It happened so fast.
One minute Johnathan, the kids, and I were hunting the Demogorgon. The next, I was in the back of Johnathan's car, bleeding out.
"Just hang in there, Y/N," Nancy tried to soothe.
I was laying across the backseat, my head in Nancy's lap. Johnathan was driving, Mike was in the front, and the other kids were in the very backseat.
"Isn't there something you can do?" Mike asked.
I wasn't sure who he asked but Eleven responded, "I can't."
"Magical alien powers and you can't heal her?" Lucas asked rougher.
"Yelling at each other isn't going to help Y/N," Nancy said as she ran her fingers through my hair.
"What can we do?" Mike asked.
"We can take her to my mom," Johnathan said. "She'll know what to do."
"Steve," I mumbled.
"What?" Nancy asked. She leaned down so she could hear me over the kids arguing.
"Where's Steve, Nance?" I barely got out.
She shushed me as she continued to run her fingers through my hair. "He's with Dustin," she tried to say reassuringly.
"Where are they?"
"Y/N, you need to rest."
"No," I stuttered as I tried to sit up.
"Y/N," Nancy gasped.
"Y/N, you need to lay back down," Johnathan said, glancing over his shoulder. "Please. We're almost to my house. Just a few more minutes."
"But Steve. . . and Dustin. . ."
"They're fine," Nancy said gently. "When we get you help, I'll go get Steve."
"Promise?"
"I promise," Nancy said instantly. "Please, rest."
* * * * *
3rd POV
Nancy knocked on Steve's door, not looking forward to telling her ex-boyfriend that his current girlfriend/her best friend got hurt while he was out looking for the thing that ate Dustin's cat.
"Nancy?"
She looked up to see Steve standing in the doorway.
"What are you doing here?"
"Is everything okay?"
Nancy looked behind Steve to see Dustin walking towards the door.
"Nancy? What's going on?" Steve pushed.
"It's Y/N," she barely got out.
"What?" Dustin gasped. "Is she okay?"
"She's hurt," Nancy said shakily. "Badly."
"What do you mean?" Steve rushed out.
"How?" Dustin asked.
Steve struggled to breathe as he took a step towards her. "Where is she?"
"We rushed her to Joyce. She's there now, along with everyone else. Joyce is trying to. . . She's doing everything. . ."
"Nancy," Steve said firmly. "Take me to her."
* * * * *
Reader's POV
"Where is she?!"
"Steve, wait," Johnathan said as he stopped him.
"Don't tell me to wait!" Steve yelled, his anger building as he pushed Johnathan off of him. "Where is Y/N, Johnathan?"
"Trust me," Johnathan sighed. "You don't want to see her. . . Like this," he added.
"What do you mean? Like what?"
When Johnathan didn't answer him, Steve tried to get around him. Johnathan stopped him again.
"Steve," he said sternly. "Y/N was bitten."
"How?"
"It was a Demogorgon," Johnathan sighed. "We were running and she volunteered to hold the door so we could get away."
"She saved us," El tried to say to make everyone feel better.
"We're aren't sure what happened," Nancy continued. "The next thing we heard was Y/N scream. We went back for her and that's when. . ."
"We found her lying in a puddle of her own blood," Johnathan said when Nancy didn't finish.
"No," Steve whispered. "No no no. And I was. . ."
"I'm sorry," Nancy said gently.
"How long ago?" Steve stuttered, his voice barely audible.
"My mom's been treating her for a little over an hour."
"An hour?"
"I came and got you as soon as I could," Nancy said trying to reassure Steve but also trying to make herself feel better.
Steve took a step back, his heart pounding against his chest. "She was hurt and I wasn't there for her," he mumbled under his breath. "This is my fault. I failed her."
"Steve," Johnathan sighed. "This is not your fault. You want to know what Y/N kept saying the entire drive here? She kept asking us to get her to you. All she wanted was to see you. She knew that you would know what to do."
"But I don't," Steve said quickly. "I don't know what to do."
"My mom is doing everything she can," Johnathan tried to reassure.
"Has she been alone?"
"No," Nancy said instantly. "She hasn't been alone since before it happened. We've been by her side the entire time."
Johnathan looked over his shoulder before sighing. "But right now, she needs you, Steve."
I'm not sure what they said next because the pain became too much and darkness took over. I woke up a little while later to someone running their fingers through my hair. I slowly opened my eyes to see Steve smiling down at me.
"Hey, beautiful," he whispered.
"Steve," I sighed in relief. "You're here."
"I'm here, baby," he said quickly. "I'm right here and I'm not going anywhere."
"Dustin," I stuttered. "Is Dustin okay?"
"He's fine," Steve chuckled. "He's worried about you."
Steve looked over his shoulder and I followed his gaze. I smiled through the pain when I saw Dustin and the other kids peeking into the room.
"Are you okay?" Dustin asked.
"I'm fine," I said, not sounding very convincing.
"She's going to need some rest, but she'll be just fine," Joyce jumped in. "She's a strong girl."
"Yeah, she is," Steve said looking back at me with soft eyes.
"I'm sorry," Dustin said, looking at his shoes.
"Sorry?" I asked. "What for, kiddo?"
"This is all my fault."
"Dustin," Steve sighed.
"It is!" He cut him off. "I asked you to come with me. If I hadn't, if I had let it go, Steve would've been here for you, Y/N, and this wouldn't have happened."
"Dustin," I said gently. "Please don't blame yourself for this. Okay? You had nothing to do with it. Besides, I'm glad Steve went with you to keep an eye on you."
I held my hand out for him and he jogged over to me. I smiled when he gently jumped into my arms.
"Careful, Dustin," Steve panicked.
I looked over at him and smiled. He let out a shaky breath as he ran his fingers through his hair.
"I hate to interrupt," Joyce said gently, "but Y/N needs to rest. Everyone out."
Everyone nodded before saying their goodbyes and left. Soon it was just Joyce, Steve, and me. Joyce looked between Steve and me before excusing herself. As soon as the door closed behind her, Steve jogged over to me. I smiled when he wrapped me in a tight hug.
"I'm so sorry," he whispered.
"Steve," I sighed.
He pulled out of the hug and sat on the chair next to me. He reached over and gently grabbed my hand.
"I am so sorry," he said again as he didn't look up from our hands. "I should've been there. I should've protected you."
I cut him off by grabbing his face and pulling his lips to mine. He sighed before deepening the kiss.
"I feel like I failed you," he whispered as he broke the kiss.
"Steve," I sighed. "You could never fail me."