The Power of Love

A Max After View

A/N: Chapter three is here!

As soon as El had vanished from the mind space, Max found herself shooting back into her body.

The stress of it all caused her to be out of breath. When she finally took notice to her surroundings, she realized she was laying against Lucas. His arms were wrapped around her, gently rubbing her back.

She also realized that Lucas was whispering soft reassurances to her while also letting out a few dumb apologies all about not being able to help her due to some fight.

"S-stop." Max managed to say.

The fact that she was speaking seemed to surprise Lucas seeing as he jumped at her voice.

"Max! You're okay! You had us so worried!" Lucas said as he squeezed her into a tighter hug.

Wait did he say us? Now that Max looked around she noticed Erica sitting all but a foot away from them.

She motioned for Erica to join them. The girl didn't need any more prompting as she threw her arms around them.

"I-we weren't sure you were going to make it." Erica faintly said.

"Ye-yeah. Max you were floating and the Walkman was broken and I thought- I thought you were going to die." Lucas said. One of his arms was wrapped around Erica while the other one was wrapped around her. His hand was resting on her face.

"E-el."

Max found herself drooping in exhaustion from the strain her body went through while fighting Vecna. She tried not to think about the fact that he had started twisting her limbs already before El stepped in.

"Eleven? What about her?" Lucas asked leaning back slightly so both Erica and him could be meeting her eyes properly.

"S-she wa-s th-ere. She s-s-aid... that they are c-coming and would-d be h-ere soon-n." Max stuttered out.

She watched as Lucas and Erica looked at each other before looking back at her. It was clear that they both had many questions about what had happened but luckily they seemed to take note of her exhaustion.

"Rest for a bit Max. We'll watch over you. We're going to wait out front for the others to arrive. Just rest." Lucas told her.

She must have passed out after that because the next thing she knew she was waking up in the back seat of the trailer. She shot up only to be met with the faces of Lucas, Erica, and Dustin staring at her.

Dustin was quick to leap up from his spot and hobble over to her. She was met with a large hug from him before he backed up.

Before anyone had the chance to speak she found herself asking if everyone made it. Nausea crawled up her as the people surrounding her looked down.

"Eddie- he didn't make it. He died a hero." Dustin whispered.

Max felt tears rise up in her eyes. Besides not knowing him that well he had grown on her these last few days. She looked up at Dustin who had tears running down his face and then over at Lucas and Erica who were both trying to hide the tears that were running down their faces.

"And everyone else? What about him?" Max said, feeling the rage inside her grow.

The two boys looked at each other before Lucas opened his mouth to speak but before he could answer her questions he was interrupted.

Steve, Nancy, and Robin came inside from the door in the front of the trailer.

"Hey, she's awake!" Steve said with a little to much enthusiasm for someone who looked as beat up as he did.