Everyone continued looking for clues as i just stared at the clock. I wasn't one hundred percent sure if it was real... That's what scared me. I jumped as i felt someone's hand on my shoulder.

I let out a sigh of relief when i saw it was just Steve. "What are you doing? We need everyone to help" he said. "I know, i am" i said. "Really? Because it looks like you're just daydreaming about this damn clock."

"I. Am. Helping" i snapped. "What's wrong? You've been acting strange all day" Steve said. "'Maybe because we're in a creepy abandoned house where a demon might be living" i said.

Steve tilted his head as he nodded. "Okay, fair enough" he mumbled. "Now come on, we have to look for more clues" i said as i walked into his shoulder.

We both walked into the dining room and looked around. "I think this is where Nance said the Creels were killed" Steve said. "Nance?" i questioned. "What?" "Nothing it's just... You two seem to be quite... Close again" i said.

"We've always been close. I just haven't seen her for a while" he mumbled. "You haven't seen her for a while because she's your ex, Steve. People aren't usually friends with their exes."

"People are still friends with their exes, Joy. Me and you are still-" Steve began to say but stopped himself. I tried to hold in my smile. "We're still what?" i asked with a smirk.

"Nothing. We're nothing. You've made that quite clear" he mumbled. "What's that supposed to mean?" i questioned angrily. "You've been giving me the cold shoulder ever since you got here. And we haven't spoken since you left. You've made it obvious you don't want to be my friend."

"Okay look, i get that your pissy i didn't answer your letter, i get that. I should have read it. And i should have reached out to you. But you are the one who has been nothing but rude to me since i got here. It's not my fault i had to move. And you could have tried to do more to get in contact with me."

"Why should i bother, Joy? You left. I didn't think you were coming back!" he exclaimed. "Well i am back! I'm back in this shitty town even though it's the last place i want to be! But i'm here because i knew something bad was happening in this town and i didn't want you to get hurt!" i shouted.

Steve paused. "That's why you're here?" he asked. I stayed quiet. "You came back to make sure i was okay?" he questioned. "And everyone else... Obviously" i mumbled. "Jesus Joy, you can't even say one nice thing to me! Did you come back for me or not?!" he exclaimed.

I shook my head and sighed. "This is why we never would have worked. Everything always just ends up in a fight with you" i said looking at the ground. "Things wouldn't have worked because you're scared. Your scared of everything. You always act so high and mighty but admit it. You are afraid."

I looked up at him with teary eyes. "I didn't want to be afraid. I wanted to try with you. But you said you didn't want a girlfriend who's practically a ghost. Because apparently, that's what everyone thinks i am now!" i shouted.

"I never said that!" Steve exclaimed."Yes you did! And so did my moms boyfriend. You all expect me to go back to the way i used to be but how am i supposed to do that when you treat me differently!"

Steve bit his tongue as he shook his head. "We better go back to the others" he mumbled as he began walking out of the room. "You mean to Nancy?" i questioned.

He stopped suddenly and looked back at me. "This is why everyone treats you differently. Because you are different. And this new Joy isn't the one who tutored me four years ago" he said as he left.

As i watched him leave the room my heart sank to my stomach. I picked up the first thing i could find and threw it at the door. "Asshole" i mumbled under my breath. I knew he was right, but i didn't want him to be.

I needed to get out of this house. Away from Steve and all this Vecna crap. I was about to leave the room until i saw Steve walk in the door. "Was Nancy busy then?" i questioned.

He stayed quiet. "Hello? Earth to Steve? What do you want?" i questioned. "Do you know what, maybe you are a ghost. A scared freak who has a deep dark secret" he said.

My frustrated expression faded into a frown. "What?" i mumbled. "I know why you came to Hawkins. Why you ran away. You killed your friend because of you secret. And now your going to kill all of your new friends too."

Steve began walking towards me as i backed up. "Steve what are you-" "The girl you 'loved'... Didn't love you back. A drunken kiss made her afraid of you for life. All she wanted to do was bring you home and never see your face again. But unlucky her, because you were the last face she would ever see."

"Steve stop it" i spat. I felt myself backed up into a corner as Steve came closer and closer to me. "Everyone you touch dies. And you know it" he said with a small smile.

"Steve please" i mumbled as i felt tears stream down my face. "But i can help you. I can end all of your suffering right now. All of your sins cleansed. You'll get what you've always wished for."I shook my head in confusion and fear.

"You get to die."

Steve was inches away from me as i shoved him. I ran to the door but it swung closed on its own. "Where are you going, Joy?" Steve said. But this time it wasn't like Steve's voice at all. I slowly turned around to see a tall, monster like figure standing there. It was Vecna.

