Running Up That Hill (Epic Orchestra) - Mathias Fritsche
❝If I only could
I'd make a deal with God
And get him to swap our places❞
╔═══*.·:·.☽✧ ✦ ✧☾.·:·.*═══╗
TRUE POWER
╚═══*.·:·.☽✧ ✦ ✧☾.·:·.*═══╝
(Double update! if you haven't read the chapter before this one, read that first!!)
Gwen looks around through half lidded eyes due to the strain her mind was put through. They're in the place Gwen was in when she was last in Vecna's trace, the place where she saw Chrissy's body tied to a tree. Everything is red, thunder roars in the sky above, and the vines on her limbs tighten, causing Gwen's fingertips and toes to become tingly.
Gwen forces herself to stay awake as a clock chimes in front of them. Gwen looks to see Vecna carry Max's unconscious body to another wall where vines move to hold her in place.
"Papa is dead!" Eleven exclaims, gaining both Vecna and Gwen's attention. "I know what he did to you," Eleven says through a trembling voice as Vecna starts to approach. "You we're different. Like us. And he hurt you. He made you into this. He is the monster, Henry. Not you."
Vecna stands in front of her and Gwen and tilts his head. "You're right. You and I, we are different," Vecna turns to Gwen with narrowed eyes. "Papa did hurt me. But he was no monster. He was just a man, an ordinary, mediocre man. That is why he sought greatness in others. That is why I was punished when Ten's greatness was wasted."
Gwen shakes her head as her eyes begin to water. "I didn't want her to die. She wasn't supposed to die."
"But she did. And you let it happen," he responds harshly causing Gwen to let out a choked sob.
"You wanted to leave too," Gwen cries and shakes her head. "We couldn't stay there."
"You're right. We could not stay there, because in the end, he could not control us. He could not shape us. He could not change us," He turns back to Eleven. "Do you not see, Eleven? He did not make me into this. You did... When you first opened the gate and sent me through, at first, I believed you had sent me to my death. To purgatory. But I was wrong. I was somewhere new. I became an explorer. An explorer of a realm unspoiled by mankind. I saw so many things. And one day, I found the most extraordinary thing of all. Something that would change everything. I saw a means to realize my potential, to transcend my human form, to become the predator I was always born to be."
"It was... It was you," Eleven breathes out while Gwen stares with wide, terrified eyes. "Always you."
"All I needed was someone to open the door and you did that for me without even realizing it. Didn't you? And when you did realize, you chose to resist. So I sought a means to open my own doors. I sought... your power. So don't you see? Once again, you have freed me."
"You don't have to do this," Gwen tells him, desperation lacing her tone. Vecna turns toward her as she speaks. "Brenner is dead. You don't have to do this anymore. You can stop this."
Vecna uses his clawed hand to brush against Gwen's cheek, making her whimper and flinch away. "It is over, Nine. Your friends, your family has lost. There is nothing, nothing you can do to stop this now."
Gwen breathes in a shuddering breath before asking the question that's been burning in her mind. "Why haven't you killed me?"
"Because I have plans for you. You left the lab before you could discover the true power you hold. You have been too blind to see your true potential. But I know that you can change worlds, Nine. I can help you change worlds," He grabs Gwen by her chin while Eleven watches with a trembling lower lip. "Hawkins will burn and fall with the rest of this senseless, broken world, and we will be there. We will be there to pick up the pieces when it does and I will remake it into something beautiful... with you," Gwen shakes her head in denial and splutters out nonsense as Vecna removes his hand from his face and turns toward Eleven. "There was a time when I had hoped to have you by my side as well..." He grabs her chin and leans closer. "But now I just want you to watch."
All at once, the vines on Gwen's limbs release her, but Gwen still isn't able to move. Vecna uses his powers to drag Gwen with him toward Max who whimpers in place. Vecna hums and caresses Max's face with his clawed finger.
"Don't touch her," Gwen says through clenched teeth as tears leave her helpless eyes.
Vecna turns his head to look at Gwen without moving his hand. "In time, you will see," he drawls before looking back at Max.
"No! Please! Please!" Gwen sobs, terrified for the girl in front of him.
"Don't be afraid," Vecna tells Max as she cries. "Try and stay very still. It will all be over soon," He places his hand over Max's face.
"Max!" Eleven cries.
"Stop!" Gwen screams before Vecna's hand opens and Max's eyes go wide.
It's as if time slows down as Gwen's adrenaline takes ove. She has to do something.
Happy memories. Max said that happy memories can break Vecna's hold on the mind.
Gwen forces her eyes to close as she thinks of anything in order to save Max.
───
"You're gonna have to teach me how to paint one day. I can't paint a stick figure for my life," Ten softly chuckles at the small girl.
