(Ep. 3: The Monster and the Superhero)

After hearing Eddie's recollection of what happened to Chrissy, the group thought it'd be best to stay together, so they settled on sleeping in Steve's car. It was packed to say the least, but they were comforted in knowing they were safe with each other.

Gwen had spent all night tossing and turning. Every time she closed her eyes, her nightmares were threatening to take over. Her mind has become her greatest enemy and it's frustrating that not even in her sleep is she able to escape the harsh reality that her life's become.

It's not like she can tell anyone about this because nightmares are something everyone has, especially them after all they went through. Even if they feel too real and like she's experiencing everything again, Gwen chooses to keep quiet and settles on focusing on protecting Eddie.

As they walk out of Steve's car with groceries in hand, Dustin bursts through the lake house like he owns the place.

Eddie jumps back, startled at their abrupt entry, "Jesus, man! Don't do that shit!"

Dustin smiles and holds up his bag of groceries, "Delivery service!"

Gwen sends a small wave and tries her best to smile reassuringly while holding a six pack of beer that causes Eddie to take a breath of relief. It wasn't easy getting the beer, but since Steve knows the owner of the store well enough, they were allowed to get as much as they needed.

"You're a lifesaver," Eddie thanks her, quickly grabbing the six pack and opening the lid with his teeth.

Dustin scoffs, suddenly offended at his sister being given the credit when he was the one that suggested getting more groceries for him. "Umm, what about me?" he exclaims, evident annoyance in his tone.

Eddie's too engulfed in his drink and stuffing himself with cereal to even say anything. There wasn't much food in Reefer Rick's home except for candy and a few bottles of water, so drinking beer and downing an entire box of cereal feels like a feast.

Everyone takes a seat around him, the view of Lover's Lake offering some gentle serenity despite the circumstances. They need all the calm before the storm considering they have to reveal news to their friend that will change everything.

"So uh, we have some good news and some bad news," Dustin begins, looking over at the others as if expecting them to take the lead. "How do you prefer it?"

"Bad news first," Eddie says with his mouth full, "Always."

Dustin takes a deep breath and says, "We tapped into the Hawkins PD dispatch with our Cerebro, and they're definitely looking for you."

His expression fades into pure unease. Of course he was expecting a manhunt, but held on to the smallest bit of hope that somehow, there would be evidence that proves his innocence. Only after having learned of the existence of the supernatural, seems there's not going to be a way to save his reputation.

"They're also convinced you killed Chrissy," Gwen adds on, folding her arms across her chest as she tries avoiding looking at the beers sitting next to him. She hasn't been drinking since Christmas after it made her do the worst mistake of her life and up until now, she hasn't considered picking up the habit again. It sounds terrible, but the alcohol helped her deal with the mess she's become. It set her dark thoughts on pause and for just a brief moment, she felt like her old self again.

And yet, it clouded her judgment by ruining the best thing that's happened to her, which was the only reason as to why she stopped. Now as she's watching Eddie drink it like it's the last beverage in a desert, the sudden urge to drown herself in alcohol takes over and she's afraid that if she's left alone, nothing will be able to stop her.

Her tense expression doesn't go unnoticed by Steve. He follows her line of sight and is quick to put the puzzle pieces together. His brows knit together and he's suddenly heading in her direction, his hands curling around hers in a gentle squeeze that makes her flinch for a quick second.

She looks over at him and as much as she wants to remain by his side, she finds herself unable to as she doesn't feel deserving of being granted the courtesy in receiving his comfort. Not after how she broke his heart after having promised not to.

Gwen abruptly lets go of him and folds her arms across her chest. Her gaze averts to the lake in front as she tries ignoring the feeling of his pained eyes on her.

"Yeah, like one hundred convinced," Max's voice is able to shift her gears back into focus and Gwen feels grateful for it.

"But there's some good news," Robin continues, her voice hopeful and surprisingly cheery. "Your name hasn't gone public yet, but if we found out about you, it's a matter of time before others do."

Eddie stays quiet, his mind wandering to all the years of being labeled an outcast and called a freak. He was able to handle it and just continue living his life like normal, but being considered a murder suspect won't be easy to get out of. Especially since Chrissy died because of some unknown force no one will believe in.

"Once that gets out, everyone and their shallow-minded mother is gonna be gunning you," Robin explains.

