Chapter 15: Shadows of the Past*
Marie had fallen asleep on the couch in the Eds' apartment after a long, exhausting day. Her mind had been racing, even after they'd returned from the alley, after she'd told them everything. But eventually, the adrenaline wore off, and the sheer weight of everything finally pressed her into a restless sleep.
It didn't take long for the nightmares to creep in.
The dream started like it always did: in the basement. His face was shrouded in shadow, but she could feel his presence—cold, calculating, evil. The air was thick with tension, a familiar weight that pressed down on her chest. The room around her blurred, but his eyes, those piercing, empty eyes, bore into her, filled with malice.
In the dream, she was hunting him again. Chasing him down dark alleyways and through empty streets, her breath ragged in her chest as her feet pounded against the pavement, but she could feel the leather straps on her wrists and ankles pulling her back to the basement.
Suddenly, she was in his grasp.
He lunged out of the shadows, grabbing her by the throat, his fingers like icy iron around her neck. The world blurred, and she was no longer in control. He whispered something—those same haunting words he'd said to her in real life—his voice like gravel grinding against her soul.
"You'll never be free of me. I'll always be here, in the dark, waiting."*
His hands tightened, choking the air from her lungs, and the familiar, suffocating fear rose inside her, threatening to drown her. She fought against it, against him, but her body wouldn't move, her voice wouldn't scream. The room darkened around her, the walls closing in.
And then, just before she was about to slip into the abyss, his face morphed—warping into a new form.
Kevin.
Marie gasped in her sleep, her body thrashing against the nightmare. She felt herself being pulled deeper into the darkness, her heart pounding in her ears. The shadows closed in, and for a terrifying moment, she felt like she would never escape.
--
Marie bolted upright, gasping for breath, her heart hammering in her chest. Sweat clung to her skin, and for a few disoriented seconds, she couldn't tell if she was still dreaming or awake. The apartment was dark, the only light coming from the faint glow of the streetlights outside. Her pulse raced, the suffocating weight of the dream still pressing down on her.
She ran a shaky hand through her hair, trying to calm herself, but the fear lingered. It wrapped around her like a cold blanket, making her feel small and vulnerable. She hated this—hated that she couldn't shake the nightmares, that they still held this much power over her after all this time.
And then, a soft voice broke through the silence.
"Marie?"
Edd stood in the doorway to his room, his silhouette framed by the faint light from the hallway. He looked worried, his eyes wide with concern as he took a hesitant step toward her.
Marie quickly wiped at her face, embarrassed to have been caught in such a vulnerable state. "I'm fine, Double D," she muttered, her voice shaky and unconvincing. "Just a bad dream."
But Edd wasn't easily deterred. He walked over to her, sitting gently on the edge of the couch. "That wasn't just a bad dream," he said softly, his tone kind but firm. "You were really scared."
Marie tried to laugh it off, but the sound came out hollow. "Yeah, well… I guess even tough girls have their moments."
Edd didn't say anything for a moment. He just looked at her, really looked at her, like he was seeing all the cracks she tried so hard to keep hidden. "You don't have to do that, you know."
"Do what?"
"Pretend like you're not afraid," he said gently. "You've been carrying so much on your own. You don't have to do that here."
Marie stared at him, the walls she had so carefully built around herself wavering under the weight of his words. She wanted to argue, to push him away like she always did when she got too close to someone. But something about the way Edd looked at her, with that quiet understanding and that genuine concern, made her stop.
She let out a shaky breath, running a hand over her face. "I… I don't know how to turn it off," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "The fear. The nightmares. I don't know how to make them go away."
Edd was silent for a moment, then he reached out, his hand gently resting on hers. "You don't have to make them go away alone."
Marie glanced at him, her heart doing a strange, unfamiliar flip in her chest. She had always been the strong one, the one who never let anyone see her weakness. But here, in the dim light of the apartment, with Edd's kind eyes watching her, she felt like maybe it was okay to let someone in.
"I don't want to be alone tonight," she whispered, the words spilling out before she could stop them.
Edd's hand tightened slightly around hers, his voice soft but reassuring. "You don't have to be."
There was a long, tense pause. Marie's heart pounded in her chest, not from fear this time, but from something else. Something warmer, something she hadn't felt in a long time. She looked up at Edd, and for the first time since the nightmare, she didn't feel so scared.
He hesitated for only a second before he spoke again, his voice gentle. "If it would help… you could stay in my room tonight. I mean—" he cleared his throat, suddenly flustered, "—if that would make you feel safer."
Marie blinked, surprised by the offer, but then her lips curved into a small, almost shy smile. "Yeah, I think I'd like that."
They moved awkwardly at first, both of them trying to navigate the sudden intimacy of the moment. Edd led her to his room, and she followed without protest. His room was small and neat, just like she'd expect—books lined the shelves, and his bed was meticulously made.
They both hesitated by the door, an unspoken question hanging between them. Marie glanced at the bed, then back at Edd, her lips quirking up into a smirk despite the tension. "You're not gonna try anything, are you?"
Edd's face turned bright red, and he stammered, "O-of course not! I-I mean, I wouldn't—"
Marie laughed softly, shaking her head. "Relax, Double D. I'm just messing with you."
But when she climbed into the bed, pulling the covers over herself, she felt the tension drain from her. Edd slipped in beside her, clearly trying to keep his distance, his body stiff and uncertain. For a while, they just lay there, side by side, not touching, both hyper-aware of each other's presence.
But then, as the minutes passed, something shifted. Edd relaxed first, his body easing as he got used to the idea of her being there. And Marie, after what felt like forever, let herself relax too.
After a while, she turned onto her side, facing him. "Thanks, Double D," she whispered, her voice soft in the quiet room. "For being here."
Edd smiled, even though the room was dark and she couldn't see it. "Always, Marie."
Eventually, her eyes began to close, the safety of his presence lulling her into a sense of peace she hadn't felt in years. Edd, too, found comfort in her nearness, the steady rhythm of her breathing calming his own nerves.
Together, they drifted off into the first peaceful sleep they'd both had in a long time.
