THE BULLSHIT GAME

☀︎

MAX MAYFIELD'S MISSION TO GET TO EAST HAWKINS WAS WORKING IN HER FAVOR. Today was her only day to get her chance to say goodbye in the only way she knew how— letters. It was an easier way to share her final thoughts before leaving this world in the newest hell Hawkins faced. Arriving at her home, she promised to be quick— in and out, leaving the letters for her mom and moving on to her final goodbye.

Having nothing more to do than wait, the four sat inside Steve Harrington's car. There was a silence among them, the excitement washed away so suddenly as they were left alone to wait for Max Mayfield to return to them. Left with nothing but letters, they all could only imagine what was written inside as Max's final goodbye.

Unable to look at his any longer, Lucas was the first to tuck his away. Holding his hands in his lap, his eyes floated around the car, watching as one by one, the rest began to follow his lead and hold that goodbye for another time. Sitting back in his seat, he closed his eyes, wishing that any moment Max would come back and he could continue to share more of his life with her beside him.

Perching her elbow up onto the door, Alex rested her cheek against her fist as she looked out at the trailer park. Taking her mind off the letter was only as easy as it looked. Even without it held in her hands, it consumed her mind, being the only thing she could ever begin to think of.

She wasn't quiet as she pulled herself back into her own misery, grabbing ahold of her backpack and taking the letter out once more. At least seeing it, she could know that Max had something to say to her whether it had been words of hatred or love. The more she looked at it, the more she believed that there was nothing but vicious words and promises to never forgive her for leaving her when she needed her the most.

Cracking open his eyes, Lucas looked at her just the same as Steve and Dustin. Between the two, they never were sure how to handle Alex whether they give her the space she needs or engulf her in their arms and tell her everything will be okay. For Lucas Sinclair, he never did care to weigh out his options when his only option was not losing her. Sitting forward, he rested his hand on her shoulder, "You won't ever need to read that, you know? We're gonna save her."

Alex glanced over to him with a sad smile and nodded, but that wasn't her worry. She knew they had it in them to protect her. They always did. She was afraid that Max would hate her for the rest of her life and this letter said that very thing. Whether Max lived or died, she feared she would forever be the worst thing to happen to her. He saw her doubt immediately. "It's not going to be bad whatever she wrote. She'd never do that to you, no matter how mad she seems. Max loves you."

Alex felt her grip on the letter grow tighter because no matter what anyone could say to her, she was the one that hurt Max the most. Who was to say that what Alex did to her created such a pain inside of Max that Vecna chose her. Placing the letter back into her bag, she forced herself to bite her tongue and keep her emotions in check. "Thanks, Lucas."

Carefully nodding his head, he sat back in his seat as his eyes wandered toward the window. Time was ticking by faster than he expected and Max was alone, vulnerable to Vecna. Without a word, he popped open his door and stepped out for a breath of fresh air. All this time he spent comforting the rest, he needed time for him to convince himself that this would work out as he told the others.

Steve looked to Alex as she kept her eyes trained on Lucas and how he sat up on the hood of Steve's car. All she wanted was to comfort him as he had done for her, but the weight on her shoulders only made her feel that Lucas would push to be there for her instead. Taking a big breath of air, Steve opened his door before looking back at each of the Henderson's with his finger raised. "Stay here, got it? I'm gonna go talk to him before she gets back."

Sitting back in his seat, Dustin gave a nod. Truth was, he was nervous to be left alone with Alex. Things were supposed to be normal between them just like before. Now it all felt forced and with a flick of the switch, she could retreat and he'd be left back in square one— hurt and confused about what he could do to fix things.

Each of them were quiet, neither sure what to say. The distance between the two was agonizing knowing how they once were. Alex knew she hurt her brother and she felt she didn't deserve his forgiveness. Rather than sit in that silence and feel the pain within it, Alex reached out and turned on the radio. Music began to blast out, but nothing that suited her taste in music. One thing she knew for certain was Steve always kept music in his car. Opening the glovebox, she began to dig through his music tapes. Each one she held onto, she bit the inside of her cheek, seeing that all were her favorites, the same music tapes she gave to him so he always had something of hers to keep.

