Eddie Munson - A Collection of One-Shots!

029. Ghost Face.

"Seriously guys, this isn't funny. Someone died this weekend." I said, as I sat at the Hellfire table.

"Come on, she made your life a misery. She was never nice to you or any of us." Gareth said.

"Doesn't mean you have to be so callous about the fact that she was brutally murdered this weekend. Two kids in two months. You know what that means." I argued, obviously rattled.

"Sweetheart, this ain't Woodsboro." Eddie said, with a wide smile.

"No, it may just be shitty old Hawkins, but that doesn't mean someone isn't potentially trying to play off their own version of Ghost Face." I said.

"Wait, you're serious aren't you?" Eddie asked.

"I am. Deadly. Two kids from this school. Both shitty people sure..... but they were stabbed to death." I said.

"How do you know it's Ghost Face?" Eddie asked.

"I don't. I said a version of." I said.

"It's a wild theory." Eddie mused, with a satisfied grin.

"As wild as two kids dead in a month, both went to this school, and were horrible to us in particular? Won't be long before someone thinks it's one of us." I said.

I leaned back in my chair, and stretched a little, my white crop T-shirt riding up slightly, feeling Eddie's eyes on me, as they often were.

I didn't mind it really, he wasn't looking at me in a negative or sleazy way; no, he always just seemed to unabashedly admire me.

Even though, I was always so unsure as to why.

"Is it you?" Jeff asked, with a grin.

"Sure, cause I'd tell you wouldn't I?" I asked, rolling my eyes.

"Nice tits, Thomasin. They grow in over summer?"

We all turned to see Jason Carver hovering by the table and I rolled my eyes.

"Why are you even looking?" Eddie asked.

"Hard not to notice those perky little bad boys when she's flexing them for the whole cafeteria." Jason said, smirking.

"Her face is up top, perv. Remember that." Eddie warned.

"And if she wants to flex them, she fucking can. Doesn't give you any right to look." He added.

"It's fine Eddie. He grew into a fine, giant tit over summer too apparently." I said, as the guys all snorted with laughter.

"I mean, you've always been one, it's just you filled out a little." I added, turning to Jason, looking him in the eyes.

Eddie simply grinned devilishly, and shrugged.

"What she said, Carver." He said, sounding satisfied.

"Eat shit, Munson." Jason spat, before storming off.

I went to cover myself with my denim jacket, as a Eddie shook his head.

"Don't do that. Girls have breasts. It is what is is." He said.

"Don't give him the satisfaction. None of us are looking at you like Jason." Jeff said, in agreement.

"We respect you, you know that right?" Gareth asked, as I nodded.

"I know. I love you all for it. But to be fair, they did grow over summer." I said playfully, before they all laughed.

One person at the table had noticed.
He looked at me with hidden admiration and I knew that.

Kid apparently just liked what he saw, and did it in a non sleazy fashion; I didn't mind it, I liked him looking at me sometimes.

Eddie to me, was very attractive.
We'd just never crossed that line, and I was comfortable with that.

That didn't stop me thinking occasionally though, of what it would be like to kiss him, to run my hands through his hair, feel his naked skin against mine, have him admire me with his eyes and his hands.

"You good there Thomasin?" Eddie asked, snapping me from my thoughts.

"Sorry, I was space side I think." I said, blinking rapidly, realising I'd been staring almost through him.

His eyes were dark, and he grinned.

"We'd better go, it's almost time." I said, trying to disguise the blush with my loose, long blonde hair.

"Back to the grind." Eddie announced, as we all rose to our feet with our empty food trays.

********************************************
Eddie's POV.

I knew that she knew I watched her sometimes, and I'd watched her glorious frame stretch today, seeing her petite waist, her ribs poking through her soft, pale skin. I'd watched her perfect, perky little breasts flex outwards, sending those pert nipples to the ceiling and for a moment, it had ultimately been very hard not to picture covering them with my hands or my mouth.

I'd done good to hide it for this long, but I was obsessed with her. Everything about her, everything she said or did, had me hopelessly hooked.

She was interesting, intriguing, funny and had the body of a goddess. She didn't believe it, but she knew I admired her on a daily basis; yet she said nothing, never objected, she simply let me admire her, knowing that it wasn't sleazy.

It was just always liking what I saw.
It went unnoticed by the group, but never by her.

She didn't mind me looking at her, which stirred a fire in the depths of my stomach; embers just burning away tirelessly, for her.

What I hadn't liked, was Jason's comments.
He was deliberately rude, and derogatory to most of the girls in school, but harboured a particular hatred towards Thomasin that hadn't gone unnoticed by me.

And I was growing quite tired of it, lately.

I couldn't concentrate all through history, and I skipped the last two classes, preferring to sit on the bleachers and just look out over the soccer field.

Jason deserved everything and anything coming to him. There was a certain kind of justice, for a guy like him. Not many would particularly miss him, either.

No one missed Alyssa Grange.
Alyssa was a venomous little snake, snuffed out over the past weekend, and sure people were talking.

Talking with concern, and general shock at the brutality.

Just not surprised that it had been her.

A lot of kids around school were embracing the peace her death had brought them; she was no longer making anyone's life hell on earth anymore.

Wasn't that the point of her death, anyway?

Just one less bully walking the earth.

If I knew who it was, I'd shake his hand.
And profess my undying gratitude, that yet another scourge, another walking misery wasn't going to fiercely bully another person ever again.

In my eyes, she'd never be missed.

Good riddance to bad rubbish.
And Alyssa Grange was just that.

Trash.

*******************************************
The following morning, I was really rattled.

Rattled to the point of general fright.
This was getting worse. And this time, it had been closer in span; days.

The school was in a frenzy, and I'd chewed every single fingernail on both hands down to short, furiously red stumps.

The King of Hawkins, had been slain.

He'd been found in the woods, near the hut where they gathered for their recreational Tuesdays, and not a single one of them had seen a thing.

Jason Carver, had been murdered.

Three people, who'd done nothing but bully me incessantly for years, were dead.

Why was I thinking that this killer was looking out for me, somehow?

"I can't believe it." Jeff said, not laughing like he had been.

"That there's a school vigilante?" Eddie asked, with minimal surprise or remorse, I noticed.

He noticed my raised eyebrow, and shrugged.

"If you're wondering, no I have neither." He said, understanding.

"And I never will. He was an asshole of the highest order and he got his." He added.

"Eddie, that's not right." I said, shaking my head.

"He said terrible things to you, to all of us sure, but he was the absolute worst to you." He said.

"So?" I asked.

"Seems to me like you potentially have some kind of guardian Angel out there. Picking off anyone who wrongs you." Eddie said.

"That's not funny." I snapped.

"It's a possibility, isn't it?" He asked, nonchalant.

"Will you watch what you're saying? This isn't about me." I said.

"You're sure about that?" Eddie asked.

"I'm sure." I said, adamant.

"And if that's your theory, it could apply to any one of us. There was a long list of kids he bullied. Why does this have anything to do with me?" I added.

"He said what he said, and he's dead, days later?" Eddie asked, as I rose from my chair.

"You're out of your mind, and you're behaving like an asshole." I said, as Jeff stared up at me.

"Just ignore him." He urged.

"Sit down, please." He added.

"Sit down Thomasin, I was just fooling around." Eddie said, smiling.

"You're loving this, aren't you?" I asked him, as he sat back in his chair and shrugged.

"Three people are dead. Kids. And you're loving it, what's wrong with you?" I asked him.

"Okay, say it was one of us? D'ya think Jason would go to our vigils and cry over us?" Eddie asked.

"Probably not. But two wrongs don't make a right." I said.

"Apparently, they do." He said, simply.

"Fuck you, Eddie." I spat, before storming out of the cafeteria.

It wasn't long before I heard his footsteps, and he pushed me into the girls bathroom, locking the door behind us.

I spun around in shock and disgust, as he checked the cubicles, confirming we were alone.

"Leave me alone." I warned.

"You want me to cry over some jerk ass jock and a venomous little snake who belittled you for years.... It's not going to happen." Eddie said.

"Is it you?" I asked.

"Is it you?" He counter asked.

"What would I have to gain from it, really?" I asked.

"What would I have to gain?" He asked me.

"Stop." I said.

"You stop then." He said, with a shrug.

"Why isn't this bothering you? I'm terrified." I said.

"Whoever this is, he's pretty selective. He's not going for victims. He's picking off the school bullies. So I'd say we're relatively safe." Eddie said.

"Pretty confident it's a he?" I asked.

"From the brutality? Yes, absolutely." He said.

"You don't think it could be a woman, a girl?" I asked.

"It could be." He said, simply.

"Eddie, is it you?" I asked.

"No." He said, before reaching for my hand.

"No." I said, recoiling.

"You know how I look at you." He said.

"I know." I said.

"You said you're scared. I just want to comfort you." He said.

"By being an asshole?" I asked.

"I'm sorry, okay?" He said, his voice softer, with more emotion and care, this time.

I found myself relenting, and I allowed him to take my hand; he pulled me to him and crushed me gently into his chest, his muscular arms wrapping around me.

He held me tight and his lips pursed at my ear.

"You drive me crazy, Thomasin." He whispered, before his lips brushed against the bare skin of my neck. I shuddered slightly and he took that as a sign that I wasn't refusing, and kissed a line down to my shoulder, his hands rubbing my back softly.

His face came level with mine, his brown eyes searching my green ones, and one hand came to gently curl around my neck; again I let him, drawn in almost immediately.

And I wasn't sure how it happened, but his lips found mine, and we were suddenly kissing deeply, hungrily, feverishly, hands weaving into each others hair, as we stumbled into the nearest cubicle.

He blindly locked the door behind us and came to rest on the lid of the toilet, reaching up to push my cropped T-shirt up to under my armpits. He paused for a moment, staring up at my naked breasts as they peeked out from the hem of my T-shirt.

He brought me down onto his lap, holding me against him, as he kissed me again, his fingers tracing the skin of my partially naked back.

My arms wrapped around his neck, his fingers moving to brush against the side of my breasts and I moaned softly into his mouth as it rocked over mine.

I broke from him abruptly when I realised what was happening, and he stared up at me, expectantly.

"What are we doing?" I asked, breathless, my chest heaving against his.

"From my perspective? Apparently getting to know each other on a different level." He said, honestly.

His hands ran up to cup my naked breasts and he caressed them softly, his eyes never leaving mine, as he ran his tongue along his bottom lip.

"You can touch me, too." He whispered.

Without hesitation, I pushed his leather jacket and denim waistcoat off his shoulders and he deftly shrugged out of it.

I leaned back to let him remove his Hellfire club t-shirt, and my fingers immediately eagerly reached out to touch the tattoos on his skin, the light hair on his chest.

"Is this really happening, Eddie?" I whispered, suddenly unsure if this was a dream or reality.

His hand clasped over one of mine and his eyes intently searched mine.

"It's happening. I promise this is real." He said, almost imploring with his eyes.

"I'd never hurt you." He added.

The bell rang then, and I heard the rush of students in the corridors; my breath caught in my chest as someone attempted the door of the bathroom.

"We have to go." I whispered against his parted lips.

"Can I see you tonight?" He whispered back.

