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“I need Nancy.”
Eddie Munson x reader
summary: this is part four of ‘i will always take care of you’. a peaceful morning leaves you feeling confident, ready to go back to work and return to your normal self, but a horrifying realization sets you back at square one.
warnings: this chapter contains graphic depictions of sexual assault and sexual violence, language, trauma and ptsd, flashbacks, mentions of pregnancy, graphic panic attacks, brief mentions of eating habits, gagging and dry heaving, vomiting. please read with discretion. i really like this chapter, so i hope you do to. please, let me hear your thoughts, they mean the world to me<3
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His eyes peeled open tiredly and squinted at the dim light that shone through the living room blinds, and he stifled a choked yawn as he glanced at the clock. It was close to seven, and he was lucky he’d woken up early since he hadn’t sat an alarm, as he had to be at work at nine o’clock His fingers curled into your hair as he looked down at your sleeping form, your legs tucked in between his and your arms draped over his torso.
Your face seemed permanently stained with tears, your nose was stuffy and dry, purple and blotched with black marks from your bruises, eye bags the size of craters. Yet, you looked the most at peace than you had in days. Drool pooled at the corner of your mouth, body completely slack and relaxed against his own. He breathed heavily and tiredly, curling his arms around you and bringing you closer as he settled back into comfort. It took him a grand total of five minutes to get ready, and he spent the rest of his mornings always in bed. He hated mornings, but with you, they were always more bearable.
His pink, full lips pressed against your forehead, his nose nuzzled against your brows. You seemed so small and delicate in his embrace, and even though his tired body craved for more sleep, he found himself staring at you, like maybe if he stared long enough, the answer to what was wrong with you would appear against your eyelids. He thought back to the night before, growing sick at the memory of your panic attack. They’d never gotten that bad before. Even on nights where you seemed stuck in the upside down, they had never gotten that extreme.
What puzzled him most was the fact you kept throwing his name in the middle of it. You were protecting him, you had said. You were doing all of it for him. You were afraid he’d never look at you same way? That…that didn’t even make sense! None of it made sense, and he was close to bashing his skull against a brick wall. It was killing him not knowing, like an itch underneath his skin he couldn’t scratch. Keeping secrets wasn’t something you both did.
But surely, he had to have done something, because you kept saying it was for him. Every sob and whimper you had cried you’d said that everything was for his benefit, to protect him. So what did he fuck up without realizing? You kept saying he didn’t do anything, but damn, you were a wreck. But, he wouldn’t push you anymore. He wouldn’t bombard you with questions like he’d been doing, because last night practically traumatized him, and he knew he’d revisit it in his nightmares.
He felt guilty for thinking about it, knowing how embarrassed you would be, but you literally peed yourself. You’d been so upset you peed yourself. He opened his eyes and looked to the kitchen, eyes narrowing at the absence of the puddle on the floor. He lifted the blanket off your shoulders, craning his neck to see that you’d changed your clothes sometime during the night. Damn it. He didn’t want you to see that, but he was glad you were able to come back to bed with him, rather than go to the solitude of your room. He wouldn’t bring it up unless you wanted to talk about it.
He laid there for awhile until he grew anxious, waiting for when you woke up. Slowly, he slid out underneath you, rolling you to the side and tucking you back in before he got ready for work. He was working as a mechanic with Wayne, a job in which he really loved. The money wasn’t all that great, but it was steady and dependable, and he got to see some really cool cars. He took a quick shower and brushed his teeth, changed into his greasy uniform he’d been putting off to wash. Usually you did it for him, or made him do it. By eight, you were still sound asleep and curled up against the couch, so he decided to make you breakfast.
He opened the fridge and cringed at the smell that hit his noise, something foul making him take a step back. It was the leftover takeout you’d gotten several days ago that hadn’t been eaten, and he dramatically plugged his nose as he threw it in the trash. Really, when he thought about it, he couldn’t remember the last time you’d ate, and that only fueled his ambition to feed you. He tried to keep quiet as he made your favorite, chocolate chip pancakes, softly humming a Frank Sinatra song that his uncle had gotten into his head.
And by 8:20, your eyes opened tiredly, face pressed against the couch in a way that made your nose ache, but you were too tired to move. Something felt different this morning. You didn’t know what it was yet, but something was significantly different. The comforting smell of your favorite breakfast food filled your broken nostrils, and for one in days, the smell did not make you sick. It made you feel content. You could hear him humming, his footsteps padding along the tile floor. The tv was on, and you didn’t have to turn to know what was playing. The Andy Griffith show. Eddie loved that show. Always had. Wayne had kept it on when he was a little kid, so he grew up with it, and laughed his ass off when Barney did something reckless.