Dustin only watched from his seat, quiet as she went through his music tapes. He began to frown as he saw the look on her face. "I think he kept them because he... he still loves you." His voice was soft and careful to not hurt her, almost as if he was afraid to speak.

Alex placed the music tapes back into the glove compartment and turned off the music. She rested her chin in her hands, looking out the window with tears clouding her eyes. It was something sweet and simple, and it was exactly something Steve would do— hold on to a piece of her in hopes of keeping alive the memories the two shared.

More than anything, Dustin wished she would say anything. Even playing music would have been better than to sit back in the silence as she fought back her tears for his sake. Clearing his throat, he sat back into his seat and looked out the window himself, wishing he could find the words to say. Even if they didn't discuss their adventure, he wished he could just talk about life— to have a normal conversation to distract them from everything.

Spotting him in the reflection of her window, Alex could see how badly he hurt. The same pain she inflicted upon Max, she did to her very own brother. Before they were always there for each other and now she was simply a ghost in his life, wishing and hoping for her to return to him. Soon Alex felt her breathing pick up as she shifted in her spot. "I still love you, Dustin, that never changed."

A sad smile came to his lips as he looked at the back of her seat. As much as he imagined the day he heard her say those words, it was never as sweet as the real thing.

Pulling herself back up straight, she watched her lap, opening up to him in a way she wished she never had to. "Pushing you away was never okay, and I will never stop apologizing for what I did to you. You're my best friend and I was afraid I would hurt you... and I just kept screwing it up." Reaching up, she swiped at her tears before she glanced to the backseat at him. "And I'm really happy you still had someone. I-I know it should have been me, but I'm glad it was Eddie. He's a total shit, but he's... he's amazing."

"He is," Dustin responded softly. Eddie Munson was pure chaos but that's something Dustin adored. To have Alex's approval that Eddie be a key part of his life made his heart soar.

"And we're gonna get him out of this mess, I promise you that. And all those shitheads in Hawkins are gonna regret ever hating him and blaming him for all of this crap. I don't... I don't know how we'll do it, but I know we can. Because you're just... you're so smart, Dustin, and you're my hero. Everything you do... you're selfless and I wish that I was more like you."

Disbelief settled over Dustin to hear her say those words. He modeled himself after her, wishing he could grow just the same as his big sister. Alex would say he looked up to Steve or Eddie, but it was always her. "Alex," he choked out through the bubble in his throat. "I love you, too. More than you ever know. Losing you... it wasn't just about not having you around, but... I lost you. And I was scared... you left everyone. Everyone besides..."

"I'm so sorry," she whispered. There was only one person that she allowed into her life and it felt unforgivable. Eddie wasn't there for everything and still, she pushed all of them away but kept him. Even when they needed her. "Eddie always told me about you and I don't know, I loved hearing about you without the fear of hurting you. And... and Eddie just... he cares so much about you. I know he wanted me to be better for you and it helped he didn't know anything. I thought maybe I couldn't hurt him."

"You could never hurt me," Dustin said softly. Coming forward, he placed a hand on Alex's shoulder, allowing her to turn over to him with tears in her eyes. "I never blamed you. I just want you back."

"I'm trying," she whispered, attempting a smile. Taking her hand, she rested it on top of his, feeling that relief in her chest to have her brother back in her life. "You can be a total shit, but you're my little brother. We sorta make the greatest team, you know. How else would this group survive if they didn't have us Hendersons?"

"They'd probably suffer agonizing deaths," Dustin concluded with a light chuckle. "And I won't tell Eddie you said he's amazing. He'll never let you forget it."

Alex pulled her hand away with a laugh, "Yeah, thanks. The last thing we need is to boost that man's ego."

