SWEET CREATURE//steve harrington

SIXTEEN

VIVIAN WASN'T ENTIRELY SURE HOW MAX ENDED UP IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT, SKIPPING THEM DOWN THE ROAD AT FIFTY MILES AN HOUR. Maybe it had to do with the fact that Vivian was the only one remotely big enough to lug Steve's unconscious body out of the house and into the backseat. Even then, she had to recruit Dustin and Lucas for help with his legs. 

He was a wreck. His lip was busted, he had the blackest eye she'd ever seen, blood was crusted on his head from where the plate hit him, and his knuckles were swollen and bloody. He'd only woken up once, when they were carrying him out to the car, but he was hardly sentient. "Vivian," he'd murmured, the words barely making it past his bruised lips. "What?" Vivian had panted, out of breath from holding his weight. "Vivian," he whined, clearer, and her heart broke inside her chest. "I'm right here, Steve," she'd assured him, sliding into the car and holding his head in her lap. "I'm here."

Max swerved around a pothole, making Vivian screw her eyes shut. She wasn't in the best shape either, her head was throbbing, and Max's driving wasn't particularly helping, but as the only responsive chaperone, her discomfort would have to wait. Max neglected a speed bump, hitting it with a thud and catching what felt like two feet of air, and Vivian's stomach lurched. "Max, be careful," she pleaded. "He already has enough brain damage." 

Steve's head shifted in her lap, and his good eye slowly blinked open. He frowned in confusion. "W-what is happening?" he muttered, and Vivian stroked his hair and shushed him. "It's okay. It's all gonna be okay," she crooned. Dustin patted Steve's leg. "Yeah," he sighed. "He kicked your ass, but you put up a good fight." Vivian swatted his arm. "Henderson! Not helping!" Dustin rubbed his arm where she'd hit him. "Alright, jeez. You know, I'm getting sick and tired of you hitting me all the time." "Then quit saying stuff that makes me want to."

Steve tried to sit up, but Vivian urged him back down. "No, Steve. Be still." "What's happening?" he said, sounding more alert. Alert as he could be, anyhow. His head lulled to his other side, where Mike was sitting with a can of gasoline in his lap. "What the-?" He tried to reach up and touch his head, but Dustin guided his hand away. "No, no, don't touch it."

"Okay, you're gonna keep straight for a half a mile," Lucas directed from the passenger seat. "Then make a left on Mount Sinai." Steve opened his eyes wider, his gaze switching from Max to Lucas and back again. "Oh, my God," he muttered, realizing Max really was driving. "Oh, my God!" Vivian tried to soothe him. "Hey, hey, it's okay," she said. "Relax," Dustin sighed. "She's driven before." "Yeah, in a parking lot," Mike piped in, making Vivian wince. She didn't know that beforehand. "That counts," Lucas argued. 

"Vivian," Steve said. "Yes, I'm here," she replied, moving his hair of his forehead. "What's going on?" he asked. "Okay, don't be mad, but--" she started. "Oh, Jesus Christ!" Steve cried as they hit another bump. "But you were preoccupied with being unconscious, and I wasn't gonna wait around for Billy to wake up and get a second wind. I had to make an executive decision. So, yes, Max is driving, but she said she'd driven before--" "Oh, my God!" Steve yelled as Max accelerated quickly, the engine revving. "Stop the car. Slow down," Steve commanded. "Vivian, do something!" 

"I told you he'd freak out," Mike complained to Dustin. "Stop the car!" Steve pleaded, and Vivian yelled, "How much longer, Lucas?" "Everybody shut up!" Max shouted. "I'm trying to focus!" "Wait," Lucas said. "That's Mount Sinai. Make a left. Left!" Max swerved, taking out a mailbox and making them all scream. Vivian felt waves of guilt washing over her; she really hadn't thought this through. The tires squealed, and Steve grabbed Vivian's hand, scrunching his eyes shut.

Finally, they screeched to stop in the middle of an open, foggy field. The kids jumped into action, falling out of the crowded car like dominoes. Steve stumbled out and crouched on all fours in the grass, trying to get his bearings. Vivian stood next to him, nervously brushing herself off. He rose, his face screwed up into a frown. "Viv, why in the hell--" "I know," she interrupted. "I know what you're gonna say." He stared at the ground. "But I wasn't gonna leave you. And the kids were gonna come anyway."