━━ CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX/ bone-glass
episode six, part one.

Eventually DEPRAC and Barnes had left the Agency blissfully alone which meant that Lockwood came down to speak to Demi, who was still in the kitchen. They both needed to get some sleep, it had been a long night and Lockwood still wanted to know how she had gotten home. One moment she was with them at Winkman's and the next, she was gone. Lucy hadn't seen what had happened either which only made him more worried.

So, the second that everyone else had retired to their rooms, he grabbed her hand and led her upstairs back to his room. Her pyjamas were left on the side from when she had been there last and so, they both changed, not saying much. Neither of them really knew what to say but it was unavoidable that they would have to speak eventually.

Though, Demi tried to avoid it for a little longer by disappearing into the bathroom so that she could brush her teeth. The entire time she just stared back at herself in the mirror. Her hair was still shiny but not greasy which she was thankful for. The bags under her eyes seemed more obvious than ever and she was paler than usual. That terrified her. Her entire body felt like it had been drained by the visitors they'd been fighting.

It hadn't been like that in months. Not since she had left Fittes.

She hadn't realised how long she had been staring at herself until there was a knock on the bathroom door.

"Dem, are you okay?" Lockwood's voice was soft as his head rested on the painted white door. The brunette spat out her toothpaste, washed her toothbrush and wiped her mouth before she walked over to the door. She pulled it open and Lockwood stood on the other side with a small frown on his face. His head tilted to the side slightly, "Bed?" He asked. Demi nodded and the two headed back up to his room. Demi curled up on her side before Lockwood got in. He then pulled her closer, his head burying against her back.

"I don't know how I got home. I'm scared," Demi admitted softly. She sounded exhausted and her words made Lockwood's eyebrows furrow. The brunette rolled over to face the boy and he looked into her eyes, frowning.

"What do you mean?" He asked softly. Demi let her hands rest in the space between them, her eyes falling closed briefly.

"I was at Winkman's and I was hearing everything all at once one second and then the next, I was at Portland Row. I had this ring. I don't know what it was but it was there. And I could hear laughing and screaming and I don't know what's wrong with me," Her voice broke towards the end, tears springing into her eyes. For all she knew, Lockwood could have been dying while she was wandering through London. They hadn't talked about what had happened at Winkman's and part of her didn't want to know. She knew it would be bad.

"There's nothing wrong with you," He promised softly as he stroked his fingers through her hair. Demi shook her head, she didn't believe that for a second.

"Ever since my team died at Fittes, something has been wrong. Ever since Chase left me, something hasn't been right. I'm cursed," Demi's hand pressed over her face, desperately trying to hide away from the boy in front of her. But that could never happen. He saw her more than anyone had before. They were only teenagers and she felt like the weight of the world was pressing down on her shoulders.

"You're not cursed," Lockwood promised as he shuffled closer to her. He pulled her head towards his chest so she could bury it there. He wanted her to know that she was safe with him and she didn't have to hide, "And if something is wrong, we'll figure it out. We can figure anything out together. I promise," He whispered once her face had buried in his chest. There was a beat or two where Demi sniffled before she wrapped an arm around his waist, "That day, when I found you, I knew that you were something beautiful. Someone I wanted to have around. And we'll figure it out, love. I promise you, we'll do it together." His words were soft reassurance and they made her hold him even tighter. He tipped his head down and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead, "But before we can figure anything out, I need you to heal and rest." Demi pulled her head back, opening her mouth to protest but then his hand was on her cheek.

His fingers cupped her face, thumb running across her skin as he gave her a half-smile. Even in the early morning light, she looked beautiful. There was a softness to her even though she was clearly exhausted.

"Do you remember when we argued and you told me that I can't trust your judgement?" He asked. Demi nodded, wincing at the memory. She had been harsh, so harsh but she had still meant every word of it. Part of her wished she had said it differently though, "I'm taking your advice. As much as you want to help, you can't. You're going to rest and if you're up for it, go to the GP to make sure that your back is okay. Do you understand?" He asked. It felt odd to hear him put his foot down like this but Demi nodded against his chest. He grabbed her chin, lifting her face up, "Say it." It was such a soft way of begging and she smiled at him.

