Positively Haunted

by brokencasbutt67

Summary:

Ed and Lorraine Warren.

The most well-known demonologists in the world. Their house is bound to be haunted with all of the artefacts that they have collected through their career. And yet, the haunting that they have? It’s not based on a case that they have taken.

It’s a family member. And it’s the hardest case that they’ve ever taken, the most taxing case of their career is in their own home. But it’s scared Judy and for that reason, the spirit needs to be stopped.

Chapter 1: Introduction

Ed and Lorraine have always held the belief that spirits aren’t always malevolent, rarely so in many cases. People may not notice if the odd item occasionally moves overnight, a common trick of a peaceful spirit, or if they have a certain familiar perfume scent in the house. And that makes the Warrens’ job much easier. If they had to travel to every house that has a peaceful spirit, they’d never be home.  

They have faced countless spirits in their career where it’s simply a wandering soul, stuck in a purgatory and unable to wander safely into God’s embrace. Those souls play tricks and pranks, an attempt to grab the attention to get the safety that they need. And Ed and Lorraine have rescued many wandering souls in their lifetimes. Those cases can be challenging, yet the relief that they feel is almost overwhelming.  

But they’re ultimately harmless spirits, and the majority of spirits start off as harmless. And that is something that they are trying to teach Judy – that most malevolent spirits are harmless until they’ve been left for too long, their needs not being met.  

Quite simply, Judy is at an age where she understands what her parents do, but not enough of an understanding that sometimes they do get hurt, but sometimes they have happy wins too.  

The latter is a rarity, of course, which doesn’t help the cause. But they do have them. Whether it’s a child who simply needs their toy to guide them through to the afterlife, or someone who wants to reassure their lover that things are okay in the afterlife.  

Judy hasn’t seen the outcome of those cases though; she only sees the negative cases that hit the media; the way that Ed and Lorraine carry the weight on their shoulders. The lost, scared children; the dead, innocent victims of the possession; that’s most of what Judy hears about. They’re trying to get better in showing Judy the good side of cases too, but it can be a challenge - more often than not, it is.  

Since they focussed their careers into the occult, Ed has spent more time reminiscing over his mother, hoping that one day they will meet again – in this realm or another. He has taken Lorraine and Judy to the site of her gravestone; he’s taken them to where he lived too. Where the house once stood now lies nothing but fields, destroyed during the winter of 1950.  

Judy had cried when she heard of Ed’s childhood and youth. As parents, they shielded her from most of it, not mentioning the verbal and physical abuse that Ed endured for over ten years. They only spoke of how he didn’t have a loving father, and that his mother had died at a young age and so, he had grown up alone and without affection, until he met Lorraine as a teen.  

They had spent the rest of that day cuddled together on the sofa, and Ed still won’t confirm or deny if there were tears in his eyes when Judy had called him the best daddy ever. Since then, Judy likes to remind Ed of that regularly, and he still has the same teary-eyed reaction as he pulls her into a tight hug. Lorraine loves the sight, and often finds herself joining the hug.  

But Judy’s wariness around spirits remains, and it’s understandable. She was attacked in her bed, she’s seen her father nearly lose his life, her mother too in fact. They've never experienced a positive spirit so close to home, not until the summer of 1957 at least. 

Chapter 2: The First Signs

The first time anything strange happened was when Judy was doing some homework. With all of the progress in the movement of equal rights for women, her school has focussed on the positive female influences in a student’s life. With Lorraine’s growing status, Judy doesn’t hold back about her mother’s gift. She writes an essay about her mother, about everything that they do together, how strong Lorraine is, and so much more. She writes about Georgiana too, how she’s a great grandmother, and they have so much fun together.  

But as she tries to find something, anything to say about her other grandma, she’s struggling. She doesn’t know anything about her father’s mom, or dad for that fact.   

“Moooommm...” Judy calls into the house, and a moment later she hears the tell-tale footsteps of her mom wandering into the kitchen.  

“Yes, sweetie?” Lorraine asks, a small smile on her face as she sits opposite her daughter.  

“I’m doing this report for school, and I don’t know anything about grandma... from dad...” Judy trails off. Lorraine smiles sadly and nods in understanding.  

“Well... sweetie, why don’t we call your father in? He might be able to help us” Lorraine suggests, a small smile on her face. Judy shakes her head in response.  

“Dad gets all sad when we talk about her though, I don’t want dad sad” she admits.  

“I’m sorry sweetie, but I never met your dad’s mom...” Lorraine admits. Judy frowns for a moment, and then a pensive expression covers her face. 

“If you haven’t met her... how do you know her?” Judy asks. Lorraine chuckles slightly, glancing up when Ed wanders in by chance.  

“The same way that you do, sweetie. Your father told me. He was your age when she passed away, maybe younger” Lorraine says, glancing over to Ed with a pleading look. He seems to understand as he sits on the other chair.  

Lorraine’s hand squeezes Ed’s as he pulls his wallet out. She knows how much it hurts him that she isn’t around. She never saw the man he became, she never got to meet Judy or Lorraine, and yet, she had such a profound impact on Ed’s life, her death made him into the man that he is.  

“She died when I was your age, hon. I... honestly, I don’t remember much of her. Those memories that I do have are few, but I hold them dear” he says, and sits the photograph from his wallet onto the table.  

As Ed talks about his mother, he notices Lorraine is vacant in a vision. He doesn’t say anything and neither does Judy, they both know it’s futile to try and pull Lorraine from a vision. Instead, Ed continues to talk to Judy about his mom until she has enough to write a report.  

Letting Judy continue with the report, Ed slowly guides Lorraine into the living room.  

“Hon? Is everything okay?” Ed asks, slowly stroking one hand through her hair and the other lightly strokes her arm, an attempt to ground her in his arms. Lorraine slowly comes back to herself, her eyes almost frantic for a moment until she falls into Ed’s arms and a few tears stream from her eyes.  

“Hon?” he prompts again, before laying a gentle kiss to the top of her head. Lorraine lets out a shaky breath and looks up at Ed.  

“Tea?” he prompts. Lorraine nods slightly, brushing at her eyes until the tears have gone. Ed nods and gently kisses Lorraine’s forehead, squeezing her shoulders before he stands and makes his way out of the room to the kitchen.  

“Hey sweetie, how’s the report going?” Ed asks, as he slowly starts to heat some water for Lorraine’s drink.  

