Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

When Nancy comes back from her vision, she’s terrified. But the rage that fills her is overwhelming, and all she wants to do is run. The images she was forced to see plays in repeat over and over, the smell of the world burning slowly filling her senses. Around her, everyone seems to be moving in slow motion as they talk over each other and struggle to form a plan. Suddenly, a glass of water enters her view and Nancy slowly looks up to see Robin holding it out with a tilted smile.

“You need to drink this.” Robin orders. “I remember my therapist always gave me glasses of water, she said it’d help. It didn’t. But sometimes it did. Especially if I talked a lot during my sessions, I always got really bad dry mouth. Not to assume you have dry mouth, but I…”

“Thank you, Robin.” Nancy whispers.

Robin blushes slightly, “How are you?”

“Pissed.” Nancy scoffs, and Robin arches an eyebrow in confusion. “He showed me a lot. A lot of things I don’t understand, and a lot of things we have to fix.”

“Are we…” Robin trails off, and Nancy watches her throat bob nervously. “Are we going to be able to do this without El?”

“I don’t know.” Nancy admits “He showed me a lot.”

“Guys.” Robin snaps, and everyone quickly looks to where Nancy is staring down at her lap. “Shut the fuck up for a second and listen.”

“He showed me…things. The most awful things.” Nancy begins, her finger circling the mouth of her cup. “I saw a dark cloud spreading over Hawkins. Downtown on fire. Dead soldiers. And this giant creature with a gaping mouth and it wasn’t alone. There were so many monsters.”

Nancy continues to walk them through each memory of what Vecna showed her, of what he promised for their future. Her gaze bounces to each face, takes in the horror in their expressions as Robin drops on the couch beside her and rubs a comforting hand along her back. The gentle touch grounds her, and Nancy can’t help but lean back into it. She’s so scared, and what she was forced to see has brought out an amount of trauma that she was so sure she had buried alongside Barb all those years ago.

Nancy allows the tears to fall, “And then he showed me my mom. And Holly. Mike. And they…they were all…”

“Okay, but he was just trying to scare you, Nance.” Steve assures her. “I mean, it’s not like it was real.”

“Not yet.” Nancy scoffs.

It doesn’t take them long to put the pieces together, doesn’t take them long to realize something they should’ve picked up on a long time ago: four chimes, four kills. And it doesn’t take long to descend into chaos as they realize they have one shot at this, one half thought out plan to end this entire insanity and once again save their town. By the time it’s decided, by the time they come to the conclusion that Max is their only way in, Lucas shakes his head and storms off with Max and Dustin following close at his heels.

“I need to like…I need to fucking smoke or something.” Eddie grumbles as he fiddles with his rings. “Harrington, you wanna light up with me?”

Steve shakes his head and glances momentarily towards Nancy, “Fuck it. I need something to take the edge off since we're basically signing our death warrants.”

“Why would you say that?” Eddie demands as he heads towards the front door. “We’re not going to die, right? Like, we can totally survive this?”

“Just get the weed, Munson.”

Nancy watches them disappear out the front door and she continues to twiddle her thumbs as she tries to calm her racing heart. This is it. They’re going to have to go up against Vecna, they’re going to have to kill him. They don’t have a choice. Nancy feels her chest lock up as she realizes that they very well may not make it back from this one. How can they? This is the first time they’re dealing with someone from the Upside Down without El’s powers backing them.

“Nance?”

“We’re gonna die.” Nancy pants, her breaths quick and terrified. “We’re going to die, Robin. There’s no way we’re going to survive this.”

“Hey.” Robin begins, soft and easy. “I need you to calm down, okay? Just breathe with me for a second, Nance.”

Nancy looks up with wide eyes, and she can see Robin in front of her. She can see the worry on her face, and she can feel the soft hands that squeeze lightly at her knees as Robin squats in front of her. All Nancy can see is the images of what Vecna showed her, all she can picture is her family wasting away. Soft hands cradle her face and Nancy chokes out a sob as thumbs brush along the swells of her cheeks, the edges of them smoothly wiping away falling tears.

“Breathe, Nance.”

“I…Robin, I can’t…”

“You can. You can, Nance.” Robin nods as she forces a smile. “Just look at me, okay? All you have to do is take a deep breath in for me, okay?”

Nancy sutters over a breath, “I…”

“Feel, Nancy.” Robin orders as she pulls Nancy’s hand to her stomach. “Feel my breath, okay? All you have to do is copy me. I promise it’s easy.”

Nancy can’t escape the panic, can’t escape the visions but she tries. She feels Robin’s abdomen expand and her hand slowly sinks in as she releases the breath a moment later. A sharp breath leaves her nose as she locks her gaze with Robin’s, forces herself to center herself around the gentle look in Robin’s eyes. Nancy wants to say something to her, she wants to say anything, but Robin simply smiles in silent encouragement.

“Look at you, you’re doing it.” Robin beams. “Just keep taking calm breaths, okay? I’m right here.”

Nancy feels her heart slow as long breath finally pushes through and Robin matches it with one of her own. As soon as Robin sees her settle, she gives Nancy’s hand one last squeeze and lets her go. Robin slowly stands, her eyes taking in Nancy as she collects the glass that had been abandoned on the coffee table and forces it into Nancy’s hand. The liquid rushes down her throat and Nancy greedily takes it in, hopes it’ll singe the burning ache that rests low in her gut.

“You okay?” Robin asks as she cards a gentle hand through Nancy’s bangs.

Nancy closes her eyes at the contact, “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t apologize.” Robin orders with a soft laugh. “You had a panic attack, Nance. You have nothing to apologize for. You just lived through a crazy ass vision, you met Vecna and survived.”

"I don't want to die, Robin."

Robin softens, "I won't let you."

