It's All My Fault

Infection.

It's all my fault I'm going to die.
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"Hey Will?" Mike whispers, holding the boy close to him.

Since the incident, Will was very shaken up. Every time he fell asleep, he woke up with nightmares, and in intense pain. Will made a small humming sound, signaling that he was awake.

"Why were you so scared to tell me that you liked boys?" Mike asks softly, just holding Will close. There was a moment of silence, Will trying to choose his words carefully. "I mean...I could tell Jonathan already knew. Why was it so hard to tell me?..."

"Oh uh..." Will says, trying to think of how to word it. "You know...you're my best friend so...just didn't want you to hate me." He says, hesitating.

"Will, you have told me everything. And it's always been easy for you to talk to me. You know I don't judge...so why was it so difficult."

"I don't know, Mike." Will says, trying to steer clear of the topic. Will then groaned in pain, body aching. He was already on so much pain meds, but it still hurt.

Mike looks down at the boy, sighing. "I know it hurts...just try not to move, okay?"

"I've been in the same position for ages...it's kinda hard." Will says, snapping slightly. Mike didn't fault him. Will had been through a lot, and he can't even get comfortable.

The hospital room door opens, causing Eddie (who was sitting sideways in Steve's lap, head tilted back and body slouched. Limbs going everywhere) to jolt from his sleep in a chair, eyes opening.

Joyce walked in with Jonathan, a soft look on her face. "Hi baby..." she says, walking over to Will. She gently ran her fingers through his hair. "Listen we just had a talk with the doctor...there is something we need to discuss."

Will didn't know what to say. He knew this wasn't good. He hasn't seen this look on his moms face in ages. Only in serious occasions.

"Do you want me to-" Mike says, standing from where he sat next to Will on the bed.

"No- no please. Everybody can stay, it's something you all need to hear." Jonathan says, looking around the room.

Eddie gently slapped Steve's cheek, getting him to wake up. Dustin looked up from where he sat against the wall. El and Lucas were with Max.

"Will honey..." Joyce says, kneeling down next to Wills bed and taking his casted hand, not moving him much. "The doctors noticed some things in your blood work and vitals. Some...concerns." She says, examining Wills face. Will just looked confused, unsure of where this was going.

"From all of the complicated surgeries, things didn't all run smoothly, even though they did their best. The doctors noticed your oxygen levels aren't as high as they should be...remember how they keep having to put that mask on you? That's why. And your heart rate is high...blood pressure low. Your blood work shows that uh...you have severe sepsis. A complication...deadly complication from an infection..." Joyce says, rubbing her thumb over his hand. "They are doing everything they can..."

Will Byers was going to die.