(Ep. 5: The Nina Project)

A loud honking sound awakened Gwen from her sleep.

She gasped at the intense blaring that made her headache feel like knives were pressing against her skull. Her eyes were groggy and filled with exhaustion and her entire body ached from her previous sleeping position.

Slowly, she rubbed her eyes to try and rid them of sleep. The honking seemed to be getting nearer, but then she concluded something was off about this. The last she remembered, she had been trying not to fall asleep and was sitting on the steps of the Wheeler's basement, so how did she end up here?

The tightness of a seatbelt was felt against her collarbone. Its thick fabric clawed into her skin profoundly and left its mark behind. She looked around, noticing she was sitting in the backseat and the driver was driving erratically. Her first thought was that perhaps Steve was trying to get a moment alone, but it was senseless. It wasn't in his nature to do this, especially in the middle of the night with Vecna on the loose. 

"What's happening?" Gwen breathed heavily and attempted to loosen the tightness of the seatbelt, but it pressed deeper into her the more she breathed. "Can you tell me-"

"It's alright, Gwenie."

That voice. 

She knew that voice. 

The flash from the thunder provided enough light to help her take a closer look to her surroundings. She then recognized this car was the one her dad drove -- a 1974 Volkswagen Golf. The tan leather seats, the carpeted ground, the piece of gum stuck on the door, and the smell of cherry was just as she last remembered. 

And then, there was the familiar driver. 

It was her dad. 

She hyperventilated the more her dad pressed on the gas and accelerated. It was raining buckets and hard to see anything, but he kept driving as if it were a clear night. She remembered this drive. This had been the night of the crash, the night she lost her dad, and nearly got taken to the afterlife. 

"Can you please slow down?" Gwen pleaded, holding tightly onto the seat as if it would spare her. 

Her dad looked through the rearview mirror at her, "Don't be scared, honey. Your old man's got this. He's never failed you before."

Her eyes welled, "I know you haven't, but please slow down!"

Gwen couldn't experience this night again. She wouldn't be able to endure seeing the light from his eyes fade. She wouldn't be able to scream for help to then realize this was the end of line. Maybe she was being given another chance. Maybe she could change the past and save him. 

"We'll get to dance in the rain like I promised," he assured her, his voice gentle and comforting. 

(Just like she last remembered.)

"No, I'm scared!" Gwen choked on a sob, the tears now spilling as if a faucet had been opened. She took shaky breaths and continuously tried convincing him to stop, but he appeared as if he weren't listening. "Please pull over. I don't care about dancing! I just want you to be safe dad! Please!"

"We'll be more than alright, Gwenie," he tried to reassure her. "There. You see? I'm slowing down."

But the car kept going. 

It was driving much faster and the windshield wasn't blocking the water anymore. The dimly lit roads became much darker and only the sound of the thunder could be heard. 

"Dad!" 

"I'm trying to slow down," he said, but his calm voice was now full of panic. He kept pressing on the brakes, but nothing put a cease to the speed. "It's okay. It's okay, honey. Your dad's got this."

Gwen clutched onto her seatbelt and cried even harder, the same way she did years ago. It was happening again. She was reliving the worst night of her life and couldn't save her dad. The torment of knowing what would happen made this much harder, because not even with her knowledge would she be able to change his fate. She was being forced to accept that this would happen and not even in her dreams would her dad survive. 

"Do you remember this?" he suddenly asked.

But it wasn't his voice anymore.

It was someone else's.

Gwen stared at him attentively, "What?"

"Do you remember how I died? How I looked at you as I took my last breath?"

She didn't know what to say or what to do, so she remained silent.

He looked at her through the mirror again, but the warmth of his brown eyes were no longer looking back at her. His brown eyes were now replaced by a white color, so haunting and devastating. 

And then, a clock started chiming from a distance. 

"I know you do. I also know how you think about joining me," he calmly spoke, his eyes never once looking away from her. "Every night, every morning, you pray to reunite with me, so why are you afraid now?"

Gwen pinched herself extremely hard, hoping the pain would awaken her and she'd be back in the Wheeler's basement. The clock continued chiming, so she pinched herself even harder. Not even when blood dripped down her arm did she stop. She continued and continued, but the chiming remaining along with the grim voice of the imposter. 

"I miss you, honey," he told her, and made a sharp turn into an empty road. "And I know you miss me, but don't worry. We'll be together very soon."

"You're not my dad," she spoke up, tears streaming incessantly like her blood. "You're just a monster."