Nancy looks away from her, "We're going to fight that son of a bitch. There's no guarantee…"

"I promise I will not let that happen. You aren't dying, Wheeler." Robin assures her with a firm scowl. "We're going to kick his ass and make it home in time for a greasy burger."

"Robin…"

"Have some faith." Robin cuts in, her lips finally twisting back into a smile. "We're going to be okay. All of us."

"I…"

Nancy is cut off as the trailer door opens and Eddie comes through with a smile and a newspaper held above his head.

-

"This is insane."

Nancy looks to where Steve is frantically driving, "Stealing someone's mobile home or Vecna?"

"Both." Steve sneers. "We're driving to some store called War Zone, Nance. When did this become our life?"

"The moment we found out about the Upside Down." Nancy shrugs as she slides a glance to him. "Never took you for the kind who wanted a normal life."

"Oh, I did." Steve sighs. "I always had this dream I'd have this really big family. A full brood of Harrington kids, you know? Five or six kids."

Nancy listens to Steve talk, and the smile that formed on her face slowly begins to dip as she sees his heavy gaze fall on her. She can hear the implications, she can hear what he's saying without him actually saying it. It causes a ball of panic to roll in her gut, and she wants to run. So, she does. She flashes Steve a smile and stands to teeter her way towards where Robin is spinning a ring around her finger and staring blankly out the window. Nancy slides onto the seat across from Robin, and she feels her breaths come a little easier when blue eyes meet hers.

"Wheeler." Robin drawls.

Nancy rolls her eyes, "Buckley."

"Did Steve bore you to death by walking you through his hair routine?" Robin asks with a smirk. "Because you hightailed it out of there pretty quick."

"No." Nancy winces. "He was…well, he was telling me about how he wants six kids."

Robin coughs in surprise, "What?"

"Six kids." Nancy sighs. "Can you imagine having six kids?"

"Nah. Maybe two." Robin frowns.

"I can see that." Nancy nods as she scrunches her nose. "I think I want two girls. Holly just seems so much easier than Mike ever was."

Robin shakes her head, "I can't see myself with anything like me. A little me? No thank you."

"I would love to raise a little you." Nancy scoffs. "Robin, you are amazing. I've never met anyone like you. You're smart, funny, and so loyal. Life would be one adventure after the next."

"You'd be stuck with two of these." Robin points out as she jabs her thumb into her chest. "Because I'm going to be a terrible influence. Stair sliding? Down for it. Breaking and entering? Maybe. Depends on the reason."

Nancy giggles in amusement, "I think I could handle it. As long as you know your limit and bring our child home in one piece, I can get behind it."

"I'd like to raise them on a farm." Robin chirps. "Two horses and like twelve goats. I'd like to teach them about enjoying the world and understanding the circle of life. Like real life shit, you know?"

"Yeah." Nancy breathes out, the awe clear in her voice. "Can we have a cow too? And some chickens?"

Robin pinches her lips unto a thin line, "I don't know about chickens. Chickens have a great memory for faces. What if I accidentally trip over one and they're offended? It wouldn't be good."

"Okay, okay." Nancy grins. "No chickens."

Nancy startles as she realizes she was planning a future, openly talking about a life outside of Hawkins. But unlike Steve, she doesn't feel like running. There's no panic. Unlike with Jonathan, there's no feeling of it all being a complete fantasy. It doesn't feel like a lie. With Robin, her heart warms. With Robin, her mind flashes and she can actually see it. She can picture Robin chattering to their newborn, her smile wide and her eyes bright with excitement. She can see all the firsts and all the best moments. She can see an absolutely amazing life.

"We're here." Eddie calls.

Nancy smiles at Robin, "You coming in?"

"Of course. Kind of need some new clothes." Robin nods as she stands and looks at Dustin. "You stay."

Dustin gaps, "But…"

"I'll buy you a cool bandana." Robin offers as she ruffles his curls. "You stay here with Eddie, alright?"

"Fine." Dustin pouts. "Make sure it's a really cool bandana, okay?"

"The coolest." Robin chuckles.

The store is filled to the brim with trucker hat wearing hicks, and Nancy is immediately uncomfortable. The group splits in four different directions, and Nancy is a little disappointed with how quickly Robin trails Steve. Her attention is caught by the gun display, and she slowly makes her way over to look at the options in front of her. As she stares at the weapons, she thinks of her father and the few times she had stood at his side as he whistled over each gun and made offhand comments to her until she could list off just as many guns as he did.

She sees the surprise and hesitancy in the clerk's gaze when she asks for a shotgun, but he still hands it over. The metal feels cold in her grasp and the weight of the weapon causes a small burst of power. It's the first she's felt in a long time. As she's eying the weapon, her gaze darts up and she goes rigid when she sees Jason Carver leaning against the counter beside her. She tries to hide behind her curtain of curls, but the moment his eyes cut to her she already knows he recognizes her.

"Nancy Wheeler." Jason calls, and Nancy sees the gun in his hand leveled on her. "I wouldn't have expected to find you here."

"Yeah." Nancy agrees as she carefully juggles her own gun. "Well, it's just…scary times. I'm sorry about Chrissy."

Jason narrows his eyes, "Want my advice? Shotguns have power, sure. But not much range. I mean, somebody could just grab that barrel and redirect it."

Nancy startles as he holds tight to the barrel of the gun and pushes it against her chest, "What do you want?"

"Your brother…?"

"Mike."

"Mike." Jason nods as he pushes harder against the gun. "He wouldn't happen to be with you, would he? He's in that club, right? Hellfire."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

Jason chuckles lowly, "I think you do."

"Let go." Nancy orders.

"Hey." A voice snaps.

