-

As we left Eddie, dropped off the kids and went back home, something stuck with me. It was Will. All I could think of was him.

"Whats wrong?" Steves comes out of the shower, placing a kiss on my shoulder. "Wendy?"

"Thinking." I sighed. A piercing pain hit my head. It was a headache damn it. I head to the bathroom and popped an aspirin before we went to bed.

"No seriously, Wendy, whats going on." He placed his hands on his hips.

"Im worried about Will. What if Vecna gets Will? It wouldn't be the first time." I pinched the bridge of my nose. "Im worried Steve."

"Call them, I bet they're fine. Will is fine." He hands me the phone and I dialed the number. The line kept buzzing and buzzing until it cuts off. I scuffed and called again. Same thing. They're probably out, taking Mike to the cool places, and for aunt Joyce, i dont know, maybe on a call. Then again, im over doing it, Im too overprotective of them.

"This Vecna guy, what the hell are we supposed to do? El doesn't have her powers." I sat up.

"We'll find a way, we always do."

"Do you have something to tie my hair?"

"My nightstand drawer." Just as I was about to open the drawer, Steve throws himself to stop me. He shuts the drawer close. "I forgot, its a mess in there. Candy Wrappers, pictures of you, you know."

"Are you okay? You've been weird today."

"Me weird? No!" We got ready for bed. "Its just been a long day."

"Ill see you tomorrow." I gave him a kiss as we laid back. Steve wraps his arms around me and like that, we both fell asleep.

Later into the night, I tossed and turned. I was hot snd sweaty, somehow i dreamt about Lonnie when I lived with him. It almost felt real. Just as Lonnie was about to come at me, I woke up, panting and crying. It was all a dream. Lonnie is not here. I pushed my hair back and laid down again, trying to go back to bed.

-

We arrived at the cabin with snacks and drinks for Eddie. He freaks out as we stormed in. He held his hand over chest.

"Delivery service." We showed him the goods. Eddie grabs the bags and we sat in front of him as he munches away. "So we got uh some good news and some bad news. How do you prefer it?"

"Bad news first, always." Eddie says with food in his mouth.

"Alright, bad news. We tapped into the Hawkins PD dispatch with our cerebro, and they're definitely looking for you. Also they're uh pretty convinced you killed Chrissy."

"Like 100% kind of convinced." Eddies face falls.

"And the good news?"

"Your name hasn't gone public yet. But if we found out about you, its a matter of time before others do. And once that gets out, everyone and their shallow minded mother is gonna be gunning for you." Well isnt that some good news to share.

"Hunt the freak, right?"

"Exactly."

"So, before that happens, we need to find Vecna, kill him, and your innocence."

"Thats all Dustin? Thats all?" The way it sounds, how are we going to prove it all to everyone. Like seriously. They pronounced Will as dead, he turned out to be alive and they called him zombie boy. Theres some stuff that we can't explain.

"Yeah, no, thats pretty much it."

"Listen, Eddie." I squatted down to level with him. "I know everything Dustin is saying sounds totally delusional and out of a movie, but we've actually been through this before. Like a lot. I mean my cousin Will was taken by these things. I didn't know what had happened until Dustin had one as pet! Can you believe that? He named it Dart. Okay but coming back, we got this. We know what to do. So just stick with us. Trust us." I held his hand. He stares at me and slowly nods. Steve coughs and Eddie pulls his hand away.

"We usually rely on this girl who has super powers. But those went bye bye soo..." I snapped my head at Steve.

"So we're technically in more of the-

"Brainstorming phase." My head fell. It wasn't helping.

"Theres nothing to worry about." Eddie just had this face as if he wanted to even stick with us, he had no choice. Sirens started to come. We quickly acted and hid Eddie under the tarp and looked out the window to see if the cops found us. They drove pasted us, now what was happening now?

"How much you wanna bet it's another body Vecna got." Everyone looked at me. "You guys go, I'll stay with Eddie." Steve slowly turns back.

"Ah no you're not."

"We're not going to have him be here alone. I know what to do Steve."

"I said no." He rubs his face. I went to grab his hand but he moved away. "If they come here and get-

"Fine." I headed out of the cabin As the others raced to the car and drove to the scene. As we got there, Nancy was taking to the police. We got out of the car and the look of Nancy's face was relieved.

-

With Nancy, we drove back to the trailer park and sat at the table to tell her what we got and what was going on within the day.

"So you're saying that this thing that killed Fred and Chrissy, its from the upside down?"

"If the shoe fits."

"Our working theory is that he attacks with a spell or a curse. Now whether or not he's doing the bidding of the mind flayer or just loves killing teens, we don't know."

"But all we do know is that this is something new, something different." I looked at Nancy.

"This doesn't make sense."

"None of it does but here we are." I pinched my nose again from the killer headache.

