▸ Walk This Way - Run DMC

T H E   M O N S T E R   A N D        T H E   S U P E R H E R O  P T . I

Steve drove up to the scene. The road was blocked off with markers and police cars. There was a white blanket covering something in the middle of the scene. Police officers were talking to someone.

"Is that Nancy?" I pointed to the girl who's a staring at us.

Steve quickly parked the car. We all got out, staring at her. Nancy looked back at us with sad eyes. She looked like she was trying not to cry. Nancy lifted her hand slightly to wave at us. I gave a small wave in return.

▷

We grouped at a trailer home park nearby. The six of us sat at a picnic table that was under an awning for shade. Nancy filled us in on what happened to Fred and then we quickly caught her up with what we know.

"You're saying that this thing that killed Fred and Chrissy, it's from the Upside Down?" Nancy questioned.

"If the shoe fits." Steve played with my fingers as we held hands.

"Our working theory is that he attacks with a spell or a curse." Dustin stated. "Now, whether or not he's doing the bidding of the Mind Flayer or just loves liking teens, we don't know."

"All we know is this is something different." Max brought to our attention. "Something new."

"Doesn't make sense." Nancy stared at the picnic table.

"It's only a theory."

"No, Fred and Chrissy don't make sense. I mean, why them?" Nancy questioned.

"They don't have anything in common, do they? One is a cheerleader, popular and the other works for the school news paper...not so popular." I bit my lip as I tried to piece everything together. "Maybe they saw something with the Mind Flayer?"

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

"And near the trailer park." Max noted.

"We're at the trailer park." Steve stated before he glanced around us. "Uh, should we maybe not be here?"

"There is something about this place. Fred started acting weird the second we hit here." Nancy informed us.

"Acting weird as in..?"

"Scared." Nancy replied. "On edge, upset."

"Max said Chrissy was upset too." Dustin looked at Max.

"Yeah, but not here. She was crying in the bathroom at school." Max said.

"Serial killers stalk their prey before they strike, right?" Robin looked at us. "So maybe Fred and Chrissy saw this Vecman-"

"Vecna." Dustin corrected.

"I don't know about you guys, but if I saw some freaky wizard monster," Steve scratched the side of his face, "I would mention it to someone."

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

"Your shrink." Robin finished Max's sentence.

"Police would think you're pranking them," I nodded along to their idea, "while a counselor or therapist will think it's, like, a nightmare or something."

"Well, let's go and see this shrink." Steve slapped the table and stood up.

"I can help with that." Max gave a nod. We all started to stand up. "I know her address. She gave it to me in case I needed her over Spring Break."

The group started to walk at a quick pace, as Nancy hung towards the back. I slowed down to check up on her. She seemed deep in thought. I nudged her arm with my elbow, raising a brow.

"I'll check the archives or something. Maybe they have talked about it and the paper covered it." Nancy started to walk towards her parked car.

"Maybe." I thought aloud, biting the inside of my cheek. "Do you want one of us to go with you?"

Nancy went back to being deep in thought, ignoring my question. She walked passed the group. Steve took notice and frowned.

"Whoa, whoa, Nance. Nance!" Steve called out attention. "Where are you going?"

"Oh." Nancy stopped and faced us. She started to take a few steps backwards, trying to get to her car. "There's just something I wanna check on first."

"Something you wanna share with the rest of us?" Dustin pointed to the group.

"I shared with Dawn already." Nancy started to take a few steps forwards, dragging her feet. They all turned to face me. I gave them a sheepish smile. "I don't want to waste your time, it's a real shot in the dark."

"Yeah, okay." Steve dragged out, giving her a sarcastic nod. "Are you out of your mind? Flying solo with Vecna creep on the loose? No. It's too dangerous. You need at least someone to go with you."

"I'll go with Nance." I offered, already walking toward her.