He chuckled humorlessly, "Then how do I know so much about you? I know your darkest fears, your deepest desires, and how much you seek the end."

"That's not true! I- I don't want..." she stopped herself, knowing there was an actual truth to his words, but wouldn't admit aloud. 

"I'm here to help you... to make your wishes come true, so we finally be together," he growled, and turned the car in the direction of nearing headlights. "You want this. You want to follow me into death."

The impact from the other vehicle sent the car out of the road. It spun uncontrollably for the longest seconds until crashing into the trees. She felt the pain expand throughout her entire body and expected to hear to the chiming, but there was nothing. Only the sound of the alarm and her painful groans. 

Gwen was afraid of looking, but she needed to. 

Her father was staring right at her. His eyes were back to brown and he held his hand toward her, hoping to seek her touch one last time. Amidst the broken glass and the car's debris, she found enough strength to reach out to him. He choked on his blood as he gave her a soft smile, and gently nodded, reassuring her that everything would be alright. 

"Dad... it- it hurts," she breathed out, now struggling to breathe. 

His eyes welled with tears, "I know, honey. I'm... I'm so sorry."

She shook her head, "You don't... have to apologize."

"You're going to be okay," he assured her, and held onto her hand much tighter. "Just hold on."

Gwen then belted out the words she wished she had said that day, "I love you, dad. Thank you... for everything."

He smiled at her one last time before the light from his eyes faded.

Gwen shattered as his grip fell loose. She shook him in an attempt to wake him up, but not even in her dreams did she have the power to do so. He was gone and nothing would reverse the path already set. A cruel fate had been dictated and just like a tragic play, only catastrophe was to be expected. 

Maybe if she remained here would everything end. 

Maybe she would be spared from the pain.

Maybe-

"Gwen?! Gwen, where are you?!"

The comforting voice of Steve could be heard a couple feet from her. She considered this was a trick, a cruel joke of some kind, so she remained silent. 

He still continued.

"Gwen!" Steve kneeled down beside her, looking through the hole that was once the window. He held his hand out and as if a string were pulling them together, she accepted his guidance to safety. 

The ruins of the car were left behind and sirens could be heard approaching.

"You're here," Gwen whispered, her voice falling to a whimper. "You're here with me."

"I would never leave you," Steve embraced her tightly, his grip becoming tighter and ignoring her critical injuries. His voice then dropped below a whisper, "You might have left me, but I would never. Even if it's what you deserve."

Her eyes went wide and her body ran cold, "What?"

His hold became tighter.

"Let me go!" 

"Stay with me," he growled, his warmth now replaced by a foreboding terror. 

The clock's chiming could be heard again. 

"Let go of me!" Gwen shoved her palms deep into his chest, the grating impact sending her to the ground. 

But collision never came.

When she opened her eyes, it was no longer the side of the road present, but a Russian cell instead. The cold metal of a chair was felt against her back and the rope pressed into her wrists with intents of leaving scars behind. 

The door burst open and the commander entered with the doctor. Their expressions were full of disdain, but it was their sinister smile that made everything worse. The doctor held a syringe with blue liquid, and she quickly recognized it as the serum the Russians gave her, Steve, and Robin. 

"Get that away from me! Please just let me go!" Gwen pleaded, but her begs only amused them. She flailed under the ropes and tried liberating herself, but the commander proceeded to jam his fist directly into her jaw. 

The doctor tilted his head, as if considering the girl before him. He glanced to his comrade and laughed maniacally with him, but his face then loosened its humor into a threatening one. She begged them to stop, to let her go, but her screams were their fuel. Before she could attempt one more time, the syringe was placed right into her neck. 

Her insides felt as if acid had been injected. A pressure surrounded her into complete oblivion and the pain slowly faded her into unconsciousness.

Fireworks and a familiar hum were suddenly heard. 

A couple feet from her, the mind flayer was being attacked by the pyrotechnics. Standing ahead was Natalia approaching her holding a pocket knife with ease. Her humming of an oldie felt like blades cutting through her, and this time, Gwen didn't remain paralyzed. She pushed herself off the ground toward the direction of her friends, but once she looked up to the second floor, the sight worsened everything. 

All of them were trapped against the pillars by thick vines. Their eyes were gone, their clothing was covered with blood, and their faces were twisted in different ways. 

Vecna took them from her. 

He took her only reason for breathing. 

Gwen fell to her knees and let out a gut wrenching scream. She slammed her fists onto the floor and cried like never before, but then, she recognized the familiar Scoops Ahoy uniform from the corner of her eye. 

