━━ CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX / cursed
episode three, part seven.

Demi did not regret going to Sam's funeral as she watched with the rest of the Agency from afar but she certainly regretted the dress that she was wearing. After everything at Combe Carey Hall, her back hurt. It hurt more than she was used to. It hurt more than it did the first time and she wasn't herself. Everyone could see it and just being stood at another funeral made her want to scream.

Another funeral of a young person. Another person died because of the visitors, because of Fittes. She couldn't stand it. Just being stood there made her want to rip her skin apart to escape the way the vessels in her heart seemed to burst. The blood was dripping through her ribcage and she was almost convinced the red stained her stomach.

But it didn't. It was all in her head and she hated being here. She hated this graveyard in particular because it was where all of them were buried. It was where she had been taken with her parents to bury four of her closest friends. Their parents and siblings sobbing into their hands as their bodies were lowered into the ground. Demi had been the only surviving and she could see the anger in everyone's eyes when they looked at her.

They hated that Demi had survived while nobody else had. Peter's family especially looked at Demi with pure disdain. Not only had she been the sole survivor but her mother was foreign. The foreign girl had survived. But nobody, not even Peter's family could hate Demi more than she hated herself. She had refused to visit the cemetery since.

Anthony had a hold of her hand as they stood and watched. It was so quiet. Only the words of the preacher echoed between the slabs of stone. Not even the birds seemed to sing in the morning sun. Not that they sang much anymore. Demi couldn't remember the last time she had heard genuine bird song. It was all a fantasy.

The ceremony came to an end with Samaran being lowered into his grave and Demi couldn't help the relief that flooded her system. She wanted to get away from it all and so when Lockwood nudged her away, she was more than happy to wander off.

But the group didn't get far until a woman began to call for them, "Excuse me?" She called. At first, Demi didn't think it was anyone talking to them but when she repeated her, "Excuse me." The group all looked behind and Penelope Fittes was walking towards them. There was so much confidence in her stride.

She was dressed as regal as you would expect from a Fittes. A large black overcoat, a neat black suit. But her beauty couldn't distract Demi from the annoyance that settled into her chest. It wasn't Penelope Fittes' fault that her team had died but it was her company and they had all but blamed her for it in the end.

"Hi. Uh, my name's Penelope Fittes," She said. Though that much was obvious which George was quick to retort.

"We know who you are." Demi would have nudged him but she was stood on the other side of Lockwood, space in the form of Lockwood's body separated them.

"And you are Lockwood & Co," She said,a smile spreading across her face. Demi had never seen someone look so happy at a funeral. It only served to make her chest twist harder, the blood spilling over her guts. The pain was a numb harsh ache now, coming from more than one place.

"At your service," Lockwood responded with a polite chuckle. Lucy was staring at Penelope like she wasn't real and Demi was sure she would have felt the same a few days ago. But not anymore, "You're not here to... see us, are you?" He asked, sounding unsure of himself. Demi let go of Lockwood's hand and stepped back from the group.

"Excuse me," She mumbled softly and stepped away. Just standing in front of Penelope Fittes made her want to throw up. And so she stepped away from the group and headed through the graves. Each step she took was careful, purposefully avoiding stepping on any graves as she headed straight towards the familiar row.

It had been so long since she had walked to the graves but she remembered the days so clearly. They were permanently engraved in the back of her mind and she came across Peter's grave first. But she didn't dare stop. Not when she spotted his sister stood at the edge of the grave. So, she dipped behind a tree and headed to the next grave. Her shoes pushed into the dirt as she came to Teagan's grave. Her name etched across the stone. 14 years old. She had been so young. She shouldn't have even been on that mission.

And Demi glanced away from the headstone after a moment. Francis' was only a few graves down but she didn't have the heart. The thought of facing even the gravestone made the bleeding in her heart worse. So, she faced Teagan. At least she could face Teagan.

Her red hair was still engraved in Demi's mind. The beautiful blue eyes and the addicting chuckle that she let out at the most inappropriate times. Just a child. Demi turned her head away after a moment and she spotted Lockwood coming straight to her. She took two steps back from the grave and onto the gravel path, meeting him halfway.

He didn't need to know.

"Why did you walk away from Penelope Fittes?" He asked once they'd met halfway. Demi merely shrugged. He frowned and held his hand out for her to take. Which she did and he intertwined her fingers with his own, "You ready to leave?" He asked. Demi nodded, not trusting her own voice. And so, they headed out of the cemetery together, meeting George and Lucy along the way.

