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Dustin and his mother rushed to the hospital, with Hopper driving them there. Claudia was in no condition to drive with shock still clung to her, leaving her body weak and unsteady.
The moment they stepped inside, Claudia's eyes immediately landed on Joyce Byers and Jonathan Byers, who were sitting in the waiting area.
Joyce's foot kept tapping rapidly against the floor, the sound sharp and restless, mirroring the worry etched deeply across her face. Jonathan looked no better, he sat hunched forward, his hands clenched tightly on his thighs, his gaze repeatedly flicking toward the lobby as if expecting something… anything.
There was no calmness in either of them. Only anxiety. Only that suffocating heaviness that seemed to press down on their chests with every passing second.
Even the faint smell of antiseptic and drugs lingering in the waiting room did nothing to soothe the tension. If anything, it made everything worse.
Joyce still looked terrified for her son's condition, even after the doctor had reassured them that Will was fine and that his injuries were minor.
After all… Will still hadn't woken up.
Despite only having small wounds, he remained unconscious. The doctor had said it was likely shock, though there were no clear symptoms to explain it. All they could do now… was wait.
Slowly, Joyce lifted her head and her eyes locked onto Claudia.
There was no warmth in her gaze. Not even a hint of it.
Only anger.
Joyce abruptly stood up, her chair scraping harshly against the floor. Jonathan, startled by the sudden movement, followed her gaze and finally noticed Claudia as well.
"You!"
Joyce shouted, her voice cutting through the room as she pointed straight at Claudia.
Jonathan flinched slightly before quickly reaching for his mother's arm, trying to hold her back.
"Mom-!"
He pulled at her, attempting to stop her, but the anger burning inside Joyce hadn't faded, not even a little.
"Because of your son… my Will got hurt!"
Joyce's voice trembled, but it was loud, raw, and filled with pain. Her finger remained pointed at Claudia, who could only stand there, tears already streaming down her face.
"Joyce… easy," Hopper stepped in, his voice firm but controlled as he tried to calm her down. Claudia was clearly in worse shock, and Hopper could already tell Joyce was going too far. "Nothing bad is happening to Will. Don't make a ruckus in the hospital."
"Mom, please…calm down," Jonathan Byers added quickly, his grip tightening on Joyce's arm. He glanced toward Claudia and Dustin, his expression filled with apology. "Chris is the one who got hurt badly. I'm sure he was protecting Will." He said softly and tried to convince his mother.
"Protect?! Protect from what?!" Joyce Byers snapped, her voice rising again, sharp and trembling.
A few people in the waiting area had already turned to look. Even the nurses nearby were starting to pay attention, their quiet conversations fading into uneasy silence.
"From his gangster friends?!" Joyce added, the accusation spilling out without restraint.
"My brother doesn't have any gangster friends!" Dustin shot back, his voice shaking with anger as he glared at her.
Claudia could only cry, her body still weak as Hopper supported her, helping her stay upright.
"Joyce, don't make false accusations," Hopper said firmly. He gently guided Claudia to a chair before turning his attention back to Joyce and Jonathan. "We're still investigating this properly. So I need both of you to calm down."
This time, his eyes settled on Jonathan.
"Kid, it's better if you take your mother to Will's ward."
Jonathan hesitated for a brief moment. He didn't believe Chris had anything to do with gangs, not even close to thinking of that kind scenario. But at the same time… he couldn't completely blame his mother.
Joyce had always been anxious in her life. And when it came to Will… it only got worse.
"…Okay," he muttered softly.
Carefully, he guided Joyce away, though she still looked shaken, her anger not fully gone. Before disappearing down the hallway, Jonathan glanced back at Claudia and Dustin, offering them a silent apology again, which Claudia understood and accepted.
"Alright, you two, just calm down for now," Hopper said, turning back to them. His tone softened slightly. "I'll go talk to the doctor… or whoever knows about your boy's condition."
With that, he headed toward the reception desk, his boots echoing faintly against the hospital floor.
Dustin sat beside his mother, gently taking her hand in his.
"He's gonna be fine, Mom. I'm sure of it," he said, though his voice carried a weight he couldn't completely hide.
"…Yes, Dustin… he's gonna be fine…" Claudia murmured, almost as if she was trying to convince herself more than him.
"Yeah," Dustin added, forcing a small grin, "he still owes me a slap after all… and I'm definitely collecting when he wakes up."
A soft, broken laugh escaped Claudia's lips. She pulled Dustin into a tight embrace, holding onto him as if grounding herself in something real.
On the other side of the hospital, Joyce and Jonathan made their way back to Will's room. As soon as they stepped inside, they saw Connie still there, quietly waiting beside the bed.
When Joyce and Jonathan had first arrived earlier, they had been told that Connie was the one who handled the paperwork, using her own name to admit both boys. It had brought them a small sense of relief in the middle of everything.
"How is he?" Joyce Byers asked softly as she approached the bed, her eyes immediately falling on Will Byers.
She sat down beside him, gently taking his hand and holding it tightly, as if afraid to let go.
