━━ CHAPTER FOURTEEN / bruised
episode two, part three.

After the incident upstairs, Demi felt like she had been kicked by a horse. Something she had never personally experienced but she assumed it felt just like this. Her back ached with every single movement and as she walked down into the kitchen, she had to grit her teeth against the pain. To say that she was uncomfortable would be an understatement. Sleeping would be a nightmare and she didn't even want to think about going on her morning run.

It was as good as a death sentence so while George grabbed a box for the ring from downstairs, Demi flicked the kettle on and grabbed a clean mug off the drying rack. She then dropped three scoops of hot chocolate powder in before waiting for the kettle. Lockwood and George were leaning against the counter a few steps from her while Lucy was standing on the other side of the table.

They had already begun quietly arguing but it made Demi want to smash her head through a wall. She was exhausted, in immense pain and so sick of arguments. She loved their little family but she was ready to smack someone if they started anything which would disturb the peace. George was dangerously close to getting a teaspoon thrown at his head.

"I didn't know it was the source. I just took it because..." Lucy paused and Demi glanced back at her. The brunette had one hand on the back of the chair and her fingers were messing with a picture of Annabel that they had taken from the newspapers, "It's like I can feel what she feels. What she wants," Lucy continued. Demi turned back to her hot chocolate, staring at the grains in the cup. She used her spoon to gently push them around, doing anything to occupy her mind. "I know, it's hard to explain." The boys were looking at Lucy with annoyed, confused faces. It seemed that they both wanted to get to bed.

"A psychic connection?" Anthony asked curiously.

"Yes!" Lucy responded quickly. Her hands moved away from the pictures now and her gaze continued to glance down at the ring in the box. Demi dropped the teaspoon in her mug and then walked past the boys, grabbing the First Aid kit from the cupboard.

"I literally cannot believe you stole a source from a crime scene. DEPRAC will bury us," George snapped. The annoyance was written across his face and Demi had half a mind to throw the entire first aid box at him. DEPRAC was already on their arse about everything else, stealing a Source would just be at the end of a very long list.

"Excuse me. I'm not the only one round here who steals sources. What about that ridiculous skull you're always experimenting on? Annabel was stuck behind a wall for 40 years with nobody knowing and DEPRAC doing sod all. She needs our help," Lucy argued her point perfectly and Demi had half a mind to make a comment to the boys. But she restrained herself as she unclipped the lid of the First Aid box. She grabbed the painkillers and popped two out before she walked back over to the counter. Just as the kettle clicked off.

"And what does she expect you to do, exactly, after all this time?" George asked as Demi began to pour the water into the mug.

"Solve this. Get justice," Lucy's words were strong and Demi knew that it was the right thing to do. The fact that the boys were so hesitant was annoying and confusing. They walked into a challenge head first without any regard for what could go right or wrong. This was right up their street and yet... nothing.

"She's dead, Lucy," George deadpanned. Demi scoffed at that and all three of them looked to the brunette for a moment.

"It doesn't feel like she's dead," Demi mumbled under her breath as she swirled the spoon in her mug. It clinked against the side of the mug as she went.

"We can't help a ghost. We need to destroy her source and move on. Let her go," Anthony said, mostly talking over Demi as he turned his gaze back to the other brunette who was stood on the other side of the table.

"Come on, George. Back me up," Lucy begged softly as she moved around from the far end of the table. She began to walk towards them as she continued, "You love a new experiment. Why throw away the chance to investigate a new phenomenon?" George looked unimpressed and almost entirely unmoved. Demi placed the painkillers on her tongue and swallowed them down dry. The water was still too hot and she didn't feel like moving anymore than she had to.

"Nice try but psychic connections are weak science." His tone was so dismissive and Demi had finally had enough. She was exhausted by all of this and maybe, if she agreed with Lucy, this whole argument would end and she could finally rest.

"Since when did you two back down from a challenge?" Demi asked as she turned around to look at the boys. The mug of hot chocolate was in her hand as she looked between the trio in front of her.

"What is that supposed to mean?" George asked as he crossed his arms over his chest defensively. The annoyance spread across his face.