"For what?" I asked, as his fingers brushed over my breast, before I pulled my cropped T-shirt back down.

"You know." He said, simply.

"Let's go for a drive, pull up somewhere, make out, smoke, talk." He said.

"God, you're such a traditional bad boy aren't you?" I asked, climbing off his lap, chuckling softly.

"You have no idea." He said, with a grin.

"Pick me up at 8. I'm still mad at you though." I said, opening the door.

"And wait ten minutes, before leaving here." I added, casually, before letting myself out of the locked bathroom.

*********************************************
"So tell me honestly, you're mad at me because I'm not sympathetic that three school bullies got theirs?" He asked, casually toking on a cigarette, as we sat in the back of his van, overlooking lovers lake, the van doors open.

"That's the main reason, yes." I said, toking on a cigarette of my own.

"And because you think I have some kind of guardian Angel looking out for me. This isn't about me." I added.

"What if it is?" He asked.

"You can't just casually throw that around. People are wired right now, ready to accuse each other." I argued.

"We know it's not you." He said.

"Others don't. Things are pretty tense. And I don't like that you know I'm scared, and you don't really care." I added.

"I do care. I care a lot that you're scared." He argued.

"Real funny way of showing it." I answered.

"So what did I do before we went in the bathroom stall then?" He asked, as I relented slightly.

"You hugged me." I said.

"I did, you're right." He said, with a satisfied smile.

"And then you kissed me, pulled my T-shirt up and felt my boobs." I added.

"You kissed me back, and touched me too." He remarked.

"I did." I said.

"So what are we doing then?" He asked.

"It was just a fumble, right?" I asked.

"Okay, I'll say it again. You know how I look at you." He said, rolling his eyes.

"Yeah, I do. But you've never like.... Outwardly said if you like me or not." I said.

"You trust me, right?" He asked.

"Is there a reason I shouldn't?" I asked.

"Can you think of one right now?" He asked.

"No." I answered, after some thought.

"I may not have outwardly said I like you, which I absolutely do. A lot. So, shouldn't how I've looked at you for years, maybe have told you I like you? I don't look at you like a friend or little sister do I?" He asked, chuckling softly.

"No." I answered, clearing my throat.

"So tell me. How do I look at you?" He asked.

"Mostly? Like you want to devour me whole." I said, as he grinned.

"Because I do." He said, with a shrug.

"I was kidding." I said, surprised.

"I wasn't." He answered.

"You admire me." I corrected, trying to gauge his reaction.

"What else?" He asked.

"You look at me as though you like what you see." I said, nervously.

"Why are you nervous?" He asked.

"I sound full of myself." I said.

"It's fact. I do like what I see." He said, calmly.

"That's not sounding full of yourself." He added.

"What would you want to do?" I asked, the butterflies raging in my stomach.

"I want to pick up where we left off today." He said, casually propped up on one elbow, as he toked on his cigarette, his eyes boring into mine.

"And what does that involve?" I asked.

"I'll be blunt. Bring that sweet little pussy over here to me, because I know it's sweet, and I know it's perfect, and I want you to perch it, right here." He said, pointing to his lips.

"Because if you don't, I may come over there and hope I get it anyway." He added, which sounding a little like a weighty threat.

However, he didn't need to ask me twice.

I reached under my skirt, standing up until my back was arched against the roof of the van, pulled my underwear down, watching him lie down, in readiness for me.

"The doors." I whispered.

"Leave them." He instructed, and I did as I was told.

I straddled his shoulders, and his face disappeared under my skirt.

For a moment, I could just feel him breathe against me.

"I knew it was perfect." He whispered, sounding satisfied.

And then his tongue pressed against me, and my head immediately tilted back, my eyes closing as my mouth fell open, a deep sigh expelling into the tense air of the van.

This felt intense, wild and as he encouraged me to roll my hips over his mouth, I was acutely aware that this was the furthest I'd gone with a guy. I had zero regrets, as one of his hands reached up to gently knead one of my breasts.

I mewled softly, and I heard him grunt slightly.

"God.... You make the sweetest sounds." He whispered against me.

"Shhh." I said, a little demanding.

He did as I had instructed this time, and continued his assault on me.

And then he suddenly sat up, pushing me off him, until I was pinned against the side of his van, his face coming level with mine, my legs splayed slightly.

Breathless, I searched his eyes, as he inched closer, plucking my lips into his.

The next thing I felt was his hand slip underneath my skirt, and I felt two fingers slide deftly into me.

"I want to watch you." He whispered, explaining.

"Why?" I whispered back, unable to believe how he could make me feel this good.

"Because you are exquisite." He whispered, feeling him almost beckon me closer with every thrust his fingers made.

He watched my lips as they parted with each soft moan, he watched my back arch, my head tilt back, and when he knew I was close, he tilted my head down by my chin, wanting me to look at him.

"Give it to me baby...." He whispered, as my chest heaved.

"Shit....." I said, in a strangled cry, before I climaxed.

Hard.

And he watched every second of it, through lustful eyes.

His arms wound around me, and he held my trembling, recovering body, cradling me to his chest, kissing the top of my head.

"I've got you, baby..... I've got you." He whispered, over and over.

It made my heart flutter, from the tenderness and the care, he was showing me.

"Why do you act how you do at school, when you're really like this?" I asked, looking up at him.

"Like what?" He asked.

"Caring. Kind." I said.

"I'm both of those things at school. We've just talked about Carver, and Grange. Two things I really don't care about." He argued.

"It's hard not to talk about it." I said.

"I know. But I can't pretend, okay?" He asked, as I relented.

"I'll try not to talk about it or be scared." I said.

"Hey, hey.... No. Don't. You wanna talk about it? We can talk about it. If you're scared? Tell me. I care about you. Okay?" He asked.

"Okay." I said, as he grinned.

"I should probably head back home, it's late." I added, as he nodded.

"Hey, Thomas?" He asked me, as we settled in the seats.

"Yeah?" I asked, securing my seatbelt.

"What happened tonight..... was it okay for you? Was it what you wanted to do? If I overstepped the mark or made you feel any type of way...." He said, as I reached for his hand.

"You didn't. I liked it a lot. It made me feel good." I said, as he smiled gratefully.

"Do you trust me?" He asked.

"Yeah, of course I do." I said.

"Eddie, I wouldn't have have engaged in either of those things with you if I didn't trust you. I've never done those things with anyone else. Just you." I said, before releasing I'd had a case of word vomit.

His mouth fell open in shock, and for a moment he couldn't form a sentence.

"Wait.... Why didn't you tell me?" He asked, as I shrugged.

"What does it matter? I consented, I wanted to." I said.

"It matters. I'd have wanted more for you." He said.

"So if you'd known that no one has ever done that to me before, I've never done those things with anyone, you'd have wanted to make it special, but if they had, the back of the van would have been just fine?" I asked, frowning.

"Okay, that came out wrong. I wouldn't have been so.... Demanding." He said.

"I liked it." I answered, truthfully.

"You did?" He asked, a little surprised.

"A lot." I answered.

"I should have asked." He said.

"I could have told you at any point, but I wanted it. I wanted to do all of that with you. Sure I've kissed guys..... but none of them have made me feel the way you do." I said.

"You could have told me, you know that right?" He asked, his expression soft, and caring.

"Yeah, I know. You didn't do anything I didn't want you to. I liked that you told me what to do, took charge..... it was intense." I said.

"Was there anything I should have done differently?" He asked, suddenly unsure.

"You did what I wanted. I'd have said if not." I said.

"Like you'd have told me you hadn't done either of those things before?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Okay. I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I was caught up in it all. You're confident, you're intimidatingly attractive to me, and how you look at me..... you drive me crazy too." I said.

"I do?" He asked, a grin forming on his face.

"I think it's obvious that you do." I said, rolling my eyes.

"You've just made it real hard to say goodnight to you." He said, groaning slightly.

"You'll see me tomorrow." I reasoned.

"That's ages away." He whined, as I chuckled.

"Okay, wait here for like twenty minutes.... And then sneak around the back. I'll open the window, you can climb up the pipe." I said, as his eyes glittered with mischievousness and excitement.

"Yes ma'am." He said, as I unclipped my seatbelt.

"I'll see you shortly." I said.

"You will." He answered.

*********
He scaled the fucking pipe like it was an Olympic sport and he deftly climbed through my bedroom window, landing on his feet like a cat.

I marvelled from my bathroom doorway, as I ran a brush through my hair.

"You've done that before." I said.

"Might have." He said, with a grin and a shrug.

"Don't go doing it anywhere else." I warned as he chuckled softly.

"I think you know I'm not interested in anyone else." He said, his eyes immediately becoming lustful.

"You know how you said I drive you crazy?" He asked, approaching me slowly.

I nodded, and he gently took the brush from my hand, setting it down on my vanity stool. He pressed me against my vanity table and I slid onto it clumsily, my legs falling open.

"Answer me something." He said, his voice low.

"Sure." I whispered, my chest heaving with arousal.

"Can I do it again, right now?" He asked, as I nodded hurriedly.

"Can I drive you crazy again?" He further asked.

"Y-Yes...." I whispered.

I watched his hand disappear under my skirt and I felt his fingers slip into me; I gripped his shoulder with one hand, my other hand steadying me on the small space of my vanity table.

"We need to be quiet..." He whispered, referencing my parents as I bit back a moan, and I nodded.

He softly covered my open mouth with his hand, and he pressed his forehead against mine, his hand working me deftly, quickly and expertly.

I moaned against his fingers, and the hand that was gripping his shoulder slid down in between us and I gently squoze his crotch.

Surprised, a low moan escaped his lips and I shrugged away from his hand that was covering my mouth, and quickly, hurriedly fumbled with the belt on his jeans.

"I want to touch you." I whispered, as he nodded.
His fingers left me for a moment, to hoist me into his arms, as he settled us both down onto the bed.

He shuffled out of his jeans and boxers, and helped me slide my underwear off my legs, before beckoning me to him.

"We can touch each other, this way." He whispered, bringing me close to him, coaxing me to sit on his lap.

"I love it when your keep your skirt on." He whispered, with a devilish grin, as I giggled.

He I felt his generous length rub against me, and I bit down on my bottom lip; he watched me intently, clearly enjoying what he was seeing.

"This will get me off, too." He whispered, his lips at my ear; I shuddered, and he held me to him.

"Kiss me." He begged, as I found his lips.

I kissed him, grinding against him, and I felt our hips roll together rhythmically, our hushed moans mixing together in each others mouths.

There was a moment where I shuddered which caused me to lean back slightly and the tip of his length somehow accidentally slid inside of me, which shocked us both.

"Oh god, I'm sorry...." He whispered hurriedly, as I shook my head.

"My fault." I whispered back, before pressing my lips together. It hadn't necessarily hurt, more surprised me, and had felt almost like a slight pinch.

"Did I hurt you?" He asked, one of his hands holding my face.

"Just surprised me." I said, as he smiled weakly.

"Surprised me too." He said.

"We should stop." He added.

"No I don't want to." I whispered, as he looked into my eyes.

"That isn't happening until you're absolutely ready." He urged.

"I wasn't asking to do that." I said.