When she turned around, the world around her shattered into pieces.

Steve was trapped by the vines.

Seeing the man she loved nailed to the pillar with his brown eyes removed and mouth open in a twisted way was enough to break the last remaining part of her. She was terrified this was no longer just an image Vecna was using to torture her with, but instead was a glimpse into the inevitable future. 

What if this was bound to happen?

What if she were to lose everyone in the end?

"You did this," Vecna growled from behind her. "If it wasn't for you, all of them would be alive."

"Go to hell!" Gwen scream, and slammed the cold tiles beneath her. 

A small crack began opening, allowing for millions of black widows to crawl all over her body. She flailed her arms and tried shaking the spiders off, but they were more than her. They were stronger and poisonous that the darkness was inevitable. 

It wasn't until she was surrounded when she fell to the ground unconscious.

And then, she was back at the Wheeler's laying on the living room couch. 

Morning light peered through the blinds and casted a golden color. She shielded her eyes with her trembling hand, her tears now dry but a reminder of the torment. 

Was this real?

Or was this a trick? 

"Good morning, dear," Karen Wheeler greeted as she walked down the stairs in the direction of the kitchen, her husband and Holly following behind. 

She swallowed thickly, "Good morning."

Holly searched for her crayons and complained to her mom about it. She sprung from her chair and galloped into the living room once seeing her art supplies scattered on the coffee table. "Do you want to draw with me?"

Gwen considered this wasn't a dream anymore. 

(She must surely be back to reality and safe in the Wheeler house.)

Slowly, she nodded and took a crayon from her hand, "Of course."

Holly smiled and excitedly galloped back to the dining table. Gwen took a deep breath and coursed her way to the kitchen, but not before excusing herself and heading to the bathroom for a brief moment. 

The door creaked just like the wooden tiles. A cold feeling was in the room, but it was nothing like the one she experienced in those visions. She closed the door behind her and just as the lock clicked, she couldn't to contain herself any longer.

Sinking into the corner of the room, Gwen buried her head into her arms and was unable to prevent herself from keeping it together. The overbearing pain of everything that transpired consumed her body, creating low and uncontrollable sobs that she tried to muffle by covering her mouth with her hands.

Every year there was always something new. Whether it was a new monster or the same one, it was always one after the other. Even if they manage to find a way to defeat Vecna, there was no certainty he wouldn't return again in another form. 

What if what Vecna showed her came true? 

What if everyone she loved dies and she'd forced to be the last one standing?

Gwen couldn't find any comfort or any remaining part of her to remain optimistic. Not with the way they had been fighting this evil since '83 and could possibly be dealing with for years to come. 

Her breath trembled as she looked down at her hands, as if they were bound to alleviate her. She, more than anyone, wanted to believe there could be a high chance of winning this battle, but with all the losses and all the scars left behind, her faith was slipping away.

Something about this felt different. 

There was a sinister feeling that wasn't as prominent as the previous years. Usually, there was a reason, an answer, and a cause as to why it started again. There wasn't any gates they had been opened. Not that they knew of. The Russians were gone and the lab was vacant, completely abandoned with no intention of ever rekindling its base. So why did the attacks suddenly start? Was Vecna truly the mastermind or just another pawn to a higher force?

None of this made sense and having no answers sent her into a greater spiral. She couldn't conjure up any faith that somehow this wouldn't worsen in a matter of days or hours. If her hallucinations were happening, that meant it was only a matter of when Vecna would officially take her... and she wasn't certain if she'd be willing to fight.

But sitting here drowning in her troubles wouldn't do anyone, do her any good. She needed to be strong. She needed to pretend nothing was happening and put on a brave face for the sake of the kids. They needed to hold on to their hope, because without it, what more was left?

After a few minutes, Gwen gathered the courage to leave the room. She splashed cold water on her face and focused on maintaining her composure. No one could know something was wrong, not when Max barely escaped Vecna and could possibly still be a target. She ran her hands through her hair in an attempt to fix it and quickly scurried off into the hall before getting the chance to change her mind.

Dustin and Nancy were then heard from the dining room. 

"What if we somehow unlocked a backdoor to Vecna's world?" Dustin rhetorically asked, and hastily turned around when sensing his sister behind him. "Where have you been? We were supposed to stay together."

"Sorry, I fell asleep on the couch," Gwen took a seat next to Holly, noticing various pieces of paper colored entirely with red and black scattered all around. She grabbed one and inspected it in close detail, "What is this?"

