#chapter 21

“It makes us wonder if he’s leading up to a big question with how many songs he’s dedicated to her throughout our radio show. Or is this just the case of a man gone head over heels? Whatever the case we all love it and always look forward to what song he’s going to dedicate to her next. Do you guys have any ideas or do you want some hints? Last time it was ‘Crazy Little Thing Called Love’ by Queen. This time this song is actually inspired by the artist's very own wife, so there’s that sweet tooth-rotting fact. It’s also the fastest song the singer released. Written in a day and released to the public two weeks later, does that give anyone a hint? Well, if it doesn't, here's your answer, ‘Oh, Pretty Woman’ by Roy Orbison, for my dearest friend and Steve Harrington’s beloved girlfriend.”

The song is quick to play, replacing Robin’s attention-grabbing voice, and making you grin before you can’t help but giggle giddily behind your hand, feeling flustered and completely infatuated, smitten, and everything under the sun by the special dedication.

Like always, Steve never warned you before he had Robin announce it. You insist that he should let you know so you don’t miss it, but he says the best part of it is the surprise. Luckily, you haven’t missed any song dedications so far and you’re happy for it because he dedicates a new song to you every time, so you’re guessing with all the listeners too.

However, when they all say they love every song he dedicates to you, you know it's impossible because no one loves it more than you. Which is why you stay inside the car with Robin’s girlfriend, Vickie, until the song is over even if you’re outside the radio station.

“How sweet,” Vickie compliments once the song is over. “Who would’ve thought that Steve Harrington would be such a sap?”

“Oh, you would be surprised,” you muse as you open the car door.

“Oh, trust me I always am. I still can’t actually believe we hang out.”

You scoff lightheartedly before you get out of the car and make your way inside, finding Robin and Steve coming out of the booth.

“Hey!” Steve greets with surprise since you’re still supposed to be at work.

“Hi,” you whisper, completely enamored as if the sight of him after that sweet dedication had made you fall in love all over again.

“You’re here early,” he says as he falls before you, missing the way you’re looking at him completely captivated by his presence.

“Yeah,” you say breathlessly. “I was let out early. Something about a meeting, I don’t know, but I caught a ride with Vickie…I listened to the dedication there actually. Just outside the station.”

Steve finally jumps on the same page as you and grows smug. “What did you think?” He asks as he slowly wraps you in an embrace.

You press your hands on his chest and smile at him brighter. “Well…are you leading up to something?” You tease, making him roll his eyes.

“I told her not to put that in,” he grumbles before he looks at you with sincerity. “Do you want me to ask you something?”

You scoff. “You shouldn’t ask for my approval if you’re actually ready to. So.”

“So,” he says and then laughs.

You cup his cheek and lean in. “I loved the song,” you whisper giddily.

Steve smiles softly before he whispers back. “Good. Now, how about you accompany me to put some gas in that junk of a van? We could see the sights.”

“Oh? How romantic.”

He shrugs. “Isn’t it?”

He grabs your hand, knowing your response, and leads you to the van, receiving only one interjection from Robin as he’s walking you out. “Please make it in time for the second broadcast, Steve!”

“I know!”

“See you say that but you guys always lose track of time!”

“But I bring him back in the nick of time!” You argue in Steve’s defense before you’re out the door, making a joke with Steve. “You hear that? I think if we’re late again I’ll be off limits until after work.”

“I’ll literally sneak out just to see you,” he says as he lets your hand go so you can go to your respective sides of the van. “And she won’t even know about it.”

“Ha!”

Steve stands in front of the open door and looks at you questioningly over the windshield. “What? What’s so funny?”

“I’m pretty sure Mike still hates you for ruining our system,” you remind him of the incident a couple months ago where he tumbled through the window while you were still living with your dad, causing your dad to catch him in your room, and causing him to find out that Eleven had snuck out of the room at night to be with Mike out in the flower field past the house.

“Well,” Steve argues, but it was his fault so he just ends up stammering. “They’re kids who shouldn’t be sneaking out at night!”

You hum and nod slowly before you slip into the passenger seat while he takes the driver's seat and drives you to the gas station, making the most of the moment he was able to steal. Not like he actually needed it. You live together now after some disagreements you had with your dad, so when you’re not at work or out doing something without him, you’re together, which is a lot since you’re quarantined in your small town.

It might’ve made you more dependent on each other, but you don’t care because it hasn’t stopped being exciting between you. The one and only bad thing is that you still haven’t gotten rid of Vecna so your lives aren’t guaranteed which means if something were to happen it’d hurt like hell.

But, you don’t like to think about that, so you just don't.

“Here, just outside the theater, I had my first kiss,” Steve says, adding the moment to one of the “sights” he promised he’d take you to see while he drives back to the radio station. “I don’t remember who she was though.”

“Well, isn’t that sweet,” you say without sounding bitter or jealous because it doesn’t bug you.

“It is because now I can only think of one girl,” he says sweetly as he tilts his head your way, making you tilt your head towards him and mirror his smile before you mess with him.

“My first kiss was with my crush. I was thirteen if I remember correctly.”

Steve sits upright and unlike you, he looks annoyed.

“He was a ginger with soft curly, light freckles on his nose, and blue eyes just like the Oregon coast when it’s calm.” You smile at Steve teasingly. “So they were more grey than blue. Or both.” You giggle and he groans in disgust.

“Did that take place anywhere in Hawkins?” He remarks and you look at him sweetly and shake your head.

“No, but I thought you’d like to know. Now, have I told you where my first boyfriend asked me out? It was so romantic. At least, that’s what I thought when I was fourteen. He—”

“You see,” Steve interrupts. “I don’t get how that’s relevant?”

You look around feigning to be clueless before you point at him. “It is because you get all jealous and you do this cute thing where you brush your fingers through your hair, breathe out heavily through your nose, and roll your eyes. It’s very cute. It’s one of my favorite sights.”

Steve’s eyes drag to you and at first, he doesn’t react with anything, but after a few seconds, he starts to smile before he checks where he is. As he realizes that you’re at a street aligned by the woods, he parks on the side of the street and immediately swings his arm behind your seat.

“Here,” he says in a soft, charming voice. “Is the best sight of all.”

You take off your seat belt and shift in your seat to face him with feigned curiosity. “Oh, really? Now what is it?” You probe.

He motions you closer with his finger, so you lean in towards him as he leans towards you before he grabs you by your chin and purrs. “I’m looking at her.”

You look at his lips and then meet his gaze with only him in mind. Time and place don’t matter, only him.

“I also know this guy who drives me crazy,” you whisper against his lips as you glance at them again and grab his wrist before you slowly drag your hand down his arm.

“Oh, who is he?” He plays along.

“This really hot, sexy guy with the most heart-melting brown eyes, and a body,” you sigh as you picture him shirtless. “Well, I didn't think I’d be into chest hair until I saw him naked,” you sigh and run your fingers over his shoulder and up his neck to cup his jaw, making him swallow thickly.

“He has these soft pink lips that mold with mine just right,” you continue. “But that mouth, oh well, he’s got quite a mouth on him.”

Steve scoffs as he smiles in complete awe before he brings his lips against yours, letting you feel his warmth and the taste of his soft pink lips.

“Well, maybe he could show you what else that mouth is good for,” he says against your lips, making you part your lips to steal an open-mouth kiss before you push him back to be able to climb to the back of the van.

Steve doesn’t hesitate to follow you, but as you start slipping the straps off your shoulders, he becomes clumsy and falls on the floor, making you chuckle as you leave the straps hanging over your shoulders.

“And don’t you worry about time,” you coo as he shrugs his denim jacket off and throws it against the door. “I’ll get you there in the nick of time.”

“Oh good because it'd be torture having to stop seeing this pretty sight of mine, it gets me through work.”

You giggle and open your arms to welcome him in an embrace as he finally reaches you in the middle of the van.

“And don’t worry about the dress,” he whispers before he presses a kiss on your neck as you press him close.

“It stays on. You look hot. Did I tell you that?”

“You did now,” you say breathlessly as he steals your breath as he drags his lips over your neck and grips your thigh.

“I want to do something that might make you love another sight much better,” you say and feel your eyes flutter shut as he drags his hand up your thigh and starts kissing your neck.

“Okay, I'm all for it, and I'll tell you if it's better than the one I love now,” he speaks against your neck, making you shiver as you feel every word against your flesh.

“Oh.” You grin while you arch your back as his hand finds the small of your back. “I’m sure you will love it,” you coo.

The sweet moment is long, but the hot and passionate moment that follows is even longer. Neither of you even considers time, you’re too consumed with each other's warmth, lips, bodies, and every other sensational feeling that rocks the van and that leaves you on top of him with your bodies sweaty and your hearts racing at the same beat.

“Penny for your thoughts?” You make sure to ask as he seems lost in thought.

“Just,” he says as he caresses your back. “Thinking about you.”

You kiss his chest and probe. “Good or bad?”

“Good. Of course. I was just thinking about how good this was.”

You smile wider and press another kiss on his sweaty chest.