-

The bedroom was quiet as Demi stared at the wall. After they had returned from the funeral, Lockwood had gone downstairs to make Demi a hot chocolate. She had gone upstairs to his room. She didn't want to be in her own bedroom and now she was just staring. She couldn't take the dress off alone and so she had to wait.

And he came up not long after, he frowned as he watched for a moment as Demi stared off at the wall. He then stepped inside and his footsteps on the wooden floor alerted her to his presence. She twisted on her heel and it made her wince before she pushed a pained smile onto her face.

"Thanks," She mumbled as she reached out for the drink. It nearly burnt her fingers off and so she promptly placed it down on the bedside table. He watched her move, slow and sluggish movements. He wished he could do more but there was nothing. She refused to go to the hospital. The prescription painkillers helped but it wasn't enough. He was lost, "Can you unzip my dress? I want to get into bed," She asked. Her voice was quiet, soft. Lockwood nodded his head and he pushed the door closed before he walked over.

Demi kept her back to him as he moved his hands to the top of the zip. He then slowly began to pull it down and each shift brought relief to the pain that had bloomed across her back. The bruises were still nasty but they would hopefully stop hurting in a day or so. That's what she was praying anyway but whether it would was another story.

Once he had unzipped the dress, she pinned it against her stomach and grabbed her pyjamas from the side. She had folded them up and left them on the side that morning. Now, she was thankful and she heard Lockwood walk over to the desk.

"What happened at the graveyard?" Lockwood asked curiously and Demi let the dress drop to the floor. Her shoes had already been discarded downstairs when they walked through the front door so she just had to put the pyjamas on.

"Nothing." A complete lie and Lockwood could see right through it. He sighed and she heard it. It made her wince, her eyes squeezed shut briefly, "I was just thinking." Anthony nodded - but she couldn't see. She pulled her pyjama pants up and then unclipped her bra, dropping it next to the dress on the floor.

"What about?" He asked as she pulled the shirt over her head. She then pushed the covers back from the bed.

"My old team." It was the truth but it made Anthony turn on her quicker than she had ever seen. His lips were turned down into a frown and he took three strides across the room to her side, grabbing her hand gently, "We all nearly died at Combe Carey Hall. It happened again. I should have fought to stop us from going. But I didn't, just like last time." Lockwood shook his head and moved his hands to cup her cheeks.

"It wasn't your fault," He mumbled. Demi scoffed and turned her face out of his hands.

"Tell their families that," She responded and she stepped back from Anthony completely. Her body twisted to sit on the bed but Lockwood pulled her away.

"Demi." His tone was stern and she wasn't used to that. Not directed at her anyway. It made her pause, "You couldn't have stopped us from going. I wanted to go. I knew the danger and I did it anyway. I put all of you in harm's way. I was reckless." Demi found it hard to disagree but the other half of her couldn't help but blame herself.

"And I sat there and panicked when you needed me the most. What happened was dangerous and reckless. I shouldn't even be an Agent. I should have died with them," Demi said simply as she pulled her hand out of Lockwood's. She tried to put space between them but he didn't let it happen.

"Don't say that."

"I'm cursed, Anthony," She mumbled. He scoffed and took her hand again. His fingers squeezed hers and she stared at him.

"Then I'll be cursed with you," He said simply. She chuckled, shaking her head and then he forced her to look at him and he meant it. He truly meant it, "Neither of us are allowed to go anywhere. What would George and Lucy do?" He asked. Demi shrugged.

"They'd be better off without me," She mumbled. Lockwood sighed and he cupped her cheeks, holding her face so tightly, so gently.

"Please, don't say that. Nobody would be better off without you. I would be a mess without you. I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you. Dem, please," His voice almost seemed to crack at her words and she tilted her head forward, trying to hide. But then his forehead was pressed against hers and she moved her arms to rest against his face. Their arms tangled together.

"Just promise me you'll be safer even when I'm not around," She requested. He nodded his head, holding her face closer.

"I promise," He said and he sealed it with a kiss. Another soft, gentle peck. He pressed a few more to her lips before they broke away, "If you need me, I'll be downstairs. Try and get some sleep." Demi nodded and she turned around to the bed. But before she could get in, she turned around again and rushed to him.

She grabbed his face and kissed him properly this time. Her arms wrapped around his neck as she pushed herself onto her tiptoes. It was awkward at first, Anthony was unsure but he settled into his. His hands wrapped around her, pressing her chest against his as their mouths danced together. But Demi pulled away a little too quickly for Lockwood's liking.

"I'll be right here," She said as she took a few steps backwards. Then she walked back to the bed and Lockwood stood there, dumb-struck for a moment. Then he cleared his throat and headed downstairs to George and Lucy in the kitchen.

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