Dustin grinned, sitting back into his seat with a relief so sweet, that he felt he could properly breathe again. He was getting her back and it was everything he dreamed of and more. It only further boosted his confidence that down the line, he could save Max Mayfield. From his seat, he watched her return back to the car, still the same broken girl she was before, unaware of the way Vecna greeted her, reminding her of her early death soon approaching just moments ago. Yet with so much hope, he failed to notice as she got into the car with a huff of annoyance as Lucas questioned her. Everything was going to be fine. Dustin Henderson believed that.

『••☀︎••』

GIVEN DIRECTIONS, STEVE FOLLOWED MAX'S INSTRUCTIONS. Pulling into the cemetery, there was an unspoken tension that filled the car. Billy Hargrove was not someone who was close to Max and he used to make sure Max knew that. However, Max couldn't run or hide from the way she felt for her stepbrother. It was unforgivable the thoughts she had before and now his death hung on her even heavier knowing she wished for his death long before the Fourth of July. Now she needed to make it up to him because before long she would be laying in her grave right beside him.

Getting out of the car, she instructed all of them to stay put, that it would only take her just a few minutes. Lucas wasn't willing to accept that she was choosing to leave them behind as if she had no other choice. He saw her now and nothing was going to change that. He loved her endlessly and he needed her to know he was there. He always was.

Alex was next to get out and took a seat on the hood of Steve's car. Still holding onto the letter, she felt she couldn't breathe. Just a few feet away was Billy Hargrove's grave. A grave that shouldn't have been there. He was a broken man and he led himself down the wrong path. In his last moments, he was desperate to show he could change and that he needed to be different. It was what he wanted and in the end, he left the world without making things right with all those he hurt— one of those being Max.

One again in her hand had been the letter, one that hid all its truths behind an envelope. Alex stared at her letter, wishing she could read it— to know the truth. That way she could understand how Max felt, how badly she hurt her.

Steve noticed this pain and told Dustin to stay put so he could talk to her privately. Closing the door gently behind him, he made his way around and took a seat beside her. He was quiet but scooted closer to show he was there. Looking over, he watched Lucas desperately tell Max how much he needed her, how he cared, that after all this time, he finally saw her for what she was going through. He needed to see Alex. He wanted to. The only issue was she didn't want to let him in as easily as he wanted.

Leaning up against the hood of his car, Steve looked at her, but her attention stayed locked on the letter in her hands. Within it held every bit of emotion that Max felt towards Alex. Every bit of regret, guilt, love, and everything in between was written inside. To leave it unopened left Alex's mind focused on the negatives of it all. She left Max with nothing and even reunited as a group, knowing she was in danger, she couldn't give her anything in return to fix those mistakes.

Reaching out, Steve took the letter from her hands and tucked it away inside his jacket along with his. "You need to stop torturing yourself like this, Alex. You know Lucas is right, Max doesn't hate you. I actually don't even think it's possible for any of those little shits to hate you. Pretty sure they'd pick you over any of us to be here."

Alex wished she could smile and hide away how hurt she was. Something about being there and with him, she felt herself opening up. "I hurt her and I keep letting her down. Everyday. I can't even look at her. I-I can't look at her because... because whenever I do, I see what I did to her. I knew something was wrong with Billy and I left her, I left him. And now we're here because I couldn't save him when I should have." Finally finding herself smiling, Alex turned over to Steve with tears sitting on the edge of her eyes. "You can stop pretending like it's not my fault, Steve. It's okay, I know I hurt a lot of people these last few months and you're one of them."

"Because you thought you had to. That asshole has been messing with your head and Max knows that. And we're gonna figure this out, right? Nance and Robin are talking to Victor Creel and we'll get you and Max out of this mess. He's gonna have the answers, I know it."

"It's been months," she stated. To think that Victor Creel would be a man to save her from this hell seemed unrealistic. Had anyone deserved being out of this mess, she believed it to be Max. "I don't know, Steve, I just think fighting for me is a losing battle. Maybe it's not worth it."

