He was resting on the couch reading a book, with Edith sitting on a pillow on the floor resting her head in his lap. He reached down with his hand and ran his fingers through her hair and released it from the hairclip. Releasing her dark curls from their bondage and let waves fall down, spread over her shoulders and down to her waist. It was so smooth and tantalizing to the touch and she sighed with pleasure, as he kept enjoying the softness of it.
"Isn't this lovely, darling?" She asked with a contended sigh.
"Yes, my dear." He said fondly and she beamed with happiness at the endearment.
"I think I could stay like this forever." He sighed closing his eyes and a smile forming on his lips.
"We will my darling." Edith replied.
They heard nothing and saw nothing beyond their dream. Their life together. Not the house creaking terribly, as the strong wind was howling. Not the waves clashing against the cliffs and the rain beating against the old windows. They saw only love, happiness and contentment.
- OOO -
They were sitting around the table having dinner, talking and arguing as they always did. Though, one member of the family was unusually quiet. She was sitting biting her lip, deep in thought.
"Trevor, stop feeding the cats at the table." Liz scolded.
"But he looks so hungry." Trevor argued.
"Are you kidding? If that cat gets any bigger it will be dragging its stomach along the ground." Red stated and Trevor grumbled.
"Louise, can I play with your make up later?" Sarah asked.
"Sure." Louise answered absentmindedly.
"No you can't." Liz corrected and looked at Louise with concern, who didn't seem to notice any of it.
"Look at this." Red said in a low voice looking at his children and with his forked took food of Louise's plate without her noticing.
"Reeeed..." Liz said with a disappointed frown and the children were giggling.
"Hey squirt!" Red said loudly and pulled Louise from her thoughts.
"What? Oh, sorry." Louise smiled sheepishly.
"Look, if you are that worried, give Johan a call. He will know if something's up." Red suggested and Louise gave him a smile.
"You are right of course. I'll do it after dinner." Louise said politely.
"Just go do it now." Liz said kindly and Louise gave a sweet smile, before leaving the chair and walking towards the library.
A few minutes later Louise came out with her coat on and with a fearful expression on her face.
"Louise, what is it? You are as pale as a sheet." Liz said concerned.
"Abraham is not working on a case for the bureau. He is missing or he..." Louise hesitated to finish the sentence in front of the children.
Red got up and walked towards her and placed his hands on her shoulders.
"I'm sure Blue didn't leave you. More than likely he out meddling with something and didn't want you to worry." Red said in a low comforting voice.
"I bet the idiot has. I am of to the bureau to talk to Johan. I'll let you know, when I know more." Louise replied and was on her way out the door.
"Squirt, have you brought your gun?" Red asked and Louise nodded before going out the door.
- OOO -
Louise couldn't remember ever walking down these halls this fast. Even the agent and various creatures passing her by were starring and that was saying in itself. She walked towards Johan's office with determined steps and didn't even bother knocking on the door before going inside.
"Louise... Please close the door and sit down." Johan said in a kind voice, but the usual cheerfulness was absent.
"Have you found anything?" Louise asked.
"We have been able to locate his cell phone. He is in Rode Island." He replied.
"Rhode Island? What the hell is he doing there?" She asked curiously and even thoughts of adultery entered her mind. She scolded herself in her head. She must really be concerned, if her thoughts made up something that ridiculous.
"According to the grid, he is in a house once owned by Langdon Caul." He replied with concern.
"Why would he... Edith..." She replied in a low voice.
"It is possible that she is trying to get her husband back."
"Husband? You know?" She looked at him with surprise.
"Yes, I had an unusual discussion with Edith. She strongly desires to get her husband back."
"But Abraham is not Caul. He might have been once, but he isn't any longer." She argued her heart beating fast and aching.
"Are you sure?" He asked with concern.
"Of course I'm sure! I have seen Edith's memories and been with Abraham for a year. I am able to tell them apart." Louise replied angrily.
"And Edith was married to Caul for more than three years. She would be able to claim the same. All I know is that I overheard a conversation Abe had with Edith and he referred to her as his wife." He replied with sympathy.
