After All This Time (Steddie)

Ch. 28: Change

A/N; ayo I'm back. Heartbreak hotel party of one. I'm so scared of ending this. Tbh. There's maybe like (including this chapter) 3 left. I wanna get to at least 30.

TW; emotional moments, talk of past trauma

The week is moving way too fast, and we have spent most of it packing, both my stuff and Eddie's. He really didn't have much to bring along, since I refuse to keep his mattress. We do plan on getting some furniture once we get to the city.

Eddie plans on looking into getting gigs as soon as we're out the door. He wants Corroded to start off on a good foot and seems really excited for the possibility to get further along with music. I think they are going to make it, not a doubt in my mind. They're really good. And they have a lot of recorded music already, so they're ready to be signed and get famous. I'm proud of him for wanting to put effort into it.

Jeff and Gareth have already up and moved out there. They were able to find an apartment fairly close to ours pretty damn fast. I'm impressed how eager they were to get out of Hawkins too. And it's nice that we're going to have more than just Robin and her friends there, Eddie will also have some of his people around.

Everything's falling into place. And I finally am excited to get somewhere. It's been a long road to get to this point.

The kids have all been accepted into colleges around the country, and they'll all be out of here in just a couple months. The party won't be together anymore, and that's the weirdest thing for me to think about. I won't get random midday calls from Dustin asking me to drive them to the arcade. No drop ins at my job from the group trying to get me to rent them R rated movies.

But they're all growing up, and I'm so proud of every single one of them for getting through graduation and getting their lives to a somewhat normal pace.

"You okay?" Eddie disrupts my contemplating, I must look sad. "Oh, yeah I'm fine. Just thinking?"

"Whatcha thinkin about pretty boy? Must be something interesting to get your face all twisted up like that." He sets a box down next to me and sits down on the bed.

"I dunno. I guess I'm a little sad. You know?"

"I do know. You having second thoughts?"

"No, nothing like that. I just am feeling kinda nostalgic. I mean all of us are out of here. The boys and Max are all moving away too in just a couple months. And we're moving in 2 days. Like... It's wild. I never thought any of us would survive and here we all are. Living life, moving, doing normal people things."

"After what we all have been through, I think it's deserved that we get some normalcy." His arm rests across my shoulders and he leans his head on one of them.

"Speaking of normalcy. You ready to get those stitches out today?" I gotta change the subject before I start getting too emotional about it. I don't want to cry today if I can help it.

"Hell yeah I am. They're itchy as shit!"

"That means they're healing. Don't pick at them."

"Mostly I'm just ready to not have you worry about me every 5 seconds." He leaves a peck on my cheek and gets back up. "When's my appointment again?"

"And this is why you need me around. Who else is going to remember things for you?"

Eddie makes a mocking face at me and rolls his eyes. "Yeah yeah mom. When is it?! I want them out!" I furrow my eyebrows together. "Shut up. It's soon. We should probably head there."

When we go outside, Wayne's standing waiting for us. "Hey! When did you get here?!" Eddie wraps him in a hug. "Actually just pulled up. You have really good timing."

"Why you here? Just wanted to drop by and say hi? We're actually on our way out to get Eddie's stitches out."

"Just here to drop something off." He holds keys out in front of him, over to me. "My keys? I thought my car was still fucked? Eddie hasn't been able to work on it since the incident..."

"Called in a couple of favors. You can't be taking Ed's hunk of junk around the city. Bad gas millage."

"WHAT?!" I look behind Wayne, and there sits my car. Good as new. Maybe even better than new? Fresh paint, new windows. "Oh my god! Thank you so much!" I hug him tightly. Okay who said I wouldn't cry today? Me? "You're welcome kid. Now get going, you're gonna be late. I'll see you boys later." He walks off smiling to himself. There's nothing I could possibly do to thank him enough.

"Well, we driving your car today?" Eddie beams over at me. "Absolutely we are." We hop in, I've really missed driving my own car. It feels like it's been so long.

We drive our way to the hospital, checking in and getting put in a room to wait out the doctor. "I want them out nooow."

"Yes, I know. You have to be patient."

"I've been patient where the fuck-" The doctor comes in. "Mr Munson, glad to see you're here on time." Eddie rolls his eyes. "Just get these stitches out."

The process doesn't take too long, the doctor says he's healing very well and shouldn't need to come in for any more appointments. His ribs are healing well, so is his collarbone. Says it should only take a couple more weeks for him to be completely back to normal.

I had an appointment yesterday, and the doctor told me the same thing. Healing well. No complications. Concussion is gone (thank god).

On the drive home I roll all the windows down and appreciate the wind blowing through the car. The final bit of time before we leave. Eddie plays a mixed tape he made for me, a good mix of my favorites and his, and maybe a Corroded Coffin song or two thrown in there. Not that he was proud of himself.

"Faithfully" plays and my mind can't help but remember the night of our first date. The night that singlehandedly changed my entire world forever. Knowing that this was the only man I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. The person that I would risk everything for. And we're making that leap together, head first.

"I love you Eds."

"I love you too baby. I can't wait to start forever with you." He reaches over and grabs my hand tightly. "We will have to hangout with the party tomorrow, have one last hoorah before we get the fuck out of here."

"I'd really like that... I think it will be good for all of us."

"I'll call Dustin when we get home." I nod and smile, appreciating how absolutely fucking whole I feel.

We get home and Eddie rushes over to the phone, "Henderson, we're hanging out tomorrow. Tell the party.... no I don't know where the walkie is... No I think I packed it? Du-... Dude I don't know I'm sorry.... fine. You walkie them and tell them then... Yes. Meet us here? Yeah at Steve's... okay sure. No I don't think he's going to want to... Henderson... okay but you're going to have to be the one to convince him... I can't... Okay, sure. I'm wishing you luck now. See you tomorrow kid." He hangs up the phone.

"What did he want me to do?"

"Will you play D&D with us?" Eddie grins shyly, walking closer to me on the couch. "Oh my god you have to be kidding..." I shake my head and sigh. I've only played with them once and it was literally the worst. I died so fast. "Fine."