METANOIA | Eddie Munson

The Piggyback, Part 1

3rd Person's POV

Valerie stood in front of Creel manor, Max, Lucas and Erica by her side.

They had been dropped off just minutes prior. The car ride filled with such an ominous silence, it further unnerved Valerie of what was to come. Trying to soothe an anxious Dustin was the only thing keeping her from plummeting into a paranoia of her own.

She gave her brother a hug once the vehicle came to a halt, and he refused to let go. So she reluctantly made him pull back, ruffled his curls, gave him another hug and promised she'd be safe with crossed fingers.

She then proceeded to hug Steve, Robin, Nancy while Eddie waited until he escorted her out of the van to finally wrap his arms around her. His smell, his touch overtook her senses and her heart picked up pace. Suddenly she didn't want to leave anymore.

Eddie sighed into her hair when he felt her fingers clutching his t-shirt harder. It very well might be the last time she did.

"Kick his ass for me, will you?" Eddie pulled back, tracing patterns into her cheek with his thumb.

Valerie's lips slightly curved at the edges, "You underestimate me."

Eddie flashed her that annoyingly infectious smile of his. It was probably what made her cave in, and fall for his ass.

"I knew I liked you for a reason."

"I honestly don't know why I like you."

"I still can't believe you like me." He beamed, leaning down to brush a soft, fleeting kiss against her forehead.

"Come back to me, will you?" Valerie held in a breath and then added, much more quietly, "Please?"

"And if I don't?"

"I'll kill you."

"I think I'll already be dead, Val."

"I'll find a way."

"I don't doubt it." He muttered, shaking his head.

He then reached under the neck of his t-shirt and fished out his guitar pick hanging from a chain. He plucked the whole thing off of his neck and put it around Valerie's.

Valerie blinked and stared at him for a couple seconds, dumbfounded.

"Before you implode, you don't have to say anything." He chuckled, but then gave her a sincere look with furrowed eyebrows, "Be safe, my love."

She could only nod before double checking whether she actually heard him whisper an 'I love you' before he left. He definitely did.

All the while, Max, Lucas and Erica had been watching the whole scene with their mouths closed. Since the world might be ending in the next hour, it was the least of their concerns.

They'd surely bring it up later though. Atleast Erica would.

Valerie grudgingly turned towards the mansion where it would all go down tonight. The sound of the wheels were long gone now, and with it any shred of delusion of leaving this place.

She could only hear the pounding of her heartbeat ringing in her ears as she opened the door.

Once inside, they split up with four lamps, covering a certain floor of the house in search of Vecna. Erica was the one to find him, passing notes to Max, Lucas and Valerie to gather around the area.

They didn't speak, they had a sneaking suspicion that if they did, Vecna would be there to hear it.

After the four of them circled the rhythmically pulsating lamp, Erica asked confirmation for the beginning of Phase one. Everybody nodded, and she ran.

While waiting for the signal, Valerie felt like quite the third wheel between Lucas and Max.

She actually couldn't believe as she watched Mike, Lucas and Dustin grow up and get into relationships. She thought the day would never come.

But it was one year ago that everything went to shit. Atleast for Max. She could relate to her, in that sense.

It was the same night that Max had lost Billy, Valerie lost Josh. And while both were under very different circumstances, grief is what it is.

Safe to say, it put a strain on Max and Lucas' relationship. This might've been the first time all year that she saw Max smile at him. It made Valerie so happy.

She was internally dying by the end, when Lucas asked her out on a date next Friday and Max agreed.

She couldn't help thinking of Eddie, and how much she wanted to take him out on a date too. They'd never been on one before.

All three were quickly burst out of their bubble when they noticed the flashing of the torchlight Erica sent their way.

They huddled around the window and Lucas flashed his in response.

It was the final signal that initiated phase two: baiting Vecna.

And perhaps the mushy lovebirds flirting was the last boost of motivation Valerie needed. Because she would let nobody, not even that son of a bitch, get in the way of that movie date.

She sent reassuring nods at the two tensed kids and made her way in front of the pulsing lamp. To think Vecna was on the other side of this.

She sat down on the wooden floor, an ominous creak escaping it. She took in a large breath and set down a pair of headphones next to her, in case she started floating mid air.

Whatever was to come, Valerie was sure this night would only add to her fear of the dark.

[A/N: We're in the endgame now, bitches.]