To Hell and Back Again

Chapter Twenty-Two

Steve held Eddie's lifeless body in his arms as he looked up at the tall doctor with a blood splattered lab coat. "We did absolutely nothing to save him." The doctor chuckled sinisterly. Steve looked down at Eddie, who's eyes were open, staring at him.
"You did nothing to save me." Eddie whispered before exhaling his last breath. Steve stared down at Eddie with tears in his eyes as he shook Eddie.
"Wake up! Wake up, damn it!" Steve yelled towards Eddie as he cried over his body.
"Wake up!" Steve yelled as he sat up in his bed. He looked around to see Eddie sitting up in the dark, staring at him horrified.
"Steve, are you okay?" He asked as he looked at Steve who was shaking and crying. Steve grabbed Eddie and held him to his chest.
"I'm fine." He kissed the top of Eddie's head and squeezed his arms around Eddie's shoulders as if he hadn't seen him in years. It had been a week since Eddie got home from the hospital. Every night Steve would have the same dream. Every single night he'd wake up in a cold sweat or in tears. And every single night he'd have Eddie by his side, alive and well. Steve shifted his body so he was laying down again. "I cant keep having these dreams." He groaned as he pulled the blanket over his shoulders. Eddie laid next to him. He had pulled the blanket so it was over his head and just his face was peaking out.
"I traumatized you." Eddie quietly mentioned as Steve brushed Eddie's bangs away. Eddie closed his eyes and snuggled under the blanket. Steve leaned in and kissed the top of Eddie's head.
"It's like 6 in the morning. I'm not going to be able to go back to sleep." Steve rolled over the top of Eddie and got out of bed. He stretched then went to walk away but Eddie grabbed his wrist.
"Where's your ring, lover boy?" Eddie whispered as he looked down at Steve's bare fingers. Steve turned around and grabbed his three rings off the nightstand.
"The promise ring, the engagement ring, and your favorite ring." Steve recited as he put them on. He leaned down and kissed Eddie again. "I'm not going to forget them." Steve walked over to the closet and put pajama pants on over his boxers.
"Will you make some coffee? I'll be down in a second." Eddie rolled over to look at Steve, still wrapped in the blanket. Steve nodded and smiled at Eddie who was snuggled up in his comforter like a human burrito. He opened the bedroom door and started down the stairs.

Steve stood in front of the coffee pot waiting for it to brew. He tapped his finger on the counter and hummed along to a song he had heard on the radio yesterday. His eyes felt heavy as he yawned. Cold hands slid around his bare waist. He smiled and put his hand on the hand around his waist. "Your coffee is almost done." Steve said as Eddie put his chin on Steve's shoulder.
"Thanks, babe." Eddie kissed Steve's shoulder as he walked over to the toaster and pulled a piece of toast out of it. "You made me toast too?" Eddie exclaimed like he was shocked knowing that Steve did it every single morning.
"Shut up and eat your toast," Steve smiled and poured coffee into a mug that said best mom. Dustin had bought it as a gag gift for Steve last Christmas and he actually loved it and held it very near and dear to his heart. He handed the mug to Eddie who had a mouth full of toast. Eddie sat the mug down on the counter and hoisted himself up so he was sitting on the counter top.
"This isn't my mug." Eddie said as he chewed. "There's a best dad mug up there too." Eddie pointed towards the cabinet. Steve groaned and moved around mugs until he found the one Eddie was talking about. He filled it with coffee and switched Eddie cups.
"I think it's stupid that I have to be the mom." Steve took a drink of the coffee. "I'm not a mom." He leaned against the counter and put his hand on his hip while the other held his coffee cup.
"Mhm." Eddie laughed at the irony of Steve's pose. Steve sat his cup down and walked over to Eddie. He stood between Eddie's legs.
"I'm not the mom." He repeated as he kissed Eddie's chest. Eddie smiled and took another drink of his coffee.
