Eddie groaned as he opened his eyes.
"Chrissy! He's waking up!" He heard Dustin shout.
He heard footsteps and a sigh of relief from Chrissy. Eddie smiled weakly and he clutched Dustin's hand.
"I'm glad you two are safe, I had to do a lot of things to make sure it happened, to make sure we won."
"No wonder you're so unique, Eddie, you're Ten!"
Eddie chuckled. He felt a pair of hands on his arm and turned his head to see that Chrissy had held onto his arm with her soft hands.
"Hey, Cunningham, how's it humming?" Eddie murmured.
She smiled widely, tears flowing down her cheeks.
"I was thinking you'd never wake up. "
Eddie held her hands delicately in his, his thumbs rubbing over her knuckles.
"Don't cry, you'll ruin your makeup," Eddie whispered.
"I don't care, all I care about is that you're safe and that you saved me."
Eddie frowned, he seemed to doubt himself.
"I did?"
Chrissy nodded.
"You did, Eddie. You saved me, Patrick, and Fred. We owe you our lives, and I heard what you did for me, you played a song for me."
"I did? Yeah! I did, I remember! Chrissy, this is for you!" He bellowed as he made a motion with his hands as if he was playing the guitar.
It made Chrissy giggle, and she wrapped her arms around him and hugged him as he sat up.
"You're a badass, Eddie Munson."
"And you Chrissy Cunningham, are a total freak, staying in the upside-down just to rescue me, that was dangerous, and I can't revive you twice, Cunningham."
"You're my hero," Chrissy murmured, running a hand through his hair.
"I even gave a battle cry for you, Cunningham. So by god, I better be your hero," He joked, grinning wickedly.
"If you feel okay, they say that they might let you out early to let more injured people in."
Eddie's heart dropped to his stomach.
"What do you mean more injured people."
"Eddie, there's no good way to say this so I'll say it straight, Vecna gave us a parting gift," Dustin said.
"What kind of parting gift?"
"Just look outside," Dustin said and moved the curtains aside.
Eddie gasped as he saw the huge crack in the road just a few miles away from the hospital.
"So what exactly did he do?" Eddie asked nervously.
"We don't know, all we know is that there are four cracks in the earth that destroyed downtown Hawkins, we don't know if Vecna's still alive, although Steve's pretty adamant that he killed him. So it might be something else."
Eddie sighed and ran a hand through his messy hair.
"What about my Uncle?"
"He's still out looking for you, we've been wanting to tell him, Eddie. But, we needed to know if you were ever gonna wake up, you almost lost a lung," Chrissy explained.
"What about Eleven?"
"She's in the room next to us with Max, she didn't do so well."
"What do you mean, is Mayfield alright?" Eddie asked worriedly.
"Eddie... She may never walk again, and she may never see again either."
Eddie closed his eyes and forced his tears back.
"Damnit, we were too slow, I-I'm sorry Dustin, I should've used my powers faster, I just... I didn't know they were there until I was lying there, it's like part of my mind blocked it out. It was weird. This is all my fault," Eddie blamed himself.
"No, no, it isn't Eddie. You saved us, you saved Max from dying too, she would've ended up like us if you were slower, but you saved her from that fate," Chrissy tried to reason.
"What kind of fate is that man! She can't even walk anymore! Let alone see! That's no life for a girl who's still in school!" Eddie shouted in despair.
"I'm so sorry Eddie, it wasn't your fault, I know you blame yourself, but just know that we're here for you, I'm here for you," Chrissy said carefully and laid a gentle hand on his chest.
Eddie controlled his breathing, he let out a shallow breath and got out of the bed.
"Eddie, you aren't supposed to be up-"
"I feel fine, Henderson, it feels like I've been sleeping for days,"
"Because you were," Chrissy chuckled.
"Any word on the basketball boys?" Eddie inquired.
"Lucas said they dispersed after Jason almost shot Lucas, they said Jason turned into a psycho and ditched him. Jason is around here, the police have bigger problems right now than to catch an unstable kid with a revolver roaming the streets. If anything he's probably held up at his parent's house."
"Can we... arrest him?" Chrissy asked.
Eddie's eyes widened.
"He's your boyfriend, Cunningham, did you have a change of heart?"
Chrissy looked down, she bit her lip in guilt and nodded.
"Vecna showed me a lot of things... and I realized that I need to live for myself, not for others. Jason was always pushing me to be someone I'm not. He wants a perfect housewife and a cheerleader girlfriend. And he hasn't even asked me what I think about it, he just wants me to marry him when we get out of high school. And I've seen how bad he snaps when he doesn't get his way..."
