Raising Hel | a Stranger Things fanfiction

Chapter 18

Timeline check: sets at beginning of ST4 episode 8, in the early hours of Thrusday 27th of March 1986, after Nancy was freed from her Vecna transe.

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Eddie leans against the kitchen furniture next to Hellen, drained. On the mattress, Steve is still holding on to Nancy to his dear life. She's shaken, but she's alive, and Eddie has no idea why. According to Steve, she broke out of Vecna's curse by herself. Eddie figures the voice of the man she loves might have worked as her favorite music. He can't help but feel jealous.

Hellen's hand searches for his, he takes it and squeezes. As happy as he was to see her and as eager as he is to tell her everything that happened, part of him can't help but think he's endangering her. If she gets hurt... If Vecna curses her... He would never forgive himself.

They decide to go to the redhead's house, just across the lane, to get away from the eerie pulsing of the gate. He bitterly watches Steve carrying Nancy like a princess. It's only when she tugs at it that Eddie realizes he's still holding Hellen's hand. They are the last to leave the trailer, still standing by the door as she does so.

It amazes him how easily he can read her after all these years. He pulls her back inside the trailer and closes the door. She breaks into tears the second he turns to her and as they fall into each other's arms, he starts crying too. It's like those 5 years apart nether happened, like he's still the 14-year-old boy who's afraid of going home.

– You were with her when that girl died, weren't you, she asks softly after a while.

He nods. She squeezes him tighter.

– I'm so sorry.

Eddie allows that moment of quiet comfort to last a little longer before letting go. Even with her face all red and puffy, he can tell she hasn't changed a bit. Her cardigan might not be the same she wore the last time he saw her, but it's close enough. He can't believe she's here.

– Weren't you supposed to go on a trip, he asks.

She wipes her face with her sleeve, sniffs and chuckles 'surprise' with a still tremoring voice. The fact that she had planned on spending her last school breaks visiting him put butterflies in his belly. He fetches her a tissue to hide his fluster, while Dustin's words echoes in his mind.

*

Dustin peaks at the window from Max's living room and sees Eddie holding the door of his trailer for Hellen as they both come out. He's finally going to be able to talk science with someone that follows up! The duo enters the house just as Steve comes out of the bedroom where he laid down a very pale Nancy. Robin and Max are staying with her and some music can be heard from there.

– She needs some rest, says Steve.

– Maybe we should all try to get some, replies Eddie.

Steve sits on the couch with a wince and an unconvinced 'Yeah'. Dustin notices for the first time the extent of the bruises on his neck and the bandage on his waist.

– What happened to you?

– Met some flesh-eating bats...

– Uh ..., starts Eddie. Hel could check on you, right?

He glances at her as he says so, she turns bright red.

– You graduated that first aider thing, didn't you, he insists.

– I can help too, says Max who just came out of her bedroom.

Steve lifts his hand in the air.

– I'm fine.

Max comes closer and opens one side of the jean jacket he's wearing to reveal the bloodied cloth around his waist.

– Sure, she mocks. Get your ass to the bathroom.

*

Hellen follows Max and Steve to the bathroom, uneasy. She mentally settles her anxiety down by telling herself she knows how to tend flesh wounds and that this is like an assignment or a workshop. She doesn't need to spark a conversation, just do the job.

She's not sure what to expect and freezes for a second when Steve removes his jacket and exposes his heavily scratched back, like he's been dragged on the ground.

– Damn it, Steve, says Max when he unties the bandage.

– Yeah, it doesn't look very pretty.

Hellen and Max exchange a glance. The wounds on his side are deep, he could die of septic shock by the end of the day. Hellen takes a deep breath, there's been enough death this week, she won't be responsible for another.

Max is already getting towels and a medkit from a cupboard. They start with cleaning the wounds with clear water, then Hellen shows the girl how to make a better suited antiseptic out of highly diluted bleach because 'alcohol would hurt like hell and only make things worse'.

It's hard to ignore the fact that she's rubbing disinfectant on the body of a very attractive man. She's glad Max took charge of the bruises on his neck so Hellen doesn't have to stay so close to his face. She wonders how long Steve and Eddie have been friends. If they meet at school or at a concert or at one of those crazy parties. If they're maybe ... more than friends. He seems like a good person, she'd love Eddie to have someone like this in his life.

Then her mind drifts away trying to picture Eddie with his shirt off and various amounts of chest hair. She drops her towel. Twice.