~*****~

Night had fallen by the time Dustin's compass began spinning wildly. "Something's happening," Dustin grinned up to his sister.

"Dustin, Julie? Can you slow down? Dustin?" Eddie complained.

"I think we're getting close!" Dustin called out.

Juliet grasped his bag and snatched him tight from falling into the water. "Watch it, you get sick easily," Juliet reminded him.

"Aw man, you gotta be shitting me," Steve groaned at the sight of the large lake.

"Yeah. I thought these woods were familiar," Eddie hummed.

"Lover's Lake," Robin sighed.

"This is confounding," Dustin mentioned.

"There's a gate in Lover's Lake?" Max asked.

"Whenever the Demogorgon attacked, it always left an opening," Juliet hummed. "It's the perfect place to appear, I mean, what if he doesn't need oxygen like we do?" Juliet asked as she stooped down to the water. "He could go out and return without anyone seeing him."

"Yeah, only one way to find out," Steve hummed. Eddie led them to the boat. "Easy. I... I said easy, man!" Steve complained as he and Eddie lifted it into the water.

"Sorry, dude," Eddie retorted.

Robin braced her hands on Eddie's and Steve's head as she stepped in, leading Nancy to do the same. Juliet rolled her eyes as Steve held his hand out and stepped onto the boat as if she'd done it all her life. Steve just beamed as she took a seat by Robin and Nancy.

"Hey, hey, hey, you trying to sink us?" Eddie asked as he stopped Dustin from getting on. "This thing holds four people, tops." Eddie explained.

"Stay on the shore with Max and Lucas. Where it's safe." Juliet ordered sternly.

"You keep an eye out," Dustin shot back. Juliet narrowed her eyes at Dustin. "It's my goddamn theory." Juliet recoiled for a brief moment before smiling, the ends not quite reaching her eyes.

"No, no, you're right-" Juliet hummed in a sweet, saccharine tone that made Steve wince. "C'mere, Dustin." Dustin beamed and took a step forward. Juliet snatched his ear tight, then his cheek before making him whine in annoyance. "Now you listen to me, little brother. Stay where it's safe, you got it?"

"Got it, got it-" Dustin whined, tears burning his eyes from the pinch.

"Good. Now stop with the attitude, Dust, I mean it. You're acting like-" Juliet stopped herself and it seemed to placate Dustin as well. "Just stop it."

He nodded and stepped back. Juliet held out her compass as she sat back down. "Hey, there you go," Steve hummed, tossing the backpack at Dustin. Pushing the boat into the water, Steve leapt in at the last second.

"You said four!" Dustin complained loudly when he did.

Steve just grinned impishly before shrugging and muttering out an apology. Juliet pinched at his thigh. "Bedtime at nine, kiddos!" Robin chirped. "Miss you already!"

The water was eerily still as the boat floated along. Juliet gave a flinch as her compass began going wild. "Hold on, stop-" Juliet ordered. She could feel Steve's warmth radiate from her shoulder as he leaned over it, peering at her compass.

"Whoa-" Steve hummed.

"Guys, what's going on?" Dustin's voice crackled in the walkie. "Come on, guys, what's going on, talk to me."

"Julie's compass has gone from wonky to wonky with a capital aah!" Robin retorted.

Juliet flinched as Steve started removing his socks and shoes. "Whoa, whoa, wait a minute, what are you doing?" Juliet asked in shock.

"Somebody's gotta go down there and check this out." Steve retorted. "Unless one of you four can top being a Hawkin's High Swim co-captain," Steve hummed with a prideful smirk. "And a certified lifeguard for three years, then.. It's gotta be me. No complaints, all right?"

Steve stood up, rocking the boat just a bit when Juliet moved to try and stop him. "Steve, hold on-"

"Hey, I'm not complaining," Eddie hummed. "I do not wanna go down there."

Whipping off his sweater, Steve placed it into Juliet's hands as her eyes unwilling trail to his chest before anxiously snapping back up to his face. "Hey," Eddie hummed as Juliet let her gaze fall to the sweater in her hands. "Good luck," Eddie said as he held out a flashlight wrapped in a bag.

"Thanks," Steve nodded.

Eddie goes to light a cigarette before Robin snatches it with a grunt. "Gross." Robin chirps and tosses it in the water.

"Steve-" Juliet said softly, grasping his arm. Steve peered down at her, swallowing the lump in his throat. "Don't you dare do anything stupid," She ordered harshly. Steve didn't take it to heart. Steve knew that look by now. Worry and concern that was almost perfectly covered with annoyance. It made him happy to know she cared that much.

