The phone rang, rang, rang, rang. Stopped. Rang, rang, rang, rang,rang, rang, rang, rang. Stopped. Dustin grumbled loudly and plugged his ears. Could still hear the faint ring, ring, ring, ring.

"Son of a bitch! I'm coming!"

He tumbled out of bed and down the dim hall. Flipped on the living room light before he tripped.

"I'm here! I'm here!" He slapped it to his ear. "WHAT!"

"DUSTIN!"

"Rosie!? It's two in the morning, why -"

Her voice was shrill, shaky, panicked.

"Rosie, slow down I can't -" He took a breath. "I can't understand you!"

"Eddie!"

His stomach did a flip. "What's wrong with Eddie?"

Muffled rambling. Frantic breathing. "…the hospital…"

"Why are you at the hospital?"

"I-I had to call an ambulance. They slashed the tires -"

"Who? Who slashed your tires? Where's Eddie?"

"He was bleeding."

"Rosie!" He really didn't mean to yell at her. She was hysterical. "What happened to him!?"

"Dustin!" His mother snatched the phone out of his hand. "Who is this?"

Dustin could hear Rosie screaming.

"Honey, you're not being clear. Are you hurt? Eddie?" Claudia paused. "Ok well sounds like the doctor - I'm listening. I'll bring Dusting first thing…. You said he's still in surgery, there's no point leaving now. Don't say that, Rosie. I understand, he's hurt. But you need to sleep. He's fine now…. Honey, no. We'll come in the morning. Take it easy. Sit down. Big breath in -"

"CLAUDIA PLEASE!"

His mother held the phone away. "Honey, just - Rosie? Rosie!"

"What happened to Eddie?"

His mother shrugged. "Some guys jumped him…I don't know, Dusty. I really couldn't make it out."

"We're going."

"He's being treated. We can go -"

"I'm going!" He shoved past her. "Give me the phone!"

"Dustin!" His mother rebuked. "Who are you calling at this hour?"

"Steve."

"You're not!"

"I AM! I'm going! Now you can either get in the car, or go to bed while I call someone who actually cares!"

"I care."

He showed her his back. He'd rather go with Steve, anyway.

There was only one nurse on the desk at this hour, lazily swaying as she listened to the radio. Dustin ran up and rang the bell. She glared.

"Can I help you?"

"Is my aunt here?"

"I don't know. Is she?"

"She came in about an hour ago. With her boyfriend."

"She your auntie or your cousin?"

"It doesn't matter!" Dustin hollered. Steve shushed him groggily. "Are they here?"

"He's not ready for visitors."

Steve was too tired for this: "Ma'am."

"Down the hall. On the right."

Rosie was pacing back and forth across the waiting room. Looked around hopefully when she heard the door. Her face was puffy, eyes red.

Dustin lingered in the doorway. Had he ever seen her cry?

"Dust!" She threw her arms over him, sniffing.

"I'm here."

To his credit, Steve hugged her too. Rosie needed it. She was still in dirty jeans and sweater, her hair pulled into a hasty bun. She looked ill.

"Is Eddie ok?"

She shrugged feebly, tears starting again. Dustin let her to a chair and made her sit down. Steve on her other side.

"They just took him and… and…"

"What happened?" Steve asked.

"I don't know. I wasn't there. They must've followed us back to the house."

"Who?"

"Some guys. They tried to start a fight with Eddie at the grocery store. I got us out, but they caught him outside."

"Strangers?"

"No." She bit her lip. "Eddie knew them… Pete something."

"Pete Ashton?"

Dustin looked up. "You know them?"

"Year ahead of me."

"I was in bed. It was so late." Rosie continued. "Did they wait for him?"

"If he was with Henry, he lives out that way. They probably circled back to Rick's."

"Why?"

"Don't worry about it. Rest." Dustin rubbed her arm. "They're gone. Eddie's safe."

Sniff.

"I'm sure he is."

"Eddie's survived worse." Steve agreed.

Sniff. Rosie pulled something out from under her. A bloody blanket. She caught Dustin gaping.

"Not my blood."

Rosie refused to leave the hospital. Even after the doctor told her that Eddie was stable, just resting in recovery, she sat, face blank and eyes glazed. Wrapped in that gross blanket. Steve and Dustin brought her some food, which she picked at disinterestedly. She drank, however, and accepted the tea Steve gave her with thanks.

She slept in the chair, scrunched up. Once she was gone, Dustin peeled the bloody cover off her and replaced it with a fresh blanket one of the nurses gave him. Not sure how she'd react if he threw it away, he balled it up and put it beside her. They tried to get some rest, too, taking it in turns to watch her.

Once it came to a reasonable hour, he rang the others. Lucas came with Erica and sat for an hour. The Byers arrived around lunch time.

"You have to eat something, Sweetie." Joyce cooed at Rosie. "He's fine now. No need to keep starving yourself."

Rosie nibbled the sandwich she handed her. Once again, she was more interested in the soup Joyce poured from a Thermos, but began to dip the bread into it and eat. Dustin watched in relief. A doctor came and called her out. While they were speaking, he saw Eddie's uncle running down the hall. Wayne stopped to listen, then embraced Rosie tightly.

"He's got a helluva concussion." Wayne told them. "But they reckon he'll come around before we know it."

Rosie slunk back into her chair, putting the dirty rag across her lap. Joyce held her hand. Will didn't like the hospital very much, so Jonathan brought him home. Wayne went in to see Eddie first, and they gave him some privacy. He was gone almost an hour before he came back and escorted Rosie in.

When Will came back, he looked stressed. Since Eddie wasn't conscious, he asked his mom to bring him home. Joyce stopped by Wayne on her way out.

"I'm gonna ask Jim to take care of things."

"There's no need -"

"There is. Eddie could've been killed last night." She insisted. "If anyone can bring these guys in, it's Hopper."

Wayne stood and shook her hand. "I appreciate it, Mrs. Byers. Kid will, too."

"Let's go get some air." Steve said, standing.

"But Eddie…"

"It's like Joyce said; he can't talk to us right now."

Dustin deflated. "Yeah. Rosie'll probably be in there a while, too."

"Mr. Munson?" Steve put a hand on the man's shoulder. "We're stepping out. Can we get you something to eat? Coffee? Anything?"

"Not right now, boys. You go."