"Hunt the freak, right?"

"Exactly," Robin says.

Dustin springs up from his seat and starts lazily walking around, "Before that happens, we find Vecna, kill him, and prove your innocence."

Clear disbelief covers Eddie's features as he glances over at Gwen and shares a look with her that says, Is this kid serious? He's well aware the entire group has gone through a lot, so he was expecting his curly friend to try to ease him into the situation more easily.

"That's all Dustin? Really?" Eddie tilts his head, gazing at the kid with sarcasm.

Dustin pauses and stares into the distance as if he's giving some thought to it, "Yeah, no, that's pretty much it."

Gwen scoffs and shakes her head, "You say it like it's a walk in the park. Are you forgetting how all of us have nearly died because of this?" Eddie's eyes widen, sheer terror and unease overpowering him. She notices and becomes filled with guilt when instead of diminishing any remaining hope, she should be offering some words of encouragement. "But we're still here. We're alive so... we'll be fine."

I hope so, she thinks.

"Listen, Eddie," he turns towards Robin as she leans closer into the circle, "I know everything Dustin is saying sounds totally delusional." She waves her hand in the air for a dramatic emphasis, "but we've actually been through this kind of thing before." She motions towards Steve, Gwen, Max, and Dustin, "I mean, they have a... a few times, and I have once."

Eddie stares in wonderment at the group, surprisingly feeling calmer he's going through this with people that have experience. Since they survived and appear to be doing just fine, maybe he has a shot and can actually get his life back on track once this is over.

Robin continues her rambling, "Mine was more human flesh based, theirs was more smoke related, but bottom line is," pausing for another dramatic effect, she gazes at the others for a quick second before saying, "I really feel like we got this."

Gwen loves her optimism and how hard she's trying to assure him that everything will be fine, but she feels something is different about this. It might be worth mentioning it to try and see if anyone is feeling the same, but just the way Eddie appears more relaxed, makes her unwilling to express her concerns. Who knows? She could be wrong and all these fears and uncertainties could just be her pessimism.

"We usually rely on this girl who has superpowers," Steve finally speaks up, the memory of first meeting El back at the Byers' home returning like a whiplash. "But uh, those went bye-bye so..."

"So we're technically in more of the.."

"Kinda-"

"Brainstorming phase," Gwen finishes his sentence, discreetly looking his way when she finds that he's already doing the same. He smiles at her in a completely lovestruck way that Gwen's unable to resist. She's afraid of how her heart is nearly jumping out from her chest and the way her cheeks are burning up. Quickly, she turns away, refusing to let her feelings get the better of her.

Steve becomes hurt at her action. He knows there's something wrong and that she's hiding something, but what he doesn't understand is why she's keeping it to herself. Even if they're broken up, he wishes that she feels enough trust to confide in him, even as just friends.

"There's nothing to worry about," Dustin adds on, his voice trembling with nerves that he prays Eddie won't notice.

The shed turns quiet for what appears to be the longest seconds. Everyone glances at each other, trying to offer some encouragement that they're able to handle themselves without receiving help from El. Only of course, deep down they know they're screwed without her.

Before anyone can say anything, police sirens are heard from a distance. The group turns their heads, filled with alert and worry that somehow the cops were able to find Eddie.

Without thinking, Gwen rushes towards him and shoves him down. "Don't make a sound, alright? Stay here until we tell you to, Munson."

"If you guys disappear on me, I swear-"

"Just shut up." Rolling her eyes and placing the tarp over him, she quickly pushes back against the boat and rushes to the window.

A swarm of police cars and ambulances run past the roads at a high speed, their sirens getting louder by the second to the point it becomes unbearable to hear. Something definitely happened and based on the amount of authorities, it's anything but good.

Exchanging equally concerned looks, the group realizes this is definitely about Vecna. If they want to help Eddie, they can't stay here and wonder of the inevitable, so in a swift motion, all of them rush out the doors without looking back.

Eddie hears the door slam, but knows better than looking beyond the tarp when Gwen ordered him not to. He stays still for a few seconds until he can't take the silence any longer. Throwing the tarp over his head, he's shocked to find that all of them left without saying a word. He pushes back against the metal, nearly tripping on his way to the window and watches as they hop into Steve's car.

