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Chapter Text

She was too young when it started.
A heavy crack on the floorboards, an unusual knock on the window. No one would have noticed it; it would have been dismissed as just another background noise.
But she heard it, felt the light breeze that imposed itself like a drop of a few degrees in the room. Her expanded senses were dismissed as an overly scared child, who craved more attention than her busy parents could give her.

She tried to be normal, dismissing the shadows and the noises at night as just a figment of her imagination, She forced herself to ignore her surroundings even when she felt like the claws in the shadows might tear at her skin.
But everything went wrong when, on her tenth birthday, her parents decided to celebrate it far from home, all her friends were invited, no one suspected anything about the girl who was too scared in the dark. It wasn't until they found her in a closet, screaming about beings who wanted to harm her with tears streaming down her face, that they decided she was crazy.

They had to move to another city.

Her father blamed her for lost opportunities, her mother simply remained silent.

Lorraine was curled up on the stairs when she heard her father speak. "She's crazy. There's nothing else we can do. Maybe a psychiatrist can cure her, but I can't deal with this, with her."

"Maybe... I don't know, she's our daughter..."

"Well, I can't live like this, Georgiana. We have to take care of her or..." It was the creaking of the stairs that alerted them to the girl's presence. "Lorraine, darling..."

Lorraine only had one choice, she could admit that she heard her parents, or she could simply ..."What's for dinner, Mother?" It was only when relief showed on her mother's features that the girl stopped digging her nails into her palm.
After that night, she promised herself to be normal, to stop being a burden.
She tried, tried with all her might, she made friends, she grew up, she stopped worrying her parents. But only deep down he knew how the shadows swirled around her mind. She played dumb every time she responded to a whisper that no one else could hear, every time she jumped for an invisible touch. She tried, too hard, and with scars on her palms, she managed to survive into her teens.

But as cruel as fate was, her abilities only increased with time. Whispers turned into screams, and shadows became physical hands that could touch and harm her when she was alone.

And she was alone more and more often.

Every time she slipped up, every time she flinched too much at something invisible to other eyes, someone walked away.

And as her loneliness grew, something else grew steadily, a dry bitterness that rotted her soul, a fire inside him that only sought explanations... Why did God let her go through this alone? Day by day, her questions grew, her resentment toward the god who was supposed to protect her and instead had condemned her to that life was bigger and bigger.. That omnipotent being had left her alone, like everyone else in her life, and all she could feel was horrible resentment..

Until him

One of the few times she was included on an outing with girls her own age—who were oblivious to the whispers others muttered about her in the hallways—she saw him
She was too shy to talk to him, so it was only when she had to run to the bathroom with tears in her eyes because there was something in the movie theater - and then she couldn't get in anymore (nor did she want to) that she was able to interact with him.

"Hey, everything's ok?" He asked in a warm voice She was embarrassed, He had probably seen her entering the bathroom, and now her eyes and nose were red, she was a mess and he was in front of her, talking "you are scaring me a little, do you want water? Please, tell me what I can do to help you"

He was talking to her and she was totally lost in her feelings "oh no I.. I'm sorry, I didn't want to annoy you, I should leave" As soon as she started walking, he followed her
"Are you leaving alone? My shift just ended, and I'm sorry, but you look distressed. Please allow me to escort you. I'm Ed." He was too tender, and she couldn't ruin him with her troubles, not now when she couldn't control herself. But there was something, a devastating gleam in his eyes, a warm feeling surrounding him, and she couldn't help but fall into his tranquility..

"I'm Lorraine..." She whispered, with the tears still in her throat "yes... You can come with me... Thank you" As soon as she said those words, a smile that could light up the world spread across his face.

"Well Lorraine, do you want to tell your friends that you're leaving?" The mere thought of entering that room again terrified her, so she simply shook her head, and allowed him to take her hand and guide her out. When he touched her, the world seemed to stop, his hands fit perfectly in hers and the feeling of security she felt with him simply increased. So she smiled, really smiled for the first time in years, and together they went out.

