▸Running Up That Hill - Kate Bush

D E A R   B I L L Y

Nancy and Robin left for their trip to talk to Victor Creel. Steve and I rejoined the boys and Max in the basement. The four of us sat on the couch as we waited for Max to finish writing. I had my head on Steve's shoulder, my eyes dropping.

"I know you guys are staring at me." Max called out.

"I'm sorry."

"You said you needed something?"

"Just hanging out."

"Trying to take a nap." I murmured, wrapping my arms around Steve's.

"Yeah, you all shut up so Dawn can go to sleep." Steve placed his cheek on top of my head. A smile grew on my lips.

"How you think your eyes boring into the back of my head is protecting me from Venca, I don't know." I heard Max make her way toward us. "Dawn, wake up."

"Do I have to?" I opened one eye to see Max giving me a look. She had a stack of envelopes in her hands. Max wanted to give us something. Sighing, I opened my eyes and sat up. "Whats up?"

The boys are avoiding eye contact with her. Lucas was reading the Victor Creel paper. Dustin was staring at the ground. Steve was fiddling with a ball.

"You can look at me now." Max told them.

"Thank you. Sorry." Dustin apologized.

"Sorry."

"Sorry."

"I'm sorry they're idiots." I leaned back into the couch. Steve scoffed and nudged my side. Lucas and Dustin frowned in my direction. "What? I speak no lies."

Max only sighed.

"For you." She handed an envelope to Dustin.  She gave each of us an envelope. A frown grew on my face as I realized what type of letter was in the envelope. "For you. For you. And, um, you."

We all stared at Max, not knowing what to say.

"Oh, and, um, give these to Mike, El, and Will." Max handed Lucas the three envelopes. "If you can ever get a hold of them again."

The boys stared at their letters once again. Dustin opened the envelope and started to take the note out when Max stopped him.

"Woah, what are you doing?" Max held out a hand to stop them from reading the letters. "No, don't. That's not for now. Don't open it now."

"Oh, okay." Dustin slid the note back into the envelope. He stared at the envelope before raising it up. "I'm sorry. What is this?"

"It's um...it's a fail safe. For after." Max took a shaky breath. "If things don't work out."

"Max..." I trailed off, not knowing what to say.

"Wait, whoa. Max, things are gonna work out." Lucas told her.

"No!" Max protested. "No, I don't need you to reassure me and tell me it's all gonna work out. Because people have been telling me that my entire life and it's almost never true. It's never true. I mean, of course this asshole cursed me. Should've seen that one coming."

I glanced down at the letter, setting it on my lap. Dread was heavy on my heart. I don't want to lose Max too. We're not going to lose her. We can't.

"If we go to East Hawkins, will this reach Pennhurst?" I looked up to see Max holding up the walkie.

"Of course. Yeah." Dustin said.

"Why are we talking about East Hawkins?" Steve questioned. The kids looked at Steve and I.

"Ah, shit." I muttered.

"No. No. No!" Steve quickly declared.

Max didn't leave any room for debate. She walked out of the house. Steve and I quickly went after her.

"Max, Max. Seriously." Steve jogged to catch up to Max. The girl was on a mission. The boys walked behind us as we left the Wheeler's house. "Stupidly, I'm not joking. I'm not driving you anywhere."

"We're supposed to stay here. In the Wheeler basement." I caught up to them. "Which, we just left! No way Max. We're trying to protect you."

"If you think I'm going to spend what is likely the last day of my life in the armpit that is Mike Wheeler's basement, then you're out of your mind." Max took longer strides as we walked down the Wheeler's yard to get to the road where the car is at. "So either take me where I need to go or you're going to have to tie me down, which is technically kidnapping of a minor."

"Is she being serious? She's being serious." I scoffed, looking at Steve with a bewildered look.

"And, if I live to see another day, Steve, Dawn, I swear to God, I so will prosecute." Max went to the back door of Steve's car. She went to open it only for it to be locked. Max turned to face Steve with a glare. "Open the door."

"Uh, no." Steve told her, looking at me for support.

"Max." I placed my hands in my hips.

"I know a good lawyer." Max countered.

Max continued to stare Steve and I down. I raised a brow and crossed my arms. She wants a stare down, she's having one. Steve scoffed and shook his head. He took out his keys from his pocket.

"Henderson, that super walkie of yours better reach Pennhurst." Steve unlocked his door.

"We're seriously doing this?" I walked over to the passenger side.

"We're doing this." Steve gave me a defeated sigh.

We entered the car. Steve turned on the ignition and I turned to see Max still standing outside. She was looking at the Wheeler's house.

"Max?" I softly called out. "You okay?"