"I know, but it did kind of just... you know, slip in for a second. And we weren't even aiming towards that. So I think we should stop, and maybe try another way, another night? If you wanted?" He asked, the ultimate gentleman.

"Okay." I said, as he pecked me softly on the lips.

"I'm gonna go. I'll see you tomorrow." He said.

"You're sure I didn't hurt you?" He added, as I nodded.

"I'm sure." I said, with certainty.

*******************************************
One week later.

I was standing idly in gym class, not really wanting to participate as usual, and felt like I was being stared at.

And when I turned to look behind me, I saw Jacob Green beckoning me over.

I shook my head, and turned back to the field.

I heard footsteps behind me, and I groaned slightly; what did he want?

"So, last week.... You seemed to be enjoying yourself with the freak." He whispered in my ear.

"And if you're wondering, I happened to be walking past, and I saw." He added, with a wicked chuckle.

"Good for you. But what I do, is none of your business." I hissed.

"Should've shut the van doors, then it wouldn't have become my business." He said, in a low voice.

"Fuck off Green." I spat.

"As if you let him touch you like that." He said, shaking his head as he tutted at me.

I spun around then, and grabbed a fistful of his shirt.

"Hey! Get off me." He said, as I shook him roughly, not letting him go.

"It was my choice. Alright?! Nothing to do with you or anyone. Now, fuck off." I snarled, through gritted teeth.

"Thomasin! Thomasin, let go of him!" The gym teacher cried.

"You're fucking crazy! I was just fooling around!" He cried, trying to wrench my hands off the collar of his shirt.

"Oh you're a fool alright." I hissed, before shoving him away from me.

Miss Tate, the gym teacher marched over to me then, flush in the face with mild anger, and pointed to the school doors.

"Principals office. Now." She demanded.

I stormed past her, and thundered my way to the office, sitting down in one of the chairs outside, in a huff.

"Okay, why are you here?"

That sultry voice.
With the husky tone.

Of course he was here.

"Had a fight with Jacob Green." I mumbled, moodily.

"Uhm, why?" He asked, as I reluctantly met his eyes.

"Tell me." He insisted.

"He saw us last week." I said.

"And he came up to me during gym class to tell me." I added, as he stiffened in the chair he was sitting in.

He looked pissed.

"What did he say?" Eddie asked, clenching his fists.

"That he couldn't believe I'd let you touch me. And it became his business because we didn't close the van doors." I said, my anger disappearing, hurt taking place of it.

"Oh god, this was my fault. I said not to. I'm sorry." He said, sighing sadly.

"If I wasn't comfortable with it, I could have shut them whether you said not to, or not. I feel like he was trying to almost..... slut shame me." I said, as Eddie rose from his chair, and came to fall on his knees in front of me.

"He's a fucking pig." He said.

"It doesn't say anything about you." He continued.

"Coach didn't seem to think so." I said.

"Fuck Miss Tate. Fuck Jacob Green. You wanna get out of here?" Eddie asked, his hands gripping my knees gently.

"Flunk?" I asked.

"You say that like you and I don't know you've flunked before." He said, chuckling softly.

"Where would we go?" I asked.

"Anywhere you wanted. Maybe we just drive somewhere? I'll have you home by four." He proposed, as I nodded.

And we were running out of the school doors just as Principal Higgins opened his office door.

*****************************************
Eddie's POV.

We drove to the edge of town in the end and I parked by a wheat field just off the highway.

We were sitting on the roof of my van, watching the sun in the sky, listening to the countless cars drifting past us in the background.

"This is so much better than biology." She said, sighing as she toked on the cigarette in her hand.

"It was a good idea, wasn't it?" I said, a little pleased with myself.

"It was." She said, chuckling softly.

"You're okay, after last week?" I asked, referencing the small accident we'd had between us.

"Oh, fine. I was fine anyway. Like I said, it just surprised me a little." She said, as a blush formed across the bridge of her nose.

"Well, it might have literally been for a second, but you felt pretty nice." I said, playfully.

"I did?" She asked, as I chuckled softly.

"Why do you think I was a little shocked too?" I asked, as she giggled.

"Okay, I mean the majority of the shock was because I was scared I'd hurt you. But also a little because it did feel nice." I said, truthfully.

"And you don't need to be embarrassed." I added.

"Oh I'm not embarrassed. I just get a little giddy around you, I guess." She said, as I put my arm around her.

"You know how you make me feel." I said.

"I wanna try it again." She said, suddenly.

"Try what again?" I asked.

"What we accidentally did." She elaborated.

"Thomasin, that would be actual sex." I said, wondering if she knew that.

"I'm not in first grade. I know what I'm saying Eddie." She argued.

Of course she did.

"We've fooled around, sure. A couple of times now. You're sure you want to take it that far already?" I asked.

"I'm telling you I want to take it that far. With you." She said.

"And when would you want to take it that far?" I asked.

"Right now." She said.

"Thomasin....." I started to say.

"This is what I want to do. I've spent the last week, unable to think about anything else other than you. I don't know how it suddenly got to this, but you're on my mind when I go to sleep and when I first wake up in the morning. There's never been a single person I've wanted to do this with. Except for you. I don't care where we do it. All that matters to me, is you and me." She said, as I stifled a laugh.

"Thomasin, I was just gonna say that it is your choice, and I'm flattered that you want to do this with me. So flattered, I'm literally overjoyed. And I wasn't turning you down. Well.... Okay, I was. But just because I actually don't have anything on me right now, to protect us." I said, as she hid her face in her hands.

"Oh my god. Why didn't you stop me?" She asked, groaning.

"Because it was nice hearing how much you like me." I said, chuckling softly.

"Which was maybe a little selfish." I added.

"Okay, let's go to the pharmacy, I'll pick up what we'll need, and we agree that it's not in the back of the van. It's somewhere a little nicer." I bargained.

"Where?" She asked.

"Do I sound desperate?" She added, unsure.

"No." I said, laughing.

"And my place." I added.

"And you're definitely flattered? I'm not putting you off me?" She asked.

"I told you. Literally overjoyed." I assured her, leaning down to kiss her softly.

*********
Around an hour later, she was in my lap, and we were kissing deeply and slowly; we were both free of clothes, hands touching and caressing each others skin.

I couldn't help but lose myself in her long blonde hair, my lips kissing her shoulder, as we shamelessly ground our hips together.

She leaned back and much like the accident, though I knew it wasn't an accident this time, combined with the fact that I'd already rolled a condom onto my length, I helped to guide her onto me, letting her take the lead.

This was up to her.

She took me into her inch by inch, and with every small push, I felt the usual pressure but it was teamed with immediate pleasure; something I'd not felt before. She mewled softly, her arms wrapping around my neck, and she drew closer to me until she'd taken all of me, and we were the closest we'd ever get.

"You alright?" I whispered.

"Yeah...." She whispered back.

And when I was sure she was comfortable, I gently laid her down and her head came to rest on my pillow.

"I'll take it slow, I promise." I whispered.

"I know...." She whispered back.

Slowly, I lay along the length of her body and her legs instinctively wrapped around me, her hands resting on my arms either side of her head.

I started to gently thrust, and her back arched slightly, as I lowered myself onto my elbows, her breasts pressing against my chest.

I leaned down, covering her mouth with mine, and her hands weaved into my hair.

"You're so beautiful...." I whispered against her lips.

And when it was clear that the initial discomfort was out of the way and she began to enjoy it, her confidence growing, I gently picked up the pace and her fingernails dug into the nape of my neck.

I groaned with satisfaction, and a moan of pleasure left my lips.

I wanted this to be nice, special for her; I wanted it to be what she wanted.

She wanted this with me, in a way that no other girl ever had. She looked at me, like no other girl ever had.

She knew how much I liked her, and she'd trusted me with this. She'd trusted me enough to want to do this with me.

Her hips instinctively bucked up towards mine, and the pleasure ripped through me.

"Oh fuck..." I said, my voice gruff.

Her legs unwound from my waist and she laid them down flat on the bed, letting me fill her even further and I ground deeply against her, wanting to disappear within her, forever.

I picked up the pace again, and her head tilted back in pleasure, her moans increasing in pitch.

I kissed her deeply, almost trying to swallow her whole, my thrusts increasing and she started to writhe underneath me, signalling to me that she was close. Her hands ran up and down my back as she kissed me deeply in return, and she brought her leg suddenly upwards, her foot coming to rest against one of my butt cheeks, holding me there.

"Oh I'll be giving it to you sweetheart, don't you worry." I said, against her lips as she laughed wickedly.

"I know you're close." I whispered, planting a deep kiss on her collarbone.

And as I traced a line up to her neck with my tongue, she quivered and her head tilted back, presenting her chin and neck to me as she unravelled before my eyes.

It was a sight I just wanted to see all the time.
As she tensed around me, I weaved my hands into her air, my forehead pressed against hers, thrusting quicker and harder, hearing her almost cry out, until I slipped off the edge and my release followed.

I slipped out of her and came to rest my head on her perfect, pert little chest and her hands encased my head, as she stroked my hair softly, the two of us breathing deeply.

"Was that okay for you?" I asked her, as she extended one hand to gently rub the top of my back.

"More than okay." She whispered.

"Do you have to go home, or can you stay the night?" I asked.

"I should go. I have no female friends that can cover for me. My parents.... They're not exactly strict, but the idea of me staying over at a boys house would make them panic." She said, as we both chuckled softly.

"But I can stay a little longer. I'm not quite at curfew yet." She added.

"I'll take that." I said, happily.

*******************************************
I was trying to figure out when it had become clear to me just how much I liked Eddie.

I think I always had, just perhaps never realised or dwelled on just how much.

And then he'd kissed me, and I felt like I'd then faced my feelings head on, and finally understood them.

Now? I was hooked. So much so, that one week after our kiss, we'd slept together.

And we'd slept together every day after that.
He couldn't get enough of me, and I couldn't get enough of him.

Each time seemed to get better, and we were finding out what the other liked, and getting to know each other on an intimate level.

"Okay, okay. So when did this happen?" Jeff asked, as Eddie played with my hair, sitting in the seat next to me, rather than at the usual chair at the head of the table.

"The last couple of weeks." Eddie said, casually.

"I mean, it's not totally surprising." Gareth said, as Jeff shrugged.

"No, you're right. I was just curious." Jeff said, in agreement.

"So you're dating?" Grant asked.

"We are." Eddie confirmed, as I smiled broadly.

"That's cool." Gareth said, with a nice smile.

"We rehearsing later?" He asked Eddie, as he went to answer, but didn't get the chance.

"Oh god, you're dating him now. Jeez. That's desperate and fucking weird."

Jacob Green.

"Have you just taken the liberty of replacing the previous asshole?" I asked.

"He's got to have done some kind of ritual to lure you in, Thomasin. You're not that stupid, surely?" Jacob asked.

"Why do you care? Did you want to ask me out?" I asked.

"God no." He said, grimacing.

"That's fine. No offence taken. So if you don't want to go out with me, your problem isn't because you're jealous then? So why do you have a problem?" I asked, as Eddie tensed beside me.

"Why are you being such an ass?" Jeff asked him.

"You're in his little devil club aren't you?" Jacob asked me.

"Little devil whore." He added, proud of himself.

