"Yeah, that's not creepy." Steve exhaled as he stared up at the house Max had in her drawings.

"Let me see." Lucas took Peter face as he examined his nose. "Doesn't seem like you've got a bleed in a while. How's the headaches?"

"Haven't gotten one today." he explained with his hands in his pockets. "So there's a plus."

"There's a plus." Dustin confirmed.

"I mean, what exactly are we suppose to be looking for in this shithole?" Steve looked back at the group as him and Nancy tore the nails from the boarded up door.

"Did everyone eat breakfast this morning? I mean, if we're fighting demons, I feel like we all should have a protein shake" Bradley leaned on the railing of the stairs, only for it to break due to the old wood, falling backwards with it into the bushes.

"Okay, ouch." Max shook her head.

"You're so cool, Brad." Peter reached his hand down to pull him up. "I wanna be just like you."

"I know you do." Bradley dusted off his polo. "I know."

"We just know this house is important to Vecna." Nancy answered Steve's previous question about the house.

"Because Max saw it in Vecna's red soup mind world?" Steve glanced over his shoulder to Max, next to Peter.

"Maybe it holds a clue to where Vecna is. Why he's back. Why he killed the Creels." Dustin shrugged as he counted off on his fingers. "And how to stop him before he comes back for Max and takes Peter next."

"Yeah, let's hurry up with that plan." Peter inhaled deeply. He wished El was here, she'd be able to calm his nerves the most.

"We don't think he's in here, do we?" Lucas gave a worried look.

"Guess we'll find out." his ex girlfriend look over. Peter held his breath as Steve and Nancy yanked the board down. Bradley coughed when the dust flew in his direction.

"It's locked." Steve pulled one the door knob. "Should I knock, see if anybody's home?"

"We can pretend to be girl scouts." Peter agreed with him.

"No need." Robin spoke up, holding a brick. "I found a key."

Bradley winced when she tossed it through the window stain, gapping over at Peter. "This is the company you keep?"

"We aren't always like this." he shook his head, patting his back and encouraging him to follow after Steve reached in and unlocked it.

"Looks like someone forgot to pay their electric bill." Lucas pointed
out when attempting to turn a lamp on.

"And call Spider-Man." Peter gave a frightened look at all the Spider-Webs.

"Peter. Peter Parker." Bradley confirmed as he looked back at him. "Peter Parker."

"Complete opposite of Peter Parker." Max grabbed his wrist and pulled him with her to look into the kitchen area.

"Where'd everyone get those?" Steve asked as they all flipped their flashlights on.

"Do you need to be told everything?" Dustin asked in disbelief. "You're not a child."

"Thank you." Steve nodded his head.

"He can't help it. Rich people don't use flashlights." Bradley pointed out in just the slightest.

"Ooh, the shade." Peter inhaled deeply as if he stung his finger.

"Back pocket." Dustin tossed Steve the backpack.

"They just left everything." Nancy looked around the living room, seeing as though nothing was missing. As if someone was still living here.

"I guess a triple homicide isn't good for resale value." Robin shrugged as she shined her light up at the walls.

"Okay, Spider-Man, maybe you aren't the right person to ask, but you see that too, right?" Max got Peters attention as she stared up at the old grandfather clock.

"My visions could start any minute now. I'm really not the person to ask." he said honestly, staring up at it. "El would be able to tell us."

"Is this what you saw?" Nancy walked over as Bradley tapped Peter in the arm, taking his attention away from the clock. "In your visions?"

"I mean, it's just a clock. Right?" Robin nodded as she rubbed her hand across the dusty glass. "Just a normal old clock."

"Why's this wizard obsessed with clocks?" Steve shook his head as he looked around. "Maybe he's, like, a clockmaker or something?"

"Oh my god." Peter mumbled.

"Yup, that's it." Bradley agreed.

"Think you cracked the case." Dustin hummed.

"All I know is the answers are here. Somewhere." Nancy's eyes darted around the house. "Okay, groups of two. Robin, upstairs."

