You wake at the end of the world.
You're in a hospital room, hooked up to wires and buzzing machines. You don't know how long it's been since the Creel House. You don't know how you survived the Creel House — you were sure you died back there.
Groggy from sleeping for who knows how long, you lift your head and look out the hospital room window. In the distance, you see a red-orange sky. Lightning the color of blood cracks across it, causing you to startle.
Your throat is dry and you have to pee and your brain is moving like molasses — how are you still here? Where are your friends? Why does it sound like something outside is roaring? Did an animal escape the zoo, or something?
You click the nurse call button, hoping someone will come help you. You try to sit up, and pain erupts across every limb. You groan and settle back against your pillows.
A nurse does arrive, eventually. She's surprised to see you alert.
"Let's get you some more pain medicine, yeah?" she asks. Every few seconds, she nervously glances at the state of the world outside.
"What's going on out there?" you ask, voice raspy from so long (how long?) going unused. "A storm?"
"Something like that," she says. "But you don't worry about it one bit. The soldiers out front will keep any of those creatures from getting in."
Creatures?! Did Vecna win? Did the plan that Nancy saw, with monsters from the Upside Down breaching into the real world, actually happen?
Before you can contemplate that further, a commotion outside your hospital room startles you.
"I have to see them!" a voice shouts. "Let me in!"
"Sir, please, they only just woke up—"
"I don't care! I need to see them right now!"
Your nurse rushes to the door to see who's out there. As soon as she opens it, a figure in all black bursts in.
Due to your lethargy from only just waking up from a coma, you almost don't recognize him. He's older than he was when you last saw him, when you shared that last kiss on the Creel House porch. He looks stronger, with toned muscle straining against the fabric of his leather jacket.
His hair has been shorn down to his scalp—practically buzzed. He's got a scar on his neck from the demobat attack but it's no longer harsh red. It looks like it's been healed for a long, long time.
His eyes frighten you at first. They're hardened, angry. Not the soft eyes he used to have. You almost feel guilty, worrying that it's your fault.
But the longer he looks at you, the more his eyes soften. He looks at you like he finally remembered why he's been fighting for so long, and he realized it was worth it.
But he's frozen, unsure of what to say or do.
"Steve?" you croak.
At your prompting, Steve rushes forward. He envelops you in a hug.
"I'm so glad you're here," he says, voice hoarse. You feel his tears land on your shoulder. "I missed you so, so much."
You have so many questions. How long has it been, really? Why is he dressed like the protagonist of some kind of army-spy movie? But you settle on the most important question.
"Did you do it?" you ask, pulling away so you can see his face. You wipe his tears with your thumbs. "Did you kill Vecna?"
"We weakened him," Steve explains, sniffling. "Which is how we were able to get you back. But we think he's still out there."
You try not to think about that right now. Instead, you pull Steve in for a kiss, pouring all your love and gratitude into it. You don't know what shit Steve has been through since you last saw him, but you know in your heart of hearts that he fought tooth and nail to bring you back.
Steve kisses you back with fervor. Whatever's coming next doesn't matter. All that matters is this moment.
You're alive. Steve's alive. And you'll be sure to finally end this, once and for all.
THE END...FOR NOW.
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