Angling her head up just a bit, Steve pecked her cheek before diving into the water like a true athlete. Juliet tossed Robin the sweater and grasped onto the edge of the boat, peering at the water anxiously. "Where are we at, Nancy?" Juliet asked as the moments tick on.

"Closing in on a minute," Nancy hummed.

Juliet nodded. Closing in on the second minute mark, Steve's head popped back up, sucking in a great breath of air. The other's exclaimed in shock as Juliet gasped out in relief. "I found it!" Steve grinned, all teeth.

"You found it?" Juliet asked eagerly.

"I found it, yeah. I found it," Steve nodded. Reaching her arm out, Steve grasped onto Juliet's arm.

"Dustin, you're a goddamn Einstein." Robin chirped into the walkie. "Steve found the gate!"

"That was pretty wild," Steve hummed as he Juliet helped him grasp onto the boat. "It's more a snack-size gate than the mama gate, but still, it's pretty damn big." Steve explained before something tugs at him briefly. He gives a shocked expression before he's sucked under the dark water, causing Juliet to shout.

"Steve! Everyone stay here!" She barks loudly. Whipping off her jacket, Juliet tosses it to the floor of the boat and leaps in without a second thought, ignoring the shouts from the others. The water was cold and bitter but the glow in the distance kept Juliet going. Clawing against the strange, fiborous material of the gate, Juliet cursed in her head until she felt hands grasping at hers, helping her dig until a hole popped open, allowing the two to burst from the water, sucking in breaths of air. Nancy gave a hacking cough as Juliet swiveled her head around. "Steve!" Juliet called out loudly as she pulled herself up. A distant cry of pain echoed out, pushing up the hairs on her neck. Brandishing the pocketknife she had, she ran towards the noises. Steve was on the ground, being strangled and bit into by a horde of what looked like demonic little bats. Swinging her leg forward, Juliet kicked a bat off of Steve's leg, sending it hurtling into the air and onto the ground a few feet away with little squeals of pain. Juliet grasped onto the bat gnawing at his side and ripped it off, knife plunging into it's torso before flinging it over her shoulder.

"Hold it down!" Juliet ordered as Robin surged forward. She stomped onto it's tail, and Juliet began stomping on it.

Nancy came forward with an oar and began beating it, trying to get it to release itself from Steve's neck. Eddie swatted away bats that began to swarm around them. All four teens were desperately fighting off the creatures in an attempt to save Steve's life. Juliet gave a cry of pain as something snaps at her back, biting through her shirt and into her shoulder. "Julie!" Nancy shouted.

Juliet threw herself onto the ground, smashing the bat between her back and the ground. It gave an awful squeal before releasing itself. Juliet swung herself back up, once again plunging her knife into the bat writhing on the ground. It was at that moment that Steve freed himself, biting into the tail of the bat and taking a chunk with him. He swung the bat onto the ground with a furious shout, rearing it back up, then slamming it back down. With one final swing, Steve stomped on it's body and tore it in half with the leverage on it's tail. Blood dripped from Steve's mouth as he panted heavily. Reality clicked back into Juliet's head.

"Steve-" Juliet gasped, surging towards him as he stumbled just a bit.

"Jesus H. Christ!" Eddie suddenly barked out loudly.

"Are you okay?" Juliet asked as she looked over the horrible wounds on his sides.

"Well, they took about a pound of flesh," Steve murmured, his gaze following hers. "But other than that, yeah, never better." He spoke in a raspy tone. It made Juliet's gut clench something awful.

"Uh, do you think these bats have like rabies?" Robin asked meekly.

"What?" Steve asked.

"It's just that rabies are, like, my number one greatest fear." Robin retorted. "And I think we should get you to a doctor soon," Robin expressed. "Because once the symptoms set in, it's too late, you're already dead."

Nancy patted at her arm. "Stop talking." Nancy urged.

"Yeah, right-" Robin nodded as Juliet's face set to stone.

A screech echoed out in the distance. "We should go-" Juliet urged calmly. Demonic bats began swarming near the group of teens.

"Right. There's not that many," Steve murmured. "We can take 'em."

"I beg to differ," Juliet mentioned as she pointed to the sky. "Move. Move!" Juliet barked angrily.

"The woods!" Nancy shouted. "Come on!" The group ran after Nancy as she surged towards the wooded area off to the side.