I felt my breathing stop as i had no where else to go. "It's time" he said as he stepped towards me. "No. Please" i mumbled through tears. He groaned as he came closer and closer.

Steve's Pov:

I sat down on the stairs as i had my head in my hands. I felt bad about what i said but it was true. I was upset she didn't read my letter and that she never called. But was she right? Should i have tried more?

She was just upset about loosing her dad and i didn't even call. I groaned as i knew what i had to do. I had to apologise. Maybe if i did, she'd finally talk to me.

I walked back down the stairs and went into the dinging room. I saw Joy standing in the corner as she faced the wall. "Joy" i said. She didn't turn around. She was even more angry than i thought.

"Joy look, i'm sorry about what i said. I didn't mean it, alright? Will you just talk to me?" i said. She still didn't turn around. "Joy?" i said louder as i walked over to her.

I turned her around and felt my stomach flip. Her eyes looked just like Maxes when Max was possessed. "Joy! Hey! This isn't funny, would you please wake up!" i shouted.

She stayed completely still as if she couldn't hear a word i was saying. "Guys! Guys help!" i shouted as everyone ran down the stairs. "What's wrong-" Dustin began but stopped as he saw Joys face.

"Oh my god" Lucas mumbled. "Get her... Get her walkman! It's in the car! Henderson run!" i shouted as Dustin scurried out to the car. This couldn't be happening.

How could i let this happen. I couldn't loose her again. I tried to shake her awake but nothing was happening. "Henderson, hurry up?!" i exclaimed. Dustin ran back into the room and dropped all of her cds on the floor.

"What's her favourite song?" Max exclaimed.

Everyone looked at me waiting for my answer. I hesitated before i spoke. Then it hit me. "It's 'Be My Baby!' That's it! That's her favourite!" i shouted.

I shoved the disk into her walkman and put her headphones on her. I quickly played the song and waited for anything to happen. "Please work. Come on, Joy. Please" i mumbled under my breath.

Joys Pov:

I couldn't run anywhere. Suddenly, i turned around and everything looked different. I wasn't in the Creel house anymore. I was somewhere completely different. It looked like an empty hospital.

Why was i in a hospital? I looked around and Vecna was no where to be seen. "She's flatlining!" i heard someone shout. I looked behind me and saw a room with the door slightly open.

I crept inside and saw a little girl surrounded by doctors. They were giving her chest compressions as she began flatlining. A small gasp escaped my lips as i saw my mom and dad holding each other tightly.

I then realised where i was. I was in a memory. It was the day Sarah died. My mom and dad told me to stay outside but i slipped through the door. I remember seeing all the doctors trying to give her any bit of air, but it didn't work.

I backed out of the room and i tried to catch my breath. I then saw another room and the door was slightly opened. I didn't even want to go in, but i had to see what was inside.

I reluctantly began creeping over to the other room and made my way inside. This room was different. It still looked like a hospital but it wasn't the same memory.

I looked around and saw lots of doctors shuffling around the room. They all looked anxious. As i was looking around, i saw a curtain in the corner of the room. I made my way over and slowly poked the curtain.

I let out a small cry as i saw Liz lying on the bed. She was covered in blood and had gashes all over her body. There was tubes in her nose and she was hooked up onto a machine.

I saw her slowly flat line as all the doctors pushed past me to get to her. I backed up until i felt someone standing behind me. I turned around and saw Vecna standing there.

"It's time, Joy" he said as he reached his hand above me head. "No!" i shouted as i shoved him. As i shoved him, the force of my shove made me fall back to the floor.

When i fell back, i opened my eyes and saw a red sky above me. I sat up and looked around to see i was now in a red, gloomy place. It looked exactly like what Max described in her pictures.

In the distant background i heard "Be My Baby" playing. I tried to get up and run but i felt something wrap around my ankle. I looked down and saw a grey tentacle wrapped around my foot.

It pulled me to the ground and began dragging me towards Vecna. "Shit! Shit!" i shouted as i tried to grab onto the floor.

Steve's Pov:

We all waited anxiously for something to happen. "Why isn't it working?!" Robin exclaimed. "I don't know. Are you sure this is her favourite song, Steve?!" Lucas shouted. "I... I thought... I thought so. We haven't... It has to be !" i exclaimed.

I looked around at all the other disks and tried to figure out why nothing was working. "Steve think! What else could be her favourite?" Dustin exclaimed.

"It doesn't make sense... This was her favourite for so long. She played it over and over again. This is all she ever played apart from-"

Then it hit me. I rummaged around her disks until i found the right one. I grabbed "It's Been A Long, Long Time" and put it in her walkman.

"Please god work."