TONIGHT YOU BELONG TO ME

☀︎

ALEX HENDERSON BELIEVED THAT SHE WAS ALWAYS HAUNTED BY A CURSE-- CAUSING AN UNDYING PAIN TO THOSE THAT SHE SURROUNDED HERSELF WITH. Crouched below a rocketship play area, she had her chance to look at the Creel House. A home lurking with darkness, no life to ever walk those halls again. Inside was a monster-- a man that was far too vicious for this world. This was the night she had been dreading for the longest time-- a battle that she was certain would end in bloodshed. No matter who it had been, friend or monster, was a loss to her.

It was quiet as the four teens waited for their signal to enter. To wait felt that there was an anticipation brewing for the worst to be beyond those doors. Yet all Alex could do was watch the Creel house, wondering what could be ready and waiting for them inside. An abandoned home with broken windows that displayed no signs of life on the other side blended in perfectly with the world around them.

Crouched beside her, Steve had been the only one to not take his eyes off her. Somehow this had felt like the end and everything he ever dreamed or hoped for would be ripped away by the man inside. He needed to capture what could be his last moment with her. It wasn't at all what he could have imagined for the two. Together, covered in dirt and grime of the Upside Down, a broken pain in her eyes as she watched the house, and there so little time after finally finding one another again. Steve wished he took it all back. Every moment he sat at work, debating whether the next girl that walked in could compare to Alex Henderson when all he had to do was find her and never leave no matter how hard she pushed everyone away.

Now he was stuck hoping he had more than enough time to make up for the time he lost. This couldn't be the end. He couldn't stand for her last moments to be at the very house she couldn't take her eyes off when she couldn't even look at him. A mixture of fear and determination to end it all took all her focus. Henry Creel had her attention all this time he needed her.

That stained glass window centered in the doorway clouded her mind. She feared that soon enough it would be all she would see. The rest of the world felt darkened and faded as the front door to the Creel House slowly opened as if it welcomed her home. A beautiful golden glow began to light up the windows and emitted from the open doorway. It somehow felt like home and it called to her. Only it wasn't the house itself that awaited her, but the monster within. Flooding into her mind, he wished to be the one to show he waited for her arrival and he would be the one to welcome her with open arms.

Steve wasn't one to find comfort in the home before him. Instead, he went to reach for her but she felt lost. His eyes continued to stare at her, believing that a part of her mind was elsewhere as her eyes clouded over. It easily could have been a trick of his eyes, believing that every horror he imagined was his reality— it was, but Henry wasn't finished quite yet. Whether it was Vecna or not, he wished to pull her out of her trance with the house. His hand laid over hers, fingers wrapping around, immediately finding that comfort with her in a way he always knew worked. At this rate, it was almost instinct to hold her when he felt a little lost. Living in a world where he couldn't hold her was one he never wished to live in.

His touch was the snap of reality that Alex needed to hide from Henry Creel. The warmth of someone she loved didn't just reside in the physical, but it struck something deep inside her. It was everything she ever needed to survive. With a blink of her eyes, she saw that the front door never opened on its own. The once warm glow that emitted in the house faded back into the darkness it had always sat in. It was still the same broken home that was filled with lost souls and a nightmare unrecognizable to the sane mind.

The glow of the light within the rocket pulsated and immediately in return, Alex tightened her grip on Steve's hand as she clenched her jaw. "Okay, she's in. Initiate phase three," Erica instructed, the glowing light pulsating at her distant words. Phase three was the one that they had reason to dread. It was the beginning of the end for the four.

Relaying the message to Dustin and Eddie, the four had waited in anticipation for music to resonate throughout the Upside Down. It was a call to the bats that would give them the opening that they needed to head inside and for it to all be over. Preparing for what was to come, Alex tightened the bandana wrapped securely around her head. It was a token of good luck she wished to soon return to Lucas Sinclair. He had worn it through every battle they faced and now he felt she needed it more than he had. That camouflage bandana was the security Alex needed to believe in herself.

