~*****~

Juliet couldn't see herself living in the suburbs. She had all her life, but now that she'd grown older, retained some of her own preferences, she preferred something close to town- an apartment, maybe. And looking up at Victor Creel's old house, she understood why. Being close to resources is great and everything, but some of the old suburb's houses could house danger, and that danger, being a gate to the Upside Down. It was chilly outside, giving the entire vibe a creep factor of ten. "Yeah, that's not creepy..." Steve trailed off as he peered up at the house. Instinctively, his hand reached forward and cupped at the back of Juliet's arm, rubbing his thumb across her skin, for her sanity, or his, he didn't know at the moment. At the door, Steve and Juliet began prying nails out of the rotten cover. "I mean, what exactly are we supposed to be looking for in this shithole?" Steve asked.

"We're not sure," Juliet shrugged. 

"We just know this house is important to Vecna." Nancy put in.

"Because Max saw it in Vecna's red soup mind world?" Steve asked.

"Pretty sure that's the gist of it," Juliet huffed irritably.

"Great," Steve sighed.

"Maybe it holds a clue to where Vecna is. Why he's back. Why he killed the Creels." Dustin hummed. "And how to stop him before he comes back for Max."

"We don't think he's in here, do we?" Lucas asked.

"Guess we'll find out," Max hummed.

Steve grasped onto the wood on one side and glanced at Juliet. She nodded and the two let the board fall with a heavy thud. Steve attempts to open the door, only to grimace at the lock. Juliet rolled her eyes and pushed him out of the way with a tap on his arm. Rearing her leg up, and letting it crack forward, the door snapped open on it's hinges, slamming against the wall with a loud shatter.

"And I don't see why you didn't wanna go for the Olympics or some shit," Dustin commented.

"Shut up, Dustin," Juliet snapped as she stepped into the house.

"I'm just saying, doors built in the fifties are super thick and were impossible to break down and you manage to do it with one mule kick?" Dustin hummed.

"I said shut up," Juliet snapped again. She gave a grimace as she peered around with her flashlight, squinting in the darkness.

"Looks like someone forgot to pay their electric bill," Lucas hummed.

Dustin turned on his flashlight and shined it up to the ceiling. Steve stared at it long and hard and then to everyone else, who had their own flashlight. "Where'd everyone get those?" Steve asked worriedly.

Dustin glanced back at him, then did a double take in confusion. "Do you need to be told everything?" Dustin asked. Steve just stared at him in irritation. "You're not a child."

"Thank you." Steve hummed irritably.

"Dustin, we've talked about this attitude of yours." Juliet reminded him as she pulled him along by the hood. "Keep it up, and I'll kick your ass this time."

Dustin waved her off, taking no heed to her threats. It was true, in some ways. Juliet hated that her brother had caught on early she'd never lay a hand on him, unless it was a swat to the back of the head, and even then, it was tame compared to how she swatted everyone else, who winced and rubbed at the spot.

Dustin took his bag off and tossed it to Steve. "Back pocket." He hummed before turning to walk off with his sister.

"They just left everything," Nancy hums softly.

"I guess a triple homicide isn't good for resale value," Robin mentioned.

"I think it makes it interesting," Juliet retorted. Nancy swatted at her arm.

"Hey, guys?" Max called out. "You all see that, right?"

On one of the walls, sat a very old Grandfather Clock. "Yeah," Steve and Dustin hum.

"Is this what you saw?" Juliet asked. "In your visions?"

Max nodded silently. "I mean, it's just a clock. Right?" Robin asked meekly. Stepping forward, Robin rubbed the dust from the glass covering. "Like a normal old clock.

"Why is this wizard obsessed with clocks?" Steve wondered aloud. "Maybe he's like, a clockmaker, or something?"

"I think you cracked the case, Steve," Dustin hummed. Steve once again stared at Dustin irritably.

"All I know is, the answers are here." Nancy mentioned. "Somewhere. Okay, everyone stay in groups of two. Robin, Julie, upstairs." Nancy nodded her head to the stairs.