“The fact that we’re quarantined and that we can’t get ourselves rid of Vecna, didn’t exist. It doesn’t. Not now with you in this van.”

You nuzzle your face against his chest and speak quietly. “Then let us forget for now. Let’s talk about the fact that I want to do something nice for you.”

“No, you don’t have to,” he quickly argues, but you smack his chest gently and counter.

“No, I want to. Something nice. Something that lets us forget again. I have something in mind, I just want to see if you’re free on the weekend?”

He sucks in air and responds playfully. “Oh, I’m pretty booked, but I suppose I can make room for a pretty girl.”

You hold him tighter and kiss his chest again before you exclaim. “It’ll be fun, I promise!”

Steve holds you tighter and whispers. “As long as I’m with you I’m fine.”

You smile with awe and whisper. “You are a sap. I love it.”

——

*NOW*

Footsteps come up behind you, making you peek back as you button the first button on your long denim vest, and seeing Steve walking over with his lips curled in a frown and his eyes narrowed pensively.

“Sorry, I took forever finding a place to change, but I’m done now, I just need the scarf,” you let him know, expecting that he came to hurry you up since you’re all getting ready to drive to the Turnbow house now that Robin, Will, Mike, and Lucas are back with Erica and a spiked pie.

“So could you actually tie it?” You ask and hand him the colorful scarf.

“Okay,” he whispers and presses himself closer to you, making you smile up at him as you grab his waist.

“Don’t start something you can’t finish there,” he points out as he wraps the pink colorful scarf around your neck.

“I fear that if your mind went there you already took the first step all by yourself,” you tease with a smile that he doesn’t mirror. His lips are still curled.

“I liked the uniform,” he adds some lighthearted chatter. “You should’ve kept it.”

“Oh yeah?” You scoff. “And if I fell everyone would see my ass.”

“Not a bad sight,” he says with a smirk as he ties a quick knot before he steps back and presses his hand on the wooden pillar.

You know that lingering back with him would lead to you both fooling around with each other, so you try to make your way outside the barn, but he steps in front of you and slides his arm down, blocking your path.

“What are you doing?” You giggle. “Look if it was just Robin waiting for us this would be fine, but Mike and Nancy are mean when they’re impatient, so let’s go.”

You try to push him out of the way, but he grabs your arms and pushes you backwards, making you laugh nervously and shoot him a confused look.

“What—”

“What if you stay back and wait for everyone to come back with the Turnbow’s?” He finally reveals why he came to find you in the first place, making your smile vanish as your face falls. Albeit, rather than displaying annoyance you sigh and gently hold onto his arms.

“Steve,” you whisper, but he desperately makes his case first with his eyes filled with concern.

“Dustin is already helping me track the Demo, so it’s not like I’m going to be alone. Plus, there’s already so many people setting up the trap, so you could wait here. Stay here with Joyce, Will, Robin, and-and Erica.”

There’s this look in his eyes. This soft fear mixed with concern, desperation, and confusion that he’s been carrying ever since the news about your bundle of inconvenience came back positive. It’s this look that makes his eyes glisten with a thin sheet of tears that he can’t hold back. He can hold back the actual tears, but he’s at the brink and every time you notice it your heart aches, but you’ve never addressed it. You wanted him to come to you when he was ready and he did.

“Is that what you’ve been thinking about all day?” You ask softly as you hold his gaze and rub his arms. “Oh, Steve, you have to trust that I can take care of myself.”

Steve draws out a deep breath and shakes his head as the hold on your arms tightens before he pulls you closer to say his plea. “It’s not about me not trusting you. I trust you, I know you can do it, but…up until earlier today, I had a plan. Put on your favorite song and contact Eleven, but,” his voice breaks. “It all changed and I don’t know what else to do but have you stay here where I know you’ll be safe because if that Demo were to take you it wouldn’t be easy. I don’t know how to get you back from wherever they took Holly. I don’t know and that scares me because guess what? I can’t…I can’t do this without you. I don’t think I can go on without you,” he reveals with his eyes welled with tears and filled with fear.

“Oh,” you coo and cradle his face, feeling him lean towards your touch. “I hear you, but staying here won't protect me, and even if there was some small guarantee, I can’t just sit back because guess what? You’re out there and if something were to happen to you because I’m here and you’re out there I,” you pause and sigh shakily. “I don’t know if I would be strong enough. I’d be miserable and that’s the last thing I want for the kid, so I need you to trust that I will be better off with you. Fighting just as hard and not hiding or sitting back.”

Steve drops his head and sniffles while he shows his frustration and disapproval.

“I know, I know,” you try to sympathize with him as you tilt his head up. “It feels like I didn’t hear you pour your heart out, but Steve, my dad is out there, my sister, you, and everyone we love, and I can’t…I cannot do nothing, so yes, I heard you, I understand, but now please try to understand me. Please trust me because I want to go out and do this with you in complete agreement. I don't want you to be mad at me for being out there.”

“And if something happens because you’re out there putting yourself in danger, what then?” He snaps, making you counter right back.

“And if something happens because I'm here alone? We can go in circles all you want, but the fact of the matter is that I would do better with you. Please say you understand. Trust me.”

Steve reaches up to grab your hands and slides them off his face to cup them in his hands as he holds your gaze with those same gleaming eyes full of fear.

“I will be more careful, I promise,” you keep arguing as he holds onto your hands. “I can hesitate jumping in the line of fire all you want, just please say you understand. Please be okay with this. The baby…it will be okay.”

Steve scoffs as he drops his head. “You’re right, you know? She’s not here yet, so if I lose you what kind of life can I live without you? The life I want only works if you’re alive with me,” he says softly as he brings your hands towards his chest.

“And if Vecna takes you, he takes her and discards you, so what would I be left with? How romantic would a life by the ocean be without you? I’m just…scared,” he admits. “To lose you.”

Tears break out of your eyes as you nod in comprehension. “And I can’t lose you, so…we have to be together, side by side.”

Steve swallows thickly and then lets your hands go to instead grab your face and bring you close. “Whatever plan is made after this one, we stick together. For every plan, do you get it? Y-you don’t deviate from my side. You don’t do anything reckless. We stick together,” he presses whilst you smile in his hands and nod in agreement.

“But you have to let me have weapons,” you add to his compromise. “None of that macho shit. I can fight. You have to trust me on that.”

He scoffs but reassures you. “Obviously I was going to let you have something to protect yourself with, but do you understand me? Say you understand.”

You giggle and nod again. “I understand.”

He tilts his head as he looks at your lips. “You matter more than anyone else, do you get that? You and only you.”

“Are you trying to get in my pants?” You tease, making him laugh as you cry.

“I love you,” you whisper against his lips before you offer him a gentle kiss, making him smile softly.

“I love you too,” he echoes.

He kisses you and keeps his lips pressed against yours, savoring your taste as if it were the last time before he went off to some big and dangerous war.

When you eventually pull apart you caress his face and offer him one more gleeful smile before you give him one more kiss and then lead him out of the barn.

“I’m still bugged about what Dustin did to the car,” you mention as you remember that there’s now a big antenna drilled on Steve’s beautiful car. “He better fix it or else I will withhold sex.”

“What?” Steve gasps as he falls by your side. “What does that have to do with me?”

“Well, you said you don’t talk anymore, so you have to talk to him and tell him to fix it or no sex for you, and I mean it.”

Steve scoffs. “You can’t resist me. I am irresistible."

You loll your head his way and challenge him. “More like you can’t resist me. You’re weak.”

“I so can,” he challenges you right back and argues. “A week is nothing.”

You huff. “Okay, buddy, well we’ll see won’t we?”

“No, because you have nothing to worry about. It’s not permanent."

You huff and leave it at that as you make it outside and receive an immediate remark from Mike. “What’s wrong with you guys? Is this a joke?”

“I told you,” you retort with a grin. “What did I say? I should’ve bet you.”

“Well, what fun would that be if you did? I never disagreed,” he mutters as you pass by Mike, ignoring his annoyance.

When you climb into Steve’s car Nancy passes you the same annoyed look that her brother had given you, making it impossible for you and Steve not to snicker to yourselves.

After that, once everyone is where they need to be and everything you need is packed, you’re all off and soon at your destination watching Erica get out of the car.

“Be careful,” you bid her, but she scoffs as she takes the pie from Jonathan.

“Pft, I’m not the one who needs to be careful,” she snaps and shuts the door, making you watch her walk to the Turnbow's brightly lit front door.

“Well, it’s good that she hasn’t changed,” you comment.

“Wrong,” Steve rebuts. “She’s gotten meaner.”

You’re about to add something off-handed about your ball of inconvenience, but you realize that Jonathan and Dustin are in the same car and they don’t know about your condition so you just bite your tongue and watch Erica ring the doorbell.

“Maybe we stand out too much. Maybe you should park further down,” you mention to Steve as you look over at him, seeing that his eyes remain on Erica.

“And risk missing something if I'm down the street? No, we’re fine here. Besides, if anything looks suspicious it’s your gun.”

