KAS The Bloody Handed

A Fresh Start

Your POV

El came round first. She looked exhausted... completely drained. She was in Mikes arms and felt safe and comfortable.
"You were gone a fair while El, we were worried..." he whispered in her ear. El just smiled up at him, and that smile told him that she was ok. El sat up and looked towards Eddie.
"I don't know when he'll come back round, but I will wait to tell you what we found... it's Eddie's story to tell" she explained, knowing that she may have to help Eddie explain.
You passed El an energy bar and a bottle of water, and everyone sat in nervous silence... just waiting.
Thirty minutes had passed before Eddie started stirring. You noticed everyone started fidgeting... nervous, worried, scared. Nobody knew what to expect. When Eddie opened his eyes he searched the room until he found you. He locked his eyes on you. You could see the sadness and defeat there. A complete change to what you saw only an hour earlier. Before he was knocked unconscious, he was animalistic. Savage. Cold. Cruel. Not your Eddie. But now you knew that something had changed... they found something in his memories that completely changed him.. from pure evil... to completely broken.
"Y/N, I need you. I need you now more than ever. I'm so sorry" his voice broke at his last words and your heart hurt for him. He held his head in his hands as he let out all his emotions... you could feel the sorrow. The sadness. What the hell happened?
He needs you. He finally needs you. You rush over to him the instant he said those words. You wrap him in your arms and just hold him there. His body is shaking as his raw emotions rattle through him. No words were spoken, it wasn't needed. Everyone in that room was completely silent. You stayed like that for a while, just holding him, letting him do whatever it was that he needed. Eddie was the one to break the silence.
"Guys.... I'm so sorry. I don't understand why you're all here... why you want to help me. I'm a monster. And my life is a lie." He whispered to the room.
Nobody knew how to respond... so you just do the comforting thing and rub his arms, encouraging him to carry on.
"I- I don't even know where to start.." he glanced at El, his eyes begging for help. El nodded.
"Ok... we found his last memory... when he went back to the Upside Down. Vecna has been messing with Eddie's head, erasing his memories..." El explained.
Ok, if his memories were being erased, you understand why he came back ready to kill everyone. He didn't remember the short time he had here with you all.
"Then we went further back.. saw his death, his transformation." She carried on.
Dustin let out a little sigh and looked down into his lap. He was probably still traumatised from that.
"Turns out Vecna brought me back to use as a puppet... to kill Eleven" Eddie added.
"What's changed now? You must've found something for you to come back like... this?" You ask gently.
"Urrr.. I have no way of saying this simply. I'm the same as El. I was a child experiment... I'm number 010" Eddie exasperated, not believing the words he was saying.
Everyone had the same look on their faces - utter confusion. How? What? Why?
"I had to push into his memories to find it... but it's true" El confirmed.
"I don't know how I survived... I don't know if I'll ever find out either. It's not like I can ask the bastard" Eddie half heartedly laughed, as he removed his watch to show the numbers tattooed on his wrist.
"So.... How come you forgot? We know Vecna stole your memories... but you would've known that before you 'died' right?" Dustin asked.
"I don't know Henderson... I must've repressed those memories? Trauma? Or when number 001 thought he killed me he didn't? But it did something to me.... I mean... I just don't know," he said, sounding so defeated.
"Ok ok... but if you're just like El, then you have powers right? You might have forgotten... but you're also a vampire now. Those powers combined must make you like... SUPER powerful. Maybe... maybe we can work on them both and you might be strong enough to beat Vecna?" Dustin excitedly clamoured up. He raised his leg in the air and his arms at funny angles and yelled out a weird 'hooyyyaahhhh'.
Eddie laughed. It was the sweetest sound you'd ever heard.
"I'm gonna karate chop him to death Henderson?" He glanced at Dustin. Dustin shrugged and told Eddie that it was nice to see him smile. Now you all knew more about Eddie's life and he had come back to you with all his memories, you were already planning how to help him.
El took an exhausted Eddie out to hunt whilst the rest of you bundled into Steve's car to head back to Mikes. It's a wonder any of your parents knew you... you never saw them. Everyone was always at Mikes.
You sit in the back of the car and watch Eddie out the window... you watch until he disappears completely out of view. That feeling of dread is still very present, and yet you feel a sense of calm coming... you know things are going to get better. He needed you today, just as you have needed him for the last year. Now you finally have each other. A fresh start.

Mikes Basement

"What's the POA?" Asked Mike when you were all settled in the basement.
"POA? What the hell is POA?" Asked a confused Steve.
"Plan of action? Really Steve?" Exasperated Dustin. You laughed. They were like an old married couple and you found it hilarious.
"Anyway, we need to throw some ideas around" Mike stated.
Back to the drawing board. Will got pen and paper and you all sat around in a circle. Will had been so quiet recently... you sometimes forgot he was even there. You wasn't sure whether it was because of recent events... or depression... or... well, you just wasn't sure why, but it worried you.
After half an hour you had a few ideas written down. The strongest idea was Will's. He thought that maybe El could use her powers to force Eddie's powers out. As good an idea as it was, you were worried that it might force out his vampire-ness... you know; the anger, the murdering, the blood sucking. You mentioned this but Dustin battered back with 'El will keep it under control'. To be fair, no one knew what was going to work and what wasn't. You had to try a few different things and hope for the best.
As things started getting quiet and you could tell everyone was getting sleepy, in walked El and Eddie. He looked... not happier as such, but content. A belly full of rabbit blood would do that you suppose.
"First, we sleep. Then, tomorrow... we put Eddie in a salt bath" El said firmly.
You change your mind.. El's plan was much better than Will's.
"Ok... but what about Eddie? Ya know... what if he gets hungry..." Steve asked nervously, glancing over at Eddie.
"You're good Harrington, don't worry" Eddie winked at Steve as he held up what appeared to be a sippy cup of wine. Nope. Not wine. Blood. Eurgh.
Eddie walked over and snuggled down next to you. It was the best feeling in the world. You roll over and bury your face into his chest. You grab a fistful of his shirt and just hold on tight. You may never get this chance again so you're not about to take any time with him for granted. You decide in that moment that you're going to love him like you're going to lose him... because you could. You're so happy that quiet tears start rolling down your cheeks. Eddie strokes your face, wiping them away.
"I love you Y/N" is the last thing you hear Eddie whisper as you drift off into the most content and comfortable sleep you've had in over a year. This is it. This is what you've needed. This is happiness.