Never Let Go

chapter 8

Dustins POV

It's getting late. Mandy left with Robin very early this morning and she's not home yet.
Suddenly I hear a crash coming from her bedroom.
I run across the hallway and open her bedroom door.
My mouth falls open as I find Eddie doubled over on her bed in pain.
"Eddie!" I run to my friends aid.
His limbs are all bruised and cut like somethings been trying to grab him.
"Wait here I'll be right back." I say. I run to the bathroom and grab the first aid kit.
I get back in Mandy's room and Eddie is groaning in pain.
"Eddie... I'm no nurse but I'm going to try my best ok... I say as I manage to get his ripped shirt off and start to clean the wounds on his arms.
"Where's Mandy, Dustin?" Eddie says out of a grimaced face as the ointment stings him.
"She's out with Robin... why?" I replied trying not to sound worried.
"She's in trouble Henderson... more than she knows." Eddie struggles to say as he passes out from pain or exhaustion.
I don't even know how he got into this mess.
I'm about to turn my attention to the scratches on his legs when the door swung open.
"Oh my god Eddie!" Mandy screams seeing him all cut up.
"Dustin what the Hell?..."
"I don't know sis... he just came crashing through your window. I didn't even get chance to ask him how this happened."
I was getting a little upset and my big sister sensed it.
"Here let me do this bro." She takes my equipment and does the part I was dreading she eases his jeans down gently and pulls them off.
"He did say one thing though." I say looking at a shocked looking Steve, Robin and Nancy.
"He said you're in more trouble than you know Mandy."
"Ok that does it!" Steve marches forward and forces my sister's headphones back over her ears.
"Not now Steve!... I need to concentrate here!" Mandy snaps taking them right back off.
"The Hell you do!" Steve bites back.
There's a collective eye roll in the room from the rest of us as they start another one of their arguments.
"Can you two just stop arguing for more than one second and look..." Robin shouted as Eddie's eyes flickered awake.
"Eddie...what happened baby?" Mandy asks gently.
"He's coming for you .... coming for you both." He says his brain still foggy.
"Both?"
"You're pregnant Mandy... we have a baby girl on the way."
"What?" My sister falls backward from her knees speechless at Eddie's bombshell.
She sits there in silence as Eddie talks us through what happened in the upside down and how he sent Max to fetch help.
The visions Vecna had put into his head... all of us dead. Making him think him himself killed Mandy. Anger bubbled in my chest Eddie was one of my closest friends and I hated seeing him fight back tears of the memory of Vecna's trickery.
"So I set my army of bats onto him and then I ran, but as I was running the vines were trying to grab me hense how I got so cut up."
He looks down at Mandy who hasn't spoke.. hasn't moved... honestly I wouldn't be surprised if she had stopped breathing.
"Sweetheart I need you to say something... please!" Eddie says desperately.
"I need a minute." She gets up and leaves the room.
Myself and Robin look at each other and follow her out hearing Nancy say to Eddie.
"Don't worry Munson she's just had a shock she'll be ok."
Robin and I hear her throwing up in the bathroom.
"Sis... you ok?"
"Yeah... I'll be right out."
She opens the door and falls into my arms in tears.
Robin runs to the kitchen to get her a glass of water.
"Mandy... it'll be ok.. let's move this to my room so Eddie doesn't hear you crying."
Robin joins us and sets the glass down on my side table. Mandy is sobbing into my pillow. All I can do is comfort her and rub her back and shush her.
"How could I be so stupid?" She eventually says.
"Mandy it happens. You can't blame yourself or Eddie." Robin says.
"Yeah but I...we are now in more danger than ever. And is she even going to be normal given Eddie's situation?"
My sister is confused and scared I don't blame her but it was time for me to remind her what exactly she's fighting for.
"So?...So what if she's half vampire. She was conceived in the most loving relationship I know. You still love Eddie right?" I ask hoping she's not about to surprise me.
"More than anything Dust... you know I do."
"Well there you go... you two are going to be brilliant parents no matter what happens. Now get back in there and put Eddie's mind at rest."
"You two have got this Mandy." Robin says taking her hand.
We all go back to her room and enter to Eddie's worried eyes.
Mandy moves onto the bed with him and cuddles into him.
"I love you Eddie... I never want anything to happen to you or our baby."
Eddie tilts her chin and kisses her softly.
"I love you too but I'm scared I don't know how long I can stay hidden here in Hawkins. I still don't know if sunlight will have any effect on me."
"No! I can't let you go back in there Eddie not now it's way too risky don't leave me!" Mandy says before crying into Eddie's chest.
Eddie kissed her head and stroked her hair.
"Oooh wait! Jonathan has black out curtains for his dark room would they work?" Nancy says.
"For now I guess." Mandy says looking at Eddie as he nodded in agreement.
"Ok.... Steve could you speed me over there so we can get them?"
"Sure thing Nance... we'll be right back." Steve says unable to hide his smile.
They leave and as soon as the door closes Eddie says
"Are those two a thing again?" Looking at me, to which I reply with a shrug whilst the girls burst into laughter.
"Ok what have we missed?" I say looking at my sister's tired but joyful smile again.

*The next Day*
We got the curtains set up in Mandy's bedroom window last night our next challenge was keeping Eddie hidden from Mom until the final battle at the very earliest.
If I'm being honest I didn't sleep too well last night. It's bad enough seeing my friend hurting but my sister is a different story. Not to mention I have a baby niece on the way it's a completely different ball game.
I'm angry. An emotion that's probably going to land me in trouble but maybe not if I have some help.
I poke my head around Mandy's bedroom door and I see her in Eddie's arms both of them fast asleep.
I sneak back to my room and as quietly as I can I use my radio and call Mike, Lucas and will.

"Are you completely out of your mind?" Will said as I told him my plan.
"Quite possibly, but you can't tell me you're all willing to sit back and wait while El, Hopper Mandy, Eddie, Max  Nancy, Steve, Robin and Jonathan put themselves in danger for this town while we hang back benched again!"
Mike and Lucas started to come around to the idea.
"I've got to help El she can't do this without me." Mike stated.
"And Max wouldn't forgive me if I sat this one out." Lucus said smiling almost.
Will rolled his eyes knowing he was outnumbered.
"We need you Will please?" Mike pleaded.
"Ok fine! But you have to listen to me I will warn you if I sense him getting too close. Will caved.
Before leaving the Wheelers house Mike raided Nancy's gun supply and after a quick stop at Hoppers hut we grabbed the flame thrower Murray had kept from Russia... we slowly made our way towards the giant rip in reality.
Please don't kill me Mandy I'm doing this for you.