#eddie imagnie

[megalony]

Somewhere Safe

This is a new Eddie Munson imagine that I had a little idea for. I hope you will all like it.

Any feedback always makes my day.

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Summary: (Y/n) doesn't have the best home life and knowing this, Eddie tells her to come and live with him. But he isn't too happy when the group are at a party, and someone tries to play a cruel prank on his girlfriend.

Enjoy.

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Tears as torturous as acid poured down (Y/n)'s face as her feet thudded against the stairs. Each step she took felt like a mile and the house somehow felt like it was growing, contorting into a maze to keep her here. To trap her.

Her feet seemed to crash against the stairs no matter how light she tried to make her steps and in the end, (Y/n) gave up. She allowed the soles of her converse to crash against the carpet and cause the floorboards to creak and groan at her presence.

Her hands grappled with the bannister which she used to propel herself round to the left and she stumbled into another sprint.

The sound of that shrill voice echoed behind her, thundering across the upstairs landing, trying to catch her before she left. Before she made her escape. Well (Y/n) wouldn't be caught. Not tonight.

Her heart thudded and her lungs ached as she reached the front door and scurried outside. She didn't bother to shut or lock the door behind her, it would only slow her down. She moved her hand to secure the rucksack hanging off her shoulder to make sure she didn't drop it in her hurry to leave.

The wind caused her acidic tears to streak across her face and whip along her skin and it hurt. (Y/n)'s eyes were stinging from how much she had cried and her body was shaking from a mixture of panic and adrenaline.

She tripped down the path that sloped down towards the road. It was always a struggle getting up to the house that was built on a slight incline, but it was always so easy to flee.

(Y/n) felt like her heart was going to give out when she saw that familiar dark blue car parked in front of the next house.

Steve.

He was right on time. He always parked in front of the neighbours house; he knew from experience that (Y/n) didn't like her mother to know who she was going out with or see where she was going. But it didn't matter anymore, not after today.

Her body shuddered and trembled and her lungs seemed to stutter in her chest as she pelted across the grass and aimed for that car that would save her.

"She has remembered we're going out, right?" Robin tossed her head back against the headrest and arched one brow as she looked over at Steve. She didn't like to wait around and they had been parked up for almost ten minutes. Usually as soon as Steve pulled up, (Y/n) would bolt out and be in the car within a minute.

"I spoke to her this morning."

"Well clearly-" Robin broke off into a shriek when a resounding thud bashed against the back window.

Both of them turned around to see one of (Y/n)'s hands plastered against the car window and their expressions mirrored shock as they watched her wrench the door open and almost collapse onto the backseat.

As soon as (Y/n) was inside, she yanked the door shut and dropped her bag down into the footwell. Deep breaths rasped past her lips as she started to shake all over again. She was safe. She was with her friends. Nothing could happen to her now if Steve drove off right away.

A frown formed on Steve's lips as he tried to turn and look behind him towards one of his oldest friends.

He and (Y/n) had been friends since she was ten. Steve was like the older brother she never had and they rowed and bickered like siblings but they would do anything for each other.

When Robin joined their little gang, it almost seemed like the three of them were siblings.

"Hey- woah, you okay?"

"Drive." (Y/n) didn't have the time, energy or effort to even begin to explain. She just needed Steve to drive, to get out of here and take her away somewhere safe.

Although tonight's plans might have to change now. (Y/n) shuddered at the thought and she coiled her arms towards her chest as her eyes fell closed. They had planned on going to the movies tonight, but (Y/n) couldn't do that anymore. She couldn't try and pretend that she was fine and that everything was okay when it wasn't. She couldn't go and sit in a crowded screen and eat popcorn and make jokes and slide down in the chair like the three of them always did when they got rowdy and into a giggling fit.

(Y/n) couldn't concentrate on a movie after what had been said and done tonight. Her mind wasn't in the right place for that.

She was already drifting off into her own world, her eyes tightly closed while she brought her knees up to her chest instead of bothering to pull on her seatbelt.

"Is that blood?" Panic entwined in Robin's voice when she turned around in her seat and looked behind her to where her friend was sitting.

She saw the way (Y/n) flinched when she looked down at her exposed arms which she quickly pressed into her shirt so they couldn't be seen. And she ducked her head down and shimmied until her hood was covering her face so the specks of blood over her brow couldn't be seen either.

She curled up with her knees pressing over her arms that were now pinned against her torso and with her forehead pressing into the top of her knees, (Y/n) effectively hid herself away from two of her best friends. She never liked or wanted to hide from them, but tonight was different.

"What?" Panic bubbled up in Steve's voice causing his tone to heighten as he tried to glance over his shoulder towards his friend. He hadn't seen any blood, but then again, he didn't see her properly when she all but threw herself into the car. "What happened?"

It was clear something had gone on tonight. (Y/n) had thrust herself into the car in a panicked state and she was late, she was hardly ever late to meet them for anything. And she wasn't joking or throwing her arms around them in a hug. She wasn't speaking to them at all. And when Steve looked through the mirror and saw how she was curled up in the backseat, his lips fell into a wince and his fingers began to drum against the steering wheel out of panic.

Something had happened at home.

Steve knew (Y/n) didn't have a good relationship with her mum, but he never pried. In all the years that they had been friends, Steve had been round to (Y/n)'s house all of twice. Whenever they met up or went out or hung together, it was always at Steve's house or at the movies or at school.

He knew (Y/n) argued a lot with her mum and her home life was clearly chaotic at the best of times. Steve had seen the signs, but whenever he tried to approach the subject, (Y/n) veered away and he had learned not to ask. He asked if she was alright, if she needed to talk or go out and vent and brush off steam, but he didn't inquire any further.

"(Y/n) talk to me-"

"Eddie. Please, t-take me to Eddie's." (Y/n) hated how pathetic her voice sounded and she wiped her eyes with the collar of her shirt before she pressed her face back down into her knees.

She didn't want to be a burden or ruin their night, but going to the cinema wasn't going to happen for (Y/n) and she didn't want to mess up what was left of Steve and Robin's night. They could still go to the movies like chaotic siblings and have fun. (Y/n) just needed a ride to Eddie's trailer, and Steve was her best friend. He always gave her a ride wherever she needed if her boyfriend couldn't.

(Y/n) wanted to be with Eddie. He would know what to do. His presence was always so calming to (Y/n) and she needed to be with him and decompress and calm down. Besides, (Y/n) had nowhere else to go but Eddie's place.

Steve glanced to the right and locked eyes with Robin for a few seconds, but neither of them had any clues as to what was happening or ideas about what to do. So, with a shrug of his shoulders, he veered to the left and changed course. The trailer park was only five minutes away and if that was where (Y/n) wanted to go, then that's what they would do.

Every now and then, the pair of them snuck glances into the back of the car, but (Y/n) hadn't moved. She stayed curled up like a child who had been scolded. She didn't speak other than the odd whimper or sniff and neither Robin nor Steve said a word either, they didn't know what to do and the atmosphere in the car felt so fragile that one word might shatter everything.

The road into the trailer park was rocky with various pot holes and chunks of gravel. When the car rolled to a stop beside Eddie's beat up van, Steve took a deep breath and glanced behind him towards (Y/n). She didn't seem to have noticed that they were here.

He stretched his hand out towards her and brushed the back of his hand along her knee, he didn't want to grab her and frighten her.

As soon as she saw where they were, (Y/n) scrambled to grab her bag and get out the car. She knew Steve would get out with her, he was a cautious friend and a gentleman when he wanted to be. He would see her inside and make sure she was alright before he left.

"Stay here," He murmured across to Robin before he climbed out the car. He already knew (Y/n) wouldn't ask him and Robin to stay, she would want them to carry on to the cinema and have a fun night. But Steve needed to check she was actually alright and see if Eddie could get through to her before he dared leave her here.

Steve rounded the front of the car and hopped up the steps so he could knock on the trailer door. He assumed that Wayne would be at work, he always did the night shifts and he prayed that Eddie's van being here meant he was home and not out with the band or at a party or doing some deal somewhere.

The moment the trailer door opened and (Y/n) caught a flash of that familiar crimped brown hair, she surged forward. She didn't care that she unbalanced Steve and almost knocked him off the steps. Nor did she care about being polite and saying hello first. All she cared about was getting to Eddie.

Her body barrelled into his arms, causing Eddie to stumble onto his back foot before he regained his balance and held them both upright. His lips quirked into a confused grin, flashing his pearly whites as he felt (Y/n)'s arms bind tightly around his middle and her face meshed up against his sternum.

Confusion sparkled within Eddie's brown eyes as he wrapped his right arm around (Y/n)'s waist and moved his left hand to cradle the back of her head. And he tilted his head down to briefly kiss the top of her head before he noticed Steve was stood on the steps, his car parked a few feet away.

"Hey, I thought you were all going to the movies tonight?"

Eddie only went along to the movies with them if the whole group was going and if it was a film that was either a new sci-fi or a horror. But when it was just Steve and Robin, Eddie hung back and let the three of them head out together. He knew they would never think of him as being in the way, but he knew they enjoyed heading out together and if he went along, Eddie would simply attach himself to (Y/n) and end up missing half the movie by making out with her.

