Stranger Things What Ifs

Chapter Fifty Eight

What if....Max 'died' seven months ago with a stab wound but she ends up coming back? (Angst) (continues from chapter fifty seven)

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Complete shock.

That is all Lucas feels right now as he stares at Max, his eyes being completely wide in shock and complete and utter confusion. His body shakes lightly, his hands most of all, the sounds of his breaths ringing harshly in his ears, the sound of his racing heartbeat being heard as well in his ears, all other sounds becoming faint for him.

Her hair has grown longer, it being down her back. She is a little bit skinnier, but it is her. Light bags are under her eyes, her eyes holding tiredness and exhaustion.

"What...in the actual fuck?" Nancy questions concerned, everyone else having complete wide eyes with the exception of Eleven.

Max swallows a little, her looking around at everyone else before her eyes set back up at Lucas. "I know that this doesn't make any sense at all, I will explain but...right now...." Max's eyes turn back to Lucas, her going to take a step closer to him. She starts walking over to him slowly, eyeing his reactions. He only stands there while shaking a little bit, his hands shaking most of all while his eyes grow teary. "Right now I need to just...Lucas...."

Lucas looks in between her eyes while his mouth opens up to try and say something, but it closing when he cannot figure out what to say in the moment. He swallows hard, so many lumps in his dry throat beginning to just consume him.

"I...." Lucas tries.

"I know." Max says softly, her hands going on his cheeks. She softly strokes his cheeks with her thumbs, his eyes widening more while his shaky hands slowly go over hers, him letting out a little choked sob while feeling her hands.

Max feels tears prickle in her eyes, seeing how his mouth opens to try and say something while tears fall down his eyes. "I know sweetie, I know." She says while going to bring him down a little bit, her hands going on his shoulders from the height difference. "Come here."

Lucas sobs out loudly while he bends down a little and hugs her tightly, his arms going around her tightly. Max closes her eyes while her arms go tightly around his neck, her releasing her own tears while she hugs him. His loud and choked cries make her cry harder, seeing how he breaks down and feeling how he shakes.

"I'm so so sorry." Max whispers in his ear while rubbing his back. "I'm so so sorry baby, I'm so sorry."

Lucas knees give out, Max going to fall on his knees with him while still hugging him. Lucas just lets everything escape, he is confused beyond compare but what he does know in this moment right now is that she is here, she is here and he is able to hug her, he is able to hold her and she isn't disappearing or anything.

Is it a dream?

Lucas quickly looks into her eyes while cradling her face, him looking between her eyes before looking down at her. "I..."

"I know what you are thinking right now Lucas." Max tells him softly, stroking his cheeks softly. "I'm here and this is not a dream, this isn't an illusion, I'm real. I'm right here with you."

Lucas closes his eyes while he cries while Max slowly lets her hand run through his hair. He remembers all the time when she used to do that. It always sent him off to sleep, it always relaxed him and calmed him down whenever he was just stressed or when he awoken from a nightmare. It always helped, she always helped him. With her soft smooth voice, with just her words and when she singed to him, it always sending him off to sleep.

She was his remedy to rid of his nightmares, of all of the harsh memories. Without her it has been so hard, so damn hard that he was very much close to giving up. The only reason why he didn't as soon as he heard that Max died was because he knew he had to find the person that killed her because he knew The cops wouldn't be able to do anything, he wanted to take it into his own hands, avenge her death and get revenge from his anger and grief.