You gasp and roll your eyes before you quip. “Oh yes, the speargun inside the car is a big distraction and not the humongous antenna on top of the car!”

“I told you already,” Dustin cuts in as he leans forward to be between you and Steve. “The old piece of junk of a van will get us nowhere! And unless you want to break down once that meter reaches 60 miles per hour, this was the only alternative we had. Unless you wanted to ask your military friends for a truck?”

You look at him over your shoulder and offer him a feigned smile. “You know what—”

“She’s in,” Steve cuts you and Dustin off, making you and Dustin both look out the window and watch the door close behind Erica whilst Steve communicates with the others through the walkie. “She’s in.”

Now to wait.

“Hey. What?” You hear Steve remark and when you glance over you see that Dustin has his walkie now.

“Sinclair, come in,” Dustin says through the walkie. “Do you copy?”

Seconds pass before you hear the boy respond. “Yep, this is Sinclair. Copy. Go ahead.”

“Sinclair, I’m confused. I thought your sister said that Tina was mean.”

“Oh, no, no. She’s not mean. She’s a villain. Like, kill the puppies for a fur coat kind of villain. Trust me.”

You snicker and look back out the window, seeing nothing weird yet.

“I used to know a girl like her back when I lived in Oregon,” you make small talk now that you have to wait.

“Oh, it wasn’t you?” Dustin quips, making you snicker and shake your head.

“No, she was a real bitch, but we would fight back until she knew just not to go near us.”

“Oh, so you were a group of mean girls,” Steve adds, making you smile at him.

“Some people would say so, but we were actually cool so that impression didn’t last long. Only people with prejudice kept believing so,” you trail off and lean your seat back before you kick your feet up on the dashboard.

“You’re kind of squishing me here,” Jonathan mumbles, but you brush him off.

“If you stopped spreading your legs like a man whore you would have more space.”

“Like a what?” He scoffs.

“Man whore,” you repeat and play the music on your Walkman to listen to the echo coming from your headphones.

“You’re still wearing my headphones,” he points out.

You hum. “Whatchu going to do about it?”

He clicks his tongue. “I did not miss that.”

You sit up and twist around to face him with a bright smile. “You miss me?” You pick on him. “I miss living with you,” you admit and turn back around to lie back down, missing Steve’s side eye.

“On Saturdays, we would get our breakfast and watch TV together. That was always nice,” you share before you start chuckling. “Did I ever tell you guys that one time Jonathan fell down the stairs?” You ask, but Jonathan counters right away.

“Yeah, and you were laughing so hard that you peed yourself.”

“It was a tinkle! And it was funny because it was such a dramatic fall down like four stairs!” You exclaim with a giggle. “Anyway…thinking about dinner is making me hungry.”

“I have a Bopper,” Steve offers you, making you loll your head to the side and then put your hand out.

“Mhm, melted pocket bopper.”

“I only have that so take it or leave it,” he remarks, so you insist that he put it in your hand, causing him to take the bar out of his pocket, open it, and split it in half, giving you half and keeping the other half for himself.

“Erica’s willingness to do this should raise some alarms,” Jonathan says, so you look back at the front door and hum in agreement.

“Well, it is what’s getting us inside so let’s talk about that later,” Dustin adds whilst unknowingly, Steve is watching you the whole time.

“You should save your Walkman for when you need it,” Steve says without taking his eyes off you.

“I have extra batteries,” you assure him as you switch the candy bar to your other hand so you can reach for his hand before you find his gaze and offer him a soft reassuring look. “And it’s just to pass the time.”

You interlace your fingers with his and look back at the house whilst you continue. “We should go to a concert after this is all over. It’s been too long since I’ve been to one.”

“Oh yeah, that band I like is going on tour next year. We could catch that,” Steve offers, but you don’t like the band he likes, so you just hum in agreement.

Steve quickly picks up on your discontent and presses. “What? You said you liked them. We listen to them all the time”

You shrug. “Yeah, but only because I think you’re cute and I like it when you sing along.”

“Wow, okay. I see.”

“I said you’re cute! And I’ll still have fun, so I wouldn’t mind and I don’t mind listening to them when you put it on,” you retort with a sweet smile that you flash at him, making him just sigh deeply as he keeps holding onto your hand.

As you continue to wait for the Turnbow’s to fall into their deep sleep, your eyes grow heavy from your own lack of sleep over the past couple of days, so you start nodding off, feeling time fly by, and as a result, getting startled when Dustin suddenly yells out. “She did it! It’s time to move!”

“Got it,” you mumble over your racing heart and proceed to pull your feet off the dashboard to sit up.

“Erica knocked them out,” Dustin lets the group in the van know through the walkie. “Time to roll in and load them in the van. Over.”

“Copied,” Lucas comes in seconds later. “We’re on the move. Over.”

You and your group get out of the car and head towards the garage that Erica opens, granting access for Joyce to drive in so the Turnbows can be loaded in the back with their faces covered by their own pillow cases.

As far as anything to worry about, everything runs smoothly, thankfully, and they should all stay asleep for a while longer at least according to Robin.

“Last chance,” Steve tells you as he holds the back door open.

“Are you coming with me?” You challenge him, referring to the compromise you made. And as he remembers and you stay so relentless, he just sighs and closes the back door, letting you close the other one so Joyce, Robin, Erica, and Will can take the Turnbow’s to the abandoned farm.

Luckily, this was all done at night and you thought of closing the curtains inside the house because it all looks weird and would draw the wrong attention. Some night owls could have still walked by at night, but thankfully, you didn’t come across any of those troubles. You were able to move on to the next step without any problems, and that step is, ruining the Turnbow house to set up the trap. Which is a shame, it’s so nicely decorated. But, it has to be done, and to be done faster, Steve and Jonathan push aside their alpha male competition, and Steve and Dustin brush aside their tension, letting you all work as one big team.

Albeit, if you wanted to get the trap finished before the Demogorgon came, that did mean that you couldn’t waste time talking. There could be small talk, but Nancy was strict, stay on task, and don’t get distracted. Mike backed that up, so for a while all you did was work. You helped move stuff out of the way, and then helped Nancy and Lucas fill the waterballoons with acetone while Mike and Dustin helped Steve hammer nails in the wooden panels that would smack the demogorgon with a bed of sharp nails as it stumbled out of Derek’s room.

Once they were done and you were done, you joined Steve, Mike, and Dustin upstairs to set up the trap outside of Derek's room and hide the Derek dummy under blankets on his bed. All while you have so much you want to say to Dustin. Not even to help Steve fix their relationship, but to fix yours too because even though he talks a little bit more to you he hardly ever meets your eyes.

You don’t even have to talk a lot if he doesn’t want to, all he needs to know is that you understand his pain.

Your anger is different. Your sadness is different, and you grieve differently, but you understand him. You have been where he is. He is not alone. You just need him to understand that.

But, it’s like he knows you have things you want to say, so he never leaves himself open. The one moment you do happen to lock eyes he quickly looks away and turns his head away, motioning you not to talk to him, so you don’t, you just continue helping Steve.

“Wow babe, who would’ve thought you were such a

handyman,” you tease, making him smirk.

“Well, babe, I did. I am more than just a pretty face.”

You giggle and hear Mike gag as he also helps Steve along with you.

Dustin has grown accustomed to your flirtations so while he set up the string around the doorframe, he did as he tended to do, tune you and Steve out.

“It paints a pretty picture of you putting those skills to work on other stuff,” you add as you nudge his foot. “I mean it would save us a lot of money.”

“Give me a list and I’ll get to work,” he says with a smug smile.

“Hm, okay well since you’re offering.” You smile sweetly before you whisper. “It’s hot seeing you work on all this.”

Steve winks at you and you smile brighter.

Once that trap is set you go back downstairs and while the boys outline the rug on the floor before they cut out that large piece, you hand out the axes and pickaxes you had brought with you. However, when Steve and Dustin come to collect their weapons, you hold back on Steve.

“Do you want to see something super awesome?” You ask excitedly.

“If you point at yourself I will hurt you,” Dustin warns, making you giggle before you walk around the table and show off the chainsaw sitting on a shelf. “This should help you cut out the floor faster, no?”

Steve smiles with awe at the chainsaw and walks over to take it before he faces you with the same smile. “How hot do I look now?”

“You look crazy hot,” you sweet-talk him before you hand him a pair of safety glasses and then return upstairs where he uses the chainsaw to cut out the piece of the floor that now overlooks the basement and the broken wine bottles the debris had knocked over when it fell.

“Well, that looks like a very expensive mess,” you point out as you all look through the giant hole.

“Let’s hope they never find out it was us,” Lucas says before Nancy and Jonathan go downstairs to set up the wire under the gap, whilst you and others staple the rug over the gap so the demogorgon could be fooled by the trap.

It’s only when Nancy loads the shotgun shell with the tracker in it that you all get into position.

Nancy and Jonathan hide behind the bar in the basement to wait and tag the demogorgon. Lucas hides by Derek’s room to get ready to bathe the Demogorgon in acetone. Mike waits in the living room to catch the Demogorgon once it appears, and you follow Dustin and Steve back to the car to watch out for the Demogorgon and get ready to track it.