When (Y/n) didn't answer or say anything at all, Eddie looked over towards Steve, and his smile slowly began to fade.

Steve looked worried. He was stood on the top step with one hand on his hip and the other tangled up in the long hair at the back of his neck. His lips were curled up into a grimace and every time he looked towards (Y/n), there was that sense of panic in his eyes that rattled Eddie's core.

And Eddie finally noticed that Robin was in the car with her nose practically smushed against the window, desperately trying to see and hear what was happening. She looked worried too. Something had happened.

"Something happened, she won't tell me what, but she asked to come here."

Tremoring breaths left Eddie's parted lips and he managed to nod his head before he looked down at (Y/n). She was still bound to his chest like some kind of monkey, unwilling to look up at him or take one step away as if she thought she might die if she let him go.

Diverting his attention back down to the girl in his arms, Eddie tried to take a step back inside the trailer, but (Y/n) moved with him like they were one being.

He sucked in a deep breath which he held in while his hands moved round so he was cupping her face in his palms. He leaned his chest back and carefully peeled (Y/n) off of him so he could look down at her. His brows creased and his thumbs glided along her cheekbones.

The cold metal of his rings felt soothing against (Y/n)'s burning skin and she closed her eyes, relishing in the touch rather than focusing on Eddie's concerned expression and his knitted brows that were pulled together in confusion.

He could see now that she was subtly trembling, something he hadn't felt when she clung to him seconds ago. But what made Eddie's lips curl into a snarl was the cut along the left side of her brow near her eye. It didn't look deep enough to need medical attention, but it was enough to leave a streak of blood trickling down her face and it was certainly going to swell and bruise by morning.

And when Eddie spared a glance back towards Steve, he realised that Steve was silently tapping his arms. That caused Eddie to look down to (Y/n)'s hands that were now clinging to his wrists like she was afraid he was going to let her go. His eyes scanned down her hands, wrists and to her exposed forearms.

More cuts along her arms that were smeared in small streaks of blood.

"Oh baby."

(Y/n) couldn't help the tears that started to trickle down her face again and she leaned forward until her nose was meshed up against his sternum and her heavy breaths were fanning into his black cotton shirt. Her hands let go of his wrists in favour of binding her arms back around his waist again and she cried quietly when Eddie's fingers knotted into her hair. He cupped the back of her head with both hands and pressed feverish kisses to the top of her head in an attempt to calm her down.

"Thanks for dropping her off Harrington, we'll be fine."

When Steve nodded, Eddie reached one hand out to pat his shoulder as a sign of thanks. He was glad Steve had brought her here, Eddie didn't want to think about (Y/n) walking down here in this state late at night. It didn't bear thinking about.

Steve gently rested his hand on (Y/n)'s lower back and mumbled "I'll see you tomorrow, okay?" before he headed back down the steps towards the car. Suddenly going to the cinema wasn't as exciting anymore now that they knew something wasn't right with (Y/n).

Once the car pulled away, Eddie nudged the door shut and carefully walked backwards, easing (Y/n) with him as they walked in tandem like their legs were tied together.

He glanced his eyes around the trailer before deciding to aim for the sofa and once he sat back down on the sofa, he pulled (Y/n) along with him. She didn't argue or make a disapproving sound, she didn't say anything at all.

Her arms shifted from Eddie's waist to lock around his neck instead and she sat down on his lap, wriggling until she was as close as possible. Her face tucked into Eddie's neck with his hair tickling the back of her head as it curled around her like a curtain trying to protect her and shield her from any prying eyes, not that there was anyone else with them in the trailer.

She lifted her legs and swung them up onto the sofa beside Eddie while one of his hands gripped her thigh and the other curved around her lower back and settled on the dip in her waist.

They stayed like that for a few minutes while Eddie kissed her temple and breathed softly against her skin. He waited until he felt the tears finally stop and her breaths began to even out before he tried to start a conversation.

"Wanna tell me what happened, babe?"

She didn't want to. (Y/n) really didn't want to explain what had happened back at home tonight, but she knew she needed to. She couldn't just sit here and panic Eddie- panic him more than she already had. She needed to at least explain why she had turned up and changed the plans when she was supposed to be at the cinema with Steve and Robin.

She nuzzled her nose into Eddie's collar bone while she felt him humming something against the top of her head, probably the tune he had stuck in his head.

"Mum was in one of her moods, I said- I said I was going to the cinema, but she d-didn't believe me. She called me a whore." (Y/n) almost laughed as she spoke and the cynical smile on her lips was one second away from breaking into a hollow crease.

Eddie was the only one who knew what (Y/n)'s home life was like. (Y/n) had never told anyone what she went through at home, not until she and Eddie got together and he suddenly told her about his own parents. About his shitty dad who didn't stick around and his mum who couldn't be bothered with him after a while. And that was before he got into drugs and smoking and started failing at school; she was probably the reason he went downhill in the first place.

With Eddie being so open to her and when he first told her he loved her, something changed within (Y/n). She felt safe. She felt loved and understood and like it was okay to tell one person what her home life was like.

(Y/n)'s dad wasn't in the picture anymore, after he left, it was just (Y/n) and her mum, and it had been Hell.

Little things (Y/n) did, things that weren't naughty or wrong or bad, it could have been something as simple as drawing a picture or playing the wrong movie, but they set her mum off. They sent her into a rant, into a fit of rage.

Her mother was bent on drilling rules and discipline into (Y/n) and her way of doing that was shouting and lashing out.

She felt Eddie tense against her and the way he sighed through his teeth against her temple made (Y/n) shudder. He had never met her mum but he hated her with a deep vengeance already.

"What did she do?" There was something deep and guttural about Eddie's voice and it made (Y/n) shiver. Especially when Eddie moved his hand from her thigh to cup her cheek and trace his thumb along the cut to her brow.

"I kept telling her it was a cinema trip, but she wouldn't listen. She smacked me, b- but she had a knife…"

(Y/n) shakily let go of Eddie's neck and moved her arms towards her face to show that she had tried to defend herself. And when she hovered her arms near her face, it allowed Eddie a better look at the few cuts to her arms. Superficial wounds, but still bleeding cuts nonetheless and any wound was wrong no matter how shallow or small it was.

Her mum had hit her, nothing new, it was something that happened on occasion and each time it did, (Y/n) fled the house so it wouldn't get worse. She always came home to find her mum crying and apologising or pretending like it hadn't happened.

Tonight was almost the same as normal, but her mum lashed out with a kitchen knife in her hand. It slashed (Y/n)'s face and when she tried to strike her again, (Y/n) ended up with cuts on her arms.

She ran to her bedroom, grabbed her bag- which she added a few clothes to so she didn't have to go home tonight- and fled the house with her mother shouting and screaming behind her.

"You're not going back there."

"I brought an overnight bag." (Y/n) tiredly pointed to her rucksack on the floor beside the front door before she snuggled further into Eddie. He never minded when she wanted to stay over, he encouraged her to stay with him especially if her mum was in one of her moods. And Wayne never minded if he came home to find (Y/n) cooking in the kitchen or watching tv with Eddie in the mornings before school.

"No, I mean you're not going back there again. You can stay here with me." The determination in Eddie's voice was surprising and it made (Y/n)'s heart flutter.

She tilted her head back against his shoulder so she could look up at him and her trembling fingertips delicately traced his jaw and his lower lip which caused him to shudder and close his eyes automatically.

"Eddie…"

"Baby, you're not safe there. If you're here with me then you're safe, uncle Wayne won't mind. Some of your stuff is in my room anyway, so stay. Stay with me."

Eddie curled his hand carefully and slowly around her wrist as not to frighten her and he tilted his head to press his lips against the palm of her hand. He leaned into her touch before he pushed forward and pressed his lips to hers in a burning, searing kiss that stole all the air from (Y/n)'s lungs.

Going back home was just putting (Y/n) at risk. What would stop her mum from doing this again and harming her or stabbing her next time?

If (Y/n) stayed here with Eddie and his uncle, she would be safe. She stayed over at least once a week as it was when things got too much. They could share Eddie's room, he would drive her to school every morning with him and bring her home. She could go out with Robin and Steve and the gang without having to hide or lie or panic about getting home and wondering what mood her mum would be in.

Eddie barely let their lips part, even as (Y/n) pulled back for air, their lips were still brushing and his hand was now cradling the side of her neck.

He uttered "Stay with me," against her lips and he sucked her lower lip between his teeth as his hooded eyes bore into hers, desperate for her to say yes. He wanted her here with him where she was loved and safe.

Eddie knew (Y/n) couldn't tell her mum about any of her male friends. Her mum had it in her mind that (Y/n) couldn't hang out with boys or else she would be corrupted and her grades would slip and she would get into trouble. She didn't seem to realise that (Y/n) could simply be friends with Steve and be in a relationship with Eddie and still get the grades and attend school and still be herself.

She never told her mum about Steve and she certainly didn't mention Eddie because his reputation preceded him and her mum would go off the rails because she didn't know about Eddie's sweet side the way (Y/n) did.

