Friends to Lovers ~Steve Harrington

season 4 chapter 10~ 2 days later

Two days later

Max hasn't died yet. The day after the battle Lucas tells us Max is in the hospital in a coma. Doctors don't yet know if she'll wake up. None of us want to lose hope. Max is a fighter. She's always been fighter. She wont die without one last fight.

As for Hawkins? The town hasn't stopped smoking from the "earthquake". The damage causing a bunch without homes. People missing their friends and family members. The death toll hitting 22 so far. We all know there's much more. People leaving the town. I don't blame them. Just like I didn't blame Joyce. After all of this? Who would want to stay in this cursed place.

We go to the Wheelers after going through our own stuff to donate. Ms. Wheeler hands Nancy one last box. I can't say I fully forgive her for Steve. But I don't hate her. The same with Eddie. I was never his biggest fan. But he meant the world to my brother. And in the end he really was a hero. We make room in Steve's trunk for one more box. "Did somebody order a pizza?", Ms. Wheeler asks. "Pizza?" The door opens revealing El, Will, Mike, Jonathan, and some other guy. They look so different. It hasn't even been a whole year. Dustin Rob and I smile at them. Dustin runs the best he can over to hug Will and El. I grab Steve's hand in mine squeezing it leaning my head against his shoulder.

We turn our heads back to the kids before getting the last of the stuff into the car. "Dust you ready?", I call knowing he wanted to come too. "Yeah! Be right there!", he calls back. I get in the passengers seat beside Steve as Robin gets in the back. A few seconds later Dustin joins us. "What are they doing?", I ask. "Going to see Max." Steve and I went this morning before coming here.

When we get there we unload the trunk carrying it inside the school. We look around at everyone. So many injured and missing. "Hi uh these are some blankets and sheets, some clothes, kids toys, and some extra food.", Robin says motioning to each box. "Wow it's already so organized we appreciate that would you like a tax receipt for them?", The lady asks. Robin looks at Steve and I. We shake our heads. "No, I don't think that we need one thank you though, but is there anything else that we can do to help?" The woman smiles at us. "You can serve food and pass out stuff they need.", she tells my brother, "And you can help make some sandwiches in the kitchen." Robin nods and goes to the kitchen leaving Steve and I. "Okay you two can follow me.", another lady says.

She leads us to the clothes. "We sort by age." Some clothes fall off a cart Steve grabs them throwing them back up still following the lady. "We've got infants, girls, boys, men, women, oh and if anything is in too bad of shape we really don't want that." We nod already starting on the clothes.

"This is so unreal.", I say. "What the fact we're folding clothes in the school?" "No well yeah kinda. It's all of this. The "Earthquake" not winning this time. We've never lost before. There's something we're missing. This isn't over Steve. We still haven't won." He looks over at me for a second.

My eyes dart towards where Robin is. "Oh my gosh look." Her and Vicki actually bonding. We smile at the two of them continuing the fold clothes.

"How do you think Dustin's doing?", Steve asks. Steve Dustin and I have been practically attached to one another since everything. Dustin hasn't said much of anything about it though. He just wants to stay close to us. "He's really grieving Eddie. He doesn't want us to notice. I hate he's sweeping his feelings under the rug." "Well I wonder where he gets it from." "What do you mean?" "Di you do it all the time. You heard what Munson said he practically worships you. If you stay strong all the time he's gonna do the same thing." "I just wish I could've protected him from this." "Listen to me Cyndi. This is not your fault. Dustin's in High School now you can'y protect him from everything anymore. And when it comes to the upside down we're lucky we're even able to protect each other." I shrug thinking of Max.

"How are you doing?", he asks. I don't answer. I promised Max I'd always be there for her. and now she's in the hospital in a coma she might never wake up from. All because of this stupid plan that ended up failing anyway. He kisses my cheek. "Don't blame yourself." But I do. He blames himself. Lucas blames himself. Every last one of us have blamed ourselves for this by now.

A familiar feeling in my stomach comes back. "What is it?", he asks worriedly. I look over at the window. Particles. Steve and I walk over with the majority of everyone. We exchange glances with one another looking back outside. This was the calm before the storm. We didn't even win the last fight. Do we even stand a chance of winning this one? And is it even worse to say I don't want to help and fight anymore?

AN- i'm sorry this is so short! but this is the end of season 4 and this story at least until season 5. i'm thinking about writing some cyndi and steve one shots and posting them until then lmk what y'all think. but i really hope you all enjoyed this story. i'm so sad i have to wait 2 years til i can make the next part but thank you for reading!