(Ep. 8: Papa)

The sun paints the trailer with a golden color. Its rays bounce throughout the walls and cast a light orange shadow on everyone's faces, offering an embracing warmth despite the coldness of the room.

Steve is sitting next to Gwen with his hand placed on hers. He's terrified of letting her out of his sight, worried that Vecna could return and attempt to take her back. He can tell whatever he showed her affected her and left her deeply scarred, but she tries maintaining a low profile to not worry the others even more.

Like that's going to work. Everyone can see something terrible happened in her trance and as much as they want to know, they're not sure how to go on about the situation. They're just happy she's back and alive. That she chose to fight and didn't let that monster win. Whatever he showed her can wait as long she's safe and sound.

Gwen takes a deep breath and glances at everyone, who keep staring at her like they're afraid something is going to happen. "He showed me things that haven't happened yet," her voice is low and tremulous, causing everyone to become much more attentive. "A dark cloud was spreading over Hawkins, Downtown was on fire, there were lots of dead soldiers, and a giant creature with a gaping mouth."

"If you're not ready to tell us, you don't have to," Nancy reassures her while sitting herself next to her and placing an arm around her shoulder.

"You guys need to know. If what he showed me is bound to happen, we need to be prepared," her leg bounces up and down vigorously, her eyes watering with haste at the memory, as the pressure on her chest worsens. "That monster wasn't alone. There were others, almost like they were an army. They were coming into Hawkins, into our neighborhoods, our homes, and then-"

The image of her mom, Dustin, Steve, and everyone she loves dying at the hands of those creatures burns her memory. She's beyond terrified that this wasn't just Vecna's way of torturing her, but that it's actually a glimpse into the future. She doesn't know what she'd do if that's truly everyone's destiny... to die at the hands of him despite doing everything right to stay alive.

"I saw mom, Dustin, you... Steve," she squeezes his hand tighter, causing him to move closer and hold her in an embrace. Her breathing is shaky as tears stream down her cheeks, "And all of you were..." her voice fades into an unnerving silence and everyone exchanges equally concerned looks when realizing what she means.

"He's just trying to scare you, Gwen," Steve tries comforting her, "What he showed you, it's not real. It's not going to happen."

"I was supposed to die," Gwen knows the reason why Vecna revealed his plan to her and it's not so she could tell everyone and give them a heads up. "He only showed me this because he believed I would take his secret to the grave."

"No," he argues, refusing to have the image of her dying become imprinted in his mind. "You weren't going to die, so please don't say that."

She averts her gaze to the ground beneath her, "He also showed me gates. Four, to be exact, and they were spreading all over Hawkins. They looked like the one outside Eddie's trailer, but they continued growing. This wasn't Upside Down Hawkins. This was our Hawkins."

Everyone is silent as they try comprehending everything. If what Vecna showed her is real, then that means life as they knew it is about to change forever... and not for the better.

"Four chimes," Max says, breaking the silence. "Vecna's clock. It always chimes four times. Four exactly."

"I heard them too," Gwen admits as she remembers all the times she heard that terrible sound. Seems his plan was right there all along.

"He's been telling us this whole time," Max continues.

"Four deaths," Lucas points out while glancing at her. "Four gates. End of the world."

"If that's true," Dustin begins, arms placed neatly on his hips and eyes narrowing pensively. "He's only one kill away."

"Oh Jesus Christ," Eddie panics while covering his face with his hands. "Jesus Christ."

"It could be anyone then," Natalia starts pacing around, her teeth biting down on her fingernails, as she worries about which innocent person is bound to get cursed.

Steve glances over at Max's direction, "Try them again. Maybe they'll pick up this time."

The group has been trying to contact the Byers and Mike, but no one answers the phone for whatever reason. It's uncertain if what's happening here is affecting California as well, but they figured that it's better to let them know to prepare them just in case.

Max starts dialing their number and holds the phone to her ear. It rings like before, but there's still no answer. "No one's picking up. It rang a few times, then went to a busy signal."

"Maybe you punched it wrong," Steve suggests, trying to loosen the tension in the room. "Try again."

The redhead rolls her eyes at him, "I didn't punch it wrong."

"Well, I don't know."

Dustin shoots him an annoyed glare, "I think she knows how to use a phone."

Steve clenches his jaw, irritation pricking at his skin, "I'm just saying, she could've typed it wrong."

Something is wrong and it's not just Gwen that feels it. Sure the Byers have been having a hard time answering their phone because of Joyce's job, but it's unlike them to never return the call back. This is not just a simple coincidence and everyone is too afraid to admit it.

"Same shit," Max hangs up the phone and storms back into the room.

Lucas groans in frustration, "How is that possible?"

"Joyce has a telemarketer job," Dustin reminds them, "She's always on the phone. Mike won't stop whining about it."

"Yeah, but they always call back," Gwen interjects, silencing her brother for the first time. "Their phone has been busy for three days now. The same amount of time since this mess started."

"Exactly," Max agrees, "That's not Joyce. No way. Something's wrong."

Nancy nods at her, "She's right. It can't be just a coincidence. It can't be." She leaves her spot beside Gwen and heads to the window, her gaze attentive and assured, "Whatever's happening in Lenora is connected to all of this. I'm sure of it."

"But Vecna can't hurt them," Daphne finally speaks up after remaining quiet for long. "He's strong, but he can't be that strong to put anyone living thousands of miles away in a trance."

"Not if he's dead," Nancy's voice becomes louder and determined as she turns to them. "We have to go back in there. Back to the Upside Down."

"Nope!" Eddie's quick to deny her suggestion, refusing to return to that terrible dimension they barely got out of.

"Whoa, no, no! What?" Steve's shocked at how willing Nancy is to go back there, especially after what happened to Gwen. "Let's think this through."

