Chapter Text
The younger girl stood up, looking at Nancy. She couldn't believe it either, her eyes squinting at herself. Neither said a word for a while, instead looking at each other with complete bewilderment. Stepping closer to examine the other, they stared intensely, neither breaking eye contact. The tension only broke when Steve and Robin entered the room.
"Steve!" the younger Nancy exclaimed. She broke the inquisitive stare down with her other self and rushed over to Steve, clinging to his jacket like a lost puppy.
"Woahhh Nance!" he started, reciprocating the hug she'd now caught him in. That was until he looked up to see Nancy, the Nancy he knew, looking right at him from across the room. "Wait-wait a minute." Steve lightly escaped from the hug and looked down to see another Nancy. Only she looked younger, less tormented.
"Okay… what's going on here?" Robin puzzled, "Who the hell is that?"
"As far as I know, she's you Nance," Jonathan started to explain, "We were driving back to the station and passed the high school. We found her wandering out by the side of the road. She seemed, I don't know, out of it so we stopped to help and that's when I saw who it was. I guess she recognised me and so we brought her back here."
"And your sure it's not some trick by Vecna to throw us off his trail?" Nancy worried.
"What's Vecna?" her younger self sheepishly asked, although her question was ignored for the moment.
"We're pretty sure yeah. Will's radio signal to the hive hasn't gone off the entire time she's been here," Jonathan answered.
Steve turned his head away from the conversation back towards the younger Nancy, "Hey, let's get you sat down okay? We'll explain everything, promise." He guided her back towards the couch she'd sat on prior. She stayed clung to him the whole while.
Nancy and Jonathan continued their conversation for a bit longer before they moved to also sit on the couch. Robin made her way to sit on the armchair next her Nancy. Nancy turned to face the younger her, attempting to get any answers she could on what was happening.
"What's the last thing you remember? Every detail counts," she asked.
Her younger self paused, thinking back to how her day had transpired. "I remember I was stood by my locker talking to Barb. She was teasing me about Steve when a note dropped out asking me to meet him in the bathroom. And I looked at her and suddenly it was like I could feel a hand on my face. And then there was this sensation that came over my whole body. Like static. I blinked and the next thing I knew, all the lights had gone out and everyone in the hallway was missing. I searched around till I made outside and that's when he found me."
"Oh my God." It was all clicking into place in Nancy's mind. "The exotic matter. That caused it."
"What do you mean Nance?" Robin asked.
"When I fired at it, a wave shot out from inside and I got caught. And I heard all these voices, like memories. I saw her, me, talking to Barb. I thought it was one of those 'your life flashing before your eyes' moments and I reached out. I had the same feeling run through my body too until it blew me back and that's when you found me."
"So you're saying she's you? Like actually the younger version of you? From the past?" Robin clued. She was entirely confused to the situation.
"She has to be. And if I remember that day right, it was the day after Will went missing. Way back in 1983."
"But you have no memory of any of this ever happening?" Robin asked.
"I don't."
"So you're me from the future?," the younger Nancy spoke, "and everyone else here is also from there too? Wait how far have I gone?"
"It's 1987," Steve replied.
Nancy's younger self slowly let go of him, raising herself upright. "Which means you're not my Steve. Sorry..."
Robin watched the entire exchange between the two Nancy's. Despite everything Nancy had been through, under it all, she was still similar to her old self. Or at least Robin got to see that side of her. But then panic crept into her mind. Telling Nancy's younger self about The Upside Down was no issue, it had existed back then. But telling her about her and Robin dating? Even though it was technically the same person, the matter still worried Robin greatly.
"Hey Nance-" before she could finish, both girls looked at her. "Okay that's unsettling and bound to get confusing fast. You, you're Nance because you're our Nance," Robin said, pointing at the older Nancy, "and you, you're Nancy, like really highlighting the end part of the name there," she finished, pointing at the younger Nancy. Everyone nodded in agreement at the differentiation, it'd make conversing with the both of them easier.
"Okay I was going to say. Nance can I speak to you, in another room?" Robin asked, standing herself up.
"Yeah sure," Nance answered, following Robin in standing, "Steve, Jonathan, can you fill her in on everything while we're gone? Though maybe leave some details out for now to not overload her," she said, looking over at Robin. Steve understood what she meant.
Just as Nance moved away, Nancy grabbed her hand and looked at her, "Where's Barb by the way? I know she won't exactly be the Barb I know but the familiar face would be nice."
Nance froze. Her guilt over Barb's death still hung over her like a perpetual storm. She didn't even know how to begin to explain that. Or even if she had the heart to.
Steve, seeing her distress, stepped in, "It's alright Nance. I'll take care of it."
Robin guided Nance out of the room, placing her hand on her shoulder to ground her. They made their way to a small backroom that no one else was in. When the door clicked shut behind them, Robin threw her arms around Nance to comfort her.
"I'm sorry Nance, I know this isn't easy. And God I can't imagine what seeing Barb must've been like. I've got you though, I promise. I'm not going anywhere."
Nance let out a small sob in Robin's arms, letting herself go just a small amount to take some of the weight off her shoulders. They stayed stood like that for a few minutes, Robin holding her close to reassure her. After a while, she recomposed herself and pulled away, though not entirely, keeping her hand clutched in Robin's.
