Recovery - Steddie ♡

Chapter Nine

Eddie couldn't even put into words how happy he was to have someone else know he was alive. Someone who knew he was innocent. He watched the two kids chatting away and smiled to himself. Eddie even glanced to his left and his smile got bigger as he saw the way Steve looked at Dustin and El. He looked like a proud mother/father and it warmed his heart.

Steve was well aware that Eddie was looking at him but he didn't take his eyes off of the kids. His kids. He knew that if he did look at Eddie he would get sucked in by those doe eyes and the others would notice. He wasn't sure he was ready for anyone but Robin to know yet. He still had yet to figure out what he was exactly.

"Hey Steve!" Elevens voice snapped him out of his day dreaming. "Is it okay if I bring Dad next time? He'd love to see you."

Steve finally turned his head to look at Eddie. He wanted to make sure his friend was okay with it because it meant another person knowing he was still alive. Eddie didn't hesitate to nod. He had heard all about Hopper and if Steve trusted him then Eddie did too.

"That would be great! He must be going a bit crazy being stuck in that cabin." Steve chuckled, he knew Hopper wasn't one for being cooped up.

"Actually, when we went to visit El before coming here Hopper was actually on his way out," Nancy piped up. "Probably to go and see Joyce. I think he is doing fine."

"He and Joyce have a secret meet up place," El added, smiling as she remembered all the times her Dad would get all excited and giddy as he got ready to go and see Joyce.

"I always knew those two would end up together!" Dustin said. "Me and the boys made a bet about how long it would take them to give in to their feelings. Although Will was in denial for a while."

"The sexual tension between them was so obvious!" Nancy chimed in.

"Who won the bet?" Robin asked.

"I did, obviously."

Eddie watched as El suddenly got up from her bean bag and came to stand in front of him. She touched his face gently and smile down at him. "You're part of the family now, Eddie. You're safe."

Eddie was shocked at those words. He had no idea why Eleven had said that to him but he could feel tears welling up in his eyes as he heard the words family. He grinned up at the young girl and took her hand in his. "You have no idea how much that means to me, El!"

The others all stared at the pair, confused as to why she had suddenly walked up to Eddie and said what she had. Truth was, El had been keeping her eye on Eddie ever since she had gotten there and she sensed that there was something wrong. He didn't show it but she could just tell.

The young girl turned to Steve. "When can Eddie meet the rest of the family?"

"I don't know, kid. It's not really up to me."

She nodded and turned back to Eddie. "I know you are in hiding but I think you and Will would get along!"

Eddie hesitated for second before giving her a response. He wanted to meet the rest of the gang and he also wanted to see Lucas and Mike again but after months of barely seeing anyone he was nervous. Nervous about what they would all think of him. He still felt like a freak. Eddie flinched a bit when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned his head to see Nancy smiling at him reassuringly.

"If you aren't ready for more people to know about you then that's okay, Ed."

"It's not that. If you guys trust them then I trust them too. I just, I've never had a proper family before."

Steve felt his heart drop a little. "Well, you have one now!"

"Group hug!" Robin shouted, not wanting to be left out. She pulled all three of them up from the couch one at a time as Dustin got up from his bean bag. They all embraced and Steve felt his heart swell. After all the shit they had been through he knew he would always have his family.