"If you're going, then I am too. You're not leaving my sight." Steve grabbed a hold of my hand. I turned to face him, my heart warming. He fished out his keys and looked at the rest. Steve tossed his keys at Robin. Robin caught it with wide eyes. "We'll stick with Nancy. Take the car, check out the shrink."

"I don't think you want me driving your car." Robin raised her arms.

"Why? You can't be worse than Dawn." Steve gave me a pointed look.

"Real funny." I deadpanned, crossing my arms.

"I don't have a license." Robin informed.

"Why don't you have a license?"

"I'm poor." Robin shrugged.

"I can drive." Max offered.

"No." Steve immediately stated. "No way."

"I've driven with Dawn in the car." Max pointed at me. I quickly looked at her and shook my head. Steve didn't know. "She's been teaching me how."

"Then hell no! You've been teaching her how to drive?" Steve turned to face me, blinking his eyes rapidly.

"She's not a bad driver, I swear." I raised my hands in defense.

"Coming from you?" Steve raised a brow.

"I can drive." Dustin mentioned.

"Did your sister teach you?" Steve quickly asked. Dustin opened his mouth, only for Steve to cut him off. "You know what, no. You're not driving either."

"Come on. Danny and Dawn taught me how to drive!" Dustin stated.

"No." Steve firmly said, giving him a pointed look.

"All right, okay. This is stupid." Robin took the flashlight out of Dustin's back pack and started to walk towards Steve and I. "Since you won't let your girlfriend go along, Dawn and you stay and I'll go with Nancy."

"Wait, I want to..." I started off only to trail off when Robin gave me a knowing look.

"You stick with the kids." Robin handed me the keys, side eyeing Steve. She walked up to stand next to Nancy. "Unless you two think we need protecting."

"Well, I know Nancy can protect herself." I started off. Nancy gave me a small smile. "But I have no clue if you can Robin."

"I can protect her." Nancy nodded.

"Plus, I've got like, wicked ninja skills." Robin chuckled out, already heading towards Nancy's car.

"I don't believe that one bit." Steve declared. Nancy let out a chuckle and started to head to her car. "Be careful!"

Robin threw us a peace sign. We started to head to Steve's car.

"So, now you're super duper over protective of my sister?" Dustin poked at Steve.

"Shut up." Steve grumbled out, plucking the keys out of my hands.

"Why don't we go? Yeah?" Dustin pointed to the car fighting off a sly smirk.

"Shut up and get in the car." Steve unlocked the car. I gave Max a look and entered the front passenger side. "Wipe your feet."

Dustin placed his foot in the car and wiped them on the carpet. I groaned, closing the door behind me. This is going to be a long ride.

"On the outside, not the inside." Steve closed the door behind him, giving me a frustrated look. He fumbled to get his keys to turn on the car. "Always the babysitters. Always the goddamn babysitters!"

▷

We pulled up to Ms. Kelley's house. Max quickly stepped out and told us she didn't know how long it would take. She walked towards the front door and rang the doorbell. Steve lowered the windows and turned off the car. Ms. Kelley opened the door. A short conversation later, Max entered the house.

"Okay. She's in." Steve stated, looking at the house.

"I'm missing collarbones, not eyes." Dustin informed him.

"So, when were you planning on telling me that you were teaching Dustin and Max how to drive?" Steve looked at me.

"I don't know, when ever it came up?" I gave him a sheepish smile.

"When did you even teach them? You're not in Hawkins for that long. You come at least twice a month on the weekends." Steve rambled, placing his chin in his hand, his elbow placed in the console.

"Oh!" Dustin moved up in his seat, his chin resting in the back of my seat. "Whenever you were working, she would teach us."

I winced knowing Steve caught it. I quickly brought my attention to the flowers in Ms. Kelley's yard. Anything to avoid eye contact.

"Us...as in you and Max?" Steve narrowed his eyes at me when he saw me look away.

"And Mike and Lucas." Dustin clarified.

"You've been teaching all of them?" Steve gasped in shock.

