Unchained Melody

Chapter 1

"Eddie, Eddie, stay with me. You're gonna be okay." Steve gently patted Eddie's cheek with his hand.

"I don't think so, man." Eddie huffed, lungs hurting.

Steve, Nancy, and Robin had gotten back to the trailer park in the Upside Down to find Dustin holding Eddie in his arms unconscious. Eddie came to when they started to move him into the trailer. Steve was trying to keep him awake and alive.

Once inside the trailer, Steve grabbed a sheet from Eddie's room and wrapped it tightly around the long haired man's waist to try and slow the bleeding.

Meanwhile, Robin, Dustin, and Nancy were back in Hawkins all trying to get a ladder into the Upside Down. It was the only way Eddie would be able to get out, he couldn't rope climb with his injuries, he could barely walk. There wasn't time to find another gate to use.

"Uh uh, stay awake." Steve held Eddie's face in his hands, tears forming in his eyes.

Eddie blinked slowly, feeling his blood leaving his body. "You have to go." Eddie sobbed.

Steve shook his head. "I'm not leaving you here to die."

Eddie reached up to put a hand on Steve's shoulder. "Gonna need the hospital. That'll mean cops finding out about me."

"Okay, fuck the cops. They arrest you and then what? A trial where they have no actual evidence that you killed Chrissy."

Eddie snorted. "Plenty of circumstantial, though." He closed his eyes.

Steve tapped Eddie's face again, shaking his head a little. "Come on. I hear them."

Sure enough, Robin had spotted a ladder in the trailer park. They'd gotten it into the trailer. "Steve! We got it! Come on!" Nancy called through the gate.

Steve stood on the mattress below the gate, reaching up as the ladder came through. He pulled it down and slid the mattress out of the way with his feet. He opened the ladder and set it up, it was just tall enough to reach the gate.

"Come on." Steve walked over to find Eddie asleep once more. He shook the man awake and helped him to his feet.

"I don't- I don't know if I can do this." Eddie cried.

"We're getting you out of here one way or another." Steve felt tears prick at his eyes once more.

Steve walked them over to the ladder and helped Eddie move each leg. One step at a time.

Eddie gripped the sheet as he made his way to the top of the ladder. He fell through the gate and onto the mattress with a thud. "Fuck!" Eddie cursed as he fell onto his side.

Robin and Nancy helped move him off the mattress as Dustin looked up, beckoning Steve with his hands.

Steve climbed up the ladder and gripped the sheet, slipping through the gate and back into Hawkins.

Eddie was curled up on the floor, arms wrapped around his waist.

"We have to take him to the ER." Steve got up.

"No." Eddie whispered just loud enough for them to hear.

"Please." Dustin walked over to Eddie and knelt down. "Please, Eddie. We'll figure it all out. But we can't do that if you don't live." A tear ran down his face.

Eddie looked at Dustin. He at least had to live for Dustin if not for himself.

"Fine." Eddie nodded.

It was a long ride to the hospital. Not literally, but Eddie felt like he may have been bleeding out in Steve's BMW for hours.

Steve and Dustin were the ones to take Eddie to the hospital while Nancy and Robin went to check on Lucas, Erica, and Max.

The stares were quick. Not only had they just brought in someone nearly bled out, but they'd brought Hawkins' most wanted.

"Is that Eddie Munson?" There were whispers in the lobby as the three walked inside.

"Help! We need help!" Dustin yelled, looking around for the nearest doctor or nurse.

Soon, someone came with a wheelchair and Steve and Dustin helped Eddie into it.

"What happened?" The nurse asked.

"Uh-" Steve looked to Dustin.

"Bats. He was attacked by bats." Dustin blurted out.

The nurse looked confused but decided not to ask any more questions for the time being. She wheeled Eddie off to the operation wing for stitches and to check for internal bleeding and such.

"Is he gonna be okay?" Dustin had tears in his eyes as he looked at Steve.

Steve pulled the boy into a hug. "He's gonna be fine, Dust." He rubbed Dustin's back.

Dustin sobbed into Steve's chest for a couple minutes and Steve continued to hold him. Steve felt responsible for Dustin. Almost like a father figure. Or a mom, as the kids liked to joke.

Steve and Dustin sat in the emergency room, only ten minutes passed when in walked Nancy, Robin, Lucas, and Erica. They had followed Max inside being pushed on a gurney.

Steve and Dustin shot out of their seats, running over as two men rushed Max off to the OR.

"What happened?" Dustin asked the group.

Lucas was hysterical. "V- Vecna." He choked out between sobs.

"She said she can't see or feel anything." Nancy spoke gravely. "Every limb is broken."

There was a long pause.

"Did Eddie make it alive?" Robin looked at Steve and Dustin as she spoke.

They both nodded.

The group sighed a breath of relief before heading to the waiting room. It was going to be a long night.

*****

After a lengthy two hours, they finally got word on Eddie and Max. Eddie was stitched up, getting a blood transfusion, and asleep on painkillers.

Max's bones had been set but there was no response from her eyes. She was also asleep on painkillers.

Robin, Nancy, and Steve went to check on Eddie first. Dustin, Lucas, and Erica went to see Max.

Steve entered the room first. Robin and Nancy close behind.

Eddie laid there peacefully, looking like a beautiful wreck. One that Steve couldn't look away from.

Eddie's eyes were nearly swollen shut, blood had stained his cheek. Steve licked his thumb and stepped forward, wiping at the stain to no avail.

Robin and Nancy looked at each other briefly, then back at Steve and Eddie.

Steve pulled up one of the chairs from the end of the bed to sit at Eddie's side. He looked at the women standing in the doorway. "If you guys wanna go get some sleep and food and showers... I can take first shift. I think someone should be here when he wakes up." Steve explained.

Robin and Nancy smiled. "Thanks." They each said.

"Night." Steve waved as they walked out.

He looked around for a minute, then up at Eddie. His heart hurt for the man. Steve had been close to dying before and it was not a feeling he wanted to ever experience again.

He got up, grabbing the tv remote and flipping through stations. There was an episode of The Golden Girls on. He decided to watch that while he waited for Eddie to wake.