"It's what I saw when I faced Vecna," Max clarified, her forehead suddenly creasing when noticing Gwen's pale expression and drained gaze. She knew that look very well as it was the one she sported after Vecna tortured her with visions, but before she acquire a chance to ask, Dustin was already interrupting her with his rambling. 

"I'm just saying, what if the answer we're looking for is somewhere is this incredibly vague drawing," Dustin examined the paper in closer detail. "God, we need Will."

"No shit," Max complained, "I tried them again this morning and it's the same busy signal."

Nancy studied one of the drawings much more attentively, "Stained glass with roses..."

Max glared at Dustin with satisfaction, "See? I'm not so terrible after all."

"It helps that I've seen it before," Nancy dropped the paper and began gathering the rest of the drawings. She folded them and placed them together like a puzzle, slowly creating the image of a house. 

Dustin's eyes widened, "It's pieces of a house."

"Not just any house," Nancy stated.

Gwen narrowed her eyes in curiosity, noticing the image seemed familiar. Maybe she saw it in a book, news article, or... The Creel House. She saw a picture during their time at the library as they skimmed through various stories. 

"It's the Creel House."

__________________

The ruins of the Creel House stood before the Hawkins Crew. 

The windows were boarded up, the pale blue paint clung on for dear life, and the front garden had all kinds of plants growing freely in various ways. A few bugs crawled all around in the glory of their home as the faint sunlight hit the surrounding trees. The desolate atmosphere was enough to become a home to millions of ghosts and monsters, one of them could possibly be Vecna.

Standing before it sent shivers down Gwen's spine. If the exterior was enough to make her feel uneasy, she couldn't imagine how much worse it would be inside. She placed her hands inside pocket, as if hiding them would protect her from more hallucinations. 

"Yeah, that's not creepy," Steve observed the desolate home and without thinking, he looked in Gwen's direction. He took in the detail of her long brown hair and the golden specks adorning it. Even under the circumstances, she resembled a remarkable artwork, but he noted something different about her. It was subtle, but still noticeable. 

She sensed his gaze, but it was now him that looked away.

"I really hope Vecna doesn't appear," Daphne nervously observed her surroundings, slowly taking a step forward. "Remind me again why we're here? Why this specific house?"

"Did you not hear Nancy say this is the house Max drew?" Lucas rolled his eyes and shoved past her. "Erica's annoying, but at least she's smart."

Daphne scoffed in offense, "It seems Jason's personality rubbed off on you."

"Says the airhead cheerleader," Lucas retorted, and dodged her attempt to whack him on the head. 

Her jaw clenched, "At least I was on the court all year round. Unlike you, who barely got his first shot this week."

Her comment was enough for the Sinclairs to burst into a fit of arguments. The rest of the group just watched unimpressed, thinking of all the time they were wasting. Even Dustin, who kept glancing at his watch impatiently and was observing them like a disappointed parent

Nancy finally got enough, "Guys! It's not the time!"

Nothing.

They continued arguing, refusing to listen to anything but themselves. 

Gwen was reminded of the time she and Steve dealt with a similar situation. So coincidentally, it involved Lucas as well. He and Dustin had been arguing at the abandoned railway over Lucas having revealed their secret to Max. It was strange, but this childish bickering felt like the olden days. Something refreshing to acquire under all the occurrences. 

"Hey, hey, hey!" Steve clapped his hands and then placed them on his hips like a tired mother scolding her children. "Cut the chit chat already so we can focus on what's important!" 

She bit the inside of her cheek to refrain smiling, but he noticed from a mile away. He gently smiled, his face turning a crimson red and hand running through his luscious locks. 

"That's why Erica's my favorite," Daphne mumbled while making her way past the others to the porch steps.

Lucas was about to send another retort, but Max sent him the deadliest of glares that made him unwilling to continue.

Gwen stood back as Steve and Nancy removed the nails from the barrier blocking their entrance. She glanced over at Max to check on her, but was surprised to find her doing the same. Her blue eyes stared into Gwen as if she were studying a poem, slowly and attentively managing to acquire a read into her stanzas. She slowly approached her to ask something, but was once again interrupted. 

"What exactly are we supposed to be looking for in this shithole?" Steve cursed under his breath as he struggled to remove the nails. 

"We're not sure," Nancy admitted. "We just know this house is important to Vecna."

"Because Max saw it in Vecna's red soup mind world?"

She nodded, "Basically."

He glanced away and frowned, "Great."

