It had been nearly an hour or two since the group's arrival at Skull Rock and Eddie had eaten quite a bit of the food that had been brought to him. He had clearly been hungry and starved during his time and lack of food, Andrea hoped he hadn't gone too much without.

Andrea stood with her hands on her hips as Steve stood at her side. Her free hand fiddled with the bracelet on her wrist, her paper ring being safe with Steve's back at the Harrington home. The world around them was calm for a moment, the area around Skull Rock was secluded so they wouldn't be found. 

Andrea leaned her head from side to side as she popped her neck, a loud pop causing everyone to turn their head to her before shaking their heads. 

In all honesty, Andrea was tired of the bullshit.

"Can you explain to us what happened?" Nancy asked as she looked over at Eddie, "The cops said that there was another murder... one of the basketball players."

"Give him time, damn, it just happened," Andrea couldn't help but shoot as she placed her hands on her hips, "Or do you not care how others feel, Nancy?" 

If you would've gotten ahold of Andrea upon their arrival, she would've been stumbling around with a headache not looking for a fight. Though, here she was now. Her headache had subsided to barely anything and her fuse was lit. 

"I'm sorry that I actually care to find out answers," Nancy snapped as she looked over at Andrea, "Honestly, ever since you found out what you found out, you are a liability, Seven."

"Hey, not cool," Steve defended Andrea as he pointed a finger at Nancy with a warning look.

Dustin looked a little worried but he was clearly mad at the small nudge as well, "Her name is Andrea. Use it."

Andrea felt her chest tighten as Eddie went, "Whoa, whoa, stop that. We don't need her riled up. She'll throw you-"

"Eddie, please be quiet," Andrea looked over at him, giving a smile that caused him to move back before she turned back to Nancy, "You really are a character, aren't you Wheeler? Not caring about anyone else's words. You have to always be right, don't you? You're the one who got Fred killed."

Nancy scoffed as she shook her head, Steve trying to get between the two, "Let's cool down. Think rationally."

"I got him killed?" Nancy shook her head as Steve's hand stopped her from moving any further forward, "Aren't you the one who loses every single time to Vecna? Getting more and more people killed?"

"That's not cool, Nancy!" Dustin yelled as he looked over at the girl, "You try being in Andrea's shoes for once, not everyone has your life!"

"Listen to Little Henderson!" Steve followed suit with Dustin's words defending the girl he loved.

And that was what set Andrea off. 

"I am," Andrea snapped as she looked at Nancy before flipping the middle finger, "Fuck you. No wonder your boyfriend doesn't want to come back, I wouldn't either if I came home to a raging bitch like you."

"Andrea," Dustin looked in fear for how this fight was going to end, despite defending her he didn't want her to accidentally do something she'd regret later.

"Me? At least I didn't have to trap Steve Harrington. You don't get that you were the rebound? You are what he is stuck with. Who would want you!" Nancy screamed and Andrea ran forward for her, being lifted off of her feet as she screamed and kicked, "Bitch."

"Really?" Steve acted as if that was the funniest thing he heard, "Low blow."

"YOU LITTLE WHORE!" Andrea yelled as she continued to kick, "LET ME THE HELL GO!" 

"You're just mad that Steve has treated her better than he treated you," Dustin retorted as he adjusted his hat, "Get over it."

"Calm down," Steve muttered in her ear as he continued to hold her still, his rage was boiling over as well but he needed to be the rationale of the two. 

But Andrea wasn't going to calm down and it was very much seen on her face. She wanted to kick Nancy Wheeler's ass without using her abilities and maybe in the end she'd throw some in. 

But she never got to.

She was dragged off into the woods for a moment by her brother. The boy looked at the girl with concern as they stood off on their own, still in sight of the others.

"What is going on?" Dustin questioned as he looked at Andrea, "I get you and Nancy aren't doing so well..."

"Doing so well?" Andrea scoffed as if the statement was ludicrous, "I want to gut that bitch from the inside out."

The look on Dustin's face was priceless, though it kinda reminded her of that one kid off of Nightmare on Elm Street, "Okay... let's not do that," Dustin slowly shook his head.

"Well, I need to do something. I'm tired of being fucking ran over, Dustin. What am I? For years I thought I was just some damn experiment and now it's like I don't even fucking exist," Andrea placed her hands on her hips as her head tilted, "And if I don't fucking exist then why am I here?"

"Hey, don't say that," Dustin's eyes flooded with sadness, "You are a person and you do exist. People are just jerks sometimes."

"Seems like all the damn time," Andrea sighed as she ran a hand through her hair, "God, why is she like this?"

"She just wants to get under your skin," Dustin shrugged his shoulders, "Old-fashioned bullies."

"The girl you used to have a crush on is bullying, care to share how you feel?" Even though she was still angry, she tried to push past it as she offered Dustin an air microphone.

Dustin let out a small laugh before pushing Andrea's hand down, "Now can we please go hear Eddie's story, Drea, if he wants to tell it."

Andrea looked back at the group before letting out a sigh, "Fine."

Dustin offered her a fist with a grin, "Come on..."

Andrea bumped fists with him causing him to grin widely, "There."

