"Truthfully," you say, "I'd feel better if I could go with you."
Steve blinks in surprise.
"Really?" he asks. "You want to fight Vecna? Babe, I don't think that's—"
"What?" you say, defensiveness creeping in. "You don't think I can hold my own?"
"I didn't say that," Steve says. "But I don't want Vecna to target you."
"He won't be targeting me while he's targeting Max," you point out. "He can only do one thing at a time. Right?"
Steve sighs but agrees. The plan shifts: you and Robin are switching places.
After dropping Max, Lucas, and Erica off at the Creel House, you head into the Upside Down with Steve and the others.
"Don't try to be heroes," Steve warns, eyes flicking between Robin, Dustin, and Eddie. "Get out of here if it gets too dangerous. Okay?"
"Don't worry, Steve," Dustin teases. "You can be the hero, all right?"
"See you soon," Steve says. He starts to turn away, but Robin says, "Steve, wait!"
He looks back to her and she barrels into him, pulling him in for a bear hug.
"Please don't die," she mumbles. "I don't want Keith to become my new favorite coworker."
Steve barks out a laugh at that and hugs her back.
"I wouldn't dream of it," Steve says. "C'mon, guys."
"Good luck!" you shout, before following Nancy and Steve into the woods.
Nancy walks a few yards ahead, giving Steve and you some privacy. He looks nervous for more than one reason.
"Hey, listen," he says, breaking the tense silence between you two. "I know we've only been dating for less than a year, but I saw this ad for these nice new apartments in West Roane County, and I was wondering...do you want to move in with me?"
"Wait, really?" you ask, heart swelling. "You don't think it's too soon?"
"I mean, maybe it is," Steve admits, scratching the back of his neck. "But think about it this way: our lives are constantly in danger. So we have to take these chances when we can."
You aren't sure if he's joking or not. You glance at the expression on his face, and it seems he can't tell either.
You beam, and he relaxes.
"I'd love to move in with you, Steve," you say. "But my lease isn't up until July."
"That's fine!" Steve says. He gets a dreamy look in his eye, mind whirring with excitement as he plans for your future. It makes you feel warm all over when you see how much he really wants to be with you. "We can pick a unit and I can move in ahead of time—I'm sick of living with my shitty parents anyway, not like they're around most of the time—and then when your lease ends, you can join me. Sounds like a plan?"
"A plan indeed," you say with a grin. You give him a kiss on the cheek, before Nancy shouts for you two to hurry up.
***
The plan falls apart remarkably fast.
Somehow, it gets back on track, once the sentient vines in the Creel House finally let you three go. You spot Vecna in the attic, unconscious while he hunts Max in her own mind.
You hold up a Molotov cocktail and Steve lights it for you. You chuck it in Vecna's direction. Flames lick across his form.
You and Steve continue throwing Molotovs, and Nancy begins shooting him over and over with her shotgun. He flies out the attic window, but unfortunately when you race downstairs, his body is gone.
Then, an earthquake rattles the whole place. You, Nancy, and Steve hold onto each other for dear life.
"We've gotta go!" Steve shouts over the din.
You and Nancy nod and follow him out of the house and back toward the trailer park. You burst into the Munson's trailer and yelp when Dustin points a spear at your trio.
"It's just us!" Steve says, hands raised in surrender. "We have to get out of here now."
"What happened to the rope?!" Nancy says, noticing a rusty ladder in its place.
"Less talking," Robin says, "more climbing." She scrambles up the ladder, Nancy on her heels. Dustin goes next, with Eddie helping him up.
The earthquake worsens just as you start climbing up the ladder. You gasp and hold tightly for dear life.
"I'm right behind you, Waldenbooks," Steve says, trying to sound calm but coming across frantic. "I got you."
You quickly ascend the ladder and flip back into the real world. Steve jumps in last, and the six of you run clear of the trailer as an aftershock rumbles through the trailer park.
The night is dark and cold. You hear sirens and screams in the distance. You feel like crying, because Vecna killed Max and got away.
The weight of it all culminates in a crescendo of stress. You pass out.
GO TO PAGE 38 FOR "HAWKINS' NEW NORMAL" ENDING.