“I’ve finished it!” Judy smiles, as she finalises the document with her name and the date. Ed smiles slightly and reads through it over her shoulder for a few moments. As he reads the last sentence, his heart swells:  

My dad had the best mom because she made my dad, and he’s the best dad in the world. I love my family more than anything else.   

Ed smiles and gently kisses her forehead, hugging her tightly.  

“You’re going to get top marks with that” he smiles. Judy hugs him tightly as she puts the paper into her homework folder.  

“Can I go out on my bike for a bit, dad?” Judy asks, looking up at Ed. He glances to his watch for a moment.  

“You know what sweetie, you can. Don’t go too far and try to be back in an hour for your dinner” he smiles. Judy hugs Ed tightly before running outside of the house. Ed watches her with a small smile, and when he looks to the door, Lorraine is leaning against the doorframe, watching them both with love in her eyes.  

“How are you feelin’?” Ed asks, wandering back to the kettle. Lorraine curls up at his side, relishing in the feeling of his arm around her.  

“Tired...” she confesses. Ed nods and kisses the top of her head gently.  

“You wanna talk about it?” he asks, but Lorraine shakes her head. 

“No... It’s okay, just... it’s nothing” she says, as she desperately searches for an excuse, though she’s coming up short. Ed glances over to her, confusion etched onto his face.  

“I’m serious, I’m fine Ed... I just want to sleep... you know what happens when I have a vision” she tries to reassure him, and as much as Ed is still wary, he reluctantly nods in agreement.  

“We can curl up on the sofa then, Judy should be back in an hour, and we can order takeout if you want” he suggests. Lorraine smiles and kisses along his jaw for a moment before wandering through to the living room again.  

---

Judy returns shortly before she’s expected home. Lorraine is cuddled against Ed’s chest when Judy emerges. They talk for a while until Lorraine wakes, and they debate which takeout they’re going to eat, eventually deciding on a pizza shop. Ed calls the shop, while Lorraine gets a shower, and Judy makes her way to the store to get some candy and pop.  

Lorraine wanders down the stairs in her nightgown when Ed is hanging the phone back on its hook. He smiles slightly as he pulls Lorraine into his arms and kisses the top of her head.  

“You ready to talk about that vision yet?” he asks. Lorraine shakes her head.  

“I told ya, hon, there’s nothing to talk about” she says, brushing her thumb over his cheek. Ed squeezes her hand and lays a kiss against her knuckles.  

“Are you sure? You know I worry about you, darling” he murmurs. Lorraine smiles slightly.  

“I promise, Ed, I’m perfectly fine” she murmurs. Ed smiles and pulls her into a gentle kiss.  

“If you say so... you’ll tell me if not, right?” he asks, and Lorraine nods in response. Ed smiles slightly and kisses her gently again.  

“I love you” he whispers. Lorraine smiles and kisses him again.  

“I love you too” she whispers. Lorraine smiles slightly and curls against his chest, glancing over when Judy enters the house.  

“Hey sweetie” Lorraine says. Judy wanders over and hugs them both tightly. Ed smiles slightly, surrounded by his two favourite ladies. The rest of the evening they spend together, eating pizza and fries as a family.  

Judy goes to bed around 9.30pm, Ed and Lorraine following shortly after at 10.15pm.  

---

It’s near to 3am and Ed is awake again. He has been every night of the past three weeks, in honesty, for reasons that he cannot understand. He sighs and he’s on the verge of getting out of bed to get some water, when there’s a quiet knock at the door and then it squeaks open. He glances over, his eyes landing on Judy.  

She has tears on her cheeks as she runs into his arms.  

“Sweetie? What’s wrong?” Ed asks, lightly brushing his fingers through her hair. He flicks the lamp on, hoping that the light doesn’t wake Lorraine. Judy hugs him tighter, and Ed gently strokes his hand down her back.  

“There was a woman, in my b-bedroom" Judy sniffles slightly as she speaks. Ed frowns slightly, gently cupping Judy’s cheeks.  

“She disappeared before I could shout for you... but... but... she’s here... somewhere...” Judy explains, more tears streaming down her cheeks.  

“Stay here, sweetie, I’ll go and get you a drink, and I’ll have a look around” Ed promises. Judy nods slightly and lays back on the bed. Ed watches as Lorraine curls closer to Judy. Ed slowly leaves the bedroom and makes his way down the stairs as his mind races – why would there be a woman in Judy’s bedroom? And how could this woman have gotten in? And where did she go?  

He picks a bottle of water for Judy and walks back up the stairs, checking around some corners as he does. There’s no signs that anybody has broken in, which is something positive at least. But Ed still has so many questions. He checks in Judy’s bedroom; however, it is empty, with no signs of entry from a stranger. He briefly recites a bible quote before leaving the room. He wanders back into his own bedroom. 

Judy and Lorraine are talking quietly when he enters. He sits on the edge of the bed and gives Judy the water, squeezing her hand gently. He slowly lays back, watching as both Judy and Lorraine curl up against him, and shortly after, they’re all falling asleep once again. 

Chapter 3: Mother's Day

It’s been a long time since Ed and Lorraine have had the house to themselves, and they're going to seize the opportunity. As Judy picks up her backpack, Lorraine can feel the arousal that’s rolling from Ed in waves.  

Mother’s Day has come, and Judy has planned to sleep at Georgiana’s for the night. Ed and Lorraine are more than willing to let her stay, if only to have some time alone together, especially after so long that they haven’t had a night together.  

They wave their daughter off as Ed’s arm winds around Lorraine’s waist, his hand sliding into the back pocket of her trousers. As the car drives away, Ed slowly closes the door before he pulls Lorraine closer and kisses her gently.  

“Fuck...” he whispers, slowly dragging his mouth down to her neck. Lorraine lets out a soft moan as she arches her back, gripping at Ed’s shoulders in a futile attempt to ground herself to this moment. Her breasts are crushed against his chest, only adding to the pleasure that she’s feeling. Her fingers tug through his hair as she pulls him down into a deep kiss.  

“I love you, hon... so much” he whispers, slowly rolling his hips to meet hers as he parts the kiss. He slowly drags his tongue along her neck, leaving a bruise just below the collar.  

“I love you too, I love you too...” she whispers, almost needy as she reaches down to tug his tee off. Ed groans slightly as he leans back for long enough to throw his tee aside.  

“Should we go upstairs...” he suggests with a low groan. Lorraine smiles and nips at his neck.  