Juliet and Robin shared a glance before shrugging and following after her dutifully. Juliet vaguely hears Steve sighing. "Was that a sigh?" Dustin asked loudly.

"No, I did not sigh." Steve retorted blandly.

"Why'd you sigh?" Dustin asked again.

"I didn't sigh. Just, come on, dude." Steve complained.

"I heard you." Dustin snapped.

"Well, we're just always partners, okay?" Steve huffed.

"What, you have a problem with that?" Dustin asked.

"It'd just be nice to partner up with my girlfriend every now and again," Steve commented, causing Juliet to flush as Robin and Nancy peer back at her, knowing smirks on their faces. With a swat to their backsides, Juliet urges them forward.

~*****~

Juliet heard a crash and ambled down the hallway, holding a handkerchief over her nose. Steve came stumbling out of a room, swiping at his jacket. "Hey, whoa, whoa!" Juliet called out, stopping his mad dance. "What's wrong?"

"There was a spider," Steve retorted breathlessly.

"What?" Juliet asked.

"It's a black widow." Steve panted before slamming the door shut. "Don't go in there." 

"Steve, just stay calm, okay?" Juliet asked as she spotted a spider in his hair.

"Wait, wait- what? What?" Steve urged as he stumbled to a mirror.

"Just stop- moving-" Juliet hissed, hands digging into his shoulders. Reaching into his hair, Juliet felt the little legs of the spider amble onto her fingers before skittering into her palm. Gingerly smooshing her hand against the wall, the spider ambled up the wood, disappearing into a hole.

"Wow, can't believe you found a spider in there," Robin hummed. "Look for the eggs~"

"What's wrong with you?" Steve complained, giving a whole-body shudder. Nancy and Robin giggled with one another before brushing past the two. "S-Seriously?" He gave a sigh and pinched his nose. "She's got problems."

"Yes, but that's why we love her." Juliet hummed, repressing her handkerchief onto her nose.

"You okay? Dust isn't bothering you at all?" Steve asked curiously, patting at the smattering of dust on her shoulders.

Juliet shrugged. "I'm feeling a stinging in my throat, so that'll kick my ass later." Juliet retorted. "It's no big deal, okay? Let's keep looking."

"Hey," Steve hummed softly, catching her arm. "If you need to step outside for some fresh air, just tell me, okay?"

"I'll just pop a Benadryl later," Juliet waved him off. "Max is more important."

Steve stared after her as she ambled after Robin and Nancy, still cupping her face with the dingy fabric. Steve sighed, hands propped on his hips before he flinched to the side at Dustin coming out, flashlight in his face. "That was so lame, dude." Dustin hummed before ambling after his sister, something Steve noticed were basically the same thing. The little shit was turning into his sister, all right.

"Hey, guys?" Max called out, urging the group upstairs to scramble down. In the dining room, the chandelier was lit up, flickering wildly.

"It's like the Christmas lights," Nancy mentioned.

"The Christmas lights?" Robin asked.

"Yeah, when Will was in the upside down, the lights... came to life." Nancy answered.

"Vecna's here," Lucas hummed. "In this house. Just on the other side." The light died, giving the room back its eerie, but familiar feel.

"I think he just left the room," Juliet murmured.

"Did he hear us?" Max asked worriedly.

"Can he see us?" Steve asked.

"Headphones," Juliet urged, slapping at Max's arm.

"Wait, wait- everyone turn off your flashlights, spread out." Nancy urged.

"We're not gonna be able to see if we turn off our flash... lights..." Steve trailed off as everyone clicked off their lights.

The group trailed through the house without the use of their lights, looking for another lightbulb that would be flickering. "I got him!" Robin called out loudly. The group ran to her. "I got him!" She urged again, but then her flashlight went out. "I- I had him."

Steve's went off next. "Whoa-" He chirped in surprise as his flashlight went off. "Oh, I think he's moving," Steve commented as he began walking forward. "He's moving! He's moving." The group followed after Steve as he lead them through the hallways and up the stairs until they ended up at the top flight, when the light surged out. "Shit, I lost him."

"No, you didn't," Max hummed, pushing past the group. Opening the door at the end of the hall, a light flickered from within. With Max leading the group, they ambled up the stairs warily.

