...
"Hunt the freak, right?"
...
The next morning Liv was woken up by the feeling of someone moving a piece of hair away from her face. When she opened her eyes she was met with Max's beautiful ocean blue eyes staring right at her.
"That's the first time you've peacefully woken me up." Liv joked.
"Be quiet and cuddle with me. I've been waiting for an hour for you to wake up." Max smiled.
Liv rolled her eyes before scooting closer to Max. "Better?"
"Mhm." Max hummed as she wrapped her arms around Liv.
Liv looked up at Max and gave her a gentle kiss on the lips. "You have any nightmares?"
"Just one." Max softly said.
"I'm sorry, baby." Liv frowned.
Max shrugged. "It's okay, Livie. They're actually better when I'm with you."
Liv's frown turned into a smile.
"And-" Max said before stopping herself. "Nevermind."
"What?" Liv asked.
"Nothing. I don't wanna boost your ego anymore." Max said.
"No, no, no. Tell me." Liv begged.
"Hmm. I don't know, Livie." Max teased with a smile.
"Please! Because now I'm gonna be thinking about it all day and it's gonna bug me." Liv pleaded. "Please, Max. I'll do anything."
"Anything, huh?" Max smirked.
"Mhm." Liv nodded.
"Okay." Max started to play with the waistband of Liv's short as she gave her the look.
"Max, Steve is downstairs." Liv said.
"Well, then I guess you'll just have to be quiet." Max whispered.
"Fine." Liv finally gave in but before the two could do anything, Steve kicked open Liv's door.
"Rise and shine campers!" Steve yelled causing the two girls to jump. "Eddie called. He needs food."
"Can't you, Dustin, and Robin go by yourselves?" Liv groaned.
"Nope. This is a group effort." Steve gave her an obnoxious smile.
Liv sighed before going over to Steve and noticing how Steve cracked the door frame. "You broke my door. Now, how am I supposed to lock it?"
"That seems like a you problem." Steve shrugged before leaving.
Liv closed the door before turning back to face Max. "I hate him. Did you bring clothes or do you need to borrow mine?"
"Nope." Max stood up from Liv's bed and opened one of her dresser drawers.
Liv look into the drawer to see a bunch of Max's clothes. "Um, when did that happen?"
Max pulled out some clothes before shutting the drawer. "When you were at Family Video with Steve and Robin on Thursday."
"You broke into my house?" Liv asked.
"No. You gave me your spare key, remember?" Max gave her a smug grin.
Liv sighed. "You're lucky I love you."
Max gave her a kiss on the cheek and started to change into her clothes while Liv went into her own closet to look for clothes.
...
After the girls got ready and into Steve's car, Steve picked up Dustin and Robin and they all went to the grocery store to pick up some food. Along the way they made a pit stop at Dustin's cerebro to see if the cops were looking for Eddie and sure enough they were.
Once they finally arrived back at Reefer Ricks house they all grabbed a couple bags of food and headed down to the boat house. Dustin kicked the door open with his foot since his hands were full and immediately saw Eddie standing there in fear.
"Delivery service." Dustin smiled and held up two bags.
Eddie sighed of relief as the others stared at him with smiles and Steve gave him a little wave. Eddie went over to Dustin and took a box of cereal from his bag. He sat down in the boat and started to eat out of the box.
"So we got, uh, some good news and some bad news." Dustin started. "How do you prefer it?"
"Bad news first, always." Eddie answered with his mouth full of Honey Comb cereal.
"All right. Bad news. We tapped into the Hawkins PD dispatch with our cerebro, and they're definitely looking for you. Also, they're, uh, pretty convinced you killed Chrissy." Dustin informed.
"Like, 100% kind of convinced." Max added.
"And the good news?" Eddie asked with hope.
"Your name hasn't gone public yet." Robin said. "But if we found out about you, it's a matter of time before others do to. And once that gets out, everyone and their shallow minded mother is gonna be gunning for you."
"Hunt the freak, right?" Eddie said.
"Exactly." Robin said.
"Shit." Eddie whispered.
"So, before that happens, we need to find Vecna, kill him, and prove your innocence." Dustin nonchalantly said.
"That's all, Dustin? That's all?" Eddie asked, not convinced.
Dustin shrugged. "Yeah, no, that's pretty much it."
"Listen, Eddie, I know everything Dustin is saying sounds totally delusional, but we've actually been through this kind of thing before." Robin started. "I mean, they have a... a few times, and... and I have once. Mine was more human flesh based, theirs was more smoke related, but bottom line is, collectively, I really feel like we got this."
