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Chapter Text

Lorraine jiggled the doorknob frantically. "Ed!"

"It won't open!" he yelled, after trying it from the other end.

The psychic could hear sloshing footsteps behind her. "Let me try," a voice said, and she stepped back, unsure of Vick's attempts.

She could feel everything that Ed was feeling: fear, sorrow, dread. "We need to break it down!" she shouted, "break it!" and the other man ran to find something to break the door down with. Lorraine pulled the knob again.

"Ed, Hon, wait right there," she told him.

He slammed a his palm against the door. "I can't wait. I'm going on ahead," he responded, rushing away from the wooden door.

"No, Ed, don't! Don't! You can't fight this alone," she persisted, trying to keep him within reach.

He glanced behind him, wondering if he was already too late. "She needs our help," he pleaded through the door.

"Ed, please, please, just wait for me. Please wait for me," her voice was thick with worry. She could feel a lump forming in her throat. Lorraine leaned against the doorframe, yearning for her husband's touch. I have to know that you'll be okay, she wanted to say.

"I can't lose you," she cried. "I'm so scared."

Ed's heart was bleeding. "I know," he paused, then continued without thought. "Me too. But I have to help her," he pressed.

"But what about my vision?"

He gulped. "I know I made a promise to you, Hon...but I have to do this," he muttered, shaking his head. "I love you, Lorraine."

She screamed. Ed walked away from the door, cursing her premonitions. I'm sorry, Lorraine. I'm so, so sorry. He could hear Janet's screams already; he prayed that he wasn't too late. He broke through the floor in an attempt to get to the girl, pulling himself up through the splintered wood. One of the pipes broke, spraying him in the face, and he howled in pain.

It took an axe through the door before Lorraine could get through.

Ed could hardly see his hands. He called out to Janet. There was music ringing in the air. He followed it blindly. It stopped. Ed felt around in the dark for something, anything to help him know where he was going. Eventually, he made it into a room where a TV was flickering. "Help!" he heard her call.

Lorraine stood in the rain, realizing that she didn't yet know the spirit's name. "I asked you," she muttered. "you told me. And I wrote it down!" she ran back around the building and to the car, where her suitcase was. "I need my Bible," was all she could muster when they asked her what was happening.

"Valak."

Lightning struck, and Lorraine turned to see that the tree in front of the family's house had broken. It's point was as sharp as the spear she'd seen in her vision. Her brain screamed for her to move. Ed was in danger. I have to find him.

Lorraine slipped through the splintered door, ignoring Vick. "Ed!"

She arrived to see his hand latched to the drapes with half of his body hanging out of the busted window. "Ed!" she wanted to go to him and pull him up out of the window; something stopped her.

It stood in the corner, it's eyes glowing yellow with rage. Ed called her name- the drapes were ripping-- and she dashed after him, pushing her fears aside. If he died, she'd die with him. The thing called Valak growled at her. It was insulted by her insolence; her refusal to acknowledge it only angered it further. She was slammed against the wall before she could blink. It's cold, foul-smelling breath rushed into her lungs.

"Your name gives me dominion over you, demon," she yelled at it. "You are Valak!" she cried, condemning it back from where it came. It's face crumbled before her; she feared it no more. The blackness of night swallowed it up, and Ed began to fall.

Released from it's dark power, his wife ran to him, screaming his name. Lorraine used everything she had to pull him up. "Ed, are you okay?"

Ed, Lorraine, and Janet had survived. An ambulance was called to check over everyone's wounds; Ed and Janet had a few scratches and bruises, Lorraine, a few broken ribs. A stabbing pain followed her when she tried to breath, but she didn't care.

"You saved her," she'd said, sitting on the back of the ambulance a half hour later.

He shook his head as he spoke, "No, you saved us," he replied, smiling proudly at his wife. "Didn't I tell you it wasn't meant to be?"

"You believed in me," she laid her head on his chest. "Couldn't have don't it without you."

The Hodgsons gave their thanks to Ed and Lorraine. She was surprised, when, after Janet had thanked Ed for his help, Ed pulled the cross he was wearing from around his neck.

He'd worn it for as long as Lorraine could remember. When they met, he was wearing it. When he fell and broke his leg, the cross remained around his neck. She had watched it swing back and forth against his chest during the birth of their child.

"You know, this has kept me safe since I was a kid. I want you to have it," he said, handing it to Janet. "Then, when you grow up, and you find someone who needs it, you give it to them. Deal?"

