The Monsters Within // Eddie Munson

xii. Miracle Named El

Suddenly a loud gasp was heard from beside them. Sobs fell from the duo, when they turned and saw Eddie's chest rapidly rising and falling. "Oh my god!" They yelled scrambling over to the boy, "First aid! First aid!" Katherine screamed to Dustin.

"Eddie? Eddie, can you hear me?" Katherine held the teens head in her lap, as Eddie opened his eyes. "Loud and clear Queen Kat." He said with a cough, and a smile. "Fuck you!" She yelled running a hand through his hair. "At least let a guy heal first." Eddie smirked before slowly shutting his eyes. Dustin ran around the corner with loads of First aid supplies they had gotten from War Zone. 

"Also, I think I met your friend El." Eddie mentioned tiredly. Katherine nodded, "Keep him awake Dustin."

Katherine immediately got to work cleaning and stitching up where the bats had torn into his skin. Listening to Dustin distract him with talk about a new Dungeons and Dragons campaign idea through tears.

~

The next morning, Katherine and Dustin helped Eddie out of the government car, the agent took their bags to the door before leaving. "Okay big guy, let's get you to a bed." Dustin said, as he and Katherine burst into Hoppers old room.

They gently sat him on the bed, helping him lean comfortably against the headboard. "I'll bring the bags in and start some food." Katherine told them boys, gently stroking Eddie's hair.

She threw the bags into the room and threw some eggs that the government agent had included in their groceries into a pan and started to scramble them. Katherine walked into Hoppers room and shut the door behind her giving Dustin his plate. She sat next to Eddie and lifting a fork up. "I can feed myself you know." "No." Katherine and Dustin replied at the same time, making him roll his eyes and take a bite from the fork Katherine held in front of him. 

"I'm going to go catch up with Steve and see what the hell is going on." Dustin told them, after everyone finished eating. "Be safe please." Katherine whispered, giving him a tight hug. The boys said their goodbyes, and Eddie and Katherine were left in silence.

A few minutes past as the two teens sat next to each other in the abandoned room. "That was a pretty bad ass Metal Concert, don't you think?" Eddie asked the girl, breaking the silence. Katherine scoffed and lightly knocked into his shoulder.

"Yeah, Munson. You're alright." Katherine told him, looking out of the window into the trees. "Alright." Eddie mocked, as she continued to face away from him. He reaches his head out, grabbing hers. "I'm alive, you don't have to cry anymore." "You weren't. You were dead, Eddie. I dragged your dead body through the upside down. And I just- I can't-"

Eddie pulled her into his arms, wincing when his stomach pulled. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry." The pair cried together, in each other's arms.

~~
Katherine jumped up from her sleep when she heard noise coming from outside Hoppers room. She grabbed the broken spear Dustin had used two nights ago and held it out in front of her listening to the noises.

"Can we... I need... Will..." Katherine heard muffled through the door. Will? She swung the door open and saw her brothers, sister, Mike and Nancy. They group quickly turned to her; jaws dropped as they saw the girl who was still covered in Eddie's blood. Katherine let out another cry, stumbling into Will and Jonathan's arms. Squeezing them like they were the only thing ground her to the Earth.

"What the fuck happened?" Mike exclaimed as they finally pulled away. "A lot." Was all Katherine said, as she hugged El. "Thank you. El. Thank you. I can never repay you."

"What's she talking about?" Nancy asked. Katherine let go of the girl, both with tears in their eyes. Motioning for them to follow her, as she reopened Hopper's door showing a sleeping Eddie Munson. "He died. Eddie died in the upside down, trying to protect Dustin and I. El. She saved him." Katherine told them. Mike sat in a chair next to Eddie, looking at his DM. As Katherine went and sat in between Will and Jonathan, never letting the two boys out of arms reach.

"I didn't help her enough, I'm sorry." El blurted out. "What?" Katherine looked at the girl confused. "Wait, you don't know?" Nancy asked, making Kat shake her head no.

~~

Katherine was out of tears, but still felt dry sobs coming up her throat. As she took slow steps into Max's hospital room, watching her feet as she stepped on tile after tile. Katherine stopped at the foot of the bed and looked up. Her hand flew over her mouth, as she crumbled to the floor, Max. Her Max. Her little sister. Who she swore to always protect, was in four full limb casts, a neck brace, and still had blood trails beneath her eyes.

Will and Lucas got on the floor next to her and pulled her into their arms, as they cried together. 

~~

Luckily the government agent that had been helping them, pulled some strings and had Eddie in the same room as Max. Their doctors worked for the government, so thankfully nobody in Hawkins knew about Eddie being alive. Katherine only left the hospital when Steve and Robin, pulled her out of the room (it was a hard task) and forced her to eat and shower before taking her back.

Lucas was there almost every day, but he still had to listen to his mom and go home a few nights a week. But he knew Katherine would be with Max when he wasn't.

Dustin was another frequent visitor, especially since Eddie wasn't in a coma like Max. Dustin would bring comics and listen to metal music with Eddie while Katherine rested.

One night, as Katherine watched Lucas hold Max's hand in his sleep. Her and Eddie were whispering between each other. "Hey Kat." She hummed quietly in response. "Do you think, maybe, after I get out of here." He trailed off for a second, making Katherine look up at him, "We could like, go on a date or something? And like a proper one? Not us sharing a joint at Ricks?" Katherine let out a laugh. "I thought you'd never ask."

Eddie smiled at her, glancing down at her lips before pulling her into a soft, and gentle but heated kiss.

Words: 1070

//Super short!! But hehehe happy ending!! I may add some new chapters, of their first date, or mundane things that the group gets up too! But this is the end of the main story :)

Hope you guys liked it! I'll go around re-editing the chapters soon as well, so let me know if I missed something or if something doesn't make since.

Love ya!! :))