So if (Y/n) stayed here, her mum wouldn't know. She wouldn't know where Eddie lived, she didn't even know that (Y/n) knew Eddie or that she was dating him. She would be protected here.

(Y/n) didn't feel able to say no. She couldn't help the smile that curled at her lips and she leaned into his chest, pushing him back against the sofa as she kissed him with fever.

"Okay."

No sooner had the word passed her lips and into Eddie's mouth than his hand left her hip and curved round to cup her bum. She could feel his lips curving into a wide grin against her mouth that he was bruising with his feverish kisses and he made sure (Y/n)'s legs were hooked around his waist before he got up from the sofa with her sat on his hips.

"That's my girl. Now let's clean those cuts up, hm?" She was here with him now, and this was where she was staying. And Eddie would always look after her.

***

(Y/n) didn't like parties. There was only one type of party where she felt truly comfortable and at ease and that was the parties which Steve hosted. The ones where Nancy, Robin, Eddie and the rest of the group attended. Just them, nobody else, no other kids from school to mock them or stare or get too rowdy and cop off in the bedrooms.

(Y/n) wasn't sure they really classed as parties so much as they were sleepovers, but those were the only kind that (Y/n) felt okay in.

She didn't truly want to be here, but Nancy and Steve insisted. It was one of Nancy's friends throwing the party and apparently everyone was invited. That meant Nancy wanted all her friends to go with her so they could have some fun.

But their definitions of fun were very different.

With both her arms bound around her waist, (Y/n) tilted her head down and tried to worm her way through the bodies in the kitchen so she could get a drink.

They hadn't been here long and already (Y/n) was eager to leave, but she couldn't. She couldn't sneak off without Nancy and the rest of the group knowing and they all promised they would stick together tonight. They were here to have fun and dance and mess around, but they would still hang with each other. (Y/n) didn't want to be a kill joy, she didn't want to be the first one to leave.

She found some plastic cups and got two drinks of whatever punch was in the large fish bowl on the counter. Everyone was drinking from it so it couldn't be spiked with anything bad, she hoped.

Once she turned around with both drinks in hand, she tried to weave back through the sea of people. At least where the rest of the group were sitting in the back room, it wasn't so crowded and they weren't going deaf with the music or squashed near people dancing. They were out the way and could have a somewhat fun night.

(Y/n) could feel a bubble of annoyance swelling in her chest when she passed Chrissy. The cheerleader who thought she was the best of the best and better than everybody else. Chrissy used to try and tease (Y/n) in class quite a lot, and she wasn't pleased when she realised she would have to stop tormenting (Y/n) because if she didn't, (Y/n) would tell the rest of the school that Chrissy had tried buying drugs from Eddie. That would ruin Chrissy's reputation.

"Nice outfit." Chrissy's voice was shrill and the smirk on her face was unsettling as her eyes dragged up and down (Y/n)'s outfit.

She wasn't wearing anything special. This wasn't a dressing up party or Halloween. She was wearing a pair of jeans and Eddie's Hellfire shirt, mainly because it had long sleeves and covered the little scratches and cuts that were finally healed on her arms. Besides, Eddie liked it when she wore his clothes, he was always telling her that.

With an arched brow, (Y/n) looked up and down Chrissy's outfit with a small huff. Chrissy looked like she was going to bed, she had on a skimpy shirt that barely went down to her hips and a pair of shorts so small and tight that they looked uncomfortable. They looked like knickers rather than shorts.

"Nice underwear." Was the response she gave before she walked off to find Eddie again.

Once she was back near the group, (Y/n) locked her eyes on Eddie's frame. He was sat on the sofa, thighs spread apart, elbows resting on his thighs and his chest hunched forward to look at the coffee table where they were playing some kind of game.

A smile pulled at Eddie's lips when (Y/n) walked towards him and held out a red plastic cup in his direction. He took it without question, his smile broadening when he watched her kneel down on the floor and move around until she was sat between his legs with her back up against the sofa. He looped an arm over her shoulder and attached his lips to the back of her head.

"Thanks," He murmured into her hair before he leaned round a bit more to press a kiss to her temple.

(Y/n) grinned and shivered at the feeling of Eddie's hair tickling her shoulder and the crook of her neck as he leaned into her. His cheek smushed up against hers and his chest pressed into her back and shoulders as she felt him smiling and chuckling against her skin.

If Eddie hadn't of tagged along tonight (Y/n) wouldn't have stayed this long, but he didn't have band practice tonight so he had agreed to come along for a night out. It beat hanging around the trailer on his own if (Y/n) wasn't home.

Most of the kids at school knew (Y/n) was staying with Eddie now. Someone had started commenting that he drove her to and from school and it soon caught round that she had been staying at the trailer.

At least (Y/n) knew this news wasn't going to get back to her mum and if it did, she would have a hard time trying to find exactly who Eddie was and where he lived.

Steve, Eddie and Robin had all helped (Y/n) sneak back home last week when her mum was at work so she could grab her stuff. She only took the essentials, her school work, her few favourite books and her clothes and one or two mementos. That was all she needed for now and she had been happier than ever now that she was staying with Eddie- and Wayne, who kept reassuring her he didn't mind her staying with them.

They stayed like that for a while, (Y/n) perched happily on the floor between Eddie's legs that occasionally squeezed into her sides like he was caging her in or making sure she was still there and secure in his embrace.

(Y/n) leaned her cheek on Eddie's knee and curled up against his leg. The alcohol made her relax, but being around the group made her feel a lot better.

She didn't join in whatever game they were playing, neither did Nancy, but Steve and Robin were battling against Eddie in what (Y/n) was sure was some strange game of cards with new rules. Although Eddie seemed to be winning so (Y/n) wasn't going to start questioning the rules.

When she felt Eddie's hand slithering across her shoulder and down her side, (Y/n) tilted her head back on his knees so she could look up at him. Her lips curved into a tender grin and she closed her eyes when he leaned down to kiss her.

His lips tasted like liquorish and sweetened cocktails and his tongue tasted even sweeter when it dove past her lips to battle with hers.

She could feel his hand creeping back up her side until his hand was curled beneath her chin like he was making sure she wasn't about to tilt her head down or pull away from him. But he did let her come up for air when her head started to spin.

His hand stayed caressing her chin for a while and the love-drunk look in his eyes made (Y/n) want to melt on the spot. Eddie could look at her however he wanted and (Y/n) would feel like she was the only person in the world worth looking at; at least in Eddie's world.

"Hey lovebirds, we need more drinks."

"So go get some." Eddie quipped back before he leaned forward and stole another kiss from (Y/n)'s lips. His thumb traced along (Y/n)'s chin and his teeth sank a bit too deeply into her lower lip causing a droplet of blood to splash on his tongue when Steve gave him a shove in the shoulder.

"I'm not an octopus Munson, give me a hand." Steve didn't duck in time before Eddie's free hand clipped him round the back of the head. He was expecting something like that, but he was surprised when Eddie sighed and pushed up from the sofa. He was actually going to help.

Eddie's hands moved to (Y/n)'s shoulders so he could carefully step around her, not wanting to kick or nudge her by accident. He gave her shoulders a lasting squeeze before he followed Steve towards the kitchen, grumbling in the process about having to move.

"Well this music sucks." Robin wasn't lying and as soon as she clocked the idiot who was supposed to be a DJ, she pushed up from the floor and headed in his direction. She wasn't listening to this for the rest of the night, she wanted some proper music and she didn't care who she had to annoy to get her way.

(Y/n) began to tap her fingers on her thighs, feeling a calm buzz mingling in with her blood from the alcohol. She wouldn't have much more, she wanted to at least be able to walk straight when they all decided to call it a night and left. Wobbling out wouldn't be the greatest way to leave and all of them were walking home so they couldn't be blackout drunk tonight.

She pulled out of her thoughts and glanced to the left when Nancy leaned across the sofa to nudge her arm.

Nancy's crimped hair was waving in all directions like she had come into contact with too much static and her smile was rather dopey and loose showing she was on her way to being drunk.

She was practically lying on the sofa with her cheek smushed up into the cushion and her hand lolled on (Y/n)'s shoulder to gain her attention.

"Help me find the bathroom?"

(Y/n) suspected she might have to carry her friend to the bathroom rather than help her scout it out, but she nodded. Finding the bathroom in a strange house wasn't an easy task and it wasn't nice to do alone.

She pushed up to her feet and held her hands out, helping Nancy straighten up and stop wobbling.

Nancy slung her arm around the back of (Y/n)'s shoulders, grinning drunkenly as the pair of them headed away from the room and towards the hall. Neither of them were sure whether there would be a downstairs toilet or not but they decided to try their luck down the hall to find out.

They were in luck. At the end of the hall to the left, a couple stumbled out of the bathroom with toussled hair and skewed jeans. There was a bathroom.

"I'll wait here." (Y/n) unhooked Nancy's arm from around the back of her neck and helped her wobble into the bathroom before she closed the door.