The faint sound of Metallica spreading through the land was soon followed by the screeches of the bats taking flight in search of such a threat. It wasn't until Nancy had instructed that they could head in that Alex realized she was holding her breath. Standing tall, their eyes stayed to the sky in anticipation of any more returning to their home. They refused to show their fears of what lay beyond that front door and instead kept their heads up and eyes forward. Acting as if they were ready to do this gave them the smallest bit of hope that possibly they could do this.

Pushing open the front door, Steve's shoulders immediately slacked as he dropped Alex's hand at the sight. A jungle of vines had covered the floors and walls of the Creel's home. One wrong step and the plan they had set in motion would come to a quick and grueling end. Placing the back of her hand against Steve's arm, Alex directed him away for a better view of the house.

"Anyone a fan of hopscotch?" Robin questioned with a shaky breath.

Sighing, Alex shook her head in disbelief. "This is really not good."

"We can't turn back now. He has Max," Nancy whispered. Her mind raced through any scenario she could think of. Every single one seemed to result in their doom, all except for one. "Alex, I know this is a long shot and I hate asking this of you but... can you try? Moving them, I mean." Every head turned over to Nancy in question. Even Alex, shaky from the thought, looked at her with worry. Taking a step back, Nancy half-heartily gestured to the vines laid out before them. "One wrong step and it's over. I think that... that maybe if she tried..."

"We can just jump around them," Steve whispered over her. One wrong move and it could easily have been over, however, pushing Alex to do something she distanced herself from went against every promise he made to himself to protect her.

"No," Alex interrupted as she turned back to the house. "Nancy's, right. The least I could do is try and if it works, we have a path and if it doesn't... just hold your breath and jump." Holding out her hand, Alex tried her best to stay composed and not allow herself to quiver in fear. Closing her eyes, she let out a soft laugh that seemed unexpected to the rest. "I might just be a little rusty is all."

"Take your time," Robin whispered encouragingly until it dawned on her. "But, like, we're also on a time crunch here so maybe don't take all the time you need."

"Yeah, great, Robin, thank you," Alex whispered back sarcastically, but even she couldn't help but smile. For Robin to stay herself in such times showed her that there was a chance that even if there ever was such darkness in her, she could also find herself and allow that to shine through. Passing over her flashlight to Steve, Alex reached both hands out with her breath held tight, feeling those around her leaning in closer for a better look.

As Alex felt the warmth of blood begin to sit on the edge of her nostril, she felt that build-up of pressure within her ease out as the vines below their feet began to slowly slip away, creating the narrowest path for them to follow.

"That's good," Nancy instructed with an encouraging smile, giving a tight squeeze to Alex's arm. "Hold them there. Any more and he feels it." Placing a hand against Alex's arm, Nancy squeezed past her as she looked at the withering vines, searching for their understanding of departing their comfortable spot. Henry didn't call to them, heat wasn't a factor in their own home but still they found themselves pulled away. "We should move quickly," she whispered. Her fears of the hive mind reawakened as she felt the vines fight against her powers— and she was no Eleven, holding them long was not an option. "Steve, why don't you take lead? We'll follow in right behind."

Giving a nod of understanding, Steve took a careful step forward. His eyes lingered along the vines that moved around them before he started to grow comfortable with this idea. Slow with his actions, he watched closely as he ushered for the girls to follow after. Stepping behind him, Alex kept her hands extended out, shaking with nerves as she hoped she could hold it long enough before the hive mind reacted to such strange behavior.

Grabbing ahold of Nancy's hand, Robin's fears were unspoken as she searched for encouragement to continue forward. Squeezing her hand, Nancy reassured her, "It'll be okay. Stick behind Alex and I'll be right behind you. Just watch your feet when they start moving back."

"Watch my feet," Robin whispered to herself as she let her hand fall back to her side, empty and alone. Jumping over a lingering vine, Robin grabbed hold of Alex's backpack to ensure she wouldn't wander away too quickly, creating an ease to her panicked thoughts.

Heading up the stairs, the group was careful with each step and breath until they reached the very top. Releasing her hold of Alex, Robin let out an audible sigh of relief as she finally cracked a smile. "Easy," she whispered.

"Easy," Alex repeated back with a smile. Lowering her hands, she released the pressure building in her head as the vines returned back to their home along the stairs. Guiding Robin back, Alex moved her from a rouge vine. Giving a nervous thumbs up, Robin shuffled her feet, bumping against Nancy. The simple bump of her arm was enough to release a slipping flashlight from Nancy's back, causing it to clatter to the floor.