"Maybe it holds a clue to where Vecna is," Dustin tried to further explain Nancy's theory. "Why he's back. Why he killed the Creels."

Gwen wondered if this house could possibly be his lair. If Max managed to enter his mind, there was a high possibility this place could be where he resided in. It made perfect sense if taken into account how the mind flayer used an abandoned steel mill and the demodogs used the lab. 

"If we find something out, we'd be one step closer to stopping him before he comes back to Max," Dustin finalized, his sentence making Max take a step forward.

"It's not just me," Max glanced in Gwen's direction, who was now warning her not to say anything through her stare. 

Steve noticed.

(Of course he did.)

He looked in between them, noticing her blue eyes fill with concern, but also with dread. There was a secret being held back, but secrets weren't safe. They were dangerous and held a step to destruction. He couldn't allow this to happen. Not when it involved her. 

"What do you mean?" Steve addressed Max instead, but kept his gaze locked on Gwen's. 

Max held her arms together and cleared her throat, "I'm not the only one Vecna's after-"

"Exactly," Gwen interjected, and stepped forward. "There's more people who went to see Ms. Kelley, so we better find something quickly before it's too late."

Steve remained unconvinced. He wasn't a fool not to notice how different she was acting since this morning. She was much quieter and didn't respond to Dustin's remarks. The way she didn't laugh at any of Robin's jokes had opened his eyes to a conclusion that it had been a very long time since he heard her laughter. 

Oh, how much he longed to hear it. 

Something was obviously wrong, and he wouldn't stop until he was to find out. 

"Ready?" Nancy called out to him, gesturing to the wood and to the hammer in his hand. 

Steve blinked out of his thoughts and continued removing the nails. With Nancy's help, they removed the wood and tossed it to the ground, revealing the stained window with a bright rose that Max had drawn. 

He rattled the doorknob, hoping it would somehow be open, "It's locked."

Gwen rolled her eyes at him, "Yeah, no shit. Did you think it'd be unlocked after all these years?"

He couldn't even be annoyed when hearing her remarks was all he longed for, "Maybe. Maybe not."

Just staring into those big brown eyes made her crumble. After all this time, he still held control over and as much as it was frustrating, she loved it at the same time. 

Hopelessly devoted to him, she was, indeed. 

"How about you knock?" Daphne joked, earning a laugh from Robin. "See if anyone's home."

"Let's break a window," Gwen suggested, quickly looking away from him. "It's not like anyone would mind."

"No need," Robin held a red brick and smirked proudly. "I found a key."

All of them take a step back from the door and watched as she tossed the brick through the stained glass, shattering it completely and leaving behind enough space to unlock it from the inside.

Steve took initiative and moved forward. He inspected the hole for a few seconds, making sure there was enough space to put his hand through and not accidentally cut himself. He sighed heavily and proceeded to place his hand inside to search for the lock.

The door creaks menacingly as it opens, its low yet piercing sound echoing throughout the empty home. Its low lighting sends a sinister feeling to course through everyone, creating an instant wave of dread and trepidation as this visit can go one way or the other. If luck or misfortune is on their side, they're able to get some answers as to why this house is connected to what Max saw in Vecna's mind.

Lucas heads to one of the lamps and tries turning it on, much to his cousin's annoyance as she smiles in getting a chance to tease him once more. "Dude, you can't seriously expect this place to have electricity."

"Can you shut up?" he seethes.

"Here," Gwen opens her bag and grabs one of the spare flashlights she brought. Thanks to her brother's necessity in bringing all kinds of things, she chose to follow in his footsteps and come prepared as well. Better be safe than sorry.

"Where'd everyone get those?" Steve questions, brows furrowing in confusion when seeing the majority of them thought to bring flashlights.

Dustin snaps his head over at him, eyes narrowing into slits at his lack of unpreparedness. "Do you need to be told everything?" he snaps, annoyance evident in his tone. "You're not a child."

"Thank you," Steve sarcastically says, already becoming fed up with this teen's attitude.

Dustin lets out a soft groan and slides his backpack off. He hands him the bag and stares at him with a deadpan look, "Back pocket."

Gwen shoves the third flashlight she brought back into her bag and turns on her heels as she starts inspecting the desolate home. It's still furnished, which means the place was left as it was and no one dared to buy a home that had three murders happen. Well, who in their right mind would?

She shines the light to every corner, catching glimpses of various cobwebs hanging around along with a few bugs hiding in the crevices. The floor creaks with every step she takes that makes her cautiously move forward just in case one wrong step causes a board to break.