"I'm so lucky," little Janet had said. She glanced up at Lorraine gratefully. "You said one person can change everything-- but I've got two," she spoke, looking back at Ed again.

Lorraine cast a glance back at the house as another feeling hit her. It was that of another premonition, telling her that the house would be safe for all eternity, that the family would never be touched again.

Judy was staying with Mrs. Moran when the couple arrived home. The house was comfortably silent. Ed was busy unpacking the items, carefully taking out one of the many trinkets that had gone haywire during their stay. As he started to work, the words of Elvis rang in his ears. His brow furrowed. Lorraine.

The sounds of a popping vinyl continued as he made his way through the house. Turning the corner, his eyes met those of his wife, who's charming smile set fire to his heart. She extended a graceful hand to him, and he took it, holding her close as the song began.

She chuckled as he muttered sweet words into her ears. For the first time in a long time, everything felt right with the world.

Chapter Text

The time was 1945. Everything was going so fast that Ed could barely vocalize. It all came into focus when he watched Lorraine walk down the aisle.

Her arm was interlaced with her father's. He held a blank stare as they walked down the aisle of the church, hardly even blinking as the sun illuminated the little ceremony. She looked up at him with grateful blue eyes.

Ed would not easily forget the talk he had with the man a week before he proposed to his daughter. He had purposely waited until Georgiana and Lorraine took off to the store, then sat beside the older man, asking for his daughter's hand in marriage.

"You- you want to marry Lorraine," he said, finishing for him.

"I love her," he explained, "I have to go back in a couple of days. I want to marry her before then."

"Lorraine will marry whomever she pleases. If she accepts, then I will have no choice but to let you have her," he said.

Ed took a deep breath. "I'll take care of her," he promised.

Their wedding was quickly planned and held. The ceremony was no longer than thirty minutes, and shortly thereafter the happy couple spent some time with the closest members of their family.

Word got around about how Ed Warren saved a collegue's life, saving the man from the cold waters of the North Atlantic. Lorraine couldn't have been more proud. Everyone could see from her beaming smile that she loved him more than anything the world could give her.

Mr. Moran was worried about his daughter's marriage to the Warren boy. Georgiana assured him that Ed was a good boy-- he had proved that a long time ago. He wasn't sure, but he was not the type to interfere in his daughter's social life. He loved his girl, and his feelings were allowed to shine through the gift that he gave her in light of her wedding. "Ed, I got something I want to give to you and the girl," he said, handing the boy a scrap of paper.

"What's this?" Ed asked. His voice was edged with concern.

"You and Lorraine just take a look at that when you hop in the vehicle. I hope it suits you both," he said, guiding Georgiana away.

Ed's arms wrapped around his bride's waist as they walked from the church. Family and friends waved them goodbye, watching as the young man helped Lorraine into the car. An excited Carla held the bride's bouquet between clutched fists.

"Where are we going?" Lorraine asked. Neither of them had been able to decide where they wanted to spend their last days together.

"I don't know-- your father handed me this before we walked out," he said, showing her the scrap of paper. She took the folded article from his hand and opened it gingerly.

"It's directions. I don't recognize them," she said, handing them to her husband, who took them in one hand.

"Hm. Wherever it is, it's not that far from their place," he handed them back to her. "How about you read em' off to me and we'll go there?"

Lorraine nodded eagerly. The directions were read of with a steady, comfortable hum. They drove for a few minutes before the new bride stopped abruptly. "It's so beautiful out here," she said, admiring the snow that had started to fall.

"What, you're not going to fret about us getting stuck out here, all alone, in the snow?" he teased playfully.

She smiled at the thought. "It could be romantic," she responded, ignoring his teasing. She bit her lip, then placed a hand on his thigh.

Ed started to laugh. "You're a randy thing, Lorraine Mor- Warren," he corrected, noting the excitement in her voice. "I don't know that I'll be able to handle you," he persisted, laughing.

They shared in each other's laughter for a few more minutes. Eventually, Ed turned on the radio. Eddy Duchin was singing a simple, whimsical tune titled, "I Could Write a Book."

If they asked me, I could write a book.

About the way you walk, and whisper;

And look...

The newly married couple could not contain themselves. They arrived at a beautiful house that had obviously been furnished with sentimental items that Lorraine's parents had collected over the years; the two couldn't have been more oblivious to these things, at least, at the moment.

The passion they shared had culminated, kindling a fire in them both they that could not bear to hide. Ed's gentle fingers stroked his wife's dark chocolate locks, sending a tingling sensation through her scalp and a chill down her spine. There was a fire in her eyes that she had never seen before-- it was not the same harsh, smokey haze of war, but instead a crackling, tender warmth that startled her and excited her at the same time.