"It's an attic... Of course it's an attic," Robin whined.

"Hold up, guys," Dustin called out. "What if he's leading us into a trap?" Dustin asked. "Guys, guys!" Juliet could hear his cursing as he ambled up after them. The lone light in the middle of the attic flickered aimlessly. "Flashlights," Dustin called as the group surrounded the flickering bulb. One by one, each of the group pulled out their lights, peering at them cautiously as the lights began to glow brightly.

"Okay, what's happening?" Steve asked nervously.

Juliet swallowed the tight feeling in her throat, vaguely wondering why the sense of dread was just under her feet. It made her feel queasy, her stomach clenching desperately. Then, it got so bright, the bulbs shattered in each of the flashlights, causing most of the group to recoil in shock. The group went silent, staring at each other in the darkness as the last bulb popped.

~*****~

Juliet rubbed at her still damp hair after everyone had went to sleep, squeezing water out of the strands delicately as if she were in deep thought. Steve eyed her cautiously before ambling over with a comb, parting at her hair and get rid of the easier tangles within the messy, curly tresses. "Something doesn't feel right," Juliet muttered all of a sudden.

"What doesn't?" Steve asked.

"Vecna being in the Creel house. It was relatively new when they'd bought it. How did a gate to the upside down appear inside? And if it did, why didn't we find it?" Juliet asked.

Steve was silent for a moment, just brushing through her hair calmly. "I don't know," He answered honestly. Reaching around, Steve tilted her chin back and kissed her softly, then kissed her nose, then her forehead before letting her tilt her head back forward. "We'll figure it out. But we won't be able to do that without a good night's sleep, okay?"

Juliet peered up at him for a moment before nodding gingerly. It was hard to fall asleep, given everything that's happened, but Juliet was a little more alert the next morning. The car ride to Reefer Rick's was almost painfully silent, had it not been for Steve and Dustin snacking away in the back. "Can I stay in the car for this meeting, 'cause this is gonna totally and royally suck." Robin commented.

"It'll be fine, stop complaining," Juliet retorted, fiddling with her pocketknife.

"I just can't stand the see those dull eyes of Eddie's break again," Robin murmured. "I really, really can't."

"At least he can drink himself into feeling better," Steve commented through a mouthful of potato chips. Juliet glanced back at him, and received a boyish grin that was covered in salt and potato chip crumbs. She offered him a smile and shook her head. 

"That's what my mom does," Max comments.

"Why don't we just give it a trial run?" Robin suggested. "Hey, Eddie. Uh, good news first this time. We got you some Dustin-approved junk food and that six-pack you requested. Oh yeah, and we found Vecna. Only, bad news is that he's in the other, darker, much scarier dimension, that we told you about and the gates closed, so we have no way of getting to him. Like he's entirely shut off to us, so basically, you're screwed. And, no, no, I know you were already screwed, but now you're doubly, triply screwed." 

"Maybe we don't put it like that, Rob," Juliet hummed as she peered over the back of her seat. "We'll just say we're one step closer to finding Vecna, and whatever positive bullshit Nancy would say." Juliet teased, receiving a playful slap to the arm.

"Positivity wouldn't kill you, you know." Nancy retorted.

"See, Robin? Positive spin can make all the difference," Steve mentioned as he shoved another potato chip in his mouth. Robin hummed in annoyance.

"Oh, shit-" Juliet murmured, eyes back on the road. Cops lined Reefer Rick's house. The group clambered out of the car anxiously, approaching the scene. Juliet peered around before nudging at Nancy's arm. "This way," She urged, leading the pack around the news van.

"The Roane County line received a call a little after midnight," Officer Powell's voice rang out. "Reporting a homicide out here on the lake.  Officer Callahan here and myself arrived first on the scene. We made our way to the shore of Lover's Lake about ten yards from that house you see behind me. It was there that we found the victim, an eighteen-year-old senior from Hawkin's High, Patrick McKinney. His limbs... and his body, uh, it was disfigured. There was an eyewitness on the scene. We have also identified a person of interest." Holding up a photo of Eddie, Juliet felt her stomach drop. "Eddie Munson. We encourage anyone with information to please come forward."

