times in his room. I really liked it.
The walls were full of pictures of him and the cases.
Some of them were old, some new. My eyes caught some pictures of him, George and me.
My first case here.

I stood between George and Lockwood.
My heart was pounding like crazy, but I guess that's okay when you face a ghost for the first time in a real agency. Right now I felt like I was ready to fight the whole world.
"You want me to take a picture of the three of you ?"
We all nodded at the same time, staring to make our self ready. George's arm was laying on my shoulder, while he was grinning into the camera.
He was pretty proud of himself because this time the research was fantastic. Meanwhile Lockwoods arm was wrapped around my waist, making me blush in the slightest way. Not that I would dare to look at him, but I was pretty sure he was grinning too. Mostly because Lockwood grinned all the time but also because this case definitely kicked his ego to the  moon.
"Say cheese !"
The old lady, who was our customer, clicked the camera before one of us was ready.
"Awww look how lovely you three look!
You want a cup of tee?"
Lockwood took the picture before George nor I had the chance to take it.
"Thank you very much Miss Feder but we really need to go back. Do the paper work, you know."
He gifted her with one of his most charming smiles before he took his bag and started to walk away from the house.
To be honest I was awed by him.
How could someone be so... perfect ?
A blush creeped up my cheeks, as Lockwood turned around, looking straight at me.
"What ? You're coming Hel ?"
"Yes yes, sure . Don't stress me Woody."
I grabbed my back to, smiling at the old lady once more before running after the two boys.
"Hey , wait for me!"

Miss Feder smiled to herself .
"Young love, such a beautiful thing."
Then she turned around making her way back to her, now ghost free, house.