"Hey!" he peeks his head out the door, hollering at them loud enough for them to hear, "Thanks for the heads up, by the way!"

The passenger window rolls down, both Gwen and Dustin's head bump against each other as they say, "Just stay here until we get back!"

Steve doesn't give the siblings a chance to put on their seatbelts when he presses on the accelerator, making them bump their heads. He tries not to smile when hearing them complain, suddenly being reminded of the olden days when it was just the three of them looking for Dart. But just as quick as the memories return, the reminder that everything has changed and not for the better, brings him down from cloud nine.

After a few minutes of riding in the nerve racking silence, they finally arrive at what appears to be a crime scene. The road is completely blocked, filled with cops and coroners along with a few reporters that managed to sneak their way in.

"Please tell me someone didn't die," Gwen quietly says, her hands shaking from the worry Vecna struck once again while they were busy in their brainstorming phase.

Steve slowly reaches for her hand, longing for the feeling of her warmth against him. He gently curls his fingers around hers and for a brief moment, he swears he sees his Gwen looking back at him.

Feeling like the world has stopped the second their hands meet, everything becomes forgotten and for once, she's able to breathe. As if all of her problems vanished and gave her the chance to allow herself to believe he could still love her. After having ended things the way she did, she didn't feel like she deserved his comfort, his kindness, or the way he's staring at her so full of love.

She doesn't want to drag him into her mess because he deserves better. He deserves someone worthy of having his heart, and if letting him go is the way it should be, then she'd rather face heartbreak than hurt him even more. She moves her hand away, refusing to dwell on the past when their future is quite literally at stake again. She pushes back against the seat, gently closing the door behind her and finally averts her gaze at the scene in front to suddenly find her friend standing in the middle on it.

Nancy holds her arms tightly against herself, searching for some kind of comfort that will rid her of the devastation and loss for yet another friend. She takes a deep breath, briefly tuning out the sheriff's questioning once she finally sees her friends. Just knowing that they're here makes her feel safe, like she's arrived at the safety of her home and doesn't have to worry for the worst. She gently smiles in relief and sends a small wave, feeling like a weight off her shoulders has been lifted.

__________________

"You're saying that this thing that killed Fred and Chrissy, it's from the Upside Down?" Nancy questions, refusing to believe everything is back after all they went through these past three years.

Gwen nods, leaning her head against her arm as she tries remaining calm and not panicking over having to fight this evil again. "With our terrible luck, it definitely is."

"Our working theory is that he attacks with a spell or a curse," Dustin explains, once again his knowledge of D&D getting him one step ahead of everyone. "Now, whether or not he's doing the bidding of the Mind Flayer or just loves killing teens, we don't know."

"I don't think it's the Mind Flayer this time," Gwen blurts out, making them turn their heads in her direction. "I mean, he's not possessing people. From what we were told on how Chrissy died, the way it kills them is different. Something... more cruel, almost like he enjoys torturing them before killing them."

The group turns quiet, each developing some theories of their own if Vecna is possibly the mastermind behind it all or is just another pawn. Regardless of who he is, it doesn't change the fact that any one of them could become a target at any second.

Nancy shakes her head, confused on how the two victims have any correlation with this, "No, it- it doesn't make sense."

"It's just a theory."

"No, Fred and Chrissy," she corrects, "Why them?"

It does seem strange how two completely different people, who never interacted once, had become a target. Maybe if both of them had been popular, that could've been their shared factor, but it still seems odd how random their deaths were after months of Hawkins being quiet.

So why did it start now after all this time?

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

Steve's body turns cold when realizing he was also there with Gwen and Robin. Was this monster targeting people who attended? Or is that just another coincidence? He feels his throat run dry at the sudden fear of those he loves becoming targets, filling him with an overwhelming sense of panic that out of reflex, he places his hand on Gwen's thigh to ease his nerves.

She flinches lightly at how unexpected it was, and is about to scurry away until she notices the frightful look in his eyes. Knowing he doesn't like showing his emotions in public, she's certain this is becoming too much for him if he's nearly breaking in front of them. She places her hand on top of his, gently squeezing it as her eyes meet his, sending a comprehensive and comforting message that makes him feel better.