Beginning to roll its way to the stairs littered with vines, breaths hitched in their throats until Alex crouched down as quickly as she could, bringing it to a stop just before it could knock into a moving vine. The three standing around her had their hands extended out in a panic, closing their eyes as they anticipated the worst to stumble along their path.

"Sorry," Robin croaked out anxiously.

"It's fine," Alex whispered. Holding the flashlight out behind her, she sighed heavily as Nancy took it back and securely placed it back into her backpack. It should have been a relief to know they somehow escaped impending doom yet again only for Alex to be caught up in her own head to not realize the blood that sat under her nose dripped down. One single drop was all it took. Time stood still as that droplet fell through the air and landed on the very vine that was almost hit with the flashlight. It splashed against the vines thick outer layer, sizzling at the touch of the liquid.

Alex's heart rate began to pick up as she got to her feet, wiping the blood away from under her nose. "My... my blood hit the vine," she whispered frantically. "I didn't mean to... it was an accident."

As she spoke, her eyes shifted to Steve, and the mixture of emotion swirled through her face fast enough to almost make him unrecognizable. Guilt flooded her body as she began to tear up at such a simple mistake. She finally looked at him with tears brimming the edges of her eyes, the fear of what she had done to ruin everything evident with one look. He realized then she would blame herself endlessly if something happened for a simple mistake and every bit of anger faded. His features softened as he made a reach for a hand, wishing to hold her for only a moment before he knew he'd beg her to leave this time— find Dustin and Eddie and retreat to safety.

He knew she shouldn't have come along-- begged her to stay only a moment before heading into Eddie Munson's trailer. She was headstrong on the plan that she avoided his eyes at all costs, knowing if she looked at him that the pleading look would have her agree in a matter of moments. Now he wished he had made her look at him, agree to stay behind, protect those back at the Creel House in their world— away from the real danger, protected from all the evil that lurked in this world.

If he hadn't taken the time to reach for her, to be greedy with just the feel of her, he would've had the time to send her away. Maybe she would have made it and maybe she would have saved herself from a lifelong of hurt that would eat her up inside as the darkness grew hungry with every bit of light, consuming her until there was nothing more than a shell left behind as he settled in.

He hadn't taken that time. Instead, he took those few seconds of comfort, for her bit of warmth in his hand. It was always her that he reached for and tonight it would cost him much more. It was almost instant as events unfolded around them. The vine touched with blood began to quiver before spastically jerked across the floor just the ground beneath the shook. It was the same feeling that caused the earth to rumble their first visit to the Upside Down through Lover's Lake. This felt to be the alarm to all the monsters within that they arrived just as expected and also a warning call to the four that he was well aware of their arrival.

The group spiraled for something to hold to. One touch to anything in the house was a risk of awakening the hive mind. All they could hold to was one another. Steve's only reaction was to grab Alex, holding her hand tightly still as he brought her against his chest, keeping her there to protect her from any danger. That's when he felt it.

He felt the moment he took her hand in the Byers' house only a few years before. It was a fear of a monster they believed was their worst nightmare yet it was only the beginning. Had he been there to hold her long before that November night then maybe things could have been different for them. Now he wrapped his arms around her, keeping her close against him to prevent her from stumbling onto the vines that always seemed to be inches from her feet as if they followed her. Steve may have not been the only one greedy to feel her and call her theirs.

When the weight of the world settled beneath them once more, nothing moved. The world felt frozen. The air stood still around them and everything seemed at peace for just that fraction of a moment. Panting heavily, they looked all around one another. Alex's hands wrapped tightly around Steve's arm now as he kept her held against him, and Robin and Nancy released one another's hands.

Robin let out a breathy laugh of relief. A simple rumble of the world was all that crashed down upon them— easy. She believed they could carry on with their plan and not have to look back and wonder where it all could have gone wrong. It was during that single second of laughter that Robin felt weightless, that was until the weight of the world rested back onto her shoulders. Beneath her foot, she stepped on a vine in the tumble of the world, awakening the hive mind around them.