Eddie abruptly rose to his feet, furious and a little red in the face.

"What did you just fucking say to her?" Eddie asked, as I calmly gripped his arm.

"Sit down." I instructed.

"Nah, I'm good here." Eddie barked back, as I calmly turned back to Jacob.

"You can say that to me when you've finally got your dick wet, Green." I said.

"But until then, whilst you're still as green as your surname, you don't get to say a single thing about me." I added.

Jacob was offended.

"Not nice is it?" Jeff asked him.

"Say something else, come on." Eddie goaded, revved up and in protective mode.

It had deterred Jacob, and I could see he was considering backing down, but trying to keep his front up at the same time.

"You literally don't have any self respect do you?" He asked me.

"That's your professional assessment is it?" I asked him.

"Not sure it stands." I added.

"No self respect and no shame. I saw you two in his van. Wrist deep in you, and you were mewling like the little slut I've always pinned you for." Jacob spat, and the moment Eddie saw my face drop and my resolve waiver, he flew.

He flew, and he was on Jacob like a fly on shit.

Eddie pinned him down onto a neighbouring table, trays and bodies of surprised kids scattering everywhere, before issuing a firm warning through gritted teeth and a snarling tone.

"Come for her again dickwad, and you'll regret it. If you'd been man enough in the first place, you'd have asked her out by now. But you didn't. The jokes on you, you fucking quim." Eddie spat, before roughly releasing him.

Breathless and angry, Eddie began to pace, countless wary eyes on him, as he watched Jacob pick himself up off the table, and there was a sudden battle stance between them both.

"Really?" I asked Jacob.

"You'll lose miserably." Jeff warned.

"Shut the fuck up." He said, his eyes still on Eddie.

Who had height, build and brains as a clear advantage.

That and with his upbringing, Eddie had had to fight his way through his life to get somewhere; Jacob had grown up in comfort, in a silver spoon environment.

Kids like Eddie, could fight.

Finally, Jacob realised his disadvantage, and lowered his balled fists.

"You'd probably fucking curse me or something anyway." He said, as Eddie smirked.

"Course I would." Eddie said, chuckling.

"Fucking bunch of freaks." Jacob spat angrily, before storming away.

"God, what an asshole." Someone said.

"Thinks he's the new Jason Carver." Someone else said.

"Chance would be a fine thing." Another said.

"Prick." Another said.

"Now will you sit down?" I asked Eddie, as he turned to me, regret immediately flashing across his face.

"It's fine." I said, understanding, as he slowly sank back into his chair next to me.

"Sure handed his ass back to him, Munson." Jeff said, laughing.

"I'm sorry...." Eddie said to me, as I smiled weakly.

"You were protecting me." I said, shrugging.

"I was. But I spoke to you like dirt. I'm sorry." He said, forlorn.

"Heat of the moment man." Gareth said.

"Are you okay?" Eddie asked me.

"Yeah, I'm fine." I said, looking back at the cafeteria doors.

"I just didn't realise he had such a problem with me." I added.

"Is it not obvious to you, Thomasin?" Jeff asked.

"What?" I asked.

"That he wanted to ask you out?" Jeff asked.

"Eddie just said that, it wasn't true." I said, before turning to Eddie.

"You were just saying that weren't you?" I asked, as he raised his eyebrow.

"That kid either still digs you, or digged you at some point. Definitely jealousy." Eddie said.

"You're kidding me, right?" I asked, not convinced.

"No, far from it actually." Eddie said, as he sighed.

"Wow. Jealousy isn't a good look for him. He was mean." I said, unable to believe it.

"He was more than mean." Eddie said.

"He was disgusting." Gareth said.

"Needs to wash his mouth out." Grant said, in agreement.

"I'll say." Jeff said.

"So, now that's out of the way. We rehearsing later?" Gareth asked, as Eddie nodded.

"Yeah man, just gotta help my Uncle with a few things and I'll come over after." He said, leaning back in his chair, resuming playing with my hair.

"Are you coming, sweetheart?" He asked me, as I looked towards the cafeteria doors again.

"I kinda have a thing with my parents later." I said.

It was a lie really.
There was something else I felt I needed to do now.

Jacob Green couldn't keep verbally abusing me because he liked me or whatever.

I wanted to set the record straight.
And I planned to do just that, later.

"Okay princess." Eddie said, sounding sad.

"I can hang out tomorrow after school though." I said.

"It's a date." He said, sounding happy again.

***********
Jacob didn't live too far away from me, and after dinner with my parents, I pulled my duster coat on, slipped my feet into my converse and set out for his house.

I was thinking about how to broach it on the way there, wanting to call time on whatever issues we had; I didn't want to hear him call me derogatory names or call me out for who I was dating.

It needed to stop.
And I was on my way to his house, with some kind of olive branch.

I acted out a couple of scenarios on my way there, but didn't anticipate the scenario that would meet me, when I reached his house.

Jacob was propped up against his front door, the keys in the lock, where he'd clearly been about to open his front door, but had seemingly gotten ambushed.

I slid on the gravel in shock, and fell on my knees, shocked, the fear causing a cold, clammy sweat to grip and encase me.

"Jacob?!" I called, scrambling to my feet.

"Oh my god...." I said, my eyes taking in the blood.

There was blood, everywhere.

When I was metres from him, I reached into my pocket for my phone, calling 911, when he suddenly gasped for breath.

"Oh my god, Jacob!" I cried, rushing over to him.

I quickly scanned him, looking for where the blood was coming from, as he struggled to breathe.

The operator answered, and I tried to configure my brain to speak through this.

"I need an ambulance, right now. My friend, Jacob.... He's been attacked.... He's bleeding out, he needs help. Please help me!" I cried,

"What's the address?"

"1065 Maple Drive." I said, as I pressed down on a bleeding wound on his abdomen, with my shaky hands.

"T-Thomasin....." Jacob stammered.

"No, no. Don't talk." I urged.

"Are they on the way?" I asked the operator, terrified and crying.

"Three minutes away, honey. Are you applying pressure to his wound?"

"He has more than one. I'm applying pressure on one... I don't have enough hands for them all. What do I do?!" I asked, as Jacob's hand reached for me.

"Gh.....Gho.... Ghostface." He stammered, looking me dead in the eyes.

"What?" I asked, horrified.

"Ghost face." Jacob bleated, before taking a gurgled breath in.

"Oh god, they have to hurry!" I cried into my phone.

"They're a minute away, sweetheart, just keep applying pressure where you can. Is he still conscious and breathing?"

And just as she asked, I saw him take his final breath, his eyes closed and my heart pounded painfully in my chest.

Traumatised, I tapped his face, calling his name.

"Jacob, Jacob, wake up.... Wake up! Jacob!" I cried, tears blurring my vision.

"Oh god! Oh god! He's dead!" I cried.

The street suddenly flooded with lights and sirens, and I couldn't move.

Paralysed with horror, fear and shock, I was keeping pressure on one of his wounds, even though he was dead.

"Okay honey, you're gonna have to move out of the way." The paramedic said.

Someone gently coaxed me away, and they started to work on reviving him, as I sat on the steps of his home, willing him to come back.

And after forty minutes, it became clear that he'd gone, and I started to sob heavily.

"Miss, we're gonna need to talk to you."

I looked up as the paramedic draped a blanket across me, to see a police officer.

"Why were you here?" He asked.

"I came to clear the air. With him. He said some stuff today at school, not very nice things.... I think it was because he liked me, and I'm seeing someone else. I got here, and he was like this. I called 911 and tried to apply pressure on one of his wounds.... I didn't have enough hands for them all." I said, hearing the distance in my voice.

"Where were you before here?" He asked.

"With my parents. We'd had dinner." I said.

"Can they confirm that?" He asked.

"Yeah." I said, wrapping the blanket around me.

"Sir, I didn't do this. I just came here to try and make amends. I wouldn't do this." I said, panicking.

"It's just formality." He assured me.

"Was there anyone else who had a problem with him?" He asked.

"A few people yeah. He bullied a lot of kids in school. Me included, lately. He called me some horrible names, and I was coming here to talk it out, tell him to stop. Call a truce or something." I said, clammy and shaking.

"You have names?" He asked.

"It's a long list, sir." I said.

"Give me a place to start." He said.

"My friends." I said.

"Can you be more specific?" He asked.

"Uhm, I can.... But they wouldn't have done this either. They're at band rehearsal right now. My boyfriend is too." I said.

"We'll need to speak to them." He said.

"You're gonna come with me, show me where they're rehearsing." He added.

"Okay." I said, rising unsteadily to my feet.

I felt sick. I didn't want them to think I had named them to the cops; I didn't think any of them had done this, but I was scared it was gonna look that way.

I was terrified.

******************************************
Eddie's POV.

"Hey man, why are the cops here?" I asked, as we all stopped playing.

"How should I know?" Gareth asked.

"Eddie, is that Thomasin?" Jeff asked, and I turned to see her, and a police officer walking down the driveway.

She was covered in blood, and she looked traumatised. Her face was paper white, she was shaking and crying.

I didn't like this.

"What's going on?" I asked.

"Homicide, Maple drive. I need to know where you've been, from after school to now." He ordered.

"I helped my Uncle, then came here." I said.

"He can confirm that?" He asked.

"Yeah." I said, as he made notes on his pad.

"Thomasin?" I asked, taking a step towards her as the officer shook his head.

"Not right now." He said, sternly.

"I can't comfort her?" I asked, as he asked Jeff and the others for their alibi's.

"Criminal evidence. Not right now." He repeated, more sternly.

"Did any of you have a problem with Jacob?" He asked.

"He had an issue with all of us. We like rock music, we play D&D, we wear grungey clothes. He's never liked that or us." Jeff said.

"We had a fight at school. He was calling my girlfriends some disgusting names. But we walked away from it. It was done." I said.

"Some would consider that a motive." He said.

"Some would say you were accusing me of something." I said.

"There was a lot of people who had a problem with him. Eddie was just standing up for his girlfriend. They had abit of a scuffle, and then they left it. They walked away." Jeff said.

"If he'd been calling my girlfriend what he did, I'd have reacted the same way." Gareth interjected.

My eyes though, were firmly on Thomasin.

"He said.... He said it was ghost face." She said suddenly.

"What?" The officer asked.

"He said it was Ghost Face." She repeated.

"As in Woodsboro?" He asked.

"Yes." She said.

"I'll confirm your alibi's once I've taken her to the station for examination, and testing." He said, before guiding her away from us.

"Thomasin!" I called, distraught.

She didn't turn back around, instead she seemed to huddle into herself.

And it broke my heart.

***************************************
Alibi's were confirmed over the next two days, and plenty more kids were spoken to at school.

I hadn't been, I'd just heard along the grapevine.
I hadn't really been able to function, since it had happened, instead I was hiding away in my room, numb and exhausted.

The police were no closer to finding any leads, the only thing they had, was Jacob's last words to me.

They'd ruled me out as a suspect, and I'd made a statement, given them my clothes as evidence and they'd taken swabs off the blood on my hands, as well as inspecting me for defence wounds.

Jacob had tried to fight, and there were no wounds on my hands to suggest as much.

"Hey, sweetheart...."