Pulling himself up onto the hood of his car, Steve sat close to her, each of them resting up against one another. "You're worth it," he said gently. He wondered if his belief would even matter as Alex always fought for anyone or anything but herself. To see herself as worth it was a difficult task at hand.

Then she did as he least expected and rested her head against his shoulder. "I don't understand why it has to be me every time. Why do I have to be the one being messed with for months? He messes with Chrissy and Fred for a few days and it's over for them, but I have to be the one dealing with it?" Shaking her head, she looked out to the cemetery before them wondering how long it would take her to end up out there, buried and tucked away from the horrors of the outside world. "Max is going to die and I don't know if I have until tonight or a week or even months from now. I don't want to die but... I don't know, maybe it'd be easier than this. I... I'm tired, Steve."

"No, don't say that," he whispered. To lose her was not something he could even begin to bear to think of, for it to become a reality seemed haunting. All he wanted more than anything was to hear her laugh again. A sweet moment now only seemed like a distant memory, something he wouldn't be able to return to. "Come on, Alex, w-we got plans after all this."

Pulling her head up off of him, Alex draped her arms over her knees, shaking her head, refusing to hear his words. There was a wave of unresolved anger that bubbled up inside her to hear him so hopeful when she couldn't see the best in life any longer. "Yeah, Steve, I think we both know that's not going to happen. I mean, Jesus Christ, we're planning to watch some movies when everything is falling apart. That's total crap."

Furrowing his brows, he leaned away from her, her words stinging him and she was so unaware. Feeling that pang in his heart, he looked at her with sadness in his eyes and a frown falling upon his lips. "You didn't actually wanna hang out?"

"They're movies, Steve," she stated plainly. So hurt inside with herself, she unwillingly took her anger out on him. Jealousy ate away at her that he could easily see past the horrors and look to a brighter end. All she could see was her alone at the end with no one when all she wanted to believe was everything he believed would happen. "They're just movies," she repeated as her voice began to crack under the weight of her suffering. "How can we pretend everything's okay when people are dying and Max is next? And we're just supposed to watch movies because we miss each other? That's not fair. I-it's not fair."

"You're right, it's bullshit," he said, his eyes focused on his feet in front of him. Once before he felt he lived a conversation close to this. To hear it replay before him caused him to believe he was living from heartbreak to heartbreak because the one person he believed to never do as Nancy Wheeler did to him Halloween night seemed to be following that same path. For now, all he could do was create a wall, hoping to protect himself from the pain he knew was coming.

"No, it's not bullshit," Alex said sharply as she looked at him. "I just can't pretend like everything's okay anymore. You know, like everything's great and people aren't dying. I... I tried to want what you want and it's... it's hard for me, okay? And you know, being with you, it makes me forget all these crappy things going on around us. I can't just pretend it's not happening, Steve."

Steve sat there in unimaginable pain as he listened to her. Pretending wasn't his intention but that's all she saw it as. All he wanted was to be with her and something so small and simple he felt would bring her back to him. Now it felt meaningless. Holding onto that pain, he let it fester up into feelings he wished were never created within him. "So you've been pretending you loved me this entire time?"

"No." A single word, but there was no hesitation and he could hear how his question could dig deep into her. "No, what we were before was real. It was one of the few real things I had. I'm just saying now is not a time I can pretend that I'm okay with everything just so I can be with you. You deserve more than that."

Continuously becoming upset, Steve nodded along to her words. "Actually, you're right, I have been pretending. Pretending I'm interested in all these other girls, throwing myself at them just because of you. Which apparently only hurt you more. So me pretending is what's killing us, huh? Turns out it actually does sound like bullshit."

"Would you stop?" Pulling herself off the car, she ran her fingers through her hair in distress as she tried to contain her emotions. "I know what Max told you hurt you, but that's not even half of it. I never cared if you were with other girls, I wanted you happy. It hurt me because I wanted it to be me." Raising a finger to her chest, she turned to him and forced him to meet her eyes. "I wanted it to be me," she whispered. "So how can you say that it's bullshit?"