(Y/n) turned so her back was pressed against the wall and she closed her eyes for a few moments, trying to gather her thoughts and make sure she wasn't as drunk as Nancy clearly was.

She found it strange that some of the people from school were so easy-going and so willing to have sex in a stranger's house, in any room that they could find. Anyone could walk in. People could see or laugh or try and interrupt. What if the owners or person's parents came home? It was all too risky and too unsettling for (Y/n). She wouldn't want to have sex in a strangers house in someone else's bedroom, she probably wouldn't go in the bathroom either.

Eddie wasn't like that either, he wouldn't beat around the bush or try and find a random room. If Eddie wanted her, he would make it plainly obvious and he would make their excuses to leave and head back home where they would be alone.

A smile began to pull on her lips and her eyes remained closed as she listened to the sudden change of music. A heavy drum intro, soon followed by at least three different guitar beats. Oh yes, Robin had gotten hold of the DJ, or maybe even Eddie had gone over and made a request as the song sounded vaguely familiar and definitely something that Eddie would listen to.

But her eyes snapped open when an unfamiliar pair of hands suddenly latched around her arm and she was pulled off of the wall she was leaning against.

Her sense of balance wobbled and distorted for a few seconds and (Y/n) darted her eyes around to try and find out what was going on, but her brows furrowed and her heart hammered against her chest when she realised who was stood beside her.

What was Chrissy doing?

Unease bridled through (Y/n)'s chest and dwelled in her stomach as Chrissy steered her down the hall, away from the bathroom where Nancy was. And when (Y/n) felt another hand gripping her other arm, she looked to find one of Chrissy's cheerleading minions beside her.

"Get off-"

"Oh, but we have something to show you."

The sickly tone to her voice made (Y/n)'s stomach churn, but she couldn't pull away. Her shoes skidded against the floor, her knees bent awkwardly and she tried to push back and pull away from them but it didn't work. Their fingers felt like viper's teeth sinking into her arms and they suddenly stopped, no longer dragging (Y/n) down the hall.

Maybe they realised other people at the party would ask them what they were doing and make them stop if they realised both girls were dragging (Y/n) somewhere unwillingly.

(Y/n) twisted her head from left to right, trying in vain to see if Nancy was drunkenly wandering out of the bathroom or to see if she could catch one of the group somewhere in the distance. But she couldn't see anyone. And before she knew what was happening, she was suddenly pushed forward.

For a dreaded moment, she had a horrible feeling that she had just been pushed into a bedroom and someone was waiting in there to make fun of her or play some kind of prank on her.

It was much worse.

She had been shoved into a closet.

Panic settled in her lungs like stones, clogging up until she could barely take in one ounce of air. Her body began to shake as her hands scoured around her, but she couldn't find anything except for a mountain of coats and dozens of pairs of shoes squandered around her feet.

The room couldn't have been bigger than a bathtub, there was barely room for (Y/n) to turn round in a circle and each hook on the wall held a coat or a shawl or a hat. Making (Y/n) feel like she was in a room with a dozen strangers, all cramped together.

She spun on her heels, barely able to see the door with how dark the closet was. The only source of light was the thin orange hue leaking through beneath the door, but it wasn't enough. It wasn't enough to calm (Y/n) down.

Her hands grasped the tiny door handle and she shoved, but it wouldn't open. Someone was holding the handle so it wouldn't twist in any direction, and there was a heavy weight against the door preventing (Y/n) from barging it open even a tiny bit.

"Having fun in there, freak?"

"Open the door!" Her fists bashed down on the door as tears began to well up in her eyes.

She couldn't see. She couldn't breathe. She couldn't move. She couldn't get out.

A rendition of "Let me out!" bellowed past (Y/n)'s lips as she began to wheeze from how little air she was actually intaking. Each shallow breath she took made her lungs ache and she felt like she was going to throw up. They had to let her out. They couldn't leave her in here like this. Someone else would surely notice if she began screaming and hitting the door.

Could (Y/n) scream louder than the music blasting from the tv and the speakers? Could she make enough ruckus, or would no one pay any attention? Would the group even come looking for her? How long until they noticed she wasn't with them?

"Out! Out! Let- let me out!" Words spluttered past her lips, but she couldn't speak from how tight and hoarse her throat was becoming.

Each breath became a strangled sound and her hands trembled as they bashed into the wooden door so harshly that grazes began to appear on her skin.

They knew. They knew she hated small spaces. Chrissy had been in science class with (Y/n) last year when (Y/n) went into the supply cupboard and the door jammed. She had screamed and when the teacher opened the door, (Y/n) was in tears.

Everyone knew she couldn't stand small confined places, they had picked on her enough for what happened in science class. Until (Y/n) began dating Eddie. No one was brave enough to pick on 'the freak's girlfriend' because Eddie was fiercely protective.

"I'll go find them." Eddie muttered as he set his bottle of beer down on the table and started to wander around the house. He could see Robin trying to get the music changed, again, but Nancy and (Y/n) had wandered off and it didn't look like Steve was going to get up and search for them anytime soon.

And Eddie knew his girlfriend, he knew what she was like. She didn't like wandering around strange places on her own and she wasn't one for going out for a smoke or walking off, especially not without Eddie.

His fingers tangled in his hair and he scratched his scalp as he sighed and started mulling about the house. He knew the girls weren't in the kitchen, he and Steve had just come from there with a multitude of different drinks stuffed into their hands and the creases of their elbows.

A soft "Where are you babe?" muttered beneath his breath as he did a circle of the room before he tried to aim for the stairs.

Before he got to the stairs, his attention was stolen by a round of chanting and the curious side of him glanced to the left.

His eyes narrowed as he saw people crowding in the hall. (Y/n) didn't like crowds of people, but she and Nancy might have wandered over there to see what was going on. Or they could have headed outside to get away from the crowd.

Curiosity got the better of him and Eddie pulled away from the stairs so he could trudge down the hall instead with his head angled to one side and his eyes narrowing in on the scene ahead of him. But when his eyes clocked a familiar set of caramel curls, his expression faded into confusion.

Nancy. She was on the edge of the crowd, desperately pushing against them but she couldn't get to whatever everyone was crowding round. And Eddie couldn't see (Y/n) anywhere.

The laughter and the drunken slurrs instantly faded into hushed whispers and panicked voices when Eddie neared, and that made him uncomfortable. There were some people at school who feared him, and he rather liked that because it meant they stayed away from him and didn't try and talk or tease or irritate him. And then there were others who tried to taunt him and make fun of him, but Eddie's sense of humour was warped and he loved how irritated they got when he didn't react the way they wanted.

But right now, seeing people glare at him and look at him with worry in their eyes, that was unsettling. He didn't normally get this kind of reaction, and at a party no less.

His breathing began to turn deep and his chest heaved against his denim jacket when he glanced to the right and saw what everyone was crowding around. There was a door, whether it was to a bathroom or a bedroom, Eddie had no idea. But he could see Jason Carver clinging to the handle and someone else stood so close that the door couldn't be opened.

Oh no.

"Who's in there?" There was a dangerous look in Eddie's eyes and his jaw started to grind and lock in place as he pointed to the door.

There were still people laughing, oblivious to his presence. People like Jason and Chrissy and their cronies who hadn't noticed Eddie stood on the outskirts of the crowd of teens hanging around the door.

"Who's in there?" He rose his voice when he got no answer but his tone deepened in pitch as he slammed his hand against the wall to try and gain someone's attention. Anybody's attention. If it was who he thought it was in that room then there was going to be Hell to pay for this.

Nancy hated the way Eddie's expression changed from concerned to absolutely livid when they both heard (Y/n)'s scream. She knew. Nancy knew from the moment she came out the bathroom and saw the crowd with (Y/n) nowhere in sight, that something bad had happened. And when she heard her friend calling out, she tried to get closer. But people just kept pushing her away. She had already gotten a bruise to her chest where someone pushed her into the wall to stop her from getting to the door.

"Eddie!" The tone in (Y/n)'s voice was desperate and told them just how panicked she was, if her screams weren't enough to convey her terror.

Within an instant, Eddie's hands curled around Jason's shirt and he tackled him backwards until he let go of the door and stumbled against the wall where Eddie pinned him up.

"Why the fuck would you do that?!" His nostrils flared as he seethed until his face was going red and every vein and artery in his body seemed to pop out beneath his skin. His head twisted to the side and he glared at Nancy as everyone started to shout and move. "Get her out!"

She needed no more prompting than that to wrench the door open but Nancy stumbled back with a gasp when (Y/n) fell forward.

(Y/n) had been pressing all of her weight on the door in a feeble attempt to get someone to open it. She tried bashing her knees, her shoulder, her whole body into the wooden door but it didn't budge. Until now. Her hands and knees scraped the carpet floor as she went down with a thud as soon as the door swung open.

Gasps and sobs left her lips and tears dripped from her eyes that were burning and stinging like cleaning solution had been poured into her eyes.

She ignored whoever was trying to talk to her, there was too much static in her head for her to be able to cooperate and even try to work out what she was being told. And as soon as hands tried to grapple for her, (Y/n) screamed and thrust her elbows out in every direction until whoever it was left her alone.