"What's there to think about?" Gwen speaks out, making him turn to her with a bewildered expression.

"We barely made it out there! You barely did!" Steve's appalled that she doesn't seem the slightest bit afraid or doubtful about this. She was barely able to escape Vecna and now she wants to follow through with Nancy's suggestion? No, he's not going to let this happen. "We're not going back."

Frowning, she comes closer to him and glares up at him, "We have to try and do something! If we stay here and let his plan happen, everyone is going to die!"

"No. We're not doing this," Steve dismisses her words and tries averting his gaze to anyone but her. "It's too dangerous and we can find a way to beat him from here."

Nancy joins the argument, "Look, we weren't prepared before, but this time we will be. We'll get weapons and protection."

He scoffs, "Like that'll help or are you forgetting he can get into your mind?! He'll be able to trap us with a quick snap of his finger!"

Gwen rolls her eyes, letting out an aggravated groan, "So what do you suggest? Staying here and hiding like a coward? No, that's not happening."

Steve's eyes widen and his mouth hangs wide open, "I'm trying to look out for everyone! I'm trying to look out for you since it seems you still don't care about yourself!"

"Do you think I want to go back?!" Gwen's voice gets louder, causing the rest of the group to stagger back and glance at each other with worried looks. "I'm terrified he'll get me again and this time, I won't be so lucky, but I also know that if we don't try to kill him, our home, our families, everyone we love are going to die! Going back is our best shot!"

His face turns a bright red that she can swear smoke is about to come out of his ears, "What if something goes wrong? What if our protection is not able to keep us safe?"

Gwen knows his worry is perfectly reasonable. It'd be foolish not to be afraid, but not doing anything would be much worse. Vecna has taken so much from her and if there's a chance in killing him, you bet she'd take it. She's willing to do anything if it means her loved ones are safe and sound, and going back into the Upside Down is the first step.

"Then we'll deal with it," she admits, which is not what Steve was expecting to hear. "We have a shot at winning this and we'd be fools not to take it."

He's hesitant, but deep down knows she's right. Killing Vecna means he won't hurt anyone and Gwen ever again. It means she'll be safe and get to live her life to its full potential. He has to try and staying put would prove to be much more dangerous than anything.

"I have a bad feeling about this," he mumbles, running a hand through his hair. "He's not scared of us, so our plan to kill him has to be grand. Like something out of this world."

Robin stands up from her spot on the floor and joins their conversation, "He had a good reason to not be afraid of us. We were wrong about Vecna. Henry. One. Sorry, what are we calling him now?"

Dustin and Lucas say, "One."

"Vecna," Gwen and Erica state.

"Henry."

Still wondering what to call him, Robin starts fumbling with her words, "Right. We've learned something new about Vecna/Henry/One. He's a number like Eleven, only a sick, evil, male, child-murdering version of her with really bad skin," she rambles, her voice becoming out of breath the more she continues. "But my... my point is, he's super powerful. Could turn us inside out with a snap of his fingers. It's not a fair fight."

"Are you trying to make us feel better?" Natalia complains, rolling her eyes and pacing back and forth.

Her comment goes ignored by everyone once Dustin speaks up, "Then why fight fair? You're right. He's like Eleven, but that gives us an upper hand." He glances at everyone, but focuses more on Lucas and Gwen from them being the ones who know more about El due to their time together during '83. "We know Eleven's strengths..."

"And weaknesses," Gwen finishes his sentence, remembering how tired El got after straining herself when using her powers too much. Maybe Vecna's the same way.

Erica stares at her in disbelief, "Weaknesses?"

Dustin answers instead, "When El remote-travels, she goes into this sort of trance-like state. I bet the same is true of Vecna."

"That would explain what he was doing in the attic," Lucas adds when starting to understand what he means.

"Exactly. When he attacks his next victim, I'll bet you he's back in that attic, physical body defenseless," the curly haired teen continues explaining.

Steve shakes his head in denial, knowing damn well Vecna won't be defenseless. Not with the rest of those swarming creatures flying around. "Defenseless?" He motions to the red mark around his neck and injuries on his abdomen, "What about the army of bats?"

"True," Dustin surprisingly doesn't argue back, "We'll have to find a way past them. Distract them somehow."

Gwen laughs dryly and rubs the back of her neck too nervously, "Yeah, that should be easy."

Eddie lets out a sharp breath, his eyes wide and expression adorned with trepidation, "And, uh, how do we do that, exactly?"

"No idea."

"Maybe give them bait," Daphne pipes up, wondering if her suggestion is actually something great or will get brought down. "They like meat so... let's give them that."

"Yeah, but how will they know where to go? Do they even have a strong sense of smell?" Natalia runs through her words, nearly stumbling over her feet as she thinks back on how easy her life had been three years ago and misses.

Dustin points at them, "I have no idea, but once they're gone, he doesn't stand a chance. It'll be like slaying sleeping Dracula in his coffin."

"You make it sound so easy, but the truth is that we have no idea how to make this happen," Gwen complains, wishing for everything to not be so complicated for once. Quite frankly, Vecna's making her miss the demodogs since at least, they knew how to defeat them and make sure they don't return.

Robin nods agreeingly at her, "What she said. That all sounds good in theory, but there is no pattern to Vecna's killings. Not one that I can decipher. We don't know when he's going to attack next or who he will attack."

"Weren't all targets seeing Ms. Kelley?" Daphne questions aloud, looking at all of them for some form of agreement.

"Gwen wasn't seeing her," Steve reminds her.

"Then we have no idea then," Daphne rolls her eyes and plops herself on the ground, her feet slamming in frustration against the carpet.

"Yeah, we do," Max speaks up, but something about the way she says it makes Gwen worry about what she's bound to suggest. "I can still feel him. I'm still marked. Cursed," she explains, her voice barely above a whisper. "I ditch Kate Bush, I draw his focus back to me."