"And also at the trailer park," Max informs them, remembering how Chrissy came with Eddie and since Fred had also been here, this could be a possible connection between them. But that's when she realizes that Gwen had come to visit her and how both of them also share this similarity with the victims.

Steve takes a deep breath, clearing his throat before addressing the obvious, "We're at the trailer park." Looking around curiously, he's suddenly drawn to take everyone away from a possible focal point of these murders, "Uh, should we maybe not be here?"

"I think we're good for now," Gwen reassures him, still holding his hand, "Maybe if we stay together, we'll be alright." He nods, a faint smile starting to develop as they both quickly turn away.

"There is something about this place," Nancy begins, her tone unnerving and cryptic. "Fred started acting weird the second we got here." She pauses, almost as if she's remembering everything that led to his death. "He was scared, on edge, upset."

Maybe it's knowing that the trailer park is the one thing both Chrissy and Fred had in common, or the fact that they're sitting right in the middle of it, but just listening to Nancy and hearing the fear in her tone, makes Gwen's heart start to race uncontrollably. She hasn't been able to fully deal with the aftermath of last summer's events or the years prior, so now realizing that the Upside Down is back just makes everything worse as she can't fathom the idea of having to fight for survival again.

"Didn't you say Chrissy was upset?" Dustin looks over at Max, not sure if she was the one that told him.

"Yeah, but not here," she states, "She was crying in the bathroom."

"And also when the game ended..." Gwen's certain Chrissy had seen something in the gym. The way she stared at the scoreboard in sheer terror didn't make sense back then, but with what they learned, maybe visions could be something Vecna's victims are tormented with before getting killed. "She was afraid, kept glancing at the scoreboard like it was something terrifying. She seemed on edge, like Nance said Fred was. It all just seems-"

"I knew you guys would be here!"

Everyone turns around to be met by Daphne storming in their direction. Her arms are crossed over her chest, her brows are pressed into a tight line, and she has the most perfect scowl covering her features.

Robin freezes for a mere moment, her heart somersaults as Daphne gets closer. Her cheeks turn a bright red and her entire body is radiating with nerves because damn it, why does she have to be so beautiful?

Daphne reaches the table, slamming her hands against it that startles everyone. "The least you could have done is call to let me know."

Nancy gazes at her in confusion, "Umm, why exactly?"

The Sinclair girl scoffs, a dry chuckle escaping her lips, "Because this is definitely about the Upside Down, and since I became involved in this mess last summer, I have a right to be here."

Nancy is about to interject when Robin scoots over and gestures towards Daphne to take a seat next to her. "But-"

"So what did I miss?" Daphne interrupts her and looks around, her shoulders pressing against Robin's that makes her redder than a tomato.

Gwen lets out a laugh, "So much, Sinclair."

"Let's get back on track," Nancy suggests. "So Gwen, you were saying that Chrissy appeared to have seen something?"

"That's what it seemed like."

The wheels in Robin's brain start running. She starts considering that this monster probably stalks his prey before attacking, so maybe that's what happened to the two teens. "Maybe Fred and Chrissy saw this Vecman-"

"Vecna," Dustin corrects, clear irritation in his voice.

Gwen rolls her eyes and rubs her forehead in annoyance, "So now you're back to correcting people?"

"It's important we get his name right, so yes, I'm back to correcting people!"

She says nothing after since it's no use arguing with him when he does as he pleases. At least his attitude remains intact, so she'll give him that.

"Dunno about you guys, but if I saw some freaky wizard monster, I would mention it to someone," Steve points out.

"Maybe they did," Max says, "I saw Chrissy leaving Ms. Kelley's office. If you saw a monster, you wouldn't go to the police. They'd never believe you."

"Ahh," Gwen breathes out, "You would visit your shrink."

That's enough to send everyone into a scheming plan. Ms. Kelley must have files on all the students she treats, so if visiting the school counselor could lead to a possible connection, then they need to figure out if Fred had been going to her office as well.

Just as they were nearing the vehicles, Nancy walks up to Gwen and grabs her by the wrist, "I think I know where we should go. It may be a long shot, but I'm about ninety percent sure it's worth checking out."

"Nothing is a long shot when it's from you, Nance," Gwen softly smiles and teasingly nudges her on the shoulder. "So, where are we going?"

"To the library."