"He didn't hit you? Right?" Eddie asked carefully.
Chrissy didn't answer.
"Chrissy..."
"He didn't hit you, did he?"
There was a murderous gleam in Eddie's eyes. And it scared the crap out of Dustin. Chrissy was too distracted to notice, she had to keep herself from bawling out in front of Dustin and Eddie.
"I... I."
"Henderson, leave us," Eddie ordered softly.
Dustin nodded and walked out of the room, deciding it was the best for Eddie and Chrissy, he knew she was a rather new friend, so she wouldn't find it comfortable if he stayed and listened. He headed towards Max's door and opened it.
As Dustin walked out the door. Chrissy let her tears fall.
"He hit me, just once, I promise," Chrissy sobbed.
Eddie leaned forward and held her face in his hands.
"Where?"
Chrissy pointed to a slight indent on her nose. It was so slight that Eddie needed to focus on it, it made her nose look crooked, but not noticeable by the normal eye. One would have to know beforehand to know if the nose was ever broken. Eddie scowled, his rage bubbled inside his chest, pitching and roiling in a sea of hatred towards Jason.
"Jason is going to pay."
"Don't hurt him, Eddie, if you do, it just proves you're guilty of the accusations."
"But you're right here, with me, Chrissy, Fred, and Patrick are alive. We can solve this, together."
"Just promise me you won't kill him."
Eddie furrowed his brow.
"I know you're thinking about ending his life, Eddie. I'm not an idiot, I would too if I were in your shoes."
Eddie grinned.
"Does that mean you care about me, Cunningham?"
Chrissy smiled, she nodded shamelessly.
"I do, more than you think."
"Maybe I should've headbanged a little harder during that solo, so I could honor you more."
"I would've loved to see it."
"Once I get out of this stupid hospital gown, I'll play it for you, as many times as you want. How does that sound, Cunningham?"
"Over and over again?"
"Over and over again, until you learn it."
"That sounds amazing, you're still gonna perform Tuesdays, right?"
"Same time, same place."
"I'll come to see you every Tuesday night, I promise."
"Flattery Cunningham, you're gonna make my ego explode."
"Maybe that's a good thing because you aren't a freak Eddie. You're a good person, with a big heart."
Eddie gave her this look that made her heart melt. And he leaned in and wrapped his arms around her, hugging her, pressing her body against his. Chrissy laid her head on his shoulder and buried her head in the crook of his neck.
"Never change, Cunningham, always be the sweet sugar plum that you are."
"Never change, Munson, always be the selfless hero that we all know and love."
...
Robin helped Steve down the stairs, Nancy and Jonathan had left to the hospital to visit Max and Eddie. Mike's mom and dad were in their bedroom still as the sun gently rose higher in the morning sky.
It was a sunny day, but there was nothing to be happy about, and Robin knows that. She hasn't told Steve yet about the ugly parting gift Vecna gave them, he decided to break it to him now.
Steve paused to take a gulp of water at the kitchen sink, Robin sighed and decided it was better to tell him now.
"Steve, there's something I need to tell you."
"Yeah?"
"Vecna gave us a parting gift."
Steve raised an eyebrow.
"What kind of gift are you talking about?"
"He cracked the earth beneath our feet, and right now downtown Hawkins is destroyed."
Steve's eyes tightened as he turned the tap off, he hunched over the sink. He ruffled his hair and Robin shuffled over to where Steve was. She ran a hand down his back, feeling how tense he was. Robin gingerly wrapped his hands around him, pressing her cheek against his back and listening to his heartbeat and his quiet exhales.
"How many dead?"
"That we know of? 22, could be more though. Some say that the gates of hell are open now, that this was because of Eddie."
"They're not wrong about the first part, the second part is utter bullshit, Fred, Patrick, Chrissy, they're alive."
Robin slid between Steve and the sink, she eased herself onto the kitchen counter, trapping Steve between her thighs and pulling him close. Steve didn't meet her eyes, so Robin put her fingers under his chin and lifted his face to meet hers.
"He's gonna be okay, Steve."
"What happened to Max."
Robin looked at Steve, and she sighed.
"She's alive, but she's in a coma, and she can never walk nor see again."
His eyes were filled with emotion and sadness, something that made Robin both sad and angry, this wasn't Steve's fault. It was Vecna's.
Robin crossed her ankles over his back, her naked feet pressing against Steve's butt and pulling him closer to her. His arms automatically coiled around her waist. Steve lowered his forehead against Robin's, letting out a shaky exhale.
"God damn it, Robin, it should've been me, I should've suffered. No kid has to go through that."
