Here's chapter 19, hope you enjoy! Sorry if this fic hasn't been quite as interesting as I'd hoped but I'm enjoying writing it. Not a whole bunch happens in this chapter

I do not own Stranger Things

Steve

The air smelled of lemon cleanser...a soft beeping in the background...and a weight was on his shoulder. A waft of mint and smoke met his nose when the weight shifted to get closer. He opened one eyes blearily, the room slowly coming into focus as he blinked. It was blinding white...a hospital room. His throat was dry, his lips were definitely cracked from the sting he could feel when he moved them. He lowered his eyes to his shoulder, he could only just make out a mop of dark curly hair and a pale hand laying on the center of his chest...right over his heart. The sleeve around her small wrist was white and flowy...his first thought was that he was definitely dead. An angel was with him...tasked to take him to the other side...then he caught a glimpse of his other hand. His left hand was in a dark blue cast, his thumb immobile. The next clue was the low dull ache of pain hehad in his back. "What-" He croaked, his voice was hollow and quiet when he spoke...but it didn't matter. Odette shot up straight, her pale face was lined with red tear tracks and those starry eyes just as red along the rims. She was wearing an old looking white shirt with yellow flowers embroidered on it and a flowy yellow skirt. "Stevie" She whispered worriedly, reaching up to cup his cheek tenderly.

"Wat-er" He croaked, eying the little glass and water pitcher on the bedside table. Odette scrambled off of the bed, pouring him a glass and holding the straw to his lips. "You had us worried Stevie" She whispered as he drank greedily, relishing in the cold water as it ran down his raw throat. He leaned back against the pillows and let go of the straw with a sigh. "What happened?"

Odette sat on the edge of his bed and let her fingers dance along his wrist "I...the flayer caught the tail end of Billy's car...it flipped you two over. Your arm was broken...along with a rib and you've got whiplash." She sniffled a little "You've been out for two days."

He grunted softly, trying to sit up only for her to press a hand to his shoulder "Please...you'll hurt yourself." She bit her lip and fiddled with her fingers "I'm sorry...I'm so sorry"

"Whatchu sorry fur?" Steve grumbled a little, his eyelids feeling heavy again. He reached his hand out to her and smiled slightly when he felt her warm fingers slide into his. "I...A lot." She sniffed again, when he looked he could see tears sparkling in the ugly lights of the hospital room. "I used magic on you without your permission...again." Her voice was strained as she held back a soft sob "I put a 13 year old girl behind the wheel of your car. I got cocky...and I let you and Billy get hurt...and I couldn't heal you" She whispered the last part out as the tears in her eyes began to fall renewed down her cheeks. "I...I was so drained...everyone was so drained that we couldn't do anything for you or for Billy no matter what we tried...and we got so lucky that you're ok" She made to pull her fingers away but he held fast.

"Not loving that you charmed me...but 'm not mad" His brow furrows as he lets his mind wander back to that night...how her soft fingers had touched his skin and so easily swayed him...how he'd taken a backseat in his own head...daydreaming as his body followed her direction.

"I still took your trust for granted...You got hurt because I wanted to go...and I knew you wouldn't let me." She sniffles again running her thumb along the inside of his wrist. Her face was so crestfallen at her own guilt...he wasn't the only one internalizing things it would seem. "I should call your parents..." She slides off the bed but his fingers still held hers as tightly as they could. "Don't go...don't want them here." He blinked blearily again "Please"

She crinkled her nose in thought, eyebrows furrowed, but after she'd caught his pleading gaze again she climbed back onto the bed. He moved his arm so she could curl up against him again, sighing almost contentedly as she laid there. "We'll talk later...bout dumb crap." Steve mumbled sleepily "Where's everybody else?"

Odette brought her hand back up to rest on his heart, finding comfort in the beating under her palm. "Eddie made the kids go home...well...he made Mike and Max go home. Robin's place is still around thankfully so her too...but Dustin, El, Jonathan, and Will, are all a little screwed. Eddie and Uncle Wayne have been staying at home...our trailer was spared from the...badness...Dustin and his mom have been with his grandmother...Hopper and El have been splitting two motel rooms with Joyce and the boys..."