"Ed..."

"Hm?"

"Can we do that again?"

He chuckled. "You're a randy thing, Mrs. Warrren," he repeated, stroking her again. She laid her head against the crook of his bare chest; her scent made him smile. This infectious grin made the aura around them stronger, and Lorraine sighed.

~ ~

Lorraine suggested that they go to the Bluebird for breakfast the next morning, hoping to have a little more time with her husband before the preparations for his leaving began. They sat at a table carrying on a loving conversation with each other; Lorraine blinked furiously.

"Lorraine--"

"I'm getting something," she said, her gazing drifting to the door. "There's something wrong with that man over there," she whispered, more to herself than anyone else.

At the door was a tall, dark-haired man wearing glasses and a bushy mustache. He reminded Ed of his old English teacher. "What's wrong?" he whispered back to his wife, who's eyes were clamped firmly shut.

"I don't know. Something's...off...about him."

"Hey there, how's it going today?" their waitress piped, holding a notepad in her hand. Ed was too preoccupied with watching the man that he didn't answer. "Can I get you two something to sip on while you're waiting?" she asked.

"I'll have coffee," Ed said, his eyes still planted on Lorraine.

"Tea," was all she said. "I'll have tea. Four sugars, no cream."

Ed was impressed. It was rare for Lorraine to do anything whilst having a premonition, let alone order a cup of tea.

"I'll get your order in right away," the waitress assured them. If she noticed Lorraine's trancelike state, she didn't show it.

Lorraine sighed, opening her eyes. "I lost it."

"You lost it?" Ed replied questioningly.

"I lost it. It was like a train of thought-- it was going somewhere, and I lost it when she was taking my order."

"I'm sorry."

"It's no one's fault. I'm glad it's gone anyways. I'd much rather be spending time with you than worrying about a stranger."

"You're not concerned about trouble?" he asked, sounding surprised.

"God will bring it back to me if it's urgent. If it's not, then I suppose we'll never know," she said, reaching across the table for her lover's hand.

Chapter Text

Ed and Lorraine made it back to the house. Her eyes were swollen and red. She chuckled, amused at herself. "I missed you so much," she whispered, reaching to stroke his face. "I missed you so very much," she told him, touching her lips to his.

His strong arms wrapped around her thin waist. He pulled her closer to his chest. "I love you so much. I'm never gonna leave you like that again, I swear."

"Don't you ever," tears poured from her eyes.

"Please don't cry," he said, smiling. "I told you, I'm not going anywhere."

"I'm sorry, I'm just so happy that you're home."

They stood in the living room for a long time, holding each other. Eventually, they started to sway in a snakelike dance of love. Her kisses peppered his neck; he held her tighter, rubbing her back.

Neither of them wanted to interrupted the beautiful silence that surrounded them. Ed's aura was enticing...it made Lorraine want him more, and she could feel the fire that her own aura carried. "If you could feel the way I feel when you look at me--"

"Why don't you help me to feel it?" he asked her, leading her to bed.

They held each other for hours. Their love sparked into a flaming fire, and Ed swore over and over that he would never leave her. She wanted to tell him of how she felt when he had gone-- how she feared she would break in half-- but she did not want to ruin the perfection of the moment they were sharing.

His body laid against the bedframe. Her head fit perfectly in the crook of his chest. His fingers ran through her hair...at one point, he flexed them in order to untangle them from her, and she sighed happily.

She thought of the upcoming season, and realized that the year had gone by faster than she expected. It would soon be Christmas again. Lorraine had no idea what to get for Ed.

"What do you want for Christmas?" she asked him.

"What?"

"What do you want for Christmas?"

He looked at her like she was insane.

"Sorry, I just-- wondered."

He lips pursed into a happy grin. "I don't need anything except you."

She rolled her eyes. "That's noble," she remarked sarcastically.

He ignored the comment. "What about you, is there anything you want?"

"I don't know. I- I...I don't really need anything--" she paused. "Ed...there's something I want to talk to you about, something serious."

She could tell by the change in the room that she had scared him. "Is something wrong?" he asked warily.

"No, dear," she said. "I just-- I want to talk about having children."

He blushed. "Well, I can try, but I'm not sure you'll have your present on time..."

"I'm serious, Ed," she chided, smacking his chest.

"What about it, then?"

"Do you want children?"

"I want whatever you want."