I was sitting on my bed, my arms around my knees that were huddled to my chest, and I lifted my head to acknowledge him, as he stood in my doorway.

The moment I saw him, I broke down and he rushed over, clambering onto the bed, encasing me in his arms.

I'd missed him; I had, so much, even after just a few days. But I couldn't seem to shake off the shock and the numbness.

"I wanted to comfort you, I'm sorry.... He wouldn't let me." He said, sounding so sad and regretful.

"It's alright, Eddie." I said, my voice thick with tears.

"I came over yesterday, your mom said you were sleeping and not doing good." He said.

"I just can't get it out of my head." I said, my voice strangled with grief and trauma.

"I couldn't save him." I said.

"Why were you there?" He asked.

"To try and make amends. To clear the air." I said.

"I know I said I had a thing with my parents.... But I just wanted to clear the air. Stop him from being so hateful towards me." I continued, distraught.

"Oh baby girl....." He whispered, sighing sadly.

"I never thought I'd see that." I said, as he held me close.

"The cops.... They asked if anyone had problems with him. I didn't give your names directly.... I tried not to say anything.... Not that I think any of you did it. I just didn't want any of you to think I did." I said, as he wiped my tears with his thumbs.

"Hey, hey.... None of us thought that. My Uncle went to the station yesterday, that cop more or less accused me and my uncle wasn't happy with it. We know that's not what you think." He said, soothing me.

"I bet people think I did it, don't they?" I asked, as he sighed.

"No. They don't sweetheart. They've heard that you tried to save him. I've heard nothing but good things about you. But me... that's a slightly different story." He said.

"They think it was you?" I asked, horrified.

"It's not as bad as it sounds. Some people have tried to high five me, for it. Said I'm a hero." He said.

"Which is probably worse than being accused of it and being hated." He added.

"My god..." I said, unable to take it in.

"I've just ignored everyone." He said.

"He was an asshole. But whoever did this..... it's not right." I said, as he stroked my hair.

"What can I do for you?" He asked me.

"Can we go for a drive or something? I can't sleep." I said.

"Course baby." He answered, with a weak smile.

*******************************************
Eddie's POV.

We went for a drive, as she asked, and we stopped by a 7/11, for a couple of shakes.

We ended up driving to the edge of the wheat field again, and we climbed up onto my roof.

There wasn't much conversation, but there was a comfortable, mutual silence as we drank our shakes, and she came to rest her head in my lap.

I looked out at the sun as it set slowly in the sky, the cars driving pass decreasing by the hour, as I stroked her head softly, keeping her company, and comforting her.

She fell still after a while, and when I leaned down to check on her, she was sleeping soundly on my lap, and I shrugged out of my jacket carefully, before draping it over her.

I sat and quietly smoked a cigarette, wracked with a guilt I was sure would eventually eat me alive and whole, and it was chipping away at me.

She was deeply traumatised from the event, hadn't been sleeping, and was having horrific flashbacks of what had happened to Jacob.

In my heart, there was no grief or remorse for him; there was both though, for her.

How did I tell her that I was the worst person alive? How did I tell her that her view of me, her beautifully kind, accommodating view of me, was misplaced?

I didn't have the remorse that she did.

I was happy that Jacob was no longer here, terrorising anyone.

I needed her though, and I couldn't let her go.
I'd needed her for a long time, and she was mine now. She wanted me, something I'd craved for years. She'd seen me, she'd kissed me and slept with me, she'd touched every part of me, and it was too much to let go of.

I swallowed the internal guilt, pushing it down.
I stroked her head, still smoking a cigarette with my free hand, choosing to stand by what I'd said, for each of them.

Jason, Alyssa and Jacob were trash.
Trash that had been taken out in the only way that was fitting for each of them.

Maybe those other pricks still standing at school would now think twice before fucking with her.

Because, Ghost Face was clearly watching and listening, and ready to teach them the ultimate lesson if they did.

This was about her.
It had been from the start.

The worrying thing was, was that she was starting to see it.

She was understanding that now.

********************************************
Two Weeks Later.

"I've told you this already. They all bullied a lot of people." I said, impatiently.

"Thomasin, we strongly think that you're the centre of this. The killer has murdered three people that have directly, publicly, had a problem with you." The officer said.

"You think I'm getting this psycho to kill off anyone who bullies me?" I asked, horrified.

"No. We just strongly think they're looking out for you. They're doing this for you. Is there no one you can think of that would go as far as to do this for you?" He asked.

"No, of course not!" I cried.

"You've spoken to every person I know. There's no connection to any of them. I don't know who Ghost face is." I said, adamant.

"Thomasin, we believe you. But we also believe you're the key." He said.

"I didn't ask for this." I said.

"We know. But we think that the only way to draw him or her out, would be you." He said.

"Use me as bait?" I asked, appalled.

"Potentially." He said.

"We'd be on site." He added.

"Oh that's great, thank you." I said, sarcastically.

"You don't think it could be your boyfriend?" He asked me suddenly, which offended me above everything.

"No. Not at all." I said, shaking my head hurriedly.

"Can I go?" I asked, not wanting to entertain this anymore.

"You can." He said, gesturing to the door.

***********
"How many times are they gonna call you in? You didn't do anything." Jeff said.

"They think I'm part of this. That whoever the killer is, is looking out for me." I said.

"You said it too." I added, looking at Eddie.

"I did, but in all honesty, I was just surmising. It has looked that way." He said.

"You still said it." I answered.

"No, I did. But it wasn't fully serious." He said.

"It could be. The cops think it now." Jeff said.

"Exactly." I answered.

"Think about it. They all said some pretty mean shit to me, and now they're dead." I said, not wanting it to make any sense.

"They also said a lot of shit to a lot of other people." Eddie reasoned.

"There's a number of people here that could have done it. And not because of you." Jeff said.

"I don't know.... It's fucked up." I said, holding myself.

"Thomasin, it's gonna be okay." Eddie said, pulling me into his arms.

"Is it?" I asked.

"You have me." He urged.

"I know." I said, relenting, as he rubbed my back gently.

He kissed my temple softly, and rest his head against mine.

"No one's gonna hurt you, not while I'm around." He whispered.

And instead of putting my mind at rest, it sent a jarring shiver straight down my spine.

*******************************************
I was walking to my locker, consumed by Eddie's words, paranoid and suspicious, when loud shouting broke me from my thoughts.

I blinked rapidly, seeing Dustin Henderson pinned against my locker, by Tyler Newberry, Jacobs best friend.

"Get off him!" I cried, as Tyler gripped his shirt tighter.

"Hey, why don't you pick on someone your own size?!" I asked, lunging for him, trying to prise his hands off Dustin.

"Oh, like you, you mean? Fuck Thomasin, I pick on you and I'm dead." He snapped.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked, whilst still trying to prise him off.

"Let go of him! Let go of him now!" I cried.

A low blow, but an effective one, I dragged my nails across his hands and they quickly released Dustin, who slid down the front of my locker, gasping for breath.

I took the opportunity then to stand inbetween them, protecting Dustin, my face inches from Tyler's.

"You fucking bitch!" He snapped, hurt and annoyed, his hands red and bleeding.

"Why did you have to get involved huh?! Why you?" He roared.

"Why are you bullying a kid?" I counter asked, as he grabbed me then, shaking me.

"He'll come for me now won't he? Or maybe it's you. Maybe you've been doing this! They all had a problem with you, and now they're dead!" He said, through gritted teeth.

"Me?! I'm not doing this!" I cried, as he gripped my throat with one of his hands.

"Tell that to everyone when they find my body." He snarled, before spitting in my face.

He shoved me hard against the neighbouring locker, as I wiped his spit from my face, and someone I wasn't expecting, stepped in.

Billy Hargrove.

"Let her go, man." He said, calmly.

Tyler pushed me further against the locker, and Billy looked at me and then Tyler.

"I'm not the greatest with girls, but spitting in her face? Bad form." He warned.

"Why do you care?" Tyler growled.

"Because you just put a big red target on your back." Billy said.

"You hear what everyone's saying don't you?" Billy asked him.

"That it's her, or it's someone looking out for her." Tyler said, reluctantly.

"Ghost Face is watching, he's listening. Let her go." Billy said.

"You know something Tyler? I hope he comes for you. I really do." I said, struggling against him.

Shocked and disturbed, Tyler released me and looked at me with frantic, horrified eyes.

"If I find out who it is, might even ask him to." I spat, as he went to lunge for me again.

Billy stopped him, staring at me cautiously, caught off guard too, as he pushed Tyler away.

"Just figured you'd put yourself in the line of suspicion then, huh?" Billy asked me.

"I'm already there." I said, my chest heaving.

"You may have been. Look around you Thomasin, everyone has just heard you." He said, giving me a warning look.

"The cops ruled me out, everyone can think what they want." I hissed, before pushing past him.

"Come on Henderson." I said, beckoning him to follow.

He didn't hesitate.

"I'll walk you to class." I said, my voice softer.

"Thank you for defending me." He said, his voice small.

"No problem. You alright?" I asked.

"I'll be fine." He said, smiling weakly.

I gripped his shoulders, looking into his sad eyes and sighed softly.

"Never stop being the great kid I know you are. Okay?" I asked.

"Alright." He said, with a happier smile.

I smiled back, and curled my arm around ahi shoulders, pulling him to me.

"Come on." I said, invitingly.

*****************************************
"Okay, we need to talk."

"What about?" I asked.

"You threatened Tyler Newberry and he's dead two days later. There's no evidence placing you there, so if it's not you..... then we were right. The killer, is protecting you from anyone who crosses you. And you put Tyler Newberry right in the line of fire."

"He put himself there!" I cried.

"You know I could arrest you, right now?"

"Do it." I said.

"I can't." He said.

"Because you need me. You need me, to find whoever this is."

"Stop making threats. Ghost Face is taking you up on them."

"You sure you don't have any idea who this might be?" He asked.

The officer, Detective Boyd, folded his arms across his chest, clearly overworked and tired.

And I remembered something.
Something Eddie had said.

But it couldn't be him. It wouldn't be.

"Someone said something to me. But I don't want to say their name yet." I said.

"I need a name." Boyd said.

"I can't. Not right now." I said.

"Then how do we find who this is?" He asked.

"I become the bait, we set something up. Lure him out." I said.

"And I know just the person." I said.

************
"You're out of your mind." Billy said.

"This could mean we find out who this is." I said.

"You made one threat to Tyler, and he's dead." Billy said.

"I know what I did. I know what I said. I never should have said what I did, but I can't take it back." I argued, sadly.

"I go there with you, I end up dead too?" He asked.

"The cops will be there. You'd get out." I said.

"And you?" He asked.

"I'd need to stay. Once he knows I've set him up, I need to stay. Keep him there long enough." I said.

"You could die. He could turn on you." Billy said.

"He or she will turn on me, it's guaranteed." I said.

"You'd do that to find out who this is?" Billy asked.

"Yes." I said.

And after much thought, Billy turned to me and nodded.

"I know you want to stop whoever this is. I'll do it." He said, with certainty.

*************
"Okay, so Creel House. We'll be parked in two unmarked cars, hidden in the tree line, just outside of the grounds. You two will go in. And hopefully he takes the bait and follows." Boyd said.