~*****~

Luckily, there were plenty of places to hide in the forest, thanks to the mirror image it took on. The group remained silent as the bats screeched overhead, looking for them. When their screeches began fading out, everyone gave a sigh of relief. "Oh, that was close-" Robin gasped.

"Yeah. Too close," Eddie stammered.

Steve stood up, his vision swaying. "Oh shit-" He murmured, tumbling to the side.

"Steve," Juliet chided as she hurried to his side, palming at his torso to help him stay upright.

"I'm fine, I'm fine-" Steve stammered, head spinning.

"Don't tell me that shit, Steve, and be real with me!" Juliet snapped at him. "You're losing  blood. Sit down." Juliet ordered, helping him down slowly. The others peered at each other cautiously, gnawing at their lip as Juliet's expression remained stoney. He palmed at the oozing wound gingerly, groaning in pain.

Juliet wished she had her bag. She had plenty of supplies to disinfect and bandage, but she didn't have it now. Whipping her shirt off, Juliet shivered at the chill burning on her body before ripping up her shirt.

"Okay, so the good news is I'm pretty sure wooziness is not a symptom of rabies," Robin commented shakily. "But um, if you start having hallucinations or muscle spasms-"

"Robin," Nancy chided irritably.

"Right, shutting up." Robin nodded quickly.

Steve groaned as Juliet made him stand on his knees. "You ready?" Juliet asked, holding up her ripped shirt.

"Yeah, just do it," Steve groaned, arms raised above his head.

Juliet nodded and wrapped the fabric around his torso, covering the wounds as best she could and tying it tight. "Is that too tight?" She asked, tucking the knot into the bandages.

"No, that's good-" Steve murmured. He groaned again as he tried to lower himself to the ground.

Juliet began fussing with the bandages, adjusting them swiftly and tucking away loose ends. Juliet let gaze flicker up to his. With a quick movement, Juliet kissed him softly and patted his chest with a tender touch. Steve hummed softly, pulling her in to hug her, if not for just the comfort, then as a show of gratitude.

"So, uh, this place is like Hawkins, but with monsters and nasty shit?" Eddie asked loudly.

"Pretty much," Nancy nodded as Juliet helped Steve stand. Just as Eddie takes a step, Nancy stops him. "Wait, watch out for the vines. It's all a hive mind."

"It's all a what?" Eddie asked.

"All the creepy crawlies around here, dude. They're like, one or something." Steve stated. "You step on a vine, you're stepping on a bat, you're stepping on Vecna." Steve explained.

"Shit-" Eddie groaned.

"But everything from our world is still here, right? Except people?" Robin asked.

"I mean, corpses are here," Juliet hums dully. "But no one living. As far as we know."

"So, theoretically, we could go to the police station and steal guns and grenades and whatever we need to blow up those bats that are guarding the gate." Robin chirped.

"I highly doubt the Hawkins PD has grenades, Robin," Steve murmured. "But, guns, yeah, sure."

"Well, we don't have to go all the way downtown for guns," Juliet commented. "I've got that rifle from Hopper and the really nice rifle from the Russian labs." Juliet mentioned.

"How'd you sneak that out?" Robin asked, confused.

Juliet shrugged. "When everyone's focused on everything else, it was easy to stash it in Steve's car. After I broke in anyway." Juliet mentioned. "But we should probably go to Nancy's- she's got guns, too and it's closer."

Eddie leapt down, brow furrowed in confusion. "First of all, aren't you anti-gun? And you, Nancy Wheeler, have guns, plural. In your bedroom?"

"I don't know about you, but after the shit we've seen, having some protection isn't all that crazy, now is it?" Juliet snapped.

"I've got a Russian Makarov and a revolver." Nancy retorted.

"Yeah, you almost shot me with that one," Steve commented.

"Didn't you technically deserve it? I mean, after the whole, cinema incident?" Juliet asked, brows furrowed irritably.

Steve stumbled back as Eddie tossed his vest at him. "For your modesty, dude." Eddie commented.

A quake shook the ground, causing everyone to stumble in surprise. Steve's arms locked around Juliet's waist, desperately trying to keep her upright as Nancy, Robin, and Eddie fell in a heap.

A familiar screech echoed out in the distance, causing those finicky hairs to lift on Juliet's neck again. "Yeah, so guns seem like a pretty good idea to me," Eddie mentioned breathlessly.

"Yeah, me too," Robin nodded.

"So, my house?" Nancy asked as she stood up, swiping her hands on her skirt.

"Uh huh-" Everyone nodded. Robin peeled off her outer shirt and offered it to Juliet, who still stood in her bra.