"You did all you could, Steve, we did all we could. We were facing Vecna knowing that some of us wouldn't make it out. Let's just hope that Max wakes up," Robin murmured, running a hand through his messy brown hair.
Steve sighed, and he nodded. Robin smiled and cupped his face.
"What are you smiling at?"
"Nothing, you're just really pretty."
Steve raised a brow.
"Really?"
Robin nodded, noticing the way Steve's lips would pucker. She had this feeling fluttering in her chest, threatening to get out. So she let it get out.
Robin leaned in and gracefully locked lips with Steve. Her lips slid over his plump lips and she nibbled his lower lip. Steve flexed his hips against her, earning a soft hum from Robin. Steve laid his head on her shoulder and tugged her shirt's collar down. He started to suck a mark on Robin's shoulder and Robin gasped.
"Oh, Steve!" She gasped out.
"God Robin, I-I just can't control myself around you."
"It's like I'm your drug, aren't I?"
"My personal Heroin, I like that Buckely, keep it up. You might be a philosopher one day."
"We should go see them, we'll just eat breakfast first."
"Sounds like a plan."
...
Steve and Robin pulled up to the hospital, Steve saw the cracks in the street. He forced himself not to look at the military men in the process of collecting body bags. His heart dropped once they passed by the Creel house, it was torn in half, and an angry abyss was in the middle of the house. They pulled up to the hospital and in a few minutes, they were up on the third floor and entering Max's room. Eddie's room was already empty, and Eddie had been given the all-clear to leave. He went to visit Max before he left the hospital to look for his uncle. Chrissy had gone home reluctantly to check on her parents and give them a surprise that she was alive. She told Eddie that she'd call him when he got in contact with his uncle.
"Hey, how's Max doing?" Steve asked as they entered the room.
"You're awake!" Nancy said and walked up and hugged Steve.
"Yeah, Vecna got me burned pretty good but I'm on painkillers, so it's dulled significantly."
Steve hugged Jonathan and greeted the rest of the kids with Robin at his side. Steve stopped at Max and sighed.
"Is she gonna be okay?"
"We're not sure, the doctors said even if she wakes up again, she won't be able to see, and her legs would probably never heal properly."
"Her arm will heal though, on the bright side of things," Mike pointed out.
"That's a plus," Dustin added.
"This was all my fault," Eleven muttered.
Everyone turned towards her.
"I should've been faster."
"Eleven, don't blame yourself, I should've helped sooner too," Eddie said and hugged her comfortingly.
Lucas looked at Max and grabbed her uninjured hand, caressing it.
"You wake up whenever you're ready, I'll be here for you, Max."
A knock interrupted their moment, officer Callahan and Chief Powell entered the room.
"Eddie Munson, will you come with us?" Powell asked.
"Why? Are you gonna arrest me?"
"We're just gonna take you into custody, to make sure none of this is your fault."
"And how exactly are you gonna prove that?" Eddie asked them.
"We don't know yet, but we'll figure it out," Powell said sternly.
Steve and Jonathan rose and blocked their way.
"Byers, Harrington, get out of our way," Callahan growled and reached for his baton.
"I don't think so," Steve said with defiance.
Callahan pulled out his baton.
"Do you realize what you're doing?"
"I know exactly what I'm doing, Eddie is an innocent man."
Powell stopped Callahan from hitting Steve and Jonathan, he glared at them.
"Please, we don't want any more civil unrest, people want answers."
"So taking Eddie in and making him guilty is an answer?!" Dustin shouted.
"The military dudes will be here in Hawkins shortly, and when they find Eddie, they'll kill him," Jonathan told Powell.
"What do you mean military dudes? The military is on our side moron," Callahan snarked.
"They tried killing us at our home in California."
"Give us Eddie Munson, and we'll be out of your hair," Powell said.
"No way."
They heard another pair of footsteps. Hopper, Joyce, Murray, Argyle, and another unidentified person stood at the doorway, the room just got a little bit more cramped.
"Hopper, how are you alive?!" Powell gasped.
"Man, was it wrong to come over here, bros? I can leave to give you space," Argyle said calmly and backed away a little bit.
"I ask myself that every day, I've been through hell, Calvin. The kid's innocent, just give it a rest."
"We need to take him in, Jim, he's a suspect."
"Well, do you have an arrest warrant?" The mysterious man spoke up.
"We don't have time for a court-ordered warrant, we'll take him now," Callahan said impatiently.
"No, no, no, the laws still stand even in a place of disaster, without a warrant, you're not taking him anywhere."
"Who the hell are you supposed to be?"
The man smiled and extended his hand.
"Saul Goodman, attorney at law, and you're in for one hell of a lawsuit if what Murray here told me was true."