“Lead the way” she smiles. Ed slowly squeezes her hand before wrapping her legs around his waist as he makes his way up the stairs. It becomes something of a challenge though, especially with Lorraine nibbling at his neck until there are bruises making a path. 

He kicks the bedroom door open and bites down on Lorraine’s neck as he walks in, letting the door close itself.   

“Fuck” Lorraine moans, gripping at Ed’s shoulders. He chuckles slightly and lets her drop onto the bed, his eyes watching her tits bounce beneath her flimsy t-shirt.  

“You look so good...” she murmurs, slowly dragging her hands up and over the bulge in his jeans. Ed groans slightly and tugs at his belt until he can throw it aside, sliding his jeans down to his knees. He steps out of them after a moment, kicking his boxers away too. He kneels above Lorraine and kisses her deeply. His hands wind and travel over her body, eventually settling on the hem of her tee and drags it off, while she kicks her jeans away.  

His hands cup her breasts as she falls back onto the bed, winding her legs around his waist. Ed moans slightly as he glances up, his eyes landing on the condom box beside the bed.  

“We have... one left” he chuckles and Lorraine smiles too.  

“Good... now, put it to good use” she teases. Ed groans slightly and lets his head fall forward, his tongue teasing her nipple for a moment or two. Lorraine’s body contorts on the bed, her back arching as she winds her fingers through Ed’s hair again. He smiles slightly as he nibbles along her torso until he’s nestled comfortably between her legs. He lays kisses along the inside of her thigh as his hand rests below her navel, his thumb brushing circles over her clit.  

Lorraine’s moan is low as her ankles dig into Ed’s back, holding him in place. Ed chuckles slightly as he slowly traces over her sensitive spots, his tongue applying all of the pressure that she needs. Her moans are loud as she clutches at her breasts, her thumbs tweaking and teasing her nipples.  

“You having fun up there?” Ed teases slightly, pulling his mouth away for barely a moment. Lorraine’s whine is loud, and Ed’s hand slides down to his cock, a brief moment of relief before he focusses on Lorraine’s pleasure again.  

A condom being thrown at his head is a sure sign that Lorraine wants more. Ed chuckles slightly as he stands up, stroking his cock for a few moments. He slowly kneels on the bed, lifting her hips as he wraps her legs around his waist.  

“Wrap your legs around my waist, hon...” he murmurs, while reaching for one of the cushions. He lays it beneath her hips as he slowly rolls the condom on.  

“You want me to go slow or...?” he trails off, allowing Lorraine to answer with what she wants and needs.  

“Make me feel it...” she trails off, a teasing smile on her face. Ed groans slightly and grips her thigh, tight enough that he’ll leave bruises on her legs. They both love it though. Lorraine loves to show off to Ed that she’s his, and he loves knowing that she wears the marks with pride.  

He rolls the condom on and glancing up at her again, silently asking for consent once again. Lorraine nods in response, reaching up to squeeze Ed’s shoulder. He smiles slightly and kisses her knuckles before building a punishing rhythm in the rolling of his hips.  

Lorraine’s moans are loud as she arches her back, gripping at the pillow beneath her head.  

“Fuck...” she almost yells. Ed chuckles slightly, leaning down to kiss her deeply. It’s more teeth than tongue, but it’s perfect. Both are hurtling towards the edge, and Lorraine knows that she’s done when she feels Ed’s thumb on her clit again. 

Her orgasm hits her hard, leaving her writhing under the ministrations of Ed’s thumb. He grips her ass and changes his angle until he’s coming with a low groan, biting down on Lorraine’s shoulder. Her hands rest on his shoulders as her chest heaves.  

Ed slowly rolls off of her and pulls the condom off, letting it fall aside. Lorraine groans slightly and looks over. She wants to say something, but she doesn’t know what to say. Instead, she reaches over and blindly pats at Ed’s chest until he’s closer to her.  

“I love you...” she whispers. Ed smiles and curls closer to her, though it’s impossible to be any closer to her right now. They curl up, side by side, and share lazy kisses for several minutes.  

“I should get a cloth...” Ed murmurs, though he doesn’t have the energy to move.  

“Use my nightgown... it’ll get cleaned anyway” Lorraine suggests. Ed smiles and kisses her again, wiping away the sweat from her face. He litters her face with kisses as he slowly curls up at her side, wrapping his arms around her.  

“I love you” he murmurs.  

---

A few hours later, Ed and Lorraine have finally parted. Lorraine is in the kitchen, and Ed is down in the artefact room. He’s flicking through his notebook when he hears a quiet thud, something hitting the door behind him.  

“Hon, that you?” Ed asks, though he’s wholly aware that it could be anything. He rarely sits down here for this exact reason. There’s no response though. As he stands up, he wanders through the room to try and locate the source of the thud, though there’s nothing that he can see. He opens the door, half expecting Lorraine to be waiting for him.  

Instead, he’s met with the box of condoms that lives on their nightstand.  

“What the hell...” he mumbles. He picks it up and slowly makes his way up to the kitchen.  

“Hon, if you wanted to... have some adult time... you could’ve asked, you didn’t need to throw this at the door” Ed chuckles slightly. Lorraine frowns slightly as she emerges from the kitchen, a towel over her shoulder.  

“Huh? I haven’t left the kitchen for a few hours now...” she trails off. Ed frowns slightly.  

“You sure? Cos these just appeared at the basement door...” he asks, placing the empty box on the table. Lorraine frowns slightly.  

“How odd...” she ponders, before placing what appears to be an apple pie into the oven.  

“But... we have an hour before the pie needs to come out... let’s see what we can do without them” Lorraine suggests, a slight smirk as she places the towel aside before winding her arms over Ed’s shoulders. He chuckles slightly and leans down to kiss her gently. 

Chapter 4: The Suspicions

Ed frowns slightly as he watches Lorraine. Once again, she’s lost in her own mind, lost in the world of the vision that she’s experiencing. Normally, he’d be helping her come back to reality, to rescue her. But she’s hiding something now, that much is obvious. He’s tried asking her what she’s seen, but he doesn’t get a response. She merely shakes her head before requesting some Earl Grey to settle her mind and her stomach.  

The occurrences in the house are confusing him too. There are so many unexplained happenings in the house. It doesn’t help that they hold so many artefacts, but they’re behind a secure door, surrounded by the religious items that should keep the spirits locked to the basement. Ed can’t comprehend why these things are happening.  