"You have the stab vest on?" He asked Billy, who nodded and swallowed nervously.

"And you?" He asked me.

"This won't work if I have one. Whoever this is, needs to think this is real. Billy has motive to come after me, he was there when I threatened Tyler. This has to look as real as possible." I said.

Both Billy and Boyd had an issue with that, but they knew I was right.

******
"What are your plans for later?" Eddie asked, as I sighed softly.

"I need to head home soon. Dinner with my parents. They have something they want to talk to me about." I said.

All the while, hoping and praying that it wasn't him.

It wasn't my Eddie.

And whilst he stared into my eyes, I asked myself what I would do, how I'd feel if it was.

Devastated, was the answer.
Heartbroken.

"I'll see you tomorrow though, won't I?" He asked, as I nodded, planting a soft kiss on his lips.

"Of course." I whispered, when I pulled away.

********
Dustin's POV.

I'd been talking to Suzie over the radio, when we'd been interrupted by another channel crossing over.

"Dustin! Dustin are you there?!"

"Thomasin?" I called into my receiver.

She sounded scared, and it was making me scared.

"Billy... he grabbed me, pulled me into his car! On my way home!" She cried.

"What?! Where are you?! Is he still with you?!" I asked.

And when she answered me, she was suddenly whispering.

"Creel house. He's here. I'm hiding." She whispered.

"I found a radio here.... I tried to call Eddie, I tried to call the guys, they didn't answer." She continued.

"I need you to try and reach them for me." She added.

"I think they're rehearsing. I can head over there now." I said, rising clumsily from my computer chair.

"Dustin.... He said he was going to kill me." She said, sounding distraught.

"It's going to be okay.... Where's your phone now? Can you call the cops?" I asked.

"Oh god.... I can hear him. He's outside of the door." She whispered, sounding terrified.

"Okay, okay! I'm going now. I'll take my handheld radio, channel 78. Stay with me on there!" I cried, before I flew down my stairs and out of my front door.

***************
"Eddie! Eddie!" I cried, when I reached Gareth's house on ny bike.

"Woah Henderson, what's going on?" Eddie asked, visibly confused.

"Thomasin! She never made it home. Billy.... She said Billy snatched her in his car. Took her to Creel House." I said, panicked and breathless.

"What?!" Eddie asked.

"He said he was going to kill her." I said, watching the blood drain from everyone's face.

"Okay, we have to go there." Eddie said, without hesitation.

"You guys head over the police station, get Detective Boyd." Eddie said.

"And you?" I asked.

"I'm going to Creel House to get her." He said.

"What about Ghost Face?" I asked.

"He's right man, she's in danger, what if he's there? He could kill you too." Jeff said.

"I'm not a threat." I said.

"You think he'd care?" Jeff asked.

"We don't have time for this! Go!" Eddie cried, rushing to his van.

"Get Boyd!" He cried, as he reversed out of the driveway.

***********
Hoping I'd been successful, I sat next to Billy on the stairs, who looked visibly nervous; I was too.

For a number of reasons.

"I'm sorry I had to ask you to do this." I said.

"Come on, you're as curious as me. You wanna know who this is too. Who's been looking out for you this whole time. I had money on your loser boyfriend for a while, but I don't think he has the stones." Billy said, albeit a little playful.

"He's protective of you sure, does some petty drug dealing, but he isn't clever enough for something like this. Just a little muscle, that's all." He added.

"Has it crossed your mind?" He asked.

"No." I lied.

"He wouldn't do something like this." I added, hoping it was true.

Billy went to answer me, just as a figure walked past the stairs, and we both bolted upright.

"This is interesting." They said.

They were using a voice obstruction machine, obviously hidden within the ghost face mask.

And in their gloved hands, was a knife.

"This was to lure me out wasn't it?" They asked.

"It was, and it wasn't." Billy said, before hooking his arm around my neck, which took me by surprise.

I felt something cool and sharp dig into my throat, and I realised Billy too had a knife.

Was this part of the plan?
I didn't know. If it was, he hadn't told me.

"So you're the masked vigilante who keeps coming to her aid, huh?" Billy asked, his voice gruff, as he forced me to stand with him, on the stairs.

"She threatened Tyler and now he's dead. This all stops if she dies, right?" Billy continued.

"Does it?" They asked, slowly walking to the foot of the stairs.

"It has to. She wouldn't be alive to protect anymore." Billy said.

"Well then, I'd just set the world on fire, kill all of you." They said.

"Why is she so special?" Billy asked, as I struggled against him, genuinely scared now.

Billy sounded too desperate to be faking, which told me that he'd had plans of his own, when he'd agreed to do this.

He just hadn't told me about them.

Even though they were wearing a mask, it was clear to see that they were looking at me.

"No one will hurt her, not while I'm around." They said, as I felt that familiar jarring sensation, the shiver down my spine.

Please god.... No.

"Billy, you have to go." I said.

"I wanna know who this is." He said, unrelenting.

"The plan was for me to stay. Not you." I urged.

"You were in on this plan, Thomasin?" They asked, as I turned back to them.

They tutted and then laughed wickedly and it sent a wave of nausea through me.

"Okay then. I look out for you, and you turn on me." They said.

"It has to stop." I begged.

"Billy, you need to go." I said, as he pulled me to him.

"Remember, you just need to stall them long enough, Boyd's outside." He whispered, before shoving me down the stairs.

He took off in a run up the stairs, and I fell into Ghost Face. They caught me, gripping me tightly by my arms, and I lunged forward, plunging my teeth into their shoulder, one hand managing to grasp firmly on the mask.

They cried out, trying to make a grab for me, but I pulled backwards.

And as I did, I saw a flushed face staring back at me, as it all happened in slow motion.

I fell down onto the stairs, the Ghostface mask in my trembling hand, and I stared at him in horror, and betrayal.

"Tell me it's not true." I whispered, devastated.

"I can't do that....." He said, calmly, holding his bleeding shoulder, as he lay on the floor.

"I didn't want it to be you, it can't be you." I said, devastated.

"It is. It's always been me." He said.

"Are you going to kill me?" I asked, tears of shock and pain rolling down my face, my mouth agape and quivering.

"I would never hurt you. But you lured me here. This was all fake. Why?" He asked.

"To get you to stop." I urged.

"I will stop." He urged back.

"When no one ever tries to hurt you again." He added.

"As long as there's people, people will try. What then?" I asked.

"They'd have to die." He said, simply.

"That's not right! You can't do that!" I cried.

"So what now? I know it's you, and if I'm not okay with it, you kill me too?" I asked.

"I told you. I'd never hurt you." He implored.

"How can I believe anything you say?" I asked, feeling my heart begin to shatter.

"Because it's true. I would never hurt you. You can believe that. You did believe it." He said.

"You're a murderer Eddie. You're a killer.... Why?" I asked, shaking my head.

"Weren't you tired of the things they did, the things they said?" He asked, his voice raised.

"Yeah, but not enough to wish them dead. Not enough to kill them." I said, as though it was obvious.

"I'd never have done this." I added, refusing.

"You didn't. I did." He said, going to move.

"Don't move. You stay there!" I cried, terrified.

"You don't need to be afraid of me. I did this for you." He said.

"And I'm supposed to thank you?! I'm supposed to think that this is some grand romantic gesture? It's not romantic. It's disgusting! It's insane. You're insane!" I cried.

He clambered to his knees and his usual soft brown eyes suddenly grew black, as he shook with a newfound rage, through my clear lack of understanding and acceptance of this macabre display of what he believed to be love.

"Don't you get it Thomasin?! I'd kill anyone who hurt you, who ever said anything bad about you.... I did. I'd set the world on fire for you. Because I burn for you. I burn for you, and I'd go as far as to kill anyone, for you." He yelled back.

"Love is insanity! Love is terrifying. And it can be ugly, and disgusting. Love is all kinds of things. To me? It's always been about protecting you." He added, with emphasis.

"I've never needed your protection. I didn't need this from you. I've never needed something like this." I said, denying his words.

"You don't want me to love you?" He asked, suddenly as horrified as me.

I threw the mask down and it landed in front of him.

I rose to my feet, grabbed the knife that was discarded on the floor, and gripped it in my hands.

"No. I don't want it. I don't want you, and I don't want this." I said, as his eyes glazed over with tears.

"Thomasin, I did this for you. To show you what I'd do, to be with you." He said, as I slowly descended the stairs.

"I didn't ask you to do this. I never said that this would be what it takes to love me. I never set the bar that high or even to this level of insane. You did this. This was all you." I said, slowly approaching him with the knife extended towards him.

He rose to his own feet and outstretched his arms.

"You'll have to kill me. I won't stop so long as there anyone out there that tries to hurt you." He said, shaking his head.

In a sudden rage, I lunged towards him, a guttural scream leaving my lungs as he caught me in his arms, slapping the knife out of my hand, and he held me to him; I fought against him, punching him everywhere, his face, his chest, and he simply let me.

I was sobbing, I was screaming, I was punching, kicking, and he simply held me there and let me.

"I HATE YOU!" I yelled.

"I know...." He whispered, sounding bereft.

"I hate you.... I hate you.... I hate you for this..." I said, before collapsing in his arms.

My legs gave way from underneath me and he sank with me to the floor, settling on his knees as I cried into his shoulder.

"I know you hate me. But I still love you." He whispered, as I brought my face level with his, wanting to look him in the eyes.

I wanted him to look me in the eyes.

"Why?" I asked him, through gritted teeth.

"Why me?" I asked him.

"Because I burn for you. I always have." He said, truthfully.

"No...." I whispered, as he nodded.

"I do...." He whispered back, as I gripped the back of his neck with one hand and pressed my forehead against his, willing him to not be Ghostface.

As much as I hated him, as much as he'd broken my heart, I needed him, I ached for him with some weird kind of Stockholm syndrome variation.

Tears still rolling down my face, I pressed my lips on his and he willingly kissed me back, and with hurried, rushed, desperate hands, we pawed at each others clothes. He shuffled out of his jeans, and I hastily pulled my underwear down underneath my skirt; I whimpered as he hoisted me down onto him, before a loud gasp left my lips.

This was fucked up, this was insanity.
But I wanted it so much at the same time.

His hands grabbed my buttocks as I rolled my hips, slowly to start, kissing him deeply.

We were covered in blood, sweat, and it was warped, I knew that; but I loved him too.

And I needed him.

"Fuck...." I whined against his lips, as he thrust me to him over and over by my ass.

It was rough, hurried, hasty and emotions were running seriously high, and no matter how twisted this was right now, there was also love on both sides.

I could feel it there.

His gruff moans spurred me on, and his hands gripped a fistful of the ends of my blood soaked hair and he tugged, my neck snapping back forcefully, granting him access to kiss my collarbone and each of my breasts, my T-shirt bunched under my arms.

And then he suddenly released my hair, and when I bowed my head to stare down at him, he nuzzled his nose against mine, catching my lips with his.

He moved and rolled me underneath him, laying me down on the floor where he made love to me.

And as we climaxed together, his eyes changed to the usual, familiar soft brown and a sad crease formed in his brow.