"Oh, anyone can paint!" Gwen exclaims. "It just takes practice," She holds her hands out for emphasis.
"With you as my teacher, I'm sure I can learn in no time."
───
The ride to school is filled with music from the radio. David Bowie to be exact. "Rebel Rebel, you've torn your dress. Rebel Rebel, your face is a mess," Gwen sings along, tapping her fingers on the starting wheel. "Come on Dusty! This is a duet now," She smiles at her brother.
"Rebel Rebel, how could they know?" He sings.
The two sing together, "Hot tramp, I love you so!" They sing louder and bop their heads to the rest of the song.
───
"It's disgusting is what it is, Carol," Gwen scrunches up her face as Carol shows off her foot on the cafeteria table.
"Yeah, seriously. Listen to Pengwen and get it off the table. We're eating here," Steve says with a mouthful of pudding.
Gwen looks at Steve with furrowed brows. "Penguin?"
Steve pauses with his spoon mid air and looks at the girl. "Yeah. Pengwen." He drops the spoon and lifts his left hand. "Penguin." Then he lifts his right hand. "Gwen." He slaps his hands together. "Pengwen." He smiles.
"I kind of hate it." She smiles.
Steve shrugs. "Well, I could switch it out with 'Gwenny', 'Wendy',"
Gwen stops him, holding her hands up with wide eyes. "Okay, stop."
Steve puts his index finger in the air like he's just had a revolutionary idea. "Oooh, how about 'Gwenola'?" He raises his eye brows for emphasis.
"'Pengwen'. 'Pengwen' is fine." Gwen chuckles.
Steve smiles. "Good to know!"
───
Gwen sighs. "First of all, they aren't superpowers."
"Um, yes they are," Dustin says.
"No they're not."
"It's a power and it's pretty damn super, Gwen."
"Whatever," Gwen rolls her eyes with a smile. "I can project my mind into other minds, putting thoughts into peoples heads and seeing what they see. And, I can see memories."
"So cool," Dustin breathes out.
Gwen chuckles. "Yeah, I guess they are, aren't they?"
Dustin sighs in amazement, and leans back in his chair. "I have a superhero for a sister," he says to himself.
───
Gwen slowly moves her hand to her other sleeve, watching for Elevens reaction as she pulls it up, revealing her tattoo.
Elevens eyes widen even more, but her hands stop shaking. She looks back up at Gwen and stands up, discarding the walkie talkie on the floor. "Nine?"
Gwen smiles at the girl, nodding her head. "Yeah. It's me."
Eleven stays still for a moment, but ultimately rushes forward to attack Gwen in a huge hug. Gwen chuckles and wraps her arms around the shorter girl.
───
Gwen picks up a wrapped box and tears away at a corner until a small velvet box is revealed.
She holds it in one hand, and uses the other to open the lid, revealing a heart shaped gold necklace with the word 'Pengwen' engraved on it.
"What is it?" Dustin asks.
Gwen smiles softly at the necklace before closing it and putting it back in her lap so she can start her car. "Nothin'."
───
Hopper rests an arm over Gwens shoulder. She melts into him and leans into his side. "I'm not good at this mushy stuff," Hopper starts. "But you're welcome here anytime... if you, like, need to talk about anything."
Gwen suppresses a snort at his awkwardness and just nods with a smile.
───
"Hey," Hopper glances at Gwen from his peripheral vision and leans a hand on her shoulder. "Lets just go have dinner, and have a good rest of the night. You like chicken and gravy right?"
Gwen narrows her eyes at Hopper.
"And ice cream for dessert," He sighs.
Gwens face breaks out into a small smile. "Fine."
───
"Who you gonna call?" Claudia grins. Mews meows from the couch when Claudia begins to sing the Ghostbusters theme song.
Dustin holds up the proton pack with a smile for another picture.
"You look great, Dustin," Gwen smiles when Claudia stops taking pictures.
"Oh, I know," He puts a hand on his hip, making Gwen laugh and shake her head.
───
Gwen hums. "Yeah, I get that. And I know you just got out of a relationship not even an hour ago, but, there are other fish in the sea, and every single one of them would be lucky to have you," She locks eyes with Steve. "I can promise you that."
Steve stays quiet for a moment just studying her face. The way her freckles dust over her nose bridge and onto her cheeks, some scattering on her forehead. He notices the specks of gold in her blue eyes surrounding her pupils, and if you look at them just right in the moonlight, they almost flicker like the stars she loves so much.
"I have someone in mind," he says without thinking.
───
Steve slowly brings a hand to cup Gwen's blushing cheek, glancing between her eyes and her lips.
