Second Chances (ON HOLD)

Chapter Three

Nancy and Eddie drove to the cabin in silence, Eddie still ducking down in the back of the van until they were out of the way of watchful eyes. Normally he would be talking the younger girls ear off but that was before everything happened. That was before he watched Chrissy die. That was before he got branded a murderer. That was before he died and came back to life.

Eddie

His head snapped up as he heard someone faintly whisper his name. Eddie's eyes snapped up to look at Nancy but she was still concentrating on the road and not paying him any attention.

Eddie

The whisper was clearer this time and he could tell that it was a deep voice, meaning it couldn't have been Nancy. Eddie's heart started to beat a little faster, his anxiety rising as he waited for the whisper again. After a few moments he breathed a sigh of relief when he didn't hear it. Eddie shook his head at himself and put it down to his wild imagination. He was bound to see or hear things after everything that had happened.

"You okay back there, Eddie?" Nancys voice pulled him from his thoughts and he knelt up to look over the seat at her. She was still facing the front but her eyes kept briefly darting to the side where he was.

"Er, yeah. I'm good, Wheeler. Promise!"

Nancy shook her head and patted the seat beside her. They were now driving through the woods and there was no chance of him being seen now. She waited for him to climb into the passenger seat before she said anything else. "You don't need to lie to me, Eddie."

Eddie looked down at his hands, unsure of what to say. He had never had many friends in life who actually wanted to make sure he was okay. He knew he had the boys in Hellfire club but they were all younger than him and he never quite felt comfortable telling them much. Not even Gareth. He took a deep breath before replying. "How do you cope? How do any of you cope with this?"

"Honestly? I don't know. I wish I had a better answer for you, Eddie."

"Do you get nightmares?" He asked, nervously playing with the rings on his fingers. He thought he might have lost them in the upside down but he had been pleasantly surprised to see them still on his fingers.

"Almost every night. I'm pretty sure we all do. Except for Steve, maybe." She sighed, looking around and wondering if she was lost.

"Why do you say that?" The mention of Steves name caught his attention.

"He just always seems to be able to go back to normal. Hanging out with Robin and going on dates like nothing ever happened!" The cabin finally came into view and she started to relax a little.

"Do you still have feelings for him?" Eddie asked, trying not to sound bitter.

"What? No! I'm with Jonathan!" She exclaimed as she pulled up to the side the cabin. Nancy quickly put the van in park and went to get out of the van. She didn't get very far when Eddie reached out and gently grabbed her wrist.

"Doesn't mean you can't still have feelings for him, Nancy. Don't you want the 6 kids one day?" Eddie tried not to grimace as he said those words.

Nancy turned to face him, her big eyes wider than normal. "You... you heard that?"

"You two weren't exactly quiet up the front." Eddie shrugged.

"I don't know. We broke up because of me. He deserves better! It would be selfish of me to want him again."

Eddie silently agreed with her instead of saying anything. Before he even knew Nancy personally he had thought she was a little selfish. He remembered the night of a halloween party that he had attended to sell to some clients. He was in the upstairs hallway doing business when he had heard the girl shouting 'bullshit' from the bathroom. He had then watched her storm out and down the stairs, leaving a sad looking Steve standing alone. He had felt bad for the younger man even though Steve was known to be an asshole.