Nancy breathes out in relief when Robin appears beside her, her eyes narrowed in anger. Jason quickly steps away and smirks at Nancy, his hands lingering on the barrel of the shotgun for a brief moment before he throws his hands up in surrender. Robin continues to glare at him as he turns away, his eyes flashing between their faces as his lips curl in a small snarl. After a moment, Robin sets a protective hand on Nancy's lower back and pushes her away from the counter.

"Are you okay…?"

"We gotta go." Nancy mumbles, and her eyes glance up to the red hat on Robin’s head. "You look…"

Robin flushes, "No hat?"

"You look cute, Robin." Nancy whispers, her eyes wide with sincerity. "It looks really good on you."

"That's…wow. Thank you." Robin beams, her blue eyes brightening. "I wasn't sure if it was the right look, you know? Didn't want to appear to cocky, but also totally want to look like a badass. You just like naturally look like a badass, but I thought maybe I should try and…"

Nancy reaches up to push the hat down over Robin’s eyes, "Let's go before Jason catches on we aren't alone."

"Okay."

Nancy feels something flutter within her as Robin fumbles to push her hat up, her blue eyes coming into view and her lips splitting into a bright smile. It dawns on Nancy for a moment how beautiful Robin is, from her thick lashes to the splatter of freckles on her nose. She's absolutely stunning. Nancy swallows hard as she forces a smile and hurries to find Steve, to push him towards the check out line. By the time they're burning out of the War Zone parking lot, Nancy is more confused than she's ever been.

-

Nancy admires the field Steve found them, far away from everyone and leaving them with a chance to prepare for the battle they're about to walk into. She watches fondly as Dustin and Eddie play around with their nail shields, their laughter carrying through the open air. She hopes they hold onto this, their last moment of peace. They're just kids, but she feels like she's aged so quickly in the last two years. All the trauma she's endured, all the wars she's willingly fought in, makes her feel like she's so far beyond her short eighteen years of life.

A raspy giggle causes her head to quickly snap over to the camper where Steve and Robin are emptying liquor bottles. The sun beats down on them, and Nancy takes in the way Robin's hair shines from the rays and how it makes her freckles stand out just a little more. Nancy furrows her brow in thought as she watches Robin pretend to smash a bottle over Steve's head, her laughter growing in sound as Steve dramatically collapses. The war hasn't seemed to age Robin yet, hasn't killed the spirit that pours from her.

"Is this legal?" Max asks softly.

Nancy glances to the saw she is dragging over the shotgun barrel, "Actually, I'm pretty sure it's a felony. But it guarantees I won't miss."

"So, how long?"

"I should be almost done and…"

Max narrows her eyes slowly, "No, how long have you and Robin been like you and Robin?"

"Huh?" Nancy laughs. "We're not."

"You haven't taken your eyes off her. And she hasn't taken her eyes off you." Max points out. "I'm not trying to say it's love, but it feels like something."

"I…" Nancy trails off, and her expression turns thoughtful. "It's just the adrenaline. We're all running high. I'm pretty sure Steve thinks he's in love with me again so we're all just confused."

Max shakes her head, "It doesn't look like confusion."

"I like guys, Max."

"So do I." Max shrugs, and she steps back as Nancy snaps off the barrel. "But I also liked El."

Nancy gaps, "Huh?"

"I liked El. But then I also liked Lucas. I still like Lucas." Max explains. "It's okay to like both. It's called bisexuality."

"How do you…? Why do you know all of this?" Nancy demands. "You're so young. How did you even read about this?"

"I didn't understand." Max whispers as her head drops slowly. "I was confused why I felt the way I did about El so I went to the library and checked out some books. It helped me understand that what I feel is okay, there's nothing wrong with me."

Nancy stares at Max with a fond smile on her face, "Thank you."

"So, it is something?" Max asks, and Nancy playfully narrows her eyes. "Give a girl a story to think about when she's walking into her death."

"Hey." Nancy frowns as she meets Max's sad eyes. "We're not going to let you die, Max. We're going to find this son of a bitch, and we're going to end this."

"I know." Max murmurs.

"And when you do survive this…" Nancy sings, and Max looks up at her. "Then you'll be the first to know when I ask her out, alright?"

Max beams, "Cool."

"Cool." Nancy chuckles as she stands and offers her hand to Max. "Come on, lemme show you how to shoot."

Max is all too eager as she babbles in excitement, and Nancy glances once more towards Robin. She watches as Robin taps her full bottle against Steve's and then her eyes cut to her. They hold each other's gazes and Robin tips the bottle towards her, her lips twisting into Nancy's favorite lazy smile. As they stare at each other, Nancy silently promises to herself that once she makes it out of this she's going to figure out a way to buy a farm for Robin Buckley.

Chapter Text

"Let's go over it again." Nancy orders as she paces the mobile. "Phase one?"

Robin nods, "We meet Erica at the playground. She'll signal Max and Lucas when we're ready."

"You paid attention." Nancy teases, and Robin merely preens with a playful sloppy wink. "Phase two?"

"Max baits Vecna." Steve mumbles. "He'll go after her which will put him in his trance."

Nancy nods, "Phase three?"

"Where's my praise?" Steve huffs only to be met with a slap from Robin.

Dustin rolls his eyes at Steve and looks to Nancy, "Me and Eddie draw the bats away."

"Four?" Nancy demands.

"We head into Vecna's newly bat free lair and flambé the son of a bitch." Robin declares as she offers up one of her molotov cocktails.

Nancy looks to each of them, "Nobody moves onto the next phase until we've all copied. Nobody deviates from the plan no matter what. Got it?"

"Got it."

They file from the mobile with ease, slipping into the darkness and towards Eddie's trailer. As they rush through, Robin catches Nancy's elbow and pulls her to a quick stop. The two stare at each other, and Nancy feels the fear ignite all over; she doesn't want Robin here, she doesn't want her to be a part of this. Once they pass through that barrier, there's no going back. Once they slip into the Upside Down, everything begins. Nancy shakes her head and Robin simply reaches down to squeeze her hands, just three quick squeezes that calm her.

