[ Glow ] ~ Anthony Lockwood x OC

XLVII - Locky and Keys

The four stop against the wall of a less abandoned building, panting. "What the hell happened back there?" Lockwood hissed out. 

"He was a monster." Lucy shook her head. 

"It felt so. . .dead." Daniel mumbled in addition. "I felt dead." 

"Hey-" Lockwood wrapped an arm around Daniel's shoulder, pulling her into his chest. "You're not. You're okay, we've got you now." He murmured to both the brunettes. "You're safe now, okay? You're with us." He gave Daniel a gentle, yet grounding squeeze before directing his attention to Lucy. "That's the last time you go and do a job on your own. I don't care what the skull says. We're your team. Not him."

"Did you find anything?" George asked, his flashlight angled down at his feet. 

Lucy looked over at him, pausing with hesitation before giving a nod. "Yeah." 

George's face lit up in a smile as he gently shook his head. "You're incredible." 

"Come on. Let's get home." Lockwood smiled at his employees, grateful that none of them had died. 

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"You guys okay if I dive into Bickerstaff's papers?" George asked, not even bothering to take off his coat as he went straight for the stairs.

"Go for it." Lucy agreed with a nod. 

Lockwood started taking off the backpack with the skull while Daniel pulled her rapier from her belt, putting it away. Unlike George had. It was a wonder that he hadn't cut his own leg off running up the stairs. "You okay?" Anthony asked Lucy. 

"Hmm." She responded. 

"Need anything?" 

"I'm fine, I just. . .I need to put him away for a bit. He can't be trusted."

"You know none of us can hear it, you could just. . .ignore what he says." Daniel offered with a shrug. 

"Not safe enough." Lucy denied. Lockwood gave a shrugged nod, heaving the heavy glass up and putting the bagged skull in Lucy's arms. "Thanks." Lucy whispered, sighing before going toward the kitchen. 

Anthony pulled his rapier off, putting it in the bucket beside Daniel's. He turned to her, about to say something before he froze. 

"What is it?" Daniel asked, looking over her shoulder. She noticed muddy footprints in the carpet of the library. "What the-" 

Anthony shook his head, putting a finger to his lips before following the prints. On one of the lounge chairs, Lockwood's friend Florence from the night prior slept soundly, her legs upon a yellow footrest. Lockwood walked up to her, yanking the footrest out from under her. Florence woke up, sitting up straight and flipping out a knife with tired eyes. Daniel jumped at the sight of the knife, grabbing Lockwood's sleeve and tugging him back a bit. He only smiled, sitting on the chair across from her. Flo sighed, putting her knife down. "Morning, Locky, Locky's friend."

"Still got your old key, then?" 

"Never throw away a key. Every single one unlocks something somewhere."

Daniel hesitantly sat down beside Lockwood. She wasn't so sure why he was so calm about the whole. . .knife thing.

"Well you're always welcome to put your feet up here. You know that." Anthony told his friend. 

"Very kind of you, Locky. Love what you've done with the place, by the way." 

"Oh, I haven't touched it." He responded, looking up at an old china cabinet.