This time as you wait in the car though, your eyes are dry and all you feel is nervous, so much so that your stomach gets all nauseous.

“This is making me nauseous,” you share out loud, making Steve peel his eyes away from the line of streetlights that would indicate whether the Demogorgon was here or not, and looks at you with concern.

“Are you okay?” He whispers.

You meet his gaze with your eyes peeled and you shake your head. “No, I’m nervous. Waiting for it is making me nauseous. This better work.”

“It is,” Dustin says, but he doesn’t sound so sure.

“It better,” you mutter and look through the binoculars to check if any of the street lights in the distance are unusually flickering.

“It’s not like we’re conspicuous or anything,” Steve mutters seconds before you’re relieved to hear Robin’s voice come through the walkie.

“Hey. Talk to me, guys. How’s it looking out there?”

“You or me?” Steve asks you, making you put the binoculars down to answer, but Dustin responds for you instead.

“No, keep looking. That’s why you’re sitting there aren’t you?”

“Jeez,” you grumble and share a look with Steve before you lift the binoculars and he answers Robin.

“It’s boring. How are the Turnbows holding up?”

“Uh, they’re still in their food comas, but I swear to god, this Demo better show. If we took out an entire family for nothing, my conscience will never recover.”

Steve scoffs and you add to the conversation. “Well, if we took out a family for nothing we will never recover because we will be in jail.”

“If we get caught,” Dustin adds.

“Did you catch that?” Steve asks Robin through the walkie.

“Loud and clear and now even more nervous, but Hopper you’re in the clear I mean your dad was the cop of our beloved town. And Steve, your parents have money, what happens to poor little ol’ me?”

You lower the binoculars and share a look with Steve before you grab his hand to pull the walkie towards you to respond to Robin whilst Steve still holds onto the walkie. “My dad was the chief, but he’s still considered dead, so my get out of jail free card is lost and Steve’s parents well...”

“They’d probably leave me there,” Steve finishes your sentence. “But my uncle is a criminal defense lawyer, so I still have some hope and you guys well.” He clicks his tongue and all Robin responds with is a groan, so you quickly try to reassure her.

“We could join a gang inside jail! Or we can make one. Isn’t that how that works?”

Steve chuckles and Dustin turns your head so you can look out the windshield for any sign of the Demogorgon.

“If not, we can always call my dad's government connections!” You add as you remember about that sweet connection, but Robin reminds you of one detail.

“Oh, yeah the one who's either dead or hiding away forever? That connection?”

“No, the lady!” You snap your fingers as you try to remember her name. “She’s the one who helped them come back from Russia! I forgot her name.”

“And if that doesn’t work?” Robin asks. “What kind of criminals does your uncle defend exactly, Harrington? You know, are they, like, white-collar criminals? Because that does seem like a Harrington thing to do, you know, like defend rich douchebags. And in this situation, I think that the rich douchebags would be coming for us,” she finishes her panicked rambling, expecting an answer, but you notice a light at the end of the street flicker, and Dustin and Steve notice too, so no one answers poor, worried Robin.

“Steve?” Robin asks as she receives silence. “Hopper? Are you there?”

“Yeah, we hear you,” Steve cuts in. “Just stop talking. I think we got company.”

You look through the binoculars and catch more lights flickering down the street. Each one getting closer.

“It’s here,” you confirm as you see the pattern in the lights. “Moving south down Arlington, T-minus 30 seconds.”

“Got it,” Dustin says in comprehension before Steve communicates with the others inside the house.

“South down Arlington, T-minus 30 seconds. Status check, Taggers?”

You put the binoculars down and throw the speargun’s strap over your right shoulder before you tilt the gun down the open window just a little bit to be ready to use it just in case the occasion arises.

“In position and set,” Nancy confirms. “Launcher?”

“Set,” Lucas says. “Catcher?”

“Set. Trackers?” Mike asks.

You, Dustin, and Steve share the same agreeing look that lets Steve confirm your status. “Set. Let’s do this thing already.”

You forgot that you had your seatbelt off so you take the spearguns strap off and have to buckle yourself in before you repeat the process again. Only this time you swing the strap across your chest while also keeping your eyes on the flickering lights that get closer and closer until all the lights outside the house start to flicker.

“It’s inside. Minimize chatter,” Dustin points out.

“It’s inside,” Steve repeats to the walkie so those inside are informed. “Keep your traps shut.”

You clench your jaw and watch the darkness coming from the windows as the curtains block any indication of where it might be. All you can do is imagine all the lights inside the house flickering in a path towards Derek’s room before you actually spot the lights inside Derek’s room going crazy through a gap left by the open curtains in his room.

A red hue then appears on the ceiling indicating one thing before the sight of the demogorgon landing on the floor proves that it’s inside, expecting to find Derek in his bed, but finding the Derek dummy you hid under the blankets just as you planned so Lucas can jump out to bathe the demogorgon in acetone using a water gun and water balloons.

You only have hints of that happening however, by the way you catch a glimpse of the Demogorgon turning around swiftly to look at something you can’t see anymore before it cries out in what you believe is anger because it then storms away, causing you to lose sight of it, and making you rely on your imagination from then on to imagine that it stepped into the trap outside the door and got slammed by the bed of nails. If it didn't leave after that, then it should follow Lucas down the stairs and towards the trap in the living room above the basement.

Once it’s there, Mike should be waiting with his shovel and if it doesn’t fall right through right away he’s supposed to hit it and drive it towards the trap, or if it somehow catches itself before it falls, he’s supposed to smack it down until it falls in the mess of barbwire that Jonathan and Nancy set to keep it in place.

You can’t imagine it would be stuck there long, but it should offer Nancy enough time to shoot the tracker in its flesh, and it should give Jonathan time to light it on fire.

It should flip after that. That’s what it needs to do anyway, so you wait to hear that it flipped.

You wait with your breath caught in your throat and your speargun completely pointed out the window just in case it’s so angry and petty that it chooses to attack you, or decides to make up for its failure by trying to take you now that you’re near.

Thankfully, none of those things happen though, instead Mike yells through the walkie. “It flipped! It flipped!”

“Dustin,” you press said boy to do what follows, but it's more out of urgency than anything else because when you peer back he's already turning the antenna until he finds the signal.

“Signal acquired,” Dustin reassures you, Steve, and the others. “Headed our way.”

“How close?” Steve asks as he peers back.

When you don’t get a response, Steve hits your seat and snaps. “Dustin, how close?!”

Before Dustin can answer, every light in Steve’s car starts to flicker whilst the street light above matches its beat.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” Steve voices while you look around and whisper loudly as you grip onto your gun.

“It’s right by us!”

“Shit,” Dustin curses seconds before your fear is heightened as something slams the door, causing you all to yelp whilst Steve also thinks of grabbing you by your jacket and pulling you away from the door as he jumps back.

When you look out the window though, you see that it’s just Nancy and Jonathan, so Steve lets you go, and you grab your chest and exhale deeply.

“I think my heart fell to my ass,” you grumble and shift back to where you were, only this time you tuck the gun in between the seat and door while they get in the car.

“Where is it?” Jonathan quickly demands to know.

“Right—”

“Hold your horses,” Dustin cuts you off and starts to turn the antenna. You can hear the wheel turning before he speaks out loud.

“Bearing northwest and fast.”

As Steve hears the news he tries to turn his car on, but the Demogorgon being here must’ve messed with the mechanics because it fails to start.

“Oh, come on,” Steve complains while you notify the team in the barn.

“The demo is tagged and on the run. Trackers in pursuit. I repeat, the trackers are in pursuit.”

“Hit it!” Dustin exclaims and thankfully the car turns on so Steve can quickly do as he demanded and slam on the gas pedal.

“Just try to follow the lights,” you say as you close the window so the wind can stop hitting your face.

“Yeah, I know, I know,” Steve mutters as he does just that.

“All right, signal holding,” Dustin lets Steve know. “Just keep steady. Holding…turn right!”

“Right?” Steve asks for clarification, so Dustin quickly cuts in without being nice about it.

“Right! Turn right! Right now!”

“Hold on!” Steve yells over Dustin before he makes a sharp turn and drives through someone's fence, making you hang onto the handle over the seat with a smile creeping on your face as you’re pumped full of adrenaline as you watch Steve drive through backyards, run over fences, and decorations as fast as he can with only keeping track of the Demogorgon in mind.

“Whoa! You’re gonna crash!” Dustin yells as if he wasn’t the one who said to turn right!

“You said right!” Steve shares your thoughts.

“Jesus Christ!” You hear Jonathan shout.

“Stop! Stop!” Dustin blurts. “Stop right now! Stop here!”

Steve comes to a skidding stop and the force of the stop makes you slide forward.

“God damn it!” Steve exclaims. “Henderson, what are we doing?!”

You clutch onto your chest and with your faint smile still in place you look back at Dustin sitting between Jonathan and Nancy.