"Nance, relax." Robin whispers as she squeezes one last time. "Everything is going to be okay."

Nancy shakes her head sharply, "Don't say that. Not yet."

Robin puffs out a laugh, "Fair enough."

"Hey, let's go!" Steve hisses.

Steve is the first one through the gate, his moves graceful and lithe. And when Robin drops to one knee, Nancy can't help but swoon a little. Robin looks up at her with so much trust and so much wonder, and Nancy simply falls into it. She can't help but gently brush a small strand of hair off Robin's forehead before she hauls herself onto the sheet rope and drops into the Upside Down. As soon as the weapons fall through, Robin follows and Nancy is there to carefully haul her to her feet as her gaze dances over her form.

"You okay?" Nancy asks.

Robin shrugs, "Let's do this."

The Upside Down reeks of darkness, of death that teeters just on the edge. As they spill from Eddie's trailer, Steve hangs back and Nancy sees Robin roll her eyes as she catches some of what Steve is saying to Dustin and Eddie. The two wait a few feet away, an odd silence hanging between them as Robin adjusts her backpack and huffs in impatience. As she begins to fidget, Nancy reaches out and rests a gentle hand on the ones that are tugging at the straps of the back.

"I think Steve has a crush on Eddie."

Nancy giggles, "What?"

"I think he has a school girl crush." Robin chirps. "He acts like he can't stand him, but I think he totally likes him. Which would be cool. But also not. Because it's Steve and he already gets so many women. Not that it's issue if he likes boys because, once again, it's Steve…"

"Do you know what bisexuality is?" Nancy blurts out, her eyes wide. "Max taught me all about it. It's crazy, right?"

Robin blinks rapidly, "Uh, yeah. It's kind of cool, I think. I wouldn't say I'm bisexual because I only like women. And I wasn't going to tell you, but we might die so I thought you should know. Not that it changes anything. I shouldn't have said anything, huh?"

Nancy stares at Robin's terrified expression, "You're…?"

"Yeah." Robin breathes out. "Is that okay?"

Nancy softens, "More than okay."

"Oh?" Robin squeaks.

"I've got a lot to figure out." Nancy warns as she catches Robin's eyes. "But yes. Yes. It is more than okay."

"Let's go, ladies." Steve orders briskly.

Nancy and Robin share one last smile with Eddie and Dustin before they turn on their heels to trek into the forest. The walk is made in silence, and Nancy wishes Robin would go on one of her rants. Anything other than the suffocating feeling of nothingness that hangs between all of them. Her anxiety grows as they near the Creel house, and she almost wishes they had more time. She wishes this walk could take longer, anything to avoid reaching their inevitable death or victory.

Robin slows to a lazy walk, "Uh, I don't mean to freak anyone out but I swear we've seen this tree before."

"That's impossible." Nancy frowns.

"That would suck, right?" Robin chuckles, low and nervous. "If Vecna destroyed the world because we…because we got lost in the woods."

Nancy shakes her head fondly, "We're not lost, Robin."

With a careful eye, Nancy watches as Robin rushes ahead. She's so uncoordinated, her boots tripping over a loose branch and the glow of her flashlight splashing around her as she fumbles. Nancy wants to reach out, to soothe her, but Robin is already powering ahead with a nervous laugh. It makes Nancy's stomach bubble with anxiety when she can't make out the shape of Robin anymore, her form swallowed by the darkness of the woods. 

"Robin, hey! Watch out for the vines! Hive mind, remember?"

"Thank you!"

"Ah, don't worry about her." Steve chuckles as he nudges her lightly. "She's just stressed, y'know? Scared."

"Yeah. Yeah, I know." Nancy breathes out, her shoulders relaxing as she subtly speeds up her walk. "It's just…"

"She's a super klutz?" Steve smirks.

Nancy shakes her head with a grin, "She did tell me it took her longer to walk than most babies."

Steve begins to talk, too softly and full of something that makes Nancy withdraw into herself as she watches him. He's so sweet and passionate and Steve, but she wishes he could realize their chapter has ended. The feelings she once had for him have gone, right alongside the baby fat of her face and her innocence of the world. He's so good and so kind, and Nancy almost wishes she could love him but she doesn't even have it in her to try. She has her thing with Jonathan to end and an entirely new thing building with Robin to begin.

"Steve…" Nancy whispers. "Don't."

Steve looks away, "I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize." Nancy pleads as she curls a hand over his forearm. "You have nothing to be sorry for. I just…I can't."

"Because of Jonathan. I understand."

"No." Nancy sighs. "Because you and I just don't work. We tried, we really tried, but it just didn't work. You deserve somebody who wants all six of those nuggets, okay? But that somebody isn't me."

"Ouch." Steve chuckles as he rubs at the back of his head. "Maybe you're right. Maybe I'm just…maybe it's just everything that's happening, I'm panicking. I'm pulling a Robin."

"Hey, she isn't that bad." Nancy scowls.

Steve arches an eyebrow, "I'm kidding."

Nancy nudges him softly with a look of slight annoyance, "Still. She isn't even here to defend herself. Be nice."

"Oh my God." Steve laughs, his smile suddenly wide and awed. "Nancy Wheeler, did you get Buckleyed?"

"Huh?"

"You got Buckleyed." Steve snorts as he shakes his head. "That woman is a goddamn miracle worker, man. I don't know how she does it."

"I'm so confused…" Nancy mumbles.

"You're into her." Steve shrugs, and he claps a gentle hand on her shoulder as she goes tense. "It's okay. I've been there. I get it."

