STARCROSSED ▷ steve harrington

08. dear billy - part two

"Jackie." She almost froze at the sound of her name coming from his mouth, but she only glanced back, trying not to let her surprise show. "You're not siding with her on this, are you?"

The familiarity of the conversation brought up another memory. One that had been stored away much further than the last.

"Seriously?" Steve had asked. It was funny, she realized. He was wearing the same jacket then, as he was currently. "You're taking their side? What the hell? We're a team, Jackie."

"We are on the same side," she insisted, wanting so badly to take a step closer to him and grab his hands reassuringly.

Jackie blinked back into the present. It was strange how the universe worked, because two years later, the situation could not be more different, but yet it was entirely the same.

"Max is in danger," is what she said. "She's right, staying at the Wheeler's isn't safer than any other place right now. Vecna can get her anywhere. But we're not letting that happen, right?"

"Sort of inevitable," Max muttered, but Jackie gave her a sharp look. "Right. Yeah, whatever. And I'm not staying in that goddamn basement for a second longer. So, you're either gonna take me where I want to go, or you're going to have to tie me down which is technically kidnapping of a minor. And if I live to see another day, Steve, I swear to God, I will prosecute."

"Yeah. Unlock the car."

"Hell no."

"Harrington, open the door!"

"I know a good lawyer," Max informed him, darkly.

Steve grunted, and finally unlocked the vehicle, watching Max climb in. He caught Jackie's gaze before she shrugged and got in as well. He sighed in annoyance, and fell into the drivers seat. Lucas squished in next to Jackie, while Dustin took the passenger side.

"You know," Steve started before he turned the car on. "You two are a lot more alike than I thought. And I hate it."

𑁍

The trip back to the trailer was quicker than Jackie had expected it to be, though she wasn't sure how accurate her mental time-frame was, because she had spent the entirety of the time they were there hiding in the backseat in order to avoid her mother.

When Max returned to Steve's car, her entire attitude had changed. Jackie shot her a questioning look, which she studiously ignored. Lucas caught Jackie's eye, who gave him a look that warned him to let it go. Max would elaborate when she wanted to, there was no pressuring her into anything.

"So," Steve broke the silence. "Where to now?"

"Just drive," Max told him shortly. "I'll tell you where to go."

Steve hesitated before putting the car into drive again. Jackie stared ahead out the windshield, while the two beside her looked out their respective windows.

Max lifted her head after a few minutes of traveling further into East Hawkins. "Turn here."

"Here?"

"The cemetery?" Jackie questioned. Her only sort of response was a nod. Dustin was still turned in his seat with raised brows. "Yes, here."

Steve did as he was asked. Max was silent as she collected something from her bag. They stared at her in confusion.

"Should we go with her?" Steve asked. Lucas had his own way of answering, because his door swung open, and he chased after her. Steve nodded. "Well, looks like he's got it."

Jackie eyed him for a moment, trying to ignore the gut-wrenching feeling in her stomach. She had been fighting off tears all morning, and whether they were because she missed him, or because of everything else happening, she didn't know. But what she did know was, Steve was acting completely normal. Maybe it was his dumb defense strategy where he acted like he didn't care, but he should've known by then, that with her, that would cause more harm than anything.