Steve was barely getting his car keys out when he noticed Gwen leaving the group with Nancy. He couldn't believe she was thinking of going off alone (even if she still had company). It seemed quite foolish since they're not certain of when this monster could attack again, and the thought of not being with her to protect her is something he's unwilling to let happen.

"Whoa, whoa, Gwen!" he trails after her, not even noticing the grip he has on her arm. "Where are you going?"

"I'm going with Nance to check something out," she points toward her friend and seriously hopes it's enough for him not to make a big deal out of this.

Nancy walks forward, her lips pressed into a tight lipped smile, "She'll be with me, so she's going to be fine."

Dustin waves his arms up, starting to get irritated that they're hiding something at a time like this. "Something you want to share with us?"

"I don't want to waste your time. It's a real shot in the dark."

"Don't be modest," Gwen remarks, "You're the brains of the group, so your ideas are worth investigating."

Steve scoffs and shakes his head in pure disbelief at her ridiculous idea and lack of judgment when not seeing how dangerous this is. "Are you out of your mind? Flying solo with Vecna on the loose?"

"What part of me going with Nance don't you understand?" Gwen appreciates his concern, but considering they can cover more ground if they do research besides just going with Ms. Kelley, it would be much easier if he just stops worrying and lets her go. "I'll be fine, so just stop."

Gwen turns around, but is once again stopped by his firm hand still holding her, "No, it's too dangerous. You need... you need someone to..." she raises a brow at him, knowing what he's trying to imply. "Look, if you're going, then I'm going as well." He tosses his keys to Robin, who barely misses catching them, "You guys take the car and check out the shrink."

"I don't think it's such a great idea to let Robin drive your car," Daphne interjects while taking the keys from her hand. She knows Robin hasn't gotten her license yet and even though she can drive, she would much rather have Harrington as their personal chauffeur.

"Umm, why?" he asks with irritation.

"I don't have a license," Robin remarks, extending an arm toward his BMW, almost too desperate to get out of this.

He stares at her in utter shock, wondering how in the world she still hasn't taken her driver's test when she's a senior. "Why don't you have a license?"

Robin nonchalantly shrugs, "I'm poor."

"Come on!" Dustin complains.

"I can drive!" Max perks up, eager to get behind the wheel again.

Steve automatically denies the girl's offer. Even if he had a concussion and was barely able to know what was happening, he vividly remembers how she almost crashed his car. "No, never again. Please. Anybody but you. No." He glances at Daphne, hoping she'd take over and offer, "Sinclair, you drive them!"

Daphne tries holding back her laughter and leans back against his car. Seeing him this desperate is actually quite funny, so there's no way she's going to offer to drive them. Considering that she had been the one that stayed behind to take care of Dustin and Erica while they were in the Russian compound, she refuses to be the babysitter again.

"Oh, come on. Seriously?!" Steve complains when seeing her reluctance.

"All right, okay," Robin interjects, "This is stupid. Us ladies will stick together." Frustratedly, she tosses the keys back at Steve and stands in between Nancy and Gwen. "Unless, you think we need you to protect us."

Gwen glances down at her arm, noticing that Steve is still holding her with no intentions on letting go. "Can you let go of me now?"

He seems reluctant in letting her go. A part of him knows she can fend for herself and she'll be safe around Robin and Nancy, and despite everything, she's the toughest girl he knows, so he figures he should have some faith in her. With a heavy sigh, he releases his hold on her and watches as she trails after the two girls.

"Be careful! Please!"

Daphne stands with her mouth slightly agape, completely filled with utter shock that she's stuck babysitting with him when she would have preferred to go with them instead. "Really? You're leaving me with 'whiskers' here?"

Steve glares at her so heavily that in another universe, she would have turned to stone. He doesn't remember her being this annoying, or maybe becoming a cheerleader finally got to her head. "Seems like being a pain in the ass runs in the family."

"Oh, shut it!" Daphne snaps.

"We'll be back soon!" Robin hollers from the backseat of Nancy's car, her voice fading as they drive away from the trailer park.

With hesitation, Steve orders the remaining of the group to get in his car. After asking Dustin to wipe off his feet, he loses his last bit of patience when the teen does it inside.

Complaining, he turns the engine on rather too forcefully, wishing to have gone with the others instead of having to take care of these teens again. "Always the babysitter. Always the goddamn babysitter!"