"You?" Steve croaked, closing his eyes

"The nurses have been letting me be here with you...since your mom and dad haven't been able to get a flight in yet. So I've been living in that chair over there for the most part." She yawned a little "I called Madame...but she can't come anytime soon. She said she'll do her best to help the coven...but it may take a bit."

"Billy?" Steve asks quietly, almost regretting when he'd asked about the male witch. She lets out a soft puff of air onto his neck where she'd buried her face "He's in worse shape than you...hasn't woken up yet." He let out a sigh, he'd not liked the other teen, hell he'd hated him...but he didn't love that he was just a few doors down from death.

"Nancy's visited a few times..." Odette says against the skin of his throat, her shoulders tensing under his arm a little. "She asked me to call when you woke up."

Steve would have rolled his eyes if he'd had the energy to. "Ugh" He grunted slightly "Not really awake am I?" She giggled a little "I can let you rest a little before I make calls."

He nodded, arm still wrapped around her shoulders, her soft smell of fading apple shampoo lulling him back to sleep.

When he woke up hours later he found himself alone in the room, the sun of the late afternoon slowly leaving the sky and giving way to the stars. He sat up, groaning in pain as the harsh ache of his spine hit him. He managed to sit up and grab the water Odette had left on the bedside table. He looked at the abandoned chair on the side of his bed, noting the small embroidered bag Odette and Robin had rescued from the trailer when it had gone under. He reached out for the small button to call the nurse and presses it, he only waits a few moments before an older blonde woman in white scrubs walked in "Mr. Harrington you've been worrying us a bit. How are we feeling today?" She approaches and holds a miniscule flashlight up to his eye, taking note of the way his eyes reacted.

"Sore. Where's Odette?" He asks quietly, wincing at the light in his eyes and the feel of her cold fingers on his bruised forehead. She chuckled lightly "Well that's how whiplash 'll treat ya. The morphine must have worn off by now, we'll get you some lighter pain killers in the meantime. And your girlfriend is in the restroom" She clicked her tongue impatiently, checking his pulse and looking at the monitors he'd been connected to. "Well the good news is you're fine for the most part. You'll be sore for the next couple months, so try and take it easy on the physical stuff. She shifts her gaze to the door and smirks, "Even with the lady friend."

Steve blushes a little but nods, wincing as his spine protests his movement. "When can I get released?" He asked, rubbing his neck weakly The nurse looks at the clock on the wall. "I could get you discharged in an hour if you've got a place to go sweet pea. But we can wait till morning if things need to get sorted. He bit his lip, "Motel packed?"

"Not too bad, I'll call and see if they've got a room for you honey" She smiled kindly at him and gave his shoulder a light squeeze. She left the room as abruptly as she'd entered. Leaving him alone in the room once again. He began to fiddle with the straw in his cup boredly, listening to every passing footstep...hoping it would be someone he knew. After a while he was considering getting up and moving when someone came through the door again, Odette grinned widely when she saw him sitting up. She came in the rest of the way with a small bundle of vending machine snacks in her hands. She set them down on his bedside table, greeting him with a kiss pressed gingerly to his forehead. "How are you feeling?"

"Awake...bored too." Steve smiled slightly as she fussed with his blankets "You don't have to do that" She waved off his comment and finished making sure he was properly tucked in then having a seat on his bed. She faced him and brushed a lock of his untamed mop out of his eyes "Who else is going to?"

"Nurses?" He smirks but he falters at her expression, she looked out the door and winced "They're running ragged the poor things...so many people were hurt in the quakes..." She bites her lips gently and looks up at his face worriedly "I...I called your parents, they're still in Cabo...and can't get a flight back just yet. But they said they'll be back before the week is out" Odette smiles a little tightly

He grunts, sitting up a little more much to his girlfriend's chagrin. "What else did they say?" She shifts her eyes to a small lump of lint clinging to his hospital blanket "Nothing."

