Margaret had walked back with Eddie close behind trying to call out to her only to stop when he noticed a randomer looking their way.

Considering he was still very much a wanted man he stopped, watching as she made her way into Max's trailer without so much as looking back at him once. For the first ten minutes or so after describing to everyone what he'd shown her she sat in silence while everyone bickered about what she had initially said, all these monsters in Hawkins. The real Hawkins. 

Steve stuck a hand out to shush everyone after noticing a tear roll down the girls cheek.

"He's just trying to scare you Margaret, it's not real" Steve had thought his words would help, Dustin had smiled too in hopes they had. Margaret only shook her head.

"He threatened me" she sniffed after speaking, "he made me choose, Steve" lifting her hand up to her face to wipe the tears.

Dustin walked toward her, kneeling down in front of her and holding her hand.

"Choose what?" Steve probed.

Margaret shook her head whilst feeling Dustin's hand squeeze her own, a sad looking smile finding her lips due to his comforting.

"He wanted me to tell El" she nodded her head trying to stay calm, "he didn't want anyone else to interfere, he only wanted El" she looked at Max who had suddenly seemed more concerned than before, "I didn't have family to threaten so.." she looked down at her hands in Dustins, "so he made me choose" she swallowed looking back at Steve and refusing to meet Eddie's eyes knowing they were fixed on her, "if any of us were to interfere he will take an unnecessary life" she shook her head knowing it was all unnecessary, "mine or" she cleared her throat finally making eye contact with Eddie, not wanting to say it aloud.

"You or who Margaret?" Dustin, being clueless for once spoke up.

"Me" Eddie had answered for her.

Everyone sat in silence while she nodded, unsure how to explain what had happened. Feeling awful about even having to admit what was said.

"Well" Dustin started, "who did you choose-" letting out a groan when Steve bumped the back of his head while shaking his own at Dustins question, knowing it wasn't an easy thing to admit to.

Margaret looked away from Eddie while Dustin and Steve whisper-bickered back and forth.

The silence afterwards making her anxious she decided to talk, to Eddie specifically, eyes meeting his once again.

"I'm sorry.." she whispered not knowing how to say it.

Everyone else, Eddie included, understood what she was saying. She was admitting to the fact she choose Eddie to die should anyone interfere with Vecna's plans. She had expected him to be rightfully annoyed only to be surprised by his response.

"Good" he lightly clapped his hands together, noticing her confusion he continued, "I'm a wanted man anyway, my life isn't the most valuable, yours is"

He was glad she had saved herself, because he knew damn well he'd be absolutely furious if she had saved him over her. If she had sacrificed herself to save a life as wasteful as his. He watched as she abruptly stood and made her way outside the trailer. Eddie had moved to follow, Steve putting his arm out to block him watching Robin go after her instead.

Robin wasn't far behind but on her exit Margaret had already been sat on a wooden box, staring out into the nothingness.

Robin didn't speak at first, just sat beside the girl.

She had noticed Margaret's body language in the trailer, one of the things that utterly fascinated Robin when she was young was body language, how to tell someone's feelings from that alone, so she had studied it.

Her tone had risen and she hadn't spoken much after Dustin had asked who she'd picked. Her hand had came up to cover her mouth after apologising to Eddie.

"You didn't choose to save yourself, did you?" Robin eventually broke the silence. 

Margaret led out a humourless chuckle before turning to look at her friend, Robin could see the inner torment she had been feeling.

Margaret could only shake her head.

"You saved Eddie" Robin confirmed in a whisper while watching Margaret nod, "why?"

Wiping her tears again she looked ahead, "if Eddie was led to believe my life was at risk, he'd refuse to help El, he'd do everything he could to stop any interference" she smiled at the thought, "but.."

"But if he thought it was himself at risk he'd be Mr Hero and allow us to save El in exchange for himself" Margaret nodded.

Margaret sniffled once again, "he is so much more than I thought he was when I was moved up a class in school" she let out a hum at the thought of her and Eddie's musical rivalry, "he's good, and kind even if he doesn't let it on, he deserves every good thing this world has to offer and yet he's been faced with a murder that he didn't commit" she looked at Robin again, "he deserves to live, and be happy. Me on the other hand? I've burnt all my bridges with my family, my gramps, my brother and even my dad are dead, my mother is probably hunting me down as we speak" Robin hadn't known the ins and outs, not yet anyway, "I more than likely will burn my bridges with everyone else because that's just what I do Robin"

"Why? You know we all care about you too"

"Because, everyone I have ever loved died" she started to count on her fingers, "my brother, my gramps, Chrissy, even the loss of my dad, Max nearly died and if I have the chance to keep you all safe you can be certain I'll take it with both hands" how far she had come, the careless cheerleader.

Robin felt awkward while she lifted her arm, placing it around Margaret's shoulders in an attempt to pull her in, Margaret allowed it to Robins surprise, placing her head on Robins shoulder she let out a breath that had been held.