“We lost the signal,” Dustin says and starts turning the antenna.

“Come on, come on!” Steve urges Dustin who curses under his breath.

“Shit, shit, shit. I got it!” He then says. “It’s headed southeast now.”

You draw out a deep breath and drift your gaze to Steve who quickly gets in motion.

“God damn it!” He grumbles and makes a fast U-turn.

“Jesus,” Jonathan complains.

“Sorry! Sorry! It’s okay.”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa! Shit!”

Steve shifts gears and then turns his head to meet your gaze. “Hang on,” he warns.

You hold onto the handle over the seat again and nod. Steve then steps on the gas and follows the path he had just made. Not as fast as before where it felt like you were flying over the ground, but it's still fast enough that your heart is racing with adrenaline.

“All right, I got it,” Dustin shares. “I’ve got it.”

“You got it?” Steve presses him.

“Yes, I got it.”

Steve drives back into the street you just came from and retraces your steps.

“Let the others know,” Steve tells you so you let go of the handle and just summarize what’s happening.

“We’re turning around. Back to the Turnbow house. Heading southeast…” you trail off and narrow your eyes on the path you’re taking.

“Southeast?!” Robin yells through the walkie.

“Yes!” You clarify and put the walkie down before addressing those in the car as you notice the path the Demo is taking you in. “We’re going back the way we came. We’re heading toward the barn.”

“Are you sure?!” Steve asks as he’s too busy keeping track of the Demogorgon to realize.

“Yes!” Dustin answers for you. “It seems that way.”

“Why?” Jonathan asks. “How does it know where Derek is?”

“Maybe he woke up?” You throw out. “Or maybe he’s looking through Will since he can see through Vecna? I don’t know! All I know is that this is the same way we came from.”

“I’m realizing that now,” Steve mutters and stays on the same speed, but this time he doesn’t crash into more backyards. He drives down the same streets you took to get to the Turnbows’, and then once he reaches the farm, he makes a sharp turn into the driveway, kicking up a cloud of dirt.

“The signal is falling,” Dustin shares.

“It doesn’t matter,” you say. “We know where it’s going.”

Steve shifts gears to drive faster, making it out of the long driveway and coming across the monster backing out of the barn because of Joyce swinging her axe at it.

“Hold on!” Steve warns again, so you grab onto the handle as hard as you can and watch as Steve doesn’t slow down to be able to drive right into the Demogorgon and throw it over the car, making you quickly turn around to look over your seat and smile as you see it on the ground.

“You got it!” You exclaim. “You got it!”

“Yeah, we got it!” Dustin chuckles. “We got him!”

Steve flashes you a smile as he makes a wide turn to face the Demogorgon as it gets up as if nothing before it looks over at the car like a deer in headlights, making Steve slowly raise his arm to shield you as best as he can as it seems to think for a second.

Just for a second because it then turns around and sprints to the tall metal tower to make a gate on it and slip through.

“It flipped!” Dustin points out the obvious. “It’s headed back towards us!”

That would mean turning around again!

“Come on,” Jonathan urges Steve as he doesn’t move the car. “What are you doing, man? We gotta turn around!”

“Wait,” Steve interjects as he keeps his eyes ahead, making you follow his line of gaze and notice him staring at the closing gate.

“Gates are like Peanut Butter Boppers, right?” Steve asks, making your eyebrows knot as you look at him confused while the others think that he’s crazy.

“What?” They all quip.

“The outside is,” Steve insists. “Like crunchy and tough. But then you bite into it, it gives way to a gooey, creamy core.”

Wait…he’s right! You remember the texture when you went through the gates, and remember that it’s gross and gooey and ruins your clothes! He’s kind of right!

“Yes,” you agree quietly before you exclaim excitedly. “That’s exactly it!”

“Yes! See!” Steve yells as he hears you agreeing with him.

“What the hell are you guys talking about?!” Jonathan shouts.

“He’s saying that if he drives fast enough, the beamer can punch a hole into the gate,” you explain thanks to Steve’s realization.

“Exactly!” Steve bounces in after you. “And then we can track the Demo on its home turf in the Upside Down. Follow it straight back to Holly.”

“We’re losing the signal!” Dustin shrieks.

“We’re not gonna be able to follow anything if we crash!” Jonathan argues.

“We won’t crash!” You counter. “We know what we’re talking about! We’ve gone through the gate, have you?!”

“It’s almost gone!” Dustin yells louder.

Steve looks back at the one person who hasn’t given an opinion and silently presses her.

“The gate is closing,” you put pressure on the decision.

“Do it,” Nancy deadpans, but instead of driving like you thought he would, Steve then looks at you for the final say or to hear a protest because someone else comes to mind.

But, you stand with your determination from earlier. “You go, I go,” you remind him confidently and without question because you’ve been onboard with his sudden plan since the moment he gave the idea.

Thus, without any more hesitation and without needing to hear from anyone else, he then steps on the gas and shifts gears to race to the gate.

“Oh my god! Oh my god!” Dustin panics.

You grip onto the handle with a vice-like grip and as much as you find that racing adrenaline thrilling, fear also seeps through, so you slowly reach for Steve’s hand.

At the feeling of your warm touch, he glances at you so you flash him a faint excited smile to give him a boost of confidence as everyone freaks out, making him return your smile with a smug look before he tucks your hand under his on the shift stick.

“Oh my god! Oh my god!” Jonathan freaks out.

“I got it! I got it!” Steve throws out.

“Oh god no,” Dustin moans. “It’s not gonna work.”

“We’re not gonna make it!” Jonathan adds.

“It’s not a Bopper stop!”

“Slow down! Jesus Christ!”

“Jonathan!” You shout. “Shut up! It’s gonna work!”

“Shit! Oh my god!”

“Hang on!” Steve gives one last warning before he drives through the gate without stopping, making the others behind you scream while you watch in disbelief and fascination as you drive through a red hell unschathed. Well, your persons are unharmed, but the side mirrors rip off in the drive-through.

“You did it!” You gasp as you let go of the handle and slip your hand from Steve’s grasp to shake his arm. “You did it!”

You laugh in celebration along with the others before Jonathan leans over to shake Steve too. “We did it! Woo!” Jonathan yells.

“You were right!” You add before you look back at the boy in the middle. “How are we doing? How’s the signal?”

“Strong!” He informs as he reads his monitor.

“Oh my god!” Jonathan exclaims.

“We got you, son of a bitch!” Dustin cries excitedly. “We got you!”

The excitement lingers in your systems, but not for long. It soon dies down and a sense of uneasiness settles in the car as you drive through the wasteland that is the Upside Down.

“I’m surprised to see no bats in the sky,” you say as you look out the windshield.

“Well, this time they’re not protecting a gate,” Nancy says. “Still, it’s better to keep our eyes open.”

“It’s impossible to see down here though,” Jonathan comments.

“At least we’re not walking,” Steve mutters. “I always felt like I was being watched when we were walking.”

“Tell me about it,” you mumble.

“Do you feel anything?” Nancy asks you as she leans over and taps your shoulder. “Has Vecna talked to you?”

You shake your head. “No, it’s quiet. Let’s hope he doesn’t realize I’m here yet.”

You keep looking out the windows, hoping to maybe guess where the Demogorgon is taking you, or to see if you’re going towards the Creel house, but the path is uncertain. It just runs without a stop, making it all unclear and hard to guess its next move, so you all just follow it hoping it doesn’t lead you into a trap or something dangerous.

Does it even know it’s being chased though? It ran from the car, but does it know?

Hopefully not.

Either way, you never sit comfortably because it’s so unpredictable in the Upside Down, and the fog is so thick that any shadow looks like a monster. None of them actually are, but nothing is ever certain so you watch closely so the Demogorgon you’re chasing or anything else wandering around doesn’t catch you by surprise.

Something that you will say though is that being down in the Upside Down is easier in a car. You’re not in one place for too long and if there did happen to be something, you pass by too quickly for them to know. Or that’s what you tell yourself when there’s no other scary monster to worry about, which is more unsettling than anything else honestly, but alas, the signal is always strong so you don’t think too much of it.

After a while of driving you actually start to wonder why your creepy friend is taking you into the cemetery.

“Looks like our boy is taking us on a shortcut through the Roane Cemetery,” Steve points out.

“That’s almost at the county line,” Nancy says.

“Doesn’t this thing ever get tired?” Jonathan asks.

“Doesn’t seem so, no,” you mutter as you try looking through the fog.

“Uh, unfortunately, it looks like the opposite,” Dustin interjects. “I think he’s speeding up.”

“Wait, what?” Steve snaps.

“I’m losing the signal,” Dustin says.

“You gotta be shitting me, man!” Steve exclaims.

“Can you go faster?” Nancy cuts in.

“Let’s see.”

Steve shifts gears and he does speed up, but he’s basically driving blind without direction.

“Henderson,” Steve presses. “You’ve gotta talk to me here. What do you got, man? Henderson, what—”

“Wait!” Said boy cuts him off. “I’m picking up some interference.”