"Hhm? Yeah. Yeah, let's go." Max got in and slammed the door shut.

▷

The radio was softly playing in the background and we headed to the trailer park that Max lives in. The entire ride was quiet. Steve parked the car in the driveway.

"This better be fast, Mayfield." Steve told her.

"Twenty seconds." Max got out of the car.

We watched as she made her way towards her home. I drummed my fingers on the door, already bored.

"That things got batteries in it, right?" Steve asked Dustin.

"I'm not even answering that question." Dustin shook his head. "Yes, it has batteries."

"Yeah, I got it." Steve replied.

"Worse case, I have a pack in my bag." I turned to look at the boys. "We're not going through what happened last time. No more draining batteries."

"Smart." Steve gave me a proud nod, a smile on his face. "Always smart to think ahead."

"It was one time." Dustin groaned out. "And we were stuck underground! How could we have had extra batteries?"

"Pack extra. Think ahead." Lucas leaned back in his seat.

"You know what..." Dustin got out of the car. "It's been longer than twenty seconds and I need fresh air where I'm not being smothered by you all about goddamn batteries."

"Actually...fresh air sounds great." Lucas got out of the car as well.

"Do you think it's going to take a while?" Steve tilted his head towards me.

"Honestly? Maybe. If she wrote us notes...I'm sure she's leaving one for her mom." I bit my lip.

"We'll...we'll give her 10 minutes." Steve slouched in his seat.

Eight minutes passed and by then we were all standing up outside the car. Dustin was against the hood while the rest of us were near our doors. Max was quickly walked our way. She seemed frightened.

"Max, everything go okay?" I saw her face change to anger.

"That was longer than twenty seconds." Steve noted. He caught the look on her face when Max passed him. Steve turned to fully face her. "Hey, whoa, whoa. You all right?"

"I'm fine. Just drive." Max unlocked the car door.

We started to enter the car, exchanging worried looks. Steve started the car.

"Did something happen?" Dustin asked Max softly.

"Can we please just go?" Max looked out the window.

"Go where?" I glanced back at Max as Steve pulled out of the dirt driveway.

"I'll give you guys directions." Max said, placing her head against the window.

"Okay..." Steve muttered.

After a few minutes of Max giving directions, I realized where she wanted to go. I slouched in my seat. A frown was forming on my face as my heart grew heavy.

"Turn here." Max told Steve.

"Here?" Dustin realized.

Max sent him a nod. Dustin looked at me with sad eyes. I gave him a reassuring smile. The car passed the cemetery sign. Steve's shoulders slumped. He parked the car closest to Billy's grave, which was that far from Danny's and Rebecca's graves. Max got out of the car before anyone could say anything.

"Max?" Lucas exited the car before jogging towards her.

"Lucas, please, just wait in the car." Max glanced at him before continuing.

They walked further away, their conversation too far to hear. The rest of us sat in the car in silence. Steve reached for my hand and gave it a squeeze. I looked at him to see his eyes watering.

"Want to go see him?" I said softly.

"I saw him a few days ago with Dustin." Steve nodded towards my brother. Dustin looked towards Danny's grave. "Maybe after all of this crazy shit is over, we can visit him together. We gotta keep an eye on Max first."

"Yeah. I visited him and Billy when I first arrived. I haven't had the guts to visit Becca though." I bit the inside of my cheek. "I just feel so guilty that we fought over this whole supernatural stuff, me and Danny trying to keep them out of it to protect them, only for her to die because of it."

"You and Danny did what you thought was best. Plus, we were told at first not to tell anyone." Dustin placed hand on my shoulder.

"I know...it just gnaws at me sometimes, you know? The fight, and all what happened." I sighed, leaning back into the seat. "It puts things into perspective, you know?"

"Yeah." Steve agreed.

Lucas came back with a frown and sat on the hood of the car. Max must have told him to let her talk to Billy alone. From the car, we could see that Max was sitting on the ground in front of Billy's grave. A few minutes have gone by. Dustin decided to join Lucas outside, leaning against the car. Steve was tapping his fingers against the outside of his car door. Every few seconds he would glance at his watch.

"Alright, it's been long enough." Steve opened his door.

"Let's go check up on her." I nodded along, stepping out of the car.

"Steve, Dawn, just give her some time." Lucas told us.

"I have, alright, Sinclair." Steve glanced over his shoulder to tell Lucas. He walked backwards to fully face the young teen. "I'm calling it. She wants to get a lawyer, she can."

"You two stay here. Dustin...keep the walkie close just in case." I walk passed the boys, jogging to catch up to my boyfriend.

"Max." Steve softly called out to her, jogging up the steps. "Time to giddy up, yeah?"