Nancy narrows her eyes, "I thought you two were platonic with a capital p."

"Jeez, Nance," Steve smirks. "It's not like anything came from it. She kindly shot me down and I moved on."

"While I appreciate you accepting my very confusing crush, I still have a boyfriend who I don't want to hurt." Nancy reminds him, and Steve winces. "Exactly."

"He'll be understanding. Byers is a good guy." Steve assures her. "Although a Nancy Wheeler heartbreak is hard to get over, but I'll show him the ropes."

Nancy rolls her eyes, "Much appreciated, Steve."

"So, about those six kids…" Steve hums, his eyes falling to the forest floor. "You think you could keep that between us?"

"I uh kinda already told Robin…"

"I'm fucking doomed."

"But she's afraid of chickens." Nancy offers with a small grin. "She says they have a great memory and she's afraid they'll remember her if she trips over them."

Steve laughs fondly, "Fucking Buckley."

"Hey, guys! Awesome news!"

Nancy knows she lights up when Robin appears, she knows just based off the way Steve exhales in amusement. Robin ducks under a branch and Nancy mentally scolds herself for letting the other girl get so far ahead of them. Robin smiles, bright and excited, as she skids to a stop in front of them and her expression slowly dies away to one of wonder as she looks between them.

"So, it turns out we weren't going the wrong way." Robin offers as she skirts her eyes back and forth. "Am I…am I interrupting something?"

"Nope." Steve replies before his lips twist into a devious smirk. "But you better run, I heard a chicken a few trees back. He was just telling me to tell you…bwak!"

"Fuck you, Steve!" Robin exclaims as she hits him with her flashlight. "And fuck you too, Nancy!"

Nancy gaps, "What did I do?"

"You told him about my greatest fear! He's never going to leave me alone." Robin huffs. "I'm out of here."

"Wait, Robin!" Steve calls after her retreating form. "I have so many chicken jokes to tell you!"

"Catch me if you can!"

Nancy rolls her eyes as she follows the giggling duo further into the forest. She's glad it's them she's with, she needs moments like this to remind her that there's so much more waiting for them outside the Upside Down. Eventually, the trio slip from the forest and carefully make their way to the worn down playground. Nancy stares at the Creel house, her eyes narrowing towards the attic as she pictures Vecna waiting inside.

"Did you know that The Smiths chose their name because it was the most ordinary name possible?" Robin offers. "And that the chicken is the closest living relative to the Tyrannosaurus Rex?"

"No wonder you're so afraid of them. Afraid they'll eat your face." Steve teases with a harsh nudge.

Robin glares at him, "I'd pay a chicken to eat your face, dingus. But then he'd have heartburn from all your hair."

"Shh." Nancy orders as Erica's voice comes through.

"So far so smooth." Robin shrugs.

Steve snorts as the fun dies away from the moment, "Yeah, and we're not even at the hard part yet."

"Take the bait, you son of a bitch." Nancy hisses as she glares at the house. "Take the fucking bait."

The minutes bleed together as they wait, and finally Erica's frantic warning comes through. The second they radio to Dustin, Nancy swears she feels a guitar rift shake the ground as the demobats perk up to attention. Quickly, Nancy grabs a hold of Robin and stumbles them back into Steve as they dive backwards into a tent of branches. It doesn't take long for the bats to depart, the demons heading towards whatever distraction Eddie and Dustin have suddenly cooked up.

"Okay, it's working," Nancy murmurs as she pulls herself from below a branch and offers a hand to Robin. "Let's go."

They move quickly, their steps precise as they rush up the stairs of the creek mansion and skid to a stop in front of the open door. Vines stretch along every inch of the house, a few tentacles dragging into place and settling. Steve shakes his head, and drops gently into an open space. From the doorway, Nancy and Robin watch as he leaps from spot to spot with gentle grace. Beside her, Robin reaches down and clutches desperately at Nancy's hand, her eyes wide with fear.

"You're okay." Nancy assures her with a strong squeeze. "I'll go first. You just follow me, okay?"

Robin swallows hard as Nancy releases her hand and steps inside, "Yup. I'll just follow your lead."

"Hey, look at me." Nancy orders as she holds a hand out. "Take my hand and trust me. Can you do that?"

Robin nods slowly, "Okay."

Nancy smiles softly as long fingers drape themselves over hers and she moves backwards and begins to lead Robin. With each vine she dodges, she keeps a watchful eye on a shaky Robin who copies her movement with little grace. Ahead of them, Steve squeaks as he narrowly misses stepping on a thick vine that slithers along the floor and towards the staircase. In front of her, Robin releases a breath of fear as her wide blue eyes find Nancy's.

"It's okay." Nancy soothes. "It's like a dance."

"Nance," Robin scoffs as she hops along behind Nancy. "If I can barely walk, what makes you think I can dance?"

"Good point." Nancy hums. "You know, my mom put me in dance lessons when I was eight. I hated it. I couldn't stand letting some boy lead me around."

Robin gives a raspy giggle, "I can see that. A young Nancy Wheeler trying to stick it to the man."

"Oh for sure." Nancy nods as she hops backwards carefully, her eyes staying focused on Robin. "No man will ever lead me again."

Robin grins and takes her eyes off her feet for a moment too long, a moment that has her teetering forward and releasing Nancy's hand. Nancy doesn't hesitate, doesn't really put much thought into it, she simply steps over a vine and catches Robin with one hand on her chest and the other holding her hip. They stand there for a beat, the vines crawling beneath them and their chests heaving as they watch them slowly settle once more.

"You okay?" Nancy whispers.

Robin slowly bobs her head as her eyes dart over Nancy's face, "Is this the part where you lead me, Wheeler?"

Nancy shakes her head and grins, "Only if you promise to follow."

"I'd follow you anywhere."