She hadn't realized this as she watched Steve and Alex look back to one another, wanting to capture their worry dissolve just as hers had, that a vine at her feet snaked its way around her ankle, slowly, not wanting to capture the attention so easily. It was that brushing feeling that caused Robin's smile to begin to fade. As her eyes began to travel down to her ankle, the hive mind took its chance at a win that it had wrapped tightly around her ankle. One tug and Robin hit her knees to the floor before falling forward as more vines took part in the destruction of their plan.

It was all down to split-second decisions and uncertainty about what was to come. Steve took it upon himself to yank the axe from behind his back as he placed a hand on Alex's shoulder, a light push toward the stairs. Grabbing hold of the railing, Alex saw this as her opportunity to right any wrong she believed she carried with her.

Steve swung his axe down against the vine that pinned Robin to the wall and quickly glanced back to Alex. "Go now! Get out of here!"

Breathing heavily, Alex started to back herself toward the stairs as Steve swung down his axe once more in an attempt to free their friend. Everything in Alex froze all at once. She couldn't leave when they needed her now more than ever. It hadn't mattered now if Vecna got as he desired in her capture, she was determined to rid her guilty conscious. She had left them all once before, turned her back, and hid herself away in the darkness. Things could have been different if she stayed. She was terrified of failing them for she had already lost enough.

Her world felt ripped wide open as Nancy gave her a push before holding the gun up, working against the vines alongs side Steve. The push was hard and nearly made her tumble back down the stairs had she not caught herself on the railing. It all confused her far too much as she recalled the only reason of her being there had been for the sheer fact that she was bait. She was meant to be there to be the reason Vecna would stop his path of destruction long enough for them to take him on.

Alex could have stood there forever, left to herself for the dust to settle around her and the vines of the hive mind to wrap around her as the Upside Down froze life around it once more. Yet every decision was being made around her and all she could feel was the tears begin to brim her eyes, her mind capturing this moment as only another painful memory to play over but she could bring herself to run and leave them behind.

Seconds barely passed as Steve looked over his shoulder once more, capturing sight of her stuck, frozen in place. His hand extended out, ready to give her another push of encouragement to leave only to have the chance ripped away from him. Snaking around him, the vines claimed him as another victim as Nancy beat on the vines that held tight to Robin.

Clattering to the floor, Alex watched the vines begin to pounce for the chance to conceal a weapon but she had been quicker. She ripped herself from the frozen moment as she raced to grab it. Ripping it from a single vine that held onto it, Alex turned over, swinging down on the vines that took him. She ignored his fighting words for her to leave. But she had remembered that back at the Byers', a year ago in a fight against a Demogorgon, he had left when she asked only to return to fight for her when she needed him most. Giving up on him was no option.

Yanking the axe out from the vine she came in contact with, Alex pulled back to swing down once more. A final swing that could have freed him and given them that chance at the winning end they dreamed of. Instead, a vine had pulled itself free from the wall behind her, launching itself toward the axe, wrapping itself tight as it yanked Alex clean off her feet. Nancy pulled herself back from her attempts at freeing Robin with the end of her gun against the vines, a single gasp escaping her lips as she made a reach for Alex.

Their fingers brushed against one another for a whisper of a moment before a vine ripped Nancy clean off the floor, causing her to smack down to the ground. Now eye to eye, Alex and Nancy shared that quick exchange of expression. The apologetic regret written upon Nancy's face proved to Alex that it was all too late. She should have trusted her instincts and learned that it was okay to not be the hero and she couldn't save everyone. This time it could cost her life.

Pulled apart in either direction, Nancy was slammed against the wall beside Steve as Alex prepared for her body to smack against the opposite wall, right beside Robin. It could have been the earliest of endings, torturous but it could have stopped Vecna from advancing beyond their control much sooner than expected. But he always got what he wanted in the end and it was her.

The vines didn't waste any moment to finally bring him her as he asked since she stepped foot in the Upside Down— when he felt her back in his domain once more. She was so close and somehow managed to slip away from him with even his deadliest of monsters. Now she was right there, just below him inside his very own home. This time he didn't need to crawl through her mind to feel her, he just needed her to pay him a visit whether or not it had been through force. The vines made sure to listen to his needs, snapping across the floor as they latched around her ankle.