"Max," Lucas interjects, "You can't. He'll kill you."

The redhead glares at him with determination in her eyes, "I survived before. I can survive again."

"No," Gwen refuses to have her endanger herself for this soon-to-be mission. Sure, Max might have survived him before, but what if something goes wrong and Kate Bush is not able to bring her back? She's not about to let her risk her life all for the sake of distracting Vecna. "You're not ditching the headphones. If anything, I should be the one to do it."

"Wait, what?" Steve walks up to her, shock and worry lacing his expression. "No. You're not doing this. None of you are doing it."

Max sighs, her breath shaky and low, "Do you still feel him, Gwen? Do you feel like you're still cursed?"

In all honesty, she doesn't anymore. For the first time in days, her headaches have gone away and she doesn't feel this overbearing weight on her shoulders. At first it was relieving, but now that they need someone to distract him, she wishes she was still cursed.

"Yeah," Max begins, "That's what I thought, which is why I need to be the one to do it. I just need you to keep him busy long enough so that you guys can get into that attic. Then you can chop his head off. Stab him in the heart. Blow him up with some explosive Dustin cooks up. I honestly don't care how you put this asshole in his grave. Just..." she trails off and it's obvious she's more afraid than she lets on. "... whatever it is, whatever you do... try not to miss."

An eerie silence fills the room. It's filled with anguish, trepidation, as well as defeat when realizing Max is right. As much as they hate this plan, they can't afford to waste time by waiting until someone gets cursed. It could be too late by the time they know and with Max, it's certain he's bound to show up for her.

Eddie rises from his seat and begins searching for something. Everyone exchanges equally perplexed looks, wondering where he's going with this. Eventually after a few minutes, he returns with a pamphlet and heads into the dining area where he sets it in the center.

"Check this out. The War Zone," he glances at everyone gathering in a circle, "I've been there once. It's huge. They got everything you need for, uh... well, killing things, basically."

Robin hums in thought for a moment, "You think fake Rambo has enough guns in there? Is that a grenade? I mean, how is any of this legal?"

Eddie sighs in aggravation, "Well, lucky for us it is, so... this place is just far enough outside of Hawkins. As long as we steer clear of main roads, we oughta be able to avoid cops and, uh, angry hicks."

Natalia comes closer and stands behind Eddie, making him tense at how close she got, "Just a fair warning, I heard Jason and the others were planning on heading there. If we're going, you need to hide extremely well, Munson."

"What do you think I've been doing, Cortez?" Eddie sarcastically says while scooting himself further from her.

The raven haired girl rolls her eyes, "I'm just pointing something out. Don't get all snappy with me."

Erica glares at them in annoyance, "If we're trying to avoid angry hicks, maybe we shouldn't go to some store called the War Zone."

"But it might be our only shot," Gwen argues even though she understands where she's coming from. From what Natalia has told them, the entire town has rallied against Eddie, so it's obvious they're all bound to visit the one place that sells all kinds of weapons. "Look, we need all the protection we can get, and so far, Eddie has hidden well."

"But what if he gets caught?" Natalia argues, causing everyone to turn to her with bewildered looks. If they didn't know any better, it sounds like she actually cares for him.

Eddie gapes at her, his face turning a beet red once she looks at him with concern, "Wow. Are you actually worried for me?"

Natalia looks away, not sparing any of them a glance, "Pssh. In your dreams, Munson."

Nancy glares at them, refusing to let them get sidetracked, "Look, I would usually be against going there, but we need the weapons. So I think it's worth the risk."

"Me too," Lucas agrees.

"But is it worth the time?" Dustin rhetorically questions, "It'll take all day to bike there and back."

"We can steal a car," Gwen nonchalantly suggests like it's the most normal thing.

Steve softly chuckles as he starts remembering how she stole his back in '83 just to crash it. Well, he did break Jonathan's camera and call them terrible names, but either way, it's something he'll never forget.

Eddie points agreeingly at her, "I'm with female Henderson over here. Besides, who said anything about bikes, anyway?"

"What? We're just going to hijack someone's car like it's the easiest thing?" Daphne's not too fond of breaking the law, especially since she's already doing so by hiding a suspect. She can tell not everyone is on board and it makes her feel a tad bit better for feeling this way.

Steve looks down at Eddie, the wheels on his brain turning in puzzlement, "You got some car we don't know about?"

Shaking his head and rising from his seat, he comes closer to him, "It's not exactly a car, Steve. And it's not exactly mine, but, uh... it'll do." A lingering silence falls upon the room once more as everyone glances at each other with curiosity. "Hey, Red, uh, you got a ski mask or a bandanna, something like that?"

Max is quiet for a second, unsure if what she has is something he'd be willing to wear, but hey, it's better than getting found. Not even a second later, she hands him a Michael Myers mask - the same one she wore on Halloween of '84.

Eddie puts it on with no complaints and walks out the trailer. The others follow after him and constantly look over their shoulder to make sure there's no one recognizing them. They sneakily walk past a few trailers and wait for Eddie to signal that the coast is clear. Once he does, they start sprinting as quickly and quietly as possible, soon reaching a trailer that has a family sitting outside with no care in the world.

Gwen stays at the very back and makes sure the trailer's owners don't notice them just yet. She whips her head back and forth as her patience starts wearing off on how long this is taking. Eventually, she hears Steve calling out to her once Eddie enters a window and gestures for the others to follow.

They all hop in with haste, making sure not to make any noise as they watch Eddie head to the front and lock the door. She hurries over to his side and watches as he pulls out some wires that make her feel less like a car thief since all she did was steal Steve's car keys from his locker. Not hot-wire a car.