"Yeah see we usually rely on this girl who has super powers. But, uh, those went bye bye, so..." Steve trailed off before he and Liv started to talk over each other.
"So we're technically in more of the..." Liv joined in.
"Kinda..."
"Brainstorming phase."
Steve pointed at Liv. "Brainstorming."
"There... There's nothing to worry about." Dustin told him, although he didn't seem to sure about it.
Steve nodded with a scoff as Eddie just gave them all a terrified and unconvinced look. The sound of sirens wailing immediately got all of their attention.
"Shit." Steve whispered.
"Tarp." Robin ordered.
Eddie quickly hid under the tarp in the boat as the others went to look out the window. Two cop cars and an ambulance drove by the boat house.
"Oh no." Dustin muttered.
Everyone ran out of the boat house and got back in Steve's car. Steve quickly turned on the car and followed the cop cars and ambulance.
Once they got to their destination they saw a white sheet in the middle of the road and Nancy talking to a cop.
They all stepped out of the car and Nancy seemed to have noticed them right away. Nancy gave them a little wave that Steve returned.
...
After reconnecting with Nancy they all sat down at the picnic tables in the trailer park and started to explain what they've all been up to.
Nancy explained how she and Fred came to the trailer park to interview people about the murder for the school paper and the others explained how the murderer was actually a monster from the Upside Down.
"So, you're saying that this thing that killed Fred and Chrissy, it's from the Upside Down?" Nancy asked.
"If the shoe fits." Steve said.
"Our working theory is that he attacks with a spell or a curse. Now, whether or not he's doing the bidding of the Mind Flayer or just loves killing teens, we don't know." Dustin added.
"All we know is this is something different. Something new." Max said.
"It doesn't make sense." Nancy shook her head.
"It's only a theory." Dustin told her.
"No, Fred and Chrissy don't make sense. I mean, why them?" Nancy wondered.
"Maybe they were just in the wrong place. They were both at the game." Liv said.
"And near the trailer park." Max added as she looked at Liv.
Liv nodded and put her hand on top of Max's, interlacing their fingers together.
"We're at the trailer park." Steve slowly said before looking around. "Uh, should we maybe not be here?"
"There is something about this place." Nancy said as she looked around. "Fred started acting weird the second we got here."
"Acting weird as in...?" Robin trailed off.
"Scared, on edge, upset." Nancy listed.
"Max said Chrissy was upset too." Dustin added.
"Yeah, but not here." Max said.
"She was crying in the bathroom at school." Liv remembered.
"Serial killers stalk their prey before they strike, right? So, maybe Fred and Chrissy saw this Vecman-"
"Vecna." Dustin corrected Robin.
"I don't know about you guys, but if I saw some freaky wizard monster, I would mention it to someone." Steve said.
"Maybe they did. Liv and I saw Chrissy leaving Ms Kelley's office. If you saw a monster, you... you wouldn't go to the police. They'd never believe you. But you might go to your-"
"Your shrink." Robin finished in realization.
Max looked at her and nodded. They all quickly got up from the table and started walking to Steve's car. Nancy, however, split from the group and went to her own car.
"Whoa, whoa, Nance. Nance!" Steve stopped her. "Nance, where you going?"
"Oh, there's just something I wanna check on first." Nancy waved him off and started to slowly back away to her car.
"Something you wanna share with the rest of us?" Dustin asked.
"I don't wanna waste your time. It's a real shot in the dark." Nancy said.
"Yeah, okay. Are you out of your mind? Flying solo with this Vecna creep on the loose? No, it's too dangerous. You need... You need someone to..." Steve trailed off before throwing his keys to Robin. "Here. I'll stick with Nance. You guys take the car, check out the shrink."
"I don't think you want me driving your car." Robin told him.
"Why?" Steve asked.
"I don't have a license." Robin answered.
"Well, why don't you have a license?" Steve wondered.
"I'm poor." Robin shrugged.
"I can drive." Max said.
"No, no, never again. Please. Anybody but you. No." Steve quickly shot down her idea causing Max to roll her eyes.
"I'll drive." Liv raised her hand.
Steve scratched the back of his head. "Last time I let you drive you hit a curb."
"Hey, that wasn't my fault! That curb came out of nowhere!" Liv defended herself.
"Curbs don't come out of nowhere, baby." Max smiled as she put her hand on Liv's arm.