"You ARE the mom. Especially to the kiddos. Which is all the more reason why you should take my last name." Eddie put his thumb on Steve's chin and held his face while he kissed him.
"I'm not taking your last name. Which sounds better? Eddie Harrington or Steve Munson?" Steve looked over at the phone that started ringing.
"Definitely Steve Munson." Eddie clarified as he watched Steve pick up the phone. "Who is it?" Eddie whispered as Steve put a finger over Eddie's mouth to shut him up.
"Yeah... no, he's fine... no, I'm off for the next week, Keith... yeah, if I was ready to come back into work then I'd be at work... hand the phone to Robin, please..." Steve darted his eyes to Eddie and started mouthing along to Keith's stupid voice on the phone. "No, give the phone to Robin... please explain to Keith that when his fiancé almost dies he doesn't get sick time because he wouldn't give me mine... yeah you're right, he will be alone forever." Steve winked at Eddie who was eating another piece of toast. "Okay... see you later, Robin." Steve hung up the phone and groaned as he put his head on Eddie's chest. "I hate Keith."
"I couldn't tell." Eddie responded sarcastically. Eddie wrapped his legs around Steve's waist and petted his hair as he took another drink out of his best dad mug. "So when are you going back?" Eddie put an arm around Steve. He looked up from Eddie's chest and sighed.
"Next week." He said excitedly then rolled his eyes and tilted his head.
"Well, then you have an entire week before you have to see Keith again." Steve put his head back on Eddie's chest.
"I'm gonna quit." He mumbled quietly.
"No, you shouldn't." Eddie rubbed his hand across the back of Steve's neck. He looked down to see his lover's large brown eyes looking up at him. Steve smiled and stood back up straight so we was eye to eye with Eddie. Even sitting on the counter, Eddie was still a sad shorter than Steve. He leaned in and pressed his lips against Eddie's, pulling away slowly like it was hesitant.
"If I quit I get to be with you all day." Steve kissed Eddie again this time more aggressive. He bit the edge of Eddie's lip and smiled.
"Jeez, Lover Boy. Keep the biting to a minimum." Eddie managed to say before Steve's lips traveled to his shoulder and collarbone. He felt Steve's teeth grab his shoulder. Letting out a little yelp, he grabbed the sides of Steve's face to pull him away. "What are you doing?" He looked down at his shoulder that had small teeth shaped imprints in it.
"I think it's cute." Steve ran his finger over the print and looked down on Eddie. His eyes were glued to his shoulder where Steve had bit him. "You don't think it's cute?" Eddie's eyes broke away from his shoulder and looked at Steve's lips.
"God... I want you so bad right now." Eddie ran his fingers down Steve's bare chest.
"No, not until your doctor says you're okay." Steve smiled mockingly at Eddie as he scrunched his nose and left a small peck on Eddie's lips. "Speaking of which.." Steve did a small spin on his heels to look for Eddie's bottle of medicine. He grabbed the orange bottle off the counter and tossed it to Eddie. Eddie frowned and took a pill out of the bottle. A small knock sounded at the door so Steve did another small spin to turn towards it and walked over to open the door.
"Where's your shirt?" Dustin asked standing sheepishly in the doorway.
"Up your ass probably." Steve smiled and let out a soft chuckle. "Are you going to come in or are you scared we're being too gay for you?" Steve held the door open for Dustin.
"No I have to go home. My mom made you guys cookies because she felt bad." Dustin held a tray of chocolate chip cookies in his hands. Steve leaned out the door to see Mrs. Henderson sitting in her car. Steve waved to her as she excitedly waved back.
"Come on, Dusty!" Mrs. Henderson yelled out the window. "Nice to see you again, Stevie!"
"Better go. Bye, Steve." Dustin leaned in the door and looked at Eddie who was still up in the counter. "Bye, Munson! Feel better soon!" Dustin ran back to his moms car, his backpack jingling and bouncing behind him. Steve closed the door while trying to keep the cookies level. Steve walked back into the kitchen, setting them down, and returning over to Eddie.