She gaze at him skeptically. "You say that now, what would you say if I gained a few pounds?"

"Lorraine, you know you mean more to me than that. I don't care what happens," he grasped her hand in his, "If you want children, we'll have children. And I'll be there for every moment of it," he promised.

His change in demeanor startled her a little. "You mean that," she said, and it was more of a statement than a question.

He smiled.

"Hold me," she demanded, and he wrapped himself around her protectively.

She woke a little while later. Ed was gone. Lorraine became frantic. Had it all been a dream?

A whistle permeated the quiet air. She breathed a sigh of relief.

She caught herself singing in the shower later that day. Although she was terribly off key, Lorraine couldn't have cared less.

Ed popped in. "Hey, babe, I thought we could go to the theatre today, is that alright?" he asked.

"Of course," she said, rinsing the soap from her hair.

"And, uh, I'd love to take you to Laney's Dress and Shoes, too, and get you a new dress."

Her head stuck out from behind the shower curtain. "Oh, really?" she asked, sounding enticed.

"Yeah, I'm tired of seeing you wear these old things," he said. "You deserve better."

She laughed, stepping out of the shower gracefully. She was soaked. There was water all over the floor. His eyes travelled over her body. "You're crazy, Lorraine Warren."

Lorraine only laughed harder. "Let's be crazy together, then," she said, kissing him.

He knew that if they kept this little game going, they wouldn't be going anywhere. "I love you, dear, but we really should go out," he interrupted.

She moped like a little puppy dog. "Fine," she said, throwing one of his shirts at him as she exited the bathroom.

They made it to the theatre without any trouble, despite the cold weather and a small argument. Ed wanted to see a horror film; Lorraine wanted to see anything else. They argued about it for a few minutes, until his wife was distracted by a puppy in the pet store window.

"My goodness, Ed, look at him," she said, giving an amused smile. "Hello there," she spoke through the glass, "wonder how much they want for you, huh?"

"You want to go in?" he asked.

"Sure."

They walked arm-in-arm into the little store. There was a surprising selection of animals here, including kittens, puppies, and birds. Lorraine instantly gravitated towards the budgies. "Hello, pretty birds," she said, cooing to them sweetly.

The tennant of the store walked up to her, speaking as if he had a mouth full of food, "You anna hold one'a them birds?" the old man asked.

Lorraine nodded.

She allowed him to take her place in front of the cage. He spoke to the budgies in a more hushed tone. Soon, a little blue-and-white bird stepped onto his finger gracefully. He handed the bird off to Lorraine, who was awestruck.

"Hello, pretty bird, how are you today, huh?" she chatted to it as if it were human. It edged itself up her arm and to her shoulder, twittering in her ear. She gasped. It curled itself up against her cheek.

"That little bird right there loves the women," the store owner told Ed, only half-joking. Lorraine was beaming.

"I'll take it," he told the man.

Lorraine was happy, and Ed loved seeing her that way. That Christmas felt like the most perfect thing in the world for both of them; Lorraine surprised her husband with a Pekingnese puppy whom they dubbed as "Cooper."

They both knew that they wouldn't be able to stay by each other's side all the time. It was inevitable that at least one of them would go to work, and even then they knew there would be times in which they would be farther and farther apart. Even so, Ed and Lorraine would come back together, dancing as if they had never stopped.

Chapter Text

Ed strummed on a guitar. Lorraine sat across from him, reading her Bible. Something seemed different.

"Ed, Hun...I think--"

"Hm?" he was still strumming.

"I think I'm having contractions."

He glanced up at her questioningly, as if she had spoken in a different language. "You want to go to the hospital?"

She nodded, closing her Bible and placing it beside her on the couch. She stood, and Ed took her arm, gently swaying alongside her. "Was that the first one?"

"There were two. We have some time, but we need to be ready."

Their bags were already in the car.

He walked her to her side of the vehicle before shimmying to the driver's side. He kept glancing over at her as they were driving, and it was making her nervous. "I'm fine, just keep your eyes on the road," she chided, placing a hand over her swollen womb. She laid her head back against the seat and closed her eyes.

They reached their destination fifteen minutes later. Her contractions were getting closer together, and she was taking deep breaths in an effort to fend off the pain.

Her water had not broken, yet the doctor gave an encouraging few words in her favor. It was when he left to check on another patient that Ed started to pace.

"Hon..."

"Yeah?"

"Please sit."

Lorraine was sitting on the side of the bed, steeling herself against another contraction. He planted himself beside her and she winced.

"My water just broke."