"Why did he not tell me?... Never mind. I don't care who is right or wrong. Being somewhere with a ghost can't be safe." Louise argued, trying hard to ignore her feelings.
"You are right. It is possible that she has him in a trance of a sort. It could have made him very confused." Johan replied.
"Give him the location and I will leave now." Louise replied standing up.
"Not wise, we should get a team together." Johan reasoned.
"He has been gone for three days and I have no idea what had happened to him. I am not waiting for bureaucrats to get a team together. You can do that if you wish, but I am leaving now." She stated seriously.
"This is not wise agent..." Johan began.
"Look you can just give it to me or I can find out another way. Your choice." She stated seriously, but not in a resentful way. Johan sighed and handed her note with the location. Louise thanked him and ran out the door.
- OOO -
When Louise pulled up the house next to Abe's car she felt her heart ache. Why had he not told her that he had spoken with Edith? Why had he referred to her as being his wife? Why was he here now? Louise felt disquiet. A part of her mind argued that it was foolish to walk into an old broken house, with and angry, jealous ghost. One who saw you as its rival and had tried to kill you. Not to mention haunting the man you loved for several months. She should wait for back up. She was not trained to deal with things like this. No, but she knew this ghost better than anyone else and her heart begged her to run to Abe. She took a deep breath and stepped out the car. She looked up at the old house, which was now broken and truly fitted, any description of a haunted house. This was not helped by the fact that it was raining heavily and it was dusk. Even before she entered she could hear it creaking and wondered how it was still standing. She would have thought it would have given into termites and rot by now. When she walked inside, the roof was leaking heavily and was soaking the sheets covering the furniture and broken windows. She looked around and saw the dust and grime that covered everything. She noticed footprints in the dirt on the floor leading towards the stairs. Louise looked at the stair hesitantly and wondered if the wood was rotten. Though, the previous person seemed to have gotten up the stairs without any trouble. She felt uneasy and kept her hand on her gun. She didn't know why, it wasn't as if it would help against an angry ghost. It was strange for Louise to walk through this house. It seemed so familiar and as she looked at the pictures, her mind was flooded with Edith's memories. A particular large gust made the house creak even more, like an old man moaning and grunted in pain. As she ventured up the stairs, Louise knew exactly where she was heading. The footprints led to Caul's study. She swallowed hard and could feel herself shaking as she carefully opened the door. She gave a gasp of horror, as she saw Abe lying on an old couch with a corpse kneeling down next to him.
"What was that noise?" He asked and looked around, but seemed oblivious to Louise's presence.
"It was nothing my darling." Edith soothed.
Louise wanted to scream and shout and run to him, but her cool mind told her to be cautious. She took a few steps towards them, but kept herself at a distance.
"Edith?" Louise said softly.
"You will not have him. He is mine." The corpse hissed looking at Louise and swiftly went towards her.
"He is my husband! He married me!" The corpse spat floating in the air towering Louise.
"I know Caul did and I know you loved him. Sweet Edith, this is not the same man. Caul was charming, confident, bold and dominant. The man you have here is nothing like that. This man is cautious, humble, lenient and even a little shy. He doesn't possess the qualities that had you drawn to Caul." Louise argued softly and for a moment Edith hesitated.
"No, he is mine. I need him and he needs me." Edith argued shaking her head.
"Edith I know you loved him. I know that you are in pain, but please let him go." Louise said pleadingly.
"What do you know of my pain? How do you know what it is like to lose someone? What it is like to have the love of your life taken from you?" The corpse hissed.
"I know because, you are taking my love from me now." Louise replied and a silent tear fell from her eye.
"Edith, are you coming my dear?" Abe called.
"Yes, my love." Edith said sweetly and turned to Louise."Hear that? He is calling for me not you." She stated before returning to Abe's side and taking his hand.
Louise felt tears fall from her cheeks and fell to her knees.
"Edith, please… I love him and you are breaking my heart." She pleaded in a low voice.