"When's your next doctors appointment?" Steve put his hand on the side of Eddie's face. He had a sudden urge to protect him. It didn't matter what is was, next time Steve would be between Eddie and the danger.
"A couple days." Eddie responded as he let his face rest of Steve's hand. Steve left a soft kiss on Eddie's nose. "I don't want to go. I have a feeling they're going to give me bad news." Eddie wrapped his legs around Steve's waist again and pulled his body closer.
"Like what?" Steve couldn't keep his hands off Eddie. It was like his palms were permanently glued to Eddie's hips.
"They tell me I'm dying or something," He looked up to Steve with sad eyes.
"No. They won't." Steve slid his hands under Eddie's thighs and lifted him up off the counter. "There's nothing to worry about." Eddie clung to Steve's chest with his arms around his neck and his legs around his waist. Eddie pushed his chest against Steve's so he could feel his heart beat. "Do you want to give me another tattoo?" Eddie's eyes got wide.
"My heart isn't enough for you? You cried like a baby last time." Eddie leaned back so he could see Steve.
"Well, I don't know. I'm bored." Steve loosened his grip on Eddie's thighs. "Call me a baby again and I'll drop you." He teased as he kissed Eddie softly. Eddie tightened his legs around Steve's waist ensuring he wouldn't get dropped.
"I'll have to be stick and poke." Eddie smiled and touched his nose to Steve's.
"Fine." Steve shrugged causing Eddie to slip.

Eddie leaned over Steve's shoulder as he poked the ink into his skin. Steve tried to look over and peak at it but Eddie would occasionally reach up and turn his face away. He grabbed a wet paper towel he had sitting to the side of him and wiped off Steve's upper arm. He looked over to see Steve's leg bouncing in anticipation to see the permanent art on his skin. He wiped it again and smiled as he leaned his head over to make eye contact with Steve. His hair was pulled back into a bun but a few curly pieces fell into his face. "Does it hurt?" He smiled and wiped Steve's arm once again.
"Yeah, duh." He looked over to his arm but Eddie grabbed his face and turned it away. Eddie poked the needle into his arm a couple more times and wiped it.
"Okay, I'm finishing it up." He grabbed plastic wrap off the coffee table he was sitting on and started to wrap Steve's shoulder.
"That took like two hours." Steve craned his neck over to try to peek. "What is it?" Eddie smiled and held up a mirror that Steve stole from his moms bathroom. He held it up to reveal a tattoo of a bat to match the ones on Eddie's arm. Eddie was written under it in his handwriting. Steve smiled and leaned back on the couch. "Nice."
"Now is you're queue when you say-"
"I gotta call Robin." Steve interrupted as he stood up off the couch.
"Yup!" Eddie smiled as he knew exactly what Steve was going to do. He watched Steve walk over to the phone and start dialing Robin's number. He looked up and smiled at Eddie as he mouthed I love it. Eddie felt his face get warm as he pulled a blanket off the couch next to him and wrapped himself up in it.
"Um..." Steve picked up the phone and held it to his ear. He looked at Eddie then turned so Eddie couldn't see what he was saying. He put a hand over his face then glanced over at Eddie as he chatted with the person on the phone. Eddie could tell just by his behavior that it wasn't Robin on the phone. He sat up on edge of his seat and waited for Steve to say something. Steve clicked the phone on the hook and turned to Eddie. "It was Wayne. He said your sister is in town?" Steve leaned against the counter feeling slightly betrayed. "I didn't know you had a sister."
Eddies heart stopped as he stood up and threw the blanket down that he was covered up with, "I don't have a sister. She's not my sister, she's just-" Eddie growled at the thought of his sister and stormed up the stairs. Steve took another drink of his coffee, he had forgot about, then followed Eddie up the stairs. Steve opened the door to his room where Eddie was laying face down on the bed.
"Hey, Ed. Tell me about your sister? Why do you hate her so much?"