As we drew near, anxiety clawed at my throat. Max hadn't moved. She was still facing Billy's tombstone.

"Max?" Steve knelt next to her. He placed a hand on her back and looked at her. Her eyes were rolled back into her head, only the white of her eyes showing. "Max. Max."

"Hey, Max." I urgently knelt beside her and cupped her face. She didn't respond. I tapped her cheek. "Max, hey, snap out of it."

"Max!" Steve yelled.

"Max, come on!" My eyes started to water.

"Max! Come on, wake up!" Steve shook her shoulder.

"Dustin!" I screamed, hoping he could hear me from the distance. My voice cracked as I tried to call out again. "Dustin! Call Nancy and Robin, now!"

"Max, come on. Max!" Steve kept trying to wake up.

A few seconds later, loud footsteps came from behind Max. Dustin and Lucas ran to us, worry written all over the faces. They quickly knelt next to us.

"Max, you gotta get outta there!" Lucas moved closer to Max. Steve and I exchanged looks, knowing how Lucas may be feeling right now. We stepped back to let him try. Lucas knelt down next to her. He placed a hand on her shoulder. "Can you hear me?"

"Max!" I yelled her name, not knowing what else I could do.

"You gotta get outta there!"

"Did you call Nancy and Robin!?" Steve grabbed Dustin in urgency.

"They didn't pick up!" Dustin responded.

"Go try again! Call Nancy and Robin!" Steve commanded, pointing for Dustin to do as he said. Dustin scrambled backwards before he fell down a step. "Go!"

"Please, Max." Lucas begged. "Come on! Come back to us."

"Shit!" Dustin got to his feet and ran for the walkie still in the car.

"Max, you gotta wake up!" My hands started to shake. I placed a hand on her back. "Snap out of it! Come on."

"Come on, Max!" Lucas's voice strained.

"You gotta get out of there, Max! Come on!"

"Max!" Steve shook her shoulder.

"Max, get out of there!"

"Can you hear-"

"Guys!" Dustin called out to us.

We looked to see him running toward us. He was carrying cassette tapes and a Walkman. He slid on his knees and dumped them on the ground.

"What is this?" Lucas asked.

"Her song." Dustin stated. "What's her favorite song?"

"Why? Why?" Lucas questioned, not knowing why it was so important.

"Robin said if-if she listens- it's too much to explain now." Dustin himself off, pressing his hands together. "What's her favorite song?"

Max twitched as we scrambled to find the right one. We looked through the tapes in a hurry. By now, what we were saying sounded like nonsense. We were thinking aloud as we read each of the tapes.

"Which one is it?"

"The song, Lucas!"

"Okay, okay!"

"Lucas which one!?"

"Which one?"

"It's right here! Got it!" Lucas picked one up and opened the case.

"Give it to me." Dustin held out a hand.

Lucas quickly gave him the cassette tape. Dustin placed it in the Walkman and closed it.

"Go, go, go!"

"Okay, headphones!"

"Now!" Dustin got the headphones and placed them on Max.

Steve pressed the play button in the Walkman.

"Max!" Dustin yelled. "Max, wake up!"

"Max! Wake up!" Steve looked at her face, seeing if there was any sign it was working.

"Max, we're right here!"

"Max! Come on, snap out of it!"

"Come on, Max."

"Max, fight back!" I urged her. "Fight back! Come on."

"Max!"

Max started to float. I leaned back in shock. She levitated in the air, too high for any of us to reach for her. We all scrambled to our feet.

"Shit! Max!" I screamed so loud, my throat hurt.

"Max!"

"Fight back!" Steve yelled. "Max! Fight back!"

"Max!"

"Max! Max!"

There was a loud gasp. We stopped screaming to see Max drop from the sky. Max collapsed on the ground in between the four of us. We rushed to her.

"Max! Max!"

Max gasped as she sat up. We all tried to attend to her. Max kept gasping for air, her chest heaving. I was starting to worry she would start hyperventilating.

"Max! Oh my God." Lucas grabbed Max and drew her close to him. He wrapped his arms around her tightly. Max placed a hand on his arm as she leaned into him. Her breathing started to calm down. "It's okay. I thought I lost you."

Steve placed his hands on Lucas's back. Dustin placed a comforting hand on Max, giving her shoulder a squeeze. I sent Max a small smile, which she returned. She reached for my hand and gave it a tight squeeze. Max didn't let go, causing me to hold her hand tighter.

"I'm still here." Max reassured him. "I'm still here. I'm still here."

Y'all I was so stressed during this episode for Max

Anyone else?

Also, I feel like this chapter isn't the best, so ignore that