“Hon... I think we should look at what’s going on around here...” Ed comments, glancing to Lorraine. She’s sat at the dining table, scribbling away in the notepad in front of her.  

“What do you mean?” she asks, looking up at him. Ed slowly sits in front of her at the dining table.  

“I think the house is haunted” Ed states, rather blunt. It’s the truth though. 

“Do you?” Lorraine responds, almost cryptically. He had expected something more as a response in honesty.  

“Yeah... I mean, look at it this way. We’re seeing things – Judy especially. I mean, she doesn’t come to us right after a nightmare often, she hasn’t since she was five, I think” he explains. Lorraine nods and slowly turns her journal to a new page. She scribbles a few notes onto the top of the page.  

“And the Mother's Day incident... ” he comments, a slight chuckle. Lorraine raises her eyebrow as she looks up at him, curious to what he’s implying. She has her suspicions, though Ed’s still so innocent that he doesn’t talk about sex without his cheeks turning red.  

“How often do the condoms leave our bedroom? We have a set in the travel bags, we don’t need to move them. Neither of us moved them, and Judy has categorically denied even knowing they were there. Your mom wouldn’t have moved them either... so who did? The box didn’t wander down to the basement on its own” Ed continues with a slight chuckle. Lorraine nods and continues to scribble her notes.  

“Did you notice... after Mother’s Day...” Lorraine starts.  

“There was a strange... feeling almost, an aura... it was by the memorial you built for your mom...” she continues. Ed ponders for a few moments before nodding. He may not have noticed it back then, but he has now that she has pointed it out to him. 

“There‘s been shadows too, especially in the garden at 3am, figures scuttling through the bushes” Ed confesses. 

“Why are you awake at that time?” Lorraine asks, a slight frown, a furrow of concern even as she raises her eyebrow. Ed shrugs in response, looking down for a brief moment as he utters out the reason.  

“I struggle to sleep sometimes” he confesses, and he lets a small smile land on his face when he hears Lorraine tut.  

“I don’t get a beer! I just... I get some fresh air and some water” Ed holds his hands up as he speaks, though he knows it isn’t necessary to explain himself. Lorraine chuckles in response and kisses his hand gently.  

“We’ll have to be stopping that, Ed. You can’t leave me alone in bed, what if I get cold?” Lorraine has a faux frown on her face, though she isn’t teasing. She’s entirely sincere, the thought of waking alone without Ed is something that scares her. She went through it for several years when he was drafted, and it was the hardest time of her life. Ed smiles slightly and kisses her forehead as he sidles closer to her.  

“I won’t leave you again, I promise” he whispers, kissing the top of her head again. Lorraine smiles and snuggles closer.  

“So, we’ve got shadowy figures, strange scents and feelings, things being moved, and I keep having visions... Sounds like a haunting to me” she states, rather resolute as she scribbles in her notebook again.  

“Will you tell me what these visions are? I know you’ve avoided telling me, but for Judy’s sake... we need to get this sorted out” Ed presses. Lorraine sighs and looks to the notebook, fiddling with her pen for a moment or two as she tries to find the right words to say what she means.  

“I’m seeing your mom” she confesses.  

“I didn’t want to upset you... but she’s here, I think it’s your mom haunting our house” Lorraine continues, and suddenly things start to fall into place: 

She’s showing to Judy because Judy is her first grand-child, she moved the condoms because maybe she wants more grandchildren, and the shrine that Ed made, that’s the source of the haunting.  

“What...?” Ed whispers, sounding small and weak all of a sudden, his voice barely loud enough for Lorraine to hear. He sounds so scared, so innocent with wide eyes as their eyes meet. She nods slightly and squeezes his hand.  

“I think it’s your mom... From the photographs I’ve seen, the vision looks like her. She’s trying to show to you, I think, but I don’t know what she wants to say” Lorraine confesses. Ed nods slightly and looks down to the floor.  

“I’m sorry, Ed. I wanted to be certain before I told you, I didn’t want to get your hopes up and it be a false-positive, I didn’t want to put you through the trauma of losing her again” Lorraine apologises, almost explaining to him why she didn’t tell him.  

“No... no I understand... I just... she’s here? Like in our house?” he asks, looking around. Lorraine nods slightly and hugs him gently.  

“I think she’s here; I think she’s always been in the house, always been with us in honesty. But she’s finally ready to see you, something has changed and she’s ready to see her son” she whispers. Ed nods slightly.  

“It would explain why nothing that’s happened has been malevolent I suppose... she’s been watching us, like a guardian angel” Ed comments, with an almost bittersweet chuckle at the end. Lorraine nods and gently kisses his cheek. She hopes it gives him a little comfort; she can’t imagine what is mind is going through right now. A tear streams down his cheek though, and Lorraine hugs him tightly to show him that she’s still here, she still loves him. 

“It might also help us a little... you know, give us more time to formulate a plan of action... we’re not going to get hurt at least” Lorraine comments. Ed frowns slightly. 

“A plan?” he asks, almost confused. Lorraine nods and gently squeezes Ed’s hands in her own.  

“You grew up in a house that was haunted, you know how traumatic that was, how scared you felt... and while Judy has the support, we can’t put her through that trauma... it’s not fair, is it?” Lorraine states. Ed sighs and nods slightly.  

“I suppose...” he trails off. Lorraine smiles hugs him gently.  

“But it’s something that isn’t a high priority for now” she murmurs and leans up to kiss him gently. Ed smiles slightly, pulling her close as he deepens the kiss.  

“Yeah?” he asks. Lorraine nods and stands, pulling Ed up and through the house until they’re at the bedroom. She can see where Ed’s mind is going, but it isn’t going to go the way he wants.  

“We’re going to cuddle the day away, making up for your midnight mischievousness” she promises. Ed smiles and slowly tugs his tee and jeans off, crawling onto the bed in his boxers. He watches as Lorraine curls up at his side, and his arm winds around her waist.  

“Get some sleep hon...” Ed murmurs.  

“I know you’re tired, I’m not goin’ anywhere...” he adds. Lorraine smiles and squeezes his hand.  

“Only if you sleep too” she responds. Ed chuckles slightly and kisses along her neck for a moment.  

“I will, hon, I will” he promises. Lorraine smiles and squeezes his hand before letting sleep overtake her. Ed follows closely after.  