"I know you're saying goodbye to me Thomasin." He whispered, suddenly, as I avoided his gaze, fresh tears rolling down my face.

"What I've done.... What I did for you.... It's ruined any chance I had with you, hasn't it?" He continued.

"I can't be with you." I said, sadly.

Lights suddenly shone through the window, red and blue and he clambered off me, almost frantic.

But he was heartbroken too.

"You called them......" He said, his turn to sound betrayed, as I slowly rose to my feet, pulling my underwear back up subtly.

"They've been here this whole time." I whispered, heartbroken.

"You should have just asked me out, normally." I added, the lights dancing off my crying face.

"You'd let them take me?" He asked, horrified.

"What else can I do?" I asked, heartbroken.

"Come with me." He said, as I shook my head.

"I'm not good for you, Eddie." I said.

"You are. You're perfect for me." He argued.

"Look at what you've done ! You said you did this for me! I'm not good for you." I said, exasperated.

"And you're not good for me." I added, before trying to prevent him from leaving.

We grappled together and we landed in a heap on the floor, hands fighting for the discarded knife, until he overpowered me, grabbed a fistful of my T-shirt, pulling me up to him roughly, before slamming me back down hard onto the floor.

I cried out, and he slashed my neck, before standing over me, as I shrieked in pain.

"You were everything...to me." He said, through gritted teeth and crying eyes.

He brandished the knife down at me, distraught as we heard the cops shouting outside.

"And this is what you do to me, huh!? Hand me in?" He asked, unable to comprehend.

"Eddie, I did this because I love you. It has to stop...." I said.

"When you next see me again..... you won't expect it. And I just might kill you when you do." He hissed.

And as the cops burst in, I rolled over onto my front, tired, distraught, traumatised, and left with a chilling threat from the guy who did all of this for me.

For me. And for love.

And I met him halfway with that promise.
He wanted to find me, possibly kill me?

I'd let him find me. I'd let him try.

***********
"So tell me something again, you said you were thought that it was possibly him. Something he'd said to you, but when you pulled the mask off his face, it wasn't the Munson boy?" Boyd asked, exasperated and tired.

We all were.

"No detective, it wasn't him." I said.

"Who was it?"

"I told you, I've never seen him before. But it wasn't who I thought it was. It wasn't Eddie." I said.

"What happened in the house?"

"I told you. Billy played his part, and the killer fell for the bait. When he realised I was a part of the plan, he attacked me. When you showed up, he threatened to kill me. I tried to stop him from leaving, but he got away." I said.

"Its real suspicious that we can't find Munson now. He ran."

"He would do. I said it was possibly him, and I got it totally wrong. If it was me, I'd run too." I said.

"Thomasin, what are you up to?"

"I'm not about to see an innocent guy go down for this, because I got it wrong. There's no evidence of who's done this. And I won't testify." I said.

"You're not worried at all that he might come back for you?"

"Which one?" I asked.

"Either. Both."

"I'll be ready." I said, simply.

***********
One Year Later.

One Year Anniversary of the Hawkins Killings.

He had to know I'd be expecting him, on today of all days.

It was too obvious not to happen.

And when he did finally show up, I was already waiting.

He stepped into my bedroom, the light from the gap in the curtains illuminating his face, as I stared back at him.

"And so here it is, our final night alive." He said, brandishing a knife.

"It is?" I asked calmly, in the dark.

"Although it is one year to the day, I suppose. Fitting really." I added.

"And as the earth burns to the ground, girl it's you." He continued.

"That I lie with, as the atom bomb locks in. Oh god, it's you.... I watch TV with. As the world caves in." He added.

"Matt Maltese. Nice choice." I said.

"Or at least that's how I used to feel." He said.

"Well, that took a dark turn, pretty quickly." I noted, before turning the lamp on, flooding light into the room, as he stepped towards me.

Flooding light on the crib directly next to me.
Flooding light on the sleeping baby in the crib.

And he stopped dead in his tracks.

"Still want to kill me?" I asked, with a steely tone.

"Render your daughter, motherless?" I added.

"That's my baby?" He asked.

"She's ours." I corrected.

"What's her name?" He asked.

"Effie. Effie Delilah Munson." I said.

"Thank god, I didn't have a son." I continued, a little harshly.

He lowered the knife, awestruck and overwhelmed, as he tried to steal a glance at her.

Temporarily, I blocked his view and he implored me with his eyes.

"Please." He begged.

"You're not afraid of me, anymore." He whispered.

"I've never been afraid of you." I answered.

"You knew I was coming." He surmised.

"I did." I answered.

"I could never hurt you." He said, his tone regretful as he bowed his head.

"But you did." I answered, as he nodded.

"Mentally I did." He said, in agreement.

"And physically. You slashed me..... but I'm not about to argue about that anymore. I think we both hurt each other, in some shape or form." I said.

"No, this was on me. All of it." He said, sadly.

"The cops.... They stopped looking for me." He added.

"I didn't see you that night.... So why would they keep looking for you?" I asked.

"What?" He asked, with some confusion.

"You weren't there. I didn't recognise the man that attacked me. So why would they continue looking for you?" I asked, slower and clearer.

"You were handing me in." He argued.

"Yet when it came to it, I told them it wasn't you. Told them I'd gotten it wrong. There was no evidence that it was you, and no one ever cared enough to notice what you did with your time, so it was easy for you to do the things you did. No one cared where you went, what you did, so that's why no one ever saw you." I said, calmly.

"Why would you do that for me?" He asked.

"To remind you that some of us, are still good inside. There's good kids that went to that school. But to also remind you that wherever there is a good kid, there's always a bully. It's called balance, Eddie. Nature, circle of life. There's always a predator, and there's always prey." I said.

"She's half me, and she's half you." I added, as he nervously took another step forward, closer to where I'd moved to guard the crib; to guard our daughter.

"I'd never hurt her, Thomasin." He whispered, his eyes glassy.

I stepped aside eventually, to let him peer in and as his eyes fell on our sleeping daughter, it was as though his dormant heart began to beat again, with good things, with good feelings.

I watched him fall in love with her, in seconds.
Before my very eyes.

A shaky hand reached in, fingers eager to touch her, and I watched him, letting him know she wasn't out of my sight, and neither was he.

"You said you'd never hurt me." I whispered.

"I lost sight of everything, through the obsession I had for you. You were my world suddenly, and nothing else mattered. I still burn for you, just in a different way. I don't want to do those things anymore. I just want you." He whispered, his hand gently stroking the crown of her sleeping head as he met my eyes.

"And her." He added, peering back down at her, a smile creeping across his lips.

"She's beautiful." He whispered, sniffing back tears. Some rolled down his face, as the joy and love came out of him in a breathy, nervous laugh.

"There was good in you. Otherwise she wouldn't be here." I said.

"You're so grown up." He remarked, as I chuckled in mild sarcasm.

He hadn't intended it to be patronising.
I knew that, but finding out I had been pregnant with his child, growing his child and eventually coming to birth his child, there had been a lot of growing up to do, in a short time.

Including, finding somewhere to live with my young baby.

I'd worked myself into the ground for the past year, but I'd done it.

And I'd done it for her.

In a way, I'd done it for Eddie too.
To show him that he had never needed to set the world on fire for me, and he hadn't needed to kill anyone for me.

To show him, that I could handle and support myself, by myself.

"I'm a mother now, Eddie. It was required. And in a lot of ways, I wanted to." I said.

"I know, that my feelings for you were obsessive, insane and unhealthy. And I should be in a jail cell, doing my time. I'm not, because you didn't tell them it was me. I know you don't trust me, and I know that I came here thinking I could do this.... I know I came here thinking I wanted revenge. But I could never do that to you. I know I'd never hurt you again. I know that I need help. I do need help. I'm not mentally well, and I haven't been for a very long time. I thought that what I did, was the answer, was the ultimate romantic gesture. I wanted us to be like Bonnie and Clyde, villains together..... but you're too pure for something like that. I misjudged you. I thought you'd have been happy to know that I was so in love with you, that I'd go as far as to kill for you. I wanted to show you that there was nothing I wouldn't do for you, including committing the ultimate sin several times." He said, as I gripped the side of my daughters cot.

I knew that his very presence should have scared me, repulsed me, I knew that any normal person would have turned him in in the first instance, or they'd have called the cops now, but nothing in me was prompting me to do or feel any of those things.

Because I could see the good.
I could see the vastly troubled, I could see the mentally unwell, I could see the insanity, but I could see the good, the love, the care, the pleading in his eyes, and I could see the want to change.

"And you showed me that. I saw the worst of you that night. But you also gave me something so good." I said, peering down at Effie.

"You gave me her." I added.

"Please let me show you, Thomasin." He begged.

"I want you to get the help that you need. It's going to take years. I'm asking you to get that help, do what you need to do. Not for me. For her." I urged, giving him the one reason he needed.

The one reason and person he should do it for.

"Until the day I know you love me in a healthy, normal way, I can't be with you. There will never be an us, until you find that." I continued.

"And you won't be in her life." I said.

My terms were out there, in the universe now.

"I'll do whatever it takes." He said.

"The world is better off without bullies like Jason, Alyssa, Jacob and Tyler. But that wasn't your right to take them away. You didn't get that choice or that right. And until you understand and accept what you did, and how wrong that was, there is no us, and you'll never be in her life as her father. I'll protect her from you, to the point where you'll have to kill me, to get to her." I warned.

"I'll do it. I promise I will." He urged.

****************
Five Years Later.

"Motherhood suits you. How are you?" Jeff asked, as we stood watching Eddie and Effie in the park.

"Thank you. She sure keeps me on my toes. Feisty little thing." I said, as we both laughed.

"Wonder who she gets that from?" Jeff asked.

Jeff seemed to know that there was something that had happened between Eddie and I; I suspected a part of him knew it was potentially bad or sinister and if so, he'd have been very right.

But he'd never pressed either of us for the details, just occasionally wondered curiously and silently, why the seemingly perfect couple, weren't a couple.

Eddie turned to us, and for a moment he simply stared at me; a stare I returned.

"God, he looks at you like he'd literally take the world down for you, set it on fire. Kill for you." Jeff said, as I swallowed hard, finally accepting it.

Finally accepting that six years ago, Eddie had tried to do just that.

Accepting that he would.
Because he did.

He'd admitted himself to a mental hospital for five long years, had done the intensive therapy, had gone to various group meetings, talked in-depth about his mental health, his unsavoury and unhealthy, dark desires; whilst he'd never admitted that he'd acted on them, he chose to instead say he'd considered doing them, out of love and obsession for me. Saying he had considered them had been enough, and the relevant individuals had worked intensively with him, and had straightened him out.

Jeff believed it was rehab, and intensive at that.
Which was plausible and the lie had sat well over the years. Only Eddie and I knew the true reason why. And that was how it would remain.

It had taken five years for him to prove to me that he was stable, to prove that those unhinged desires would never resurface.

It had been enough for him to earn supervised visitation with his daughter, in the appropriate environment and under my keen, watchful eye, and one of his friends, but as much as I trusted those desires were dormant to the point of almost having disappeared, as much as I still loved him and he loved me, I'd realised after some time that he'd made it impossible for us to be together, in this world.