"Oh man." Steve sighed. "This is not good. This is really not good."

Officer Powell finished his statement when Dustin's walkie crackled to life. "Dustin, can you hear me? Wheeler? Julie?" Eddie's voice rang out.

Dustin hurriedly grasped it and moved away from the van. "Eddie, holy shit-" Dustin gasped quietly into the phone. "Are you okay?"

"Nah, man. Pretty... Pretty goddamn far from okay." Eddie grit out.

"Where is he?" Robin asked.

"Where are you?" Dustin asked into the walkie.

"Skull Rock. Do know it?" Eddie chimed.

"Uh, yeah, that's near Cornwallis and--"

"Garrett, yeah, I know where that is." Steve urged, stopping Dustin before tromping off. The group surged after him.

"Hold tight, we're coming. We're coming." Dustin hummed into the walkie.

~*****~

The trek through the forest started out fine, until Steve and Dustin began to bicker. "Dude, I'm telling you, you're taking us the wrong way." Steve commented irritably.

"It's north, I'm positive." Dustin retorted. "I check the map."

"You do realize Skull Rock, it's like a super popular make-out spot?" Steve commented.

"Yeah, so?" Dustin retorted.

"Yeah, well, it wasn't popular until I made it popular," Steve stated. "All right? I practically invented it. We're heading in the wrong direction." Steve veered off to the side.

"Steve-" Dustin complained. "Where are you going? Steve!"

"Stop whining. Let's go. Trust me." Steve retorted.

"Exactly how many girls did you bring to Skull Rock?" Juliet asked, suddenly feeling irate about the fact Steve was taking everyone to an old make-out spot, aside from the fact that Eddie was hiding out there.

"Uh, well, I-" Steve trailed off. Dustin began to snicker. "What are you laughing at, you punk," Steve retorted, shoving his head a bit. Juliet rolled her eyes and shoved her hands into her back pockets, feeling her legs ache from the last few days of running around like chickens with their heads cut off. "Oh, boom!" Steve cheered as he cleared the tree line. "Bada bing, bada boom. There she is, Henderson. Skull Rock. In your face, man. In your stupid, cocky little face." Steve gloated.

Dustin glanced down at his compass. "Doesn't make sense..." Dustin murmured.

"Yeah, yeah, even with it staring you in the face, you can't admit it." Steve mentioned proudly. "You just can't admit you're wrong, you little butthead."

Juliet leapt back as Eddie appeared. "I concur. You, Dustin Henderson, are a total butthead."

"Jesus, we thought you were a goner," Dustin commented happily as he surged forward to hug Eddie.

Eddie grinned into the hug and returned it happily. "Yeah, me too, man."

Juliet crinkled her nose at Eddie. "Is that just lake water or is it just oh natural Eddie." Juliet teased. Eddie whiffed at his underarm before recoiling. "Don't sweat it, Freak Boy, here." Juliet reached into her bag and produced a little stick of Soft and Dri. "Make yourself smell pretty for our sake."

Eddie beamed and took it, shoving it under his arms ungracefully and applied it onto his underarms. He held it back out, only for Juliet to shake her head at it and reshouldered her bag. Eddie took a seat with the food everyone had brought for him. "When I got to shore, I tried calling you guys, but, uh... my walkie was busted, man. Drenched. So, uh, I did the thing that I do now, apparently. I ran." Eddie chuckled.

"Do you know what time this was?" Nancy asked. "The attack?"

"Yeah, no, I... I know exactly what time it was," Eddie hummed. "My walkie wasn't the only thing that got soaked." Eddie chirped as he threw his watch at Nancy. Juliet peered over Nancy's shoulder.

Nancy glanced up at Juliet and the two nodded. "Nine twenty-seven." Nancy hummed.

"Same time our flashlights went kablooey." Robin mentioned.

"Which means what exactly?" Steve asked.

"The surge of energy was Vecna attacking Patrick," Juliet stated.

"Well, we're one step closer. We know how Vecna attacks." Robin sighed.

