So, this one is El making Steve realize he's lucky. Steve gets in a car crash and El visits him at the hospital. They have a heart to heart. This is actually the one that inspired to make this series. Enjoy!


It was supposed to be a simple drive.

Just pick up some snacks for the dorks for tomorrow and go home. That's it.

But no.

Of course, it couldn't be that simple. Of course, something had to happen.

Just his luck.

It was 8:52 on a Friday night. At this time two years ago, he would already be at a party.

But ever since November, he was now 6 nerds' babysitter. And now being the babysitter, he'd drive the kids to and from places and even experienced their campaigns a few times.

So here he was being roped into not attending the next campaign but HOSTING the campaign. TOMORROW.

Gosh, he's gone soft.

The dorks had come to Steve when they had nowhere to play. Steve was their only option and lucky for them Steve's house was empty. It was always empty. His parents were always gone.

So, that meant he had to get snacks for them.

Steve went into Melvald's to grab the snacks. Looking through the isles he picked things that they probably would like. He went to pay and then headed home.

Two blocks before he got to his house, it had happened.

The car had its headlights off, so he couldn't see it. The car came out of nowhere, then, BAM!

The car hit the left side of the car dead on.

Everything went dark.


Steve woke up to a steady beeping sound.

It almost put back to sleep unless he hadn't opened his eyes and saw Joyce Byers sitting next to him.

"Mrs. Byers?" Steve would have sat straight up but trying to do that caused him to realize he was hooked up to machines.

"Easy honey." Joyce gently pushed the teenager down. "Do you remembered what happened?"

Steve slowly nodded. "I was picking up snack for tomorro- oh crap! I have to host the campaign!"

"It's okay sweetie, that was cancelled." Joyce's hear went out to the teenager, he was concerned about the kids, and he was the one lying in the hospital bed.

"Steve?" Joyce asked gently.

"Mmph?" Steve grunted, eyes drooping slightly.

"You didn't tell me that I was your emergency contact."

Steve's eyes shot open.

Oh crap.

He forgot to tell Joyce that he made her his emergency contact.

After the whole thing in November and the fact that he hadn't seen his parent in at least a year, he'd changed it, just in case. Because even if something happened like what happened today, his parents would just stay where they were at, sending their "love" over the phone.

So, Steve changed his emergency contact to someone he knew would at least make sure he's okay.

Joyce Byers.

He was also going to put Hopper on there too, but he knew that people would think that it would be weird for him to have the sheriff as his emergency contact.

Steve was so deep in his thoughts that he didn't realize Joyce was talking. He tuned back into reality.

"-I understand why you did, I know your parents aren't... always around. So, it's fine that you made me your emergency contact, Steve." Joyce was saying.

Wait, what?

"Really?" Steve asked, trying not to get his hopes up.

"Of course, honey."

Steve sighed in relief.

"Now, your conditions aren't terrible. No concussion, which is a miracle, but you do have two cracked ribs and your left wrist is fractured." Joyce told him.

Steve raised his left arm and saw that indeed, it was wrapped.

"How long am I in here for?" Steve asked.

"Depends." Joyce answered. "When you do get out thought you'll have to take some medicine and take it easy for the next week or so, but that's it."

Steve nodded, that didn't sound too bad.

He was just about to tell Joyce that she could leave for the night, but he was interrupted.

"One of the kids are here for you."

Huh?

'Dustin?' Steve thought at first, but then stopped.

That didn't make sense. It was nearing the middle of the night and Dustin would have no way to know that he was in the hospital without Joyce telling him and Steve doubted that she would do that.

Before Steve could go down the list of kids that were most likely to visit him Joyce said the name of the person on the bottom of that list.

"El's in the hall. Should I send her in?" she asked.

Steve squinted in confusion.

"El? Why is she here?" Steve asked.

Joyce shrugged. "Beats me. She was staying the night and heard that you were in the hospital. Begged me to let her come."

Steve wondered why El, the girl he barely spoken to, is concerned for him.

Only one way to find out.

"Yeah, yeah you can send her in." Steve spoke.

Joyce left and a little after she did, El poked her head in.

Steve smiled gently. "Come on in, kid."

El slowly entered the room, eyes catching on the cast wrapped around Steve's hand.

El plopped into the chair that was situated in the corner of the room.

The two sat in silence for a few minutes, El not wanting to talk and Steve not wanting to push her to talk.

"I don't like hospitals." El finally spoke.

Steve nodded but didn't say anything.

"They remind me of the lab."

Makes sense, the hospital seemed similar to what everyone had described the lab as.

"When I heard that you were here," El continued. "I was worried that they would do something terrible. I was worried for my friend."

Steve's breath caught in his throat.

Friend?

"I'm your friend?" Steve questioned.

El nodded like it was the most obvious thing. "You protected my friends. That makes you my friend. A friend that I worry about."

"You don't have to worry about me." Steve told the girl.

El gave him a look of shock that turned into a glare. "Steve, I may not be very smart, but I know what a car crash can do to you. You are lucky to be alive right now."

Steve held in a snort. "I'm lucky for sure."

The boys must have taught El sarcasm, because it was very clear that she understood that he was being sarcastic.

Looking thoughtful El spoke, "I grew up in a bad place."

Steve immediately felt guilty for feeling unlucky. He had it easy compared to El.

"That was not lucky. But then I escaped. I met Mike and all of you. I feel lucky now because I have a family I've always wanted."

Steve nodded. "That's nice El and I can see where you are coming from, but why does this apply to me?"

The boys definitely taught El sarcasm because Steve was shot with the most sarcastic look he's ever seen.

"It applies to you because it's the same thing as me. You grew up with flaky parents I'm told. Which is unlucky. But now you have Dustin, Max, Lucas, Will, Mike, Joyce, and Hopper. Also, me."

Steve was speechless.

Then he realized that all he wanted right then was to hug El.

He spread his arm and motioned El to come over.

The two hugged for a very long time


A week later, all the boys were yelling at Mike.

Steve was released two days after his crash and the kids decided they should do their campaign the next weekend.

Max was sitting looking annoyed at the boys and El went to go get snacks. When she returned, she dropped next Steve on the couch.

"We're pretty lucky, aren't we Steve." El asked.

"Yeah, El." Steve answered, glancing at the Party.

"Yeah, we are pretty lucky."

AN: I hope you enjoyed! Okay, so apparently, I like all duos with Steve because I really like this one as well as the others! I honestly wish we could see more El and Steve. Reviews are appreciated!