"Eddie- oh God- Steve stop him!" Nancy's hands tangled in her hair and she stepped back as she tried to stop her head from exploding and get someone to do something.

The idiots who had been gathering around had quickly dispersed in every direction. All that was left was Jason's friends and Chrissy, stood to one side as she watched in terror as Eddie slammed his fist down into Jason's nose. It didn't take a genius to know that Jason's nose had broken and the thick rings cladding Eddie's fingers cut into his cheek, marking his pale skin.

"Eddie get off him! Jesus Christ! Someone go get (Y/n)." Steve thrust a hand in the other direction to where he could see (Y/n) scrambling to stumble away. They couldn't let her run off when Steve had seen her crying, they couldn't just watch her leave on her own someone had to go with her.

His hands reached down and he used all his might to wrench Eddie off of Jason who wasn't even fighting back, although that could be because Eddie's punches had stunned him.

Eddie wasn't one for fights. He used words and jokes to deflect situations and he loved winding people up by taking the piss out of them. He made self-deprecating jokes against himself too which always riled people up. It took a lot for Eddie to feel the need to fight physically, something he was usually against. But he couldn't help it.

They had tortured (Y/n) by locking her in there.

He swung his arms at his sides, screeching "Get the Hell off me!" until he realised it was Steve. But he still shrugged off Steve's touch when he scrambled back onto his feet.

His sleeve swiped beneath his lips and nose and he shook his hands out at his sides, thankful he was wearing all his rings as they had saved him from splitting his knuckles. The rings had done all the work of damaging Jason's face with minimal backlash on Eddie's knuckles and skin.

He slammed his palm against the wall as he hurried down the hall, glad everyone was moving out of his way so he didn't have to push them.

He knew Steve and Nancy were half a second behind him while Robin was a step in front, trying to catch up with (Y/n).

The fresh air hit each of them like a truck and the cold seeped into (Y/n)'s chest and caused her lungs to seize up. Her hands moved to press to her chest, begging her lungs to start working again as she gagged and tried to claw for a deep breath.

Her body writhed and shook when she felt hands reaching out for her again and she tried her best not to scream because she knew the only people who would have followed her out here were her friends.

"What- what was that? What happened?" Robin managed to rest a hand on (Y/n)'s shoulder for all of two seconds before she was shaken off.

"They locked her in a closet but she's claustrophobic."

"Assholes." Spat past Robin's lips in a low grunt as she glanced towards the house as if she hoped they would all hear her and feel sorry for themselves. As if they could do that to someone when they were supposed to be at a party. Everyone was supposed to be enjoying themselves. How did listening to (Y/n) panic and scream count as fun or enjoyment for anyone? They were sick.

(Y/n) furiously wiped her hands across her face to try and clear away the tears that were soaking into her face. And when she slowly turned around to face them all, there was only one person she was looking at.

She didn't have to say anything at all for Eddie to hurry forward and deadlock his arms around her. One hand cupped the back of her neck and the other arm pinned around her lower back near her hips, binding her into his chest like he was trying to stuff her into his heart to keep her safe.

He smothered his lips in the top of her head, breathing in the scent of her shampoo as he tried to calm down his breathing and stop himself from becoming enraged.

His hands were shaking against her skin and each breath Eddie took felt like his chest was about to explode.

"It was- I… like mum-"

"I know, I know babe." Eddie hushed against her hair as he began to lean them from side to side like they were doing some kind of slow dance together.

Eddie knew. He was the only one in the group who knew that it wasn't just claustrophobia for (Y/n). It was bad memories too.

She had told Eddie about what her mum was like and how she had treated her when she was younger and each story Eddie heard made him furious. He thought his childhood with his parents had been bad, but Eddie would take that any day over how (Y/n)'s mum had treated her and brought her up.

Her mum used to lock (Y/n) in the closet when she was 'bad', but that could be anything. From (Y/n) not finishing her meal or doing something as simple as spilling something on the floor.

It was how (Y/n) had learned not to tell her mum things, such as that some of her closest friends were boys because she knew her mother would think she was being promiscuous and try to punish her or call her names. there had been times in (Y/n)'s childhood where she was locked in the closet at home and she was forced to kneel on grains of rice until her knees bled and her toes went numb.

She had even slept in there on a few occasions when her mum forgot she was in there. Or when (Y/n) had snook out for a few hours to see her friends, her mum had locked her in the closet and made her sleep in there so she couldn't try and sneak out again.

(Y/n) couldn't abide by small spaces anymore, especially not cupboards or closets like that. She could hear her mother's shrill voice telling her to be a good daughter for once. She could hear her mother crying as she wished (Y/n) would just be good and do as she was told and not be a brat or an ungrateful or promiscuous girl.

She was afraid of being locked away and never being able to get out again.

"I'm taking her home." Eddie announced quietly while his cheek rested on top of (Y/n)'s head and he looked towards the group. He continued to sway them from side to side while his fingers carded through (Y/n)'s hair and he sighed deeply.

It had been the plan anyway for them all to walk home. The trailer park was ten minutes away and Nancy had been hoping to catch a ride home with a friend. Steve and Robin didn't think that far ahead, they were used to hitching rides or drunkenly making their way home. Steve's place was close, the three of them could go and crash there for the night.

"You sure you'll be okay?"

Eddie nodded at Robin before he squeezed (Y/n) in his arms to try and make sure she was ready to go home. Back to her new home, where she didn't have to worry what time she got back or coming up with a good excuse for where she had been and who she had been. Back to a home where she was loved and welcomed and treated with respect rather than imposing anger to make her fall into place.

Home was now with Eddie; home was finally somewhere safe.

[megalony]

Did I Fall?

This is an Eddie Diaz imagine, requested by anon, I hope you all like it. Feedback is always amazing and boosts me to carry on.

Taglist: @lunaticspoem@sj-thefanthefan@hellsdragon@im-an-adult-ish@crazylittlethingg@allauraleigh@onceuponadetectivedemigod@ceres27@avyannadawn@sleepylunarwolf@coverupps@justagirlthatlovedtoread @musicistheway @avada-kedavra-bitch-187 @luula @missdreamofendless @bradleybeachbabe @woderfulkawaii  @amberpanda99 @daggersquadphantom @marvel-and-chicago-fan @angryknightstatesmantrash @minjix @lyjen @kmc1989 @itsmytimetoodream @noonenuts @hiireadstuff

911 Masterlist

Summary: While out in the storm, (Y/n) gets struck by lightning and her husband, brother and family gather round to try and save her.

Enjoy.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Are you ready baby?"

(Y/n) turned around so her back was facing the ladder and a smile crept onto her face when she realised how close her husband was standing behind her. She watched the way he clamped his hands down on the handrail of the ladder, pinning her in front of him with no escape.

He leaned forward, arching his bum out as his lips rolled together and his eyes darted down to her lips. Despite the rain clattering down around them, Eddie's vision focused in on those dark lips he was desperate to touch. His tongue darted out across his lower lip when he felt (Y/n) drag her hand across his jaw and tilt his chin up so their eyes were level again.

They were on the job. He couldn't have wandering eyes because they would lead to wandering hands and they promised to be professional if they were joined up on shifts together.

"I think so." (Y/n) tilted her head back and squinted up at the sky. Why did it have to be raining and thundering when they were on shift? Couldn't this weather have waited a few hours? Their shifts ended at midnight, the rain could have held off until then.

"Alright then, Mrs Diaz, here you go." His sultry voice sent shivers running up and down (Y/n)'s spine and her lips parted when he reached up for his helmet. He took it off and slumped it down on (Y/n)'s head instead. She had cracked her helmet earlier on in the day and if she was going up the ladder, Eddie wanted his wife to have a bit more protection. Just to be safe.

He slanted it on her head a little to annoy her and when he clipped the buckle onto the harness around her waist, he used it as leverage to tug her closer. Her hands clamped down on his shoulders and her waist bumped into his as he curved an arm around her middle.

Her eyes landed on the red cable clipped onto her waist that reached down to the winch at the bottom of the ladder. Safety first.

(Y/n) leaned forward and pressed a gentle kiss against his lips, feeling the salt water rain down over Eddie's nose and drip down his lips. She sunk her teeth into his lower lip and gave a little tug which earned her a slap on the bum and quiet murmur of 'be professional' against her lips.

It was a good job the night was as dark as this with the rain morphing and disfiguring their image for the rest of the team below. The last thing they wanted was for anyone to say they weren't being professional. And they both knew how Evan hated them putting on a display when he was around. It had taken Evan a while to get used to the fact that his little sister was married to his best friend.

"Go get 'em cowgirl."

(Y/n) kissed the tip of Eddie's nose before she turned around and curled her fingers around the ladder.

Her eyes rolled and she supressed a smile when she felt his hand on her bum again before he reached his foot out and clicked the lock off the winch so the rope would extend.

Eddie kept his hands on the ladder and stayed arched forwards, keeping his eyes on his wife as she slowly ascended up the ladder. The plan was for (Y/n) to climb onto the balcony, evacuate the fifth floor and Evan and Bobby would go in through the lobby and make sure everyone got out. While Chimney and Hen were working with the hose, Eddie was operating the winch and standing by in case he had to follow up the ladder too.

