Love Is A Battlefield (A Stranger Things/Steve Harrington Fanfiction)

Chapter Forty-One: Trust Me

The kids and I gathered up supplies consisting of gas cans, goggles, and bandannas to wear over our mouths in the tunnels, then we got in the car. Max drove, while Lucas navigated in the passenger seat. Dustin, Mike, and I were crammed in the back while Steve was draped across our laps still unconscious. I had an ice pack pressed to his head.

"You're doing good Max. Just keep it steady." I said, wincing in pain as my eye, the only one that was not swollen shut, blinked of its own accord.

Steve groaned in my lap and his eyes opened. He glanced over at Mike.

"Nancy?" Mike furrowed his eyebrows and Steve reached up to touch his swollen nose.

"No, don't touch it. Don't touch it." Dustin said gently, pulling his hand away from his nose. "Hey buddy. Shh. You put up a good fight. He kicked your butt, but you put up a good fight, ok? You're ok?" His eyes came to land on me.

"Riley?" He asked groggily. He reached up, lightly pressing his fingers to the side of my face, and I fought the urge to wince.

"Hey, HAIRington." I whispered.

"Your face...did he do that to your face?"

"Yeah, he did. But its ok, Max took care of him. I'm fine."

"Ok, you're gonna keep straight for half a mile, then make a left on Mount Sinai." Lucas instructed, drawing Steve's gaze to Max driving.

"What's going on? Oh my gosh-"

"Steve, Just relax. She's driven before." Dustin said.

"Yeah, in a parking lot!" Mike pointed out.

"That counts."

"All of you shut up. You're doing fine Max." I said.

"Oh my gosh. Oh my gosh."

"They were gonna leave you behind, but I promised that you'd be cool, ok?"

"Steve, just calm down, ok, we're all ok, its fine." I said gently, draping an arm over his torso.

"Whoa,whoa, whoah, whoa, What's going on?!" The car accelerated, which only made him freak out more. "Oh my gosh! No! Whoa! Stop the car! Slow down!" 

"I told you he'd freak out!"

"Stop the car!"

"Steve!" I grabbed his face, forcing him to look at me. "Its ok. You trust me, right?"

"No, not necessarily in this situation, you have a tendency to side with the children."

"I know what the children are capable off." I said. "I trust them, and I need you to trust me judgment, and calm down, because you freaking out isn't going to help the whole underage driver situation. We needed to get there, you were unconscious, and I can't see well enough to drive, so this was our next best option."

"EVERYBODY SHUT UP! I NEED TO FOCUS!" Max shouted.

"That's Mount Sinai! Make a left!' Lucas shouted.

"What?"

"Make a left!" She turned the wheel abruptly, taking out a mailbox and causing all of us to scream as she swerved dangerously down the road. We pulled into the field at full speed, stoping just short of the giant hole that my Dad Dug.

"WHOA!" Steve shouted.

"Whoa."

"Incredible." Mike said.

"I told you. Zoomer." They all climbed out of the car, opening the trunk to get the supplies, and I slowly slid out from beneath Steve, gently pulling him out of the car and helping him to his feet. He slumped against me, still disoriented.