"It's not bullshit, okay? I'm sorry," he snapped. Pulling himself up off the car next, he leaned against the hood with his arms crossed.

Holding her breath, Alex copied his actions as she crossed her arms at him. "Seeing you with other people did hurt me. It hurt because I loved you and I was afraid that what we were, it never mattered to you and I was just another girl."

"Oh, Jesus Christ," he mumbled, holding his head in his hands. Feeling that anger spike, he lifted his head up, snapping at his built-up emotions. "You weren't some other girl to me, Alex! I tried seeing you and you refused, what did you want me to do?"

"Do whatever you want, Steve, I don't care!"

"Actually, it seems like you do."

Scoffing at his words, Alex turned away with a clenched jaw. "Yeah, I care about you and everything we went through. I just wanted what was best for you even if it killed me inside. I-I mean, wouldn't you want the same for me if the roles were reversed?"

"Oh, so, like, let's say you and Eddie Munson... or is that actually happening now?"

Raising a finger at him, she cautioned him sternly. "Don't you do that."

"So you can talk about girls I dated, but I can't talk about Eddie? Who, by the way, you are... afraid of continuing a relationship with because of my jealousy, huh? Trust me, I'm not jealous of Eddie Munson. Far from actually."

"That's not the kind of relationship I meant and I wasn't the one that said it was jealousy! I don't owe you an explanation about Eddie. None at all because he's my friend."

"Apparently your only friend. The same guy you left Robin for, left your brother for, right? I mean," managing a sarcastic laugh, he shook his head at her in disbelief. "I wouldn't be surprised if you left me for him. Right, because Nance left me for Jonathan, so who's to say you wouldn't have done the same? You both think I don't give a shit about people dying, that... that I'm pretending the world revolves around me. You just keep saying it's all crap, huh? That's your bullshit, right? Call me bullshit, tell me you don't love me, that's what you want?"

Stunned, Alex uncrossed her arms, feeling angry tears spike in her eyes. "Is that what you think of me?"

Pausing, Steve finally looked over at her, seeing how much his words hurt her. All he wanted was to tell her no, that there was nothing in this world that could compare her to his relationship with Nancy Wheeler. Because they were always so much more than that. Instead, he left his anger to continue to hold control of him, letting his emotions pour out in ways he felt would be unforgivable. "I don't know, Alex. That's what I'm hearing."

"I know you give a shit about what's happening here otherwise you wouldn't be here right now. You're here with Max even though you know she's going to die today. I wouldn't have been. If it wasn't for Dustin dragging me out of the house, I wouldn't be here right now."

"Yeah, well, figured you heard your new boyfriend was in trouble and you came racing out to help him."

Hurt by his words, Alex's shoulders slacked and tears clouded her eyes. "Please stop," she pleaded through her quivering voice. "You know that's not true. Don't use what was in my file against me. You don't know how badly that hurt me for her to do. I know I deserved it, constantly lying, but I never felt so exposed, so hurt. I had to trust you three not to look at it because it was all me in there. I thought you cared."

"I do," he whispered, unable to look at her. "No, Alex, I care, I do. I just... movies actually mean something to me and I know sometimes you see it as a joke, me always wanting to watch a movie when things are looking down. It's just... just whenever I was upset because my parents were dealing with their bullshit, you always made me come over to watch a movie with you. You loving them made me love them and this time around you're hurting so... I wanted to fix things in a way I know I can. I can't kill Vecna, I can't save Max, but maybe I wanted to know I at least could make things okay with you."

Her lips curled down into a deep frown, shaking her head at him. "I never wanted this for us, to hurt you. I did what I thought was best, just like you did. From the way things are looking, I don't have much time to live either and even if we had forever, I'd never do what Nancy did to you."

"I-I know that," he said gently.

