Chapter Text
The world might end.
The world might end and Robin is standing here staring at Nancy Wheeler. The girl that she spent years avoiding in school. The girl that she found out was a secret monster fighting badass after years of believing she was nothing more than a prissy popular girl. It shouldn’t have been a surprise to her given that her current best friend in the whole world is Steve “The Hair” Harrington who spent the greater half of his life bullying people who were different. People like Robin. But he managed to surprise her so why is Nancy Wheeler so hard for her to get a grasp on?
Robin watched how Nancy held herself. Like she had the whole world on her shoulders, then she looked over to Jonathan, who looked at nothing but the ground most days. Nancy was vigilant, hooking onto every word of Steve and Dustin’s plan. Robin could see the fire blazing in her eyes of the years of torment that Henry had put them through. A passion to burn everything in the pathway to getting to her sister.
Robin paused for a second at that thought. Nancy was never scared. She looked into the face of the greatest horrors and simply pulled the trigger in order to protect. Maybe it's that Robin has simply never felt that. Being an only child and only really having serious friendships in the later half of her life, she’s not sure when that friendship turns into a need to protect. Robin thinks of her sweet Vicky at that moment.
Vicky who has been staring at the wall for the past 30 minutes trying to wrap her head around all of the insane shit that has been happening in Hawkins for the last 5 years. Learning in one intense speech what the rest of the group has been slowly discovering and digesting for years. Robin finally feels the regret that she should have hours ago when they went to save Max. Vicky should have never known about any of this.
Though that is the thought that she has been fighting since she started seeing Vicky. Should I tell her? She doesn’t need to know. And suddenly Robin is hit with one big realization. She was never protecting Vicky. Surely lying to her protected her from the knowledge of Vecna but not from the threat. Keeping her in the dark wasn’t protection but avoidance. It protected Robin from the harsh reality that she lives in. There’s Robin who fights monsters with her friends in hopes of saving the world and there’s Robin who is dating Vicky.
Vicky who was never even given the full chance to know Robin. And now they might all die. Girlfriend of the year.
Then Robin’s thoughts trail back to Nancy. Nancy who in the weirdest way possible knows Robin more than Vicky. Except for one crucial part. One part that Robin was unsure she could ever say out loud to Nancy. But the world is also ending so what is she so afraid of?
Protection. That word swings like a pendulum in Robin’s head. If lying to Vicky wasn’t protection then lying to Nancy also isn’t. Though, to Robin, it’s two different cases. She was keeping Vicky away from actual monsters, but keeping Nancy away from…? Herself? Robin shakes her head at that thought. What a ridiculous thing to be worried about when the world might end. Though nothing has ever stopped Robin from thinking in circles so why try to stop now. She should definitely be paying attention to the plan, whatever it is, so she can protect and defend her friends to the best of her ability, she hopes.
—
Robin had to tell Vicky through teary eyes that she has to stay with Max at the radio station. She also had to tell the girl that the military might be after them and that they have no idea of knowing whether a demogorgon would show up. Vicky had stared at her wide eyed, mouth open, speechless. Robin hugged her and said nothing more while she geared up. Not sure what there is to say at this point. Part of Robin knew that the second she rode into the upside down with the rest of the gang that she would lose Vicky forever. But it’s better to lose her trust and vulnerability than her life. So Robin takes a deep breath and follows Nancy into the void, changing everything.
—
Oh shit. Is all Robin thinks when the weird fleshy hand in front of the group starts to extend its limbs and lifts itself into a ginormous amalgamation of puss filled flesh and blood with a lust for murder it seems. Not to mention it is faced directly at the group when its huge teeth filled head opens up like the demogorgons had so many times before them. Robin’s ears are ringing from the roaring sounds of the creature as it chases them across the barren wasteland of this world.
She watches in shock and awe as Eleven’s badass flings a rock at the creature and dives head first into the chest of the creature, seemingly to fight Vecna within. But that once again leaves the rest of the gang, minus Joyce and Will, to fight this otherworldly beast. Her head begins to clear slightly as someone shouts out the plan. Distract the creature, run to the cliffs and hit it with all the fire power they have from above. But that leaves one question. And Robin, never one to sugar coat:
“Who’s the bait?”
The group wordlessly glance around at each other, sensing how dangerous that task is. Then:
“I’ll do it.”
Nancy. Fearless, protector Nancy. Of course she’s the one to volunteer. Robin’s heart drops, she doesn’t know why. Nancy has selflessly offered herself in the front lines for years now, but this one hurts extra to Robin. Nancy may be asking for a death sentence, this is it, the final hurrah. And if the group fails then that’s it. The world has succumbed to a new one and the tail of Hawkins is forgotten. Nancy is doing it knowing that it may mean her sister will never see her again. But she is also doing it so that her sister has the chance to miss her when she’s gone. Robin can’t help but tear up at that thought. Nancy is doing it so everyone has a chance to go home even if she can’t and Robin can’t think of anything more noble than that.
Robin’s chest feels heavy with the weight of that. That she may never seem Nancy’s dimpled smile again, that her witty words could be lost to the senseless monster behind them. All so they could keep living. Robin is scared but she looks into Nancy’s eyes and sees nothing but determination so how could she dare to be scared for her? Protection.
It is in that final moment before Nancy turns to start shooting at the creature, sacrificing herself, that Robin makes a promise; one unbeknownst to Nancy. That if they make it out of this situation Robin will always find a way to protect Nancy, so that maybe the girl can learn to not have to be the protector. From that point on, Nancy will always live in the corners of Robin’s mind, in a space where she can burrow deep and always be safe. Robin Buckley will never again lie to Nancy Wheeler.
So Nancy turns and begins firing her gun at the creature, taking Robin’s heart with her into that canyon, not knowing if it will ever come back out.