Extending a hand out, Alex wished to even feel the brush of Nancy's fingertips. It could have been a sign of hope to feel the touch of a friend once more. Rather she screamed with her fingers stretched far just to pass over Nancy's before being dragged across the wooden flooring. She could hear the screams of Steve, how he called her name in desperation, his voice cracking under the pressure of panic and fear. The nightmare never fell short for Alex's ears. As she was pulled across the floor, grabbing hold of each step as long as she could to prevent her inevitable fate, she heard the vines choking her friends. It could be the very last thing she heard from them. Tiny bits of air fought to escape their lungs as life was slowly squeezed out of them.

Every part of it was horrific as she called out to them. She was desperate to be saved, hoping for that miracle to stumble its way up the attic stairs and prevent her from what was to come. She flipped onto her back with an exhausted sob, praying that the miracle she longed for was within her. Alex forced herself up as the vines led her through the attic. Paying no attention to her surroundings, Alex grabbed hold of the vine that held her ankle. She cried desperately, frustration and fear all rolled into one tearful sob as she pulled at something she knew she could never win against. It was too late.

It continued to drag her slowly across the attic. Alex wanted to close her eyes and imagine the pain had all been in her head. Hopeful that somehow a song would play somewhere and she'd awake to her friends surrounding her with open arms and the love she needed right now. If it had happened, she'd hold them all, apologizing for everything she'd done. Running and hiding when they needed her as much as she needed them, for punishing herself for things deep down she knew were out of her control, and for allowing such a man to take hold of her mind even if she felt that maybe that man had a story. A story like hers, one where he too felt alone, punished so soon in life that resulted in others turning away in disappointment. She often told herself this in order to convince herself that maybe she wasn't a bad person either. If they were alike as he claimed, he had to be good, or she too would be a monster just like him.

Alex should have closed her eyes when she wanted and continued to tell herself lies or play with the fool's dream that everything would turn out all right. When she hadn't, her fate was laid out before her clearly and what was to come of her future. Her glossy eyes turned up to him, her panicked breathing became unrecognizably rapid as his eyes grew fearful and her mouth held agape in sheer fear, no noise to follow, just silent panic.

It was him— Henry Creel. Only in her mind had she seen him, a man turned monster. Though it felt so real back then, she knew that he was never truly with her. Now, looking up at him, she realized that this was beyond what she felt inside her mind when he first met her. Held up by vines, he was in his trance, diving headfirst into Max Mayfield's mind. However, he knew she was there just as he knew back in 1983 that she finally stumbled her way through a gate he wished for only her to crawl through.

Vines wriggled and squelched as they maneuvered their way from the walls to her. Bringing her simply wasn't enough. She had to be presented, to be shown to Vecna that they retrieved her just as he commanded.   Alex continued to fight, her eyes finally pulled off him as she kicked her feet at vines to prevent them from grabbing hold of another ankle, her hands dancing around as she continued to slip them. Knowing that this could not go on forever, she took on the panicked adrenaline that coursed through her, tearing at the vine that held her ankle. She dug her nails into it, screaming in frustration as she used every bit of strength she had left in her.

Then it began to give way and she saw that flicker of hope. Holding her breath, she clenched down on her jaw, yanking at the vine until it let out that screech of pain and yanked back in surprise from her. Alex took no time as she began to scramble to her feet. She didn't bring herself to look at Vecna as her fingertips hit the floor, picking herself back up, preventing her from falling forward as she tripped over her own feet toward the attic door.

The escape was close and she could taste it. Soon she could race down to her friends, find any means of a weapon, and free them from the hell they walked into. They'd gather Dustin and Eddie from the bloodthirsty bags, return to Max just in time and then they'd regroup, reconsider, and find some way else to prevent tonight from happening the way it would. It almost made Alex smile at the thought.

Unwilling to let her go so easily, those vines found their way across the floor. She couldn't slip them forever, the entire world she walked knew of where she was. Henry knew where she was. This time there was no escape. He couldn't allow for another time to let her run off, listen to her friends as they reminded her where her true heart stood— with them. He needed her. Eleven never listened, but Alex, he could feel her giving in to his words, understanding him even after all the pain he caused her. She was weak in the heart and he used every bit of it to his advantage.