It was hard to see anything through the thick downpour. The rain was so heavy that (Y/n) couldn't see the ladder in front of her with the torrential downpour that made Eddie's helmet jutter on her head and drop the rain down onto the tip of her nose.

Her lips were drenched, her lashes were fighting off the rain and every inch of her skin was starting to shake from the low temperature.

"Bloody rain," She muttered to herself as she reached the end of the ladder and took a quick glance around.

(Y/n) tilted her head over the side of the ladder and let herself look over the edge.

She found Bobby rather easily despite being high up near the fifth floor and she smiled. He had been a father to her and Evan since they first joined the team. Bobby and Evan were hanging back, they were waiting to guide everybody out and they needed Hen and Chimney to put some of the fire out first before they went in. (Y/n) nodded when she saw Bobby give her a thumbs up, the silent go ahead sign she needed so she could proceed into the building.

But her body tremored and she slumped forward and hunkered down when a horrid noise tore through the sky. Her eyes lifted and her head snapped up towards the sky but all she could see was thousands of white droplets raining down from the heavens. The sky was a misty blue mixed with swirls of black like a canvas with only a few swirls of clouds to be seen through the rain.

"Was that lightning?" (Y/n) curled her fingers around her radio and leaned her head down.

If that was lightning they needed to be careful or pull back. The truck was a magnet for lightning and electricity, they had already been down to the beach yesterday when lightning struck the sand. They didn't need it getting closer to this scene and causing problems.

Eddie straightened up and tilted his head up towards the sky before he looked back at his wife.

The sky looked unforgiving, full of darkness without a single glimmer of light to guide them tonight. It made the building look like a beacon in the sheet of blackness, shining a vibrant burgendy with melted orange flames flickering at the sides. Leaking brown ash clouds up into the night sky.

"Baby, do you need a hand?" Eddie gripped his radio and raised a brow, keeping his eyes on his wife. It wasn't strictly professional but Eddie hardly ever used (Y/n)'s name anymore, even on shift he was so used to using nicknames. No one on the team minded, as long as they weren't handsy with each other, nicknames didn't cause a problem.

"I don't kn-"

Lightning broke through the clouds, a true act of God right before their eyes and Eddie swore he could see a hand throwing the lightning bolt down at them like an act of vengeance.

Eddie heard her scream. It was the howl of a banshee that tore through his heart and set off an explosion in his chest.

His eyes snapped closed and a mimicking sound left his own lips when sparks flew from the ladder and seemed to set the truck alight. He couldn't keep hold of the ladder and the force sent him backwards until he was falling through the air. All the air burst out of Eddie's lungs when his back hit the ground and the jolt it sent through his system made him shake on the floor.

Oh God, he had broken a rib, he could feel it.

His eyes couldn't focus when he managed to open them and his arm bound around his chest as he rolled onto his left side with a guttural groan. His knees felt weak and his back burned when he tried to sit himself up and take a look around.

"What the fuck was that?" Evan's voice tore through the air and he reached his hand down for Eddie's hand so he could hoist him up to his feet.

Eddie shook his head to rid the static from his ears and the pounding pain in his head. He grabbed the back of his neck and tilted his head round to click his neck into place, but once he lifted his head and looked up, his body went rigid. All the blood drained down to his feet. His arms dropped at his sides. His jaw went slack and his pupils took over his chocolate eyes that couldn't look anywhere else but up in the sky.

Eddie didn't realise he was screaming until his lungs started to burn for oxygen and he felt lightheaded.

His hand reached out and he gave Evan a shove towards the truck, pointing and gasping for him to grab the winch. His wife was hurt. Evan's little sister was in peril. The girl Bobby thought of as his daughter was hanging in mid-air, lifeless.

The buckle clip was the only thing stopping (Y/n) from plummeting through the air and crashing down on the concrete below. It suspended her in the air, four stories high above them like an omen of death. Her legs and arms dangled limp and lifeless at her sides and when Eddie looked close enough, he could see them swaying in the breeze. Her head was snapped back enough that it looked like her neck had been broken.

The helmet Eddie had plonked on her head less than five minutes ago was now laid on the floor, most definitely cracked and probably broken just like (Y/n)'s helmet had been this morning.

"Lower her down! Get her down to me she's not moving!" Eddie stumbled through the rain, crashing his boots down into puddles that splashed up as high as his shoulders. He barged past Bobby and waved his hand out at Evan who was already on top of the truck, screaming as he started to lower the winch. Eddie ran until his chest was heaving and he was stood directly beneath his wife's suspended form.

"Hen we need a gurney! Chimney back up the ambulance let's go." Bobby shouted out as he waved his hands for them to hurry. They were now in the golden time zone and if they didn't move fast enough, they could lose (Y/n).

"Faster!"

As soon as (Y/n) started to sway and jutter as the red rope lowered her down, Eddie pushed up on his toes and stretched his arms high up into the rain to reach for her. His hand pressed between her shoulder blades and his other hand cupped the back of her thigh as Hen pushed a gurney directly beneath her.

"Unhook her." Eddie took (Y/n)'s weight when Bobby unclipped the buckle and he laid (Y/n) down and slid his hands from beneath her.

He ripped off his gloves and scrunched his fingers around her florescent jacket. Without thinking twice, Eddie wrenched the jacket apart and tore the zipper that wet flying through the air. He threw the loose sides apart and moved his hands to (Y/n)'s shirt which he had no problem tearing away like it was a tissue he was discarding.

It left (Y/n) in her crimson red bra and exposed her chest and stomach that were soaked. Rain continued to patter down on her skin like fingertips drumming out a beat but her body didn't react at all. No shivers, no spasms, no goosebumps or hairs standing up on end. Nothing.

Eddie's upper lip curled when he noticed red, bubbling streaks slithering across her right arm, up her shoulder and down over her chest like a horrible rash spreading like wildfire.

But it was her stomach that made bile rise in the back of his throat.

Her scar.

The scar she got from Masie's C-section six months ago. She had only come back to work little over two weeks ago after having Masie. (Y/n) shouldn't be laid here like this. That scar was a reminder that she had people counting on her. They had two kids waiting at home for them. Eddie couldn't be the only one to walk back through that door, he had to get (Y/n) through this and get her home to their kids. She couldn't leave them, not now, not like this.

"Baby… oh God, mi amor." Eddie cupped her face in his hands and kept her head and neck straight. Her skin felt lifeless. There was no colour, no heat, not a single muscle moving or twitching beneath his touch. His right hand moved down and his fingers pressed against her neck deep enough to try and feel for a pulse.

When he felt nothing, Eddie shifted his hand lower and pressed his palm down hard on her sternum. Her chest wasn't moving.

"(Y/n)! (Y/n), fuck- tell me she's breathing."

Evan jumped behind Hen and Eddie and fell into Bobby who held him up before he collapsed down onto his sister on the stretcher. His hands fought to grab Bobby's shoulders, unsure whether he was actually trying to hold Bobby or move him out the way.

"She's not breathing… I can't find a pulse we need to move!"

Evan screamed and pushed forward against Bobby who held him back. Evan was too emotional, he could barely see due to the tears streaming down his face and he was shaking from shock. At least Eddie was somewhat composed and was ready and able to look after (Y/n).

Hen placed the medic pack down beside (Y/n)'s left thigh and opened it up but before she could even attempt to grab the defibrilator, Eddie reached out first. He slapped her hand away and gave the bag a rough shove until it almost toppled off the side of the gurney.

"You really wanna send more electricity through my wife? Look at her she's drenched! You're not frying her to a crisp."

(Y/n) was covered in rain from head to toe and their suits weren't water proof. Now Eddie had ripped apart her clothes, she was getting consumed with water. Lightning had already shocked her heart once but if they tried to do it again when she was wet, they would be executing her with no chance of revival.

Eddie wouldn't let her do that to his wife.

"This is Captain Nash, we have a firefighter down. Repeat, firefighter down who has been struck by lightning. Requesting medic team on standby at Mercy hospital, we are on our way."

"Get her in I have to start CPR or I'm gonna lose her." Eddie all but growled until people started to listen and they helped him wheel the gurney up into the ambulance Chimney had backed right over to them.

As soon as the gurney was inside, Eddie climbed up onto the metal frame and shed his jacket like a second skin. Evan jumped up in the back along with Hen and they both slumped down into the seats opposite Eddie and Bobby hopped in the front with Chimney. The other station could finish up here and get the building evacuated and the fire put out. They had to protect one of their own and rush her to the hospital before they lost her.

"You are not allowed to do this. You hear me? Don't go anywhere, mi amor."

Eddie locked his fingers together, straightened his elbows and pressed his fists against the middle of (Y/n)'s chest. He gulped and choked when he started to push down on her chest.

He'd never done anything like this on one of his own family before. He'd never given CPR to his wife.

Why did it have to be (Y/n)? Why didn't Eddie go up the ladder instead of her?

(Y/n) couldn't die.

