𝗦𝗢𝗨𝗟𝗠𝗔𝗧𝗘𝗦 ᵐᵃˣ ᵐᵃʸᶠⁱᵉˡᵈ

xɪɪɪ. ᴄʀᴇᴇʟ ʜᴏᴜsᴇ ʙᴀᴄᴋsᴛᴏʀʏ

They ran outside, seeing Argyle's pizza truck pull up. Jonathan quickly slammed his hands against the window of the moving vehicle, starling the long-haired boy. "Stop the car!" He yelled. Mike and Will carried the agent around the car, Oliver opening the door for them to pile into the pizza delivery van. "Woah, is that real blood, man?" Argyle asked seeing the agents wound. "Drive!" The four yelled at him.

"Okay. All right." Argyle said calmly ask he turned back to face the road "Oh my God. Why is that guy holding a gun?" He said, getting side tracked by the military walking towards the van. "Drive!" The boys repeated again. "Okay!" Argyle pushed his foot down on the gas, speeding away from the Byers household.

•••

MAX LEANED AGAINST THE car doors window, seeing a familiar sign come into view. "Turn here." She told Steve.

Dustin looked back at her. "Here?" He asked uncertain. Max just nodded. Viola peaked out the window seeing a familiar cemetery sign. She had remembered coming to the funeral.

They drove down the road, passing rows and rows of gravestones until Max told Steve to stop. The red-head quickly got out of the car and began to make her way up the hill, knowing the place by heart. "Max?" Viola called after her, getting out of the car as well. Max sighed and rolled her eyes. "Viola, just wait in the car." She told her. "Red, just wait. Max, please." She begged.

Viola ran up in front of the girl, her hands together in a prayer motion. "Just listen to me. Just, please." She said, finally getting her to listen. "I know something happened back there with your mother." The red-head stayed quiet. "It was Vecna, wasn't it?" Viola asked. Max glanced at Viola before looking back at the ground. "I told you, I'm fine. Okay?" She lied. "I mean, as fine as someone who hurtling towards a gruesome death can be." She joked. There wasn't any laughs.

"Max.. you know you can talk to me." She told her. "We've been talking since the whole Starcourt thing happened." Max nodded. "Yeah, I know that." She chuckled. "Okay, then why are you pushing me away now?" Viola looked at her, confused. Max stayed quiet. "Red.. look." She pulled the goodbye letter out of her back pocket. "I don't need a letter. I have never needed a letter. I just need you to talk to me. To your friends." She motioned to herself. "We're right here. I'm right here. I've always been here." She had tears in her eyes. "And I'm not about to let you go after all that."

Max let a soft smile slip. She glanced at the boys that were leaned against the car, watching them. They all looked away in unison when seeing Max's eyes on them.

The red-head looked back at Viola and stepped forwards, grabbing her free hand and looking up at the brunette. "I am about to go read a note to Billy's gravestone." She explained in a whisper-tone, laughing at how silly it sounded. "I'll be fine." She removed her hand from Violas and placed a it on her cheek before pulling her in and giving her a short kiss, on the lips.

Dustin freaked out.

Viola looked down at Max as she pulled away, Max keeping her hand on Viola's cheek. "Watch me from the car, yeah? Be my night in shinning armor?" She joked. "Wake me up from the trance? Wake me up like you always do." Max said, reminding Viola of what she had said on the bus. The brunette nodded. "Of course. I always will. I promise." She placed her hand on Max's, leaning into her touch before letting said red-head drop her hand.

Max let a soft smile form on her lips, giving Viola one last kiss before making her way up the hill towards Billy's grave. Viola watched before turning and walking back towards the car.