After All This Time (Steddie)

Ch. 22: Hot

A/N; Okay look I can explain...

TW; hospitals, mentions of blood, trauma

Beep... Beep... Beep...

I open my eyes, the room is very bright and I am disoriented. Where the fuck... am I? My head is aching, my body hurts. The familiar feeling of broken ribs burns. "Sir... Sir can you hear me?" I hear a unfamiliar voice. "Where.. where am I?"

"Hawkins General." I get my eyes to focus, it's a nurse. "Shit... I must have blacked out..."

"You did, Mister Harrington. You're lucky the police showed up when they did. You could have gotten killed."

"Where's Eddie?"

"Mister Harrington I'm going to need you to-"

"I said, where is Eddie Munson?!"

"He's in the next room over. Can I take your vitals now please?"

"I need to see him."

"Sir I need you to calm down you're in very bad shape we need to keep you laying-"I stand up ripping the monitor wires off of my arms and chest. I wince at the pain that burns from my broken ribs and try to catch my breath. "Mister Harrington please don't we just need-"

"I'm going to see him. You can do what ever you need to do to me after I see him."

"You have an IV, can I please at least get that disconnected before you leave?"

"Fine. But hurry." She quickly gets me disconnected. "What room number?"

"It's right next door. Room 212. You're in 211."

"Thanks." I limp my way into the hall, and go as quickly as I can into the room next to mine. I find Eddie laying in bed. Hooked up to the same machines I was, but he's not awake. There's just the sound of beep... beep... beep... coming from the monitor. "Eddie oh my god..." I quickly fall at his bed side, tears running down my face. "Please be okay..." His breathing is shallow. A doctor comes into the room, with a clipboard in hand. "Oh, uhm. Hello."

"Please tell me what's going on? Is he okay? What happened? All I remember is a gun shot.. then..."

"Are you a family member?"

"He's my... fiancé... please just tell me what's going on..."

"Oh. I shouldn't disclose medical information unless you're a related member of family..."

"His uncle is out of fucking town! I'm the only family he has! JUST FUCKING TELL ME WHAT'S GOING ON!"

"I... Okay... Okay fine... Please don't swear at me sir, I'm just the doctor. He's been shot in the abdomen and he's lucky to be alive, honestly. It's missed any vital organs, but we need to keep him here. It was a clean in, clean out shot so there's no shrapnel left inside of him. But he hasn't woken up yet. We think his body is in shock."

"How long has he been here?"

"2 days."

"Fuck..." The tears won't stop falling and I grab onto Eddie's hand tightly. "I'll leave you two for a bit. I'll come back to check on him in about 10 minutes. I'm so sorry to give you the news. If it's any comfort to you, he is very much alive. We haven't needed to keep him on a ventilator."

"Thanks..." The doctor leaves the room quietly. 2 days? I've been out for 2 days too? What the fuck happened in between me getting punched in the head and the gun shot? "Eddie baby, please wake up... It's me... Please... Wake up... I can't be here without you..."