He was amazing- kind and exuded an aura of peace. Their walk home turned into a much longer walk, and it wasn't until it started to rain that she realized what she was doing. He looked at her with stars in his eyes and she knew it was him...
But how could she? She was too much of a trouble, she couldn't do this to him. The shadows followed her every step she took, she couldn't condemn him to the same thing "a penny for your thoughts?" She was startled when she saw him staring at her "sorry... I didn't want to scare you, I just... You seemed disturbed.. I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have pressured you to let me..."

"No... Please it's not... That's not what's happening " She was acting crazy and yet he still only cared about her, she couldn't believe it, he wasn't pointing a finger at her, or spreading rumors about how crazy she was, he was just caring about her... Lorraine couldn't stop the tears that bumped into her eyes " I- I'm sorry.. I just need to.."
And as good as he was, without asking, he hugged her, it was warm, thoughtful, full of sweetness " I don't know what's happening, what's upsetting you, and I'm not going to pressure you to say it to me. But Lorraine, I need you to know that you can count with me, I know we don't know each other but I- You... You make me feel less empty, I really like you Lorraine, I'm sorry... This is a lot and you are feeling unwell... I should shut " Ed couldn't finish his sentence, because soft lips cut off his words, it was just a touch, something totally tempting, but for him, it felt like the world had exploded and come back together in a second

"Thank you Ed" A light pink blush covered her cheeks, and her eyes sparkled, and fate was sealed for Ed at that moment, he knew at that very moment that he would marry that girl.
The rain slowly subsided, and with it the young souls resumed their journey.
"I guess here's where I left, thank you for letting me accompany you Lorraine..." A shyness uncharacteristic of the young man had absorbed him "you know where to find me... But maybe.."
She smiled at him, all her torments seemed to disappear when she was with him "Next week? When your shift is over..."

"Yes please.. I mean.. yes... Absolutely..." He answered with without hesitating, too nervous to control his mouth. Lorraine simply smiled and kissed his cheek with a soft laugh

"Goodnight Ed, thank you.."

Chapter Text

It was the darkest night of winter when it happened.
Like any normal day, she went to sleep after dinner. She had been seeing Ed for a few weeks and everything was perfect.

Until she fell asleep

The darkness was so absorbing that she couldn't see anything around her, a heavy shadow surrounded her, making her feel heavy, even breathing felt difficult, I didn't understand what was happening, but the darkness became darker and darker, more and more oppressive...and the screams began..

"Lorraine! Lorraine, please help me," a desperate voice cried for help. Whoever was screaming probably felt a burning sensation in their throat, it couldn't be any other way.

"What?" She didn't understand what was happening, she couldn't figure out who was screaming or where they were coming from, but a fear settled in her..

"Lorraine! Please! Hurry up... It's about to catch me!" It was the trembling of the voice, the fear, that allowed her to discover its owner

"Ed?" A heaviness settled in her stomach, it couldn't be.."Ed, is it you? where are you?"

"Lorraine! Please..." The voice faded into the darkness, and Lorraine panicked.

"¿Ed? Ed, please tell me where are you, Ed!?" Nerves took over the young woman, and in absolute fear she step into the shadows.
"¡Ed!? Answer me!" The trembling in her voice betrayed the fear she was in "¿Ed?.." her voice cracked as the tears started to fall, and between shadows and darkness, another voice answered her calls.

"Too late" was as if hundreds of voices were answering her at once, one higher pitched than the other, all laughing, enjoying her desperation..

And then, everything turned red... Her hands were covered in a blood that she couldn't tell if it was her's or someone else's, the ground began to flood with the same viscous liquid and the voices became more insistent "Late... Too late... This is what you will cause Lorraine... There will be no salvation..."

She woke up with a stifled scream, cold sweat running down her forehead, but all she could think about was one thing... Ed.

As best she could, with her body still trembling, she put on a coat and went down the stairs, not caring who she might wake up, or the darkness that still reigned in the night.