The night before seemed like a hazy fog, and you pushed the thoughts away before they consumed you entirely and ruined the good mood you had going for you. You didn’t know why, but today just seemed like it was going to be a good day. You turned slowly, moaning lowly at the rippled burn going up your abdomen, and rested your hand under your cheek as you watched him. He had a toothpick in his mouth, rolling it between his lips as he flipped around a spatula. Your lips pulled up in a smile. A smile. You hadn’t done that in days.
“Good morning.” Your voice cracked hoarsely, and he stopped his hopped dancing as he turned. “Morning, sweetheart.” He smiled softly, pushing his hair back. “Sleep okay?”
You nodded. It really was the best sleep you’d had in weeks. “Good.” He praised. “I uh- I don’t know if you’re hungry but I made your favorite. Up for a bite?” He glanced at you, pointing between your and the pancakes with the shiny red spatula.
You weren’t sure how much you’d be able to eat, or if you’d eat any, honestly, but they smelled so good that you couldn’t decline him. “Sure.” You hummed, slowly pulling yourself up. Your face morphed into a pained expression, and you gripped the blanket beneath you to keep from crying out. Your eyes stayed on Eddie’s back the entire time, making sure he didn’t turn around. You sighed heavily once you composed yourself.
“Ready to go back to work tomorrow?” He peeked over at you as he grabbed utensils.
You internally cursed the universe. You’d been off for two weeks for a paid vacation, one of the perks of having a full time job. You enjoyed it. You worked in a flower shop, making arrangements and bouquets of balloons. It was a very creative outlet and work space, that’s why Eddie didn’t believe you or Nancy when you’d said it was stressing you out. “I suppose so.” You shrugged your shoulder, tucking your wild hair behind your ear.
You watched as he struggled to carry everything in his arms, balancing the two plates, syrup and glasses of orange juice. “Want some help?” You went to stand.
“No, no, you sit,” He ushered you back down, tongue sticking out of his teeth as he lowered himself to the floor in front of you, sitting down by your feet. “You get to have breakfast in bed today.” He smiled up at you, placing the plate on your lap and setting your glass of orange juice on the coffee table beside you.
You smiled back softly, thanking him under your breath as you bit back a pained sigh. Your foot was barely ghosting his knee as he sat cross legged, already digging into his breakfast as he splattered syrup all over his plate, some dripping down onto the floor. You took your fork and cut into your pancake, bringing it up to your mouth to investigate. It smelled heavenly, and you hoped it would taste the same to.
The taste nearly made you want to cry at how comforted it made you feel, and you sighed contently as you chewed threw the taste of chocolate. “Good?” He asked threw his lashes.
You nodded and spoke through a mouthful. “Good.”
He smirked happily as he squeezed your calf, wiping his lips with his uniformed wrist. You are slowly, but he was just happy you ate, and frankly, so were you. You knew it wasn’t helping your constant headaches, assuming that your blood sugar was damn near plummeting to the ground. He kept glancing up at you, and while the staring made you a little uneasy, you didn’t blame him. After all, you’d put him through a lot that night, and it made you feel guilty. The least you could do is eat his damn pancakes.
“Wayne’s been missing you.” Eddie recalled the memory of his uncle badgering him with questions, wondering where the hell you had disappeared to. “He wants to have us over for dinner some night this week.”
You stopped eating, looking at him oddly with a syrupy mouth. “Dinner? But Wayne can’t cook..?”
He snorted at your reaction, tilting back a bit as he laughed. “I know, he can’t. But that’s not stopping him. He wants to make some sort of fancy pasta he seen on the tv, some shit I ain’t even heard of.”
You couldn’t help but hum in amusement, eyes locking with your lover’s as he smiled. “That’s funny.”
He giggled like a schoolboy. “I know.” He nodded, reaching up to wipe the drop of sticky syrup that was rolling down your chin. You smiled and thanked him under your breath, squinting at the sunlight that was beginning to pour through. It had been awhile since you’d been outside and enjoyed the weather, as the ride to the hospital was as enjoyable as one would think. You brought up another bite to your lips, eyes still stuck on the window as you yearned for fresh air.
Eddie was staring at you shamefully, lips parted and eyes lovestruck as he took in your beauty. Even through what seemed to be the most difficult time of your life, you were the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen. It almost made him want to cry. “You’re so beautiful.”
You turned to look at him, giving a small, delicate smile that almost went undetected. You sure didn’t feel beautiful these days, but Eddie always made you feel like you were. “So are you.”
He smiled, standing up to take your now empty plate. “You want more?”
