8- I Can Sense You Smiling
Summary: Max wakes up from her coma.
Requested by: Iloveblindspot
Disclaimer: I do not own any characters. If I did, we would get to see Max find out about Billy's past.
It had been 3 months.
Three months since he heard her laugh, seen her smile, laughing at her sarcastic remarks.
It had been 3 months since Max Mayfield promised a movie date with Lucas Sinclair.
He had never left her bedside once for the rest of spring break, but soon he had to go to school.
Still, Lucas always came straight to the hospital after school, doing homework in the plastic chair.
The town had come together and helped each other build their town back up.
Eleven had been going around town, closing as much gate she could every day.
She only had a few more strips to do.
Erica usually came to give him company after school, but she went home for dinner.
The others created a schedule to have days of the week to visit regularly.
They all agreed that El, Erica, and Lucas didn't have to be a part of that schedule, since they were there basically every day anyway.
Monday- Robin and Steve
Tuesday- Dustin
Wednesday- Mike
Thursday- Johnathan and Nancy
Friday- Will
Saturday and Sunday- Everyone
Sometimes someone joined another on their visit day, but usually everyone came on their respected day.
Whenever someone came by, Lucas usually made small talk with them and then left the room for privacy.
Before they left, they usually gave each other hugs.
And then, on a day where no one was at the hospital, Max woke up.
It was the day that El closed the last of the gates.
They all came to watch, with weapons just in case something strange happened.
It was just outside of town, near a hill they used to sled on.
Steve and Robin stood with Dustin, putting their hands on his shoulders.
It was hard day for Dustin, they were cutting off all connection with Eddie.
Lucas stood with Erica, her holding his hand.
The other side next to Lucas felt empty.
El looked around.
"We ready?" she asked.
Everyone simply nodded their heads.
Taking a deep breath, Eleven stuck out her hand, concentrating.
The gate started slowly closing.
With a scream, Eleven shut the gate.
It was quiet.
The Party knew this wasn't end of the Upside Down, but it delayed the next battle.
In silence, everyone headed back to the cars.
The crackle of Lucas's radio cut through the silence.
"Lucas?"
It was Penny, the nice nurse who agreed to radio Lucas if he wasn't there when there was an update about Max.
Scrambling, Lucas grabbed the radio. "Yeah?"
Everyone expected an update about Max's arm, it hadn't healed as fast as her other limbs.
Instead, "Lucas, Max is awake!"
Lucas literally dropped the radio.
Will picked it up quickly.
"Can you repeat that, Penny?"
"Oh, hi Will! As I was saying, Max is awake!"
"We'll be there in five minutes." Will spoke seriously.
With that, everyone got in their cars, and followed Hoppers flashing lights to the hospital.
When they got there, the doctor was waiting for them.
"How is she?" Hopper demanded.
"Her vitals are stable, and she's breathing on her own."
"But..." Erica started.
"But Max is confused and in distress."
"Why?"
"Max's eyesight is non-existent."
"She's blind?" Mike asked.
The doctor nodded.
"Now usually you would all be able to visit, but because she's confused, only one person at a time."
Lucas went down the hall he had been going down for the last 3 months.
He opened the door to Max's hospital room.
Max was still laying down, but she turned her head toward the door.
"Hello?"
"Hi Max."
"Lucas?" Max asked softly.
"Yeah, that's me."
Max started to sit up, but Lucas stopped her.
"Hey, hey I got it."
Lucas raised her bed so that Max was sitting up.
"Lucas?"
"Yeah?"
"I can't see."
Lucas's heart broke.
Max started to sob.
Lucas gently pulled her into a hug.
Rubbing her back, Lucas started to hum.
Max chuckled through the tears.
"Is that Kate Bush?"
"Told you I was a fan."
"Is there anyone else here?"
"Yeah, they're waiting for you to calm down."
Max snorted.
"Yeah, that's what I thought."
Max pulled out of the hug.
"Is everyone ok?"
Lucas paused.
"Lucas?"
"Eddie."
Max froze.
"Oh gosh."
Before Lucas could respond, Penny came in asking if Max was ready for the others.
Max nodded.
Soon the room was filled with people.
"Max!"
"Hey everyone."
El went up and hugged the other side of Max, whispering something in her ear that made Max smile.
Everyone hugged Max, a few tears slipping out here and there.
"So, 3 months huh?" she asked quietly.
"Yeah," Steve said.
"Anybody read the letters?"
Everyone started to shake their heads, but after remembering that Max was now blind, Dustin spoke up, "No, no one did."
Max nodded.
"Good," she said. "Because I want to say that stuff in person."
Even though she couldn't see, she could sense everyone was smiling.
So, she smiled too.
AN: Hope you liked it Iloveblindspot! Requests are open!