"I've known you for the better half of six months and we go in blind into almost every case and act as thick as thieves. Why is this any different? Lucy has something," Demi snapped in response. The exhaustion was clearly getting to her.

"She doesn't have anyt-" George tried but Demi wasted no time in cutting him off, "How do you know that? Are you an expert on Listeners now?" Her head was tilted to the side, silently challenging the boy to fight that.

"It doesn't matter," George responded as he looked around at the other two in the room. He then shrugged, letting his arms drop, "What Lucy is suggesting is weak at best. I have read more than you ever has and this doesn't happen." There was a finality to his words and Demi wanted to be annoyed but he was at least somewhat right. She lifted her mug up and blew on the surface of the water.

"Then prove it. Before you destroy the ring, let me try to connect with her one last time. See what else I can feel. Let me prove to you that it is real," Lucy begged. And that was where Anthony seemed to take issue. He had been almost entirely silent the entire debate. His varying facial expressions didn't exactly give much indication to what he was thinking.

"No way. Too dangerous," Lockwood said quickly and that put to rest the confusion that ran through Demi's head. She scoffed.

"The great Anthony Lockwood says no to danger. A suppose there's a first for everything," She mumbled bitterly and Lockwood's head snapped towards her. He cocked an eyebrow and she took a sly sip of her hot chocolate. It burnt her tongue but it was worth it for the warmth that spread through her belly.

"It's almost dawn. Her ghost will be much weaker," George admitted softly. Lockwood scoffed at the suggestion and he seemed to stand up straighter, no longer slouching against the counter.

"Demi got thrown across the room by her and you want to risk our lives again?" He asked. The incredulity to his tone was obvious but Demi ignored it. She had said her piece. If Lucy found nothing, they were free and the tension would ease. If Lucy found something, it gave them a focus, a goal. Either way, it would stop the way everyone was making her head throb.

"We were unprepared. This time we'll do it properly," George said simply with a small shrug. He then moved from where he was stood beside Lockwood to be stood beside Lucy. Demi then adjusted so she was stood beside Lucy too. The three of them stood across from Lockwood.

"I need to do this." There was finality to her words and then it began. Everyone was getting ready. Well, it was mainly George.

Demi and Lockwood had headed upstairs while Lucy went down to the basement. Demi would have done more to help but Lockwood hadn't given her a choice in heading up the kitchen stairs. His hand hovered cautiously over her back as they walked into the library. He walked over to the doors into the sitting room and pushed them open before he turned on Demi. She hadn't moved from where he had left her by the fireplace.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Lockwood asked. Demi hummed softly in response and he scoffed. He walked over to her, only needing to take two steps before he was in front of her again. Demi didn't move back, she barely even reacted to him being near. She was too tired and too in pain. The painkillers hadn't done a thing yet, "Dem." His voice was soft and she finally looked up at him, a half-hearted smile on her lips.

"It's fine," She mumbled out but it was unconvincing. He could see the way that every movement made her wince.
"Let me see," He practically ordered and so she turned around and she let him gently push up the back of her shirt. Her entire back was varying shades of red. The force which she dropped the ground probably could have paralysed her. She was lucky to just get away with a bruised back and the frown spread across his face, "Are you in pain?" She didn't even have to say anything because she winced at the small shrug she attempted, "This needs to be looked at."

And within seconds of him saying that, she rounded on him and glared at him, shaking her head quickly. Neither of them heard when the door slammed, staring at each other. Locked in a stalemate before Demi said.

"Lockwood, seriously, I'm fine." Her words were soft, gentle, trying to get him to leave it alone. She knew it wasn't fine. It didn't feel fine and it would be another few days before every movement didn't hurt but she didn't even want to think about that. All she wanted was to get through till the morning and start again.

"Your back isn't fine," He said but then Demi heard a voice. A voice that she didn't recognise and her eyebrows furrowed slightly. Lockwood was still talking but when she walked away, he stopped in his tracks.

"Who's George talking to?" Demi asked as she glanced back. Lockwood shrugged and so the brunette glanced out of the doorway. And in the hallway stood Erin Hampton. Of the famous Hamptons. The girl that had vanished from the little family. The Erin Hampton. Demi wasn't sure if she was seeing things. She turned to Lockwood again, "Why is Erin Hampton here again?" Demi asked. Lockwood looked at her with a confused expression before he glanced past to the hallway.