"I wish a movie could change things, Steve." Forcing out a laugh, she looked up to the sky as she shook her head. "I would watch movies with you every day if it meant it would take this all way. And I wanted to hold out hope that we could fix this and... and we could finally have a moment for us, but I've lost so much hope." Breathing heavily, she wrapped her arms tight against herself for that smallest bit of comfort she couldn't find. "I'm afraid I'll die and you'll be stuck waiting forever for that date. It just means I'd be hurting you all over again when you lose me."

Pulling himself up off the car, Steve advanced toward her. Taking her face in his hands, he made her look up at him. Running his thumb along her cheek, he took away what tears he could, wishing it was only ever that easy to make the pain stop. "I can't lose you. Not again."

More tears began to replace those he took away as Alex gave a sad smile that easily fought to turn upside down. "I can't lose you either," she whispered. "I just don't think you'll have me much longer and I'm terrified." Closing her eyes, she just wished to feel his touch against hers. "I just want you to be happy."

"I'm happy with you," he whispered. Beginning to lean forward, he wished to leave her a kiss on her lips, one that could prove to her how much having her meant to him. Taking her by surprise with her eyes closed, he felt there wasn't any way she could refuse to let herself have him so close. And just as his lips sat just an inch from hers, she opened her eyes as she removed herself from his hands. "We need to check on Max," she whispered, unaware of his attempts to be with her again. Steve looked down at his watch, swallowing hard as he accepted now was not his moment. Licking his lips to replace the lack of hers, he gave a nod of agreement, "Yeah, it's, uh, it's been too long. I can... I can go."

"I can come with," she offered.

"No, she might try kicking my ass if she's not ready yet and... I'm not letting you see another person kick my ass. Especially not some child."

Alex laughed under her breath as she nodded along to his words. Stepping back, she leaned herself up against the hood of the car, taking a breath for herself. The sound of the car doors hesitantly shutting behind her caused her to look behind her to see Dustin and Lucas emerging from the car. Each of the boys watched her as she flashed them a smile that they each knew was only to comfort them.

Coming around the car, the boys leaned up against the hood of Steve's car on either side of her. Clearing his throat, Dustin tried to look at his sister but seeing her so vulnerable felt that he was only exposing her more to the pain she felt. "Alex, it's going to be okay," he began gently.

Nodding along, Lucas perked up at Dustin's confidence to speak up. "Yeah, yeah, everything's going to work out. We'll be sure of it."

"Totally sure," Dustin added fast.

"And... and if you want, we can talk to Max or Steve or whoever! We'd do that for you because... because you've always been there for us."

Feeling as if all this was working, Dustin peeked over at his sister and it was worth it. To see her smile made it clear to him and Lucas that it could be okay because they always have each other. "Always. You're not just my sister, you're basically a sister to the entire party." His confidence grew as he pulled himself up, his smile reaching across his face as she looked over at him. "We're always going to be there for you, trust."

"Yeah, trust us," Lucas agreed, grabbing her attention next. "Always there to annoy you, make you laugh, help you, whatever shit you need. Even when you're sick of us and want us to leave you alone..."

"We're there. And even if you and Steve wanna have alone time, we'll make sure no one bothers you."

"As long as you keep whatever mushy lovey crap to yourselves. No one wants to see that shit."

Alex looked to each side of herself in amusement as both boys tried their hardest to make things easy and right for them to continue forward. All she could ever dream for was for everything to be as simple as they all wanted. To keep hiding and lying meant they could never have that peace— it was something she was denying them. Changing meant that she too could make things easier. Holding out her arms, she pulled them in toward her.

Exchanging looks, Dustin and Lucas grinned at one another as they wrapped their arms around one another. There was nothing around them to disrupt their hold, nothing. The soft wind that blew against them felt as if it was taking away their hurt— but never did it breakthrough as their hold on one another was too close to ever let anything pass.

Rippling through the air, Steve Harrington's voice dared to break apart that hold. The desperation in his voice as he called to the others had them drop their arms, letting the wind finally have a chance to break between them. Dropping their arms to their sides, the three looked out to where Billy Hargrove's grave sat out in the near distance. Sitting before it, Max Mayfield allowed the darkness of Vecna take hold as Steve begged for her to come back to them.

