After Margaret had walked away she watched as Max tore up one of the letters before her, although, she'd noticed it wasn't the one she'd been writing when Margaret had walked over.

Max had ripped up no one else but Margaret's, after the conversation they had she wanted to explain, she felt she could tell Margaret about all those dark thoughts, and that's exactly what she did, began writing anew and adding in all the things she was too scared to tell anyone else.

Margaret had found herself sat by Dustin who was just as concerned for Max as she was.

"How was she?" His voice was in a whispered tone, hoping that Max wouldn't hear. He didn't want her to think they were talking about her.

Margaret swallowed harshly, unsure if she should lie just to save Dustins feelings, although, she also knew he was too smart to buy it. He knew the most about this Vecna, which means he knows her chance of survival is as low as she believes it to be.

"She's certain she will end up like" Margaret paused, preparing herself to say it, "like Chrissy".

Dustin let out a sigh, they all wanted to be positive of course, hell, Nancy and Robin had just left with a fairly solid plan. However, they were just a group of kids up against this magical evil being.

Chances of survival for any of them were slim, but for Max, there was nearly no chance.

"Nancy and Robin will figure out how we go about this, I know they will" Dustin had always been pretty good at being the optimist of the group. This time was different, Margaret could hear the crack in his voice throughout the last few words he spoke.

She turned to look at the boy who had his head down, upset and scared.

Margaret tugged him in for a hug. She had never been a very touchy person, in fact, she tended to hate hugs of any kind. Chrissy always loved to give out hugs and Margaret always had to go with it, scared to hurt her friends feelings.

However now it was different, these people were her friends, as close as family for Dustin and she wanted to do anything in her power just to calm their nerves ever so slightly.

She could hear Dustins sniffles.

"This could be the end for all of us" he whispered.

Margaret wanted to agree, he was right, it very well could be, but, her better option was an attempt to cheer the boy up.

She let out a pfft sound which caused Dustin to pull back from her and look her way, "as if" she let out in a sarcastic tone, "we're the monster destroyers".

Dustin let out a giggle at her words. When she'd began babysitting they played D&D, Dustin always referred to the two as the "devil destroyers", he corrected her.

Dustin had created a team name for the two when she first agreed to play, it was something he hadn't said for at least 4 years, since he'd started to grow up, but now was the perfect time for Margaret to mention it. It had somewhat brought a smile to his face and a little faith in his heart.

He lifted his head again after Margaret laughed at his correcting her, he always had done, it was one of his most annoying traits.

Yet she wouldn't change him for the world.

Margaret's eyes fell to where his had, on Max. She was still frantically scribbling and rewriting Margaret's letter.

Margaret watched as she quickly folded the letter twice, squeezed it in an envelope and sealed it. She couldn't see the scribbled 'Margaret' on the front side.

"I know you guys are staring at me" the words came from the redheads mouth as she turned her head to the side slightly.

Of course she'd notice, considering Dustin, Steve and Lucas, the three loudest in the group had gone silent. Margaret gave Dustin a nudge after Max had spoke, listening to the three goonies mutter that they hadn't been when they quite clearly had.

"How you think your eyes boring into the back of my head is protecting me from Vecna, I don't know" she spoke while compiling all the letters she had written to carry over to the group. Steve had started throwing and catching a ball, while Dustin and Lucas read magazines. Max gave Margaret that seriously look, to which Margaret only shrugged and shook her head at their stupidity, "you can look at me now".

An outpouring of sorry's and thank yous came from the three.

She held a letter out to Dustin, "for you" he looked as if he was going to question it, but, he didn't. Then came Steve, "for you", Margaret had noted that Steve looked almost surprised that he had even received a letter. She then passed one to Margaret with a simple smile, finally turning to Lucas, "and uh, you" she paused before pulling two further letters out, "and give these to Mike and Will"

Dustin began to pull his open only to get told he wasn't allowed to read it now.

Margaret subtly pushed the letter she had tried to open back into its envelope without Max seeing while Dustin questioned her, "I'm sorry, what is this?"

Max looked down, unable to meet the eyes of Lucas, "it's uh, it's a fail safe, for after, for things if, if they don't work out"

"Wait- wow Max, things are going to work out" Lucas tried to deny what she was saying but Max was quick to argue back.

"No!" She shook her head, "no I don't need you to reassure me right now and tell me that it's all gonna work out, because people have been telling me that my entire life and it's almost never true" Margaret knew the feeling. She watched as Max thought of what she was about to say, "it's never true" she looked to the side, "I mean, of course this asshole curses me" this time she looked down, "I should've seen that one coming".

Margaret's mind again filled with the thoughts of Chrissy, terrified of the same thing happening to Max. She stood up and walked across the room to breathe for a second, not wanting Max to see her worry.