"No, you stay warm," Juliet urged as she surged forward, expertly avoiding vines of the like.

~*****~

Juliet led the pack, eyes trained on everything all at once, body locked on high alert. "Couldn't we have tried a road or something just slightly less creepy?" Robin asked.

"I think we're getting closer. We're almost out of here, don't worry." Nancy said softly.

"Eddie," Steve called out, catching up to the leather clad teen. Eddie peered back at Steve curiously. "Eddie, hey, man, uh... Listen, I just uh... I just want to say thanks." Steve hummed as the two fell into step together. "For saving my ass back there."

"Shit, you saved your own ass, man." Eddie huffed. "I mean, that was a real Ozzy move you pulled back there."

"Ozzy?" Steve asked.

"When you took a bite out of that bat," Eddie beamed. "Ozzy Osbourne? Black Sabbath? He bit a bat's head off onstage."

"I don't-" Steve shrugged.

"No?"

"Doesn't matter," Steve murmured.

"It's very metal, what you did. That's all I'm saying." Eddie complimented.

Steve couldn't help but smile. "Thanks."

"Henderson told me you were a bad ass. Insisted on the matter, in fact," Eddie commented.

"Wait, Henderson said that?" Steve asked.

"Oh yeah. Shit. Kid worships you, dude. I mean, there was like a constant stream of complaining when you and Julie started dating, but yeah." Eddie admitted. "I mean, you have no idea. It's kinda annoying, to be honest." Eddie snorted. "I don't even know why I care what that little shrimp thinks, but, uh, I guess I got a little jealous, Steve. I guess I couldn't accept the fact that Steve Harrington was actually a good dude. Rich parents, popular, chicks love him. Not a douche? No way, man. No way, that, like, flies in the face of all the laws in the universe. And my own personal Munson doctrine." Eddie explains. "Still super jealous as hell, by the way. Which is why I would never have jumped in the lake to save your ass. Not under any, uh, normal circumstances." Juliet halts in her steps, causing the group to stop as well. Just out of ear shot, a branch snaps somewhere in the distance. Juliet shines her light all around, cautiously peering in the darkness. The two stare at her in awe. "Nope," Eddie hums as Juliet resumes her walking. "Outside of DnD, I am no hero. I see danger, and I just turn heel and run. Or at least, that's what I've learned about myself this week."

"Give yourself a break, man," Steve urged.

"See?" Eddie gestures forward. "The only reason I came in here was 'cause those ladies came in straight after you. Now, I was too ashamed to be the one who stayed behind. But Julie right there, leapt in with a brief shout of staying back." Eddie mentioned. "Just dove right in. Now, I know you guys are an item, but uh, I would not let anyone steal her away or let her leave. 'Cause that, was an unambiguous sign of true love as these cynical eyes have ever seen. And everybody knows Julie looks after two things, her brother, and herself."

Another quake rocked the group off their feet. "Okay, second on my list of least favorite things, earthquakes!" Robin cried. "Seriously, I'm unsteady enough as it is!"

Juliet ignored her and stumbled through the forest. "Julie! Wait!" Nancy called out, clasping at her hand tightly as the two stumbled over the uneven ground.

Juliet slowed to a stop on the road, staring off at the distant lightning. "Julie, jesus!" Robin cried. "What is wrong with you two?!"

"Come on," Juliet ignored them again, slipping her hand out of Nancy's. Just in the distance, Nancy's house sat amongst the fog. Her skin was ice cold, and it took a lot of strength just to keep going. She didn't know if her lips were blue or not, but she refused to show weakness at the moment. It wasn't appropriate. And unnecessary. They were in a life-or-death situation; warmth would have to wait. Nancy's house did block some of the chill from the outside, but not a lot.

Steve began arguing silently with Juliet to put on the vest Eddie had given him. "I'm not cold, quit it," Juliet snapped. Peering around, Juliet grimaced. "Think your mom is on strike." Juliet commented to drive away the attention Steve was trying to give her.

"Come on, I don't want to stay here longer than we have to." Nancy stated before bounding up the stairs.

In Nancy's room, she pried out a box from her closet and laid it on her desk, popping it open. Fancy little shoes sat inside. "Those aren't guns," Eddie commented.

"These heels are pointy," Robin mentioned. "But I was hoping for a deadly projectile."

"I don't understand," Nancy hummed.

Juliet snagged the book under Nancy's pillow and pried it open while they argued about something. "Hate to break it to you guys, but, uh, I don't think the Upside Down registers the same time we do." Juliet mentioned, reading over diary entries of Nancy fawning over Steve.  "Latest entry is November Sixth, nineteen eighty-three."