For a moment the world felt frozen that her time had come to such a sudden end. The first to break through was Lucas Sinclair. All his fears of what was to come of Max overshadowed the dreams he set for the future. A world of hope was crashing down before him as his feet carried him over the grounds of the cemetery.

The Henderson's were close behind with every step. As they neared, Alex fell to her knees beside Steve. Before her, Max sat there in a trance, her eyes lacking color, lifeless to this reality. As Alex went to reach for her, pleading with her to break free from this curse, Steve leaned over, preventing her from grabbing onto her. Taking his hold of Dustin's hoodie, he pointed back to his car as he yelled, "Call Nancy and Robin! Go get 'em! Call them! Go!"

Scrambling to his feet, Dustin broke free from Steve's grip, tripping over himself with desperation to do as he was told. Reaching Nancy and Robin would give Max that chance at having answers, a chance of breaking free and saving her from this world. He swore his walkie would reach Pennhurst and now was that time to show it.

There were so many words left unspoken between Max and Alex. To lose any chance at getting to rekindle their friendship daunted on Alex to see her in such a state. The last few moments the two ever could share together would be something she would be forced to live with. One where she hurt someone she cared deeply for, someone she hid from willingly-- where Max broke her promise to never hurt Alex when she dug into her deepest feelings and where Max Mayfield had no opportunity to say goodbye to those around her when Vecna took hold. Unwilling to let that moment flee before her eyes, Alex desperately took hold of Max's hand and the world went quiet.

Lucas looked to Max, wishing he had seen her sooner, seen her struggle to be there for her when she needed him. Right now he needed her and today seemed to be the last day of his life he could get to spend with her. His grip was tight on her arm as he called out to her, pleading with her to wake from this dreamlike state. Turning his head to call to Dustin to bring them any answers from Robin and Nancy, Lucas soon felt his grip loosening at the sight of something new. Beside him, Steve continued through the silence to scream out for Max. With a shaky hand, Lucas started to tap him until his desperation took control and he began to beat against Steve. "Stop! Stop!"

Bewildered to be told to stop trying by someone who would fight to the end of his life for Max, Steve turned to him with wide eyes. "What the hell?"

"Don't touch her," he whispered. Raising a finger towards Alex, Lucas felt his fears of losing both girls today settle into reality. Breath hitching in his throat, Steve whipped his head back toward Alex. Still holding on to Max's hand, Alex sat there, gone from this world, her eyes darting in every direction underneath her eyelids. Unable to accept that either of their fate was nearing its end, Steve's quick hands began to take hold of Alex's shoulder before Lucas tossed them away. "Stop it! Don't touch her!" His greatest worry was to be left alone. Had it been something so simple as a touch to take Alex under Vecna's pull, he didn't dare let anyone else fall into that same trap.

Steve refused to accept it was something so simple as a touch. He was the first to get to Max, to hold onto her and attempt to shake her from her nightmare, then Lucas as he pleaded for her life to be spared another day. Why it was Alex made it obvious to him after their conversation— it was always her. Every horror, every nightmare, every year, it was always her. Willing to take that chance, Steve held onto Alex's shoulder's as he began to shake her awake. "Alex! Wake up! Come on!"

Breathing heavily, Lucas' fingernails dug into the soft dirt beneath him, wishing all this had been his own nightmare. Things were meant to stop when Will Byer's returned from the Upside Down— safe. His life was supposed to start again when Max moved to Hawkins, the night they shared their first kiss he wished to never lose her. Everything was supposed to end and his life would begin brand new with everything he dreamed of, yet it all came with a cost. It never ended and he lost her once and he was losing her again right before his eyes.

