The Shield (Prince Harry fanfic #2)

Chapter Thirty-Six

Lucy had a busy day ahead of her, as she showered and dressed. Slipping on her shoes, Harry sent her a text message, reading Beautiful, have a great day. When he said things like this, it was cute that it was for her. If it wasn't for her, it would've been gross. Lucy wasn't sure if she was about that life. She wrote back her thanks and told him to have a great day as well, and she headed off to the Tube.

She didn't see real people until she headed further into London, and then when she got on the streets. People moved around her, pushing and pulling; they all had to get somewhere. Lucy was just another person on the street.

This was calming to Lucy, just being a face like everyone else's. Also, Lucy liked how she wasn't a tourist anymore, or she liked to think. Sometimes she went to explore the city herself, and she always found new places. But she had a home here now, or at least a place to stay. And she had a job here, or jobs. Lucy had temporary citizenship here, and she slowly worked through the process of becoming a full citizen of the United Kingdom.

Buzzing into work, the door propped open and Lucy entered the building. On the front of the building, across the windows in red spray paint, laid the letters of a nasty slur. It wasn't the first time. Thankfully, no one stood outside the building and yelled at people today.

Though she was early, people had already begun to work. Her desk was near the front, where she was able to watch as people came in. She was one of the first people to greet them.

"Lucy," called one of her coworkers, an older woman with her hair done up properly, "you look pale."

"This isn't a lot of sun here." Her gaze wandered over to the windows, where red paint rolled down from the water that covered the window. "I assume the police came by."

"Earlier, took pictures and CCTV. No interviews," the coworker said. "Have you eaten today?"

She shook her head no.

"Child--"

"Please, not today." When Lucy's eyes came back to the woman, she realized she had been rude. "I'm getting food after work," Lucy explained. "It'll be better then."

"You are teaching ballet tonight," the coworker spoke, not thrown off of Lucy's trail. "The shops will be closed by then." The older woman moved two feet and grabbed something off her desk. "I thought this might happen." A bag was dropped on Lucy's desk, and the coworker dropped money onto Lucy's desk.

"No." Lucy pushed the money away.

"Lucy--"

"No, really." She gave the money back to her coworker. "I have money. I don't need yours."

"You make barely anything."

"You don't know much about me, because I don't know share it," she admitted. "But, do not worry. I have enough money." Hissing, the bag was heavy. "I'll take this, but don't worry about me. I'm a big girl; I can take care of myself."

The coworker smiled. "You may be an adult but barely, and you're a girl from a small town in a big city. There are dangers out there."

Lucy sighed; she knew the dangers, even in a small city. "There are dangers everywhere. If you live in fear, you're not really living."

"Child, you're yet young. The world is still wonderful."

"You must have hope if you work here."

The coworker nodded. "I do, but that's because I've seen the bad in the world. I would like to see some good." Her eyes rested on Lucy, and something stirred in Lucy's stomach, making her want to vomit. "Eat something. You look peckish." Her hands went through Lucy's thick hair before going back to her desk.

"Thank you," Lucy said.

"You're welcome." The coworker sat down and started working.

Lucy's morning was filled with walk-ins and she helped the best she could. Upon not having the experience that others may have, she did what she could. It was about getting people jobs and homes, an education. It was the goal to assimilate into society.

In the afternoon, she snacked on the food at lunchtime, but her coworker had been right when she would not get to the store tonight. Lucy worked in the afternoon, and slowly children started to come in. At her class time, she stood in front of the students and taught. This was comfortable to her, as she spoke in front of the students and they answered back. This made Lucy happy, when she was able to remember Africa, where she was able to be free. Under clouds, she was grounded here, not that it was a bad place to be.

After the lesson, Lucy wished the students goodbye, and they went on their merry way. Her eyes watched the students go, but they were more focused on the people around them. It was already dark outside, and concern fill Lucy as the students all raced to get home.

Lucy didn't need to be to the dance studio until at least six-thirty at night, so she waited around and did other work until slowly the lights started to go out. Her old coworker was the only one left with her, and she continued to work. The old coworker didn't have anyone to go home to, and Lucy guessed this woman was her friend, though she never clearly thought about it.

"You're peckish. Eat more," the coworker ordered.

She took a piece of the sandwich and then put it down, proving her point.

"You look sick. I hope you and your boyfriend are using protection." The coworker's eyes narrowed upon Lucy. "Are you?"

"Yes, because that's what happens when you don't have that kind of life."

"Young love."

Lucy was about to retort when her cell phone started buzzing, and Harry's name showed up on screen, as just Harry Weasley. Both of the women worked past normal time, and the coworker let Lucy take the call. She moved to the back of front area, able to see out the windows barely at an angle. The old coworker started turning off lights, assuming Lucy was about to pop out somewhere. The older woman was about to go home too, and it looked like no one was in the building.

"Hello."

Harry responded, "Hello. How was work?"

"I'm still here."

"Why?"

"There's no point to travel out of London, if I'm only to travel back in. I brought my dance things to work, so that I could get there quickly. And, there's a lot of work to be doing."

"Ah, yeah, I forgot," Harry stated. "You have dance tonight. What time will you be done?"

"Past ten."

"The night is still young."

"I have work tomorrow too, Harry, and then next day."

"Yes, I have heard of this thing called a job, and you have two of them."

Lucy laughed and readied her mouth to make a quick witted comment, and then she stopped. Outside, it looked like something burned, coming quickly down the street. Until it looked like there were at least three separate small fires coming down the street. They were small, almost handheld. Her stomach clinched but her mind reached for a reason. The old coworker had noticed and she moved to the windows.

"Luce? Are you there?" he asked through the phone.

"Harry, I'm going to have to call you back." Her eyes were wide as the fire came closer to the building, and her mind knew. Her body knew. The sick feeling stopped because adrenaline kicked in.

"Luce, what?"

She had already ended the call. "Get away from the windows! Now! Run!"

It didn't matter how loud she screamed or hard she wanted to save the woman. Because, it still happened. No matter how hard she tried to run over there, to pull the woman away from the windows, she couldn't save the woman. Lucy took a step forward, ready to try anyway. The fireballs hit the windows.