Steve gapes at Eddie in disbelief, surprised that he seems to know what he's doing, "Where'd you learn how to do this?"

"Well, when the other dads were teaching their kids how to fish or play ball, my old man was teaching me how to hot-wire."

Hovering over him, she studies his movements and tries memorizing them just in case she might need this for the future, "In all honesty, this is much better than learning any sports or fishing."

"You got a point there," Eddie smiles at her before focusing his gaze back to the situation. "But I did swear to myself that I wouldn't wind up like he did, but now I'm wanted for murder, and soon, grand theft auto. So, I'm really living up to that Munson name."

"Hey, at least you'll have Steve as your cellmate," Gwen jokes from trying to diffuse the tension, earning startled gazes from both of them.

"That's really not helping, female Henderson," Eddie's voice becomes filled with panic as he can't imagine what he'd do if he were to get caught, because how are the cops going to believe he's not the murderer but instead it's a dark wizard with terrible skin?

Before she can respond, Robin pipes up and nearly slams against Steve's back, "Eddie, I'm not sure I love the idea of you driving."

"Oh, I'm just starting this sucker. Harrington's got her," Eddie turns to him with a smile and leans closer to him. "Don't ya, big boy?"

Gwen's lips purse into a tight line as she tries to refrain from laughing at Steve's flustered look. She averts her gaze from him and sits herself on the passenger seat, knowing damn well this ride is about to get much more chaotic.

The engine starts and like expected, the owners are anything but pleased. They start banging on the window, yelling at them to get out, all while the rest remain still like a deer caught in headlights.

Not knowing what to do, Gwen simply closes the curtains on their face, which makes the pounding and yells intensify. "What are you waiting for? Drive!"

Steve doesn't have to think twice. He jumps over into the driver's seat and puts the car into drive, "Everybody, hang on to something!"

"Oh, my God! Oh, my God Let's go!"

"Drive, Steve! Drive!"

"Go, go, go!"

Steve hits the gas pedal, leaving behind the owners continuing to yell at them and threaten that the cops will be called. It's safe to say no one really cares about the law right now considering stealing this trailer is for the greater good. Besides, they'll probably see their home/vehicle again once this is over.

Dustin looks over at Max, his hands tightening around the base of the seat, "Shit, they look pissed!"

"It's not every day you lose your house and car in one fell swoop," Robin points out.

"Go faster!" Natalia demands, but surprisingly finds herself enjoying this thrilling moment. She holds on to the cupboards and bobs her head to the music playing on the radio, not even realizing Eddie's doing the same and joining her with the fun. "Holy shit! Hell, yeah!"

Daphne stares at the pair in bewilderment, "How can you two be enjoying this?!"

"This is very metal!" Both of them say in union, making the pair turn to each other in startlement on their surprising agreement.

"Hold on! Hold on!" Steve yells as he makes a sharp turn that bumps a few trash cans to the ground. He accelerates even more until finally, they make it onto the curve and out of the trailer park just fine.

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It's been a quiet ride ever since the trailer park. The others have chosen to rest or simply chat amongst each other. Now that they have some clue on how to put an end to this mess once and for all, there's just the question of if it's really going to work, but that's something they'll worry about later. For now, it's time to rest and forget the world for just a moment. Just like Spring Break should've been like.

Gwen leans her head back against the seat, surprisingly finding herself comfortable. She glances over at Steve and her heart somersaults upon first sight. "How's it going, Harrington?"

"Not half-bad considering that this is... a house," he tells her, "Seems my awesome driving skills are being put into good use."

She smiles and looks forward, not even aware of him staring at her with lovestruck eyes.

"Yeah, it's..." he starts thinking about his dream that without noticing, he can't help but to pour his heart out. "It's silly, but I... I've actually..." he becomes worried if mentioning this would scare her off and ruin any chance of getting her back, "I always had this dream that I'd have this really... really big family. I'm talking, like, uh, a full brood of Harringtons. Like, five, six kids."

"Six?" Gwen gapes at him with widened eyes.

"Yeah," Steve nods and glances at her before turning back to the road. "Six little nuggets. Three girls. Three boys." He smiles, not even aware of Gwen staring at him with adoration and warmth. "And... every summer, I figured all of us Harringtons, we would pack into something like this and... just see the country. You know, the Rockies, Grand Canyon, maybe Yellowstone. End up in some beachside town in California. Spend a week parked in the sand. Learn how to surf or something."

She loves the way his eyes are lively and filled with bliss as he confides about his dreams. He's always had a hard time opening up about what he wants for the future, and hearing this is what he's been longing for all this time, makes her heart grow a million times more.

"That sounds really nice," she says, her voice low and gentle.

"Yeah?" Steve turns to her and his heart practically leaps out of his chest. He's unable to prevent looking down at her lips, his desire to kiss her growing more by the second.

"Yeah," Gwen becomes enchanted by those brown eyes of his. She could stare at them for an eternity and if given the chance, she'd take it in a heartbeat. Her gaze soon starts tracing down to his lips as she seeks for a taste, wondering when she'd be able to fullfill her desire. "A road trip sounds amazing."

He softly smiles, "So, do you think it's a good dream?"

"I do," Gwen answers with haste, "Well, except for the six kids part, like imagine giving birth to six of them." She chuckles and Steve's unable to prevent himself from joining her, loving the sound of her beautiful laugh.

"That's fair," he agrees and glances at the others to make sure they're alright.

"I do agree with you that having kids sounds nice," Gwen would love to have some, but only once this Upside Down mess is over. She's not willing to bring life into this world without making sure it's safe for them. Of course, there's more danger than just Vecna and the monsters from the Upside Down, but she would feel much better if it was gone. "Maybe two or three."