Liv sighed in defeat as Dustin cocked his head to the side and looked at Steve.
"No chance." Steve said.
"Come on." Dustin whined.
"All right, okay. This is stupid." Robin rolled her eyes before giving Steve back his keys, taking a walkie from Dustin's bag, and walking over to Nancy. "Us ladies will stick together. Unless you think we need you to protect us."
Steve gave her a mocking smile as Robin laughed and started to walk to Nancy's car. Nancy shrugged with a slight smile and followed Robin.
"Be careful." Steve called after them.
"Are you just gonna stand there and gawk?" Liv asked with a smirk and her arms folded.
"Shut up." Steve ordered.
"Why don't we go? Okay?" Liv asked.
"Shut up and get in the car." Steve told her. "Wipe your feet."
Liv opened the back seat door and wiped her feet on the inside of the car.
"On the outside, not the inside." Steve scolded.
Liv smiled to herself before she got in the car and closed the door. Max rolled her eyes at her girlfriends immaturity.
"Always the babysitter. Always the goddamn babysitter!" Steve yelled as he started the car.
"Don't be salty just because you couldn't go with your one true love." Liv smirked.
Steve picked up a piece of trash and threw it at Liv.
...
A few minutes later Steve pulled up at Ms Kelleys house. Before Max left she gave Liv a quick peck on the lips.
"What was that for?" Liv asked.
Max shrugged and left the car. Liv smiled as she watched Max go. Steve looked through the rear view mirror and watched the whole interaction happen.
"What?" Liv said as she caught Steve staring.
"Nothing." Steve shook his head and turned to watch Max as she walked inside Ms Kelleys house.
Liv rolled down her window and made eye contact with Max before she went in.
"Okay. She's in." Steve said.
"I'm missing collarbones, not eyes." Dustin said. "So, we gonna talk about... it?"
"Huh? Sorry, talk about what?" Steve asked as he looked over at Dustin.
"Your temporary insanity earlier today when you basically threw yourself at Nance?" Dustin answered.
Steve rolled his eyes. "That's not what happened."
Dustin cocked his head to the side. "Pretty sure that's what happened. It was pretty public. There were a lot of witnesses. Right, Liv?"
Liv finally looked away from Ms Kelleys front door to give Dustin a glare before looking back at the door. She was still pretty mad at Dustin for forgetting her birthday.
"Are you implying I still have a thing for Nance?" Steve wondered.
"No. I'm not implying." Dustin shook his head. "I'm stating. And, as it relates to your steadfast refusal to date Robin, it's pretty much the only logical explanation."
"That's not the only one." Steve disagreed. "And as for Nance, I was just trying to protect a friend."
Dustin nodded, not totally convinced, with a smirk that Steve seemed to notice.
"A friend, Henderson. Okay?" Steve clarified.
"Okay." Dustin smirked.
"I don't wanna find her with her eyes sucked out of the front of her skull by this Vecna creep." Steve continued.
Liv laughed. "You're, like, bright red in the face right now."
"No, I'm not. I don't wanna talk about it." Steve looked away from the two. "Dustin, I'll punch you so hard in your face that your teeth will fall back out."
"Whoa." Dustin's smile fell. "Too far."
Steve stared at him for a few seconds before shaking his head. "Not cool. Sorry."
"Not cool. It's okay." Dustin said.
The two gave each other a fist bump before the car fell into a comfortable silence once again. A few minutes later Liv noticed Max exit Ms Kelleys house rather quickly.
"Here she comes. Here she comes." Liv hit the back of Steve's seat.
Max ran over to the car door and hopped in the backseat, sitting right next to Liv.
"What'd she say?" Dustin asked.
"Nothing, just drive." Max said as she closed the car door.
"Nothing?" Steve turned around in his seat.
"Steve, drive." Max ordered.
"Okay." Steve said before starting the car and driving away.
"What are those?" Liv asked as she spotted the keys in Max's hand.
"They may or may not be the keys to her office at the school..." Max shrugged.
"Oh, of course you stole her keys." Liv sighed as she looked out the window.
"Well, what was I supposed to do? She wouldn't give me any answers." Max asked.
"Um, how about not turn to a life of crime and steal her keys." Liv said like it was obvious.
"Ah, it will be fine." Max waved her off. "Steve drive to the school."
"Okay." Steve said.
"Dustin. It's Lucas. Do you copy? Dustin."
"What's that?" Liv asked.
