Chapter 2- I never left your side.
It's been 6 long months, since everything felt down. Since Eddie decided to be a hero, since Max fell into the coma. Since we all got reunited. "Feels more like 10 years", Lucas thought to himself. He did the same routine every morning, starting as early as the birds would start singing outside his bedrooms window, like they were his alarm clock. He checked his watch, reading 7.00 AM. "Just about 1 hour till I can see my sweet girl today." He quickly got up, got dressed in some dark blue jeans, a gray sweatshirt and some socks that was laying on his desk chair. The thoughts were busting in his mind, like a movie - as he went to the bookshelf to find a book that Max would like.
The girl used to love laying on the soft carpet floor of his bedroom listening to their favorite music and to Lucas reading. Mostly horror books, they both shared the same love for the excitement as it seemed like the weather outside made the story to life. There were all kinds of shadows on the walls, and some horrible sounds of the trees scratching the house. Sometimes it seemed like the shadows were close to this Freddy Krueger guy that Steve was rambling about one night while they had a movie night. He never allowed them to rent the movie. Kept saying he wasn't going to give them nightmares for life, at least until, - as he was mind quoting mom Steve "you're both 18 and old enough to handle it". That just made them roll their eyes and teasing the older boy. "Our whole lives are like a horror movie, Steve." And he never could argue with that.
Lucas smiled at the memory. He really missed Max, and them biking over to Family video's everyday so much for Steve's liking. Robin seemed to grow on them as well. He didn't seem to mind overall. Steve loved them enough to never tell them that verbally. That wasn't necessary anyways. He was like the brother Max always wished she had, but never had. And Steve would never really admit it, seeming more like a mother figure than anything else to the younger kids, but he saw the redhead as the younger sister he'll always wanted. At least, then he could explain her stubborness. She obviously got that from her big bro. One day about 2 weeks ago, early in the morning Steve came to pick Lucas up, as they were going to visit Max as their daily schedule. The sight of Max laying in that bed, so still, so fragile, made Steve ramble all about his feelings towards the girl, how much she was missed and how she was like the younger sister he'll always wanted. Lucas couldn't do anything but smile at that. They all loved and missed her so much.
Even though the party were all reunited in their home town, most of them were doing their own things. Hawkins was practically a quarantine zone, like the town was cursed by a virus instead of a wizard. It seemed like El was blaming herself for everything, and therefor used most of her time to collect her strength as she once again went into the void – looking for Max but being met with the same every time – nothing but darkness. She was nowhere to be found. The more this repeated itself, the less El came along to visit Max.
Usually, Steve would come along. But this Thursday, the older boy was volunteering at the school the whole day. Trying to do his best to help in any way possible, along side Mike, Will, Jonathan, Nancy, Robin and Erica. Dustin seemed to spend all his time at Eddie's grave, he seemed lost in all the grief. They are worried about each other. Lucas kept trying to tell Dustin that this is not what he would have wanted. Him to almost stop living. They needed to find Vecna and stop him, before he targeted anyone else. They were running out of time, and they all knew. it didn't get any easier with Max being stuck in her coma.
But Lucas didn't mind visiting her alone today. Besides, he made a deal with himself to tell her exactly how he felt. How much she was missed, and how much the party wasn't the same without her. And something else that he didn't even want the nurses to overhear. Not even Erica was allowed to tag along for this.
"Hmmm", he silently hummed sorting throw the collection of books. "What would she be in the mood for today", he silently spoke to himself, as he found the book. The title read "The Talisman". He smiled, convinced that if Max was awake she would definitely be teasing him for his taste in books. "Such a stalker"he could practically hear her say. Putting the book in his backpack, and the backpack over his shoulder, he finally at exact 7.35 AM was on his way out the house and practically threw himself on the bike and headed towards the hospital that was about a 10-minute bike ride.
Entering the hospital, he didn't waste any time heading to Max's room. "Lucas, wait a minute." He heard the receptionist Sara say. Hawkins Hospital was somewhat a small one, meaning the doctors and nurses were practically like a family - knowing the young visitor pretty well at this point. The one who came carrying books, flowers, never wanting to leave the young redhead's side. They got so used to seeing him everyday. That's also how the receptionist Sara knew his name. She felt such love for him, coming everyday. And for Max, after the news she'd just received.
"Hi, just here to visit Max." Sara looked at him with a smile on her face, it seemed bigger than her usally smile. She also had a hopeful look, as she patted Lucas on the shoulder.
"What's going on?, did something happen to Max?" first all he felt was worry. "But why would she be smiling if something bad happened?" He quickly pushed the worry away, the best to his abilities. After all that has happened in Hawkins the past 6 months, how often did anyone smile?
He took a deep breath, ready for any news - good or bad. His face was busted with relief as Sara told him that Max woke up the night before. He just couldn't believe it. Finally, she was back.
"So, when can I go see her?" All Lucas could feel, was nothing but pure happiness for the news. However, that didn't seem to last for long. They never did, did they?
"Right now, they'd taken her down for some x-rays and other tests. We do, however have some bad news. According to her doctor, her eyesight seems to be permanent damaged, - and, I wonder how much bad news this poor girl can take. She sighed, taking a deep breath - before continuing, "and the police found her mother Susan Hargrove deceased earlier today."