Gwen tries not to look behind her when sensing Steve trailing after her like he's her bodyguard. She knows better than getting distracted at a time like this, especially when they're in Vecna's possible home.

She tightens her grip on the flashlight and starts heading up the stairs, but from the corner of her eye, she sees the familiar silhouette of the grandfather clock she had seen at the library. This one is in better condition, but there's no doubt it's the same one.

With her hand still holding on to the railing, her gaze remains focused as if her life depends on it. Seeing it again sends shivers down her spine and forms goosebumps all around her skin as the terrible sensation of doom washes over her again. She's not sure what this means, but it's only proving this house could be the hive mind for Vecna.

"You saw it too," Max says in a low voice without a sense of doubt in her statement. "Why don't you want to tell them?"

Gwen's not sure of what to say. She doesn't want to openly express her fears and worries to her knowing Max has a lot on her plate and it hasn't even been a day since surviving the curse. It wouldn't be right to place this burden on her when it should be the other way around, so for the sake of Max, she knows better than to admit the truth.

"There's nothing to tell," she simply says and avoids peering into her distressed eyes. Yet another reason for wanting to keep this quiet as she can't afford to have everyone's pitiful looks on her. "Just let it go."

Max shakes her head and moves in front of her, "I know I'm being hypocritical when saying this, but I know something's wrong and I want you to know that I'm here." Placing her hand on hers, Max tries getting her to open up as facing this curse alone is the last thing anyone should ever do. "I'm right here and you can talk to me about this. I more than anyone understands so don't keep it to yourself."

Gwen can't find any comfort in her words. Not when everything is going south continuously and even if she chooses to have hope, it's not worth holding on to it when it's bound to disappear in an instant. There's no escape from this, nothing to save them from these recurring monsters, or all the trauma this has brought. Talking about it won't help because what's the point? Conversation won't put an end to this. It won't give them the answers they're seeking, so why waste time with it?

She turns around, shielding her face as her eyes start watering with haste. She's fairly grateful for the low lighting as she can't make anyone grow concerned and waste their time on her.

"Is this what you saw?" Nancy asks the young girl when remembering she mentioned seeing it at the school. "In your visions?"

Gwen leans her back against the wall, taking slow and steady breaths as she can feel the familiar pressure on her chest returning. There's no way in hell she's bound to have another attack in front of everyone. She starts focusing on her friends' conversations, ignoring all her thoughts pounding against her skull that makes it hurt for what seems the millionth time.

"I mean, it's just a clock," Robin tries making the situation less concerning and looks at the others for agreement. "Right? Just a normal one."

Daphne eagerly nods and awkwardly pats her on the back, "It could be. I mean, he could be using grandfather clocks just because they're creepy."

Steve stares attentively, his mind running a mile a minute as he's determined to figure something out to prove himself to be useful. "Why is this wizard obsessed with clocks?" he asks himself, "Maybe he's, like, a clockmaker or something?"

That simple comment is more than enough to calm her down. She pushes back against the wall and rejoins the group, biting back the urge to respond back by giving him one of her remarks.

Dustin slowly glares up at him with a blank look, "I think you cracked the case, Steve."

"All I know is the answers are here," Nancy looks around, her determination in finding out a solution to this becoming more prominent. "Somewhere."

"Then we better get looking," Gwen adds on.

"Everyone stays in groups," Nancy starts walking away from them before calling out, "Robin, Gwen, we're taking the upstairs."

Daphne raises her hand just as a student would at school, "Can I trade places with Gwen, please? I won't be of much help if Lucas and I argue all the time."

"Couldn't agree more," he mumbles, but feels utterly grateful when realizing he'll get a chance to be alone with Max.

"Umm, it's up to Gwen," Nancy starts heading up the stairs with Robin trailing after her and soon after, Max walks away with Lucas.

"Pretty please?" Daphne begs, her necessity in staying near Robin getting the better of her.

Gwen playfully rolls her eyes and nods her head, "Fine. Go nuts." She's caught off guard by Daphne's excited squeal and embracing arms, leaving her completely stricken as it's been a while since it happened.

Steve smiles, fully content in this choice of grouping that makes him thankful for Daphne's need in staying with the others. At least he'll get a chance to be alone with Gwen, well, as alone as it can get since it seems Dustin is staying with them like the olden days.

Dustin smirks at him all happily, but Steve just walks past him while letting out a heavy sigh as he follows Gwen up the stairs. "Was that a sigh?"