"How am I-?" Demi zoned out of his words, focusing on the two voices in the hallway. Erin quickly said that she was here for Lucy. And so, Demi decided to make herself known. She leant against the sitting room doorway, taking some pressure off her spine as she looked at the pair in the hallway.

"Why do you want Lucy?" Demi asked curiously. Lockwood had walked up behind Demi by now. His chest was dangerously closed to her back and his hand was gently holding her waist, protectively. Lockwood was never a fan of outsiders.

"Why's Erin Hampton here, George?" Lockwood's words completely disregarded the presence of the other girl. His gaze completely on George. There was almost a defensive tone to his words which made Demi want to nudge him. But she decided against it.

"I just ran from the Snyder Agency. I'm here for Lucy and I think she is in danger," Erin explained. She was panting softly, seemingly out of breath. The door was thrown open and she looked like she hadn't woken up long ago.

"Did you see something?" Demi tried to ask but Lockwood's words overpowered her.

"Why do you think she is in danger?" The defensiveness still clung to his tone and so Demi actually nudged his ribs for that. He seemed to be offended that Erin Hampton was at their house. Demi was shocked more than anything.

"I... It's hard to explain. I just need to talk to her, please," Erin begged softly. Demi pushed Lockwood's hand off her hip and stepped forward, wincing against the pain. She tried her best to ignore it.

"I'll get her. Be nice, please," Demi mumbled softly as she headed down the steps to the kitchen. Every movement made her body ache and she tried to ignore the constant stabs of pain as Lucy appeared from the basement with two bags of supplies, "Erin Hampton is here." Demi's words were so blunt and Lucy seemed to freeze in place.

"What?" Lucy asked as she adjusted her hold on the bags of supplies.

"She's here to talk to you. I don't know what about. Just, come upstairs?" Demi asked though it was more of a demand. Lucy nodded and the pair headed back up the stairs. The front door was closed now and it seemed that the trio had headed into the sitting room. Lucy dumped the supply bags on the sofa and Demi went back to Lockwood.

"Is everything okay?" Lucy asked as she looked between the group. Her eyes lingered on Erin the most out of the group though. It was like nothing else mattered but Erin.

"Oh thank God you're okay! Can I talk to you? In private?" Erin asked curiously. Her gaze flicked between the rest of the agency before settling back on Lucy. She looked at Lucy like she had hung the stars. Demi could see it so obviously and yet, the way that Lockwood had took a hold of her waist to keep her close didn't read as anything but normal friendship in her mind. It was so obvious and yet she missed it.

"Whatever you say to Luce, you can say to the rest of us," Lockwood responded before Lucy could even get a word in edgeways.

"Oh, uh, yeah, these are the others. Lockwood, Demi and George," Lucy gestured vaguely, seemingly remembering that she wasn't just in a room with Erin. And then she quickly added, "Anthony Lockwood, Demi Campbell and George Karim." More for clarification than anything else. The awkwardness had invaded her words instantly and Erin nodded. She sent them all a slightly tentative smile.

"Uh, well, okay," Erin mumbled and she pushed her hands across her hair before she began, "Basically I had this dream of this ghost dead woman thing and Lucy. The energy, it just felt, off? The bad vibe was reflected in a drawing I did too. I don't know how to explain it but it is not the first time this has happened, so I got worried." Demi nodded gently. That sounded like Annabel but the fact that Erin knew about it was odd. Even in their less than average world, "Besides, I picked her up from the hospital not even a day ago... I'm worried." Erin added quickly. It was almost as if she was trying to justify herself. Whether it was to the others or to herself, Demi wasn't sure.

"You're basing this feeling on a dream?" George asked. His voice was laced with disbelief and it seemed his meter for illogical events was reaching his peak. Demi knew he'd freak out if they weren't careful.

"George, please be nice," Demi mumbled as she looked at the boy. He scoffed.

"Frankly, I'm being reasonable." His response was blunt and Demi tried not to get offended on Erin's behalf. But the dark-skinned girl's eyes seemed to have wondered. Her gaze turned to the photos that had been dumped on the coffee table. Photos of Annabel.