"Have you thought of any names?" Steve actually has given some thought to it. Three years ago, he wouldn't have imagined wanting kids, but the second he fell in love with her, it became impossible not to picture a life with her. It started out with imagining where they could move to, what type of house they would buy, what season they would get married in, and when they would have their first kid. The more he thought about it, the more excited he became.

She hums in thought for a moment, "For a girl, I like the name Amelia, and for a boy, I would want to name him after my dad, Samuel. Sam for short."

Steve smiles at her, "I'm certain he's proud of the person you've become."

Gwen really hopes so, because if there's anyone she wanted to make proud, it was her dad. He was everything to her and there isn't a day that goes by when she doesn't miss him. "And you? What names?"

"I like Isabella," he says, "I've always liked names that can be shortened down, so that way, she can be called Bella. As for a boy, well, maybe it's my love for Spiderman, but Peter is at the top of the list."

"Bella and Peter Harrington," Gwen says the names slowly, making sure to pronounce them with precision and delicacy. She's got to admit, those names flow perfectly with Harrington.

Steve nods, continuing to stare at her with his heart on his sleeve, "Amelia and Sam Harrington. I'd say they're a perfect match as well."

In all honesty, Gwen could get lost in his eyes. Their brown, rich color makes her think of a chocolate bar. Something sweet and addicting, one that keeps her wanting to return for more. With the light that hits him perfectly, it casts a shadow on his face, allowing for golden sparks to form and resemble the blaze of a melted pot of gold. God, she loves him. She really loves him.

Feeling the same way, Steve's unable to keep his eyes on the road. His heart swells twice its size and every part of him is radiating in pure adoration and love. He feels the most fortunate that the person who has his heart is her. She's the only person that's made him feel like he can take a breath, like he has a chance at becoming better, and like he's worthy of being happy. He can't imagine what he'd do if she wasn't by his side, and he'd be damned if he allows himself to become consumed by his most obscure thoughts. Not when right now, he's determined on getting through this moment and getting her back.

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The War Zone resembled an actual war zone.

There's tons of people walking around with various weapons and Gwen's certain she saw a handful of grenades in a family's cart. She understands the panic these murders have caused, but perhaps these people are exaggerating by buying all kinds of arsenal as if they're getting ready for battle.

"So much for avoiding angry hicks," Robin mutters with sarcasm, rolling her eyes at the sight in front.

Daphne nods in agreement, "Let's just hurry and get out of here. I already feel attacked."

"Yep."

"Definitely."

And just like that, the group disperses in separate areas around the store.

Upon noticing a dark leather jacket, Gwen doesn't think twice in putting it on. She paves her way past the erratic customers and quite frankly, she's not exactly sure what she should get. A gun would be the most reasonable, but for some strange reason, she waltzes to the knife section that coincidentally happens to be by the gun display.

The clerk shows her some and mentions the price. She goes over various selections, her fingers delicately gliding against the sharp edge while proceeding to twirl it with precision. There's a set of knives in different sizes and suddenly, she settles these would be her weapons of choice. Throwing them directly into Vecna's heart would certainly make everything better, so quickly, she asks for the set and pays the man behind the counter.

"Well, if it isn't Gwen Henderson."

Her body tenses slightly when recognizing the voice. She clenches her jaw, annoyance pricking at her skin as she reluctantly turns to him. "Oh great. It's you."

Jason chuckles and comes closer, "Didn't expect to see you here."

"Can't say the same about you," Gwen starts walking in the opposite direction, refusing to waste her breath on him. She clutches onto her knife set and focuses on reaching the exit, but that's when he asks that damned question.

"You don't happen to know where Eddie is, right?"

Her hands dig deeper into the set as she turns around, "No, I don't."

Not believing her in the slightest, he leans off the glass counter and takes a few steps closer to her, "I find that hard to believe. I mean, your brother... what's his name?" He looks around, narrowing his eyes pensively to appear like he's giving some thought to it. "It's Dustin, isn't it?"

Her hands clench into a tight fist as her irritation worsens by the second. "Keep my brother's name out of your mouth. Do you hear me?"

"He's Eddie's friend, so he must know where he is, which means you also do," Jason's voice is low, but incredibly grating. His gaze is darkened and filled with hatred and his disheveled appearance only matches how unstable he is.

"I don't know where Eddie is," Gwen slowly starts reaching into her knife set, quietly reaching for the sharpest one. "And even if I did, what makes you think I would tell you?"

Jason clenches his jaw and firmly grips her arm, "He killed Chrissy, so you need to tell me where he is or else-"

"Or else what?" Gwen starts coming closer, making him take a step back.

"Don't get all defensive, Gwen," he says, his voice much firm and menacing. "I'm just trying to keep this town safe, and capturing Eddie and anyone who's hiding him is the way." He notices a few of her friends staring at them, more specifically Steve, who's shooting daggers at him. "Tell Sinclair and Dustin that if they're smart, they should hand Eddie over and maybe... I'll spare them."

That's enough for Gwen to pull out one of her knives. The sharp end is pointing in his direction, causing him to stagger back with widened eyes and hands raised in surrender. She gnaws at the inside of her cheek and moves at a relatively slower pace, one that evokes fear when seeing the calm yet angered look in her eye.

"I'm warning you, Carver," she threatens as she places the sharp end just a few centimeters from his face. "If you dare threaten my brother and his friends again, I'll make sure to reunite you with Chrissy."

Jason swallows hard and loosens his tough demeanor. He tries to say something, but finds himself unable to. All he does is just stare at her as she smiles at him in such a frightening way. He tenses when she adjusts his jacket and decides to look over at his friends, hoping any of them had just seen what happened, but to his luck, none of them are in sight.