"No, I did not sigh," Steve answers far too quickly.

"Why'd you sigh?" Dustin presses as he trails after him.

Steve rolls his eyes and glances down, "I didn't sigh. Just come on, dude."

"I heard you," the curly haired boy argues, stomping on the steps with the force of a thousand boulders.

Steve stops walking and lowers his voice, "We're just always partners, okay? And I was hoping I could - you know... get some-"

"Alone time with my sister?" Dustin finishes his sentence, smirking proudly when seeing the flustered look on his face. "Fine. I'll give you two some space. You won't even know I'm there."

Steve narrows his eyes, not sure if he should believe him since it's not in this teen's nature to give them privacy considering during the time he and Gwen were still dating, Dustin would burst through her bedroom without knocking. They were caught a few times making out, which is when they decided it was best to head over to Steve's house since his parents are never home anyway.

"Come on," Dustin complains when seeing his reluctance. He presses his right hand over his heart and says, "I give you my word that I won't interrupt you two."

Reluctantly, he chooses to believe him and nods his head. Just as he reaches the top of the staircase, he points his finger in his direction in an authoritative way, "If you break your word, your ass is grass, Henderson."

Raising his hands in surrender, Dustin remains quiet and waits for him to turn around just so he could stand back and head in the opposite direction.

"Wait," Steve stops halfway into reaching the end of the hall, "Before you go your separate way, can you clarify what sort of clues we're supposed to be looking for here?"

Dustin doesn't look back at him and just continues shining his flashlight into a vacant room. In a British accent, he says, "The world is full of obvious things which nobody by any chance ever observes." He turns around and smiles at him, expecting him to understand the context behind his words, but Steve just stares at him with a blank look and is completely still. "Sherlock Holmes."

"That's great," Steve snaps, sarcasm dripping from his tone. He turns back to ask him another question, but it seems Dustin is following up on his word by leaving him alone. He smiles to himself and heads into the next room where Gwen is inspecting, sudden nerves overcoming him that he has to take a deep breath before placing a foot inside. "Find anything?"

Gwen shakes her head as she opens one of the books lying around. She flips through the pages, dust flying everywhere that makes him cough at its intensity. "Shit, sorry about that."

"Nah, it's good," Steve stands next to her, their shoulders brushing against the other that emits a comforting ambience to fill the room. He's not even aware of his trembling hands until seeing the light shaking uncontrollably. She surprises him when she places her hand on top of his, her touch so soft and gentle that makes him forget everything happening around them.

"Don't tell me little Steve is scared of the dark," she teases as she maneuvers her way past him to the other side of the room. He takes another deep breath, scolding himself for not being great at hiding how nervous she makes him. Seems she still has a hold on him after all this time. "Hey, look. I think I found something."

Steve kneels down next to her and observes her concentrated expression. From the way her nose is scrunched up, to the way she's biting the inside of her cheek, and the way her forehead creases in deep attention. He can't help but think about how it's incredibly unfair how with time, she only appears to get more beautiful. It's making it incredibly hard on him not to kiss her right now with no interruptions present, but of course, he could only dream.

She starts raising the lid of what appears to be a vent, her finger curling around the edge in a delicate way as well as with strength. It's only when he sees her reaching into the dark hole that the trance she has him in breaks, making him quick to prevent her from moving forward.

"Whoa, whoa! Let me do this," he holds back the urge to smile when she playfully rolls her eyes and scoffs. He averts his gaze to the vent underneath him, carefully placing his hand inside until he suddenly feels a small container. "There's something here."

Before he can even get a glimpse of what he's holding, Gwen takes the glass jar from his hands and shines her light through it. There appears to be a spider inside covered entirely with cobwebs and a few leaves. Its eight legs sprawled completely wide that if she didn't know better, she could swear it's still alive.

"What the hell?" She mutters and looks over at Steve to see if he's understanding this, but he abruptly jumps back and starts flailing his arms all around like a crazy person. He swats his shoulder and arms, shaking his body as he bumps against the wall rather too cartoonishly that lands him out in the hall. "What's wrong?"

Continuing to slap his arms and jacket, he breathes uncontrollably before looking up at her, "There was a spider. A black widow." He slams the door closed behind her and says, "Don't go in there. It's not safe."

Gwen softly smiles, "Better hope it's not a radioactive spider. Unless you want to become the next Spiderman."

