Hell & Back

Chapter Fourteen

Chrissy walked over to the window and seen the boy from yesterday walking back into the woods. She wasn't sure what to say about him, but she didn't want anything to ruin the excitement she felt "Oh, he's just some guy from school, he offered to walk with me today." Chrissy lied and shrugged nonchalantly. "He waited out back?" Nancy pressed to which Chrissy only replied "You know how my mom is." with a laugh and heard her mom open the garage door.

"Harrington wake up." Eddie said throwing a pillow down "We have company." Eddie stood over the sleeping carcass and softly nudge him. Through the groans and protest he never eased up, this was every night in the Upside Down. They would take turns sleeping while the other would watch and strum Eddie's guitar. He had taken the time to teach Steve a few songs over the months after a close call with Vecna.

Steve looked up at him with an annoyed huff "Is the kicking really necessary?" He started but stopped once he realized that they were no longer in the Upside Down and last night wasn't a dream. "Nance?" He said jumping up from the covers "We're back. I'm back. We're here." Steve said turning and excitedly wrapping his arms around Eddie.

After everything calmed down and the boys told the girls what happened on their end, it was finally time to eat. No one could explain what bought them back. Vecna could detect Eleven so it couldn't have been here since he would have likely came to. Vecna wasn't strong enough to break through himself. What could have happened?

Nancy was asking questions while Steve and Eddie scarfed down another plate of bacon and eggs. Eddie wasn't listening to her, he was thinking what he was going to do next. His uncle was gone so he didn't have a place to go, I mean he could track him down but who knows how far he went. Would they let him go back and take his last final and finally graduate, not that he remembered anything? If they got through how long until Vecna comes behind them?

"Steve, you have to go home." Nancy said startling Eddie from his thoughts. He hadn't really thought about him and Steve being separated, it was a weird thought after a year of being together, and from the look on Steve's face he was thinking the same thing. "Yeah..." He finally said "Yeah, I should probably let them know I'm alive." Eddie wasn't quite sure what he felt but after relying on someone to keep you alive for a year, it's a strange feeling to watch them leave.

After Steve and Nancy left, the air grew awkward like the first time they were alone together. Neither really knew what was okay to ask and although he wasn't sure if it was the right call he took Chrissy's hand just like she had the night at the trailer. She looked down at their intertwined fingers and smiled to herself "Are you scared?" she asked jokingly but his answer was serious "I've ran and hid from monsters, been pulled into a lake and through a pulsing hole, on the run from the cops and you think I'm scared to be alone with you?" she looked up at him "I'm terrified." He finished with a smile.

They had moved into the living room and while Chrissy sat on the couch, Eddie sat on the floor in front of it, his hand still in hers. "You know, I dreamt of you every night." She said shyly "That you would come here and we would run away and everything would be right." Eddie laid his head back on the couch and looked up at her, her face was red and her eyes were avoiding his.

"When we were there, Vecna didn't have much power at first so he would just plant thoughts in our heads. Little things, like Steve stealing the last candy bar or I drank the last soda, things like that. Than as his strength built up he would come into our dreams. " Eddie said looking at the black tv screen. "I wouldn't remember any dream I had for weeks and than I would have one so vivid about you. I would finally be here and you would be waiting for me with that beautiful smile but you never spoke. I would reach for you and you would turn into a monster. Every damn time."

Chrissy let go of the hand she had been holding and ran it through his hair. The light caught each one making the auburn and little bits of blonde stand out more in his brown curls. "We are here together." She said "I won't turn into a monster." Eddie half laughed but seemed to remain on alert. Chrissy took his hand again and brought it to her lips, planting a light kiss on the back she said in a low voice "You can touch me and find out."

Eddie turned his head to look at her and understand her meaning. She had ahold of his one hand still, he turned his body so that they were facing each other while he remained on the floor. With his free hand he reached up and caressed her cheek and lightly brush her collarbone. She leaned down and kissed him and he reached up and pulled her down onto the floor.

"Sorry to interrupt." He heard Steve's voice cut through his dream, more like nightmare of being trapped again. Eddie opened one eye and couldn't help but smile as he looked up at Steve sitting above him on the couch. "Breaking and entering, Harrington? I like it." Eddie said slowly untangling himself from Chrissy's sleeping body. He bottomed his jeans and was looking around for his shirt when it hit him in the chest "Thanks." He said sarcastically.

"Really? The living room? She has a whole bedroom." Steve said following him up the stairs "It wasn't planned." Eddie said looking for his jacket with his cigarettes, he was hoping weren't crushed, "Wait. Why am I explaining myself? What are you doing here?" He said taking a cigarette out and examining it. "We are all meeting at Nancy's" Steve said and Eddie turned back to look at him questionable "Yes I am all. Apparently Nancy was not that into me after all. Johnathan is still with her and I am still alone." He continued.

"When are we 'all' suppose to meet? And what are we meeting about? I'm sure it's not a welcome home party." Eddie said lighting his cigarette and walking back downstairs. When they got down the stairs Chrissy was already up and dressed. "Who are we meeting?" She asked busying herself with folding the blanket they had slept with. "I guess everyone." Eddie said walking over and hugging her from behind "Although I would much rather stay here." He whispered in her ear.

Chrissy was about to agree when she heard a the door open. Eddie let her go quickly and took a step back sitting on the couch where Steve now sat. Chrissy quickly put the blanket away and the boys moved the coffee table back where it went. Chrissy sat down in her dads chair and looked at both of them scared. "Yeah we just got back from our road trip and figured we would say hey." Steve said loudly enough to be heard from the kitchen. "I'm glad you both made it back safe." Chrissy said as her mom walked into the room. "Christine I didn't know we were having guest." She said looking both boys up and down from the doorframe.

"Mrs. Cunningham, Steve Harrington, I believe you know my mother?" He said making it sound like a question, or which Chrissy's mom only nodded "This is my friend Eddie Munson, we just got back to town and thought we would surprise Chrissy, I hope it isn't an intrusion." Chrissy mom seemed to shake herself from her sudden shock and compose herself "No not at all." She said and clapped her hands together "Will you be staying for dinner?" Before they could answer Chrissy stood up and said "No we were just about to go surprise Nancy." and headed for the door. "Thanks for the invite." Eddie said walking past her, a dirty look was the only reply but he smiled nonetheless.

Steve and Eddie walked out of the house leaving Chrissy with her mother. "I don't want you hanging out with that boy." She said making Chrissy look away from her. "I have to go." She said and headed for the door. "Christine, don't throw you life away for some trailer park loser."  Her mom said in a pleading voice. The words made her angry but instead of arguing she took a breath and walked out the door, slamming it behind her.

She walked over to the car where Steve and Eddie were leaning. Eddie was smoking a cigarette and watching her, she knew her mom would be too "Everything good?" He asked and she smiled at him as she walked up and kissed him. "Everything is good." She said pulling away. "Let's go before your mom kills us." Steve said opening the drivers door. "Parents love me." Eddie said with a laugh as he got in the passenger seat. Chrissy watched her mom in the window close the curtains before climbing into the backseat. She smiled to herself as they pulled away.