"Hold on, that's the woman! That's her!" Erin picked up one of the pictures, showing it to the group, "That's who I saw in the dream with you, Lucy. See here, I sketched it... The drawing I was talking about," Erin said quickly and she dropped the picture in favour of digging her hand into her pocket, "Sorry, it's my thing but it helps to see... it all," Erin attempted to explain as she pulled a piece of paper from her pocket. She opened the drawing and passed it too Lucy. But Demi managed to get a glimpse of it. And it was Annabel's ghost. That was certain.

"This is making my head hurt," Demi admitted softly. George looked over at her and he cocked his head to the side.

"That was probably Annabel." Demi let out a sarcastic 'ha-ha' in response but it was clear she did not find it amusing in the slightest.

"This just happened, How did you-?" Lucy began but cut herself off. The attention turned back on the brunette.

"I don't know," Erin said, confirming what Demi already expected.

"How can we trust you?" Lockwood asked quickly before any of them got ahead of themselves. There was Lockwood's pride again. Demi tried to stop herself from nudging him or glaring at him. It would be pointless and frankly, a splitting headache had appeared. She didn't even want to pretend to try and understand what was going on.

"Trust me?" Erin asked incredulously. She let out a scoff, her arms crossing over her chest.

"You can' just waltz in here and expect us to-" The boy began again but a sharp hit to the rib from Demi and Lucy cutting him off but an end to that trail of thought.

"Lockwood, please. I know her and she wouldn't lie to us," Lucy responded. Her voice was quiet, soft almost and then she turned the sketch to Lockwood. It was exactly what Annabel looked like and the sketch of Lucy's room was accurate. This wasn't a coincidence.

"You know her?" Lockwood sounded frustrated.

"Yes."

"How long have you known her exactly?"

"Does that matter?" Lucy was getting annoyed now and Lockwood opened his mouth to respond but Demi spoke first.

"Stop it. She could help us," Demi put an end to the back and forth. The quicker this was done, the quicker she could go back to bed. And she could forget the fact that a Hampton had seen her in her plaid pyjama bottoms and sheep hoodie. An outfit that did not match and made her look so incredibly unprofessional.

"How exactly?" Lockwood questioned as he looked down at Demi, trying to ignore how cute she looked in favour of practicality. Demi didn't know what to say and she only briefly met his gaze. Erin thankfully interjected before she was forced to say something.

"I won't be a whiny six year old," Erin said, boldly. She shrugged her shoulders as she spoke and the glare she sent to Lockwood was scathing. If looks could kill, Erin Hampton would have killed Lockwood in that instant.

"She can help." Lucy's words moved the conversation away from the two glaring at each other.

However, Lockwood simply responded with a decisive, "No." Demi frowned and she turned her head up so she could meet his gaze.

"Lockwood, please," Demi said with such a gentle tone that it was hard to say no to. And considering the pyjamas she was wearing. He wanted nothing but to say yes but he didn't know Erin. He didn't like the Hamptons and this was ridiculous anyway.

"Erin Hampton was able to see Annabel Ward's ghost in our house before it happened. She can predict something dangerous here if she stays," George said with a simple shrug. Erin looked to Lockwood and the smugness oozed off her. Demi leant back into the boy, hoping he would focus more on her presence than the look Erin was giving him.

"I won't touch anything," Erin said simply, holding her hands up in mock surrender. Lockwood rolled his eyes.

"If she stays back, she can stay." It was a simple and decisive rule and there was nothing that they could do to budge it.

"I just want to make sure Lucy is safe," Erin said simply. Her arms folded over her chest as she stepped past the group into the library. The armchairs and round table had been pushed to the side and so it left them with open space. Demi nodded and she pulled away from Anthony, turning to look at him.

"Thank you," Demi said softly. He didn't say anything. He simply stepped back and the group got into place.

-

NOTE; this is unedited and written by a slightly sleep-deprived author so i apologise for any mistakes <3 i am gonna collapse into bed now this is published, ily all & thank u for the support besties, appreciate u sm

also for clarity, the wonderful erin who appears in this chapter is from my beloved Iuvscupid 's lockwood & co fic for lucy so pls check it out even tho kai's on hiatus!!