"So, my parents said nothing else?" He squinted his eyes a little suspiciously at her as she now allowed her thin fingers to pull at the lint there, still not looking at his eyes.

"Yep." Her voice cracked slightly as she rolled the little ball of lint between her thumb and pointer finger. She was biting her lip and blinking rapidly. Steve sighed "You know you're a shit liar Angel?" She looked up sharply and blinked again, willing away the small tears pricking her starry eyes. "I-...I know" She hung her head and let out a long slow breathe.

"So?" Steve asked gently, reaching out to her fidgeting hands, marvelling at how cold they were even in summer.

She looked up at his chocolate eyes tentatively before speaking "I um...they asked who I was...and why it wasn't a nurse calling..." She swallowed anxiously "I told them my name and that I'm your girlfriend...and they'd heard things about Eddie and my Uncle...so they...they told me to leave. That the nurses would keep an eye on you"

He felt fury rising up in his throat, he leaned back against the pillows and closed his eyes "What else did they say?"

"How do you know they said anything else?" She asks, her voice in the soft evasive tone she'd been using moments before. He chuckled humorlessly "Because I know my parents Angel...and I know they wouldn't have settled for the gentle approach of running off my girlfriend." He squeezes her hand "Tell me...please?"

"What will it help?" She whispers, her voice sounding like broken glass as she spoke. Hopeless and heartbroken.

"It will help me know what I need to say to them-" He started to sit up but she pressed his shoulder down gently "They're not even here...fine." She sniffled "Your father asked me if we still lived in that...that run down trailer." She rolled her eyes a little "And I told him yes...so he told me that you're...you're worth more than some trailer trash girl who's dad's in prison...he told me that you were just sowing your seed before you settle down with a nice girl like...like Nancy Wheeler" Her voice had gotten quieter and quieter as she'd repeated Gerald Harrington's words. Steve pulled at her hand, wrapping his arm around her waist and sliding his face into the crook of her throat. He pressed a soft kiss there before he whispered in her ear "You're not trash Odette." One of his hands slide up her waist and back until it twisted gently in her wild hair. "You, Eddie, and your Uncle are so much kinder and more understanding than my Upstanding Citizen parents."

She nodded, playing with his hair idly as she leaned into his touch "We've...we've not been dating long though..." Her cold fingers dragged up his arm that was wrapped around her waist thoughtfully "I don't want you to damage your relationship with them for a two month relationship"

Steve shoved his face further into the crook of her neck "And if it's more?" She leaned back a little, trying to get a look at his expression, her own completely puzzled. "What does that mean?"

Steve tries to shrug but the pain in his back stops him with a wince. She unfurrows her brows and slides a hand down his back, her soft french almost sounding like a song. The pain began to slowly dissipate. When she was done she had a small satisfied smile on her lips "So what does it mean Stevie?"

"What if this is it for me?" He asks, trying to sound confident although his heart's harsh thumping away in his chest may have given away his nerves. Odette's eyes widen dramatically but she doesn't move away "We...we don't have a way of knowing that do we?" She asks with a slightly awkward giggle.

Steve plays with the hair at the nape of her neck with his heart sinking ever so slightly "There's that one spell...the one Suki was telling us about." He groans as if in agony as he attempts to think of the spell's name "True love's...no" She sighs against his hair "Heart's Desire" she whispered.

"We could do that then...to prove it to you." He grinned slightly. She shook her head "That's...that's a heartbreaking spell Stevie...and we're in no shape for it now anyhow." His brow furrows at her words "Do i have to be in top shape to do it?"

She continues to run her hands up and down his arm gently as she stops to form her words carefully. "It's...it's a very sweet and...and romantic notion...and I would love to do it just to prove it...but there's a reason Madame advises against that spell." She presses her forehead to his "And I'm the one unfit for it at the moment Stevie." She lays her head tiredly against his pillow and bats her long lashes at him slowly.

