Make a deal With God

you lack the skills

I sat on my couch. I was tired but knew I wouldn't be able to sleep. I flipped on the TV. A light knock on my door.  "Hey kid" Hopper said coming in. "Harrington said you might need company" he said pushing El inside.  "Hopper it isn't safe for her here, peter, peter found me" I said. Hoppers eyes went wide.  I told him what was happening.  "Are you insane?" He asked. "What else am I supposed to do? Let him take her, take me? And what about Billy? If papa finds out" I was panicking again.  Hopper squatted in front of me. "Papa won't hurt them, I won't let him, and he won't come for you" he said.  My breathing didn't slow.  "What can I do" he asked.  "Boyfriend" El said. Hopper called Eddie.

"He can't be here" I said through strained breath.  "We don't have a choice I can't calm you down" Hopper said grabbing El. "Call if you need" he told Eddie. 

Eddie crouched in front of my and held my face in his hands.  "Angel" he cooed Softly my eyes met his honey orbs and the world seemed to slow down. My breathing settled. "That's it, just like that" Eddie said Softly. "Good sweetheart" he continued as I came out of the attack.  "I'm here nothing can harm you" he said caressing my cheek with his thumb.  "I don't wanna be away from you" I said. "I don't want to pretend to hate you, I love you" I said.  "I know angel, and I love you, but if this keeps you safe I'll do it" Eddie said. I kissed him.   "Can you stay the night and I'll hate you again in the morning" I asked and he nodded. "Absolutely" he smiled.   He called Hopper to tell him I was okay and we settled into bed for the night..

The next day I struggled to ignore Eddie and focus on Peter.  "Papa wants to see you"

That sentence falling from his lips froze me. "No" I said simply. Peter grasped my thigh.  "It wasn't a request" he said.  "I'm not seeing papa, I was released there's no need for me to go back" I said. Peter squeezed harder. "You'll see papa and that's final" Peter seethed.  "No" I said again. Peter grabbed my arm and drug me toward the door. "Hey let her go"

"Steve dont" I said. "Ah Steven, glad to see you're well, I've got to take her to see papa" Peter said like it was casual.

"No, she's not going" Steve said. This wasn't Part of the plan. If Peter got me to papa I'd be gone.

Steve grabbed me away from Peter.  "This was a mistake" Peter said walking away.
I cried and Steve quickly found Eddie.

"I couldn't let him take her ,she wouldn't have come back" Steve told Eddie
"What do we do now?" I asked "we gotta tell hopper, then just be vigilant, it's time to tell the kids" Steve said. Eddie nodded.  "I want to go home" I said.  Eddie obliged having no issues in being alone with me.

I curled up in our bed. Eddie stood in the doorway. "What can I do angel" he asked Softly blowing smoke into the hallway.
"Can you just put on some music and hold me? I don't wanna talk" I said.  Eddie put on some Ramones and got into bed and pulled me into his arms.
"I won't let anything happen to you" he said Softly. I turned over and nuzzled my face into his neck. "I don't deserve you eddie munson" I mumbled. He lifted my face "on the contrary sweetheart tis I that don't deserve you" "but I'm glad you chose me" he said kissing my forehead.

I woke up a little while later to Eddie sleeping Softly. I made my way to the kitchen for a drink. I picked up the phone and called billy. I owed him an explanation and after the spectical at lunch I knew it couldn't wait.

"Hey billy" I said Softly.  "Hey" he said roughly. "You're mad at me" I sighed.  "Well yeah can't say I'm to happy Lou, you ghosted me, the whole Steve, Eddie thing, then I don't even know why you were with Carver or that other blonde guy" Billy said. I sighed as I heard shuffling from the room.
"Billy it's complicated and not something I wanna say over the phone, can you come over?" I asked. "Give me 20mins i gotta drop max off" he said hanging up.

Eddie stood in the hallway.  "Billy's coming over" I said. "Is he upset with you?" Eddie asked and I nodded.  "I haven't exactly been being a good friend" I said.  "Well I'll hang in the back okay" Eddie said and I nodded as I heard Billy's camero. He didn't even knock, he didn't have too. He sat on the couch opposite of me so we faced each other.

"I want to know the whole truth, no secrets, no bullshit, no saving my feelings" Billy said I nodded. I told Billy the truth.

"So this Peter guy, he works at the lab" Billy asked to clarify. "Its his job to "fix" the broken patients make them forget the upside down" I said.  "And he did this "fixing" to you and steve?" He asked.  "No just me, Steve was taken care of by someone else and it went by the book" I said.  "And you resisted" Billy stated "you were stubborn" he chuckeled.  I shrugged.

"Anyways so he was gonna take me back to papa because" I stopped. "Because of Starcourt?" Billy asked. "Yeah they don't like when their patients revisit the upside down, also because of you" I said. Billy leaned forward.  "You know to much, and they know I'd sacrifice my self to not let you set foot in that lab" I sighed.

Billy lit a cigarette. "So Peter, is he going to be a problem" he asked. "Most likely but we'll think of something, sorry I didn't tell you" I said. "It makes sense why you didnt" he said

A loud clatter came from the room.  "Im good " Eddie called out causing Billy to laugh.  "Still not sure how Munson snagged you but I love how happy he makes you" he said. He looked at his watch.  "I gotta pick up max, see you tomorrow" he asked and I nodded and saw him out the door.  I went and checked on Eddie. His hair was up in a messy bun. Guitar in his lap.

"Whatcha doing" I asked.  "Corroded coffin stuff" he smiled. "Everything okay with you and Billy" he asked and I nodded.  "Wanna go out to eat or stay in?" I asked. "Out, sounds good, craving diner hashbrowns" he chuckeld.

We got dressed and drove to the diner. "Munson!" Robin squealed enthusiastically  "and munsons lady friend" she added.

"Hey Robin" he greeted. "Does the lady have a name" she asked smiling wide. "Louisianna" I smiled.  She looked back at Eddie and smiled.
We sat down and Robin joined us. I zoned out while her and Eddie were talking until I heard his laugh looking up I saw Steve.

"You okay" Eddie  asked and I nodded. "He just hasn't said anything to me since the Peter incident" I said and Eddie sighed. "Go talk to him" he said. I shook my head.  "Steve doesn't talk about this stuff" I said. Eddie didn't press.  "Hey dingus" Robin called Steve over.  She made him sit down.  "You know Lou right" Robin said sarcastically and Steve nodded. "Yeah I know her" he scoffed.

In the span of a day something else had happened. Steve was back to being the asshole he was when we first started school.

"I'm gonna go outside for a min" I told Eddie and excused myself. I couldn't breathe around that version of Steve.

I leaned against the wall at the back of the diner.

"Hello sweetheart"