EPISODE EIGHT
papa.

EDDIE SLAMMED a newspaper onto the table, "check this out. the war zone." he told them, pointing at an article. "i've been there once...it's huge. they've got everything you need for, uh...well, killing things, basically."

"you think fake rambo has enough guns there?" robin asked, frowning. "is that a grenade? i mean, how is any of this legal?" she sighed.

"well, lucky for us it is, so...this place is just far enough outside hawkins. as long as we steer clear of main roads, we oughta be able to avoid cops and, uh, angry hicks." he spoke nervously.

"if we're trying to avoid angry hicks, maybe we shouldn't go to some store called the war zone." erica pulled a face.

"normally, i'd agree, but we need the weapons." nancy spoke up, "so i think it's worth the risk." she finished, nodding.

"me too." lucas agreed, erica sent him an annoyed look.

"but is it worth the time? it'll take all day to bike there and back." dustin sighed. "who said anything about bikes?" eddie fired back.

"you got some car we don't know about?" steve raised a brow, "it's not exactly a car, steve..." eddie got close to his face, "and it's not exactly mine, but uh...it'll do."

"hey, red and lucas lover?" eddie turned to face nova and max, the brunette pulled a face at her nickname as lucas smiled smugly.

"you got a ski mask or a bandanna, something like that?" he asked, nova smacked max's arm in realisation. "halloween, 1984."

max's eyes widened and she smiled, rushing to go and get the mask she wore to halloween at their first year at hawkins.

EDDIE PUT on the mask, and they all snuck around the trailer park to try and find the vehicle eddie was talking about.

they followed him as he jogged through the field and got to a caravan. eddie opened the back window and climbed through, the others soon joining as he pulled the mask off and sighed. "that was suffocating."

he got to the front, steve and robin following as nova helped max and erica in, before sitting down next to dustin on the back sofa.

suddenly, the engine started as they all jumped and the owners jumped at the window, thing to get in, yelling at them as steve quickly sped off, everyone screaming as lucas and eddie seemed to be jumping up and down.

"shit! they look pissed." dustin exclaimed, "well, it's not everyday you loose your house and car at the same time." nova shrugged as she almost fell off her seat from steve's driving.

"jesus christ." nova let out a breath as the driving finally slowed down, and put her headphones back on. every breath you take filling her ears.

she jumped slightly as she saw lucas sit next to her, she smiled and pulled the headphones off. "hi." he smiled.

"so i've been thinking, two of the three of vecna's victims were seeing ms. kelly, right?" he began, she frowned. "yeah."

"okay...so i figured there's a good chance vecna cursed another one of her students." he began as she let out a sigh, "we go back to her office, we read the files, look for mentions of headaches, nosebleeds, nightmares. we identify his next victim!"

"lucas." she stopped him, he stopped and frowned. "we don't have time for any of that, okay? and even if we did...even if your plan worked, we'd be putting a stranger at risk. a stranger who has no idea what they're up against...i do." she began and he frowned, but listened.

"he uses my memories against me. but, only my darkest memories. same with chrissy and fred, right?" she asked and he nodded. "right."

"it's like he only sees the darkness in us. so, i'll just run in the opposite direction. run to the light. and maybe he won't be able to find me there." she explained as a pained look was on his face.

"how exactly do you plan on doing this?" he asked and she let out a sigh, "i'm not sure...but it's my mind. not his. so i should be able to control where i am. i just need to...push him away. find a happy memory and hide there. hide in the light."

he tilted his head slightly, "you got a memory in mind?" he asked, a small smile made its way onto her face and she nodded. "yeah. it was a time when i was...happiest."

he looked away for a second, letting out a breath as he smiled and looked back at her, "was...i there?" he asked nervously.

her smile grew, and she looked down, before back at him. "that's presumptious of you." she whispered, smiling lightly.

he chuckled, a smile on his face. "but yeah...yeah, you might've been there." she tilted her head with a smile.

they shared a smile, and he held onto her hands. "okay...but the second you start to lift, i'm calling in our song." he said seriously.

she chuckled, and nodded. "okay. deal." she smiled as they shook hands, his smile making her smile even more if possible as they shared a hug.

"i like talking with you, supernova." he whispered, she felt herself wanting to cry as she remembered the time they were talking on top of the bus. "i like talking with you too, stalker."

smiles made its way onto their faces as she put her headphones back on and looked out of the window, still not letting go of his hand.

THEY SOON arrived at war zone, and erica, max, steve, nancy and robin went in to stock up on different types of weapons whilst the others stayed in the caravan.

nova had fallen asleep on the way, but was woken up by loud yells. she jumped up to see the five jumping back into the caravan hurriedly, yelling to drive away.

"what's going on?" nova asked, "lucas' old friends were there!" erica told her and she widened her eyes as steve sped off.

they parked up on a random field, and all got out to get their weapons ready. eddie and dustin went together, robin and steve, lucas and erica and nancy, max and nova.

nova watched as nancy was cutting off the end of the gun, "is this even legal?" max asked with a frown.

"actually, i think it's a felony..." nancy began, "right." max nodded slowly.

"but it guarantees one thing" nancy spoke, lifting the gun up, "i never miss."

max and nova shared a smile, nancy was badass.

nova watched as dustin and eddie had a pretend fight and were rolling around in the grass, and lucas was sending them a thumbs up, resulting in him getting told off by erica.

nancy practiced her aim as nova watched awkwardly, not having anything to do.

they soon got back into the caravan and steve drove them to the creel house. nobody spoke the whole way, and even though nova wouldn't admit it, she had this really, really terrible feeling.

she sat opposite lucas, who looked at her every so often, and when he looked away, she looked at him. she was afraid of what they were about to do, but she knew she had to do it.

and even if things went terribly, she'd do it all again to save her friends if she got the chance to.

they arrived at the creel house, nova, lucas and erica stepping out slowly, nova standing infront with a lantern in hand.

nova looked up at the house as a single tear rolled down her cheek, she squeezed the lantern in her hand, and let out a breath.

she slowly walked up the pavement towards the house, the two sinclair's following closely as they mentally prepared themselves for what was about to happen.

oh jesus lord