Except when she'd called herself she seen Max running up the stairs with Steve hot on her tail and the boys close behind.

"What happened?" She spoke up the stairs she had now began running up to Dustin and Lucas who shrugged. By the time the the three of them had gotten to the top Max and Steve were practically out the front door.

Margaret ran out nearly catching up to Steve while Max marched ahead.

"I'm not joking okay! I'm not driving you anywhere" he yelled ahead to the girl. Margaret's eyebrows creased at the words, where did she want him to drive her?

"If you think I want to spend the last day of my life in the armpit that is Mike Wheelers basement, you're out of your mind" she continued walking toward the car, "so you can either take me where I need to go, or you can tie me down, which is technically kidnapping of a minor and if I live to see another day Steve I swear to God I will prosecute"

Max had now reached the car door, pulling on the handle, Steve standing near the drivers seat ready to argue back when Margaret stood between the two.

"Where exactly is it you need to go?" Surely Max was smart enough to realise going back to the site of Vecna was the worst possible idea she could've came up with.

"Home, I have letters to giv-"

"No" Margaret shook her head looking at Max as if she'd officially lost her mind.

"You see" Steve yelled putting his hand out and towards Margaret, "there's no way".

Max pulled the handle again, "open the door".

"Uh no" Steve said again like he was speaking to a five year old this time.

"I know a good lawyer" Max was deadly serious in her tone and her expression giving both Steve and Margaret a deadpanned look.

Steve then pulled the keys out his jacket shouting to Dustin about his walkie, "you can't be serious?!" Margaret turned to Steve, he simply shrugged, "you're essentially signing her death certificate!"

Steve didn't respond, only nodded towards the passenger side door, hinting for Margaret to enter, all while Max heard that Damn clock again.

It was close.

She'd be dead soon.

Margaret stayed in the car while the other three got out, waiting for Max to return to the car. She'd began tapping her fingers on the dash to the tune of one way or another by Blondie, the song that for some reason always seemed to calm her.

She heard the envelope crunch in her jacket pocket as she moved. A sound that oddly made her flinch. Not from fright, but the idea of Max being so certain she'd die that she'd written letters to everyone around her that cared. Max had a life that Margaret knew, a life of wrongs. A life of distrust, a life of deceit.

Both girls felt a sudden connection of the heart, they understood each other.

Margaret was the first to not treat Max like a charity case after her brother died, it was as if she understood her pain. She hadn't known why but it felt like she'd known her forever.

Margaret was prepared to do anything to save Max, she'd already lost Chrissy and Max didn't deserve the same fate.

She looked to the clock on the car, it had been over 5 minutes.

Just as she was ready to lose her shit, she saw Max walk around the side of the caravan, rushing straight into the car, the three boys doing the same.

"Did something happen?" Lucas had taken the words straight out of her mouth.

Max looked totally distressed, as if she had seen something she shouldn't have. She was hiding something and Margaret knew it. She also knew it wasn't a good idea to push her for some kind of answer that she hadn't wanted to give.

Steve's next stop on the tour was a cemetery. Margaret's eyebrows creased until she realised.

Billy.

Max was here for Billy.

She closed her eyes as Steve pulled up not wanting to look around. Refusing to look around. She listened as Max got out of the car, followed by Lucas and eventually Dustin. Steve stayed.

Margaret turned her head to the car window, taking in deep breathes and trying not to freak out.

She hadn't known that Max had asked Steve to bring her here. She didn't want to be here, hell, she only came once in the last 7 years and that was for her gramps. Although, she only stayed for a brief moment and fled as soon as she could.

1979.

That year plagued her mind every time she closed her eyes.

"Hey" Steve's voice came from her side, "what's up with you?" Delicate words as always from Steve.

"Nothing" Steve hadn't known Margaret all that well but, he did know that this, was not like her at all, in fact, she usually was sarcastic or at least from what Dustin had said.

Now she just seemed, nervous.

"Clearly" he let out the sarcasm she usually would've, "do you not like graveyards or something?"

"No" she confirmed, "I don't like this graveyard" and that was the truth.

"That why you've not followed Max?" This time when he spoke she turned her head to look him in the eyes.

"I can't" she felt helpless all over again, "I can't step into that cemetery Steve" he gave her a confused look, waiting for any kind of explanation, "I just can't do it".

—————

I'm really enjoying creating this story :) of course some of the current chapters haven't really included Eddie as much however it's more following Margaret's story line.

Just a warning for the next couple chapters, it may include some possible triggers, I will put a warning before hand of course.

Finally I'm trying not to leave author notes on this story as often but maybe a few, I have a new story with a few chapters in my drafts, exiting stuff. Thanks for reading as always !