Ed's house wasn't close, but she managed to get there on foot, running, sobbing, without stopping for a second.
In her state, she still remembered that Ed was supposed to be alone, that his family had gone away for a few days and he had stayed behind for school.
She banged on the door with all her might, still sobbing, shivering from the night cold, "Ed? Are you there? Please..." Her voice sounded weak, drowned out by the hiccups of her crying.

It was only when the door opened to a sleepy Ed, still on pajamas that she realized it was too late, too cold, and they had only seen each other for a few weeks. "Lorraine? Are you okay? Did something happen?" Concern was in his voice as he led her inside."You're shivering... Oh Lorraine, you're barefoot. Come here, please. I'll get you a blanket. Do you want some tea? I'll make you one, you are so cold..¿Did you walk here?"

She was speechless when she saw him, he carried her like a doll to his living room and tucked her in, without hesitation, without calling her crazy...And she could only remain in complete silence while he looked after her, not knowing her reason for being there.

"Ed, I'm so sorry... It's the middle of the night and... You must think I'm crazy."

"Nonsense, you know I'll always be here for you if you need anything, but... Is everything okay?" He asked so gently that tears filled her eyes again, as she remembered what had led her to that situation.

"I... Oh my god I'm so sorry... I had a dream where I... You..." Sobs cut off her words, she couldn't say it out loud, it was crazy... And it was at that moment that she realized, that dream... It was a warning "oh no... I... I have to go Ed, I'm sorry.. I can't do this to you, I have to go.." He tried to hold her, but she untied herself from him arms as if they burned her and got up like lightning headeding for the door. She had to leave. If she stayed, if she was still with him, who knows what terrible things could happen to him, and she couldn't do that, hurting him seemed like the worst sin, she couldn't let the darkness around her catch him. She had to go...

But her escape was stopped by Ed's arm around her waist, which stopped her as she was about to cross the door. "Lorraine, stop, I'm worried about you... I don't know what you dreamed, what happened, but I can't let you leave like this, not alone, not in this state. Please, drink the tea, warm up, and then I'll take you to your home,I can't let you go like this". And again it was the softness of his voice that consumed her, she began to sob again, but this time, she allowed Ed to hold her in his arms...

"I can't... I can't let you do this... You deserve better Ed.." Tears streamed down her cheeks as she clung to his body, her words contradicting her actions. She knew she should let him go, but she couldn't step away...
He moved away from her a little to look into her eyes, but she avoided him. "Lorraine, look at me." His concern was what made her look up. "You don't get to decide what I deserve, you don't, not this time. I want you, I want all of you, with all the good and all the bad. I just want you to let me in... I won't be scared, I won't think you're crazy, Lorraine, I love you, there's nothing that can change that"

His declaration made her bones tremble, and she could only cry harder "Oh Ed.. I love you too..." She said into sobs.. and Ed held her for hours, until her crying stopped, and she was available to talk... "There's something wrong with me.. I see things that others don't... I feel things that others don't.. I'm sorry, it sounds too crazy..."

"There's nothing crazy about that, go on, keep telling me, I know you need it, and I promise I'll believe every word you say.." the morning came with Lorraine telling Ed about the things she had seen, the secret conversations she had heard, and how difficult it was to keep it a secret. And when her voice began to shake again, hejust hugged her tighter, and promised her that everything would be okay.

She had finally found a safe place to exist...

"Have you been to church? Maybe they can help you, I know a Father, he always listens to me when I confess, he's good... Maybe.." His voice trailed off when he saw the grimace on her face

"I don't.. I don't know Ed... Years ago I thought God had abandoned me..." she stopped for a second, thinking, realizing "but if you're by my side now... Yes, we could go someday..." A little faith settled inside her, maybe he was right, maybe all the bad things were to bring her to this moment, in his arms, having finally confessed her truth to someone.

"I think God brought us together for a reason Lorraine..." He smiled at her at her as he said those words. And she began to think he may be right... "I'll always be by your side.. no matter what"