“Oh- uh, no, I’m alright.” You wiped your mouth on your sleeve, reaching to pick up your orange juice. “Thank you. It was good.”
He placed the dirty dishes in the sink, running the tap water. “So, what are you gonna do today? Last day of vacation.”
You had no idea, but looking back to the window, you really, really, wanted to go outside. You didn’t know where this sense of…calmness came from, why you felt so relaxed, despite everything. Well, that was silly, of course you did. It came from Eddie. You had let him. You had let him help you. “I think I might go for a walk.” You sighed, picking your feet up off the floor and tucking them underneath you.
“Oh, yeah? If you feel up to it, you could swing by on my lunch break.”
You nodded, the food putting you in a comfortable state of drowsiness. You laid your head on the back of the couch, eyes focusing on the black and white screen of the tv. Barney and Andy were arguing about something. Something about a gun that Barney wanted to keep in his pocket. You stifled an amused smile, listening as Eddie cleaned the remnants of his cooking. Your gaze switched back over to him, and you couldn’t help it as a wave of gratitude washed over you.
This was the most comfortable you had felt in so long. You felt comfortable speaking, interacting, even felt comfortable in your own body. And you knew it was all because of him. The way he had held you, spoke to you and comforted you. It made you want to tell him the whole story, but you couldn’t think that way. That was selfish. Your eyes blurred with tears as your heart swelled with the love you had for him. Slowly, you stood up and padded your way over to him.
You wrapped your arms around his stomach, your chest pressing against his back as you laid your cheek along his spine. He stopped, craning his neck back as he chuckled. “What’s this for?”
Your fingers softly circled his abdomen, your nose breathing in his smell of motor oil and cheap cologne. “I just…thank you.”
“For what, baby?” His hand rested on top of yours. You didn’t shy away from the feeling.
You pushed pack a lump in your throat. You didn’t need to cry today. Today was going to be a good day. “For last night.”
His lips parted at a loss of words, trying to think of what he could say that wouldn’t upset you. He quickly wiped his wet hands on his pants, turning around in your embrace as he collected you in his long arms. You sighed happily as you nuzzled your face in his chest, his chin resting atop of your head as he squeezed you softly. He didn’t say anything. He didn’t need to. His actions spoke louder than anything he could possibly say.
“You want me to take off today?” He kissed your ear, speaking softly.
“You don’t have to do that.” You sighed contently. “Wayne needs you. I’ll be alright.”
He nodded, wishing he didn’t have to go in. Today was obviously a good day for you. He wanted to be apart of it. He held you for awhile longer until he had to leave, leaving a wet, noisy kiss on your cheek that made you giggle. You watched him hop in his van and pull out of the trailer park, wishing you could go with him and watch him work on cars all day, but you decided you weren’t going to sit around all day. You were going to shower, or try your very best to, and take your walk. You had earned it. Besides, it was a beautiful day. You didn’t want to waste it.
•
Showering had been difficult. You were incredibly sore and it ached when you bent your body in certain angles. Your bruises were at their peak, and it looked as if someone had taken purple paint and splattered it on you. Your hair was pure grease from not being washed and you cringed that Eddie had to see it. There were indents of fingers on the back of your thighs, and you had thrown up when you saw them. But still, no matter how badly the shower hurt and how much you wanted to sob on the bathroom floor and drown yourself, you got through it. You bucked up.
You dressed yourself comfortably, leggings and a t shirt. You hadn’t worn anything but sweaters, but you investigated your arms carefully and couldn’t find any bruises besides a tiny one that Eddie wouldn’t notice unless he had a magnifying glass. Stepping outside into the sun made your lungs soar. You took in deep, deep breaths that made your bruised ribs ache, but the pain was pleasant for the prize.
You weren’t entirely sure how far your body could walk, but you wanted to make the most of it. You walked around the trailer park and watched as the kids played on the shared playground, throwing sand about the turtle sandbox. The neighbors waved at you and you waved back, shoes crunching against the gravel road. You eventually found yourself in the woods around the area, walking along deer trails and the paths they made. Your pain had subsided after awhile, your medications kicking in along with mother nature healing your tarnished spirit. Your shoes were dirty from walking in the muddy creaks, but you didn’t care. Your eyes caught squirrels and bunnies, even a baby dear bedded down. Hunting season was starting soon, you remember, knowing that Wayne was surely excited about it.
You’d been gone for nearly four hours, and you came back dirty and covered in mood. You immediately plopped back on the couch in exhaustion, your muscles aching and burning. It felt good though, the best you’d felt in a long while. You had called Eddie and told him you were too tired to drive over. He was concerned, at first, thinking maybe you were slipping back into your shell, but was happy to hear you’d been out walking all morning. He told you to rest and he’d see you later that evening.