Bradley nudged Peter, the pair agreeing to split up together considering he hadn't really known anyone else. The pair went down the hallway. "I bet you miss your girlfriend right now."

"I just wish she was here." he frowned. "Just incase."

"Nope. No just incase." Bradley shook his head as they came into the dining room at the end of the hallway. "You're gonna be okay. We got Max back, we can get you back. Everyone knows you like My Girl."

"Still." Peter shrugged. "I don't know. I just wish Vecna went after people with a good dad. I'd be in the clear then."

"Is that what you were talking to Ms.Kelley for?" Bradley looked at him from across the table, a small nod to his head. "Your Dads a piece of shit?"

"My uncle asked Ms.Kelley to pull me out of class twice a week to try and get me to open up." Peter shook his head, a small flinch in his words as he pretended to look at the the glass cabinet of expensive silverware. "It's stupid."

"You know, my Dad died a few years ago." Bradley nodded. "We weren't very close, he was always traveling, but he was still a good Dad. I think it's played a big role in who I am. I try to be like him. I think people can stop and ask themselves if they want to be like their parents and let that just sit with you for a moment."

Peter looked down at his feet. "I never wanna be like my Dad. I mean, I try to take after my uncle more, but sometimes I notice little parts of me start to act like him."

"I don't know how much of a dick your dad is, but who i've seen this past year is pretty great." Bradley circled the table to nod to him. "I think you're one of the coolest little dudes i've ever known."

Peter had to lean in and wrap his arms around Bradley, leaning his head on his neck as he shut his eyes. Bradley hugged him back, Peter felt his fingers press into his shoulder. "Is that why you do it?"

"Do what?" Peter asked him, still in their hug.

"Is that why you do everything in your power to try and get validation from me?" Bradley asked, his voice was different, his arms tightened around Peter. "Because your own father doesn't love you?"

"Let go." Peter tried to break away, Bradley's letter man jacket was no longer there, turned into red, wrinkled skin. "Let me go!"

Peter broke away, standing face to face with Vecna as he moved backwards, hitting a chair and falling over it.

"Peter!" Bradley called, running from the living room to look down at him. Peter gapped in fear, looked at him and then looking at the place Vecna was. It was empty. "Are you okay?"

He tried to catch his breath, stilling as his chest heaved.

"I got him! I got him!" Robins yelled made them look over. Bradley reached down to help Peter up.

"I'm okay." he held his chest. "I'm-Im not okay."

"Okay, okay." Bradley nodded as he held his arm. "A vision? It's starting?"

Peter stared in panic. "It's starting."

"Guys, we need to get it together soon!" Bradley yelled as him and Peter ran together down the hall. "Like, less the twenty-four hours soon."

"It's starting?" Max turned to Peter in worry as he nodded.

"Oh, woah." Steve gapped as his flashlight flickered on. "Oh, I think he's moving. He's moving."

Steve hurried down the hallway, the group following after Dustin made sure the extra walkman was in his bag, Peter in the middle of the group as they went up the stairs. "Shit. I lost him."

"No, you didn't." Max pushed past Steve and opened the door.

"Too many spider-webs." Peter cringed as he held onto Max's shirt as they headed up the stairs.

"It's an attic. Of course it's an attic." Robin gave a nervous laugh.

"We'll stick together on this one." Bradley grabbed her shirt like Peter had Max, going up the steps together.

"Hold up, guys. What if he's leading us into a trap?" Dustin yelled from the back. "Guys, guys! Shit."

The light bulb in the middle of the attic flickered, lighting up Peters eyes every few seconds as he stared.

"Flashlights." Dustin spoke as they all hurried to flip theirs on.

Circling together, their lights all got brighter and brighter between the course of a few seconds. "Okay, what is happening?"

•

kylie speaks

sorry no wes this chapter,
the california dying man
storyline didn't give him a
big part in this episode in my
head but he'll get one for
suzies house!!!