He planted a kiss on her forehead, then moved to the chair that was at the head of the hospital bed. She switched positions, laying vertically on the bed. She glanced back at Ed. Sweat poured down her husband's face-- she smiled, realizing that she was right-- he was nervous, although he denied it beforehand.

The doctor came back in to check on her. "Five centimeters dilated. You're almost there."

A couple of nurses swerved in and out of the room, checking and rechecking Lorraine. One nurse paused and muttered something to Ed. He turned to his wife and spoke in a hushed, gentle tone. "Hey, Hon, we're about to go to a different room, but they need me to change clothes if I'm going to stay, alright? I'll be right back, I promise."

A sudden burst of fear fluttered in her chest. "Don't go--" she gasped. "I need you here," she pulled at the collar of his shirt. The cross around his neck swung back and forth.

"I'll be back before anything happens, okay?"

She nodded, gritting her teeth against the fire that was overtaking her body.

The time passed quicker than either of them thought it would. Only thirty minutes later, they were taking her to the delivery room. The place was already set up and prepared with everything that the doctor needed to successfully assist in the birth.

Ed moved to the right side of the bed and took his wife's hand lovingly. His other arm was placed under the pillow; when the doctor ordered, he would lift her up to allow leverage for her to push. Another contraction wracked her body, then another, and he encouraged her to breath. "I must sound like I'm dying," she admitted, before crying out again.

She thought she must've sounded miserable. The pain eased slightly before washing over her again, and she groaned. She blinked furiously, and brushed away the feeling that she was being observed like some odd form of entertainment. "Ten centimeters dilated. Go ahead and start pushing, slowly." Lorraine allowed herself a glance at Ed. He still seemed nervous, yet he held her gaze and returned it with a loving one.

"Hey, it's okay," he whispered, realizing that she was eyeing him worriedly; there were tears brimming her usually calm gaze. "We'll do this together." She sucked in a breath of air, and nodded. She pushed, and, although she had never done anything like this before, her body seemed to recognize the situation.

"The baby's crowning."

She pushed until her chin was tucked into her chest. Ed lifted her up, and there was slight relief-- she received assurance from his steady gaze. "Alright, again," this time she swore she was bearing down for an eternity. Another cry escaped her mouth. "Almost there." They assured her. Her vision began to swim. She turned her head to look at Ed, who was holding her up again; his expression convinced her that he must've felt it, too. She squeezed her husband's hand so hard that his skin broke.

"C'mon, you've got this, Lorraine," he paused, "I can hear her already."

She whimpered, and his expression was full of sympathy. She nodded. With one final push, her grip loosed on his hand as she realized that it was over, and that her child's cry broke the silent air. "It's a girl. I know it."

"She's right, you've got a baby girl."

Although her pain was slightly eased, the room still felt busy and Lorraine's head was spinning. "Is she alright?" she asked Ed, searching his face for clues to their baby's wellbeing.

"She's okay," he told her. "She's beautiful, and loud," he reached for his wife's hand again, noting her pale skin. "You alright, Honey? They're bringing her to you..."

The baby was laid on Lorraine's chest. Her vision focused on the tiny human being, who was slowly starting to calm. She wrapped her arms around the newborn, gasping. "Oh..." was all she could say.

"So, it's Judy then?"

"Hm?"

"You told me when we were kids that if you had a baby girl, you wanted to name her Judy."

She looked down at the child and nodded. "Judy's perfect."

He kissed her neck. "Your mother and Clare are here. I called them shortly after I changed. Had to cut it short with your mother, otherwise I think I would've missed this."

She smiled. "She's gonna be so happy."

Georgianna and Clarice visited her. The three women chatted with Lorraine, asking her how things went.

"She did great," Ed told them.

"So you decided to stick around, huh?"

"We did say we would do this together," he said, taking his wife's hand. She noticed the marks on his hands and made a mental note to apologize later for squeezing him to death.

"Well, I'm proud of both of you. It takes a lot to have a baby, and you two are doing good so far."

Clare was the next to speak. "Might I ask where you got the name Judy?"

Lorraine blushed, and Ed wiped his eyes. "Uh, we..."

"I came up with it--"

"We came up with it together..."

Lorraine's mother chuckled. "Well, no matter where you got it, it's a beautiful name for a beautiful child." And, with that, everyone's gaze drifted to the newborn that was laying in Lorraine's arms.

Chapter Text

Sometime in the night there was a sudden banging sound against the walls, as is typical of old houses.