"How is that possible?" Eddie asked cautiously.

"Nancy's guns won't be here, because she didn't have guns November Sixth of Nineteen eighty-three." Juliet explained waving the diary around.

Nancy snatched it from her and peeled through it. "This diary should be full of entries, but it's not." Nancy expressed.

"The last entry falls on the day that Will went missing." Juliet mentioned. "The day El opened the gate."

"We're... in the past?" Robin asked.

"Not necessarily. No one's been here to move things along with the years, so, technically, this is Hawkins Nineteen Eighty-Three." Juliet explained. "Time stands still when no one's around to make a mark."

The group stared at one another before Steve starts calling out loudly. "Dustin? Dustin!" He shouts. With one sparing glance, the group surged out of Nancy's room, to the dining room where Steve was shouting. "Dustin! Can you hear me? Dustin!" Steve shouted. "Hello! Hello!"

"Maybe he really does have rabies," Robin mentioned.

"Steve, what's going on?" Juliet asked loudly.

He snapped to them, looking breathless and astonished. "He's here. Henderson. That little shit, he's here. He's like... He's in the walls or something. Just listen-" Steve urges. Steve starts calling out for him when Juliet's brows furrow.

"That's... not entirely impossible," Juliet mentioned as the others stared at him in confusion.

"See? See-" Steve urged with a frantic look.

"If they're at the house right now, we should be able to hear them, just how Will was able to hear Joyce through the lights." Juliet expresses as Dustin's voice rings out from just out of sight. "Just-" Juliet hissed through her teeth before surging to the chandelier. Raising her hand, a bright glow burned on the bulb.

"Holy shit-" Steve murmured.

"Come on, you shit head, look," Juliet urged quietly, waving her fingers through the light.

"Whoa," Eddie hummed as he and Robin trailed over. Nancy lifted her hand to the light, waving her fingers through it. The others began pushing their fingers towards the lights.

"It tickles..." Steve murmured.

"It kinda feels good," Robin mentioned.

"You know morse code, don't you?" Nancy asked Juliet.

She nodded. Raising her hand again, Juliet began tapping out S.O.S. in the chandelier. She kept repeating it, willing Dustin to look over. Dustin's voice dies down for a moment. "It's working," Robin sighed. Dustin's voice filtered through.

"Meet us in Nancy's room!" He said, although faint, but clear.

The group smiled at one another expectantly before running up the stairs. After a moment of silence, a light burst from the top of the bed. "Okay, are you guys seeing this?!" Dustin's voice called out. Juliet smiled as she brushed her fingers through the glow. Laughter echoed out from the other side. "We're not moving it, but we're gonna unplug it. Stand by!" Dustin called out. "Okay, try it now!" Juliet waved her fingers again, quickly writing out shit head in small letters. "Oh, so good to know it's you, Julie!" Dustin cheered, causing an affectionate smile to warm Juliet's face. "That worked!" Juliet gingerly wrote out stuck. "You can't get back through watergate?" Dustin called out.

Juliet palmed at her face. "Oh, that's clever," She complimented. "But so stupid."

"I think it's cute," Eddie retorted.

Juliet shook her head and wrote out guarded. "Okay, we think we have a theory that can help with that!" Dustin exclaimed.

"Genius child," Robin sighed.

"We think Watergate isn't the only gate!" Dustin explained. "That there's a gate at every murder site!"

"Does anybody understand what he's talking about?" Nancy asked.

"When El opened up the gate, she did so by making a connection with the Demogorgon. Who's to say Vecna's spells aren't making the same strong connection with his victims? Therefore, opening up gates as he does." Juliet asked. "Which means-" Juliet banged her fist on her head. "There's going to be one at Eddie's trailer, on the street where Fred was found, and in the lake- three gates." Juliet expressed. Juliet wrote out a question mark just to be sure.

"Jesus Christ, how many times do I have to be right on the money for you guys to trust me?!" Dustin roared.

"This kid's gotta get his ego in check," Steve commented.

"It's his tone, right?" Eddie asks.

"We can deal with that later," Juliet retorted. "How far is your trailer from here." Juliet asked Eddie.

"Seven miles," Eddie retorted.

"Nancy?" Robin chirped. "I know your house here is, like, weirdly creepily frozen in time and shit, but haven't you always had bikes?"

Juliet wrote out trailer on the lights before the group surged out of the room.