She couldn't die here and now. Not when the whole team was here to bring her back and Eddie, Evan and Bobby would give their souls to the devil if it would bring (Y/n) back. She wasn't allowed to leave them, there was no way Evan or Eddie could cope in a life without (Y/n).

Eddie stopped his compressions when he reached thirty and slumped over the stretcher to reach into one of the drawers opposite. He didn't give Hen the chance to help and when she tried to talk, Eddie's firm expression told her not to even try. She watched Eddie place the air bag over (Y/n)'s mouth and nose and manually squeeze two breaths past her lips before he put the mask down and continued his compressions.

Evan lowered his eyes down to the gurney and reached out to curl both his trembling hands around his sister's limp hand. Her skin felt like rubber against his touch, taut and cold and lifeless and it made Evan choke. He pulled her hand to press his lips against the back of her knuckles and his blurry vision zoomed in on her eyes.

He couldn't look anywhere else.

Her shirt was ripped open, exposing her chest which wasn't a sight Evan wanted to see and he truly didn't want to watch his brother in law press down on his sister's chest so hard it looked like he was going to crack through her ribs. And Evan couldn't look at (Y/n)'s face. Not when she wasn't moving, breathing, twitching or even opening her eyes.

Tremors rattled through Eddie's chest as he tried to keep himself calm. He could feel the rain and sweat rolling down his skin, sinking beneath the collar of his shirt, beneath his arms and even through his trousers. His skin was flushed red and radiating heat despite the cold night air and goosebumps prickled over his arms as his numb fingers continued to press down into his wife's chest deep enough to feel her ribs creaking beneath his hands.

Hen silently leaned over and found some towels and flannels from a drawer. She started to wipe the cloths over (Y/n)'s chest in frantic motions to clear up as much of the water as possible. CPR wasn't going to be enough. Her heart had been shocked, she would need another shock to get it going again and soon.

She clipped a monitor onto (Y/n)'s finger and grabbed the white plastic sticker, planting it down firmly in the middle of (Y/n)'s chest before she patted Eddie's shoulder.

"Stand clear."

Spit rolled down the corner of Eddie's mouth and he heaved each breath until stars danced across his vision. He let go of (Y/n)'s chest and took a step back while Evan dropped her head and braced his hands on his knees. Evan pressed his back up against the wall and closed his eyes.

Both men winced and made gurgling, horrified sounds when the shock ignited through (Y/n)'s chest and arched her back up from the stretcher before she flopped back down; lifeless.

"Go again." Evan wiped his sleeve against his eyes before he slammed his hand down on the gurney. They had to do it again, she needed another shock. Her heart wasn't beating, the monitor was flatlining.

"No. Her heart won't stand much more. Starting compressions until we get to the hospital." Eddie braced one hand on the roof and the other on the stretched before he swung his leg over and climbed up. His knees clamped down into (Y/n)'s damp legs and he sank back onto her thighs, with a grimace. He wasn't used to doing this in such a panicked, horrid situation.

They couldn't risk shocking her heart more than necessary or else it would give out completely. She had already endured a violent shock that had likely affected her heart, lungs and probably her liver too. More shocks would only crucify her heart and ensure she was dead.

Eddie started compressions again, blinking away the tears that dripped down onto (Y/n)'s cheeks as he started to growl and gasp each time he pushed down.

He didn't feel the ambulance rolling to a stop until the back doors swung wide open and he tilted his head over his shoulder. Locking eyes with Bobby whose heart visibly dropped to his stomach when he saw that they hadn't managed to get her rhythm back again.

He and Chimney tried to be careful when they lowered the gurney down to the floor and Evan kept tight hold of (Y/n)'s hand, pulling her arm until it was pinned across his chest. He kissed the back of her hand repeatedly, freely crying as he and Hen followed them all inside.

As soon as they were inside the doors of the ambulance entrance to the hospital, Eddie held his hand out to get them to stop. He clenched his hands down on the gurney beside (Y/n)'s shoulders and climbed over the side to jump back down to his feet.

"Go again. Everybody stand clear."

On Eddie's word, Hen set the defibrilator up again and everyone held their breaths and watched the jolt rush through (Y/n)'s chest.

No one knew who made a sound when her heartbeat suddenly came back.

"I've got a pulse… but she's still not breathing. I need to intubate." Eddie pressed his palm against (Y/n)'s chest but she still wasn't breathing. Her heart wouldn't last long if she wasn't taking in any oxygen.

"We can-"

"Get the Hell off my wife! I'm intubating."

His arm flung out to the right and slapped into whichever nurse tried to pull him back. He wasn't having anyone else bustle in and waste more time. (Y/n) hated hospitals and she was his wife. Eddie was the one she trusted the most to look after her when she wasn't well so he was going to be the one to intubate her and get her breathing.

Everyone stood silent as Eddie rummaged in the medic bag Hen had left on the side of the gurney.

He cupped (Y/n)'s chin, brushing his thumb across her lower lip as he tilted her head back and wedged a tongue clamp into her mouth. He held his free hand out, keeping his eyes focused on (Y/n)'s parted lips and he clicked his fingers until someone placed an intubation tube between his fingers. The thin, clear tube slid easily down (Y/n)'s throat and as swift as the lightning that hit her, Eddie attached the air bag on the end.

He finally let a nurse get close enough to start squeezing the bag to give (Y/n) each breath until they could get her on a ventilator.

"What have we got?"

"(Y/n) Diaz, female, twenty-two, struck by lightning."

Eddie leaned to the right and suddenly took Bobby's wrist in his hand so he could check Bobby's watch. His eyes then raked down to his own watch, squinting to see through the broken glass of his watch.

"She's had no pulse for three minutes and seventeen seconds," Eddie could barely hear himself huff but those times rattled around in his head. His watch had broken when he fell off the truck and that had roughly been the exact time (Y/n) stopped breathing, give or take a few seconds. It was the closest estimate they had and it made Eddie want to be sick. He didn't want to know the exact amount of time his wife's heart had given out on him.

Eddie ran his fingers through his hair and tugged so harshly he winced and felt a few loose hairs become stuck between his fingers. What were they going to do? How were they going to take care of his wife? What did someone do for a lightning strike? Did people usually survive this kind of thing- had this ever happened before?

"She's allergic to naproxen." Bobby clamped his hands down on his hips as he watched them barely nod along with him.

"We'll take her from here," One of the nurses placed a hand on Eddie's shoulder, but she let him lean down and hastily kiss her temple.

"No, no please-"

"Buck come on, they'll look after her."

A wave of hurt washed over Evan's face and torrential tears flushed his face when Bobby held his biceps to pin him back. He didn't want them to take his sister away. If she lost her rhythm again and they didn't bring her back, that would be it. Evan wouldn't get a chance to talk to her or tell her how much he loved her. He wouldn't be able to say goodbye.

Bobby wrapped his arms around Evan and pulled him back, letting Evan press into his shoulder and start to gasp for breath. "Take care of her."

"We'll do our best."

"Do more!"

Eddie didn't want their best. He wanted everything possible and more to be done to look after his wife. He wanted to go with her and hold her hand and oversee what they were doing to make sure they did whatever they could. Eddie wanted to make a deal with the devil to save her if he could.

No one stopped Eddie when he turned around and pummelled his fists into the wall. He kept going until a dint started to form in the plaster and his knuckles split, spraying blood across the magnolia wall while a roaring scream erupted from his lips.

He couldn't lose her.

***

"Do you want to take a break, maybe go and get a drink?" Athena tentatively laid a hand down on Bobby's shoulder as she leaned against his chair. Her head tilted down so she could kiss the top of his head and her other hand moved to hold his other shoulder, but it was as if he didn't even register her touch.

He had been sat here all night, rosary beads clenched between his fingers and pressed against his lips. He was chanting something so quiet Athena couldn't be sure whether it was a prayer or a memory he was trying to retell to himself.

"No, thank you."

Bobby didn't bother to look up as he spoke, but he did finally open his eyes that instantly locked onto (Y/n).

"You need to rest. When was the last time you ate?"

"I don't remember." He wasn't sure what day it was. He didn't know if he had been sitting here all night, all day or for a whole week. All Bobby knew was that if he left and something happened, he would never forgive himself. This was his child laid here, someone he thought of as closely as his own kin and he couldn't go anywhere.

"Bobby…" That tone of voice made him sigh, but not in a horrid kind of way.

He leaned his head back into Athena's chest and dropped his hands down to his lap. He rolled the rosary along his leg but his eyes still wouldn't move away from (Y/n).

"She's my kid," He could feel his lower lip wobbling and his voice came out barely more than a quiet whisper. "She said that… that she thinks of me as her dad. She wants Masie to be my grandkid, how can I- how can I go when she might die?"

How could he leave her now?

(Y/n) told Bobby a few months ago that she thought of him as her dad, that she wished somehow, that it could be possible. He had always let Evan call him pops and more and more, Bobby acted like a father to the siblings whether they were on shift or not. They came over to his house, they went out for meals together and spoke through problems and dealt with their problems together.

