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❝ 08 , another agent❞

The kitchen was quiet as Demi moved through. The pot was boiling pasta on the stove and she was praying that George hadn't taken the rest of the pasta sauce from the fridge. She was saving it for her lunch, which was her first proper meal of the day. After her typical routine, she hadn't eaten proper breakfast, taken by tinkering in her room instead.

It wasn't intentional but time had slipped away and it was only when she heard clattering from George in his room that she realised what time it was. Her stomach was rumbling unhappily and so, she had headed downstairs.

George and Lockwood seemed to be occupied with other things so Demi hadn't seen either of them yet. Which led to her singing quietly along to the radio as she stirred the pasta, not worried about their sudden appearance. Throwing her hands out dramatically along with the lyrics, she walked over to the fridge. She pulled it open and snatched up the sauce that was - thankfully - there. She slammed the fridge shut and when it got to the chorus, she began to belt out the lyrics as she crossed back to the stove.

Singing was a common occurrence for Demi so when Lockwood - from the library - heard her. He didn't think twice of it and instead, found a smile spreading across his lips. He even placed his magazine to listen in mild amusement. The little things she did, Lockwood found extremely endearing, not that he would admit it.

Rather than simply listening, he eventually decided that it was best to converse with the girl since they hadn't spoken at all since they had returned from the dud client.

Demi didn't notice as the kitchen door opened, still singing to the lyrics as she tried to stab her fork into the pasta to check if it was done. She blew on the pasta before she took it into her mouth, grimacing at the hardness. She dropped it back into the water.

"I'm glad you're not cooking for me," He commented. Demi's head snapped up and a grin appeared on her face. A playful grin and she rolled her eyes before she turned the radio down.

"I didn't know if you guys were up," She dismissed. He hummed in response as he wandered over to where she was standing by the stove. She turned the heat up on the pasta before she leant back against the counter, looking up to meet Anthony's gaze.

"George is still sleeping it off," He responded. Demi scoffed and she bopped her head along to the beat of the music still. There was something so happy about the music from the 70s even though that's when the Problem started. It was all so upbeat, endearing, filled with love and joy. It was hard not to dance along.

"Sleeping what off?" Demi cocked an eyebrow, smirking. Anthony shrugged and then he leant past her to grab a mug from the counter. She stood there, frozen for a second but when he pulled back - mug in hand - he didn't seem phased. She tried to ignore the way the butterflies erupted in her stomach, "We did all the work," She mumbled. Anthony chuckled and then he flicked the kettle on to boil the water.

"He did enough mental work for the three of us," Demi hummed softly in response rather than saying what she was really thinking. She glanced down at the pasta and turned the heat down slightly before she ran her fingers through her hair, "I don't know how much of a dud that house was. I swear I saw something." Lockwood looked up from the cupboard where he had gone searching for a new box of teabags.

"Where?" He asked as he reached inside. His voice was muffled by the cupboard.

"In the dining room. I told you, I saw for like a split second, a death-glow or something," She responded. Her whole body then shifted so she could check if the pasta was cooked yet. She stabbed into it and took a testing bite of the piece and it was getting there. Still a little al dente so she left it again.

"I didn't see any death-glows. Are you sure?" He asked as he dropped the fresh box of teabags onto the side. Demi hummed in response and he frowned. It was odd for her to see something that Lockwood didn't. He had the better Sight out of the pair.

"It could have been a trick of the light. I'm sure it's nothing. I didn't feel a thing so," Demi dismissed. Anthony nodded and she sent him a small smile before she picked up the pasta sauce, glancing over the label. More for something to do than anything else.

"Tea?" He asked. Demi shook her head but he got a second mug anyway. However, instead of a tea bag he grabbed the hot chocolate powder from the side and scooped some in. The corners of Demi's lips turned up into a smile.

"Did you get a shower this morning?" She asked after a moment of silence. Lockwood shook his head and she furrowed her eyebrows, "Slept in?" Lockwood shook his head again.

"Went out early to get an ad in the paper. I thought it would be best if we get another agent. They can help us on cases or help George in the Archives. We need a Listener," He explained. It was Demi's turn to look a little confused now.

"Why do we need a Listener?" She asked as she stepped back from the stove. The kettle clicked off and Lockwood picked it up, pouring water into both of their mugs (though only half water in Demi's and he filled the rest with milk).

"We need to be more...well-rounded," He retorted. That seemed logical enough. Neither her or Lockwood were particularly skilled Listeners. Sure, Demi's Touch merged with Listening but it was nowhere near as amazing as what she knew others could do. The screaming was the most distinct thing that Demi had heard since the incident, followed closely by the drowning noises a few weeks ago. Her Listening talents really were average at best.

"Did George suggest this?" Demi asked as she grabbed the colander from the cupboard before she drained the pasta out into the sink. Lockwood was stirring his tea and he looked over at her, his eyebrows furrowed. He had a very good idea where this paranoia had come from but he didn't say anything, yet.

"No. George is opposed to the idea. He doesn't like change," Lockwood responded. Demi nodded and she dropped the pasta back into the pan before she put the sauce over the top. She grabbed her fork and mixed it together before she placed it over the cooling stove. The residual heat should be enough for the sauce to warm up.

Lockwood looked over at her, watching as she mouthed along to the lyrics. Her gaze fixed on the wall directly opposite and she seemed to have zoned out slightly as she aimlessly stirred.

Sometimes when she did that, he wondered what was running through her mind. There were a million things it could be and the want to just pry her mind open and discover it was overwhelming sometimes.