"Don't tell him, don't tell anyone" Margaret wasn't pleading, she was telling, "I need to be the bait"

The pair sat in silence, looking out for a few more moments before the door of the trailer opened once again, Margaret didn't look but Robin had.

"I will leave you in Dustins semi-capable hands" Margaret removed her head while a smile found her lips once again at Robins remark and Dustins audible gasp at her words.

When Robin had entered the trailer to be grilled by Eddie, Dustin sat himself down beside Margaret.

The idea this had started from her being his babysitter a few days a week to now, it almost made him giggle, in fact, it had.

His laughing had made Margaret snap her head his way, "what?"

A small laugh leaving her at the sound of Dustins infectious one, shaking her head while he noticed and gave her a nudge.

"I knew it" Dustin looked awfully proud.

"Knew what exactly?" Margaret bumped his shoulder.

"I knew you'd end up liking Eddie" he smiled with that loving big smile she loved so much, "I knew it as soon as I met him, the way he'd bitch about this girl in his music class" that made her smile briefly.

"I don't think the feeling is mutual unfortunately Dusty" she looked ahead.

"First of all" he raised a finger, "don't call me that, I'm practically a man now and men don't go by Dusty" he confirmed, "secondly, I wouldn't be so sure about that, I know Eddie well and I know when he cares for someone" Dustin cheesed yet again.

Margaret shook her head.

"Eddie making a bet at my expense doesn't seem like her cares Dustin"

"What? No I made that bet, I told him I knew he'd end up liking you and man he was adamant I was wrong but I knew I was right because he already did"

Margaret shook her head, she'd thought Eddie had made some fucked up deal that he could sleep with her or use her, he wasn't like that. She knew he wasn't and right now she just wanted to smack herself silly for thinking such a thing.

"Wait, so he didn't make a bet that he could sleep with me?" Her eyes widened after she spoke realising who she was speaking to.

Mentally smacking herself as he gagged.

"What?!" He looked revolted, "No!" He gagged yet again dramatic as always, "gross!"

"Okay thanks Dustin" she spoke sarcastically while standing up once again, "that will do" she shook her head down at the boy.

"Wait-" he looked concerned, "did you two-"

"No. No! Get your head out the gutter!" She grabbed the neck of his shirt pulling him up.

"You started it!" He raised his hands in defence.

"Get inside" she shook her head.

Upon reentering Max was talking about Vecna's clock and how it had always chimed four times, Margaret had heard it too while being face to face with him.

Max shook her head, "he's been telling us his plan this whole time"

"Four kills" Lucas started, "four gates, end of the world" Margaret looked Max's way while Lucas and Dustin spoke up.

"If that's true, he's only one kill away"

Max tried to get a hold of El, or Mike or Will, anyone. No answer.

Nancy had started to mumble while looking out the window, "we have to go back in there, back into the upside down" her words had both Eddie and Steve immediately refusing, while Margaret rubbed her hands over her face at the sheer thought. Nancy and Steve continued to bicker like an old married couple.

Nancy had an entire plan, about getting weapons, Robin sticking up for Steve while Dustin stuck up for Nancy.

Margaret kept her head in her hands while they concocted this plan.

"That all sounds good but there is no pattern to Vecna's killings, not in I can decipher" Robins words had Margaret lift her head, "when he's going to attack next, we don't even know who he's going to attack" everyone's eyes fell to Eddie after Margarets earlier admission.

"Yes we do" Max spoke up from the corner, "I can still feel him, I'm still marked" her arms were crossed while she tried not to meet anyones eyes, "cursed" she swallowed, "I ditch Kate Bush, it draws focus back to me"

Margaret wanted to argue against it, Lucas only getting there first.

Although their words all drowned out at the sudden silence around her, lifting her head she could still see everyone, watched Max's mouth moving but still unable to hear the words.

Her brows scrunched, confused as to what had happened. Her answer coming shortly after in the sound of one loud chime, a clock chime.

A second.

A third.

She looked behind Lucas at the wall that had caught her attention.

She felt Eddie's hand on her shoulder shuffling her while she heard the fourth chime and the sound of Eddie asking if she was okay.

"Max?" She started not looking away from that spot on the wall, "I don't think it's just you he wants" she heard the few muttered 'what?'s but ignored them. Eddie squeezed her shoulder.

"What are you talking about?" She still hadn't met anyones else, unsure what to do.

Only feeling fear initially, the fear that soon was replaced by the urge to be 'Mr Hero' as Robin had so poetically put it. Hoping her earlier lie about saving herself would last longer than this but apparently not. Had Vecna known she told them? Did he have some kind of sick tracker on her? Was that even possible?

"Why wouldn't it be just me he wants?" Max spoke.

Finally Margaret turned her head to look at the redhead, a loud swallow could be heard by those close to her,

"Because, I can see that Damn clock"