"My walkie." Dustin picked up his walkie and spoke into it. "Lucas? where the hell have you been?"
"Just listen." Lucas begged. "Are you guys looking for Eddie?"
"Yeah and we found him, no thanks to you." Dustin answered.
"You found him?" Lucas asked with happiness.
"He's at a boathouse on Coal Mill Road. Don't worry. He's safe." Dustin assured him.
"You guys know he killed Chrissy, right?" Lucas asked.
"That's bullshit. Eddie tried to save Chrissy." Dustin explained.
"Then why do all the cops say he did it?" Lucas wondered.
Max took the walkie from Dustin and spoke into it. "Lucas, you're so behind it's ridiculous, okay? Just meet us at the school. We'll explain later."
"I... I can't." Lucas answered. "I think some real bad shit's about to go down."
"What are you talking about? What bad shit?" Max questioned as she leaned over the middle console.
"Sinclair-"
That was the last thing they all heard before the walkie went to static causing them all to share looks of worry.
"Lucas? Lucas?"
"Was that Jason Carver?" Steve asked as he remembered when they played basketball together.
"Yup." Liv nodded, recognizing the voice.
...
After Steve arrived at the school they all piled out of his car and went to the front entrance. Dustin tried to open the door but it was locked.
"Shit." He cursed.
"Well, did you think it was gonna be open?" Steve sarcastically asked.
"Stand back." Liv pushed Dustin back and got down on her knees in front of the door.
Liv took out a bobby pin from her hair and put it in the lock hole, trying to unlock it. Max watched in amazement and confusion. She had no idea Liv knew how to do this.
"How do you know how to do this?" Steve asked, voicing Max's thoughts.
"Dad taught me once." Liv answered.
"How long is this gonna take?" Max asked.
Click.
Liv stood up and gave Max a smile. "That long."
"I've never been more attracted to you." Max breathed out.
Liv winked at her before opening up the door and letting Max, Steve, and Dustin in first. Liv and Max walked a few steps ahead, holding hands, while Steve and Dustin stayed in the back.
"Dustin, do you copy?" Robin's voice came from Dustin's walkie.
Dustin took out his walkie and spoke into it. "Yeah, I copy."
"So, Nancy's a genius. Vecna's first victims date back all the way to 1959. Her shot in the dark was a bulls-eye." Robin beamed.
"Okay, that's totally bonkers, but I can't really talk right now." Dustin responded as he and the others walked down the school hallways.
"Wait, what are you doing?" Robin asked.
"Breaking and entering into the school to retrieve confidential and extremely personal files." Dustin explained as if they weren't committing a felony.
"Can you repeat that?" Robin said.
"Just get your ass over here, stat. We'll explain everything." Dustin told her before putting away his walkie.
They finally arrived at Ms Kelleys office. Max got out the key and put it in the door knob. The door unlocked and they all went in. Max went over the filing cabinet while Liv, Dustin, and Steve talked about watergates.
"It's like a mini watergate or something. Hawkinsgate." Dustin said.
"Wait a second, didn't those guys get caught?" Steve asked.
"Holy shit." Max said.
"You found it?" Liv asked as she walked over to Max.
"Yeah, and not just Chrissy's file." Max pulled out two files from the cabinet. "Fred was seeing Ms Kelley too."
"You don't think they're connected, do you?" Liv asked.
"I don't know." Max shrugged as she walked over to Ms Kelleys desk, sat down, and started looking through Chrissy's file. "Can I see Fred's file?"
"Yeah." Steve nodded and handed it to her.
Max took Fred's file and started to look through it. Liv leaned over Max's shoulder to see what she was reading as Max's eyes widened in realization. Max's flashlight moved from headaches, to nose bleeds, to nightmares, and to past trauma.
All things that she had.
"Max?" Liv shook the girls shoulder as she noticed her start to zone out.
"What is it?" Dustin asked.
"Max! Max! Hey!" Liv called out as she bent down next to Max.
"What's wrong with her?" Steve asked.
"Shit, Steve, what makes you think I know?" Liv snapped as she lightly tapped Maxs cheek. "Max!"
Max gasped as she finally came out of her trance. Her eyes started to fill with tears as she panted and looked around the room.
"Hey, hey, hey. You're okay." Liv comforted her as she pulled Max in for a hug.
"Livie..." Max hugged her back, balling up the back of Liv's shirt in her fists as if Liv would disappear.
Liv pulled away and wiped a tear from Max's cheek. "You're okay. I got you."