It's quiet, but a good kind of quiet. A calm kind of quiet. They don't have to use words to say exactly what their eyes are telling each other.
And before they know it, Steve's lips connect with Gwen's.
───
Hopper smiles. "I love you too, kiddo," he brings her hand in his and slips something over her wrist. He doesn't give Gwen a chance to question him before he's already walking back to his truck.
Gwen looks down in confusion.
One of the two blue hairbands that Hopper always wore stretches around the smallest part of her wrist.
───
"If you would've told me I'd be right here dancing with the boy I love, I would've called you crazy," Gwen says.
Steve stops dancing and pulls back with a shocked expression. "You love me?"
Gwen places her hands on Steve's jaw and smiles. "I love you, Steve Harrington."
Steve's shock melts into joy. "And I love you, Gwen Henderson," he beams, bringing her into a deep kiss.
───
Steve rests his chin on the top of Gwen's head with a small laugh. "We're gonna be okay."
After a beat of silence, Gwen speaks up. "How could you know that?"
Steve lifts his head from hers and extends a hand. "Give me your hand," he says, and she does. He places her hand onto his chest, right above his heart. "Do you feel that?" he asks. Gwen feels his heartbeat and nods, looking back up at Steve. "That's how I know. Everything we've been through... We should be dead, but we're not. And we're not gonna be."
───
"She does not sound like that," Robin denies.
"Robin, she sounds exactly like that," Gwen laughs.
"She does not."
"That was a great impersonation of her," Steve defends.
"You sound like a Muppet," Robin tells him.
"She sounds like a Muppet," Steve laughs. "She sounds like a Muppet giving birth."
The three of them laugh and begin to sing together, off tune. "And if you could cold me tight, we'll be holding on forever."
"See!" Gwen laughs.
Robin nods while laughing. "I know!"
───
"After this, we can fix up the cabin and have dinner with El, as a family... Chicken and gravy?" Hopper asks. Gwen smiles lightly and narrows her eyes. "And ice cream for dessert."
Gwen nods and wipes away her tears. "Okay."
Hopper squeezes her shoulder. "I love you, kiddo."
"I love you, too, dad."
───
"I knew from the moment we stepped into that library and Nancy, you kept subtly glaring at Robin, that y'all were gonna be friends by the end of this," Gwen smiles at Nancy and Robin.
"Hey, you're part of the trio too," Robin tells her.
"Power trio," Gwen sings out, causing the other two to laugh.
───
"So, what are your plans for after this? Are you finally gonna graduate?" Gwen raises her eyebrows at Eddie playfully.
"You know it, Henderson," Eddie smiles. "Graduate, move out of this shit hole, and make it big with my band. That's the dream."
"Oh, I can see it now. 'Corroded Coffin' in big lights," Gwen gestures to the sky with her hands. "You guys are gonna sell out whole venues one day."
"A sold out venue definitely beats a crowd of about five drunks," Eddie agrees. "You and Dustin, you're getting backstage passes at every show. I'm serious."
───
"I didn't know you wanted kids," Gwen says.
"Are you kidding me?" Steve laughs. "Of course I want kids with you."
Gwen softly scoffs with a smile and looks forward with a nod, trying to calm down her blushing face. "Cool."
"Cool," Steve mimics, giving her thigh a squeeze and continuing on his drive.
───
Steve smiles and glances at his feet. "Remember the dream I told you about? About the Winnebago? Seeing the country with our six lil' nuggets?" he asks and Gwen smiles. "It's all true. Every last word... But I don't want it to just be a dream."
Gwen's breathing gets deeper and her heart begins to tap against her chest as she glances between Steve's eyes. "...Earlier, you said, 'us Harringtons... You really want that?"
"I know we're only 19... but yeah. And I don't wanna wait another day because with everything we've been through... I mean, who knows how long we have," Steve tells her, becoming nervous. "Do you want that?"
A soft smile breaks its way into Gwen's face. "Ask me again once we're out of here, but... You already know my answer."
───
Gwen opens her eyes, and raises her hand toward Vecna as his powers lose their hold on her. She uses her powers to infiltrate his evil, twisted mind and render his own powers useless, freeing Max from his hold. Eleven, who had gotten out of his hold as well, uses her own powers to push him away from Max and Gwen.
In doing this, Gwen is suddenly brought out of her trance in the real world.
─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───
Nancy, Robin, Steve, and Gwen all drop to the floor in the Creel house as the vines all retract away. Gwen coughs and her chest heaves as her real body catches up to the lack of oxygen it had gone through while she was in a trance.
"Are you guys okay?" Gwen asks with a rough voice.
"Yeah, yeah we're okay," Nancy nods tiredly.