"Yeah. I understand," She mumbled. Lockwood smiled and he gently nudged her face closer. Their noses knocked and he gently nudged the tip of hers with his own before he leant forward and kissed her. It was a soft kiss but it was exactly what Demi needed to soothe her troubled mind.

The soft kiss that was followed by soft pecks relaxed her and she felt the need for sleep overcoming her. And she was able to fall asleep with ease.

Demi had been asleep all day and long into the next night. She didn't realise just how exhausted she had been until she had finally let herself relax. Lockwood getting up to get ready for the day briefly woke up from her sleepy daze but his signature smile and the reassurance that he would be back soon was enough for her to fall back into her slumber.

And she woke up again briefly, desperate for a wee and craving something to eat. In her half-asleep daze as she wandered down to the kitchen for toast, she didn't really realise that it was the middle of the night. It was only when she woke up again for the third and final time, as the sun poured in through Lockwood's curtains that she realised how long she had slept.

Her head smacked the pillow again and despite how long she slept, she longed to curl back into the bed. But then the pain snapped through her back and she winced. That wasn't a pain from the bruise though. It was an ach-y pain from when you didn't sleep right. A soft huff escaped her lips, that was typical.

She rolled over again and began to hear conversation in the hallway. It was muffled voices and then the door creaked open. It was slow, cautious but when Lockwood peeked his head around to see the brunette sprawled across the bed, he stepped inside. He closed the door behind him, giving whoever was in the hallway a smile before he strolled over to her.

He took a seat on the edge of the bed and she turned to look up at him, a sleepy smile spreading across her lips.

"How long did you sleep?" He asked softly. She shrugged and brushed her fingers through her hair. However long it had been, she felt better. The weight of the world wasn't pressing her shoulders down anymore and she felt alive - for the first time in weeks. But before she could bask in Anthony's company, he stood up, "George has something to show us. We went to Bickerstaff's mansion and we got evidence. Everyone needs to hear this." The excitement in his tone was unmissable.

It took Demi a moment to really understand what he was saying. He had gone to Bickerstaff's mansion. That was certainly new. Her hand moved to rub across her face and then she pushed herself to sit up properly. Her back didn't hurt that badly despite the movement.

"Let's go then. We can't leave them waiting," Demi mumbled as she slid off the bed. Lockwood stood up and offered his hand out. She took it gratefully and the two walked out of the bedroom into George's room. It looked cleaner than usual but there was still something chaotic about it. His walls were covered in various pages from books and he seemed to be linking them together somehow. Demi didn't really understand it.

But as she leant into Lockwood's side, it didn't really matter. George seemed pleased by their appearance but everyone in the room took notice of the pair holding hands. It was only when Demi realised everyone was staring that she noticed Erin stood in the room. She was looking very obviously at their hands before smiling and looking to George as he began speaking.

"So, I wasn't sure if I was on to anything but after last night, I'm sure. These are ancient depictions of spirits being tied to their sources. Bickerstaff must have come across these illustrations and tested that theory. That's why his basement was such a horror show," George explained as he gestured around to the photos that everyone was quietly observing. Demi found them to be a little too hellish for her taste but it was certainly interesting nonetheless.

"He was murdering his own patients to make sources?" Lockwood asked as he glanced over the ones closest to the pair.

"How would he even know if that would work?" Demi questioned as she looked up at Lockwood and then over to George.

"He wouldn't. It would be too hit-and-miss," George explained, waving his hand out vaguely. He then turned to Demi and Lockwood, continuing, "They wouldn't necessarily become a Source unless... you make sure of it." Demi cocked her eyebrow at that statement but Erin was the one to speak up first.