“Interference?” You repeat in confusion as you twist around to look at him over your seat. “What does that mean?”

“How is that important right now?” Steve asks.

“It means I can’t hear the signal,” Dustin responds to you and makes it clear to Steve.

“Well then listen harder!” Steve snaps, making you pass him a puzzled look.

“What do you mean?” Dustin snaps, demanding to know the same thing you’re wondering. “You wanna try and put these on!”

“I’m driving!”

Okay, no, you’re not puzzled by your boyfriend's comment. You’re now getting annoyed by their bickering.

“Yeah, you do the driving. I do the navigating!” Dustin argues, making you roll your eyes and sit back down.

“Guys, shut up!” You try to impose.

“I’m driving, man!” Steve throws at Dustin.

“Dustin! Steve! Shut up! How is this helping?!”

“Steve,” you hear Nancy say. “Slow down.”

You try to look at her through the rearview mirror, but you then notice something dark and tall ahead. Something that doesn’t let you see the eerie path ahead.

It almost looks like a wall.

“Steve!” You now try to get his attention. “Steve!” You shake his arm. “Watch out!”

Said man looks over at you and then looks ahead as Jonathan echoes your warning. “Watch out!”

“Shit!” Steve hisses before he slams on the brakes hard, but it’s far too late. You crash into the wall hard.

The force of the impact threatens to throw you forward, but the seatbelt saves you from slamming into the windshield. Instead, you're flung backward hard and must’ve hit your head on the window or something because the next thing you know you’re engulfed in darkness.

——

*SOMETIME LATER?*

The cracking sound of thunder is a faint echo in your mind, and the menacing red glow that usually erupts in the dark sky is painted almost soft in your blurry eyes fluttering open.

Confusion of where you are, and confusion of why you were engulfed in darkness should fill your mind, but you remember Steve crashing into the giant wall in the Upside Down even through the dull pain reigning in the back of your mind.

“Steve,” you mutter before you slowly turn your head to the side, expecting to catch a glimpse of him, blurry as he may be as your eyes are still adjusting, but instead of seeing him you see a darkened ground covered in vines and tree roots passing you by, multiple upon multiple of tree roots.

Did you somehow fly out the window? You ask yourself before you look the other way, noticing the butt end of your speargun above your head before you notice more tree roots passing you by. You’re surrounded by trees actually. More than that, are you moving?

“Steve,” you call again and look down, feeling your heart jump to your throat, your breath catch, and your eyes peel wide as you finally see clearly. But, what you see isn’t a delight. It’s a…Demogorgon.

It has you by your foot and is dragging you through the woods, but…you must be dreaming.

No, no, no, no.

You squeeze your eyes shut, hoping it’ll be gone by the time you open them again, but it’s still there, dragging you unawares of your conscious state.

It’s unaware, good! That’s excellent.

Before you think of doing anything though you look back hoping to catch a glimpse of the car in the distance, but there’s just more woods, meaning that you’re alone. Okay, okay.

You have your speargun, and your other three shafts are in a sheath on your back. Okay, okay.

Slowly as not to alert the Demogorgon that you’re awake, you reach a shaky hand back and pat the cold ground, your shoulder, and something dead before you feel the cold feeling of your wooden speargun. Good.

You then wrap your hand around the butt end and start dragging the gun down, feeling the strap shift over your chest until finally you position the gun where you can pull it over your chest with your other hand.

The Demogorgon continues not to know that you’re awake, so as you try breathing through your nose to be quiet, you very slowly use your elbows to push up the top half of your body just enough so you can position the gun to where the head of the spear is aimed at the back of its ugly head. You then drag your hand down to where the trigger is and hover your finger over it to take a deep breath first, before you hit the trigger without hesitation, hoping the spear would rip through its head or at least puncture its flesh.

However, the Demogorgon snaps around the moment it hears the spear shoot out of the gun, causing the spear to whiz over its shoulder and hit the dead tree behind it.

“Shit, shit, shit!” You curse out loud, and with no time to reach back for another shaft, you repeatedly start kicking the Demogorgon in hopes that one hit would irritate it enough to let you go so you can bolt, but it doesn't care. It yanks you towards it, making you cry out and start pulling back for naught, because it overpowers you and pulls you closer to let out a shrieking roar that makes you turn your head away and close your eyes.

However, it's because it gets its face close to you that you force yourself to get over your fear and swing hard at the Demogorgon, smacking it across the head.

It chitters in return, but you don’t care, you try to hit it again.

Yet, this time it throws itself at you to try and snatch your gun from your hold, but you're able to catch its intention and grip onto the gun so hard that your knuckles turn white and the Demogorgon can’t take it. It feels your resistance powered by pure adrenaline racing through your blood and it seems to find it strange, or offensive because it then opens its mouth and lets out a shrieking roar that throws droplets of its saliva on your face, and makes you smell the rotten stench of its breath.

You’re not intimidated or riddled with fear though. You pull the gun towards you and let out an angry scream of your own before you suddenly push the gun towards it, making it fumble backwards, and leaving you enough space to crawl back before you let go of the gun and flip around fast.

The Demogorgon stumbles forward with surprise at your sudden choice of letting go and letting it win the gun, but it only stays confused for a few seconds because it then sees you dragging yourself away from under it before you throw yourself to your feet and start bolting the way it had come from, making it hurl the gun aside before it starts chasing after you.

Now, you know you could never outrun it on foot, so you make a sharp turn, swerving past some trees and running to where you heard the gun hit the ground as without a fault, the Demogorgon chases after you.

You don’t care though. You run to where you heard the gun fall with all your might. You run and run until a small breathless chuckle escapes your lips as you catch the red lighting reflecting on the wooden speargun just ahead. You then reach back to quickly pull out a spear before you slide forward on your feet and sweep the gun off the floor before you swiftly turn on your heels.

The Demogorgon sees that you stay put so it quickens its pace, threatening to reach you before you can try anything against it, but you luckily have enough time to load the gun and shoot just as it throws itself toward you, causing the spear to puncture it right in the chest and throw it back thanks to the force of the impact.

“Great,” you say between pants. “Amazing!”

You don’t proceed to linger back. You start sprinting again not caring to look back. You just run and reach back for another spear. All while the Demogorgon doesn’t fail to pursue you, but that’s okay. You’re ready. You just make some distance between you and it, and then hide behind a tree, using the sound of its thumping footsteps to track it.

At first, it comes right at you at full speed, but when it gets close it slows down and starts creeping around in search of you, making you clench your jaw and try to calm your breathing so it wouldn’t spot you right away, but it’s hard, you’ve been running so hard that you’re panting.

Thus, you hold your breath and press yourself against the tree.

The Demogorgon gets closer and closer with each thumping footstep growing louder and louder. When it’s closer and creeping toward your right side you slowly drop your hand from your mouth to reload the gun as you slowly breathe out through your nose. You then come out of hiding from the left side, catching the Demogorgon by surprise.

“Right here bastard,” you grimace, causing it to spin around at the sound of your voice and let out a threatening roar.

You scoff and without falter you hit the trigger, making the spear shoot out of the gun and manage to fly right into its mouth.

That's right it hits the back of its throat!

Albeit it’s not down yet. It grabs the spear stuck in its mouth and tries yanking it out, ripping at its flesh in the process, and letting you pull out the last spear from the sheath.

In the process of reloading your gun however, you hear your name being called out in the distance by multiple people, catching the attention of the Demogorgon and making it stop trying to pull the spear out for a second.

“Hey!” You bellow, making it snap its head towards you and shriek with pain and anger.

You couldn’t care less though, you take advantage of this moment and hit the trigger again, managing to land another hit inside its mouth. This time however, the hit is lucky because it goes through the damaged flesh and goes all the way through, causing it to go limp and fall backwards with a loud thump.

Only when you know that it's dead do you stumble back with a weak smile twitching on your lips, hearing your name get louder the closer the group gets. It’s only when you catch a glimpse of Steve though that you finally alert them of your nearby presence. “Here! Here!”

At the sound of your voice, Steve snaps his head in your direction and spots you between the trees.

“Steve!” You cry and let the gun fall to your side to be able to run towards him.

Albeit as brave and fearless as you just were, when you see him, when you meet his worried gaze, you crack. The fear you pushed away rushes back and makes tears well in your eyes. When you finally meet halfway, you fall into his arms.

“Oh, god!” You hear Dustin cry with relief. “Oh, god! Oh, god!”

“Oh, baby,” Steve whispers by your ear as he hugs you tightly.

“I’m okay,” you assure him in a quivering voice. “I’m okay. I fought back. I wasn’t…it wasn’t going to take me. I wasn’t going to let it,” you stammer as you feel his face nuzzle in the crook of your neck. “I wasn’t going to let it take us.”

“I know, I know. Let me look at you,” he whispers before he pulls himself away to hold your face in his hands so he can study you closely.

“Are you hurt?” He asks as his eyes roam your body.

“No, no, I killed it, the Demogorgon. It was taking me.”

Steve looks at where you came from and you follow his line of gaze, seeing Nancy examining the dead monster riddled with spears.

