'and i can still see it all in my mind... all of you, all of me, intertwined. i once believed love would be black and white, but it's golden.'
Samira Mayfield is forced to move to a new town, transfer to a new school, and make new friends two months...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
— epilogue
✧
As the three older teens accept the fact that despite their best efforts Vecna is still alive; they make their journey back to the gate or rather their starting point seeing as the gates are everywhere. Robin's the first one to take notice of the huddle of teens on the ground and no sign of Sam. This sends the blonde into absolute distress and she moves into a run, catching the attention and concern of the two brunettes beside her. As Robin gets closer, the tears and distress are present on their faces and a glimpse of red hair tells her exactly what she needs to know. Her breath catches in her throat and she spins on her heel, rushing back towards Steve. She places her hands against his chest and pushes him back to shield him from the sight of the Mayfield girl. As Robin fights back tears, Nancy moves to see what has caused this reaction, while Steve fights against the Buckley girls' shoves. "Oh my god." As the words fall breathlessly from Nancy's lips, Delilah chokes out a sob and the distraction team have all become aware of the elder teens presence. The panic that's surging through Steve's veins comes to a climax, as he finally breaks free from Robin and despite her dismay, he approaches the group.
"Steve." Dustin looks up at his friend and it's as though he can hear his heart shatter. Steve's entire world comes crashing down at the sight of Sam lying in Eddie's arms; cold, bloody and lifeless.
"We had plans..." Those are the only words that Harrington can muster, yet it feels like a stab to the chest for those around. Steve feels the entire weight of his body and his legs give out, as he fights the tears that threaten to fall from his eyes. He drops to the ground and all he can think about is all the things he never got to do. Never got to kiss her one last time. And the fact that he never said it. 'I love you.' He never said it one last time. He never said those words, he had the perfect opportunity, but he convinced himself that they'd have more time. They were supposed to have more time. All of the things they'll never get to do is playing in his mind like a scratched record. Robin moves to comfort her friend, placing a hand on his shoulder, knowing that it won't bring much comfort.
"We have to get out of here." Nancy states, sniffling slightly and taking action. Wheeler knows that out of them all, she has to get it together. She has to ignore all of the emotions consuming her and make sure that Sam didn't die for nothing. That they all get out of the Upside Down. That they're all okay. Physically, at least.
"We can't just leave her here." Eddie huffs, glancing over his shoulder. Robin gets a grip around one of Steve's arms and pulls him to his feet, allowing him to lean against her. Her heart aches for multiple reasons. She can't imagine what her best friend is feeling right now; the thought of losing Delilah isn't comforting. Robin also couldn't imagine what it'd be like to lose Steve either. The two people she cares about most are going through quite possibly the worst pain of their lives right now and she fears that she won't be able to help them. Not to mention her own pain from the loss of someone who loved her and accepted her, when most people wouldn't have. Nancy places a hand on Dustin's shoulder and it seems to pull the young teen from his grief, causing him to quickly rise to his feet. Henderson runs off to the side and empties the contents of his stomach. Delilah begrudgingly goes to check on him, not wanting to leave Sam's side, but her sisterly instinct takes over.