"And where he attacks from." Lucas added.

"So, now we just need to sneak into his lair in the Upside Down and drive a stake through his heart." Max commented.

"If he even has a heart," Robin snorts.

"A stake? Is he like a vamp? Is he a vampire?" Steve asked, confusion on his face.

"Steve, you'd die too if you had a stake driven through your heart," Juliet commented. "Besides, a bullet should work on him. Or like I keep saying, fucking him up good will do the trick."

"I say we just chop his head off," Lucas retorted. Juliet snapped her fingers and pointed at Lucas.

"See, at least someone's on my side with getting in his face." Juliet hummed.

"Yeah, you're the only one who wants to fist fight with something from the upside down," Robin retorted.

"Not a Demogorgon, those things are scary," Juliet retorted.

"We still can't do any of that till we find a way to the Upside Down." Nancy commented.

"We need El to get her powers back." Mac mentioned.

"Yeah, everything was like, way easier. We had this girl, she had superpowers," Steve mentioned to Eddie.

"Superpowers, yeah, you mentioned her." Eddie hummed.

"Yes, but we totally relied on her for everything, we're not doing that again, not now, she's in California, probably sucking on Mike's neck or something," Juliet commented with a grimace.

"Ew, don't say that," Nancy shot back.

"Hey, uh, Henderson's not, uh, cursed, is he?" Eddie asked.

"Cursed? No, no. He's fine." Steve hummed.

"Just an attitude problem," Juliet added.

All of a sudden, Dustin raised his arms. "Boom!" He shouted. He pointed at Steve with a smug look on his face. "Bada... Bada... Boom." Dustin drawled out. "I was right. Skull rock was North."

"Seriously, you're serious?" Steve asked. Dustin nods happily. "This is Skull Rock, okay? You're totally, absolutely, one hundred percent wrong." Steve complained as Juliet fished out her compass, brows lifting at the wonky needle. "Right now."

"Yes." Dustin nodded as Juliet began turning her body in response to the needle. "And no." Dustin tromped over to his sister and snatched her compass to hold them up. "These compass' worked correctly when we left the Wheelers'. It was correct when we got in the car on Curly. But it started to slip the further East we went. Now, it's way off. When I was leading us here, I wasn't wrong. The compass was." Dustin explained.

"You're using faulty equipment, man, you're still wrong," Steve commented.

"It's not faulty, Steve," Juliet quipped, taking her compass back. "Remember when we told you how Lucas found the gate at Hawkin's lab?" Steve shrugged. "A gate to the Upside Down can generate a strong enough electromagnetic field to disrupt the magnets in a compass- or any magnet in that matter." Juliet explained.

"So... you're saying... there's a gate nearby?" Robin asked.

"Obviously, or someone's building a super big magnet, which is highly unlikely," Juliet hummed.

"But we're nowhere near the lab," Nancy hummed.

"There was a gate underneath the mall, who's to say another didn't open up somewhere else? Somewhere that Vecna could escape through without anyone seeing him?" Juliet asked.

"How? Why?" Steve asked.

"No idea. All I can figure out is that something is causing this disturbance, and if Dustin hadn't been so obsessed with proving he was right, we might've never known." Juliet commented as she rubbed at her brother's head. "Because if it is a gate, we have a way to Venca, ergo, a way to free Max from his curse."

Dustin grabbed at his sister's arm and the two began stomping through the forest. "Where are you guys going?" Steve complained. "Hey! Hey, hey!" Steve called out, stopping them. "Eddie's still a wanted man. We can't just go hike in the woods."

"This little steel capsule may be the only key to saving both Max and Eddie." Dustin retorted irritably. Dustin raised his arms to Eddie. "What say you, Eddie the Banished?"

The group stares at Eddie for his answer. "I say you're asking me to follow you into Mordor, which if I'm totally straight with you, I think it's a really bad idea. But, uh, the Shire... the Shire is burning." Dustin began bouncing in his spot, grinning. Eddie stood up. "So, Mordor it is."

"You guys are nerds," Juliet mentioned before holding up her compass and turning on her heel.