Steve stood in the trance, his eyes rolled up like Max's, and no matter how hard Nancy screamed his name, and shook him, he wouldn't wake up.
Instantly Eddie stared up with wide eyes.
"MUSIC! HE NEEDS MUSIC!"
Max yelled, pulling on Eddie's leather jacket. Eddie was about to climb the rope to get to Steve, but remembered that music was the only way to break out of it. Thinking of Chrissy's broken bones, he ran towards the bedroom with the others completely in a total panic. All of them started digging through Eddie's messy bedroom to find a song for Steve. Erica, Lucas' sister ran down the hallway and into the room.
"Nancy says you have to hurry!"
The other kids yelled, scrambling to find anything, before Eddie, who had a handful of cassettes, looked at Robin as she held up several.
"Seriously what even is this shit?"
"What are you even looking for?!"
"Madonna, Bowie, Blondie, Beatles! MUSIC! WE NEED MUSIC!"
Eddie snatched the Iron Maiden tape from him, completely scared out of his mind, and hating that he didn't have one single thing that could save Steve. He screamed at Robin at the top of his lungs.
"THIS IS MUSIC!"
Meanwhile...
Steve had just been shown what happened to the Creel family, and who the son later became. He stood in frightened silence, watching it all unfold, before he was in the dark hospital hallway that resembled the Hawkins Lab. He stood, eyes wide, and completely frightened, as he watched young Henry get his 001 tattoo from Dr. Breemer. Suddenly he heard Billy's voice, and instantly, Henry and the doctor vanished, and instead there stood Billy. He was wearing his denim jacket, jeans, and open white shirt. The only thing was, his chest was still ripped open and bloody. He stepped forward, his dirty blond hair hanging down, and his eyes furious. He slowly walked forward, boots clicking as the lights flickered. "
You forgot all about me didn't you?"
Steve slowly backed, shaking his head.
"No Billy...you know that..."
He continued to walk forward, slowly stalking him.
"As soon as they put me in the fucking ground you started fucking that freak? You do know he'll die just like me, and you'll be all alone."
"Billy...no..."
Steve said, tears filling his eyes. Billy finally got close enough that he glared at him, eyes scanning him up and down.
"You're cursed Steve. That freak will join me soon, just like the others..."
Steve saw Billy's eyes glow, and suddenly he heard Venca's deep voice as he leaned in close.
"I want to show you. Tell Eleven, let them all know what you saw."
Suddenly his hand was over him as Steve's eyes rolled back and he screamed as quick flashes of Hawkins being destroyed appeared. In the background, he heard Eddie screaming.
"NO!"
Then, Steve woke up. His eyes snapping open and returning to normal, just as Eddie was running over with his own Walkman, and a Police tape that his uncle owned.
He froze, looking up as Steve slowly fell backwards onto the floor, knees buckling. Nancy knelt down, trying to gather his shaking body into his arms. Eddie grabbed onto the rope, and climbed with lighting speed, before nearly crashing upside down onto Nancy and Steve. Catching himself, he kelt down, and hovered over Steve with wide dark frightened eyes. "Steve? Talk to me dammit!" Steve blinked, looking up at Eddie and Nancy, frightened tears in his eyes.
Later...
Eddie had sent Lucas to his trailer for his black lunchbox. Steve was now sitting in Max's trailer across the way. They had all snuck over before dawn. Max's mother was working double shifts, and currently, Steve was trying his hardest to relax. Eddie had given a yellow pill to Steve, who had first hesitated but Eddie reassured him that it wouldn't knock him out...just relax him.
Steve, trusting Eddie, didn't even question what it was, before he swallowed them with the water Max had brought him. He only said that Venca used Billy like he did with Max, and then showed him Hawkins getting destroyed, the upside escaping. Everyone listened as Steve spoke, feeling the pill starting to mellow him out, as they told them everything. All the while Eddie's arm around him. He felt safe now, but couldn't stop thinking about what Billy...or Venca had said. Eddie then came up with an idea after they planned on what they were going to do, as crazy as it sounded. He showed them in the yellow pages a store that sold the supplies and weapons they would need. Steve stood by him, listening before they mentioned there was no way they could bike there. Eddie then came up with an idea, and grinned when Steve questioned it.