"Its only a theory." Dustin turns to me.

"No, Fred and Chrissy don't make sense. I mean why them?"

"Maybe they're were just in the wrong place. They're both at the game."

"And near the trailer park."My heart dropped. Look at were we are now.

"We're at the trailer park." Steve says. "Uh should we maybe not be here?"

"Thats a good idea Steve, maybe we should leave? Or stay until it gets one of us, up to you guys. I like to live, I graduate in a few months so." I said. Everyone looks around the place.

"There is something about this place. Fred started acting weird the second we got here."

"Acting weird as in how?"

"Scared, on edge, upset." Nancy listed.

"Max said Chrissy was upset too." We turned to Max.

"Yeah but not here. She was crying on the bathroom at school."

"Okay let me say this." I cleared my throat. "You know how serial killers stalk their victims before they kill right? So maybe Fred and Chrissy saw Vecna, and bam!"

"I dont about you guys but if I saw some freaky wizard monster, i would mention it to someone." Steve scratches his face.

"Maybe they did. I saw Chrissy leaving Ms Kelleys office. If you saw a monster, you wouldn't go to the police. They'd never believe you. But you might go to your-"

"Your shrink." Robin finishes. We all got up from the table and head to car. Nancy went to her car, making us turn to her.

"Nancy, where you going?" I jogged to her.

"Oh theres just something I wanna check on first."

"Something you wanna share with us?"

"I dont wanna waste your time. Its a real shot in the dark."

"Are you out of your mind? Vecna is out there." I looked at everyone, grabbing Dustins walkie and stood next to Nancy. "Ill go with Nancy. We'll talk where to meet later."

"Are you also out of your mind?" Steve stomps his foot. "Its too dangerous. You need someone to.." Steve starts walking towards us. "Wendy, you stay with the kids and Ill stay with Nancy." He moves me. I scoffed as he passes me the keys to car. "Take the car, check out the shrink."

"My license is expired." I told him.

"Then Robin can drive."

"I dont even have my license."

"Why?"

"Im poor."

"I can drive." Max volunteers.

"No, never again please. Anybody but you." Dustin raised his hand. "No. Not a chance." I had enough of this. I charged at Steve, making him take the keys.

"I have no idea what you are doing here but Nancy, Robin and I will go together." I pushed him to the kids. "I don't need you to tell me what to do."

"Wendy dont start okay? Ill stay with Nancy, end of discussion."

"Why are you acting like this? First you didn't want me to stay with Eddie and I cant be with Nancy? Sorry Steve but you're not Joyce, you cant tell me what not to do." I put my foot down. "So the three of us will go. Unless you want to kick me somewhere." I crossed my arms. Why has he been something else today? Robin grabs my arm and pulls me away laughing. Steve swears under his breath and heads back to the car with the kids.

"Be careful!" He yells back. "Im being serious Wendy!"

-

As Max went inside to her shrinks house, Dustin and Steve stayed put in the car, watching and stayed alarmed.

"Okay shes in." Steve announced.

"Im missing collarbones, not eyes." They stayed silent for while until Dustin spoke again. "So, we gonna talk about... it?" Steve looks out the window.

"Huh? Sorry, talk about what?"

"Your temporary insanity earlier today when you basically was trying to get away from Wendy?" Steve scuffs.

"Okay thats not what happened."

"Pretty sure thats what happened. It was pretty public. There were a lot of witnesses. Why are you pushing Wendy away? Shes been all over you but you have been a dick her-"

"Im not being a dick her."

"Then why are you pushing her away? Literally you  pushed her for you to go with Nancy, you weren't too happy when she volunteered to stay with Eddie and when she held his hand. I don't get it, are you not in love with her anymore?" The thoughts ran through Steve mind. Was angry that what if Wendy felt that way. He couldn't stop thinking about her.

"Im going to marry her!" Steve slips out. Dustins eyes widen and slowly turns his head to Steve. "No, dont." He points at him.

"Aren't you guys too young?"

"So?" He shrugs.

"So?She's literally graduating high school in a few months!"

"I already talked to Joyce." Steve looks back at the window.

"When are you going ask her?"

"Well, I was going to take her to a hill where I asked her to prom, have a nice picnic and do it there, but here we are." Steve opens the glove compartment and tosses the small box to Dustin. He opens to reveal a gold ring with diamonds, and in the inside was engrave with 'I love you'. 

"Are you nervous that she'll say no?" Dustin gives back the box.

"Im not nervous." Steve looks down at the velvet cube. After what he just did, will she forgive him? "I just don't want to screw it up."

"Thats why you've been picking up extra shifts." Dustin puts together.

"I wanted to go with Nance because she can help me. Now with this Vecna going around, I need to protect her. I cant let her be one of them."

