The Rescue Of Eddie Munson

Chapter 37

Chapter 37

A yawn crept up on me and my jaw cracked, I winced as muscles complained at the movement. I would love nothing more than a good stretch but I knew the pain would take my ass out and I'd probably tear something open.

Lucas spoke up, his soft voice cut through the sound of plates being gathered and cleaned up. "..Red...uh.." he started to say and stopped, staring at the floor.

Blinking drowsily I glanced around the room until I spotted him on the far end of the couch next to Eleven, Mike and Will. Raising an eyebrow I waited for him to continue, when he didn't I picked up the bottle cap from the water bottled and did my best job tossing it at him, I missed and hit Eleven in the leg who giggled and looked at me confusion clear on her face. "Sorry El...I missed..meant to hit the tin man over there who clammed up..need an oil can Lucas? What's up?"

Sputtering at the nickname Red had tossed at him and the attempted projectile bottle cap he sighed. He still hadn't processed everything that had happened and the guilt of being here safe with the others while Max lay in that bed..alone..the fact that the hospital had been a trap and he didn't know what was happening back there without him continued to play in the back of his mind.

He was startled from his thoughts when an empty water bottle hit him squarely in the forehead. Glancing around he saw that Eleven had a bit of blood on her nose and Red was whistling innocently, Eddie watched from across the room a smirk on his lips as he shrugged "wasn't me"

Sighing once more Lucas spoke "guess I'd better talk before El starts throwing furniture at me.. just wanted to say thanks...EI..shit..Red..you got hurt because of me..I..fuck..I'm sorry....and now Max is back there.. alone.."

I nodded knowing that this guilt laden conversation was a long time coming, hell I'd been prepared to hear it ever since I planned the rescue. Yawning once again I smiled as Eddie softly stroked my arms through the leather of the jacket offering support. Finally managing to stop yawning I spoke,

"I know this probably won't make it through that guilt your swimming in over there but you did the right thing. That slimy asshole already has what he needed from Max, she's not physically in there right now. From everything we've learned it took a fuckton of energy for him to rip those cracks between here and the upside down, that means taking what amounts to the soul out of a person. Now thanks to both you and El, Max didn't die so she's still tethered to her body unlike the others..which means she can be saved but it doesn't mean that her body is in danger, he has no reason to attack her..not that we'll give him a chance.."

My own guilt cut me off, I knew I couldn't have avoided being impaled by demobats like I did but I -hated- that any recovery time was going to take away from training and prepping to take out Vecna. Trying to focus on anything productive to shove the guilt in a hole in the back of my mind I asked "so uh, did you all get any sparring done? I know I wasn't here to help but..maybe a little later I can-"

Eddie's chin came down on my head and I felt his answer vibrating through the two of us and where his arms wrapped around me, "NO."

Sputtering I moved to escape his gentle but firm hold wincing as my stitches pulled. Glancing around the room I saw equally disapproving looks on the others. Sighing I curled up on myself hissing a muttered curse as the movement pulled on my damaged muscles. "Wasn't going to try to spar..goddamnit..was going to say I could watch and guide maybe?.." I huffed feeling ever the petulant teenager I wasn't.

Sucking his tongue against his teeth Eddie couldn't help but smirk at this new side of Red, he remembered her saying that she was bratty when told what to do... but he hadn't seen her like this yet. He glanced over at the others and saw a few matching smirks on Joyce and the other adults faces. Knowing with her stubbornness she wasn't going to slow down unless she didn't have a choice so he did what he could. Tilting his head down to whisper in her ear enjoying the resulting shiver, "damn, you weren't kidding about being a brat.. keep this up and I'll have to tie you down and force you to rest" he nipped the tip of her ear delighting in the squeak she gave before adding in a much softer tone "please..Red..take it easy..for me?