"Still sleeping soundly," Connie replied with a small, reassuring smile, doing her best to ease the heavy atmosphere that lingered in the room.
"Any update from the doctor?" Jonathan Byers asked, his gaze shifting toward Connie.
"No doctor has come around since you two left," Connie answered, letting out a quiet sigh. Her eyes drifted around the room for a moment before flicking down to the watch on her wrist, checking the time again.
"We really appreciate your kindness, Connie… but you can go home," Jonathan said gently, noticing her restless movements.
"No," Connie replied softly, shaking her head as she gave him a faint smile. "I feel… responsible. After seeing that… I think I'm going to stay for a while."
Jonathan studied her for a few seconds before finally nodding. He couldn't exactly ask her to leave, not after everything she had done.
Still… something about it felt a little off.
Watching Connie remain there so stubbornly, so determined to stay… it stirred a quiet suspicion in the back of his mind.
"…You know, I never had kids of my own," Connie said suddenly, her voice soft but enough to pull both Joyce and Jonathan's attention toward her.
"When I saw the accident… the bike…" she continued, her gaze lowering slightly as the memory replayed in her mind. "I pulled over right away. But when I saw Will and Chris lying there by the roadside… and Chris's face covered in blood…"
Her voice faltered for a brief moment.
"I couldn't help it. I just… felt so sorry."
She looked at Joyce, offering a small smile, her lips trembled faintly.
"I thought Will was Chris's little brother," she added gently. "The way he was holding him… it looked like he was protecting him with his life, you know?"
Connie lifted her hands slightly, mimicking the gesture, as if cradling someone close to her chest.
"Even when I got there, he was still holding Will against him."
A quiet pause settled in the room before she spoke again.
"Did the police say anything else?" she asked, her tone turning uncertain. "I didn't really understand what happened back there. I panicked… and just called the ambulance."
Joyce, after hearing that, felt a flicker of guilt creeping into her chest. Slowly, she turned her head toward Jonathan Byers.
Jonathan simply shook his head at Connie before speaking calmly, "No." Then his eyes shifted briefly to Joyce. "I'm going to check on Chris."
Without another word, he turned and walked out of the room.
He already knew what he needed to do. He was going to apologize to Dustin, and to Claudia. Properly apologize to both of them.
Joyce watched her eldest son leave with his expression hardened and his steps steady. He didn't say it out loud… but she could feel it.
She had gone too far before.
Still… she was just a worried mother.
Worried about Will, that was all.
Connie observed the two of them quietly, her expression calm, maybe almost too calm from her expression earlier when she told the story how she found the boys. There was something calculated behind her gaze as she watched everything unfold.
And then, Joyce felt it….A small movement in her hand.
"…Mom?"
A weak voice broke through the silence.
Will Byers stirred, his fingers twitching lightly in her grasp. Joyce's eyes widened instantly, tears spilling down her cheeks as relief crashed over her.
"Will..-!"
"…What happened…?" he murmured faintly.
Then suddenly, his body jerked.
"Chris?! What happened to Chris?!"
Connie stood up immediately, moving closer as she gently but firmly pressed a hand against Will's chest, easing him back down onto the bed.
"Easy, child. He's fine," she said, her voice soft but controlled.
"What happened, Will?!" Joyce Byers asked urgently, panic rising again in her voice as she noticed the tears forming in his eyes.
Will's face twisted with fear.
His body trembled.
"Monster, Mom!" Will shouted, his voice breaking. "There's a monster out there!"
Joyce froze for a split second, her heart pounding violently in her chest. "What monster, Will?! What exactly happened?!" she demanded, her voice shaking.
But while Joyce focused entirely on her son…
She didn't notice the subtle shift in Connie's expression.
The warmth in her face faded, replaced by something darker. Something heavier.
"Will, it's okay. You're safe here," Connie said gently, her tone soothing, almost hypnotic. "Don't worry… it's okay."
Her hand remained on his chest, steady, grounding. "There's no monster here, Will. It's okay."
"No! We can't stay!" Will cried, his panic only growing. "Mom, we need to leave!"
Joyce's breathing grew uneven. She didn't understand what was happening anymore. Her fear began spiraling again as she quickly stood up, turning toward the door.
"I need a doctor!"
"Will… Will, it's okay. There's no monster," Connie continued softly, staying right beside him, her voice unwavering.
Then, carefully and deliberately, she leaned a little closer.
"Was there a fight, Will?" she asked, her tone shifting just slightly. "Did Chris do something?"
The question didn't sound forceful, yet it carried a quiet weight as it settled in the room with subtle, almost gentle, but carefully aimed, as if guiding him toward a different answer.
Connie wasn't just trying to calm him, she was guiding him, carefully reshaping the edges of his memory, nudging him toward something simpler… something safer. Something human.
Because she already knew enough.
She had seen it how the way Joyce unraveled so easily, how fragile she was beneath all that panic, how little it would take to push her further.
And a frightened child?
Even easier.
Connie's gaze never left Will, steady and intent, watching every flicker of fear, every hesitation, waiting for the moment his truth would bend into something she could control.