When Eddie got the Michael Myers mask from Max, right before pulling it on, he asked Lucas to sneak over to his place one last time and get a black pack of his in his bedroom. Once he came back, Eddie grinned and told everyone to follow him and be quick. Before pulling on the mask, he eyed a worried looking Steve, before leaning in and kissing his cheek.
"It's okay, just follow me okay?"
Steve nodded, still feeling a knot in his stomach. Once that stupid looking mask was on him, they all snuck out before running toward a parked RV just a few trailers away. The owners outside watching the news on a portable TV. Eddie snuck through the window, and locked the door before sitting behind the wheel. Steve walked over, and couldn't believe Eddie as he opened his pack, and began to yank the wires underneath the dashboard. Steve leaned in, asking if he could really start it? Eddie chuckled, explaining that his father showed him how to hotwire cars instead of being a regular father.
"Where did you learn to do this?"
"Well, while other dads were teaching their kids how to fish or play boy my old man was showing me how to hotwire. Now I swore to myself that I wouldn't land up like he did, but now I'm wanted for murder, and soon grand theif auto so I'm really living up to that Munson name."
Steve watched as Eddie stripped the wire, and began flicking them together. Robin shovered over telling Eddie that she wasn't exactly comfortable with Eddie driving.
"Oh I'm just starting the sucker. Harrington's got her. Don't ya big boy?"
Steve, a little stoned from the pill, smirked, before suddenly the engine roared to life, and everyone scrambled and screamed as the owners yelled pounding on the window. Eddie gave a playful grin at Steve before Steve jumped into the front seat, put it into drive, and floored it, honestly believing at any second they were going to flip.
"Hold onto something!" Steve screamed, as they raced out of the trailer park, and onto the main road.
Later...
Steve found a backroad to the army store, and drove listening to Fire and Rain. Everyone was either sleeping, or softly talking in the back. Mellowed out, Steve drove as Eddie sat in the passenger seat and closely looked at him. "You okay?" Steve glanced over, Eddie's eyes filled with concern. Sighing, he continued driving.
"Just seemed to real. Too vivid. I swear to God it was like really watching it happening."
"I'm so sorry Steve. We'll get this bastard and make him pay. I promise."
He was silent for a second, looking as though he was trying to search for the right words.
"You know what you saw wasn't Billy. He was just messing with your head."
Steve sighed, steering the RV, still wearing Eddie's vest.
"Yeah I know, he used what hurts us...what haunts us. I just hope this plan works."
Eddie looked at him and smiled, reaching across and rubbing his arm. "So tell me more about this dream of yours the other night?" Steve glanced over smirking.
"Yeah, I woke up in this trailer, and I could hear the ocean. We were married, and we had a daughter."
Eddie smiled.
"Little Elora Danan huh? I love that. Did she have my eyes?"
Steve thought back on the little baby he held in his arms.
"Yeah, she was beautiful."
"So, we kill Venca, somehow clear my name, I graduate by the skin of my teeth, and we leave right?"
Steve smiled and nodded.
"Yeah, I kinda have this fantasy in my head that we'll take the Camaro...at least for Billy his car can leave this Goddamn place, then we head to California. We get this crummy beach house right on the water. It will need a ton of work, but we'll do it together, listening to music, painting, and fixing it up. You'll perform at clubs, doing different gigs and I don't know...I'll work odd jobs..."
"Hair dresser. I'm telling you."
Steve cracked a smile glancing at Eddie as he went on.
"Well, if that doesn't work out, we'll open that music store, and you can teach lessons. We'll invite all of our friends, even these little shits to come stay for the Forth Of July. We'll lean how to surf, drink cheap wine, lay on the beach, go to different carnivals, eat until we puke...and just have fun."
"That sounds amazing. When does our little girl come in?"
"Well, I was thinking we'll wait five years. We'll...figure something else. I want a big family like you...five or six little Harringtons and Munsons running around."
"We should have seven for each day of the week."
Eddie chuckled. Steve smiled.
"Yeah, I could see is when they all get a little bit older, pack them into some RV like this and drive across the country every summer."
