Sweet Child O' Mine - Eddie Munson & Y/N

5 - A Not So Silent Night

My half naked body comes to a total freeze still straddling Eddie's lap at the sound of that hushed little voice in the other room, praying not to hear it again, praying harder that Eddie didn't hear it either. "Mommy..." she groans again, sending shockwaves of the worst kind through my spine as my stomach knots into an aching nausea, I try to climb off his lap as fast as possible, but he resists as he doesn't understand what's going on. "Mommy!" the voice groans again, getting louder and sadder each time, I hear the tears behind each desperate call for me. I thought my mom might have taken Juno up to her room for the night, but I guess Juno wanted to wait for me in our bed where we'd both be sleeping together this week.
"Fuck!" I mutter as I try to stand, my legs feeling like jello and almost faltering in their efforts to keep me upright,
"What's that?" Eddie asks as he hears the sniffling of a small child in the other room.

I don't have time to think about consoling Eddie right now with a lie or cover up, I need to get to my daughter before she see us in the living room together. The bedroom door handle starts creaking as the tiny hands inside turn it to allow her to look for her mommy, "Put your pants on. Now!" I whisper yell as the panic rips through my body, threatening to tear my world apart. I grab my shirt and Eddie finishes doing his belt up as the guest room door opens,
"Mommy?..." she asks as she steps over the threshold, spotting me standing in the living room, I throw myself in front of the sleepy toddler, in hopes Eddie won't see her. "Mommy... I feel 'ick." she groans as she rubs her little tummy before reaching out for a hug,
"Okay Junebug, I'm here. Let's get you back into bed." I quickly mutter as I desperately try to usher her back into the room,
"Y/N?" Eddie's voice shaky and broken as he catches a glimpse of the child, I freeze in place, my heart pounding in my chest.
"Y/N... is she yours?" he asks, waiting in terror for the answer, his face pale and clammy while his body tensed and shakes with fear and anticipation.
"Not now, Ed's. I- let me just, I need to get her back into bed, okay?" my voice fractured and quivering as I try to hide the sobs from Eddie and Juno, I scurry into the bedroom with my daughter and tuck her back in, hoping she stays there this time. I can't say I'm too concerned by her nausea as I know she's eaten almost half a tray of Christmas cookies tonight and probably scammed her grandparents out of extra treats after dinner, exactly like I'd predicted. "Junebug, baby. You need to try and go back to sleep, okay? Mommy will be in soon, baby." my voice hushed and soothing as I try to lull the little one back into bed, I turn toward the door and see Eddie watching my every move with the mystery toddler. I gesture him toward the living room as I stand from the bed, pecking the little one on the forehead and follow Eddie closely out of the room, closing the door as we leave.

Eddie keeps his back to me, but I can see the obvious movements of his shoulders as he takes deep, panic and anger filled breaths, "Eddie?" my voice barely a whisper, but enough for him to turn and face me, his eyes piercing through me as I see the mixture of anger, hurt and confusion in his eyes.
"Is she your daughter? How old is she?" he frantically asks, he knows the answers already, he knew the second he saw her brown curls and chocolate button eyes, but he needed to hear me say it out loud, the warm tears start cascading down my cheeks as I piece together my answer.
"Yes, she's mine. She's... she's three." I sob, my hands reach up and cover my red, tear soaked face while Eddie's reach behind his head, his hands latching tightly together as his breathing picks up again.
"Is- is she mine?" he knows the answer again, but he deserves to hear it plain as day from my own lips.
"She's mine!" I snap, "She's my daughter, Eddie!" my voice starting to get louder as I silently beg him to stop asking questions, wishing I could go back 10 minutes, wishing my mom took her upstairs for bed, wishing I'd told him over 3 years ago, wishing I didn't come home for Christmas - even wishing I never left Hawkins in the first place.
"Y/N, if you ever loved me, you'd tell me the truth! Is. She. Mine?" he demands, keeping his voice low and calm but I can feel the hurt fuelled rage building behind every syllable. I keep my hands fixed over my eyes as though it's all a bad dream and I'll wake up soon and it'll all never have happened. "Y/N!" Eddie barks, growing understandably impatient for my answer,
"Yes, Eddie! Yes. She's yours!" I screech as loud as my lungs will allow, my voice echoing and rattling through the house. My lungs and eyes burn from the sobbing, I feel my heart rip into pieces in that moment. Eddie literally takes a step back, the shock cascading through his body, his hands balled into fists as he tries desperately to ground himself and not fly off the fucking handle. He wants to ask more questions but hesitates as he watches my body crumble into a heap on the carpet, leaning forward as I sit on my knees, I clutch onto my body to confirm that I'm still breathing as my lungs have lost all sensation from the screeching. Eddie doesn't move, he can't move, he just stands on the other side of the room as his anger threatens to boil over.