"As cute as this is…" Steve hisses from a few feet away. "Let's go. We have a demon asshole to kill."

"Right behind you." Nancy assures him, her eyes never leaving Robin. "Are you ready to end this?"

"More than you know." Robin scoffs.

They dance through the house, Nancy reaching back for Robin every few seconds to help her through the mess of vines. They staircase proves to be the hardest part, and Nancy turns to walk backwards as she offers both hands to Robin in order to help her up the steps. They're almost there, the three of them standing just a few stairs away from the attic when the house is rocked by a wet explosion. The second it settles, Nancy already knows they're doomed.

Robin looks at her, her eyes wide and terrified, and Nancy already knows what's about to happen. A vine slithers along Robin's leg, and Nancy watches with horror on her face as she's slammed back against the wall. Immediately, other vines twist around every surface of Robin's body as they hold her to the wall. They coil, a thick one tightening around her neck, and all Nancy can do is stand back and watch it all happen.

"Nancy!"

The cry of her name has Nancy darting forward, the butt of her gun making harsh contact with the vines pinning Robin to the wall. She feels tears of desperation pooling in her eyes, her body pushing itself as hard as it can as she tries to free Robin. Beneath the vines, Robin chokes and wheezes while her fingers fold into desperate fists. Just as a vine begins to withdraw, she feels one slide itself around her own ankle and her body is quickly slammed to the wall opposite Robin.

The three teens gargle on what little air they're able to find, their gazes darting to each other as if hoping to find a way to save themselves. The room darkens around her and Nancy frantically finds Robin's eyes, looks at her with tears that finally fall. She hopes she's saying everything she can with this one look: I'm sorry, I should've said something. I wanted to say something. I just didn't understand. Do you even understand? I should've said something. We could've been great. Us and our two kids on a farm.

When Robin's eyes close, when Nancy knows the air has finally been stripped from her lungs, she gives up fighting. She stops thrashing in the hold of the vines and resides herself to this being her final moments. Just as her lashes begin to flutter, the vines suddenly die from around her neck and she drops to her knees. Her body aches as she releases deep, wet coughs and she rolls onto her back as she tries to pull in air.

"R-Robin!" Steve coughs as he scrambles towards his silent best friend. "Fuck. Nance, I don't think she's breathing!"

"What?"

"I can't…" Steve shakes his head as he leans down to rest his head on Robin's chest. "She's breathing, but I can't wake her up. Nancy, I can't wake her up!"

"Move, Steve." 

Steve falls backwards against the dead vines, and Nancy slides into his place. Robin's neck is red, the skin already blossoming in a deep purple. Nancy is gentle as she pushes a hand beneath the back of Robin's neck before she lifts her, her form falling into Nancy's lap with ease. Nancy blinks back her tears as she brushes Robin's cheek, her fingertips tracing over her nose and along the gentle dip of her lips. After a moment, Robin's eyes flutter open and a raspy, pained whimper leaves her.

"Hey. Hey." Nancy whispers as her tears finally spill. "Hey, you're okay. Look at me, Robin. Look at me."

"F-Fuck." Robin groans.

Nancy leans down to press their foreheads together, "You scared the hell out of me, Buckley."

"I think…I think I can safely say I'm not into BDSM." Robin coughs as she arches into Nancy. "We have a beast to kill."

"Goddammit, Buckley." Steve huffs as he offers his hand to her. "I thought we might've lost you for a second."

Robin grunts as she's pulled up into Steve's gentle embrace, "Not yet. I have shit I gotta do first."

"We need to get her back through the gate." Nancy mutters as she sees Steve quickly nod. "If we hurry, we can probably get her through and…"

"No." Robin snaps as she pushes away from Steve. "I'm finishing this. We are finishing this."

"Flambé?" Steve smirks.

Robin nods, "Flambé."

Robin carefully hauls Nancy to her feet, and Nancy quickly grabs her shotgun and cocks it. Their feet tap rhythmically along the staircase as they rush towards the attic, and they share a look as they push the door open and find Vecna connected to a sea of vines. Steve doesn't hesitate, he draws his lighter from his pocket and ignites the red cloth tucked into the whiskey bottle. The flames wash over them as the bottle collides with Vecna's body, the fire engulfing him and sending him to the ground.

"Fuck yeah!" Steve laughs.

Robin pulls another bottle free and quickly lights the cloth, "Catch this, asshole."

"This is for the visions." Nancy snarls as she presses down on the trigger of the shotgun.

Vecna barely stumbles backwards.

"This is for almost killing Robin."

The second shot sends him staggering.

Nancy levels the gun on Vecna as her eyes narrow, "And this is for Max."

The final shot sends him out the window.

And just as quickly as it all began, it ends.

-

The days that follow the defeat of Venca are bleak. The town begins to empty as the residents run from the supposed earthquake. Nancy finds herself trapped with her parents, unable to escape their worry and fretting as they await Mike's return. The phones are down and Nancy spends the next twenty four hours simply pacing. She knows Robin is hidden away at the Harrington's alongside Eddie and Steve. She knows the kids are safe with their families. She knows Max is in the hospital, lost in a sleep no one is sure she'll wake up from. She knows all this, but she can't calm her racing heart.

Nancy doesn't think she's really slept, more of fallen into a restless slumber that holds no form of peace. Between the actions of Vecna and the upcoming dangers of the Upside Down, Nancy doesn't see a point in sleeping. As soon as she had come out of her room, her mom had been on her about donating stuff to the shelter. And that's how she was found, her trunk jam packed full of things that didn't need to be in the Wheeler residence anymore.

"Did you order pizza?" Karen frowns as she comes out with a box balanced in her arms.

Nancy furrows her brow and turns to see a yellow van pulling into the driveway, "Uh, no?"