As Dustin began to race back to them with his hands full, Lucas forced himself to think straight, to follow his word on always being there. His shaky hands dared to go against his belief that it only took a touch and he wrapped his hand around the intertwined hands of Max Mayfield and Alex Henderson. "It's Alex! It's her! Make her let go!" Pulling at their hands, he fought against the grip Alex's hold had on her. Screaming out for each of the girls, Lucas didn't think of the panic in his voice or what Jason would say for him to be so terrified when he was supposed to be strong. Prying their hands apart, Lucas' felt his own take hold of Max's, having him stumble back as Alex's hold finally gave way.

Gasping for air, Alex's panicked eyes overfilled with tears as she scrambled back from Max. Breathing heavily, she felt the warmth of blood pool beneath her nose and Steve come before her view of Max. Cupping her face in his hands, he needed bet focus to stay on him and show her everything was okay because he was there. However, fear sat in his eyes as his chest rose and fell rapidly, unsure how she could return back to them so soon and so terrified. This world was unlike the one she saw so clearly. This one was bright and full of hope and the people she loved.

When she had taken hold of Max, she let him in once more— she allowed Vecna to show her his belief in what the future would hold for them. Death and destruction filled the hellish landscape that he showed her, monsters overtaking the world around. A giant creature with a gaping mouth was only one of many that would start with Hawkins, then soon the world.

Now all of that was gone with a pull of a hand, a blink of an eye.

Unaware of the newest escape from Vecna, Dustin fell over his sister's feet and spilled music tapes in front of Max. Lip quivering, Alex moved over to Steve as her brother screamed for them to unite once more to save Max Mayfield with her favorite song. Taking Steve's hand, Alex pushed aside every terror that poured through her mind, the future she saw for Hawkins and all those that lived there, just so she could be there for Max.

The words of boys blurred together as Alex shifted through the tapes, handing them off to the one person she knew would know Max's favorite song— Lucas Sinclair. Her mind sat elsewhere— in the fear of losing Max to a monster and the way the world split open, consuming Hawkins with the hell that lurked within the Upside Down. To prevent this world from falling into Vecna's darkness, she wished for Max to be there at her side.

Holding it in his hands, Lucas Sinclair held that opportunity as he handed off Kate Bush to Dustin. Snatching it from his grasp, he didn't allow himself to fumble for even a second as he placed the tape into the Walkman. Placing the headphones over her ears, Dustin gave Max that chance to run when Vecna took hold of her.

Falling further under his spell, Max looked to the sky above her while her arms fell to her side. Taking flight, her body slowly rose with no intention of fleeing from the curse. The four had fallen back as they watched her body raise above them.

Within her mind, Max took her favorite song as an opening to the life she was supposed to live. With the view of those that fought for her, she realized her mission to hide was just an excuse to protect them before herself. But they never needed protection, what they needed was her. Breaking this curse wasn't meant just to give her another day, but rather to give her a lifetime with all those she shared the best parts of her life with.

Racing from Vecna, she didn't give him that chance to take hold of her, to consume her for his own power. Fighting against what fate laid out for her, she ran and she fought, not just for others, but herself. It wasn't just a song or just memories that kept her alive, it was her will to live, to see the future she could create.

Opening her eyes to the bright sun that shined down on Hawkins, Max inhaled reality as her body was released from Vecna's hold. Falling back to the ground, her feet hit first as her body followed after. Immediately, those four huddled around her, all taking hold of her, never to let Vecna have that opportunity to pull her back. Laying back into Lucas, Max breathed heavily as she listened to his words worried and shaky breath as he held her right against him.

"I'm still... I'm still here," she managed to get out as she clung to him. To feel them all hold to her, was a true reminder that her words were correct. She was there and she didn't plan on leaving again.

Sat beside Max, Alex rested her head against Steve as her panicked cries began to die down. All was forgiven as she slipped her hand back into Max's. This time it was safe, unable to pull her into a vicious hell of the future. Feeling the weight of Alex's hand within hers, Max blinked away her own tears, wondering if that too had been all a dream. Every day it's what she needed and to have that comfort back when she needed it the most allowed Max to close her eyes. For once, she felt safe doing so because they were all there. No one would ever leave her behind.