Stranger Things What Ifs

Chapter Thirty Five

What if.....Everyone thought Lucas died for a year, but he ends up coming back? (Angst) (Continues off of Chapter Thirty Four)

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"How long has she's been getting these attacks?"

"Ever since you...well...you know...."

"We've never been able to stop it when she does have it. She ends up passing out every time."

"She's just shocked."

Max hears the voices as she slowly begins to wake up, her eyes going to flutter open but the more she begins to regain consciousness the more the memories begin to come at her full fledge.

Lucas.

Max jumps awake with a shriek, her being on Nancy's bed while she backs away to the corner, her looking frantically around at everyone.

"Woah woah sweetie it's okay it's okay." Susan quickly assures.

Max looks around at all of them, her eyes finally going to set on Lucas who stands at the front of the bed while he looks at her. Her eyes are wide once again, her hands gripping the bedsheets hard while her knees are up, her hair being all over the place, her eyes still red and cheeks still a flushed pink.

"Give us the room please." Lucas says to everyone while glancing around.

"Okay." Susan replies, her going to rub Sue's back while Charles holds her hand. "Just...slowly Lucas." She tells him, him going to nod his head.

All of them go to leave out of the door hesitantly, but they know Lucas and Max definitely need a little time alone before they get to hear what happened to him during this past year. Sue is last to leave out of the door, her looking back at both of them before she softly closes the door behind her, all of them going downstairs.

"Holy shit..." Erica says while looking aimlessly down.

"What did the cops say?" Charles directs at Hopper.

"That he was just discharged." Hopper replies.

"Discharged?!" Nancy questions concerned. "As in hospital discharged?!"

"That's what I was thinking." Jonathan says. "His clothes look like the clothes you would get from a hospital."

"Oh my god he was hurt." Sue begins to cry, her going to lean on Charles.

"He's alive." Charles cries, him hugging Sue. "He's alive though."

"Just...." Steve tries. "Jesus."

"We won't be able to figure it out right now." Eleven shakes her head. "We just have to wait until him and Max get done talking to each other, then he'll explain."

"I'm just glad he's back." Mike begins to cry. "I'm so glad he's here."

"Me too." Will begins to cry.

All of them beginning to cry.

Lucas stands still while he looks at Max, still seeing her look at him with shocked eyes. "I know it's confusing." He starts with his shaky hands out. "But please Max...for one year I had to watch you in a hospital bed and for one more year I haven't seen you at all." He says, gradually coming more closer and closer to her. "Just let me hold you."

"I...." Max tries, her looking in between his eyes. She goes to slowly get on her knees on the bed, Lucas going to stand in front of her.

They are close now, their heads almost touching. "I know it doesn't make sense." Lucas whispers. "But I'm here, I'm here."