You watched tv for a good part of the remainder of the day, some you spent on the porch and bathed in the sun. Some kids even came up to you and asked if you wanted to buy some girl scout cookies. You bought a box of thin mints for you, and peanut butter for Eddie, and the girls thanked you with squeals when you typed them ten extra dollars. Eddie firmly believed that mint did not belong on anything besides toothpaste, not even gum. The only gum he chewed was hot cinnamon.
You read for awhile, catching up on Steven King’s Silver Bullet. The movie was getting ready to come out in theaters, so you promised Eddie you’d read it and go with him. It was scary, but it intrigued you. In reality, you hadn’t done much that day, but it seemed like climbing up Everest for you. But once you pushed yourself, you got to the top, and it was worth it. Maybe you’d be okay. Eddie was helping you, whether he knew the whole story or not, just having him there by your side, holding you and praising you helped in a way he couldn’t understand .
You thought the bad outshined the good, but you were wrong, because today had been amazing, and you couldn’t wait for Eddie to get home.
•
Black Sabbath blasted through his busted speakers as he pulled into the drive of the trailer park, bouncing in his seat as he ran through potholes. He was anxious to see you, and he hoped your good mood lasted through the day and would great him with a smile. He slowed his speed as he drove past peoples homes, lifting his fingers in a wave as he passed a few neighbors. He pulled into his driveway, bopping his head to the chorus before he pulled his keys out of the ignition.
“Eddie! Eddie! Eddie!”
His eyes widened at the stamped of two children that came running his way, and he held his hands up surrender. “Woah! What did I do?”
“Are cat had kittens, Eddie!” Beamed little Kathy, who lived right across from you guys. Kathy was just nine years old, and her brother, Patrick, was three. “You wanna see them!” Patrick smiled, jumping up and down.
Eddie rolled his eyes as he smirked, leaning against his van as he looked down at the kids. You both felt bad for them, because their parents were nothing short of grade a assholes, and they had even spent the night at your place once when they showed up scared to death in the middle of the night, their parents screaming next door in a drunken rage. “Come on, guys, I haven’t even seen the wife yet.” You weren’t married, but you loved that he called you the endearment.
“Please, please, please! They’re soooo cute!” Kathy’s pigtails bounced with her hyper jumps. He playfully groaned as he allowed them to grab his hands and pull him across the road, patrick pulling on his sleeves to be carried.
“Alright, let’s see these critters, hm?” He crouched down by their porch, happy their parents weren’t home, however it was pretty shitty of them to let their nine year old take care of a baby. A cardboard box was tucked under the porch, a blanket on the bottom that the six little kittens and their mother rested on. He smirked as Kathy giggled, holding onto his hand as she pointed at them. “See! Aren’t they cute! I have them all named!”
“Are you going to tell me or do I have to keep waiting in suspense?” He reached out to trace a tiny kitten with his pinky finger as Patrick crawled on his hands and knees under the porch to sit next to them.
“This is Pinky,” She started at the left end. “This is slinky, this is winky, this is binky, this is stinky, and this is Dinky!” She pointed to each kitten, and Patrick giggled as Eddie raised a brow.
“Wow, I’m starting to sense a pattern here.” He shook his head in amusement. “Come on, Patrick, you’re gonna get dirty.” He held out his hand for the boy to take, leading him out of the porch as he stood, Kathy staying glued to his side.
“You want to take one!” Kathy squinted her eyes up at him.
“Uh- I’ll pass.” He pursed his lips, holding up a hand. “I’m surprised your mom and dad are letting you keep them.” He watched as her face immediately saddened, and little Patrick looked to his sister.
“Well, they don’t know we have them, so we’re trying to get rid of them before we get into trouble.” She brought her nails up to bite, and he sighed as he glanced between her and the kittens.
“Have you tried anyone else? There’s other kids around here that might want em’.”
“Said’ no’.” Patrick yanked on his sleeve again, holding his arms up.
“I swear, you kids are always wanting something,” He bent down to pick up the boy, causing Kathy to smile widely.
“So, you’ll take one!”
He nodded hesitantly. “Yeah, I’ll take one.” Maybe the idea wasn’t so bad, really. They were cute, and you’d been begging for a puppy for years, and he would never get a dog, so hopefully this would suffice. “And I’ll do you one better,” He shifted Patrick’s weight. “On my way to work tomorrow I’ll take the rest with me and see if anyone in town wants them, okay?”
“Oh, thank you, thank you, Eddie!” She cried happily, wrapping her arms around his legs. He stiffened awkwardly, patting her back. “Yeah, yeah, just give me the damn cat.”