"You don't love him. You are not even willing to give him, what he desires." Edith spat.
"Who are you talking to, Edith?" Abe asked.
"No one. Don't worry yourself." She soothed.
"And you are not able." Louise replied softly and by the look on Edith's face it seemed as if she had hit a nerve.
"What is going on?" Abe asked sitting up.
"Nothing. Nothing at all." Edith replied a little desperate.
"I heard someone. It was faint, but I heard it. Who were you talking to?" He asked standing up.
"Everett, please don't." Edith pleaded.
"What is it that you are hiding from me?" He asked a little confused, but not angrily or hurt.
"Abraham?" Louise said standing up again, but not moving towards him.
Abe noticed the sound, but whether he recognized it or not was harder to tell. He walked towards Louise slowly and stopped in front of her, but not making eye contact. He looked around confused and Louise reached out, placing her hand on his chin. Immediately his hand flew up and he placed it on hers. He turned his head slightly and looked as if he was concentrating. He then blinked and looked down at Louise.
"Why are you crying, dearest?" He asked concerned and she wrapped her arms around his waist and burrowed her face in his chest. As she gave a sob, he wrapped his arms around her tightly and kissed her damp hair.
"Shhh… it will be alright my love." He soothed in a low loving voice.
"No… no, no, no, no." Edith chanted and began to wail in agony.
Abe turned and suddenly everything that happened, the past few days, came back to him. He gave Louise a soft kiss, before turning around and walking slowly towards Edith.
"Edith, I am so sorry, but we can't live a lie. Either of us. Forgive me." He said softly.
"The truth brings nothing but misery." She said in low voice.
"This lie brought misery to others. What you stayed for was lost long ago. Please let go. For once do what is best for you." He replied softly kneeling down next to her and placing his hand on her shoulder.
The corpse looked at him and nodded. It crumbled underneath his touch and turned to dust and left was only the apparition of Edith. She smiled and for the first time it did not seem forced. She stood up and went towards the window and pulled away the curtain. The rain was still pouring and the wind howling.
"I always liked storms." Edith smiled and turned towards them and looked at Louise. "The world is more beautiful that we realize. I'm sorry I was not strong enough for it. Please forgive me."
"There is nothing to forgive." Louise said with a smile.
A bright smile formed on Edith's lips and with one final sigh the apparition seemed to blow away with the wind. Abe walked up next to Louise and embraced her. Louise looked up and gave a relieved sigh, as she gave him a small kiss.
"Now can we get out of here? I am starving and I am guessing you are as well." She stated releasing his hand and walking towards the door.
"What did you have in mind?" He asked.
"There must be a pizza place that's still open." She mused and he walked after her.
"I am not exactly inconspicuous." He stated and she turned to look at him.
"For once I don't fucking care!" Louise replied before walking down the stairs and so many things about that statement made him chuckle. Her expression, the tone she used, the determined glare in her eye and the very crude language that normally never left her lips.
"Maybe we will make the front page." She laughed walking out of the house.
Abe ran up behind her and wrapped his arms around her. The rain was still pouring and they were getting soaked, but even so she leaned into him and turned in his arms.
"I'm sorry. She possessed you and I didn't know what else to do." He said in low voice.
Louise looked up at him with surprise, shock, worry and relief all at once. She wrapped her arms tightly around his neck and gave him a heated kiss, trying to relate everything she felt through it. He returned the kiss with equal passion, his hands roaming over her back feeling her clothes getting more soaked by the minute. Her lips were sweet, the rain drop running down their faces added moisture and made it feel as if he was drinking from her. When she began shivering from the cold, he pulled away and they were both breathing heavily. Louise gave a relieved chuckle and looked up at him.
"No offense, but I am getting tired of being haunted by your former lovers." She teased, pushing away her discomfort and distort feelings. Despite himself Abe managed to chuckle.
"So am I, but I have to put up with you working with Michael." He teased back and Louise chuckled.
"Fair point. Now, pizza." She smiled with mischief in her eyes, he loved so dearly and Abe couldn't help but claim her lips once more.