Alive Again (A Vampire Eddie Fic)

Chapter 2

 Dustin sat on the basement couch in Mike's house, looking over the room and reminiscing simpler times, back when all they had to worry about was their DnD campaign. God, if only it could've stayed that way. Then again, if none of it ever happened, would they have ever met El? It was a funny thought.

But really, all Dustin could think about was Eddie. He was in denial. There was no way his friend was actually dead. There had to be a way to bring him back, there had to be. What that method would be though, Dustin hadn't the slightest idea.

"Hey!" Mike was snapping his fingers in front of Dustin's face. "Earth to Dustin Henderson, Earth to Henderson!" Dustin didn't even realize he had zoned out. He blinked and looked at Mike.

"What!?" Dustin replied with a raised voice. He wanted to stay in his own world for a little longer, but apparently Mike deemed something else more important.

"We've all been talking to you!" Lucas piped up, sitting at the table they used for their sessions all those years ago. "Have you even been listening?"

"Uh..." Shit. Dustin wasn't paying attention at all. "Maybe start again?" Mike and Lucas groaned.

"We're almost done setting up the table for our session," Mike said, gesturing to the table where Will was carefully setting out maps and figurines. "Do you have your character sheet ready?" Dustin had nearly forgotten that was why he came over in the first place. Not to wallow in grief, but to play some DnD with his friends. He opened his backpack and rummaged through it. After a few seconds of slightly aggressive searching, he came up empty.

"I think I forgot it at home..." Dustin finally said. "I'm sorry guys." Mike and Lucas gave up, annoyed and angry, but Will saw something.

"Dustin?" Will said, putting all his attention solely on Dustin instead of the table. Dustin looked up, making eye contact with his friend. "Are you ok? I mean, I don't want to pry but... you've been off ever since..." He trailed off. Everyone knew what he was gonna say.

"Of course I'm off, Will!" Dustin yelled as he stood up. "I watched my best friend die right in front of me and all I could do was hold him and promise him I'd take care of you guys!" Mike, Lucas and Will went silent, allowing Dustin to speak. "And now you guys just wanna play DnD, the game that put him and the rest of us in danger in the first place, and just forget it happened? Just forget Eddie!?"

"Nobody is forgetting Eddie!" Mike argued. "Dustin, do you really think we're not hurting too? We're playing this game to distract ourselves for a bit and honouring Eddie in the process!" Dustin could do nothing but look at the ground. He didn't want to argue.

"We all miss him, man," Lucas said. "And I get it. Max almost died in front of me too. With her current condition, she might as well be gone as well."

"All we're saying," Mike continued. "Is that you're not the only one. We all wish he was still here." Dustin's brow furrowed.

"What if he is?" He asked, looking up at everyone.

"What if he's what?" Will asked.

"Here! What if he's still here!"

"You've lost us," Lucas said.

"When Eddie died, I never checked his pulse," Dustin explained. "What if he's still alive and we just left him there?" Tears started to build in his eyes at the thought. Eddie must be so scared right now if that's the case.

"I think you just need to get some rest," Mike said, guiding him back to the couch. Dustin backed up, slapping Mike's hand away.

"No, you're not listening!" Dustin yelled, demanding to be heard and understood. "He might still be in the Upside Down! If we don't go back for him, he'll surely be dead!" The three boys looked at each other, considering Dustins words.

"Do we really wanna go back there though?" Will replied.

"Vecna's dead, at least as far as we're aware," Dustin responded. "That means the hivemind is dead, or at the very least weakened. Now is the best time if we're gonna do this." The group thought some more. For a moment, Dustin had doubt. Would they say yes?

Lucas spoke up first.

"I didn't know Eddie that well, but... after being a part of the same group that tried to kill him, I think I owe him this." There were some subtle nods of agreement.

"Eddie was my friend too," Mike said. "I'm in as long as we have a plan."

The only one left was Will. They all turned to face him. He threw his hands up in surrender.

"Fine!" He said. "You guys are stubborn anyway. There's no point arguing." Dustin smiled.

"So," He said, taking a step forward. "What's the plan?"