"Stay safe," Gwen's expression falters into a deadpan look. She lowers her knife and turns around, ignoring how terrified she is that her brother and his friends are also being targeted. Knowing how awful Jason had been to her and a few of her classmates, she wouldn't put it past him to actually go through great lengths all in means of acquiring "justice."

"Okay, that was pretty badass," Robin tells her once she reaches her side, a proud smile on her face. "He actually looked like he was going to shit his pants."

Steve keeps glancing over at his direction, feeling every inch of him become consumed by an intense fury. He already disliked him before, but this, this definitely transforms his dislike into hatred.

Gwen forces a smile, not wanting to admit how nerve wracking it was. She would do anything for her family, so hearing Jason threaten them managed to bring out a dark part of her that she didn't think she had. "Yeah, well, he was threatening to go after Dustin and the others. He deserved what he got."

"That piece of shit," Steve grits his teeth and clenches his hands, his loathing becoming greater by the second. "If only he knew that we're trying to put an end to the actual monster that killed his girlfriend."

"Let's just go," Gwen gestures towards Daphne, Erica, and Nancy and just when they finish paying, they hurry back to the trailer and toss everything inside.

"What happened?" Dustin asks.

"We gotta go," Steve responds, quickly getting into the driver's seat as he waits for everyone to settle.

"Your old friends are here," Erica tells Lucas in a panic and hurries to her seat.

"Shit!"

"Let's go! Let's go!"

Glancing behind his shoulder at them, Steve yells back, "I'm going! Sit down!"

Once everyone settles down, the trailer comes to life and off they drive at a swift speed. They manage to dodge Jason's crew, but from the side mirror, Gwen notices him staring at the vehicle suspiciously. She really hopes he doesn't choose to follow them considering him and his crew are armed now.

"Did they see any of you?" Natalia asks while glancing at Eddie, who's crouched down and holding his knees together like a frightened child. She playfully nudges his foot and gives him a reassuring smile once he glances at her.

"Jason just saw Gwen, but that's it," Robin informs her, hoping it doesn't bring chaos into this home/vehicle.

The raven haired girl groans, "Damn it. Did he say anything?"

Gwen has to take a deep breath for composure as the memory of his words replay, "Yeah. He threatened Dustin and Lucas. He said maybe he'd spare them if they hand over Eddie."

"Holy shit," Dustin whispers, panic lacing his expression.

"Okay, I get that he's grieving," Daphne's voice is loud and filled with anger, "But threatening a couple of kids isn't necessary! If anything, he should be thanking us for risking our lives to kill the actual murderer of his girlfriend!"

Natalia runs a hand through her hair, "I understand and I empathize with you all, but how is he supposed to know that there's monsters and a creepy dimension out there? I mean, I didn't think there was until last summer..." she pauses, her mind suddenly plaguing her with images of the mind flayer and how trapped she felt in her own body. "I- I became so blinded by my grief that I didn't think that this was somehow related to the Upside Down, and I know of its existence. So, how is he supposed to know Eddie's innocent and that all of you aren't his accomplices?"

Everyone turns silent, not knowing what to say because in all honesty, she does have a point. From an outsider's perspective, it just looks like they're hiding a killer. No one but them knows about the existence of these things, so his anger is justifiable, but either way, it doesn't change how terrible he is for going after the kids.

"What if we tell him the truth?" Daphne voices her thoughts out loud, but regrets it when they all turn to her like she had grown two heads. "What? It would make things easier if we get him on our side. That way, we won't have to worry about hiding."

Gwen shakes her head in disagreement. She understands where she's coming from, but involving another person into this mess is not the answer. Even if she doesn't like Jason, she refuses to put him through all the trauma that comes with dealing with this.

"That's not a solution. If anything, it's a tragedy," Natalia argues. "No one deserves getting involved in this and yes, it might help, but telling more people is not the answer."

"We'll figure something out," Nancy tries to loosen the tension, officially silencing the trailer as they ponder on everything that's happened these past three years and how much their lives have changed. Having to fight monsters from another dimension is exhausting that they can't imagine putting someone else through this. Even if it might make things easier for them right now.

__________________

In a vast field, the Hawkins Crew were spread out and working on making their weapons as lethal as possible.

In front of the trailer, Steve was sitting with Robin creating homemade bombs for Vecna. Not too far off, Nancy was with Max and Natalia. A little further off, the Sinclair cousins were gathered and bickering like usual. A couple feet ahead, Gwen, Dustin, and Eddie were working on hammering nails into trash can lids.

"How's she feeling?" Dustin asks Eddie once he started raising the nailed lid all proudly.

"Light," he states, moving the lid back and forth, "But durable."

"Deadly," the Henderson siblings say in unison, making them glare at each other with knowing looks.

Eddie nods at them, "But reliable." He suddenly starts putting on the most dramatic voice ever, "Hear me now. There will be no more retreating..." he pauses, soon returning to his normal voice, "... from Eddie the Banished."

"And look," Gwen reaches into her knife set and wraps her fingers around the base. "I can guarantee you that I can land this knife right into the center of that board."

Dustin glances at the plank's direction. He's quiet for a few seconds and looks up at Eddie, both of them not believing her. "Yeah, we don't think you can."

"It's too far," Eddie adds.

Gwen raises a brow of them, a conniving smirk forming on her lips, "Oh, yeah? Then watch very closely." She looks toward the plank, narrowing her eyes for precision, and with a quick swish, she sends the knife flying into it... hitting it right in the center. "You see? I told you I could do it!"

"Holy shit!" Eddie and Dustin exclaim, wide smiles lacing their expression.

"You, female Henderson, are a total badass like this butthead said," Eddie points at her all impressed, his gaze continuously switching between the plank and her.

Offended, Dustin loudly scoffs, "You weren't supposed to tell her that!"

She places a hand over her heart and furrows her brows all adoringly, "Aww, my little chia pet. I'm so glad you think of me as a total badass."

