Indianapolis, May 2, 1990

Chrissy still thought of Sarah Thompson from time to time, usually before she big event. Like her high school graduation, her first day of college, moving into her apartment, her twenty-first birthday, and now, her impending college graduation. It was in large part because of Sarah Thompson that she alive today. The girl had given her another gift, too, one that was currently fighting the waking hours beneath a rose-patterned quilt.

In the reflection of the vanity mirror, Chrissy watched Eddie flop over in bed, clinging to sleep as tightly as he did the quilt. Long before his 'rockstar on tour' days, he had always had a difficult time waking in the mornings. The fact that he was able to pull himself out of bed and meet her so early in the day last Wednesday was a miracle. Shaking her head, Chrissy returned to brushing the sleep tangles from her hair and studying her own reflection rather than that of Eddie's failing cause to stay in his dreams.

She didn't think she looked much different than she had at eighteen. No; that wasn't right. Her features may not have changed, but her demeanor had. There hadn't been a shadow of self-doubt in her eyes since sophomore year of college. 'Hesitant' wasn't her default expression any longer. Sarah Thompson had given her not only her life, but the opportunity to grow into herself. To trust her body.

Thoughts of Sarah Thompson still consumed her mind when Eddie roused himself from bed. Bringing the quilt with him, he came to stand behind her, eyes half open. "Scoot up."

Then he sat behind her, so that she was enveloped in the fold of his arms as he wrapped the quilt around her. His warmth was inviting. Chrissy found herself sinking into it, her back coming to rest on Eddie's bare chest. "Eddie?"

"Hmmm?" He hummed, breath tickling along the crook of her shoulder. Eddie has buried his face there, still trying to cling to the remnants of slumber.

"Do you ever think about them? The kids Vecna killed?" She rode the wave of his sigh, watched in reflection as he picked his head up. Settling his chin on her shoulder, Eddie met her eye in the mirror.

"Sometimes," he admitted. "Do you think about them a lot? Or is it because I'm here?" The tone he used was apprehensive, and Chrissy didn't blame him. It had been Eddie's idea that the two of them hide away for a bit, which is how they had come to find themselves in this quaint little bed and breakfast with the rose quilts. After the initial rush of excitement at reconnecting with one another faded, the two found themselves faced with the same question they had been unable to truly answer four years ago: What next?

"No," she told him honestly. "It's not because you're here. It's because I'm graduating, and they're not."

They looked like a monster themselves, a lumpy, floral monster with two heads. The thought did little to improve her mood. Under the quilt, Eddie's arms tightened around her waist.

"You deserve to still live your life, Chris." It was basically the same thing her therapist told her when she talked about her survivor's guilt—though her therapist wasn't privy to the detail that Sarah Thompson, specifically, had died in her place.

"I know," she agreed. And she did. "I just... get sad, still, when big things happen. I think I'll always think of them."

"I don't see anything wrong with that," he told her. "Speaking of graduation, though..."

"I want you there." The graduation in question was three days away.

"I'm sure your parents will be so thrilled to see me," he teased. His arms tightened around her again, but this time because he toppled backwards, taking Chrissy with him. She shrieked with laughter as they fell, though Eddie made sure she landed safely on top of him.

"What was that for?" She couldn't even pretend to be mad. Now they were encased in the tangled quilt, the tufted rug soft beneath them.

"Tell me that bench doesn't hurt your ass," he challenged, making her giggle more. Instead of trying to form an argument, Chrissy kissed him.

"I don't care what my parents think," she told him firmly once they broke away. "I want you there. Caleb will be excited, anyway."

"Yeah, he was the second easiest Cunningham to win over. But, uh, thanks. For saying you want me there. I want to be there for you. College is a big fucking deal, Chris."

On Monday, Chrissy had met with Dr. Edwards Of course, she had divulged the recent events of her life and told her therapist all about her rekindling with Eddie. Dr. Edwards had done what her friends had been too kind to do: burst her little bubble of contentment and point out that, if she wanted Eddie to continue to be a presence in her life, she had a limited amount of time to figure out the logistics of making that happen.

Hence the rented room at the bed and breakfast. It was theirs for the week, which afforded them the privacy to talk openly and spared Mandy having to ignore all the sex the pair of them had been having. Chrissy was almost certain there would be another round before they left the room; they were definitely making up for lost time in that aspect.

"It's scary," she amended his statement, twirling his guitar pick necklace tightly around her finger. She watched the tip of her index finger darken rather than meet his eye.

"Scarier than traveling to an alternate dimension and battling possessed bats?"

She laughed at that, not bothering to give it an answer. Instead, she untangled herself from the blankets and held a hand out to Eddie. "C'mon. Hardwood floor hurts your ass after a while, too." He was all too willing to join her in the bed again. "You know, I'm pretty sure the lady who owns this place thinks we're on our honeymoon or something."

Chrissy nodded to the vanity again, where a tray of assorted bath products and a bottle of champagne sat. It had been gifted to them by the owner the night before.