The second the doors open, the second Nancy sees Jonathan, she feels a hint of relief. His arms cradle her, his hands cupping her face as he speaks quickly about knowing exactly what's going on. Nancy shakes her head and burrows into his chest, breathes in the familiar scent of his cologne and the lingering hint of marijuana. As her eyes flutter open, she spots Steve's car parking behind the yellow van and she is quick to pull herself away from Jonathan.

If seeing her boyfriend brought comfort, it doesn't compare to the wave of something that washes over her when Robin appears in one of Steve's sweaters and wearing that lopsided grin. Nancy pulls away from Jonathan, barely spares him a second glance, as she hurries to close the distance between her and Robin. The warmth of her arms combined with the sweater has Nancy melting into her, her head tucking into the crook of her neck and taking a deep breath in.

"You're here." Nancy hums.

Robin nods, "I am. Are you okay?"

"You're here." Nancy repeats as she pulls back to look her over. "How are you? Have you been icing your bruises?"

"Yes, lady," Robin chuckles with a roll of her eyes. "I came to see if you have anything to donate to the shelter."

Nancy arches an eyebrow, "Is that the excuse you're going with?"

"Totally lame, right?" Robin flushes.

"Totally."

"Nance, hey."

Nancy tenses as Jonathan's hand slides along her lower back, "Jonathan, this is Robin. She's…one of us."

Jonathan smiles softly, "It's nice to meet you."

"Likewise." Robin nods as she pushes her hands into her back pockets. "Uh, we're heading to the shelter to drop our stuff off and see if we can help."

"I'll come!"

Jonathan blinks in confusion as he looks at his girlfriend, "I thought we were going to go help them with the…thing."

"We can go to the shelter first." Nancy shrugs as she looks to Robin. "And then we can give Robin a lift to the cabin."

"Oh. Robin's coming." Jonathan frowns.

"So, the shelter?" Nancy asks.

"Uh, yeah." Robin smiles, the expression forced and wondering. "I'll meet you guys there."

Nancy watches her go and wishes she could follow.

-

The shelter is packed, and Nancy barely has time to even glance at Robin before they're all roped off into different things. Jonathan trails her, the physical distance between them feeling almost as wide as the emotional distance. Nancy hands out her last blanket and spots Steve folding clothes, his lips twisted into an amused smile and his eyes bouncing from his task to something across the room. Nancy slowly moves towards him, Jonathan right behind her with his hands lazily tucked into his pockets.

"Where's Robin?" Nancy frowns as she glances around the filled room. "I'm not used to seeing you without her."

Steve chuckles and gestures across the room, "I have a front row seat to the disaster show in front of us."

Nancy follows his line of sight, "Oh."

"I'm surprised she's even talking to her, to be honest." Steve snorts. "Buckley and flirting do not mix."

Nancy isn't sure what she's feeling. She thinks this feeling might have happened when Robin grabbed her hand, her eyes wide and fearful. The wave of protectiveness that had washed over her had been overwhelming, the need to make sure Robin was okay was so strong. Even now, she wants to cross the room and make sure Robin isn't being made a fool by the redhead she's talking to. But she also wants to put an end to the entire conversation, she wants to go slam a knife between them to cut up whatever tension they're trying to create.

"Who is that?" Nancy demands.

Steve chuckles lightly, "That's Vickie."

"Vickie who has a boyfriend Vickie? Why does she look like she's flirting?" Nancy scowls. "Why aren't you putting a stop to this? Robin could…"

"She's fine, Nance." Steve assures her.

Nancy doesn't understand. She thought her and Robin were starting whatever it is they were starting. But then Nancy feels Jonathan move closer, hears him say something to Argyle. And she remembers. She remembers that she has no right to be upset. She has no right to care. But she does. And it aches. It aches down to her very core. Nancy swallows hard as she looks up at Jonathan, and his brow furrows the moment they make eye contact.

Argyle nudges her, "So, what's the deal with your like friend?"

Nancy frowns, "Which one?"

"That cool chick with those crazy blue eyes. She's…" Argyle begins to nod enthusiastically. "She's pretty."

"She's not interested." Nancy declares, her tone clipped and irritated. "Apparently, she has something going on."

"Nance…" Jonathan frowns.

Nancy spares one last glance to where Robin is laughing, "Can we go? Everyone is waiting at the cabin."

Steve finishes folding a pair of jeans and nods, "Lemme finish this up and we'll meet you guys out there."

Nancy looks back at Robin one last time, and then turns and leaves.

-

"So, do you want to talk about it?"

Nancy frowns and presses the board harder to the window, "Talk about what?"

"Us." Jonathan whispers. "Robin."

"What's wrong with us?" Nancy demands.

Jonathan chuckles lowly, "Nance, you haven't kissed me a single time since I've been back."

"We've got a lot going on, Jonathan. I didn't think about stopping to kiss you. I'm sorry it wasn't a priority." Nancy scoffs as she nails the board onto the window.

"That's not…" Jonathan trails off with a heavy breath. "That isn't what I mean, Nance. I'm talking about the fact that there's…there's nothing there."

Nancy scowls, "What is that supposed to mean?"

"Nancy, stop." Jonathan pleads as he turns to face her. "It's me. So, stop. You can talk to me, alright? Just talk to me."

Nancy swallows hard as she regards her boyfriend. He's always been so amazing to her, even with the faults he had prior to their relationship. He's Jonathan; he's sweet and honest and good Jonathan Byers. And she should feel so thankful to have him, but there's also a part of her that's so ready to let him go. A frown graces her face as she sees the apologizes on his face, sees the hesitancy that shines in his gaze.

"You want to break up." Nancy breathes out with a disbelieving laugh. "You've wanted to, haven't you?"

Jonathan looks away, "Distance is hard."