Staring at her with a deadpan look, he shakes his head disapprovingly at her, "What's with all the name calling? You're calling me a chia pet and he's calling me a butthead. What's next?"

"Oh hush up, Henderson," Eddie removes his cap to ruffle his curls, earning a playful shove from the teen.

"Deal with it," Gwen returns with her knife and stands next to her brother, following Eddie's footsteps in ruffling her brother's curls as well.

Dustin rolls his eyes and glances down at their weapons, "Seems we're ready for bat-tle."

Both of them turn to him with a deadpan expression, simply watching as he smiles and laughs proudly at his joke. It's taking everything not to laugh, but it's way more fun to make him believe none of them understand.

"You guys get it? Bat-tle." None of them say a word as they continue staring with an expressionless look, "B-A-T. No? I thought I had a good one."

Gwen and Eddie glance at each other, a devious smirk on both of their faces. Within a quick second, they lunge at Dustin in an attempt to tackle him down.

"What are you guys doing?!" Dustin exclaims and pushes himself off. He glances over at his sister, watching how much she's laughing and high fiving Eddie for their successful ambush. Settling on who he should tackle first, he lunges himself at Gwen, taking her by surprise.

"No fair! I was distracted!" she says, her eyes welling up with tears at how hard she's laughing.

"Deal with it!" Dustin repeats her words back at her, making her attempt to tackle him back. He starts running in the opposite direction, but she holds him by his arms, sending both of them down to the grass in a grating collision. She laughs uncontrollably, not knowing how to stop as for the first time, she's starting to feel like her old self again. God, she's really needed this.

Eddie starts sprinting in their direction, a wide smile on his face as he looks at the both of them in plan to tackle them both. Dustin notices and before he can reach them, he runs to him in a loud yell to return the action.

"Son of a bitch!" he yells and attempts to tackle him to the ground. Eddie plants his feet and tries to yank his underwear while Gwen remains on the ground laughing hysterically. "No wedgies! No wedgies!"

Eddie loosens his grip and cradles the back of Dustin's head to bring him to look at him, "Never change, Dustin Henderson. Promise me?"

Gwen smiles at the sight, loving how her brother has found someone to look up to. With everything that's happened, she's been afraid that if anything were to happen to her, he'd be left alone. She knows he would have their mom, but she's never been able to handle grief, which only makes Gwen worry that he'll be left alone to fend for himself. It's morbid to think like this, but these terrible circumstances always make her afraid for the future.

Dustin stares at him, confusion lacing his expression, "I wasn't planning on it."

"Good," Eddie says with relief. "Good."

He smiles, "Good."

Eddie pulls away from him and heads in Gwen's direction. He takes the spot next to her and stares at her with a look filled with care and melancholy. "And you, female Henderson... promise me you'll fight. That you won't let Vecna win and will go on and live the life you deserve."

Something feels off about this. It sounds like he's saying goodbye and that's gutting her from the inside out. She loosens her smile and stares firmly into his eyes, "I promise, but come on. Don't say it like you're saying goodbye. Like one of us is going to die."

He chuckles and shakes his head, "No, it's not that. I just- I figured that with everything that's happened, we need to be there for each other, and not just during scary times like these." He looks over at Dustin, watching how he's waving the lid in the air and pretending he's fighting an invisible monster. "They're just kids and don't deserve to be put through this. We don't either and... I don't know. Seeing you floating like Chrissy did, it made me afraid that Dustin would lose his sister."

She stares at him understandably. Knowing he's thinking the same as her makes her feel a tad bit better. She's relieved to know that if anything does happen - and she really hopes it doesn't - at least her brother will have more people there for him. Still, it doesn't change how terrible it is to think this way. That somehow, all things are going to go wrong and they have to say their supposed "goodbyes."

"I get it," Gwen eventually says and looks over at Dustin. "I'm worried for him as well. When our dad died, he was just a little kid and I tried so hard to take care of him. Our mom was buried in her grief that it made her forget she had two kids, so I did all I could..." she trails off, attempting to ignore the memories rushing back. "I'm afraid that if anything happens to me, it's going to happen again and he won't have anyone to care for him."

Eddie stares ahead pensively before adjusting himself to get a clearer look of her, "You're wrong about that." She looks up with confusion in her eyes, "If anything does happen, which it won't, he's not going to be alone. I mean, just look around." She does as he says and it makes her realize that maybe he's right. Her brother has people around him that would make sure he's alright. "He's got a whole village and believe me, that curly haired freak will never be alone."

Gwen's shoulders loosen their tension. She feels much better hearing him say it and based on what she's seen, it's obvious he cares for her brother as well. If anything does happen, Dustin would have one more person by his side. "Then I want you to make me a promise as well."

He nods and gestures his hands at himself, "Alright. Hit me."

With a much serious tone, she says in a firm voice, "If anything gets too dangerous, you will run off. You won't try to play the hero, okay? Because if anything happens to me, I need to know that he still has you." She can see he's hesitant and is about to interrupt her, but she holds up a finger to let him know she's not done, "He really cares for you and if he were to lose you, I know it would break him. So please, don't do anything reckless. For Dustin."

Eddie wants nothing more than to make this promise. He wants to keep him safe and make sure no harm comes his way. Dustin's like the little brother he never had and if anything were to happen to him, he's not sure how he'd be able to live with himself. Due to this reason, he decides to agree and make the promise, "For Dustin."

There's an obvious rise in tension that can be cut with a knife. Trying to get rid of it, she lets out a soft laugh and offers her hand as she stands up. "Alright, let's not get anymore sappy."

"Agree," Eddie tells her and glances over at the Sinclairs. "Hey, Sinclairs. How are those, uh... those spears coming on?" Once Lucas and Daphne hold a thumbs up, he turns back to the Henderson siblings, "Female Henderson, how about you teach me how to throw those knives?"