"What do you mean? Were you hurt?" Steve sits up, the pain from his back completely faded now and leaning over his girlfriend's tired form. She shakes her head "Not hurt...drained." She raises her hand back up to his cheek, the bags under her eyes much more apparent now that the ceiling lights were shining right over her face. "I've never done so much all in one night...it's been days since I was able to do anything remotely magical..."

"What about my back just now?"

She shrugged with a tired giggle and traced her thumb over his cheek with a small smile forming on her lips. "First time since that night that anything's worked. I'm glad I gave it a whirl." Steve dropped his forehead to hers, their noses nudging one another. "You didn't have to do that Angel." He presses a chaste kiss to her lips "You should save your strength."

"I'll be better once I've eaten something and had more sleep." She whispers, her smile faltering when he gave her a cross look. "When was the last time you ate?"

"Wayne brings me breakfast on his way home from the plant." She yawns "So I've been living a very healthy lifestyle of Doughnuts, coffee, and vending machine stuff." Steve sighs "If I get discharged tonight we're going to grab something ok?" He asks quietly

She shakes her head "You need to just rest Stevie. Where are you going to go?" She asks, her dark blue eyes were dull with exhaustion as she asked this, like she'd been dreading it.

A soft clearing of someone's throat brought them out of their reverie. Steve stopped leaning over Odette but sat up fully in bed. "Sorry to interrupt young love" The older blonde nurse snarked playfully "I called the Hawkins Motel Mr. Harrington and they're all booked up thanks to the quake. Do you have anywhere else you can go? Or would you rather we handle this in the morning?"

"He can bunk at my house till his parents come home." Odette pipes up squeakily, her cheeks a deep pink color as she avoids the nurse's raised eyebrow. "He's going to have some pretty good back pain honey, sleeping on the couch isn't going to do it for him."

Odette nods furiously "Of course! I'll give him my bed and I'll take the couch." She sits up too as the nurse gives the two a knowing smile "Ok...I just need to do another check on this young man before I let him go...if you'll get out of his bed that would be very helpful."

Eddie lit the cigarette screwed between his lips with an overly aggressive flick of his lighter. He inhaled slowly, closing his eyes and relishing in the feel of the cold metal of the trailer steps beneath his legs. The trailer park was less crowded than it used to be, the trailers that could be towed out had been, every Winnebago had driven off without a single regret...there were only a handful left now. His eyes raked over the back of the trailer park where the crack had appeared. He knew they'd gotten really lucky with the position of the chasm that had opened Hawkins up. His eyes traced the little gravel road that lead to the crack now...a beat up old red pick up sat there just on the edge, pulled up to where it's trailer had been not too long ago. A billow of smoke from his nostrils took over his line of vision for just a second. Imagining he could still see the trailer there.

The trailer that had been there could have easily been the oldest there. It was dark brown with withered siding along the sides of it. One of the back windows was nearly all duct tape and the railing to the stairs had rusted away long ago. When Eddie had first laid eyes on it he'd been sure that it was abandoned or that some evil crack head lived there. At the ripe age of 8 he'd seen its owner step out into the cool night air at the same time as Uncle Wayne. Eddie'd clutched Wayne's jacket in fear as the rusty door had swung open...only for an old man to appear out of it. He was definitely in his 60s, his hair white as snow and a short beard to match. He reminded him a little of the Santa Claus cartoons he'd see in December; although he was the trucker version. He was heavy set, a beer gut plain as day on his body...but he had kind eyes...almost like Wayne's. He'd walked over with a sheepish grin "Hello there! You must be little Eddie. Your Uncle's told me loads about you kid. I'm Martin. Martin Marsh." He'd held out a tanned wrinkly hand for Eddie to shake. After a small nudge from Wayne Eddie ahd reached out, shaking it quickly with a very small timid smile. "It's nice to meet you Mr."