Ed Warren was sleeping soundly, turned towards his wife in the bed with his eyes closed peacefully. Beside him, she was stirring. Her eyes opened. The worrying clairvoyant gazed at the ceiling, hearing the banging sounds below her.

"Ed."

He snored.

She sighed. "Ed," her graceful hand drifted to his shoudler, wrapping around it in the most natural way possible. The sounds were growing louder, and her heart felt like it was coming up her throat. "Ed, dear, something's in the house."

Somewhere in the fuzz, he must've caught the urgency in her voice, for he snapped awake. "Lorraine?" his voice reflected a tired, groggy nature. He rubbed his eyes. "What's the matter?"

"Do you hear that?" she asked, suddenly wondering if it had been all in her head.

He stopped, listening.

Ed threw the blankets off his own body without answer.

"What are you doing?"

He turned to her. "I'm going to see what's going on. You?"

"I'm coming with you."

Either Ed Warren was scared, or he knew that there was no sense in trying to discourage his wife to come along, for he nodded and started to creep quietly out the door.

"What about Judy?" she whispered, her eyes wide and worried.

"You go on and check on her. I'll check on that noise."

"Are you sure?"

He nodded.

He was grateful that she didn't stand around to argue. He surveyed the room with quiet contemplation, and determined, with much surprise, that the mystery noise was coming from the artifact room, which was almost certainly supposed to be closed and locked.

Although he was not comfortable with this place, it had become rather commonplace for him to inspect it on a daily basis, and so he tried to pretend that this was just one of those times.

Meanwhile, Lorraine had made it to Judy's room, and opened the door with such gentle quietness that even the most solemn-faced person in the world would've had to smiled just a little.

"Judy," she started, creeping towards the bed in a graceful manner, trying not to trip over something that had fallen in the floor.

"Judy, Honey--" she stopped abruptly, realizing that something was off about the girl's bed. It's sheets were in an usual ball; she darted to the bed, throwing off the sheets with a gust of dread and taking in the fact that her daugher was not underneath. "Judy," she fretted, glancing around the room, hoping for something, anything to give her a sign that Judy was safe. She saw nothing, felt nothing, and yet she was so scared and so petrified at the thought of loosing her baby girl.

"Lorraine!"

Ed was shouting for her.

She disappeared from the room, tears streaming down her face.

"Ed!"

He met her in front of the artifact room with open arms, holding her against him. "Hey, calm down. It's okay. Everything's okay. She's in here; she's safe," he said, although his voice wavered. Her eyes darted to the room and she left him to run inside.

"Judy, what are you--"

She was standing in front of the case of the Annabelle doll, staring blankly at it.

"Judy?"

The girl didn't respond. Lorraine's mind was starting to sift past an oncoming vision when Ed stepped behind her, interrupting it entirely as he grabbed her shoulders. "We should get her back to bed. She's just sleepwalking," he assured her.

"What was that noise?"

"What?"

"The noise," she said, turning to take a good look at the rest of the room. Everything was in it's usual place; nothing seemed to have fallen on the floor or even moved an inch.

"I don't-- I don't know--" he admitted, his gaze following hers.

Everything was silent. It was as if they were waiting for something to happen, yet they didn't know exactly what.

Judy screamed.

Lorraine tackled her daughter, enveloping herself around the girl with such force that they fell to the ground, Judy on her side and her mother, on her knees. "Leave her alone," she growled, although she didn't know what she was talking to.

Judy's face was a macabre mirror of what it usually was; her eyes were dull, her mouth stretched in a gaping, permanent scream that was almost like a morbid smile. Even as her screams started to shift to cries, the face never changed.

"It's okay," Lorraine cooed in her daughter's ear. "It's okay, sweetheart. You're okay. You're just dreaming, is all..." her voice broke and trailed off. She glanced at Ed with an uncertain look, yet never stopped holding her child.

She eventually stopped, yet laid limply in Lorraine's arms.

"I don't know what to do with her, Ed," Lorraine said, sobbing. Their baby girl was pale as could be. Her eyes were now closed, but she felt cold against the skin. Although breathing, she was unconscious and unresponsive.

He moved closer to his wife, feeling his little girl's head. "Let's lay her in bed. Give her a little bit of time. See if she comes out of this--"

Lorraine was wiping her eyes.

"I don't know what she saw, Ed. I couldn't even feel it."

He paused for a moment.

"I want her to sleep with us tonight," Lorraine said. Ed nodded. His wife pulled herself away from their daughter long enough for Ed to lift her in his arms. She followed behind him, glancing one way and the other like a scared puppy as they walked back to their room. He shut the artifact room door behind him and locked it with a spare key.

