Fight or Flight (Eddie Munson x Y/N)

46. "Don't Get Mad. Get Even"

You were finally in the fourth quarter of your senior year. The final stretch. Prom was just around the corner. But even though the end of your high school career seemed to be approaching at break neck speed, every day felt just like the last. Because Billy was still in town. And justice had yet to be served.

You hadn't seen him since the day on Stacy's --his--front porch steps but Stacy was keeping you informed about his comings and goings. It seemed like nothing to out of the ordinary was happening: He would leave for work, come home to change quickly, and usually go right back out with another date.

The thought of him with new girls every night bothered you for so many reasons; but you didn't understand why he targeted YOU. With all the girls he could get, willingly, why had he come after you? You knew true and complete closure was a fantasy, but if you could have your way, you'd not only see justice served, but you'd also get to hear his reasoning, straight to your face.

You heard a voice, soft and muted at first, calling your name, before it became a stuccato and crisp, "Earth to Y/N!"

You shake your head from your thoughts to see Stacy snapping her fingers in your face. "Sorry, sorry..." you mumble.

Stacy warms, tilting her head to the side, "Where did you go?"

"Nowhere. Nowhere new," you say, avoiding eye contact. Talking about Billy to Stacy made you feel awkward. Even though Stacy seemed fine living in a universe where Billy could go to jail, he was still Stacy's brother. He was still her blood.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Stacy asks quietly, folding her hands over the Teen Magazine she'd been trying to show you in order to shop for prom.

"Talk about what?" Dustin said brightly, coming to sit next to Stacy, Suzie in tow.

"What are we talking about?" Eddie echos, pulling up a plastic chair backwards, straddling it, giving you a quick kiss on the cheek.

The silence between you and Stacy is all they need to know.

"Right," Eddie says, clearing his throat, a clear sign he meant business. "I think it's time we made a plan," he says low. "We've done a whole lot of knowing...and not a whole lot of doing."

"Oh, we're all eating together again?!" Robin says excitedly, slamming down her school lunch tray, clearly not having had read the room yet.

"I approve. We missed you guys," Steve says smoothly, his grin cocking to one side, his hand running through his hair to create a perfect mess on his head. "What did you say now? Plan?"

"Yeah," Eddie says flatly, still not entirely convinced he didn't want to at least shove Harrington into a locker for holding you so damn close on the dance floor of the Winter Formal.

"Ahh," Steve says, sensing it, lowing himself into a chair next to Dustin. "Can I play Devil's Advocate before we get too into the weeds here?"

"Please do, Harrington," Eddie smiles wide, but it's fake bravado reminiscent of the old Eddie from the beginning of the year. You shoot him a warning look. "Sorry," he says quietly to you, rubbing his hand gently up your back.

Steve sighs dramatically in Eddie's direction before looking at you, leaning over and folding his hands on the cafeteria table. "I'm not sure we have enough on these guys. Y/N you said no one else saw you that night. You didn't even know who it was until you saw him again. It was three years ago. And if Carter is as involved as you think he is, his daddy's going to do everything in his power to keep it under wraps. The way you say principal Higgins handled the last time the three of you were in his office.. I'd bet he's willing to protect his All-American football star, too."

"So, what are we supposed to do, Harrington?" Eddie growls, the hand that was on your thigh tightening. "Are we supposed to throw up our hands and continue to let this fucker skulk around Hawkins? Let him get away with what he did to Y/N?"

"I'm not saying that, dude," Steve says behind hushed gritted teeth, his eyes briefly shifting to you. "I just think..."

"No, maybe you're right," you chime in. You'd been wondering the same thing anyway over the past few months since you discovered it was him. It was your word against Billy's, against Jason's. If you tried to bring it to light, and you lost, they may come after you again. And next time would probably be a lot worse than the first. Was it worth it? Or should you just count yourself lucky to have survived such trauma?

Eddie shoots you a look, bewildered that you'd even suggest not seeking the justice he knew you so desperately wanted.

"I don't want anyone else hurt. I don't want anyone else brought into this mess. Pretty soon we'll all graduate and move away from this hell hole, away from them and we'll never have to deal with it again. I have you guys now...I'm okay now," you say, smiling, but it doesn't reach your eyes.