"What were you wanting to talk about Rob?" Nance gently asked.
"Oh right!" Robin began, "So obviously there being two of you is so weird and very confusing and I still don't understand it really. I mean I'm not even sure how that really works and do we have to find a way to send her home? But if she goes back will that change things because she now knows what's gonna happen? But then if she stays, what happens then? You're quite different but also the same and I really only have space in my heart for one woman. Speaking of, do we tell her about us? I know Steve, Jonathan and Will know but that's cause they're our friends or caught us making out in a hospital room together. Telling your past self who doesn't even realise she's into girls is a whole different story."
Nance could tell Robin was nervous by her ramblings but let her get it all out before moving closer to her. "I'll be honest, to most of those, I really don't have the answers right now. But we'll think of a solution. And I hinted at Steve not to tell her about us just yet. Though we'll tell her together okay? It's a bit hard to keep a secret from yourself," Nance chuckled at how ridiculous the situation really was as she finished.
After a long pause, Robin spoke up, "Okay. I trust you. One thing at a time right? Vecna and the kids first, then her."
"That sounds like a good plan," Nance smiled, "Come here."
She pulled Robin down towards her and connected their lips. A soft kiss to ease both their worries. While a Nancy from the past was a problem to solve, finding Holly and the others was more important.
Nance broke the kiss but pressed her forehead to Robin's, holding on for just a moment longer. "We should probably go back. Hopefully Steve's filled her in on everything by now."
The two broke apart and exited the room to head back to the others. They returned to find Steve again holding Nancy, and Jonathan with his hand on her back. She was quiet though it was apparent tears had recently streamed from her eyes.
"I'm guessing you told her," Nance said.
"I did. And everything else. It's a lot you know?" Steve replied.
Nance crouched down besides Nancy and took her hand. She had to say something about Barb, even if it sent shivers deep into her soul, "Hey. I'm so sorry about Barb, trust me, I really get it. I'm not gonna rush you to do anything if you don't want, take all the time you need. But when you're ready, we should go try and explain this to everyone else."
Nancy took a moment to digest her words. If anyone could understand how she was feeling right now, it would definitely be her future self. She had already lived it after all. Nancy put herself together and let go of Steve.
"Okay. Let's go do this," she stated. Her and all the others moved themselves into the main room where everyone else had been waiting.
Nance explained to the whole party the situation with her past self. With Robin chiming in to explain the naming difference to try and avoid confusion. Everyone looked at her equally puzzled, although considering everything else they'd seen, it wasn't the craziest thing to happen. But preventing the end of the world was what came first. They all sat for some time, drafting up ideas and strategies on how to stop Vecna.
Nancy simply sat and watched, in awe at everything that was happening. In her time, she'd barely even spoken to most of the people here. But seeing them all here, working together, she knew that things would work out, that her life would work out. And then she looked closer, closer at herself. She looked at how close her older self and Robin were. Nancy was used to being like that with Barb, but this was different…The way they glanced at each other and looked, really looked at each other. Like they were connecting with their eyes only, despite only being inches away from one another. Their hands brushing together every so often but neither of them pulling away. Subtle gestures that no one else would pick up on. But Nancy knew herself, how she acted when she liked someone.
It all began to piece together in her mind and without thinking she almost blurted it out. But Robin caught notice of Nancy eyeing the two of them and cut her off before she could out her and Nance to everyone.
"Oh!" she said way too loudly across the room, "Nance and I just need to update Nancy on a few more details."
Robin grabbed a hold of Nancy's arm, leading her back into the room with the couch and gestured at Nance to follow her, "We'll be back in a jiff!" she waved.
Once Robin had taken them both to the back room, she let go of Nancy's arm.
"Wait! Are you two-"
Robin placed her hand over Nancy's mouth before she could say anymore, "We'll tell you everything but not everyone knows right now so please be quiet," there was a plea of worry in her voice. They all moved themselves over to the couch once more.
Nance spoke first, knowing it was easier for her to explain to herself, "Me and Robin are together, and have been for over a year now," she reached over and grabbed Robin's hand, "At first, it was Steve, but after Barb died, I couldn't pretend to be in love with him. Then it was Jonathan, and he was great. I did love him, but something wasn't quite right. I couldn't figure it out until Robin came into my life and slowly, I started to realise it. It was never about boys you know? And I think there's a part of you that knows it too. The way we'd always want to be with Barb, be close to her…"
"I-I don't-I can't be-" Nancy stammered, the truth hitting her bluntly.
"It's scary, I know," Nance reached her other hand towards Nancy, "Trust me, it took me a while. But Robin helped me to accept it, to love that part of myself. I love her so much!" Nance exclaimed, turning towards Robin. She faced back towards Nancy, "But that time is okay to take, okay for you to take. I don't know how or if we'll be able to get you home but take your time, with everything okay?"
"Gotta save the world first right," Nancy chuckled.
"Yeah, gotta save the world first," Robin laughed back.
The three of them stayed in that quiet moment for a while before moving back across into the planning room. It seemed as if a lot more work had been done while they were gone and when the rest of the party noticed them, they all looked their way.
"Okay. We have a plan," Dustin said.