Robin sighs while watching the vines slither away. "I don't believe in a higher power or divine intervention, but that was a miracle."
"What the hell happened? Are you okay?" Steve asks while helping Gwen stand.
"I can explain later," Gwen bends down to pick up her knife that had fallen to the ground. "Max and Eleven need help, but Vecna's vulnerable. We need to do this now."
Without asking anything further, the other pick up their weapons and gear before standing behind Gwen as they look at the door in front of them.
"Phase four," Steve breathes out.
"Flambé and brain boom," Robin nods, adjusting the backpack on her shoulders.
"Let's do this," Nancy says.
The group walks into the room to see Vecna's body suspended into the air by vines connected to his limbs. Dustin was right, he's in a trance due to using his powers.
After hearing the plans Vecna has for Gwen and seeing the things Vecna had made her see, she feels nothing but pure hatred when she looks at his face. Henry may have been a victim at some point, but that doesn't excuse the harm that he's caused.
If Gwen knows anything, it's that he had fucked with the wrong family.
Robin sets down her backpack before her and Steve pull out molotov cocktails and a lighter. Nancy tightens her grip on her shotgun and Robin lights up the cocktails while Gwen slips her knife back into her sheath.
Steve throws his cocktail first, setting Vecna aflame and sending a burst of heat toward the group. Nancy, Steve, and Robin all duck away, but Gwen stays standing straight as her anger doesn't allow the heat to phase her.
Vecna falls from the vines onto his hands and knees. He slowly tilts his head up at the group, staring directly at Gwen who stands a step in front of her friends. He keeps his glaring eyes on her while he stands and grunts menacingly through a glare. "You are making a great mistake, Nine," he drawls, beginning to step closer.
"No," Gwen smirks as she hears Robin's lighter click from behind her. "You are."
Robin angrily throws the flaming cocktail at Vecna, causing him to grunt in pain and stagger back as his body once again lights aflame. Nancy steps closer with her shotgun in hand before firing a shot into Vecna's shoulder. She doesn't give him a chance to recover before she fires again into his stomach, and again into his other shoulder. Vecna grunts and staggers back with each shot until he stands up straight and roars at the group.
Gwen then steps forward, her nose twitching with rage. She uses her powers and instead of a shade of lavender, her eyes glow a bright magenta, illuminating her features and complimenting the orange glow of the raging fire in front of her. Her mind travels out of her body and toward Vecna, but instead of infiltrating his mind, her instincts urge her try something she never has before. She uses her mind to manipulate the fire that surrounds his body. The fire fully engulfs his frame, causing him to shout in agony and the teenagers behind Gwen to cover their faces at the heat. She then uses her mind to push Vecna with force until he flies back, breaking through the wall behind him, and falling onto the ground outside.
Vecna said that Gwen hasn't yet realized her powers true potential, but she doesn't need him to discover them for herself.
Gwen travels her mind back into her body and wipes away the blood on her upper lip. Her and the others glance at each other before rushing through the house until they get outside.
In the grass in front of the house is a burnt patch in the shape of Vecna with small fires surrounding it. But, Vecna is nowhere in sight.
Gwen's eyebrows pinch together at the sight, but she's not able to dwell on Vecna's disappearance as she remembers the two people who are also in the Upside Down. "Come on," Gwen says, directing the others to follow her as she leads them back toward Eddie's trailer.
It's not long before Gwen skids to a stop in front of the boarded up trailer, but she begins to panic when she sees that the door to the trailer is cracked open.
Gwen flings the door opens and steps inside. "Dustin?! Eddie?!" She calls, looking around but not finding anyone. Gwen pushes past the others behind her and goes back outside to look around. "Dustin!"
Distant sounds of Dustin's cries catch Gwen's attention and she wastes no time in running toward them. Gwen runs a few blocks before her heart breaks at the sight of Dustin sobbing while cradling Eddie's limp and bloodied body in his lap.
"Oh, Eddie," Steve sighs as he, Robin, and Nancy catch up to Gwen.
Gwen slowly makes her way toward Dustin and crouches down beside his trembling form. She places a soft hand on his back. "Dustin."
Dustin doesn't say anything as he leans into Gwen and continues to cry for Eddie. Gwen immediately wraps her arms around him and whispers words of reassurance in his ear. Dustin just squeezes his eyes closed and lets his sister comfort him.
Gwen's arms freeze around Dustin as four clock chimes emit in the air. "Four chimes," Robin says from behind them.
Nancy's face pales in realization. "Max."
The ground below them begins to rumble, catching all of them off balance. Gwen tightens her arms around Dustin who begins to cry even louder at the terrifying realization.
Max had just died, and the four gates are spreading across Hawkins.
Word Count: 3629