---

The couple wake shortly before noon. Ed glances to Lorraine as he rolls over. She’s staring vacantly up at the ceiling, though she isn’t lost in a vision. She knows that he’s lost in his own mind though, and she hopes that the love she’s projecting to him is enough. 

“Do you really think it’s mom?” he asks, his voice soft and scared as he curls up on her chest. Lorraine glances down to him, brushing her fingers through his hair.  

“I do, Ed... But she’s not malicious, and that’s comforting” she murmurs. He smiles slightly and curls closer to her.  

“How long do we have until we need to pick up Judy from school?” he asks. Lorraine glances around for a moment, finding Ed’s watch on the night-stand.  

“Uh... at least three hours” she smiles. Ed smiles and curls up.  

“Good... I want more cuddling” he muses. Lorraine smiles and wraps her arms around him.  

“I bet you do... No sneaking away though” she teases. Ed rolls his eyes and kisses her neck gently.  

“Given how you’re wrapped around me, I don’t think I could get anywhere” Lorraine smiles and kisses Ed’s forehead as she hears him speak, briefly tightening her legs where they rest around his waist.  

“Good” she teases. Ed groans slightly and shakes his head, pulling the duvet closer, and slowly letting sleep overtake him again. 

Chapter 5: The Séance

The house is shrouded in darkness, or it feels like that anyway. Lorraine, Ed, and Drew are all in the kitchen. Lorraine is fully aware that Ed has lost himself in his own mind again, though he needs to work through this. He can’t go into this while he’s weighed down.  

“How’s he handlin’ things?” Drew asks, glancing over to Ed as he talks to Lorraine. Ed is staring vacantly out of the window, while Drew and Lorraine are seated at the table, occasionally reading through their notes of what’s going on.  

“Not well... I don’t think he knows what to do, in honesty...” Lorraine admits.  

“The situation is usually reversed. I’m the one struggling and he’s the one to ground me. I feel lost, so I can’t imagine how he’s feeling right now” she adds. Drew nods slightly and looks over at Ed again.  

“It must be... I don’t know how to describe it. He spent so long thinking she wasn’t around, but she has been...” he murmurs. Lorraine nods slightly. 

“Yeah... It’s affecting his sleep. He thinks I don’t notice when he gets up at 3am to get a beer” she chuckles. Drew nods and glances over.  

“It’s obvious he’s not sleeping, the bags under his eyes are as big as your handbag” he chuckles. Lorraine rolls her eyes and lightly slaps Drew’s arm.  

“We should get started soon...” she murmurs. Drew nods and glancing to the clock.  

“Ed... honey...” Lorraine says and slowly walks over to Ed. He seems to jolt slightly when she rubs his shoulder.  

“Are you okay, Ed? Are you sure you want to do this, darling?” she asks. Ed smiles slightly, though it’s a forced smile, as he takes Lorraine’s hands in his own.  

“I’ll be okay, hon, honest” he murmurs. Lorraine squeezes his hands as she raises an eyebrow at him, a questioning look on her face. 

“Will you?” she prompts. Ed sighs and looks down.  

“Maybe not, but we need to get this done sooner or later” he responds. Lorraine nods slightly and cups his cheek gently.  

“When this all over and done with, we’ll go on vacation – me, you and Jude” she murmurs.  

“Can I come?!” Drew asks, from across the room. Both Ed and Lorraine glance over at him, a sigh can be heard from both at the same time.  

“Drew!” Lorraine lightly chastises him. 

”What?! You guys always have the best holidays. Mine consist of walking to the store” he chuckles. Lorraine smiles and shakes her head.  

“It ain’t about the experience, but the people that you’re with. We’ll see on the next one if there’s an extra space” she teases, before turning her attention back to Ed. He smiles slightly and kisses her gently.  

“I’ll be by your side, all night” Lorraine promises, and hugs Ed tightly. He nods in response as he buries his head in her neck, letting her scent calm him for a few moments. They slowly make their way inside and into the living room where Drew is glancing at some of the family photographs on the walls.  

“You ready, Drew?” Ed asks, though it’s clear that Ed himself isn’t ready. In honesty, he’s terrified. If it is his mom, he doesn’t want to face her, but he doubts that this spirit is malevolent enough to be a demon. But if it’s not his mom, he’s got to figure out what has brought this spirit in, and why they’re here.  

“Are you ?” Drew responds, pulling Ed from his thoughts. Ed shrugs in response and slowly lifts the box of matches.  

“As ready as I can be” he says. Drew nods and slowly takes his seat. Ed lights the candles that are dotted around the table, while Lorraine takes her seat. Ed slowly sits down, and they all link hands.  

“Our friend, we bring you gifts from life into death. Commune with us and move among us” Ed says. He squeezes Lorraine’s hand slightly, almost asking if she’s okay. She responds with the same, and it settles Ed’s heart to know that she’s okay, even if he can’t see her.  

“Open your eyes” a voice says. Ed cautiously opens one eye, though nothing looks strange around the house. He closes his eyes again, a force of habit. While they don‘t know anything about this spirit, Ed doesn’t want to take the risk of being injured, or Lorraine or Drew being injured.  

“I will only show myself to you when your eyes are opened” the voice continues. Ed opens his eye again, glancing over to Drew and then Lorraine, they both look equally confused but they slowly open their eyes.  

“Reveal yourself to us” Lorraine says, though several minutes pass in silence until a thud is heard from Judy’s bedroom. The house is empty, with Judy staying at Georgiana’s for the rest of the week. There’s no reason for any noise up there, but all three know that it’s the spirit revealing itself to them.  

“Why are you here?” Drew asks. A photo that’s sitting on the hearth moves to be in the centre of the table, a photo of Ed and Lorraine from their youth. When they investigate the photograph further, Ed realises that it’s from the night he proposed to Lorraine, having only been back from survivors’ leave for a few days at that point.  

“How are you here?” Ed asks. He lightly squeezes Lorraine’s hand again, trying to calm his heart. He’s hurting that it could be his mom, but he’s so nervous too. If it’s not, then who is it?  

Answering the question, the diary that has been on the sofa for a few days is flung across the room, landing in the middle of the table, sitting atop the photo-frame. Ed glances to Lorraine as his fears come true, it’s his mom that has been haunting the house and scaring their daughter.  

“Mom... is that you?” Ed asks, swallowing to hide the shakiness in his voice. There are two knocks from somewhere deeper in the house, something that answers the question clearly. In every séance that they have done together, the rule has been that it’s one knock for no, two for yes. 