"Did you cheat on me?" Nancy demands.

"What? No! I would never." Jonathan sneers. "And don't talk to me about cheating. I noticed you skimmed right over me bringing her up."

Nancy narrows her eyes slowly, "Maybe because she doesn't need to be a part of this. Leave her out of it."

"You wanted to break up too, didn't you?"

"I think so." Nancy nods. "Distance is hard."

"I do love you, you know? That hasn't changed." Jonathan sniffs. "But I think we just grew apart, y'know?"

Nancy swallows hard, "What if there is Robin?"

Jonathan laughs softly as he wipes at his eyes, "I'd support you, but also be embarrassed since I'm the only one crying here."

"I've done my crying." Nancy admits as she looks away. "Every missed phone. Every ignored letter. The fact that you didn't get on that plane. I've cried enough for us both."

"Yeah." Jonathan whispers as he looks down with shame on his face. "I'm sorry I hurt you."

"We did good. We tried." Nancy murmurs.

"Yes we did." Jonathan hums as he reaches a hand out to her. "Thank you. For being my first, for being my everything."

Nancy gives his hand a firm squeeze, "And thank you for being mine, for loving me. We were something else, Jonathan Byers."

Jonathan pulls her into his arms and rests his chin on her head, "As for Robin, go for it. You deserve to be happy."

"Thank you."

-

"Wheeler!"

Nancy feels her body go rigid as she turns to where she can see Robin fumbling up the driveway and towards her. She swallows hard as she looks Robin over, takes in the bruises on her neck and the ones she can see peeking from beneath the forest green sweater. Robin finally reaches her, her smile brightening up her face as she leans against the side of the cabin to watch as Nancy finishes hammering on the board.

"Took you long enough." Nancy grumbles as she glares at her. "We're already almost done here."

"Sorry. I got…"

"I saw." Nancy assures her as she steps away from the covered window. "You never mentioned Vickie."

"Oh." Robin coughs as she awkwardly rubs at the back of her head. "Yeah. Met her in band. She's…cool."

"I'm sure she is." Nancy sneers.

Robin looks her over, "Where's your boyfriend?"

"He's not my boyfriend." Nancy spits out as she pushes past Robin. "We broke up about an hour ago. I would've told you sooner, but you were busy with Vickie."

"Are you mad at me?" Robin asks as she hurries after Nancy.

Nancy flashes her an incredulous glare as she tosses the hammer into her trunk, "I guess you really do suck at social cues."

As soon as the words leave her mouth, Nancy regrets them. Her wide eyes turn to Robin, but the girl simply shakes her head and turns to walk away into the forest. Nancy doesn't hesitate to follow, and Robin simply ignores every call of her name until she reaches a patch of wild flowers and she stands there to stare at their burning town. Nancy stands alongside her, the silence stretching between them.

"I'm so sorry, Robin," Nancy sighs. "I don't know why I said that. It was completely out of line."

Robin snorts, "Yeah."

"I just…I didn't know you had something going with Vickie." Nancy explains. "I guess I thought…"

"I don't…I didn't ramble." Robin whispers.

Nancy frowns, "Excuse me?"

"I…I didn't ramble." Robin shrugs. "She stood right next to me, and I…I didn't ramble. I was okay. And n-not to say I didn't feel anything because it's Vickie and I've had a crush on for like ever and so I thought I…"

"Robin." Nancy cuts in. "You're rambling."

Robin flushes, "Exactly."

"Oh."

"Oh." Robin repeats.

Maybe it's because they just survived another brush with death, maybe it was because Nancy literally feels like she's on fire with Robin this close to her. The world is a mess, and their town is falling apart, but Robin is here. And Nancy doesn't hesitate to move towards her, to push her way gently into her space. It could be because of the way Robin is looking at her, like making her feel better is the only thing that matters. It has to be all of these things and the fact that they're so close anyway. Robin bumps their noses together and pulls back to scrunch hers, and Nancy knows she's a goner.

Her head tilts upward and she lifts a hand to graze her thumb over Robin's soft cheekbone. And then their lips brush, light enough for it to have been accidental, for Nancy to have been able to pretend the tilt of her head is nothing other than bad timing, for her to pull away so they can brush it off with giggles and apologies. But Nancy does neither of these things, instead she presses her lips more firmly against Robin's and seals the gap.

Nancy boldly moves against the kiss, captures Robin's full lower lip between her own. The action causes Robin to release a soft sigh into her mouth, and Nancy is overwhelmed by the way goosebumps dust along her arms as she falls into the kiss. She feels a hand tangle in her hair, and nails scratch lightly at her scalp before settling there to keep her close. It feels so right in this moment, even with the world collapsing around them. Right here, the kiss deepening, is exactly where Nancy wants to be.

It's the best kiss she's ever had, and she feels everything at once. Her mind is blank; nothing but the feel of Robin's lips against her own matters. Just for a second, there's no pain, no loss. Sadness that was once so heavy is now light in her chest. It feels like everything is okay, she needs to feel more of that. Her fingertips trail down Robin's sides and come to rest on her hips. She can feel the other woman's hair tickling her cheeks as they move slowly against one another. Finally, Robin pulls away and drops their foreheads together.

"Nance…"

Nancy hums in agreement, "Yeah."

Their moment is shattered when Nancy sees a white flake fall into Robin's hair, and it takes her a moment to realize it's all around them. At the edge of the forest, Nancy sees their ragtag group slowly pouring from the trees as they stare up at the darkening sky. El wanders past them, her face terrified and looking so young and Nancy's heart breaks for her. Nancy swallows hard and feels fingers graze across hers, and she doesn't hesitate to twist her fingers with Robin's. 

As they stand there, the darkness growing over their heads, they prepare themselves for the beginning of the end.