"Did you see the keys anywhere?"

Lorraine shook her head. "I don't understand...how she got in there--"

"We'll worry about it in the morning; ask her if she remembers anything. Don't worry about it tonight."

She nodded.

They placed Judy between them in the bed. Lorraine seemed to fold herself protectively around her daughter; Ed stroked his wife's head and watched as she drifted off into a calm sleep, never once releasing Judy.

~ ~

The noise registered in his ears, yet it was so abrupt that Ed was confused upon waking to hear it.

"Momma!"

"Judy!?" Lorraine took one look at Ed and disappeared from the room. Her bare feet pounded against the floor as she ran; her husband nearly tore his cross necklace from the headboard as he got out of the bed.

"Judy!?"

Their little girl was lying in the floor, screaming her lungs out as she tore at her own carpet.

"Judy, Honey, what is it!?" her mother asked, wrapping an arm around her child and placing her hands over Judy's little ones.

"I saw something," she managed to say through her sobs, "I saw something, on the ground. It was like a big hole, but it was moving, and it looked like it was going to eat me up!" she screamed, gripping onto her mother with such force that Lorraine's eyes widened.

Ed moved to inspect the ripped-up carpet. He sighed, wiping the sleep from his eyes. "Honey, what you saw was an apparition."

She shivered. "What?"

Lorraine shook her head. "No. Don't," she said, grabbing her husband's arm as she took him to the side. "You can't tell her," she said pointedly, giving know explanation.

"Why? Lorraine, if she's having these apparitions...these visions..." his hands waved as he spoke. He stopped, staring into his wife's eyes. "Honey," his hand lifted towards her face. He held her cheek in his palm. "I know this bothers you. You don't want her to have to deal with these things. But we don't run from fights, you know that. It wouldn't be fair to her to not explain this to her, you can't hide that."

She nodded. "I know." She placed her right hand over his. Tears fell from her eyes. "I just don't want her to be hurt."

He hugged her. "Hey, it's okay. We'll get her through this, and we'll do it together, like we do everything."

She nodded.

Upon returning, Judy was sprawled out on the floor, balancing on her hands and knees as she stared down at the carpet. The girl squinted. She started tugging at one of the loose strings that was there. Underneath, wood peeked out.

"Judy, Honey," Lorraine landed on her knees beside her daughter. "What do you see?"

"It's not real. It-- it can't hurt me. I don't know what it is, but I know it can't hurt me," she glanced around the room, pausing only to stare into the shadows. Her eyes landed back on her mother for a moment, and she sniffled. "I'm sorry that I woke you up."

She hugged her child, holding her close. "Oh, Honey, it's okay. It's alright. I just want you to feel safe, is all."

"I don't know what to do, when they come to me. It's like-- I'm stuck. I can't move, and I just-- I want to get out," she wiped her nose then enveloped her mother in a warm hug.

Lorraine held her again, thinking of what little advice she could give her child. "Well-- when you feel that way, you just have to tell yourself that it's not real. You have to pray. You have to tell yourself that no matter what happens, Mommy and Daddy are here and we're not going to let anything happen to you, understand?"

Judy glanced up at her mother, nodding.

"I'm sorry, Sweetheart. If I could take this away from you, I would."

Ed stepped in. He towered over them both, covering them with a soft, gentle aura. He bent down, kissing his daughter's forehead. "I love you, Baby. Your mother's right-- you just have to believe that you're stronger than this, and you will be," he paused. It hit him hard to consider the fact that his six-year-old was seeing terrible things at such a young age.

"Can I sleep with you tonight?" she asked, latching onto them with tears in her eyes.

"Of course you can. C'mon, let's get her to bed."

They walked Judy to their bedroom. She latched onto Lorraine, who ran her hands through her daughter's hair until they both fell asleep. Ed's solemn expression broke as he untangled his wife's hands from their daughter's hair. He kissed them both on the head, then snuggled down into the covers with a contented sigh.

Chapter Text

Lorraine kissed Ed hard on the lips. His hands shook as he reached for her face, his fingers brushing gently against her cheek. She pulled away for a moment. Her beautiful eyes were filled with tears. "Here," he said, returning the rosary to her palm. His eyes met hers briefly. His lips touched her forehead. "I'm so sorry, Lorraine. So sorry..."

She helped him stand, then drew his head to her chest. "I love you so much," her voice wavered slightly, and yet, he was reassured as he listened to the steady thumps of her heart. "We need to go. I'm tired of this place."