Ed takes a deep breath and looks over to Lorraine. She gives him a reassuring smile, and he feels calmer just for looking at her.  

“Mom... show yourself to me, p-please...” Ed almost begs. Lorraine squeezes his hand again as nothing happens for a few moments.  

The candles flicker for a split second as lightening crashes through the sky, despite the weather being fine only moments ago. The atmosphere in the room suddenly becomes tighter, and Ed grips Lorraine’s hand tighter. Drew does the same, and they’re all holding onto each other tighter than before.  

There’s a crash, and then, the world almost stops for a moment for Ed. He sees a white mist emerge from the diary at the centre of the table. But before he can react, Lorraine is thrown back from her chair, hitting the wall with a painful thud. Drew looks to be unconscious too, but he’s at least in his chair, and Ed doesn’t know why Drew is unconscious. It does calm Ed that Drew is still in his chair though, Drew's less likely to have broken his spine.  

But the force that Lorraine hit the wall with is reminiscent of Enfield, and that injury left Lorraine in agony for months after they’d taken the case, even if she wouldn’t admit to it. He saw the winces though, noticed the way it would take her longer to sit up and get out of bed.  

Ed surges out of his chair, kneeling beside Lorraine as she groans meekly. He lightly brushes her hair back as he tries to rouse her. His focus is entirely on her, the room is chaotic behind him, but he is purely focussed on Lorraine. He presses his fingers against her pulse point, a wave of relief overtaking him when he feels a faint beating, thanking God as he slowly lays her onto her back.  

He’s hoping, praying even, that she isn’t injured seriously. A bruise will heal, a broken spine won’t. He slowly lifts the back of her blouse, and Lorraine mostly looks okay – maybe it’ll be okay, surely? She has to be.   

"Eddie” a voice says eerily. Ed frowns slightly as he looks around. Drew is still knocked out in his chair; Lorraine is still out of it too. Ed shakes it away, assuming he’s just hearing things, as he kneels beside Lorraine. Her eyes are fluttering, a sure sign that she’s going to be okay, and that fills Ed with comfort. He slowly stands, going to get some water and some Tylenol for her. 

He’s walking through to the living room again when he hears someone call his name the same as a few moments ago.  

“Lorraine?” he asks, though he hears her groaning. He opens the living room door and he’s met with a figure standing in the middle of the room, staring intently at the journal in the middle of the table. Ed’s eyes widen slightly as he realises who it is.  

“M-mom?” he stutters. The figure looks at him and smiles slightly, but Ed quickly glances at Lorraine when he realises that he needs to make sure that she’s okay.  

“Lorraine, hon, are you okay?” Ed asks, his voice clear as he speaks. Lorraine only groans again.  

“Fuck this... Gonna retire and become a seamstress” she grumbles, and Ed chuckles slightly. To most, it makes little sense, but it’s a long-running joke that they’ve had. So many times, Lorraine has been told to quit the paranormal.  

“Are you okay?” he prompts again. Lorraine slowly nods as she forces her eyes to open.  

“Yeah... yeah, I’ll be okay... Ed... turn around, now’s your chance” she says, squeezing Ed’s hand to reassure him that she will be okay. Ed smiles and kisses her forehead gently.  

“Good...” he whispers. He slowly stands and looks at his mom.  

“Edward...” she says, her voice is soft as she moves closer to Ed and Lorraine. It’s rather surreal, all things considered. Getting close to a spirit is part of their job, but this time it feels so... unreal, he feels as though this is all some long-winded, booze-fuelled dream. Ed glances back to Lorraine, he needs to reassure himself that she’s here, she’s his comfort and that this is real. Lorraine gives him a small smile in response.  

“I’m proud of you, Edward. Everything you do, everything you have always done, you make me so proud. I love you so much, my son” the spirit, his mom , says. Ed lets a tear stream down his cheek as he nods. He looks down at the floor, he can’t bear to look at her. But he can’t bear to look away either, and soon finds himself staring at his mom’s spirit, in his living room on a Friday night – twenty years after she died. 

“Keep me in your heart and your mind, and you will go far in life. Things will always be okay for you, your wife, your daughter. I will make sure of it, Edward” she says. Ed nods slightly, though he glances over to Lorraine again. She’s adjusting herself, trying to stand up beside Ed.  

“Go careful, hon’...” he murmurs, lightly squeezing her hand as she leans against him, her arm wrapped around his waist.  

“I’m glad you married such a beautiful woman too; I hope my boy is treating you well, Lorraine. I did not mean to hurt you...” his mom says. Ed smiles slightly and looks at Lorraine, the love in his eyes is evident even for a spirit to see.  

“He's the best husband that I could ever imagine, and he’s the best father to our daughter” Lorraine murmurs, and lightly hugs Ed.  

“Don’t let your past beat you down, son. Your father is in Hell, he’s suffering for the hurt that he put you through, and I will be in Heaven soon – with your brother. One day we will meet again...” the spirit says. Ed nods slightly and brushes his tears away.  

“I... I’ve missed you so much... and yet, I can barely remember you from when I was younger” he confesses. His mom nods 

“You’ve always made me proud, my boy, I love you so dearly... But I have to go now... I can’t stay here...” she says. Ed nods slightly, squeezing Lorraine closer to him. It comforts him to feel her so close.  

“I love you...” Ed whispers, though it’s not clear whether it’s aimed at his mom or Lorraine. In honesty, it’s to both. The spirit slowly fades away from his view with a sad smile. And Ed lets out a sob as the room’s atmosphere returns to normal. Lorraine pulls him closer and strokes her hand down his back.  

“C’mon, it’s okay...” she murmurs. He nods, though he’s still crying into her neck. His mom is gone, and she’s never coming back, never again. He spent so long adapting to not having parents... and now... he’s got to go through the grief of losing his mom again.  

“We need to see to Drew...” Lorraine murmurs, knowing how Ed’s hero-instinct will kick in. She doesn’t want to stop him from feeling how he does, but they really do need to make sure that Drew is okay. The boy still hasn’t woken up and they may need to call an ambulance.  

Ed slowly parts the hug, though he doesn’t let go of Lorraine’s hand as he kneels in front of Drew and slowly rouses him back to consciousness with some water and a damp cloth. 