"Is she really all that far off the mark?" Eddie teased, running his thumb over her lip and making Chrissy blush. They were certainly acting like a pair of newlyweds, she had to admit. Chrissy parted her mouth beneath his touch, catching his thumb between her teeth. It earned her a deep groan from Eddie. "See, because you keep doing shit like that."

"Oh, I pinned myself to the shower wall last night, then?"

"Mhmm," Eddie agreed, already bowing his head to nibble at the crook of her neck. Chrissy inhaled sharply, a hand weaving into Eddie's hair. He had put it up for sleep the night before; she tugged at the hair tie now, releasing his locks from the sleep-mussed bun. "Putting all those old cheer skills to new uses."

When he bit at her collarbone, Chrissy had little power to stop the way her back arched in response. She felt Eddie smirk against her skin, sliding an arm behind her back to keep her pinned flush to him. "We're… supposed to be… talking about after graduation."

After their shower the night before, Chrissy had dressed for bed in Eddie's t-shirt from the day before. Eddie rucked that t-shirt up now, sliding a hand beneath to cup her breast in his palm. "Come with me," he told her before kissing her. "On the tour."

"Because you really want me to?" Chrissy asked, skimming her own hand down his chest and stomach to rest teasingly at the waistband of his boxers. She smirked at the way he shivered under her touch. "Or because you're about to get in my panties again?"

"You're—oh!—in my panties at the moment, Chris, not the other way around." Indeed, Chrissy had tugged at the waistband, taking him into her hand. He only gave her a moment to enjoy the way his eyes fluttered and his mouth went slack before he kissed her again, much more roughly this time. She pulled at his boxers until they were free of his legs and sat up helpfully so Eddie could yank his t-shirt over her head. Her own underwear was gone in the next moment. Not a second was spared; Eddie hooked a hand behind her knee, using it as leverage as he slid fully into her. "Of fucking course I really want you to," he told her, dipping his head close hers.

"You want me to what?" she asked, angling her hips up to meet his and relishing in the way he stuttered and paused in his strokes, in the hitch of his breath.

"Goddammit, Chrissy," he said, laughing and withdrawing from her. Chrissy had been beneath him, but he rolled her on her side, pulling her against him and entering her again from behind. One arm came around her, his hand trailing over her hip and between her legs. The combined sensations of Eddie's hand and his being inside her had Chrissy's head swimming, her body buzzing. "I want you to come."

That night, they put the bubble bath and champagne to good use. Their room had an ensuite bathroom that featured a large tub that easily fit them both. Chrissy had tied up their hair in matching buns to keep it out of the warm, soapy water.

"I can get the paperwork for applying to graduate school at Butler and mail them from wherever in July, when registration opens." They were facing each other in the wide tub, knees drawn up to make room for the other. Chrissy had her glass of champagne balanced on her knee, watching Eddie mess with the bubbles.

"Here you go," he told her, plopping a vaguely heart shaped mass of bubbles on her unoccupied knee. "What about your road trip with your friends?"

Chrissy had smiled when he gave her the bubble hearts but now she pursed her lips. She had been saving up for their post-graduation trip since the end of junior year. "Any chance your tour will take you through Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia, and North Carolina?"

"Ohio, yeah, but we're going north. Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts. I don't think we'd do so hot playing on your route, Chris." He was right, and she could hardly ditch her friends. They had been planning this trip for a year.

"What about May and June?" Chrissy asked, already running through the possibilities. "I can go with you until the end of June, go back to Hawkins for the Fourth like I already planned, and then on my trip with the girls. We'll be back by August."

"I think we'll be in Pennsylvania still. Not so far from Indiana."

"At all!" Chrissy agreed, her excitement growing. This is going to work. "It wouldn't be a long flight or bus ride, whichever. Where will you be in August?"

"The New York and Massachusetts area. Maybe still New York, I think Adam planned a lot of shows in NYC. You could meet us there?" The hope in his voice was hesitant and Chrissy didn't blame him. Everything about their relationship had always felt like chance. It was only now that they were really taking control for themselves.

"I can," Chrissy took a sip of her champagne and set it on the ledge of the bathtub, leaning forward to kiss him. "I will."

"Okay. Okay, yeah." Eddie sounded mor confident now, bobbing his head. "Yeah. But you have to do your grad school application somewhere in there. You're not gonna miss out on that for me."

"I'll get it done," Chrissy promised. "And after the summer, when I have school again… maybe you can spend some more time getting to know Indianapolis?"

She wasn't bold enough to suggest moving in together outright. Not yet. But she would be lying if she didn't want that to be a part of their future.

"I think I could do that," he told her, kissing her again. "Indianapolis seems pretty cool so far." He winked at her and a warmth spread through Chrissy's chest. College had been fun, and she had learned and grown a lot, but life hadn't felt this right in years.

Not since the last time Eddie was a constant fixture in it.