When she and Eddie had Masie, (Y/n) asked Bobby to be her grandad because her parents weren't going to be involved. She thought of Bobby and Athena as her parents.

They couldn't go anywhere when she might die. If the worst was to happen, Bobby wanted to be right by (Y/n)'s side to comfort her and ease her through the transition. He wanted to hold her hand and kiss her goodbye and tell her he would keep her in his thoughts every single day. And that he would look after Evan and Eddie and Chris and Masie.

Bobby couldn't leave.

He didn't notice Athena move one hand from his shoulder to pinch the bridge of her nose. She didn't cry often. Her job hardened her exterior and made it hard to express much of anything, even joy. But all those years of experience did nothing to stop the tears from falling right now.

She had two children of her own, but when she married Bobby, she gained another two. Losing (Y/n) would feel the same as losing May and it would break Evan and Bobby completely.

"We're not leaving, okay? Do you think she would let you sit and wither away in this chair? She has some special visitors coming up so you can let me take you for some food, then we will come right back."

There was no use in arguing, Bobby knew this and he figured Eddie and Evan would want some time alone with (Y/n). They had been gracious enough to never comment on how long Bobby stayed for and they seemed grateful for his company. But he knew as much as they were thankful he stuck around, they both needed some time alone. She was Evan's little sister, he needed some time to talk to her and beg her to be okay. And she was Eddie's wife, that certainly qualified him some time to be alone with her and sit vigil by her bedside.

He figured the special visitor might be Maddie and Chimney.

Bobby pushed up from the chair and rested his hand over (Y/n)'s. He forced himself to smile as he leaned over her and kissed her temple, whispering a quiet 'I'll be back soon' before he followed Athena out.

They didn't walk far before Athena pressed her hand into Bobby's chest and stopped him just as a few people rounded the corner.

"Are you sure about this?" Athena looked across at Eddie when he rounded the corner with Chris in front of him and Masie in his arms.

His hand moved up to cradle the back of Masie's head and he pressed his lips to her temple, brushing his nose against the little wisps of hazel brown hair tufting along her head. Eddie hitched her higher against his chest, relishing in the weight she applied to his chest like a calming weighted blanket easing away his anxiety and preventing a panic attack.

But it was Chris his eyes kept going back to. The little boy was walking determinedly in front of him, keeping a slow pace in case they had to stop and wait for any nurses to walk past. Kids weren't allowed in the ICU, but that wasn't going to stop them. Chris wanted to see (Y/n) and Eddie couldn't persuade him otherwise, so he gave up.

"Yeah, we are. Could you watch Masie for a while… I don't wanna take her in with us,"

"Sure." Bobby wasn't sure whether it was the look Athena gave Eddie that made him ask or whether he truly didn't want to take Masie in with them. But Bobby answered immediately and he could feel his heart lifting in his chest when he looked at the six-month-old.

This was probably a diversion, a tactic to get Bobby to leave (Y/n)'s side and try to recooperate before he went back in. And he would accept this because he could do (Y/n) a favour and watch over Masie until she was better again.

"Go to grandad," Eddie cooed quietly against her temple as he eased her into Bobby's arms where she happily cuddled up and started to pull on his shirt.

He watched them disappear down the corridor before he opened the door and let Chris walk in ahead of him. He had prepared Chris for what he was going to see. (Y/n) wasn't going to be alert, responsive or able to communicate with him. She would effectively be asleep with monitoring stickers on her chest, a breathing tube down her throat and wires and tubes stuck beneath the covers into her body.

Eddie was surprised that Chris didn't seem affected when they walked in. He moved over to the chair Eddie knew Bobby had been in all night and sank himself down and let his crutches drop to the floor.

"Can mum hear me?"

Chris had taken to referring to (Y/n) as his mum since she had been in his life for the last four years. He couldn't remember much about Shannon, she hadn't been in his life since he was four and a half but (Y/n) had been there since he was five. She was all Chris knew and he loved her and thought of her as his real mum.

"I don't know, I hope so. The doctor said talking can help." A big part of Eddie hoped that (Y/n) could hear them, however deep her subconscious had been hidden away. He hoped she could hear them tell her how much they loved her and how badly they needed her back.

Eddie leaned against the window and folded his arms over his chest, staying in the background to give Chris some space.

"Mum, it's me. Uncle Buck said you'll wake up soon," He leaned forward, flopped his elbows onto the mattress and moved around until he could hold (Y/n)'s hand. "I want you to wake up soon… dad will look after you and make you better."

Eddie tilted his head back into the window and scrunched up his nose while he wiped his eyes. He didn't want to burst out crying and upset or worry Chris and make this harder for him. But Eddie didn't know if (Y/n) was going to wake up. He had no idea if she was ever coming off this ventilator, if he would hear her voice and kiss her lips and see her get out of that bed.

The unknown made Eddie afraid. He didn't do well being alone. He couldn't go back to being a single dad. He couldn't bring up two kids on his own. He hadn't been there for the first part of Chris's life and Eddie was doing his best to be more present in Chris's life and be there for all of Masie's. He wasn't bringing them both up without (Y/n).

"You'll be okay. I love you."

Eddie's shoulders quaked and he brought his hands up to smother his face, forcing himself not to breathe or make a single sound. He didn't want to gasp for breath or scream or cry out but he didn't know what to do with himself. He could feel a cry bubbling up and gurgling at the back of his throat.

Why hadn't it been him that went up the ladder?

***

"She's breathing fine without the ventilator now, all her vitals seem good. We just need to wait and see if she will come out of the coma okay."

How long would they have to wait? How long did they have before they knew if she was ever going to wake up? What would happen if she woke up and she couldn't speak or move or even remember any of them? What if she was changed, somehow, permanently, from this?

Eddie wouldn't be able to go through life if one of those things turned out to be true.

"Y-you're rather heavy baby… you know that?"

A quiet grumble left Eddie's lips and his eyes twitched behind his eyelids while he nuzzled his head further down and tried to keep his mind in a dreary state of sleep. But once those words- and that lullaby voice, registered in Eddie's ears, his eyes shot open and his head snapped up so fast he cracked his neck.

His hands planted down on either side of the bed and he bolted to sit up, swaying back and forth when the blood drained from his head and he couldn't see straight.

He was imagining things. He was hearing voices. He had to be. That was a voice Eddie told himself he was never going to hear again. A voice he saved for when he closed his eyes and cried until he finally blacked out, listening to that voice in his memories.

His heart started to pound against his ribs like it was trying to bruise his chest and he could barely see when tears flooded his face.

(Y/n) was awake.

She was trying to blink enough to clear her blurry vision and she hummed quietly to try and clear her throat that felt croaky and dry and hoarse and scratched. A tremble set in down her arm when she tried to curl and bend her fingers and her head hurt when she turned to see who was clenching her hand so tightly the blood couldn't reach her fingertips.

Bobby was holding her hand. Evan had his feet propped up against hers as he slouched down in the other chair. Eddie had been laid on the bed with her and had shuffled in his sleep until his head was on her chest and his arm had been draped around her waist.

"Oh my God."

Before she knew what was happening, (Y/n) gasped and closed her eyes when Eddie's hands moved to cup her face and his lips planted down on hers. Thousands of kisses fluttered against her lips as his thumbs rapidly brushed across her cheeks and his arms squeezed into her shoulders to pin her beneath him.

"You're awake, you're awake," Was the only thing Eddie could fathom to say on repeat, over and over against her lips he was going to bruise.

When (Y/n) managed to squeeze Bobby's hand, she felt him push Evan's legs off the bed to jolt him awake before all of them were leaning over her. Eddie pulled back enough for Bobby to lean down and kiss her temple and she felt Evan grab her hand and drag her arm up until the back of her hand was pressed up against his cheek. He kissed her wrist while Eddie leaned forward and pressed his temple down into her shoulder to try and stop himself from blacking out.

"Did I fall?" (Y/n)'s quiet, meek voice took them all by surprise and for a few seconds, none of them could find an answer.

Bobby perched down on the side of the bed while Evan scraped his chair along the floor until his knees were wedged under the bed frame and he could lean his head near her arm. And when Eddie pulled up to hover over her, despite the tears staining his face, he was smiling.

"No, sweetheart, you got struck by lightning." Bobby kept tight hold over her hand and smoothed his free hand up and down her arm, minding the rosary beads he still had curled around his fingers and tangled over his wrist.

It was almost endearing to see the look of wonder and surprise that pooled within (Y/n)'s eyes and how her lips parted in a round shape of shock.

"Where's Chris?" Her words took Eddie by surprise as she tilted her head forward to press her temple against his and nudge his nose.

"Maddie took him to school, mi amor. Why?"

"I thought I heard his voice…" (Y/n) trailed off and closed her eyes as a smile graced her lips. She pecked Eddie's lips and squeezed Evan and Bobby's hands. It was the strangest feeling, like she was waking up from a very lucid dream that was now fading right before her eyes. (Y/n) had heard so many voices while she had been asleep and some of them were ringing in the back of her head.

She guessed she hadn't really heard Chris after all, he must have been playing on her mind as she recovered and woke up.

But (Y/n) could of sworn she heard Chris.