The vines wrapped around each of her ankles. They yanked hard, sending her to the floor, with no option to ever run again. They were tough, leaving bruises on her ankles as they pulled her back to him. Coming down from the walls, more vines slipped down to grab hold of her wrists. Like live bait, they lifted her and strung her up before him, her arms and legs extended out as she faced him.

Alex fought with every breath, willing to break bones if it came to it to flee him. No matter how hard she pulled, her hands balled into fists, yanking with all her might, and still, she never had a chance. Nothing would work, not when they nearly lost her yet again. When nothing had worked, Alex looked at the man before her. This was the monster that had dissolved her life into walking nightmares. Who was once handsome, with a kind voice and sweet smile, he was something she never pictured him as. When she talked of Vecna, she only saw him— Henry.

Her tears began to subside as she looked at him, her fists unraveling as she gave up against him. This was the most vulnerable he could ever become and he managed to gift her that chance to see him in this state. Her chest rose and fell with every quick breath and that panic shifted into anger.

Tears clouded her vision as she built up her courage. "I know... I know you can hear me," she choked out through her tears. Watching the figure in front of her not even flinch at her words but she knew that he was listening. It's all he ever did when it came to her. He listened and he turned every bit of her life against her. "I need you to tell... to tell me why. Tell me why you want me."

Alex waited as she grew desperate for him to react to her. He wanted her all this time and now strung up before him, he hid away. She looked at her wrists, giving another hopeful tug. Once again, it never let up. Hanging her head, she felt helpless against him. She wanted to hear him, need to at this point. It could possibly save Max if she could just pull him away a little longer. "I... I can't help you," she whimpered. "I don't know what you want me to do. I'm not... I'm not special. I'll let you kill me instead... just please... please let Max go." Lifting her head up, her eyes danced across his face, waiting for even a flicker of emotion from him. Nothing and defeat filled her body. She wished to hang her head again, leaving the fate of Hawkins and the world up to him.

Only he couldn't do it alone.

An unsettling chill filled the room before it hit. The small attic window behind Vecna erupted open, shattered glass shooting across the room. Alex turned her head, glass knicking her cheek before settling down across the floor. For a second, Alex thought someone or something had chosen to save her. Only a darkness of doom flooded into the room at an alarming pace. It had a mind of its own, a sight she hadn't seen in some time. It was a nightmare reawoken. The black dust cloud, a shadow of darkness swirled around the room. It wrapped around the two high in the air, it swirled between them as if it wished to taunt her.

Alex panicked. Reliving the past, she felt the chill turn down her spine, any amount of heat feeling as a threat to her life. Her skin burned at the sheer memory of what it felt like to run the streets that autumn in Hawkins with this darkness trapped in her mind. Alex hadn't even realized that she was crying once more. Her head turned to either side of her, worried that if she looked away for too long, it'd attack. She pulled at the vines, attempting once more before she began to see that the monster in front of her was the one that caused all this to happen.

Her face was tear-stained, her face flushed with anguish as she screamed at him. "Just wake up! Wake up and talk to me!" Feeling that haunting sting of the lighter that Dustin once held to her neck to release this shadow, Alex groaned in pain, cranking her neck as she felt the heat begin to rise. "Kill me then!" Her voice was scratchy from the screams that came from her. "Do whatever you want! Just stop this! I don't care if you just let me talk to you!"

The swirling dust began to grow agitated, twisting and turning with every jerk of movement. There was no invite, no willingness to accept her fate with the monster before her, but her choice to stand between him and his final sacrifice, begging and pleading for a chance-- that was enough and this was the end.

With a twisting swirl around Vecna, the dust particles of the Upside Down took its command— allow her in and let Henry Creel have that final go at having her see him eye to eye, as his. That very dust pierced through the air and just as it had done many years ago to a pair of innocent, unsuspecting individuals that altered their lives for the monster within. Injecting itself inside, the particles didn't wait for a welcome, entering through any way that it possibly could. For Alex Henderson, the world went dark as it did in October 1984— a piece of this world once again apart of her, once more belonged to the man made into monster, Henry Creel.