"I would love that."
Steve glanced over.
"I think we make a good team. Just two dads, trying not to have a total breakdown, and raise them to be good people, and show them it's okay to be different."
Eddie smiled softly, before he got up from his chair, and kissed Steve's cheek, standing behind him as he drove, gently rubbing his shoulders. All the while, Nancy sat back watching them sadly smiling.
Later...
A lot had happened that afternoon. They had gone to the store, using Steve's credit card that his mother had given him in case of emergencies, and bought over four hundred dollars worth of stuff. He knew when his mother saw the statement she would lose her mind, but honestly that was the last thing he was worried about. Instead, he gave Eddie back his vest once they all scrambled back into the RV. Jason Carver and his idiot basketball friends were there, and they needed to get out quick. They drove to Miller's field, right on the outside of town, where the 4th of July celebration had been held last year. Steve was certain nobody would be there, and lucky it was deserted. They parked, and began to get everything they had ready to head back to the Hell otherwise as the upside down. Steve sat back, having just talked with Robin.
They were making homemade Molotov cocktails, and Steve had tried his hardest to talk about Robin spotting Vickey with a former classmate of his...that happened to be a boy. His heart broke for Robin. He loved her as a sister, and seeing the look of hurt in her eyes back at the store killed him. She had been one of the main reasons he hadn't just given up after losing Billy, and had pushed him to not be afraid of starting anything with Eddie. They had clinked their bottles together, hoping to kill admitted, she had a funny feeling that this all might not work out for them. Steve hated to admit it, but he was getting the same feeling. He watched Max and Nancy work, then Lucas and Erica. His eyes finally drifted down to Eddie and Dustin horsing around and laughing. Steve couldn't help it, but he smiled watching them. Robin then nudged his arm.
"He's really great with Dustin, just like you. He'll make a great dad someday."
Steve continued smiled and nodded.
"Yeah..."
"I'm glad you found someone Steve. I like Eddie a lot, he's good for you. You can tell he's crazy about you."
Steve continued smiling, before he got up, brushing his hands against his legs, before venturing down the field, through the milk grass towards Eddie and Dustin.
"Hey Henderson, mind getting the other garbage lid. We're gonna need to make another."
Dustin must have sensed that Steve wanted a second alone with Eddie, so instead of arguing, he simply nodded, smiled at Steve as Eddie ruffled his hat. as he ventured up towards the RV. Steve then turned towards Eddie, softly smiling before he reached over and placed his hands on Eddie's shoulders.
"You okay?"
Eddie smiled, locking his eyes with him.
"Yeah, actually I feel pretty good."
"Listen to me. As soon as you spot those fucking bats, you run and go back through the gate. No messing around. You saw what they do."
Eddie frowned, and gently touched the tender parts of Steve's sides. He shook his head.
"No matter what happens I want you going to the hospital tomorrow. I'll kill myself if you die of some stupid infection from those monsters from Hell."
Steve sighed, highly doubting it. He reached up, and gently rubbed Eddie's face, feeling faint stubble, before he took a step closer, and pressed his forehead against his.
"Thank you..."
Eddie grinned and raised an eyebrow.
"For what?"
"For bringing me back to life. I love you."
Eddie smiled, laughing lightly before he leaned down and softly kissed Steve's lips, Their mouths opened and closed, slowly tasting each other. Steve shut his eyes, and continued holding Eddie. One hand cupping his face, the other running through his hair. He felt Eddie's lips smack against his, before finally he pulled back. Eddie's dark eyes stared at him, before Steve smiled.
"We'll get out of here Eddie. I promise."
"Remember Steve, it's our year. We'll make this one count."
Steve smiled, kissing him again sweetly, before he stepped forward, wrapping his arms around him and burying his face against his neck. He nuzzled him, and squeezed him as tight as he could. Eddie's arms came up, and wrapped around him, holding him just as tight.
The two stood together for a few minutes, not saying a word...just holding each other until Dustin walked over, groaning telling them to get a room. Pulling apart, still holding each other both laughed having no idea what awaited them that night.
This was the last time Eddie ever saw daylight.