---

“So...” Drew murmurs, slowly walking into the kitchen. Everything is packed away now, and normally he’d be going home. But Lorraine and Ed have insisted that he stays, at least for tonight, until he’s recovered from his unconsciousness. There’s a spare bed waiting for him upstairs, much more comfortable than the one he currently has at home even.  

“How are you feeling, Drew?” Lorraine asks, glancing over at him.  

“Sore... but... what happened back there?” Drew asks.  

“Uh, we both got knocked out. I think... I think the spirit, which was Ed’s mom, used you almost like a battery to guide herself. She presented to Ed and I...” Lorraine explains. Drew nods slightly, it explains why he’s so drained.  

“They spoke, and then, she had to go. The usual with a haunting like this, they emerge, hurt somebody unintentionally, and then when they go, everyone is hurting” Lorraine adds, gesturing to where Ed is standing in the garden, vacantly staring at the grass.  

“Is he going to be okay?” Drew asks. Lorraine shrugs slightly in response.  

“I don’t know, in honesty. For the longest time, he had no support network and when he needed her most, she was dead. And that’s not her fault, it’s nobody’s fault. But... He has to say goodbye to her again, and that’s going to be the hardest thing he’s ever done. She said the things that he was never told when he was young, all those things a parent should say...” She trails off. Lorraine can feel herself getting emotional at the thought, but she manages to bite it back and instead takes a sip of her tea.  

“I’ll make sure Ed’s okay, so will Judy. She’s good at that” Lorraine adds, a small smile at the thought of their daughter. Drew nods slightly.  

“When is Judy coming back?” he asks.  

“Uh... mom said she can stay for four nights since school’s closed on Monday, so she’s coming home on Tuesday after school” she says. She glances up when she notices Ed has moved, sitting down on the grass.  

“I should be with him. You know where everything is if you want to eat, shower, or sleep, don’t you?” she asks. Drew nods in response and smiles slightly.  

“Don’t worry about me, go and make sure he’s okay. You’re a team after all. No Ed without Lorraine, and vice versa” he smiles. Lorraine nods and lightly hugs Drew before slowly making her way outside.  

She slowly lowers herself until she’s sitting beside Ed, offering him the beer she snagged on the way out. She slowly opens her own, resting her head on Ed’s shoulder.  

“You brought me a beer...?” he asks. Lorraine nods slightly.  

“Yeah... Figured you need it after tonight...” she confesses. Ed kisses the top of her head gently.  

“I do... I need seven” he muses. Lorraine sighs slightly, a forced one to make Ed smile.  

“We can’t be having that, only the one and then we’ll go to bed, yeah?” she prompts. Ed nods and kisses her head gently.  

“How are you feeling?” he asks.  

“How are you feeling?” she responds. Ed sighs slightly and shrugs.  

“I... It’s hard to put into words” he confesses. Lorraine nods slightly. 

“Yeah... and that’s okay” she says and squeezes his thigh. Ed reaches down and squeezes her hand in his own.  

“I should put the journal up in the attic” he murmurs. Lorraine shrugs slightly.  

“That’s a tomorrow job. Tonight, we’re going to sit here, try and not get eaten by bugs, until we go to bed together” she responds. Ed chuckles slightly and kisses her hand gently.  

“Thank you... for being with me back there...” he whispers. Lorraine frowns slightly.  

“You don’t need to thank me Ed. Drew just put it best to me – we're a team, no Ed without Lorraine and vice versa. I’ll always be with you, for as long as you need me, and then even longer” she promises, slightly chuckling at the end. Ed slowly lays back and pulls her over his chest, leaning down to kiss her gently.  

“I’m okay with that” he responds. He slowly curls up around Lorraine, and they don’t move until it’s nearly 3am, at which point they shuffle their way to bed together, drained from the events of the night.   

Chapter 6

Lorraine wanders around the house for a few moments, a deep frown on her face. The house is silent, too silent . Judy is off at school, that’s expected.  

But Ed, he’s nowhere to be found.  

Lorraine has checked the kitchen, the artefact room, the garage, even the garden. She’s checked the bedrooms too, and still hasn’t found Ed.  

The car is still in the driveway so he can’t have gone far. She calls out to him, though she hears no response. The stairs creak under her feet as she makes her way upstairs. All of the bedroom doors are closed, as expected. The ladder to the attic is down though, almost signposting Lorraine to where she’ll find Ed.  

She follows each rung until she can lift herself into the attic. There’s little they keep up here. Ed keeps a lot of things from his childhood here, he’s almost made it a place he can come to be alone with his thoughts when he loses himself in his own mind.  

“Hey hon” Ed’s voice emanates from behind a bookshelf. His voice is flat though, there’s no emotion from him. Lorraine slowly rounds to him, a slight frown on her face.  

“Hey honey... what’s wrong?” she asks, sitting beside him on the floor. He’s holding a small black book in his hands, occasionally flipping through the pages.  

“I...” he sighs.  

“I don’t want to get rid of it... but it’s the only way to stop the haunting...” he murmurs, flicking through the journal. He opens it to a page with a photograph – Lorraine quickly realises that the photograph is of Ed with his mom when Ed was a baby.  

“I miss her...” he confesses, a tear streaming down his cheek.  

“I know hon... I know” Lorraine slowly winds her arm around Ed’s shoulders and pulls him close to her. He lets out a sad sob as he clutches at Lorraine. Her hands slowly stroke through his hair, gently rocking him back and forth. 

“Listen to me, hon...” Lorraine murmurs.  

“She’s proud of you, and she loves you. She’s always been with you, she’s always been by your side and in your heart – emotionally, spiritually” she continues and lightly brushes her fingers through his hair until she can cup his cheeks.  

“And she always will be. This diary – this is the thing keeping her soul wandering. If we release her soul, she’s free to Heaven. But you still have all of those memories, you still hold her dear to your heart, and that will never change” Lorraine promises. Ed nods slightly, his eyes frantically searching over Lorraine’s face, though he isn’t sure what he’s searching for.  

“But... I miss her hon, and I can't say goodbye, I can’t do it... I can’t lose her...” he whispers. Lorraine lightly brushes her thumb over Ed’s cheek.  

“You can Ed, can’t you? You don’t want to. And that’s okay, it’s normal” she says. Ed nods slightly and looks down.  

“I sense a but coming” he comments, a depressed chuckle can be heard too. Lorraine gives a sad smile and cups his cheek.  