He'd never get the right to see her alone, there'd never be sleepovers or days out, but he'd accepted that and was taking what he could get, quite admirably.

I felt that I couldn't trust him with my heart again, because it was too dangerous. Giving him my heart in the first place, had caused him to do what he'd done.

And I'd never trust him with my daughters.

His friends didn't know any of this.
And they never would.

Was this a happy ending for us?
I couldn't say. I didn't really know.

"He's always been intense. But that's just who he is." I answered eventually, as Jeff chuckled softly.

"You love him though don't you?" He asked.

"Irrevocably, I do, yeah." I answered.

"Why aren't you together then?" Jeff asked, bewildered.

Finally asking the million dollar question that I knew had burned a hole in his tongue for the last five years.

"We're just not good for each other. The good we had, is in that kid. Everything else? We just don't fit." I said, pointing to Effie, happily going down the slide, as Eddie clapped and laughed with her.

"Why do I sense there's more?" He asked.

"Oh there is. But that will always stay between Eddie and I." I answered.

"I understand." Jeff said.

"Some would ignore that, but you two have accepted it, and still co parent. I understand too why it's supervised. I know why I'm here." Jeff said.

"Oh you do?" I asked, certain he didn't.

"To ensure he's clean, sober.... Doing what he needs to. He gets it. He takes this because he's grateful he still has the chance to see his daughter." Jeff explained.

"I didn't realise at the time that he had such a problem. But the signs were there. We were kids weren't we? You don't really take that shit seriously." He added.

"He's better, I know that. But it has to be that way." I said.

"You're right to." Jeff answered, in agreement.

"It's almost time to wrap it up, I'll make my way to the car. See you next week." He added, as we embraced.

"See you. And thank you for this." I said.

"Anytime." Jeff said, before giving me a small wave.

I watched him leave, and Eddie slowly made his way over to me, looking pensive, and a little saddened.

"If I could just turn back time...." He started to say.

"You can't." I answered, not seeing the point in thinking about impossible things.

Which he understood immediately, as he averted his eyes to his feet.

"She called me daddy today." He said, trying to stifle his elation.

"You can be happy about that. You are her daddy." I said.

"You don't have to hide your happiness from me. Definitely not me." I added.

"Do I deserve it?" He asked.

"Most would say no. But I'm not most." I said.

"No, you're not." He said, in agreement.

"I need you to do something for me." I said, suddenly.

"Anything." He said.

"Promise me, that you'll never love anyone else." I said.

"Done." He answered, without hesitation.

"Let me finish." I said, gently.

"Promise me, that you will never love anyone else. Keep me in your heart. Eddie, love makes you do awful things, terrible things..... love makes you do insane things.... And I don't think anyone else will ever understand that, like I do. I think that the safest way for you to live your life, would be to only ever love me." I said.

"I'll never love anyone else either. I'll keep you in my heart, so that you'll never need to find love anywhere else. We'll never be together, but we can love each other from afar, keep each others heart safe. I'll love you from a distance, I'll always be here for you, I'll care for you, I'll be your best friend. I understand you.... I always will." I continued.

He reached for my hand and I let him take it, feeling him grip it tightly in response.

"You've done enough for me. I'll promise to love you, I'll never love anyone else. But there's someone good out there for you, and I want you to live your life, fall in love with a great man, have more kids, have a big house with an insultingly large garden..... I know I could never give you that, because love doesn't work for me like it does for other people. I'd want you to find love again. Don't settle for me." He said.

And as chivalrous as it was, I could hear the pain in his voice.

"Don't close yourself off and be lonely for the rest of your life, because you're waiting for me to relapse. You'll live your life looking over your shoulder and I don't think I could ever want that for you." He continued.

"Then perhaps I could propose something else." I said.

"Take my proposal." He insisted.

"You don't know what the other proposal is." I argued.

"I don't need to know." He said, adamant.

"I'll tell you anyway." I said, just as adamant.

"Alright, what is it?" He asked, relenting.

"We be together." I said.

"With conditions." I added, as his eyes widened.

"Which are?" He asked.

"We're together, but never around Effie. One weekend a month, we can be together. She'll never see us together, no one will. We still meet like this, supervised, so you can spend time with her. But you'll never be alone with her. I can trust you enough to be alone with you, but I'll never trust you around her. Ever. One weekend a month, for the rest of our lives. That way, you'll never need to love anyone else, I'll never need to look for anyone else, and the demons that you have, stay down." I proposed.

"Because I'll make sure of it." I added.

"You'd throw your life away like that, for me? No, I don't think so." Eddie said, flat refusing.

"I would! Whether you'd want me to or not. I love you, even after everything, I love you. I can't stop it, and trust me I've tried. I've had some kind of moral crisis for years. Because with every fibre of my being, I should be terrified of you, I should hate you. But no matter what I've done, or tried, I can't be. I just can't. It conflicts me every single day. But I made the choice not to turn you in, and I made that choice because I loved you then, and I love you now. Everything you did, was because you wanted me. Because of how much you wanted me. So I'm offering myself to you. I'm saying that I'll give you what you want, if it means that you never did anything like that again." I said.

"You think I'd do it again?" He asked.

"Because I wouldn't." He added.

"You have one weekend a month to keep proving that to me. The choice is yours." I said, with resolve.

The risk of him falling in love with someone else, becoming obsessed like he did with me, or becoming jealous of the person I potentially eventually met and fell for, was too high, to chance it.

I could either love him from a distance, or love him close.

And I was now choosing to love him close, because I did love him, and above everything, I understood him.

There was an element of fear too, that no one else would ever understand him like I did, but the love I had for him despite everything, outweighed that greatly.

"You know my choice, Thomasin." He said, quietly.

I was equipped to do this.

"Say it." I said, calmly.

"One weekend a month. I'll take it." He answered, with certainty.

*********************************************
Eddie's POV.

Effie had given me so much purpose, but a weekend a month had intensified that purpose even more.

This was our third weekend together, and so far nothing intimate had happened. Thomasin was effectively giving up her chance to meet someone new, to be with me, and I understood fully why she'd made that choice.

She also loved me enough to, fortunately.
And fortunately for me, too.

We always met outside of Hawkins, and Thomasin's parents were happy with the arrangement that Thomasin as a single parent, was just asking for one weekend a month, to do her own thing. They were all for it, which worked well in my favour above all.

Tonight, we'd had a rather competitive game of D&D, which had stirred a range of emotions.

Determination, frustration, happiness, anger and laughter.

And as she slammed her journal shut, she stared at me from across the hotel room table, her chest heaving slightly from her defeat, I leaned forward, staring at her with intense eyes.

"You play a mean game, you know that?" I asked her.

"I lost." She said, not convinced.

"By two points. I won by the skin of my teeth." I argued, as she rolled her eyes.

She rose from the table, stretching slightly, reaching for her wine glass.

She brought the glass to her lips, taking a hearty swig, her eyes on the view outside of the window, not noticing me fall at my knees in front of her, my hands coming to hold her hips, as I kissed her stomach through the oversized shirt she was wearing.

At first, she tensed, a little surprised but as my hands ran up her stomach and back down again, I heard a soft moan leave her lips and into her wine glass as she took another sip.

The glass came to fall at her side, loose in her trembling hand, and I took the liberty of gently taking it from her, setting it down on the floor.

It had been six years, since we'd touched each other. Six years since we'd kissed each other.

I was nervous, but I knew I wanted to touch her again, kiss her.

And as she sank down onto her own knees, her eyes glittering with desire and anticipation, I knew she wanted the same.

Much like it was six years ago, she slid gently onto my lap, unbuttoning her shirt.

It fell open, revealing her naked chest, and it slid down off one of her shoulders, sending a shiver down my spine. I reached up to grip the side of her face and brought it close to mine, our lips a breath away.

I stared into her eyes for a moment, one of her hands gripping my shoulder, as I swallowed hard, wanting to make her a promise she'd never forget.

"You can trust me with your heart, Thomasin. You can trust me with Effie's heart. You're my girls. You always will be." I whispered, as her bottom lip trembled slightly.

"I'm not that version of myself anymore." I added, as her eyes grew glassy.

"Promise me." She urged, her voice husky with sadness.

"I promise you." I whispered.

"I understand why she needs to be at arms length from me, and I'll take it. I'll take whatever you can afford to give me. But you can give me your heart.... you can baby....." I added in a further whisper.

And on that notion, she crushed her lips to mine, and I felt her tears press on the skin of my cheeks, as I pulled her to me, desperately.

I hoisted her further into my arms and carefully rose to my feet, our lips still joined as I blindly walked us to the bed, settling us both down on it.

I moved my lips from hers, to her beautifully pert chest peeking out of her shirt, planting deep kisses on the small valley in between each breast, my hands gripping her petite waist.

"I know this is fucked up, but no one but us needs to know." I whispered into her skin.

And as I drew level with her face, she stared up into my eyes, and nodded.

"No one but us." She whispered.

"You can forgive yourself for loving me." I whispered back, tugging her leggings and underwear down her legs, tossing both behind me.

I manoeuvred my way into her slender legs as they parted, and I lowered my head, planting a kiss on her centre, feeling her body arch underneath my lips.

I remained there, tongue working against her and I relished the moans that left her lips, her body answering me in the most delicious way.

She was mine; I knew she was.

I gripped her hips, encouraging her roll them against my mouth; I wanted her to grind herself all over me.

Her moans intensified in both pitch and volume, and when I felt her legs begin to tremble, I knew that she was close. Six years had passed, without any man's touch; I was aware that it wouldn't take long.

I was conscious of that myself.
And as her body flew upright, a strangled cry leaving her lips, I leaned upwards to meet her, crushing my lips against her as I immediately lay her back down on the bed, pushing my length into her, not wanting to waste a single second.

She took me so well, as she had done every single time six years ago, and I arched over her, gently grinding against her, her hands weaving into my hair, our moans mixing together.

A sound I felt I could hear on repeat, forever.

Her hands travelled everywhere, and with one hand I propped myself up, the other curled gently around her neck, holding in her place underneath me.

"I've missed you so much. I love you." I whispered, my voice shaky.

"I love you..." She whispered back, just as shaky.

It was all I needed to hear.

A short while later, I collapsed against her, and we lay together in the first comfortable silence in a long time.

She was facing me, and we toyed with each others hands, as she sighed softly.

She looked into my eyes, and I nodded, understanding.

"No one but us." I confirmed.

THE END.

**********************************************
Authors note. ❤️

Okay, the moral crisis I had with this, was ridiculous.

As a mother, and as someone who believes in love, even the ugly parts, I really tried to envision an ending where it was right for them to be together.

Because in reality, I know I'd never see the sucker again. I'd have turned him in - sorry ladies! 🤣

But in a way, she resigned herself to be with him, out of love, but also out of duty to him and everyone's safety around her.

And she was willing to put herself around him, but she was never going to do the same with their daughter.

But, if he was with her, he'd never hurt anyone again.

This was hard to write, because really, I've never written Eddie as the worst person on the planet before, even if he did what he did out of love, obsession & an alarming loyalty for her.

It was hard.

And they almost didn't get a happy ending.

And really, is it a happy ending?

That, is entirely open to your interpretation, and solely up to you to decide. 🩷