“Are you?” You redirect at Steve as you look back at him. “Are you hurt?”

Steve meets your gaze again and shakes his head. “No, no.”

You sigh with relief and then hug him again, feeling him hug you back just as tightly as before. Only this time as he holds you he kisses the side of your head and rubs your back.

When you eventually pull away Dustin comes up to you and meets your gaze. He finally meets your gaze with a look of relief that makes his eyes gleam with tears. “We came after you the moment we saw that you were gone,” he blurts. “The door was ripped off and we knew it was a Demo so we ran. Steve and I. We ran after you…and we found you.”

You nod with a soft smile. “You did. You found me.”

He nods and sighs deeply. You take this opportunity and give him a half-hug that he quickly returns.

You don’t want to push it though, so you don’t linger. You pull away and then go to Jonathan as he walks up to you with his eyes full of worry.

“Are you okay?” He asks.

You meet in an embrace and then assure him. “Yeah.”

“Yeah?”

You nod and whisper. “I’m okay.”

“Good, my mom was going to kill me if you weren’t.”

You share a breathless laugh before you pull away and walk over to Nancy studying your work.

“You did it,” she praises you as she turns to face you. “You did amazing.” She smiles, and you finally grin at your job well done.

“I did,” you whisper before she grabs your shoulder and speaks with concern.

“Are you okay?”

You nod. “Yeah, I…fought back so I’m here. I’m okay.”

She nods in comprehension before she lets you go and helps you pull the spears out of the Demogorgon's body considering that it was the only ones you had with you.

“Let's head back to the car,” Jonathan says once you’re putting the spears away. “Who knows what’s lurking nearby and hopefully we’re able to get in touch with someone.”

You all agree and without hesitation you return to the car, realizing that luckily the Demogorgon wasn’t able to take you too far, it had stuck to the perimeter of the wall. As to where it was taking you? You don’t know, but the other Demogorgon most likely disappeared behind the wall so you can only assume that’s where it planned to take you. You got lucky though. You got super fucking lucky that it didn’t and that it didn’t make it far.

Albeit, when you reach the car, that comes with its own set of problems and that is that the car is so deep into the flesh-like wall that Steve can’t get it out, so it’s stuck, leaving you stranded by the church in the cemetery.

The good thing is that the antenna works so there’s that. As to a way out? Well, you’ll figure it out. As to communicating with the others? You’re hopeful you’ll hear something. Maybe your dad is nearby and maybe El is with him!

Dustin tries to communicate with your dad, but no luck.

He doesn’t stop trying though because there’s nothing to do but wait. Steve doesn’t like waiting, he says you’re too out in the open. You specifically since Vecna already sent his monster after you and could try again. There's nothing else you can currently do but wait though, so he only begrudgingly agrees, making you stay near him as he wanders around the church in your wait.

“You think Vecna slash Henry comes to pray?” You ask playfully. “I pray I look more and more like the crap down here. Amen. Is that how that goes?”

Steve scoffs lightheartedly before he adds on. “It goes, I pray that I am able to get away with kidnapping children and an unborn baby. Amen.”

You giggle as Steve points at the little white church. “This is probably where he gets his weird ideas or visions from a dark and twisted god,” he adds.

“There's always a greater evil behind someone. Or something. Imagine though.”

“I’d rather not,” he mutters before he slowly turns and points his flashlight at you which in turn makes you turn and point your light at him.

“I think mine is brighter,” you tease and smile, but when you don’t see him smile back you slowly go serious. “What is it?” You ask.

Steve sighs and shrugs before he points the light at you. “Is she…it, okay?”

You swallow thickly and turn away as you answer. “I think so. Nothing hurts or anything, but then again I don’t know if something is supposed to hurt.”

Steve continues to wander around the church before he adds his thoughts. “I don’t think so. It’d be bad wouldn’t it?”

“I think so, so thankfully I feel nothing…” you trail off and drop your head to mindlessly kick at the dirt beneath your feet as you build the courage to ask something you’ve been dreading.

If there wasn’t time you wouldn’t ask, but you have time to kill and you’re out here alone, so there’s no better time than now. “Steve,” you call out, piquing his interest and making him turn back around to face you.

“Hm?”

You slowly look up and share your question almost timidly. “After this is over. If it is. Will this news be exciting?”

Steve holds your gaze, catching the fear behind your eyes as you await his response that could completely turn you away from this idea or make you look forward to the change in your future.

“I mean,” Steve approaches this carefully. “Its sooner than we expected, but, yes. It will. I mean will it?”

You don’t tear down your walls, you can’t, but you offer him a promise you’ve made to yourself. “After, yeah. I mean we'll make it work.”

Steve nods in comprehension with a faint smile playing on his lips before his chest falls as he draws out a deep and relieved breath.

You share his relief and hold onto that after, hoping it will be as he says because right now you can’t see that outcome as clearly as he can. Or as he's trying to. The feeling of it being a burden still clouds your mind.

“We’re at a church,” Steve blurts, stealing your attention. “Makes you wonder.”

“If a god exists down here?” You say, making him scoff as he starts to walk back to where the others are.

“No, you pretty idiot. Marriage,” he says, and you can’t help but laugh before you boldly reject him and turn down any crazy idea he might have.

“If you propose to me because I am expecting your child I will leave you.”

“What?” Steve exclaims as he spins around to face.

“It’s a pity proposal,” you counter as you start walking past him. “I don’t want a pity proposal. I want to be asked because you want to share a life with me.”

“I do!” He yells as he quickly falls by your side. “I said I can’t live without you.”

“No,” you deadpan.

“I want you,” he adds sweetly, but you stand with your choice no matter how he bats his eyes.

“No.”

“I need you.”

You break into a chuckle and shake your head. “No.”

“And there it is,” he whispers in awe, making you roll your eyes before you quip.

“You know I think you might want me dead. First, you run me over with your car and then, you ram into a wall.”

“Oh, that’s. Hm. That’s a low blow,” he mutters.

You shrug nonchalantly. “Facts,” you state as you shrug.

“Take it back,” he demands with a serious tone that you actually know not to take seriously.

“No.”

Without saying anything else and without warning, he suddenly throws his arms around you and picks you off the ground.

“Steve!” You chuckle. “I’m dirty,” you throw an excuse.

“So?” He quips as he puts you down and presses you against him. “I’m dirty too, I don't care. And,” he adds as he gently bites your neck, making you grin—“I didn’t run you over.”

“Almost,” you whisper

“Did I tell you how badass you were?” He tries to make you forget and it works because it gets your mind off the memory.

“Why thanks. Wasn’t I?” You say with a smirk.

“Hey, hey, it’s Hop. I copy,” you hear the familiar voice in the distance, making you share an excited look with Steve before you quickly slip from his hold and run over to where Dustin is.

“Holy shit! Okay. They’re alive!” Dustin announces before you reach him and immediately press him.

“Ask if he found El!”

“El. El,” he says through the walkie. “Is El with you? Over.”

“Yes, I’m here. Over,” said girl says through the walkie, making you turn to Steve and flash him a smile as he falls next to you.

“Okay!” Dustin exclaims. “Yay. Terrific. I don’t know what you’re doing right now or if you’re caught up in something important, but—”

“Dustin,” Jonathan cuts off the chatter and Nancy bounces off him.

“Meet us!”

“Meet us at Roane Cemetery Church, please,” Dustin cuts to the point.

“Roane Cemetery?” You hear your dad ask now. “How the hell are you contacting us from there?”

Oh, he’s gonna be mad. Not at them. At you.

“Right. You don’t know,” Dustin says. “We’re in the Upside Down.”

“What?”

“Long story short, we’re here to track a Demogorgon using our telemetry tracker, only to then hit a wall. Literally,” Dustin explains. “Now, Steve’s Beamer is stuck, so we need El to come and pry it loose using her powers, so we can then resume the search for said Demogorgon which will, in theory, lead us to Holly. Does any of this make sense? Do you need additional details? Questions? Concerns? Over.”

“You hit a wall?” Your dad asks. “What kind of wall, exactly?”

You all point your flashlights at said wall as you look at it and get closer.

“Uh…it’s a bit…hard to describe,” Dustin says. “It’s sort of…”

“Huge,” you add. “Disgusting.”

“Smells like Henderson’s armpit,” Steve quips.

“Answer me this, Dustin…is that my daughter I heard there with you?” You hear your dad ask, so you turn to face Dustin and he looks at you with a questioning look that you give an answer to with a nod that lets him know that it’s okay for him to say that you’re here.

“Yes,” Dustin answers hesitantly. “Her, Steve, Jonathan, Nancy, and I are all here.”

You hear your dad groan before he responds. “Okay. Well…we’ll discuss that later. As of now, we hit the same thing, but not at the Roane Cemetery. We hit it about a quarter mile southeast of the old Hagen Bridge.”

You realize how far that is and feel a sudden chill run down your spine.

“That’s the opposite side of town,” Nancy points out.

“Fascinating,” Dustin muses before your dad talks again.