"Please tell me the new agent won't be another boy," Demi suddenly said and Lockwood let out a soft, gentle chuckle. He picked up her hot chocolate from the side and walked over to her with it. She carefully took it from his hand. Their hands briefly touched and it sent a spark of warmth through her tummy but she ignored it in favour of the hot chocolate.

"I specified that I wanted a female agent," He responded. Demi's shoulders dropped, relief filling her features and he smiled. He picked up his tea and took a sip before grimacing. He glanced at the box of teabags and frowned.

"Did you not realise they were mint?" She asked. Lockwood looked at her, an almost pout on his lips that she hadn't said anything earlier, "You're an idiot, Locky," She mumbled before she placed her hot chocolate down. She grabbed a bowl and dumped her pasta in before she added the fork.

"I'll go to the shops, need anything?" He asked. Demi shook her head and he nodded before she grabbed everything and headed upstairs, telling him goodbye. She had a few more things to finish with her newest pet project.

***

The boys had had an argument and Demi was exhausted by it. There was another client and they had investigated - without Demi and without research - but when she woke up the next day, they weren't speaking to each other. George had insulted Lockwood on the table cloth and when she went to make her morning breakfast, they were glaring at each other almost constantly.

They had tried to communicate through her but Demi simply told them to sort it out themselves. George had muttered spitefully about how Demi should have gotten over herself when she hadn't been speaking to George which led to a very quick and loud lecture about how this was different because he had physically injured her and this was far from the same from what she had gathered.

Before she stormed out of the kitchen and put some shoes on angrily in her room. Anthony knocked as she pulled her laces far too tight on her hightops and she glared him down before he apologised. Not that it mattered to Demi. She was too annoyed at George to see clearly so she just told him it was fine (it wasn't) and said that she was heading out to get some stuff.

It was those exact words, "get some stuff". They both knew that it was a lie and she was in fact not getting anything but Lockwood didn't say anything. He told her to stay safe. It was Demi's time to cool off so he let her. And she slammed the front door to Portland Row shut behind her.

Unknown to the brunette though, the argument with George had only made Lockwood more mad at him. It hadn't solved a single thing, not that Demi cared.

She wanted to spend time away from the house and that is what she did. She went wandering around London, window-shopped at a few of the supply shops to see if there was anything that could help with her tinkering before she ended up at the food shops.

It only took her a few shops to make a small dent in her savings. Logically she knew that it wouldn't matter how much she spent, she had years worth of money to keep her afloat but it still made her anxious about spending any of it. Though, she tried to ignore that as she handed over another fiver for her fish and chips. The change went straight to her purse and the bags joined the others as she headed to the park she had scouted out earlier.

Despite the fact it was October, it was a relatively nice day outside so she found a bench and sat down. Her bags between her legs and her fish and chips in her lap. The sun was shining across her face and the anger that had seeped into her bones after the argument seemed to disappear. It was nice, it was calming.

She used the crappy plastic fork to stab into the chips and happily munched on them. The chip shop hadn't put nearly enough salt on but Demi didn't complain. It was just nice to be out of the house, away from the boys and feeling somewhat free.

The boys were wonderful, honestly. She loved them but sometimes there was only so much she could take. Especially recently with more clients and George having less time to research, it had gotten harder and harder to keep the peace.

Demi tried her best but George had a way of getting under her skin at times. It wasn't on purpose, he just acted before he thought sometimes. It was infuriating considering how logical he usually was outside of social pursuits.

Demi tried not to think about it as she watched the people in the park. Parents and children, young lovers (a rare sight), DEPRAC agents milling around, a few older couples were sitting together on the benches with cups of hot drinks in their hands. It was cute and everyone looked content despite everything.

Though, Demi knew that the second the sun set everyone here was scared. Even the DEPRAC agents were scared. She was. She always had been. Even when she was working for Fittes, the most prestigious agency, an agency that should have put her feeling safe as their number one priority, she felt unsafe. Lockwood & Co had never made her feel that unsafe.

Lockwood's plans were half-arsed and impulsive and George was a menace to live with but never had they made her feel unsafe. She felt safer in Portland Row with her two boys than she ever had living with her parents. She knew that they cared about her for more than just her Talents. Not that her parents only cared about her for her Talents but sometimes it felt that way. It felt like being a good Agent was all she was good for.

Portland Row and Lockwood and George gave her a rare feeling of belonging. It was safe at Portland Row.

Demi's fish and chips were quickly finished and she dropped the packaging into a nearby bin before she picked up the rest of her bags. It was snacks and a few little things for her projects. Nothing massively important but stuff she had been meaning to get for a little while.

But as she headed out of the park with them in hand, she felt something. Her eyes scanned across the park and she narrowed her eyes when she saw it. A ring on the bench where she had just been sat.

For the life of her, Demi couldn't understand why she did what she did next. Rather than ignoring the ring, she crossed back over and picked it up. Her gaze trailed along the outside of it. It was pretty. Made of silver or at least silver plated. Five gemstones across the centre of the band and it looked so familiar. It reminded her of something that her mother would wear and when Demi held it in her palm, there was a feeling to it.

Her fingertips tingled from just holding it and then she heard noises. Part of her couldn't be sure whether it was the park or something else but there were noises of life. Two people laughing and then a soft whimper. But not a good whimper, a whimper that indicated someone was in pain.

It was odd but she tried to ignore that as she dropped the ring into her pocket. She knew that it looked odd and maybe she had just stolen the ring but it was a Source. She was almost convinced of it. If she could feel something even in the dead of the day, then there was something wrong. So, she would check on it later.

For now, she needed to get back home.

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