•
You smiled excitedly when you heard his keys wiggle in the lock, and you jumped up to greet him, tucking a hair behind your ear. “Hey, Ed’s.”
“Hey, kiddo!” He beamed, tossing down his keys. “How’s my girl?” He kept his distance from you a bit as he looked you over, just to take a look at you.
“Good.” You smiled, fidgeting your fingers as you blushed. You couldn’t help but hurriedly throw yourself around his neck, cuddling up into his chest like it was your very lifeline.
He chuckled, hugging you back as he peaked down at you. “Someone miss me?” He sighed internally in relief, happy to see you still in good spirits. Maybe things were gonna be okay.
“Yeah.” You breathed him in. You pulled away to look up at him, giving him a quick peck on the cheek. “I ordered chinese food. Sorry, I didn’t feel like cooking.”
“And I got something for you too.” He smirked, crossing his arms in front of you. “I just hope you don’t kick me out for it.”
You craned your brow, becoming curious. “What is it?”
He held up his finger in a signal to wait there, and you watched him as he stepped outside. You brought your nail up to bite anxiously, and your eyes widened when he came back inside, a tiny, baby kitten in the palm of his hand. “What? Oh my, god! Where did you get her!”
“For starters,” He held his hands close to you. “It’s a he, his name is stinky, and Kathy and Patrick blackmailed me into taking him.”
You smiled with happy squeals. “Can I hold him?”
“Sure,” He placed her gently in your hands. “He’s yours now. Your lucky I didn’t bring all six over here, what with that pouty look those kids were givin’ me.”
“But I thought you didn’t want a pet.” You brought the animal to your chest. He was the size of a teacup, solid black with big grey eyes.
“Well, I was practically held at gunpoint over there. I didn’t have much of a choice.” He chuckled, petting the top of the kitten’s nose. “Besides, I thought he could keep you company when I’m not here.”
You bit your lip as you smiled deeply, looking up to him. “Thank you so much. I love him. Really, thank you.”
He found your gratitude funny, and he gave a nod as he hummed amusedly, kissing your shoulder as he moved passed you. “So you had a good day?” He began washing his dirty hands at the sink.
“Yeah, it was great.” You sat down in the recliner, happily playing with your new pet as he crawled around on your lap. “Did you say his name was Stinky?” You narrowed your eyes, looking over your shoulder.
“Yeah, she said he belonged with us since I smell all the time.” He rolled his eyes. “I wear cologne! I don’t know what she’s talking about.”
“Maybe you should stop smoking.” You pulled at his little tail, his tiny nails scratching your fingers.
“I’ll save that for a rainy day.”
When he finished, he moved to crouch down beside you, resting his chin on the arm of the chair as his hand played with Stinky. He smiled at your smiles, your playful giggles when he’d jump around on your lap. His eyes settled on your nose, seeing how the bruises had become more prominent and spread closer to your eyes. He sighed at the image, and his hand squeezed your knee. “So you really had a good day?” He said gingerly, needing to hear the confirmation.
The tone of his voice caught your attention, and your soft eyes found his glued up at you. There were full of love, concern and adoration. Your fingers went to his curls, tucking one behind his ears. “Mhm.” You hummed, flickering down to his lips. It had been days since you’d kissed him there, and he hadn’t even tried to. You felt grateful for that, but you really wanted to kiss him now. “I’m gonna be okay, Eddie.” You soothed him. “Really, I- just thank you for being so patient with me. Today was…I don’t know, I just really had a good day today.”
He looked deep into your eyes and saw nothing but genuine emotion, no more lies. He almost wanted to cry. He gulped, grabbing your hand and kissing your knuckles.
“Will you kiss me?” You whispered, almost embarrassed. He lifted his chin back up to you, staring through his lashes. That had felt like uncharted territory lately, and he wondered if it was pushing it. Your space seemed so important to you now, but the yearning in your eyes for him was clear, and hell, he was sure you could see it in his own.
He muttered a quiet yeah, as he sat up on his knees, placing his hand along the side of your head as he softly placed his lips on yours. You stifled a gasp at the feeling, fighting the urge to run away. No. They weren’t his lips. They were Eddie’s. They were Eddie’s lips. You didn’t know what to do with your hands, and in a way, it felt like your first kiss; awkward. He stopped when you whimpered, pulling apart. “What’s-”
“Keep going.” You begged him, grabbing onto his shirt. “Please, just- just give me a second.”
You pulled him back onto you, barely moving his lips on yours as your previous reaction. Whatever had happened must of really messed with you, he came to imagine over time, because you never acted this way when you kissed him. And after a second, you were able to relax. They were Eddie’s lips.