"I'd be a great Spiderman, thank you very much, and since one of his love interests is named Gwen, I'm set already," Steve smirks at her boastfully, his face displaying a tinge of pink when seeing her blush under the low lighting. He parts his lips to say something, anything, but his damned nerves are preventing him from saying the words. God, why is this so hard all of a sudden?

"Wait, you have something-"

"What?" Steve starts shaking his hair and heads to the mirror just a couple feet from them. He looks down at his arms and checks for any lingering spiders, but he's confused when finding nothing. "Where? Where do I have something?"

"Stop moving," Gwen sternly says, pressing her hands into his shoulders to prevent him from continuing to move around like a lunatic. She reaches for his brown hair, her fingers removing a few cobwebs that became imprinted into his thick mane. He freezes upon her touch, his entire body tensing when feeling her warmth bouncing on to him. Just being near her sends him into a frenzy, into a complete state of bewitching he never wants to leave. "I got it. Stay very still, okay?"

Steve slowly nods, a faint gasp escaping his mouth as her fingers start tracing down closer to his neck. He loves how delicate she is with him, almost like she's afraid of hurting him. Her touch feels majestic and sends a magnetic force to overpower him. Like an invisible string pulling him to her, he turns around and is met by her enchanting blue eyes that reminds him of the sky. They're magnificent, resembling Van Gogh's masterpiece, Starry Night, that makes all his troubles vanish in seconds.

"You're okay," she reassures him, reluctantly moving her hands back and hiding them into the comfort of her pockets.

"Thank you," he says, his voice barely a whisper. "I- umm... I just want to-"

"If there's a spider, you're never going to find it till it lays eggs and the babies spill out," Robin interrupts his stuttering words as she walks past them alongside Daphne and Nancy.

Steve rolls his eyes, his patience hanging by a loose thread as it seems he didn't have to worry about Dustin interrupting them when he should've worried about Robin instead. "What's wrong with you?" he complains, shaking his head disapprovingly at her. "Robin, seriously?"

Ignoring his best friend's comment, he shifts his focus back to Gwen and gathers the courage to finally speak clearly. "I was thinking that after we find Vecna, kill him, save the world and stuff, maybe we can... go out." By the way her eyes widen and she appears to be struggling to speak, he's clear that he's about to get rejected. He can't help but feel like a fool for asking her in this creepy place. Why couldn't he do this someplace else that's nicer? "You know what? Just forget I asked-"

"No, it's not that," Gwen cuts him off, her voice louder than before. "I just didn't expect it."

Steve comes closer, his hand reaching for hers that immediately become intertwined. "So... is that a yes?" He waits for her to say something, but she remains quiet and appears to be thinking about something else. That same worried look fills her eyes, the one she's been carrying for a while that creates a terrible sensation at the pit of his stomach when becoming frightened she's hiding something. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," she tells him, her words coming out faster than intended. "And yes. We can go out." He smiles and tilts his head back to let out a sigh of relief. "I really think it's time we try to be friends."

Friends.

That damned word. The one he's been afraid of hearing and has been haunting him for a while now. He doesn't want to be just her friend, he wants to be more, to become her partner and be the person she can confide in. Friends? Why does that feel wrong as deep down he knows there's more between them?

"Umm, right. Friends," he says, disappointment lacing his expression. "Guess we should, uh, get back to the investigation." She nods and takes a few steps back that makes him long even more for her. He doesn't know what to say that won't result in him confessing he still loves her, so he only says what comes to mind. "The obvious things are not what people observe. Or... do- don't observe." She knits her brows in confusion, eyes narrowing attentively as she tries figuring out what he's trying to say. "Or... Sherlock Holmes."

Gwen can't help but laugh at his attempt of trying to quote something that clearly Dustin told him. She's missed this dorky side of him and seeing him incredibly flustered makes her heart grow a million times more.

"I've really missed that," Steve says, which leaves her confused as to what he means.

"Missed what?"

He looks down for a few seconds, almost as if he's gathering the courage to continue. "Your laugh. I've really missed it."

Gwen doesn't know what to say. She knows how hard it's been for everyone around her to deal with how much she changed, and she tries not to think about it when it only leaves a deeper loathing for herself. She never wanted her problems to affect the people she loves, and it seems not even distancing herself helped. Maybe, just maybe, she could tell him everything about her nightmares, her visions, and how she's afraid of not finding the will to survive once Vecna comes for her. Maybe she could-

"Gwen."

Her thoughts come to a halt when hearing her name from downstairs. She turns around and like a cruel joke, the clock starts chiming and the hall becomes darker until she's suddenly left in complete darkness.