Warnings/Things to note: This chapter focuses on grief and mourning, if this makes you uncomfortable I would suggest not reading this chapter. It will be angsty, too. The next chapter will be a lot fluffier, though :) I just felt like this was something I had to write for Dustin's chapter.

It seemed hard to believe, but it had finally been a year since Vecna had split Hawkins into four different parts, or, what the common person called the "earthquakes". This anniversary was met with silence, no one talked about much except for the news anchors, who wouldn't stop listing the deaths and actions against the natural disaster.

Steve didn't want to leave his house. He had to run to the store to pick up a few groceries, and the somber silence that met him made him shiver. He didn't want to face that again.

If they knew what true dangers lay beyond those cracks in the ground, no one would have stayed here. Steve often wondered why he stayed, too, but he knew the truth. He couldn't leave the kids, Nancy, Jonathan, even Joyce and Hopper. If something ever happened he needed to help them, he needed to protect them.

Yet, it was hard. Days like this sucked.

Steve was sitting on the couch, flipping through one of the few books he had in the house, not really reading it, when the phone rang. He didn't waste a second getting to his feet, knowing that it was probably his parents checking to see if the house was still standing.

"Hello?" He asked, picking up the phone leisurely. "Steve Harrington speaking."

"Steve? It's Claudia. Dustin's mom."

He nodded. "Mrs. Henderson, hey, is there something I can help with?"

"Well, I don't know. I was hoping you could swing by." She sounded worried, more worried than Steve has ever heard before, and that scared him.

"What's going on?"

She took a deep breath. "It's Dustin. Today's the anniversary of the earthquake, and he really misses his friend. I've tried talking to him but he's such a mess, and I figured that you might be able to help him more than me."

Steve felt his mind wander as she continued to speak, his hand going weak around the phone. Of course. It had been a year since the whole Vecna mess, and a year since….a year since…

Since Eddie died. Since they had to leave his body in the Upside Down.

How could he have forgotten? Dustin must have been devastated. Steve knew how badly Eddie's death had affected him, how hurt Dustin was, how he begged for Steve to carry the body out when no one could. How Dustin didn't talk to anyone for weeks, no matter how hard Steve tried to get him to speak.

"Mrs. Henderson, I'll come." He said, interrupting the kind but talkative and nervous woman. "Is he at your house?"

"Yes, he's locked himself in his room. Do you think you could help? It's my poor Dusty, but nothing I do seems to help."

Steve rushed to reassure her. "I'll do my best, I promise. I'll be there shortly."

"Thank you, dear. I'll leave the door unlocked for you."

"Alright, Mrs. Henderson. I'll see you soon."

Steve hung up the phone and didn't waste a second, grabbing his sweater in a swift movement, putting it on, and rushing out to his car. Key in the ignition, foot on the pedal, and he was off, wishing that he would've remembered, wishing he would've been able to be there for Dustin sooner.

He told himself that he couldn't change that now. He went faster.

The small home soon appeared in his sights, Mrs. Henderson's small car sitting in the driveway

He didn't waste any time running to the door, knocking as soon as he reached it. Mrs. Henderson opened it after a few seconds, tears in her eyes. That had managed to slow Steve down. She wrapped him in a hug, clutching onto him desperately, and he hugged her back, knowing how hard this must be for her. She didn't know Eddie. She didn't know what to do to make things better for her son. In all honesty, Steve didn't really know, either. But he would surely try.

"He's still in his room." She said, letting him go and rubbing a tear off of her cheek. "I'll just be in the garden, but get me if you or Dusty needs me."

Steve nodded. "Okay."

She gave his arm a light squeeze before leaving, and he took a deep breath, not knowing how this was going to play out. But, like everything his life had become, he just had to take it one step at a time.

He walked up to Dustin's room, knocking on the rough wood with his knuckles.

"Hey, Dustin? It's me, Steve." He said, hoping that Dustin would open the door. He really didn't want to barge in, not only would it be a breach of privacy but scare the kid. And he didn't need that right now.

"Go away." Dustin replied, his voice laced with sadness, more sadness that Steve had ever heard in his voice before. He was too young for this. He shouldn't have to deal with this. Any of it.

Despite Dustin's words, Steve didn't go away. He instead chose to sit down by the door, sliding down the wall and resting his feet on the ground.

Dustin seemed to notice this. "I said go away."

"I know. But, I'm not going to." Steve replied, knowing that it wouldn't be right. Dustin didn't cope well alone. He needed someone there for him. "Someone taught me a while ago that you shouldn't abandon your friends when they need help. Especially members of the Party."

Dustin was silent for a second. "But you're not an official member of the Party yet." He didn't say it in a snarky, know-it-all tone that he would normally, it was like he didn't have any energy to even feel that way.

"I know. But, the same rules apply to people who I see as a brother." Steve waited a couple of moments for Dustin to reply, but it seemed like the kid didn't want to talk anymore. He could understand that. "Look, Dustin, I want to help. Can I please come in?"

It wasn't long until he heard the doorknob move, and he got to his feet, meeting Dustin's eyes as he stared at him from across the doorway. His eyes were red, rimmed with pink flush and blushed cheeks. His hair was a mess, and his clothes were crumpled, like he's been in bed all day. Tear stains were evident on his face, drawing a shiny line from his eyes down to his chin.

He moved out of the way wordlessly, letting Steve walk into the room. He did, and chose to sit on a desk chair. Dustin closed the door weakly, flopping back onto his bed and clutching his blankets close to him. He looked down, away from Steve's empathetic gaze and towards the decoration on his bedspread.