You kissed him back, hard, and he stilled surprisingly, gripping the arm of the chair. His lips caught up with yours, and he tried his best to keep from poking your nose with his own. Your breathing was loud and your hands slipped together, your mind going dizzy with a pleasant feelings. Right before he could slip his tongue in, a tiny little meow interrupted him.
You both irrupted into giggles looking down at your new houseguest. Maybe things were going to get better.
•
The smell of fresh flowers hit your nostrils as you pushed open the shop door, your eyes adjusting to the fluorescent lights on the ceiling. The flower shop was across town. It was small, but not cramped, and always kept you busy. People used flowers for all occasions. Birthdays, weddings and funerals, graduations. When Eddie wanted to get you flowers, he always had to do it on a day you weren’t working. The shop was set up nicely. Two bouquet cases on each wall, tables in the center of the room set with certain themes, stuffed animals and candy bouquets all about the room with balloons. It really did feel like a second home for you.
“Hey, look who’s back!”
You smiled at your coworkers once they spotted you, waving as you clocked in at the time clock. “Hey girls, been busy?”
“Oh, god, have we!” Jacky exclaimed, holding a stemmed rose in her mouth. “We’ve had call in after call in for orders. You couldn’t have come back at a better time.”
“How was vacation- holy shit what happened to your nose!” Rebecca gasped, dropping her scissors to the table.
“I’m okay.” You held up your hands. “Just tripped on my own feet. It doesn’t hurt that bad anymore.”
“Jesus, kid, we’re gonna have to start bubble wrapping you.” Jacky cringed at your deep bruises.
You smirked, dismissing the pained memories. “Yeah, that’s what Eddie said, too.”
“So, besides breaking your damn face, how was vacation?”
“Was fine.” You shrugged your shoulder, putting on a work apron. “Just caught up on sleep mostly. Eddie got me a kitten today.”
Jacky and Rebecca worked at the shop every single day. They were in their mid twenties, and had bought they shop five years when moving to town. Why they decided to move to that cursed town, you didn’t know, but you were grateful for the job. They were sweet and thoughtful, and in a way, they seemed like aunts to you, even though they weren’t that much older than you. “A kitten?” Jacky scoffed. “Since when does Eddie like animals? Doesn’t he have allergies?”
“Yeah, but only in the spring.” You tied your hair up in a bun, closing the gate to the work area as you approached the work bench. “So what can I help with?”
“Well, we have a whole list already wrote and planned out for you, kiddo! Didn’t want you to get bored on your first day back.” Rebecca smirked, rubbing your shoulder as you picked up the list.
It was a lot of arrangements to make, but you were happy for the work. The morning had started off just as good as yesterdays. You’d woken up in Eddie’s arms on the couch, little stinky running around the floor and playing with Eddie’s socks. He made you breakfast again, you watched Andy Griffith. You felt like you were in the eye of the hurricane. It was peaceful, healing. And honestly, you felt proud of yourself for even getting out of bed. You felt proud for showing up to work. Truth be told, you felt like you’d been hit by a damn train, but that didn’t keep you from coming in.
You told Eddie you’d go over to the shop on your lunch break and sit with him, besides, Wayne was bugging him about seeing you. That man loved you like a daughter. He was constantly asking Eddie for a grandnephew. Yes, he used the term grandnephew.
The only thing that hadn’t seemed to get better was your nightmares. They didn’t stop you from getting sleep, especially with being cuddled up by Eddie, but they were graphic and loud, always of the same thing. The bleeding between your legs had finally seemed to stop, only occasionally spotting. You’d been mortified when you found that your sweatpants were covered red in the back. You threw them away, not wanting him to see them.
Hours passed by at the shop, and you caught up with the girls, watching as the clock ticked by. You were happy you were able to sit at the table and work, because you couldn’t be on your feet for eight hours. No, you’d smack straight to the floor. You had lunch with Eddie and Wayne at noon, and the older man wrapped you in a big bear hug. It hurt your ribs, but you didn’t mind. You ate the half of Eddie’s chicken sandwich while you smiled at Wayne’s stories.
Before you knew it, it was time to close up shop. The orders for the day had been made and picked up, the balloons all sold. You were ready to call it a day.
“It’s been nice having you back kid. You’re a big help to us around here.” Jacky smiled, patting your back as she threw her purse over her shoulder.
“Thanks.” You blushed. “It’s been nice being back. I’ll see you-” The sudden twist of your stomach nearly sent you to the floor, and you gulped, the color dropping from your face as you held your stomach. “Oh, shit.” You groaned, swallowing.
“What’s wrong?” Rebecca came closer.