"Mr. was my dad's name, call me Martin." He'd grinned down. "Say Wayne, my truck's actin up tonight. Mind if I catch a ride with you to the plant? I'll make it worth your while!" His teeth were yellowed from the smokes peaking out of the pocket of his jean jacket, his boots scuffed and worn. Eddie looked at them, wondering if they were older than he was.

"Beer ain't gonna cut it this time Mar" Wayne had chuckled "I'd say you owe me a burger" Martin had nodded, that same kind smile still on his face.
Sure thing, I'll even throw an extra large one in for Eds here, sound good slugger?" Eddie looked up at the man, his stomach heartily agreeing with him. He nodded mutely and felt Wayne's big hand land on his short mop of dark hair. "We'll get you some dinner and you go to bed at 9 o'clock ok Eds?" He smiled down at him. Eddie looked inside at the analog clock over the stove and whispered "That's when the little hand is on the 9 right?...and the big hand on the 12?"

Wayne nodded vigorously. "Until then you can watch whatever tapes you want on the player...just not anything scary" Eddie nodded solemnly but would break that promise almost immediately by popping in The Blob almost immediately after Wayne and Martin had driven off to pick up their dinners before work at the plant that night. After that Martin had become someone Eddie felt safe going to in the park. On bad days when Wayne worked a double he found himself walking over to talk over a soda...the years would pass and Martin was the first person other than Wayne to give him a birthday present. On his 10th birthday Martin had given him his first Ozzy tape. That had been the start to Eddie's love for the taboo genre of music and for a while things were great for Eddie. Wayne was usually in a great mood...but hard times hit when Eddie was about 14. The plant cut Wayne's wages and Wayne had to almost double his shifts just to make ends meet...and the day or two before pay day were always hard. Eddie knew there were days where Wayne didn't have any dinner just so Eddie could have something. But every so often...once every few months...Eddie would come home from school to Wayne sleeping fitfully in his room or on the couch. He'd open the fridge to make something for a snack before he went to listen to Ozzy...there's be nothing but the long forgotten baking soda at the back, and half a carton of expired milk. Eddie would close the fridge gently and tiptoe to his room as his stomach grumbled at him. He'd avoid Wayne's guilty stare, he pretended on those nights that he wasn't hungry. The third time this happened it was a cool October night. The leaves laid in a blanket of color on the gravel of the park...Eddie had escaped from his troubles for the moment, carrying the acoustic guitar that Wayne had gotten for him from a thrift store the previous Christmas. He'd sat down on a nearby park bench and began to tune it quietly when he heard the sound of Martin's backfiring old truck. He looked up...he knew he looked like a mess. He'd buzzed his hair the previous year...but had now decided to grow it out. It was getting a little shaggy, but not nearly long enough to hide his most recent black eye from school. He wore all black, an Ozzy shirt from the goodwill hanging low over his baggy jeans. His sneakers were worn and torn through in spots, but still he raised his head and smiled weakly at the old man. He turned back to his guitar, fussing with the tuning pegs with his tongue between his teeth. His brows furrowed with concentration, so much so that he didn't notice the crunch of the gravel approaching him.

"Hey there Eds!"

He jumped hard, his heart thumping in his chest. He turned to see the smiling face of Martin, his pudge peeking out from his white t-shirt. "Didn't mean to scare ya." He holds out a small bag "Hey Eds, I hate to be a bother but I picked up some take out for me and the boys the other night but the drunks didn't finish." He rolled his eyes theatrically "And I'd hate for the damn stuff to go to waste tonight since I'll be off to work...and it'll be bad by tomorrow night." He holds the brown paper bag and Eddie could feel his stomach chomping at the bit to get to it. He hesitated "You sure Mar? I...I don't want to take some-"

"It'll go in the trash tomorrow boy. What growing kid says no to Sesame chicken?" Eddie's resolve crumbled as his stomach began to try and consume his other organs at the mention of his favorite take out. "If you're not gonna eat it-"

"Not a chance" Martin nearly shoved the little bag into Eddie's fingers and walked off, claiming he needed to sleep before his shift. From then on every so often...not always when the fridge was empty...more like once a month, Martin would find a way to pawn off a meal or two on the Munsons. Sometimes it was TV dinners that he "Hated", sometimes it was sandwiches that were "too salty", and sometimes it was even "Burger town gave me four extra burgers! Can you believe it? Well like I always say, share the wealth!". It was thanks to Martin that they'd gotten through some of the worst times...it was the only reason Eddie "believed" the excuses Martin would give. As the years went on and Eddie's mechanic skills grew with his hair he never accepted a dime from the old man after fixing the old truck.