And so they went back to the group. Eddie decided he wanted to tell his story so he did. Going on and on about what had happened as he messed with some type of flask in his hands.

"When I got to the shore, I tried calling you guys, but, uh..." He tipped the flash up to his mouth as he took a long swing before letting it go back down, "My walkie was busted, man. Drenched. So, uh, I did the thing that I do now, apparently. I ran," He wiped his mouth before placing down the flask.

"Is Eddie in his track star era?" Andrea whispered jokingly to Dustin and Steve, causing the two to grin and shake their heads at her words.

"Do you know what time this was? The attack?" Nancy asked as she held up her perfectly manicured hand. 

"Yeah, no, I... I know exactly what time it was," Eddie began to stumble out quickly while Dustin paced back and forth as he stared at the compass, "My walkie wasn't the only thing that got soaked," He held up his watch before tossing it to the Wheeler woman.

"This is why girls," cough, "Nancy," cough, "Don't play any sports," Andrea adjusted her posture as the woman dropped the watch before picking it back up while glaring.

"Nine-twenty-seven," Nancy read off as she looked down at the broken device.

"Same time our flashlights went kablooey and Andrea seized out," Robin stammered out as she looked over at the other woman.

"Which means what, exactly?" Honey, are you always just lost? Andrea nudged Steve's side as she gave him a small look.

"That surge of energy was Vecna attacking Patrick, after Andrea lost," Nancy began to explain as she looked at everyone.

"Can you just stop with that shit?" Andrea snapped as she began to roll her bracelet around her wrist, trying to stay grounded while Steve kept a grip on her waist.

"Well, we're one step closer, we know how Vecna attacks," Robin began to explain as Dustin continued to pace back and forth.

"And where he attacks from," Lucas stated as he stood with his hands on his hips, looking like a miny mama Steve.

Max held her arms crossed tightly across her chest as her headphones hung around her neck as she spoke, "So, now we just need to sneak into his lair in the Upside Down and drive a stake through his heart," She joked.

"If he even has a heart," Robin retorted.

"Well he has a daughter so something has gotta be there," Andrea tilted her head to the side while Eddie looked flabbergasted.

"Daughter?" Eddie felt as if he had been gaslighted, but there was simply no way he could've been.

"Hi Eddie, welcome to the things we learn when our apparent father tries to kill your friends so now you're playing Luke Skywalker when you're more of a Leia Organa," Andrea gave the metalhead finger guns.

"A stake? Is he like a vamp? Is he a vampire?" Steve now asked as he grew way too concerned about this, getting dead serious with his questions.

"It was a metaphor," Max stated as she looked over at the Harrington man with sass.

"A bullet should work on him, right?" Eddie let his hands fall limp as he tried the suggestion.

"I say we chop his head off," Lucas' eyes grew wide as his hands adjusted their grip on his waist.

Steve removed his arm from around Andrea as he crossed them over his chest, staring at the others, "I'd say all of the above, but we can't do any of that 'till we find a way into the Upside Down," Nancy began to speak as she stood with her leg cocked out.

"We need El to get her powers back and we need to understand everything with Andrea more," Max looked as if she were about to throw a small fit.

Dustin continued to pace back and forth with his compass. Andrea didn't know why he had yet to stop, nothing was going to change the fact that it was still wrong for some apparent reason. He'd just have to get a new one later since his was faulty.

"Everything was way easier when none of this was connected. We had another girl. She also had superpowers," Steve began to brag as he adjusted how he stood.

"Superpowers. Yeah, you mentioned her," Eddie nodded as he looked at Andrea, "Somewhat sister of her, right?"

"Yep," Andrea nodded her head, "Good job."

"Hey, uh, Henderson's not, uh, cursed, is he?" Eddie questioned as his face contorted in confusion as he watched the boy continuously pace.

"No," Andrea shook her head as she turned to look at her brother, "Ayo! D, are you cursed?" She called out only to get a shake of his head in return while he remained focused on the compass, "See? Not."

"Cursed? No, no. He's fine," Steve was quick to answer that after Andrea had finished talking.

Everyone peered back at the Henderson boy who kept looking at his compass before he'd walk again. A neverending cycle he had grown in the past few minutes that they had been there. He was now obsessed with his broken compass. Had he somehow formed an emotional attachment? 

Andrea did not think that was healthy at all for a boy his age.

She watched as Dustin stopped his movements before he stared off into the distance. Why? Andrea could not quite answer that question for you. If you wanted to know why he had suddenly came to a stop while holding his one true love, his compass, you would have to ask Dustin Henderson himself. 

Andrea shook her head as she adjusted her feet on the ground once more, growing tired of standing still very easily. Steve looked at her momentarily as if to see what she was doing while everyone looked between Eddie Munson and Dustin Henderson.

"Mental? Absolutely," Steve then spoke as he looked over at Dustin once again before his eyes landed on Eddie.

"BOOM!" Dustin yelled out of nowhere as his hands went in the air and he turned to face the others while they looked at him as if he had gone mad, "Bada... bada... boom!" Dustin pointed at Steve with a look of pure determination that reminded the girl of the gremlins.