-

As we three searched and searched on this guy Victor Creel, nothing out of the ordinary, only he killed his family and was sentenced for insanity, but thats about it

"Ill be back, ill look for more stuff on this Victor guy." Nancy grabs my hand. She has been pretty annoyed by Robin, yeah I know she talks a lot but thats how she is. Thats what I love about Robin. "You're fine, she's just like that. Shes not going to bite." I pat her hand and head to the drawers. As I scanned through, the same ticking sound appeared again. I looked up and around to see if there was clock, nope. I closed the drawer and walked closer to the sound. Possibly not the greatest idea to do but here I am. I got to this aisle and stared at the grandfather clock. As i got closer, i felt empty, felt like i wasn't there anymore.

"Wendy." A deep voice pops out of nowhere and I jumped, falling back. Nancy and Robin helped me up and I looked at them.

"Are you okay?" Robin looks at me.

"What what happened?" I gathered my thoughts.

"You just stood there, looking at that wall."

"I wasn't looking at the wall, I was looking at that clo-" I pointed at the clock. It wasn't there anymore. I frowned and walked up. There is no way in hell its gone. It was right there! Am I imagining things now? Am I going crazy? "Im fine, lets look for more stuff yeah?" I brushed them off and head downstairs and opened a drawer.

"Wendy, are you for sure okay? We tried to wake you up but were in lala land."

"ADHD, thats all." I smiled and went back to look. "I just haven't gotten a good nights sleep. The plane and then-"

"Steve?" Nancy chuckles.

"What is his problem today? Like seriously? Yesterday we were all over each other and now today, he wants nothing to do with me." I slammed the drawer and open a new one. "Its like, he stopped caring about me? Is it because of Vecna? Hes never like this."

"Who knows, maybe hes hiding something."

"Hiding what?" I turned to Robin, who spends most of her time with Steve. "Robs, whats going on with Steve?"

"Me? Why would I know?" I stared her down. "Wendy dont do that! I cant tell you."

"So he did say something."

"I swore to him! Please dont dig it out of me! He will kill me! I cant keep secrets, and him telling me was a big mistake, I even told him that."

"What is he hiding exactly?"

"Wendy! Dont do this to me!"

"Imagine he doing this to marry you." Nancy laughs. Robin looks back at Nancy. "What? Im kidding."

"Steve wouldn't do that."

"How would you know?"

"I dont know. Steve and I have a plan. I graduate, we move in together, I get my fashion job and then we'll get married."

"Yeah." Robin nods. "What if he does?"

"I would still say yes,- Holy shit!" I looked down and saw a tape of the weekly watcher. I pulled it out and showed the girls. "Weekly watcher, my dad used to love these. I cant believe they have these."

"Dont they write about like bigfoot and UFOs?"

"First aliens are most definitely real. Bigfoot, sort of. But may I tell you we are on the search for dark wizards." I waved the tape.

"Shes right, if someones gonna write about that, its gonna be these weirdos." Robin hops on. We ran to the projector and flipped through the pages. Robin stops at these on article of Elvis was cloned by aliens.

"Ah, Elvis cloned by aliens." Nancy sighs.

"You never know." Nancy walks away as Robin continues to scroll. I stood by Robin.

"Victor Creel claims vengeful demon killed family." Robin mimicked a voice. "The murder that shocked a small community." Bingo.

"Ha ha. Thats very funny."

"No, seriously Nance, look at this." She heads back and we saw the article.

"According to several insiders, Victor believed his house was hunted by an ancient demon. Victor allegedly hired a priest to exorcise the demon from his home."

"Pretty on the spot for the 50s article. The exorcist movie wasnt even a thought."

"Keep going."

"Okay so Victor claimed this exorcism failed, but it angered the demon, which then murdered his family, removing their eyes. Victor believed he was spared as a punishment."

"Thats pretty convenient for Victor."

"Yeah or super inconvenient. Victor was declared legally insane by the court right? What is this is why? It sounds pretty insane. Just didn't go to the public because-"

"The plea bargain. The records were sealed."

"What if a demon did invade Victors home? Its just this demon wasn't any old demon."

"It was Vecna." I nodded. We ran out of the library and head to the car. I grabbed the walkie and talked to Dustin. "Dustin, do you copy?"

"Yeah I copy."

"So Nancy is a genius! Vecnas first victims go way back to 1959, her shot in the dark was spot on."

"Okay, totally bonkers, but I cant talk right now." I frowned as I was about to open the car door.

"What are you guys doing?"

"Breaking and entering school to retrieve confidential and extremely personal files." I threw my head back.

"Are you all serious?"

"Just get your ass over here stat! We'll explain everything." I turned off the walkie and hopped in the car.

"I thought they were talking to Ms. Kelley?"

"We leave them alone for two hours!"

"I swear Steve!" Nancy drives off. "I can't believe he took the kids! What if they get hurt!?"