When your eyes settled on the trash can next to you, you launched yourself towards it desperately. Your hands locked around the edges, your hair fell as you leaned over, and you cried out loudly as you vomited, the violent heaves creating agonizing burns of pain along your ribcage. Your knees buckled as your eyes burned. You could hear voices, hands on your back, but the pain was terrible. Vomit filled your mouth and the cracks of your teeth, dripping down your chin as the vile smell hit your nostrils. And then, you felt something drip down your leg. Spotting again, surely. But blood was not what popped into your mind. No, you were feeling nothing but deja-vu.
The feeling of being bent over, unbearable pain and a wet, sticky substance dripping between your thighs. You could hear nothing but the sounds of your own sickness, sobs of fear and the panicked voices of your coworkers that seamed muffled under water. But blood was not what you had felt that might. Well, it was to an extent. But it had been him. His release he forced into you while you screamed and thrashed about.
When you finally seemed to empty all the contents of your stomach out, your hands gripped the circular surface of the trashcan, your eyes widened and drool spilled from your mouth as you cried. That’s when it hit you. He had came inside of you. The pats on your back were growing more frantic, the voices louder, along with another noise you couldn’t decide the source. You couldn’t no longer see clearly, a feeling deep inside of your chest burning hotly that made you want to faint. That sound was coming from you. You were sobbing, bent over the trash can and absolutely sobbing your heart out.
Oh, god, he’d came inside of you. You hadn’t…you hadn’t been registered it til now, hadn’t even thought about it. And now, the only thing that was sounding off in your head was your pregnant.
Your pregnant. Your pregnant. Your pregnant.
•
He blew every stop sign and stop light in town, ignored the honks from cars and pedestrians that crossed the street. He could of hit someone, if he did, he’d deal with it later. He’d been working on a ford ranger when the garage’s telephone started ringing off the hook. After letting it ring for several minutes, he eventually picked it up, and his heart fell to his stomach. He couldn’t hear much of what Rebecca was saying, but he could hear you in the background.
“Fuck, fuck, fuck.” He cursed, smacking his steering wheel as he swerved around cars. He gulped when he seen your shop come into sight, and he slammed on the breaks in front of the building.
“Y/n!” He shouted, busting inside and slamming open the door. “Y/n! Y/n!”
“Eddie!” Jacky gasped, running to him. “We don’t know what happened. She’s sick or something, I don’t-”
“Just take me to her!” His eyes widened at her frantic tone, allowing her to grab his arm and lead him through the shop. “Is she hurt? What the hell happened?”
“She was fine all day! Then she started throwing up and- god, I don’t know, it’s like she was having a panic attack or something! She won’t let us touch her!” Jacky put a hand on his back to lead him through the gate to the work area, and he scanned the room for you.
“Where-”
“Here.” Rebecca stepped up, joining the two. “She’s under the table. I don’t know- I don’t know, Eddie, she’s completely terrified. She won’t say anything.”
He looked to Rebecca’s outstretched hand across the room and sprinted, his heart racing. He slowed his speed as he rounded the table, finding you underneath. He crouched in front of you, stomach dropping at the sight of you. Your knees were to your chest, arms wrapped around them with your chin in the space between them. Tears and mucus stained your face, eyes bloodshot and hair wild and fallen out of your clip. You looked just like they said. Terrified.
He crouched in front of you and his eyes grew to the softest shade of brown they’d ever been. “Baby, baby, baby, what happened?” He cooed softly, his hands coming up to hold the side of your face, trying to search your eyes. “Are you hurt, baby? They said you were sick. What’s going on, hm?” He was trying to be as gentle as possible, because you looked so fragile. More fragile than you had the other night. You were frantic and hysterical then, now, you were dead silent. He didn’t like that.
You wouldn’t look at him, only staring at his chest. Your hands were shaking, a heartbeat in your nose pulsing angrily. Eddie could feel the Jacky and Rebecca’s eyes on him, but he ignored them, scooting closer until he was practically under the table with you. His hand held the back of your head, the other, wiping your tears as he took in your form. He stayed like that for a few minutes, letting you take in his presence, hoping it would make you relax, know that he was there with you.
“Talk to me, baby.” He whispered, caressing your cheek.
You were in a state or shock, could barely even feel your body sitting on the floor. You knew Eddie was there with you, you just couldn’t muster up the energy to say anything. “I need you to talk to me, y/n.” He combed through your hair. “I need you tell me what’s been going on. Let me help you.”
You were so close to telling, so close to letting it all go. It was like your body was tingling, holding the weight of the world up and ready to drop it at any second. You looked to Eddie, eyes tearing up as he softly whispered that it was okay. He was staring at you with love and strength, and god, you wished you could be strong like him. Your chest ached and bubbled, and the words almost spilled from your mouth.