Judy had left with some friends to go to a movie. Ed was relieved. His head bobbed as he started to doze. Lorraine was already in bed, asleep.

He lifted the sheets slowly so as not to wake her. She'd gotten so little sleep in the past month. Visions of people in trouble had filled her days. When they'd received word of what would become the Johnson case, her insomnia grew worse. He'd find her in his study, or standing in the hallway, staring at something he couldn't see.

Of all things to happen during this case, he'd been stricken with a bad heart. And, although Lorraine never said a word, Ed later learned that she'd slept in a chair beside his hospital bed during his unforeseen two-week stay. It had only gotten worse from there.

He didn't remember much from when his vision went black, but when he woke, he was crouched over his wife, gripping a kitchen knife, ready to watch the blood flow from the vessels in her throat...and then he recognized her soft, brunette hair, her worried, rounded features, fresh tears in her eyes, flooding her cheeks-- her eyes, an image of terror, directed at him, no less-- tore his chest in two. He didn't remember if he dropped the knife, or if someone took it from him, all he could manage was, "I'm sorry."

She knew it wasn't really him, but that didn't change the fact that he'd almost killed her-- twice, for that matter. What bothered him more...she hadn't said a word about the case to him since their return home. No discussion of what happened. No wise, comforting words. No admittance of fear. She rarely spoke of her premonitions, even to him-- that he was used to. But to have endured what she did, and say nothing? He'd lost sleep over it.

He wanted to hold her, to tell her that he was sorry over and over again, but aside from that single kiss, she'd withdrawn herself from him. Judy hadn't said anything to them about it, but Ed saw their daughter's occassional worried glances. She'd made herself scarce, too-- insisting on going to lunch with her boyfriend, to the movies with her girlfriends, or leaving to visit her grandmother. He wondered if Lorraine noticed in her troubled state. He wanted to reassure them both, but he wasn't sure how. He just-- didn't know what else to do.

Regardless of the thoughts that plagued his own unsettled mind, his eyelids drooped as he fell into a much-needed rest, his body no longer able to fight the need for sleep.

He didn't notice her twisted appearance and clenched fists. All he heard was a shrill, ear-splitting shriek that tore him from his fitful sleep, beckoning him to her aid immediately. "Lorraine? Lorraine, Honey, wake up! It's alright--"

Her eyes shot open, yet instead of calming upon meeting his gaze, her bloodcurdling screams broke off into sobs. "Get away from me!" She wrapped her fingers around his shoulders, shoving him away violently and falling off the bed in an attempt to distance herself from him.

"Lorraine?" His voice was dripping with shock. Her widened eyes bore into his own as her sobs resounded against the room's walls. His head dropped pitifully. "I'll be on the couch."

He received sobs in response. Ed stood gingerly. He risked one last glance at Lorraine before he made his way to the living room. He knew when he wasn't wanted.

"No."

He paused. "Lorraine?"

He moved to the edge of the bed cautiously. She was propped up on her hands and knees like a wild animal, still crying. "Lorraine, Sweetheart--" He tucked her underneath him in a warm embrace. "I'm so sorry. You have to know...I would never hurt you. I'd rather die than to ever strike at you like that again."

Her chest heaved with another dreadful, drawn-out sob. Lorraine finally held him in her arms again, although her body involuntarily convulsed. He loosened his grip on her, witnessing her panicked appearance. "It's okay. I'm leaving. I'll sleep on the couch for as long as I need to."

"Please-- don't go. I don't want this to happen to us. Please stay."

"Lorraine, look at yourself...I can't--"

"I'll get over it. I'll be fine. All I know is that I have to be near you. I must get over this."

He nodded. "Okay."

Ed waited patiently for her to settle into the bed before climbing in himself. At first, his wife turned away from him, and his heart panged with guilt and agony.

But then, as he calmed, so did she. She gradually curled herself around him like a kitten, allowing contented sighs to escape her body like purrs against his bare chest. "I will never hurt you again."

Her eyes fluttered open once more. "You can't promise that," she stated simply.

"I can only hope you can learn to trust me again after all this."

A soft smile formed despite her tired eyes. "I trust you, Ed. My faith in you grows every day. I knew you would do what was right, and I know you love me...

You're going to hurt me so much more after your death than you ever could now. It won't matter how long you're gone from this earth...I'll love you long after, and it will hurt worse than anything you could ever do to me."

"Oh, Lorraine..." She melted under his embrace, and now, he was the one crying, although he would never admit it. "I love you."