"Share the wealth" Eddie muttered bitterly around the cigarette in his mouth. He'd not even looked back when he'd driven like a bat out of hell the other night. He wondered briefly if he could have gotten Martin out of the old trailer before the chasm swallowed it. He and Wayne had posted Martin's picture all around town, not just in the rescue center but all over. They'd gone and posted it in every local church, in the tattoo parlor, in the Piggly Wiggly, everywhere...just on the off chance that Martin hadn't died...just disappeared.

The door behind him creaked open, work boots hitting the ground behind him. "Eds...you keep an ear out for the phone you hear? I don't like Odette bein out so long..." Wayne sounded tired, he'd not been sleeping much. Eddie turned around, flicking his smouldering cigarette butt into the gravel "You're not going to the plant tonight are you?"

"Got to." Wayne grunted. Eddie shook his head "Fucking blood suckers. It's not like our homes have been split open or anything." Eddie yanks another cig from the pouch in his pocket and flicks his lighter back to life.

"Chain smokin won't make it change Eds...but call the plant if there's any trouble." Eddie turned to the older man with a raised brow, never in all the years he'd lived with the man had he said it would be alright to call the plant after him. "I can handle-"

"I don't care what you can handle Edward. I'm serious." Wayne gives him a rare serious stare, almost daring him to argue further. The mildly tense moment breaks at the sound of crunching gravel. Two sets of eyes race to meet the newcomer, the dark BMW pulled up slowly to the trailer beside Eddie's van and its engine died. Odette stepped out of the passenger side of the car with a grin on her face. She shouldered her bag and ran up to hug her uncle and brother. "He ok then?" Wayne chuckled lightly, spitting her wild hair out of his mouth.

"He's ok...but could he stay here? At least until his parents get home?" Odette is flashing her sweetest smile, batting her eyelashes up at her father figure hopefully as Steve got out of the BMW slowly. Wayne chuckled a little and ruffled her hair. "The boy can stay kiddo." He lifts his chin up so he can meet the eye of the approaching teen and he sighs "Eds give the boy a hand." Steve was struggling to carry the two pizza boxes with his hand in a cast while he used his good hand to pocket his keys. "I'm good Mr. Munson, no worries." Steve smiles a little stiffly "I uh...thanks for letting me crash here."

"On the couch." Eddie mutters, grabbing the boxes from Steve. Wayne rolls his eyes "The boy can sleep in a bed Eddie, Detta said you had whiplash?"

"It's not too bad sir." Steve smiled, wrapping an arm around Odette's shoulders as he did. She leaned against his shoulder tiredly while Wayne half-heartedly smiled "No need to act tough kid, but Detta that bedroom door stays open when he's in there." Odette nods before pulling her boyfriend inside the trailer. When the door had shut behind Steve Eddie gave his uncle a look "Really?...You're letting her boyfriend stay in her bed?!"

Wayne pinches the bridge of his nose exasperatedly "Eds, the trailer walls are thin as paper, I trust the boy to respect his teeth's right to stay in his head. Because I'll knock them out if he tries anything with her under my roof. So relax and eat the damn food" Wayne claps Eddie on the back, following the lovebirds into the little tin home.

The house felt full that night, the soft sounds of tossing and turning in the night unaware of the whispers pouring through the gaps in a window, carried on the wind in the night...murmuring in the ears of the slumbering town of Hawkins, Indiana.