"They came to me!" I raised my hands in defense. "Why? I don't know. They know I'm a sucky driver!"

"Well, why didn't they come to me? I'm a way better driver!" Steve quickly glanced at Dustin. My brother looked at him with wide eyes. "Dustin, why didn't you guys come to me? I'm here 24/7."

"Not when you're working, you're not." Dustin tilted his head.

"That still doesn't excuse the fact that you went to Dawn and not me." There was a slight pout growing on Steve's face.

"Fine, whenever Dawn isn't home, we will go and bother you for driving lessons." Dustin said.

"That's all I ask." Steve nodded. "Just not when I'm working or when you guys are in school."

"Obviously." Dustin shot him a weird look.  He paused, the car being filed with silence for a few seconds. Steve focused on the door of the house, keeping an eye out for Max. "So, we're going to talk about...it?"

"Huh? Sorry, talk about what?" Steve glanced at him.

"You're temporary insanity earlier today when you got all over protective with my sister?" Dustin mentioned.

"Okay first of all, I wasn't being over protective." Steve stated. "Okay?"

"Pretty sure that's what happened. It was pretty bad." Dustin informed him. "Very public. There was, like, a lot of witnesses."

"It was not." I defended Steve.

"Thank you." Steve nodded, grabbing my hand. "It's called being a good boyfriend. Take notes."

"Yeah, okay. Being over protective, check!" Dustin made the motion of checking of on a notepad.

"Dude, with what's happened the past couple times we've fought this thing...with the Russians drugging us and us almost dying multiple times. And-and my best friend dying.." Steve paused and took a deep breaths. My heart ached at the mention of Danny. I gave Steve's hand a squeeze. "I'm not going to lose your sister. I won't allow it. So I'm going to make sure with everything that I have, that I can keep an eye on her and protect her. I don't want to find her one morning to see her eyes sucked out of her skull by this Vecna creep."

"Well, when you put it like that it looks different." Dustin mumbled. He paused briefly. "I appreciate it...you know.  Taking care of my sister and all of us."

"I do too." I looked at Steve, bring his hand to my lips. He glanced down at me, his cheek tinting red. "But that also means I'm also protecting you guys."

"We protect together." Steve nodded, placing a kiss on my forehead.

"Together." I softly smiled up at him.

"You two are so cute one minute and the next you're disgusting." Dustin rolled his eyes.

"Dude, shut up."

"Your face is turning red." Dustin waved a finger between Steve and I. I felt my cheeks warm. Steve smacked Dustin's hand away from us. Dustin chuckled. "You're like bright red right now."

"No I'm not. We're not." Steve denied, both of our faces turning redder.

"You both are so like tomatoes right now." Dustin continued.

"Dustin, seriously?" I slouched in my seat, covering my face.

"Dude, stop. Or- or I'll punch you so hard right now that your teeth will fall back out." Steve stumbled out.

"Whoa. Too far." Dustin stopped laughing at us.

"Not cool." Steve realized.

"Not cool."

"Sorry." Steve apologized.

"It's okay." Dustin softly spoke, giving Steve a nod.

The two looked at each other before fist bumping. A few seconds later, Max exited the house and quickly headed our way. I sat up, waiting for the information Max had for us.

"Here she comes. Here she comes." Steve commented.

"What'd she say?" Dustin asked Max as she got in the car.

"Nothing." Max closed the door behind her. "Just drive."

"Nothing?" Steve turned to face her.

"Steve, drive." Max commanded.

"Okay." Steve mumbled, turning back in his seat.

He gave me a look before quickly turning in the car. Steve hit the gas, the car tires squealing as we drove out of the neighborhood.

"So where are we going?" I turned in my seat to look at Max.

"The high school."

"The high school?" I repeated Max, raising my brow.

"Why the high school?" Steve looked at Max through the read view mirror.

"Ms.Kelley's office and files are there. And I got her office key." Max dangled the keys from her finger.

"Nice." I gave her a nod of approval.