"You一" Dustin began, his face scrunching up, as if he was willing tears to stop coming. They didn't and more tears came. "You know what day it is, right?"

Steve nodded. "Yeah. Yeah, I do."

Dustin sniffed, hiccups shaking his chest as he tried to contain his sobs. "He…he should be here. Why did he have to die, Steve? Why?" He pushed his face into his blankets, seeking comfort, and Steve didn't really know how to provide it.

He had asked a good question. Why did Eddie have to die? Why him? Steve would've much preferred to take the bullet instead, Eddie didn't deserve it.

"He was the only one in high school who actually cared about me, you know?" Dustin continued, his voice muffled by the blanket. "No one else cared about us. But he let us join Hellfire, he wanted us to fit in, to have a good time, and all that I gave to him was his death!"

"You didn't lead to his death, Dustin." Steve said carefully. "You didn't tell those demobats to kill him. You tried to protect him. You did everything you could."

"No, I didn't!" Dustin screamed, lifting his head. Steve flinched at the sudden outburst, but he stayed, holding his ground patiently. "I dragged him into this whole mess! If it weren't for me he would've graduated high school! It was his year, Steve!"

"You didn't kill Chrissy, did you, Dustin?" The curly haired boy shook his head no, all anger draining from his face. "You didn't. That was what got him involved. Not you." Steve got up, slowly getting on Dustin's bed beside him, waiting for a sign that he isn't welcome. He didn't get one. He let himself sink into the mattress, hoping that Dustin was okay with him there.

"I just want him back." Dustin replied as his voice cracked under all of the emotions that must've warred in his mind.

"I know. I do, too. I wish I could've got to know him a bit better."

"You two really got along, didn't you?" Dustin asked hesitantly, and Steve nodded.

"Yeah. He was a great guy, really easy to hang out with."

The two fell into an uncomfortable silence, Steve unsure about what to say. Dustin soon grabbed one of his robots and played mindlessly with the buttons. Occasionally he would wipe a stray tear from his cheek, or try to make his suppressed sobs less evident, and it broke Steve's heart. He didn't know what to do. How was he supposed to help the kid, the kid who he cared about, who was hurting, who sat beside him?

"I know we can't get him back, and I know that you know that, too." He chose to say. "But I just wanted you to know that I'm here for you. Through anything. If you want to talk, or hang out, or if you even want me to go, I'll go. I'm only a phone call away. Always."

Dustin seemed to consider the words, refusing to look at Steve through watery eyes.

"I miss his smile." Dustin whispered, and Steve listened intently with a sad expression. "I miss his bravery, his enthusiasm, his epic Dungeon Master skills一." He gave a sad laugh. "I miss him. I miss Eddie."

Steve gently put his hand on Dustin's shoulder, closing his eyes as he began to feel his own chest tighten.

"He didn't run. He didn't run away." Dustin muttered as he broke down in sobs.

Steve chose to pull him into a hug, and Dustin let him, sobbing into his chest. He clung onto him tightly, desperately, and Steve let him without complaint.

"He didn't run." Steve repeated, holding onto Dustin tighter. "He saved us."

The older teen could feel his sweater become wet, no doubt from Dustin's tears, but he didn't mind. All that mattered was the kid that needed his help, needed to be comforted, needed to cry and grieve the loss of one of his greatest friends.

"Could, could you do me a favor, Steve?" Dustin asked hesitantly and Steve nodded.

"Anything."

"Could you drive me to his grave? I want to say goodbye."

"Of course." He rubbed his shoulder comfortingly, trying to provide what support he could. "Of course."

%%%%%%%

It didn't take long for Steve to arrive at Eddie's old home, the trailer park deserted. When the gate had ripped a hole in the earth, no one wanted to live there anymore. He couldn't blame them.

A lone, makeshift headstone sat on the ground, surrounded by small D&D figures, flowers, and Eddie's guitar, set in a case so that the elements wouldn't damage it.

Steve stood further back as Dustin made his way towards the stone. They both knew that there was no body under the earth, but it was the least they could do for him. A burial. A place to remember and honor him.

It was a shame that the town refused to give him a proper headstone.

He didn't have to go any closer to see the name and numbers engraved on the stone, he knew it by heart. Eddie Munson. 1965-1986. Good Friend, Nephew, and Hero.

He watched as Dustin kneeled on the graying grass, lifting the guitar case cover and staring at the guitar inside, the headstone beside it. Steve assumed that he was talking, but he couldn't hear what was being said. Memories of what happened flashed in his own mind, Dustin's worried screams as they made their way back, Eddie's body, panicked breaths as he could barely stand and lost yet another friend.

"We have to get him out! We can't leave him here! Steve! Steve!"

"Steve can't carry anything, Dustin! I'm sorry, but we have to leave him!

"Let me try, Nance一"

"No! I'm not losing anyone else today!"

"Steve?"

He blinked, and Dustin stared at him, more tears brimming in his eyes.

"Can I have a hug? Please?"

Steve rushed to his side, kneeling down beside him and clutching him like he could protect him from every danger of the world, from all of the hurt, all of the pain, all of the grief. He knew that he couldn't, but he could be there, at least for now. Be there through every up and down. Every laugh and every sob. Every accomplishment, every congratulations, every grave. He may not be there forever, but while he was, he would do everything in his power to help the kid that had brought him so much joy. Help the kid who had seen so much darkness but brought him so much light. Help Dustin.

Even if it was just a hug.

Yet, to Dustin, it was always so much more than just a hug. It was a promise. Always a promise that would never be broken, no matter what.