“For the sake of your daughter’s mental health... we can’t let this carry on” she whispers. Ed nods slightly, looking down at the journal again. He lets out a deep sigh, resolved to the fate of what’s to come.  

“What do we need to do?” he asks. Lorraine cups his cheeks gently.  

“Are you going to be okay doing it?” she asks. Ed nods, pressing a gentle kiss to Lorraine’s knuckles.  

“Judy... she doesn’t need to grow up in a haunted house, a more haunted house” he muses. Lorraine nods slightly and cups his cheeks again.  

“We’ll need to burn it... With possessions that hold the curse, nothing else can get rid of... it...” Lorraine whispers. Ed nods and squeezes his eyes closed to stem the flow of tears. Lorraine pulls him close, hugging him tightly. Ed lets out a quiet whimper, high-pitched and sad. It breaks Lorraine’s heart to hear it, and she can almost feel herself tearing up from his hurt.  

“Are you sure about this? Is there really nothing else?” Ed asks. Lorraine nods sadly as she rubs her hand over his spine.  

“I’ve researched, I’ve spoken to the Church and Father Gordon, I’ve prayed, everything I could think of, Ed” she confesses. Ed nods and flicks through the journal again, his eyes landing on the photograph of himself and his mom.  

“You know... this is the only photograph that exists of her...” he confesses. Lorraine nods slightly.  

“Why don’t we... Why don’t we take some photographs of the things that mean the most to you – like that photograph... We can frame it and put it up wherever you want” Lorraine suggests. Ed’s face lights up at the suggestion, a small smile that’s barely overshadowed by the tears that are coating his cheeks. Lorraine smiles slightly and strokes her hand over Ed’s cheek.  

It’s at that moment that Ed realises just how useless he would be without his wife by his side. Everything that she does, how she brings him from the worst lows and finds a solution that solves everything for him. He wouldn’t be the man he is without her, and he doesn’t want to think of a life without her by his side.  

“I love you, so much” he whispers, hugging her tightly. Lorraine smiles sadly and lightly strokes her fingers through his hair.  

“I’ll grab the camera, and we’ll meet in the kitchen?” she suggests. Ed smiles and kisses her forehead.  

“Perfect...” he whispers, wiping at his face again. Lorraine smiles and brushes a hand over his chest before slowly standing, grimacing slightly as she does. She holds her hand out to Ed, and he stands up. 

---

They spend the evening side by side in the kitchen. Lorraine asks Ed to tell her about everything in the journal, she wants to know more about Ed’s mother. When Judy returns home from school, she joins them in the conversation and learns more about her deceased grandparents.  

Eventually, Judy takes herself off to bed – though not before hugging Ed extra tightly and reminding him that he’s the best parent she could have. Lorraine pretends that she doesn’t see the tear in Ed’s eye. Instead, Lorraine goes to light the hearth and turn the radio on low. She returns to the kitchen as Judy hugs her, before wandering off to bed. Lorraine smiles slightly, watching until she hears the door to Judy’s bedroom door close.  

“How are you feeling?” she asks, sitting beside Ed again. He shrugs and sighs, squeezing her hand.  

“I need a strong drink... or four” he chuckles. Lorraine smiles and kisses his forehead gently.  

“Well, how about I crack open the wine and we sit together in the living room” She suggests. Ed smiles slightly, glancing to the journal again.  

“I want to get it over and done with...” he whispers. Lorraine nods and hugs him tightly.  

“Go on, I’ll be with you – if you want me to be...” she comments. Ed shrugs and looks down.  

“I... I don’t think I could do it without you... but I just... it feels like something that I need to do, and me alone...” he confesses. Lorraine lightly massages his shoulders for a few moments, pressing a kiss to his forehead.  

“Go on... I’ll join you in a few minutes...” she whispers. Ed nods and squeezes her hands for a moment before standing from the table. He slowly picks up the journal again, closing it with a sense of finality.  

He slowly wanders through to the living room, sitting on the sofa for a moment.  

“I miss you, mom... Every single day, you’re all I think about... but I have a daughter now, and... you gave your life to give me a better childhood, and I need to give my baby girl a good life... she doesn’t need to be traumatised by a haunting... but mom...” he lets out a soft sob as a tear drops from his cheek to the carpet.  

“I love you, and I miss you so much...” he whispers as he looks to the journal in his hands again. He stands from the sofa, and he can feel Lorraine’s presence as he squats in front of the fire. The journal suddenly feels as though it’s a concrete block in his hands, a brick that he can’t keep holding.  

The weight of losing his mother for a second time is a weight he’s burdened to carry for his whole life.   

He slowly places the book onto the flames. As the pages slowly curl and burn up, Ed kneels on the carpet, his hand resting over his heart. Lorraine slowly stands beside him, rubbing his shoulders likely.  

“I’m proud of you, hon” she whispers, pressing a gentle kiss to the top of his head. Ed smiles sadly up at her and squeezes her hand as he stands up. Lorraine pulls him into a tight hug and strokes her fingers over his back.  

“Can...” Ed lets out a sigh.  

“Yes... We can cuddle...” she responds, and Ed smiles slightly.  

“How’d you know?” he asks, almost perplexed about how his wife knows him so well.  

Yet when he ponders it further, he realises that actually he’s the same about her. She barely has to say anything when she’s having a bad day, he just knows . They know each other, they know what plagues their minds on the darkest of nights, in the deepest of their depression.  

And that’s something that they’ll never find in another.  

“I know you, Ed...” she chuckles slightly and brushes her thumb along his cheek. He cups her hand and presses a gentle kiss to her knuckles. Lorraine smiles and squeezes his hand, before slowly pulling him to the sofa, where they land together with Lorraine curling up at Ed’s back and pulling his chest close.  

“I love you, Ed... and whatever happens in this life, I hope you know that you’re doing the right thing. You’ll see your mom again when the time is right” she promises. Ed nods slightly, squeezing her hand.  

They don’t talk anymore for the night. They curl together, listening to the soft music that emanates from the radio. Every so often, Ed takes a deep breath and Lorraine pulls him close. She knows what he’s doing, he’s trying to overcome the hurt that’s filling him, trying to stop the tears from flowing. Lorraine knows that the hurt won’t be fixed for a long time, but she’s doing what she can to make sure that for tonight, at least, Ed will be okay. And if not, she’ll hold him even tighter.  

At some point, they make their way up to bed, finding each other in the middle of the bed.