"You good?" Andrea asked as she looked beyond concerned. 

Steve shook his head as he looked beyond weirded out while Dustin dropped his hand, "I was right," He stated with a look, "Skull Rock was north!" Dustin's hand went back in the air.

"Seriously? You're serious?" Steve questioned as he looked at the kid like he was mental, everyone else growing annoyed.

"Mm-hmm," Dustin looked proud of himself with a small grin as he nodded.

"This is Skull Rock. Okay?" Steve exclaimed as he pointed his hands at the rock.

"Mm-hmm," Dustin still had that shit-eating grin as he looked at Steve, nodding his head in agreement. 

"What's that look for?" Andrea questioned as she tried not to laugh.

Nancy looked down as she huffed, Steve began speaking once again with pure annoyance, "You're totally, absolutely, one-hundred percent wrong. Right now," Steve pointed at his hands before he began to shake them as his voice rose.

Dustin leaned forward, still grinning, "Yes. And no," He moved his hands before leaning back up.

Steve looked at Andrea with wide eyes, his hands now grasping his own arms firmly, "Oh my god," He then turned as he covered his face with his hands.

Dustin then held up his compass, "This worked correctly when we left the Wheelers'. Correct when we got in the car on Curly," He let his hands fall as he continued to explain, "But it started to slip the further east we went. Now it's way off!" He continued his hand demonstration, "When I was leading us here, I wasn't wrong."

"Okay?" Andrea questioned as Steve looked beyond annoyed, now moving his hands to rest on Andrea's shoulders as he stood behind her. 

"The compass was!" Dustin held the compass up once more causing everyone to look at one another.

So, this entire time the compass was the true villain? Jeez, Dustin had a much more intricate hero origin story than Andrea had originally thought about. Who knew a compass could turn you into a wild Dustin Henderson, running around playing hero.

Maybe he was filling in for Mike.

Or maybe he was taking lessons on heroes from Mike.

Steve made a motion with his hands causing Andrea to make a face as his hands were now in her face, "So you're using faulty equipment. You're still wrong," The Harrington boy was exasperated as he fought with Dustin over this.

"Except it isn't faulty," Dustin held up his hand as he continued to be the little science nerd, "Lucas, do you remember what can affect a compass?" Dustin turned to look at his longtime friend, to see if he had an answer to give him.

Lucas' hand ran up to the back of his neck before dropping fairly quickly, "An electromagnetic field."

"Yep," Dustin nodded his head as he confirmed the boy's words, the shit-eating grin returning to his features as he turned with his arms wide open while looking at Steve and Andrea. 

"Sorry, I must've skipped that class," Robin was no science nerd like these boys had always been, looking as confused as everyone else.

Dustin gave a slight nod before giving an explanation as his hands began to move as he spoke, "In the presence of a stronger electromagnetic field, the needle will deflect towards the power."

"So somewhere there is a stronger electromagnetic field?" Andrea muttered up to Steve, not remembering when the hell this was taught to anyone, Steve shrugged as he looked down at her.

"So either there's some super big magnet around here, or..." Dustin trailed off as he finished his explanation.

"There's a gate," Lucas realized as he nodded his head.

Dustin turned as he pointed at his friend with a wide smile, "A gate," Andrea began to think for a moment.

"But we're nowhere near the lab," Nancy shook her head as she looked confused.

"But what if, somehow there's another gate?" Dustin questioned as he proposed the idea to the others, his hands placing together in a prayer position, "A gate we don't know about."

"And what if there is more? I mean, there might not just be one we don't know about," Andrea spoke as she looked at her little brother, "It would explain why we never can catch a break."

"It'd have to be smaller, or they, and way less powerful," Dustin seemed to agree with what Andrea was saying as the two made eye contact while everyone else fell deep in thought.

"Snack-size gate," Robin looked perplexed as she looked over at the youngest Henderson.

"How, why?" Steve began to question as he let his arms now rest over Andrea.

"No idea. All I know is that something is causing this disturbance," Dustin pointed down at his compass with a look of determination, "And the last time we've seen anything like it, it was a gate," Eddie looked overwhelmed, "And I hope it is because then we'd have a way to Vecna."

Andrea nodded her head as she agreed, "A way in."

"And a shot at freeing Max from this curse and putting an end to his taunts to my sister," Dustin pointed at the group before Dustin began to walk off, before Steve moved to stop him.

"Where are you going? Hey, hey, hey, hey," Steve snapped his fingers as he looked at the youngest Henderson, "Eddie's still a wanted man. We can't just go hike in the woods."

"That's not suspicious at all," Andrea quipped as she tried not to laugh while Steve moved his arm like he was throwing a baseball.

"This little steel capsule might be the key to saving Max, Eddie, and Andrea," Dustin held it up as he gave Steve a look as he stood a little lower than the rest of the group, "What say you, Eddie the Banished?" 

Everyone turned to Eddie who answered, "I say you're asking me to follow you into Mordor, which, if I'm totally straight with you, I think is a really bad idea. But, uh, the shire... the shire is burning."

Dustin began to hop up and down.

"Who gave Dustin drugs?" Andrea began to question.

"So Mordor it is."

And so it was decided.