"So, what? He was torturing his patients?" Erin asked curiously. George nodded and then he glanced over at Lucy who seemed to have put it together before the rest of them.

"He was taking parts of them whilst they were alive," Lucy said. Her tone was almost soft but yet completely horrified. It was far from what any of them had expected the mirror to be made of and Erin cringed at the thought which led to Lucy gently placing her arm on the back of hers. There was a comforting look shared and Demi smiled to herself.

"Inflicting so much trauma that their ghosts were forever tied to their bones," George confirmed as he stepped back towards the far end of his bedroom. He then turned around and went rifling through his papers, "And.. and look, seven ghosts." George picked up a piece of paper and whirled around to the group. All five of them crowded around the paper.

The paper held another drawing of spirits. But this one clearly was referencing the mirror. There was a circle in the centre surrounded by seven ghost-like creatures that stuck out, creating a pointed circle shape. It was odd but was clearly a reference to the mirror that they'd been after.

"Oh it's like Carver said," Lockwood mumbled as they looked over the picture

"This, my friends, is a recipe for a bone glass," George said before Demi could question what Lockwood even meant by his previous statement. Everything was still blurring together in Demi's head and she was only just pulling herself from her sleepy haze.

"This is so insane," Erin mumbled as she stepped back and dropped onto the edge of George's bed. Demi shook her head softly before she looked up at Lockwood then to Lucy.

"Did the Skull know about this?" Demi asked just as George turned to Lucy. They ended up speaking over each other as George said; "Would he know what language these are in?" Demi glared at him playfully before she wrapped her arms around Lockwood and curled into his side. The brunette looked between Demi and George before she tucked some hair behind her ear.

"Uh, we're not really on talking terms right now," Lucy admitted. Demi's eyebrows furrowed but she knew that she would get an explanation later. Or she hoped that she would. She wasn't sure how long Lockwood's want for her to rest actually lasted.

"Joplin would know," George said hopefully as Lucy moved to sit on George's bed beside Erin. The two were sat very close together but Demi didn't say anything.

"We can use the Hampton library if Joplin doesn't help us," Erin suggested as she looked around the group. Demi nodded and Lucy had a smile on her face. It was an excuse to spend time with Erin if they did use the Hampton library.

"We won't need your library and we can't let Joplin in on this," Lockwood said clearly. It seemed he had taken back his position as leader and Demi reluctantly let her grip of him go. He was going to start pacing, she could just feel it.

"I don't trust her," Demi admitted quietly. George's head snapped towards the girl and he seemed almost offended.

"We can trust her!" George insisted and Demi sighed. She looked down at the floor to her bare feet below her, pressing her toes against the wood before she met George's gaze again, "We had dinner after I spoke to her after the archives." That made Demi's eyebrows furrow and her frown deepened as she glanced at the other three in the room.

"You had dinner with Joplin?" Lucy asked. Lockwood seemed unphased by his words but Demi and Erin exchanged a confused look. Joplin was in her late 20s, early 30s at minimum and Demi couldn't help but feel her skin crawl at the thought of Joplin and George alone. It just made her feel odd and George deserved something better.

"In her flat, leftovers," George added quickly when he realised exactly what everyone else was thinking. He then stumbled out; "And she was very nice. And there's something else. Mary Dulac wrote a book." Demi looked at Lockwood for an explanation but he didn't seem to notice her confusion. There was clearly a lot that they needed to fill her in about.

"That crazy lady? It's just gonna be mad ramblings," Lockwood responded as he glanced around. George placed the piece of paper on the side.

"No, it's her confessions," George retorted. He didn't seem particularly pleased by Lockwood's sudden assertions and Demi would probably be on George's side, if she knew the whole story, "which could be the key to all of this but hardly any were printed." The second that those words passed George's lips, Demi just knew something reckless was about to happen. Something was about to go wrong, "The only copy I could find is in the Black Library at Fittes," George admitted and Demi's face dropped. Fittes. The Black Library. That sounded like hell.

