Turning Back Time

Chapter 2

George's PoV

For a while, I stared at it. In order to bring Lockwood back, I had to change something but what? Maybe I could stop him from getting shot? It sounded plausible but it was very hit and miss, what if I messed up? No, something else instead. I considered convincing him to not take the case with Fairfax, however that would still leave us sixty-thousand pounds in debt. I stepped over to the window and looked out. Apples had fallen of the tree and were now sitting in a brown, mushy pile. The grass was almost knee-length but I could still make out the faint outlines of crows as they caught the setting sun. What to change? I held the watch up, taking in all the details I had forgotten it had, how it was cracked on the left side, how the second hand was chipped slightly and how the number four was missing entirely. Then it hit me. What if we were never in debt?

What if we never burned the house down?

I pressed down on the centre of the watch and slowly spun the hands back. 

...

When my vision had finally cleared and my head no longer spun, I took in my surroundings. I was cloaked in a musty smell and a sudden quiet. All at once, I saw the books, clippings and agents laying around. I was at the archives. I checked my watch, not yet four. I could make it. Frantically, I leapt out of my chair and bolted it down the stairs before throwing the doors open and chasing down a taxi. I ran a good block and a half- Lockwood better appreciate my sheer endurance and dedication to keeping him alive- ironically the last things I thought before passing out.

As it was, the driver knew me well and so he scooped me off the pavement and loaded me into the backseat before driving me back to the house. We pulled in to Portland Row just in time to catch Lockwood and Lucy. I breathed a sigh of relief and stepped out onto the pavement- thanking the driver and paying him double. No sooner had I took one step when I collapsed again, this time into Lockwood's arms. With a look of concern and relief, he had ran to my side and caught me. His arms were warm, his slight smile playing on his face as his gaze held mine.  All at once, the ringing was back and grief pounded in my ears. How it hurt to see him once again. How it hurt to look into his eyes and see them full of a healthy sheen once more. 

'Alright there George?' he asked.

My head throbbed at his words- my heart swelled. I almost broke down crying.

'The chains,' I choked out, 'Did either of you pack the chains?'

As it happens, they had not. Lucy rushed inside to grab them and we all clambered into the taxi with Lockwood calling shotgun. I briefed them quickly on the way down about how I had discovered the sudden disappearance of Annie Ward years back. For once I felt at peace, like maybe for once I had done something right. I leaned my head back against the seat, it would be nice to be debt-free. 

...

Yeah, that didn't work out. I watched in despair as the flames grew- roaring at the emergency services. Taunting us. As you'll soon learn with Lockwood and Co, it's best not to ask how on earth we managed to mess something up, again, but to just accept that at the best of times- we are a team of complete idiots. Talented, but idiots nonetheless. 

A flash of light and I was back in the present. 

I stepped away from the window, picking up a picture on my way to sit on my bed. It was of Lockwood, Lucy and me when she first joined the company. Lockwood has his arm around my shoulders, with his elbow resting on Lucy's head and a beaming grin on his face. With a sudden cry, I threw the picture against the room. My head hurt with the realisation I had come to. 

If I wanted to save Lockwood, I would have to make sure Lucy never joined.

I pressed down on the watch, pausing only to listen to Lucy's grief-stricken chorus of cries. This was for her too, to save her from the pain. One final breath, I turned the hands.