"You know, I think it's time you call me by my actual name," she tells him with her arms crossed.

Eddie hums in thought for a moment, "Alright... Gwen."

She smiles at him and raises her palms for a high five, "There you go! That wasn't so hard, was it?"

Back at the trailer, Steve and Robin are working on creating their bombs. He's been having a hard time concentrating when having seen Gwen and Eddie deep in conversation. Something that hasn't gone unnoticed by Robin.

"Would you quit being jealous?" she complains while slapping his shoulder.

Steve scoffs, shaking his head in denial, "I'm not jealous. Who said I was?"

Robin glares at him, a small frown making its appearance, "You keep looking at Eddie like he's enemy number one. I noticed it back at Skull Rock and at the boat. You're one hundred percent jealous."

Not knowing what to say, he just stares at her with his mouth slightly agape, "I- I don't know what you're talking about."

She leans her head back and groans, "Gwen is not interested in Eddie. She loves you and you're a total dingus for doubting it."

He glances down at the empty glass bottle and begins filling it up, "Yeah, well, maybe you're wrong. I mean, she hasn't said it. Not even after I told her I still loved her."

"Give her a break, Steve," Robin holds the bottle steady, looking in between him and the glass. "She just escaped the curse and is trying to get her old self back."

Steve knows she's right. This week has been hell for Gwen and who knows what more terrible things Vecna showed her. She only told them about the last vision, but not the rest, which makes him believe that it's the most terrible things imaginable.

"I know, but... I just wish I knew for sure," he eventually says and looks up at Gwen, who's teaching Eddie how to throw knives. "You know, enough about me. Tell me, what's happening with you and Daphne?"

Robin's hands suddenly start shaking, causing the liquid to spill. She tries to recollect herself, but her blushing cheeks are betraying her, "Things have... surprisingly taken a turn for the better."

He smiles and becomes filled with immense joy for his best friend, "Holy shit! What happened?"

She looks over in her direction with an adoring beam in her eye, "We were at the War Zone just gathering supplies, and you know me with my blabbering mouth and no grasp for social cues, I just blurted it out that I liked her. I started rambling with no means to stop and she held my hand and leaned extremely close..." she pauses as her heart races uncontrollably at the memory. "She told me she felt the same way. That she's liked me ever since the summer, but has been afraid of telling me out of fear that I wouldn't feel the same and she'd become the town pariah."

Steve loves how happy she is. After everything she's gone through, she deserves to be happy and what better way than being with the girl she's been crushing on? "Finally! It's about time you went for it."

Robin laughs, "I know, right? Who would have thought taking a leap of faith would work?"

"What did I tell you? I'm always right," Steve boastfully says with a smirk.

"I'm just glad this finally happened," she hands him another bottle and starts pouring the liquid in. "In the face of the world ending, I wouldn't want to be dealing with the stakes of my love life."

Steve is quiet for a quarter of a second, "Yeah. I mean, I get you there, but... I still have hope."

"Not everything has a happy ending, but some things do," Robin takes the filled bottle and places it to the side, suddenly taking notice of her best friend's saddened look directed at his love.

"Yeah. Believe me, I know," Steve mutters and adjusts his focus back to their mission.

Robin eyes him suspiciously and begins pouring another round of gasoline into the bottle, "I'm not talking about failed romance." She starts wondering if mentioning her concerns would be right considering things are already tense. The last thing she wants is to add more fuel to the fire, but something about confiding in him makes her believe that maybe her fears won't happen. "I just... I have this terrible, gnawing feeling that it might not work out for us this time."

"You think we shouldn't be doing this?"

"I think we're mad fools, the lot of us, but..." she looks over at everyone, observing Nancy practicing her shooting and showing Natalia and Max how to, how Eddie, Gwen, and Dustin are playing around with their nailed trash can lids, and how the Sinclair cousins are pretending to fight with their spears. "If we don't stop him, who will? We have to try, right?"

"Yeah," Steve agrees with her. No one besides them knows the real truth behind these tragedies and if they're not the ones to help put an end to it, no one will. He raises the bottle like he's about to say a toast, "To killing Vecna."

Robin reaches for a bottle and mirrors his movement, "Slash Henry."

"Slash one," Steve says before both of them clink their bottles together.

__________________

The Hawkins' sunset fills the trailer, filling it with a fiery blaze that adds to the dread and trepidation consumed by everyone. No one says a word. They're quiet as they ponder on the events that will partake in the next few hours. This could be the last time they're together, but none of them are brave enough to admit it out loud. Voicing it would make it real, much more terrifying, and much more nerve wracking.

This is the final countdown.

Gwen fiddles with her hands nervously as her heart races uncontrollably. Her blood is running cold and her stomach is twisting itself into knots. She closes her eyes for a brief moment, praying that this mission goes accordingly and they all return home safe and sound.

Steve notices her skittish behavior and places his hand on hers, giving it a gentle squeeze as she looks up at him. He offers a reassuring smile and it's enough to help her alleviate a tinge of her fear.

Everything is going to be okay. It has to be, she repeats.

The trailer suddenly stops, indicating they've arrived at their destination – The Creel House. Max, Lucas, Erica, and Daphne grab their supplies and start heading out the door. The group look at each other one last time, nodding their heads in reassurance, until eventually, the four of them walk out into the sunset.

The remaining latter are quiet, their grips on their weapons strong as ever as the vehicle starts driving off. They know better than to be pessimistic. This is just nerves that always happen before a battle. They've felt it before countless times, but... something about this is different. It's something that's boiling in their skin and threatening to explode. They're not sure what it is, but all they're certain is that by going their separate ways, something good must come out of this.

It just has to.