"The British Library must have a copy. It would be, like, a legal obligation." Erin commented and Demi thought the same thing. Ages ago, she had read that the British Library had to be sent a copy of every book ever printed. It had been a legal obligation for centuries.

"Not that I could find," George stated and Demi sighed. It shouldn't have surprised her that the one time that they needed something, it was mysteriously kept away from official archives, "Fittes is the only place." Erin nodded and they all went quiet for a moment.

"We'll have trouble enough getting into the Fittes building now, let alone the Black Library." Lockwood said what they were all thinking. Erin was probably the only one that could feasibly get in without too much suspicion but Lockwood was too proud for that.

"I could ask my mother if she can get access to it?" Erin asked but before Lockwood even got the chance to rebuke her suggestion.

Lucy spoke; "Mmm, you might not have to do that Erin. This dropped through the letterbox earlier, certainly will make getting in easier." Then the brunette showed the group an envelope. The girl passed the letter to Lockwood and he turned it over, opening it up. Demi leaned over his shoulder, watching as he opened it.

"Anthony Lockwood & Co, the Fittes Agency invites you to the Fittes at 50 Ball" Lockwood read out and there was quiet for a moment or two before it seemed to hit him. "and it's tonight. Okay!" That giddy excitement that meant he was scheming suddenly jumped into his tone and he gave George the invite before he began to pace. Demi stepped back, watching as he did so.

"You guys just got the invitation?" Erin asked, eyebrows furrowed.

"What do you mean?" George asked as he glanced down at the invite before he moved his gaze up to meet Erin's. There was only brief eye contact before he looked away again.

"We got ours a week or so ago, almost the moment Fittes knew the ball was happening." Erin explained. Demi frowned. Now that was certainly odd, she knew that Fittes weren't just unorganised. Everything Fittes did was intentional, even the number of pencils in the pot was perfectly calculated. This felt wrong.

"But you're the Hamptons, Hammy. You're clearly more of a priority than us." Lockwood responded, almost sarcastically. Though his mind was clearly elsewhere which stopped him being meaner than he had to be. Demi didn't like them fighting especially when she had grown to enjoy Erin's company as much as she had.

"I never said anything about you guys not being a priority," Erin responded, a frown spread across her face. Demi looked at Anthony as he continued to pace before looking around the room before she sighed. This wasn't right.

"Why would they invite us now then? Something must be wrong," Demi posed and Lockwood nodded. There was another few beats of silence before he seemed to have come up with something. He was smiling.

"Good. No, it's, it's excellent. It means we're back in the game," Lockwood exclaimed and then he came to a pause in front of the four, "Here's the plan. Get these papers translated, find out how the bone glass was made. Go to the party, find Mary Dulac's book and figure out exactly what that thing did to her. And then... we go and get it." It sounded like a pretty simple plan up until trying to get the mirror or well, the 'bone glass'. They had tried once before and Demi had wandered off with no memory of getting home. It didn't exactly bode well.

"And how exactly are we supposed to do that?" Lucy asked, thinking the same thing as Demi was, clearly.

"Flo's found a way," Lockwood dismissed and Demi frowned a little deeper. She had missed Flo again. She hated that. Even if Flo was a little odd, she was good company. But Demi couldn't dwell on it too long before Lockwood said, "You two better go shopping," And there was a grin on his face as he said it.

RUBY'S NOTES

- hello my lovelies, i can do nothing but apologise for such a long wait between updates but demi is back and im aiming for updates every wednesday until this fic is done!! <3

- okay and this chapter, it feels a little clunky in places for me personally but i think it's pretty good all around, i'm getting into the swing of l&c again and the cancellation hit me hard so i'm trying to find my footing a little again so i hope this chapter wasn't too awkward haha

- next chapter will be dress shopping (!!) and the fittes ball, it's probably going to be a long one if i'm putting both scenes into one so be prepared for that but either way i hope u enjoy it and enjoyed this one

- thank you for all the support and continuing to read this fic <333