“We don’t know what it is, but we think that Holly’s behind it. Don’t bother trying to break through. You can’t. We’re working on a solution.”

Good, you think to yourself while Nancy snatches Dustin’s walkie from his hand to snap at your dad.

“Solution? What kind of solution?” Nancy asks and waits, but there’s no answer so she presses. “Wait, what kind of solution? Hopper!”

“Listen,” your dad then interjects. “We gotta keep the airwaves clear, all right? We’ll come get you. Just stay put,” he ends it at that, making Nancy turn around swiftly to face all of you with a look of annoyance and frustration.

“A solution. What does that mean?!” Nancy exclaims before her eyes find you. “What do you think it means?” She directs at you with her eyes narrowed.

You almost want to just make something up to ease her mind, but that wouldn’t do any good, so you answer truthfully. “I don’t know.”

“You don’t know?! You’re his daughter and are the one with the military mind!”

You scoff in annoyance before you snap back. “It could mean anything knowing him and well, I’m not with him am I?”

Nancy turns on her heels and storms off towards the church, causing Jonathan to go after her while you turn to Steve cluelessly.

“Am I supposed to be linked to the man? The hell?”

Steve huffs. “Ignore her. She’s just upset.”

“She’s scary.”

“Tell me about it,” he says as he rubs your back.

Without any hard feelings, you start to go after Nancy, seeing her pace back before turning toward the church and just storming inside with Jonathan at tow. You almost make it to the door before you realize that Dustin is not with you.

“Dustin?” You call out before you turn to look back, expecting him to be there, but he’s not, so you turn again and see him striding towards the car. “Dustin?! Where are you—”

“Car!” He yells. “I’m going in the car!”

“Jeez,” you mutter before you continue towards the church. “And I’m supposed to be the emotional one.”

“You are,” Steve says nonchalantly as he opens the door for you, making you pass him a side eye as you walk in.

“You are,” he stands his ground. “But I mean it’s fair with you and you’re not actually screaming or you know, like, before.”

You nod softly in agreement. “I know, huh?” You ask lightheartedly as you think of the past. “But that wasn’t me. I’m changed now.”

“Uh-huh. It was cute though.”

You flash your boyfriend a cheeky smile before you sit down on the first bench, leaving him room to sit beside you and watch as Nancy paces at the front of the church while Jonathan sits on the steps of the platform.

“This is kind of impressive,” you comment as you look around at all the details that match the church at the other side just perfectly. “I mean I knew it was all the same, but still, it just doesn’t fail to amaze me.”

“Or creep you out, huh?” Steve adds and you can’t help but nod in agreement before you tilt your head his way to address something else.

“He’s going to sigh all dramatically and shake his head in frustration when he sees me,” you share how your dad is going to react when he sees you. “He’s going to be pissed,” you add.

“Yeah,” Steve agrees as he drapes his arm around your shoulders. “But he’s going to hug you. He always does even if he’s upset.”

You drop your head and can’t think of anything better than your dad's embrace. It’d chase some of that fear away and no matter what or who you’re with, he’d make you feel safer. So, even if you’ll be received with anger you hope you see him soon.

“I hope El is okay,” you add quietly.

“I’m sure she is,” Steve assures you. “She sounded okay.”

“Yeah,” you whisper. “She did.”

“Will you tell her?” Steve asks quietly so the others wouldn’t hear. “If not anyone else, just her. I think it’d make her happy.”

You smile fondly. “Yeah, it would,” you muse before you lift your gaze and find his. “I did tell Nancy,” you reveal, making Steve look at said girl still pacing before he then looks back at you.

“You did?” He asks with confusion.

You smirk. “We bonded in the hospital,” you share. “And well,” you add. “I thought of telling Robin, but she’d freak out. I needed to tell someone collected and she was. She helped me feel better.”

Steve hums as he finds nothing against your friendship. Is it weird? A little bit, but he’s glad that you’ve finally bonded. Things don’t have to be so awkward anymore either.

“Well, that’s good,” he says and you hum in agreement before he continues. “Anyway, I think you should tell El, not just to make her happy, but so she can know from you who Vecna is really after instead of hearing the news from him as some way of tormenting her.”

You nod gently. “Yeah, that’s right.” You sigh. “I’ll tell her then. Just her. I’ll wait to tell my dad.”

“Please.”

You giggle before you lean towards his side to drop your head on his shoulder and watch Nancy pacing.

“My mom always said it was better to speak your mind when your thoughts were running wild,” you direct at her.

“Your dad,” Nancy blurts. “I mean I just—working on a solution?” She does as you advised her. “I mean, if he has a solution to get through this and to get to Holly, he should…he should share it with us!”

“Well, I just say we ignore the old man,” Steve shares his thoughts. “We keep moving. Look for a door or something.”

“Yeah, and uh, just curious,” Jonathan says. “This door of yours, what? It’s soft like a Peanut Butter Bopper?”

You roll your eyes.

“You got something to say, Byers, why don’t you just come out and say it, man?” Steve spats, making Jonathan get up and counter.

“I’m just saying maybe you shouldn’t be making the calls from now on.”

“It was not just his call,” Nancy interjects. “It was mine because it’s my sister. And…I agree with Steve. Okay, we can’t just sit here.”

At the sound of Nancy’s comment, Steve finds Jonathan's gaze and points at Nancy smugly, making you smack him gently.

“Steve,” you warn him as Jonathan looks away looking a little hurt.

“What?” Steve asks cluelessly, but you just look at him and shake your head with a little smile before you look back at Nancy as she keeps rambling.

“I don’t know about a door, but this wall can’t go on forever. There has to be a way around it. I mean the Demogorgon was taking you somewhere,” Nancy directs at you. “You just stopped him before you could reach it or get close, right? Did you see something?” She asks, making you shake your head.

“No, just woods,” you share. “I don’t think we were close to where it was taking me.”

Nancy sighs and looks away before she mutters seconds later. “And we lost track of the Demo we tagged…” she trails off and looks at you again with her eyebrows knotted, which means something.

“What?” You try to figure her out.

Her eyes trail down to your stomach and then slowly drift back to meet your gaze with a troubled look mixed with guilt.

At first, you’re confused and curious, but then it’s that guilt that makes her face fall that makes you realize what she’s thinking.

She wants to use you and…the baby…

“No,” you immediately spat and get up, making Jonathan and Steve confused. “No. No.” You point at her angrily and with hostility.

“What?” Steve asks in confusion, but you don’t answer and Nancy just shakes her head and parts her lips to get ready to argue, but you cut her off.

“We find a way around if that’s what it takes, but—”

“There isn’t!” Dustin comes into the church blurting with a sheet of paper in his hand. “This wall is a circle,” he says, and lets the paper extend to point at the big circle he drew. “A circle completely surrounding the Upside Down.”

“Oh yeah?” Steve questions him. “And how exactly did you figure that?”

“Because unlike you, I didn’t sleep through Algebra 1.”

You examine the circle and are still confused so you retort. “I didn’t sleep through Algebra 1 and I’m still confused.”

Dustin scoffs and then walks over to get up on the platform and spread the paper on a podium, making you all gather around him. “So my telemetry tracker picked up a weird frequency coming from the wall,” Dustin shares. “And it took me a bit to place, but I’ve heard it before,” he says and then points at Jonathan. “Rather we have. Remember when we were out looking for Hop, and you heard that sound off of Irwin Road?”

“Yeah,” Jonathan agrees. “You said it was interference.”

“It was.” Dustin nods. “But this interference, it wasn’t coming from a military broadcast or an EMI. It was coming from this wall.” Dustin points at a spot on the circle. “Which is important because that gives us three known locations. So, I connected the dots, measured the midpoints, drew the perpendicular bisectors—”

“All right!” Steve interrupts him. “Yeah, we’re not your teachers. We don’t need to see your work. We get it. You think it’s all a big circle.”

“I don’t think,” Dustin counters as Steve walks away to sit back down. “I know. I triple checked, and my calculations are correct—”

“Jesus, whatever!” Steve cuts him off in annoyance. “I still don’t see how this gets us any closer to finding Holly.”

“Because it’s not about the circle. It’s about the center,” Dustin explains and points at the center, making you, Jonathan, and Nancy lean forward to look at what was marked on the paper.

“The DOE,” Jonathan says. “The Department of Energy.”

“That’s—”

“Hawkins lab,” Dustin cuts Nancy off and pushes himself between you and her to point at the center all excitedly. “What are the chances that the center of this wall just so happens to be in the place where all of this started, where the Upside Down was created?”

“So,” you interject. “The lab created the wall?” You question him.

“No idea,” he admits. “But I think we should find out. Don’t you?”

You look at Steve to see what he thinks and he just shrugs. “Sure,” he sighs. “Why not?”

“Yeah, I mean it was better than the plan Nancy was coming up with,” you quip. “I’m all for it. We can tell my dad and El to meet us there instead.”

Dustin grins and nods. “Great,” he muses. “Let’s go then.”

.

.

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A/N- Not Nancy getting ready to use baby Harrington as bait. lol.