“It’s alright, honey,” He nodded. “You can tell me.”
He was perfect. Eddie was just so, so perfect. And beautiful. He was like a damn greek goddess. His hands held your face, catching your tears and lips softly whispering gentle reassurances. You wanted to fall, right there, and you knew he’d catch you. You were just too scared.
“I need Nancy.” Your voice broke, choking on a sob.
His face fell, and he tried not be hurt. “Sweetheart,” He swallowed, tilting down his chin as you looked down. “Y/n, please, let me help you. I want to help you.”
You started to cry softly, and you felt the oily substance between your thighs as you shifted, and it only made you sob, digging your hands into your shoulders as you hugged yourself. Pregnant. Pregnant. Pregnant.
“I need Nancy.” You whimpered, feeling that thick pressure build back up in your throat.
Eddie squeezed his eyes shut in desperation, trying his hardest to be patient with you. “But- honey, see, you- you need me. You need my help.” He lightly shook you, trying to get you to see reason. “Just let me help you, baby. Let me take care of you. You’ve just gotta trust me, y/n.”
You whined, your skin starting to burn. Life had always been difficult for you. You’d never gotten the easy road, never gotten a break. Anything that could possibly happen to you, did. So that’s how you knew you were pregnant, and it explained the constant throwing up you were doing. Eddie wouldn’t understand. He…he wouldn’t. God, what if he thought you’d cheated on him? Slept around behind his back. He’d never forgive you. No, no, you couldn’t tell him.
“No- no, Eddie, please, I-” You gasped, shaking your head as your hands shook in front of you. “Nancy. I need her, please- she’ll understand, Eddie-”
“Honey, I’ll understand.” He strained with wide eyes, your cries becoming stronger, gasps becoming heavier. He did not want a repeat of the other night. “Why are you scared of me? I’m- sweetheart, I’m not gonna hurt you. Why won’t you talk to me?” His voice was molded in a tone of hurt.
“No!” You snapped tearfully, making him jump. “No! No! I need Nancy! Please, please, Eddie, please, I need Nancy!” You sobbed, recoiled from his grasp as your chest heaved. Your cries were pained, face twisted in hurt. You just wanted things to be over. You thought you could do it, but you couldn’t. It was too hard.
Eddie sighed in exhaustion, heart beginning to race at the exhilarated speed of your hysterics. He hadn’t wanted to push you, but damnit, enough was enough. He needed to know.
“Y/n,” He said firmly, grasping your shoulders. “I need to know what happened.”
You sobbed, scratching at your arms as your vision went dark. Your chest started to ache, grow tight, and you were gasping for breath.
“Now, y/n.” A lump built in his throat, and before he knew it, his eyes were watering. “Damnit it, y/n, just tell me! Just tell me what is wrong!”
“You aren’t listening to me!” You threw his hands off you, glaring at him through tears and fury. “You won’t understand! I need Nancy! Please, Eddie-” You were pushed over the edge in hysterics, and you gripped your throat as you coiled over, a sharp gag muffling your cries.
Nausea flipped you upside down, your hands smacking against the floor to keep you up as you dry heaved, and that burn vibrated off your abdomen.
“Call, Wheeler!” Eddie shouted over his shoulder to the girls. “Hawkins Post! Call her!” His hands were at your back and he scooted beside you, holding you up as you jolted violently against him.
“Oh god-” He pushed your sweaty hair back, wincing at your gagged tears and he just didn’t know what to do. “I’ve got you, baby. She’s coming, okay? She’s coming, Nancy’s coming.”
Those bouncy, brunette curls were his saving grace as much as they were yours. Nancy’s eyes welled up with tears when she ran to you, crouching down in front of you as she took in your form, hunched over and panicking. “Y/n, I’m here.” She pulled you into her chest, and you relaxed into her immediately, wrapping your arms around her torso and wetting her dress with your sobs.
“I’m here, I’m here, sweetheart.” She cried softly, rocking you gently against her. “Just breath, I’m here.”
Nancy held you as tight as she could, squeezing her eyes shut as you wailed hysterically in pain, a dark, looming cloud of death hanging over you. Her soft, big brown eyes switched over to Eddie’s, and he looked absolutely devastated.
He was crying, a solemn tear falling down his cheek as he looked at her, it was a mixture of a glare, jealousy and hurt, yet gratitude at the same time. “I’ll bring her home, Eddie.” Nancy whispered tearfully.
He didn’t argue, there was no point. You didn’t want his help anyway. He gave a nod, giving you one last glance before he left.