BATHROOM OF BROKEN HEARTS

☀︎

VICTOR CREEL WAS ONCE A FAMILY MAN. What once was a magnificent home held a family— the Creels. Victor Creel loved his family, sworn to protect them and love them until the end of time, only for the horrors to unleash within and consume them all. A triple homicide left the once stunning home to become an unloved, abandoned house. Now in March 1986, a group of teens set to uncover the mystery of the Creel's gave that house a chance to welcome in new visitors and bring truth to the horrors inside.

At the front step, Steve and Nancy worked to take the board off the front door. Holding her breath, Alex wondered what evil they would uncover just beyond this piece of plywood. Victor Creel believed that this was no man, no animal that tortured the family, but a spawn of Satan. Tortured within the walls, a family was lost, haunted, and killed by the evil being that believed they were tortured by humanity and its simplistic ways.

When the plywood fell to the ground around them, dust lifted off and opened a way into the nightmares inside. Chills ran down their spine to be greeted with the stained glass window, lost of its color as if it too had lost its light because of the dark hold the monster had on the Creels.

Taking hold of the doorknob, Steve attempted to pull it open, breath held and chest tight. With a rattle, the door refused to open and his head turned back to the group. "It's locked. Should I knock, see if anybody's home?" Taking his hand off the knob, he gave a sigh, a part of him wishing this meant that their journey was coming to an end and none of them would have to enter such a haunted home.

Standing in the back of the group, Robin devised a plan of her own. "No need," she called out. Holding on tight to a brick she found laying about, she held it for the others to see. "I found a key." Exchanging grins with Alex, she approached the door and didn't hesitate to send it sailing through the window. Glass scattered inside and the stained glass was broken apart, never to be whole again. For Max, it was a relief to see something that was once in her nightmare world crumble, no longer existing in reality.

Steve gave a small shrug and nodded as he extended his hand back out towards the door. Reaching in, he was left to trust his touch as he felt around for the door handle. Once his fingers grazed it, he held on tight and turned the knob, slowly pushing the door open. A slow creak of the door broke through the silence of held breaths as the group peered through the doorway. Within was a darkness that none were keen on entering.

As the others began to file inside, Max took the strap of Alex's backpack and began pulling it off her shoulders. Unzipping it, she retrieved several flashlights and began passing them out to those that entered. Taking one from Max, Alex left her in charge of her bag and clicked on her flashlight before entering.

Steeping into the Creel house, they were greeted with cold and stale air. Shining their lights around the room, the group refilled the dark landscape with their dull lights. As those passed him, Steve watched their hands, all of them occupying a flashlight while his were left empty. "Where'd everyone get those?"

Coming to a stop, Dustin looked behind him with a blank stare at Steve. "Do you need to be told everything? You're not a child."

Unamused, Steve turned his attention down to Dustin, "Thank you."

Coming to his side, Alex was quiet as she took hold of Dustin's bag and pulled it off of him. Sighing to himself, Dustin left the two, unimpressed with the lack of effort Steve put into this adventure. Zipping open the back pocket, Alex flashed Steve a forgiving smile as she pulled out a flashlight.

Accepting the flashlight, Steve glanced over at her in embarrassment. "I'm not a child," he mumbled. "No one told me to bring one."

"No one told the others either," she said, scrunching up her nose. "Even the children."

Patting his flashlight to his chest, he shook his head at her. "They don't get to call me a child. No, I call them children, got it?"

"Then don't forget your flashlight," she stated in a mocking tone.

"Don't forget yours," he mocked back. Sending him an annoyed glare, Alex thrusted Dustin's backpack at Steve's chest. Startled by the sudden blow, Steve took a step back as she walked off. Dropping the backpack down to the ground, Steve stepped over it, leaving behind their one communication to Eddie Munson, who by the time the sun dipped down would be desperately trying to reach out to them.

Standing before a grandfather clock, Max's eyes followed it up with her breath hitched in her throat. A thing of her nightmares once more stood before her. Every bit of terror she saw all connected back to this house. "Hey, guys? You all see that, right?"

Gathering around her, everyone turned their eyes up to the clock. Collectively they all agreed, yet most were fearful of what it all meant. Vecna's interest in the Creel house continued to expand further than what they imagined, however piecing it all together only lead them to more questions rather than answers.

Coming to Max's side, Nancy raised her light to the clock as she examined it. "Is this what you saw in your visions?"

"I mean, it's... just a clock," Robin whispered in confusion. "Right?" Looking at Alex, Robin felt that surge of confidence to do what the others secretly feared to do. Slipping out of Alex's hold, she advanced to the front of the group and swiped her hand across the clock, removing all dust that created a blanket over it. Sighing in relief, she turned back to the group. "Like any normal old clock."

"Why is this wizard obsessed with clocks?" Steve questioned aloud. "Maybe he's, like, a clockmaker or something?"

"Yeah, I think you got it," Alex said through the awkward silence. "Vecna's a clockmaker that's obsessed with teenagers." Reaching around, she gave a small pat on his back just before wrapping her arm around his waist and keeping him beside her. Looking down at her Steve sent her a dangerous look, "You're not funny today."

"I think you cracked the case, Steve," Dustin chimed in with a bright smile.

Shaking her head, Nancy was unamused with the conversation. "All I know is the answers are here. Somewhere." Stepping back, she took charge of leading the group to their investigation. "Okay, everyone stay in groups of two." Looking at Robin, she gave her a knowing look, "Robin, you're with me."

Startled for a moment, Robin went to raise a finger, wishing to stick with Alex. However, Nancy narrowed her eyes as she directed Robin's attention over to Steve and Alex continuously mocking one another over his clockmaker comment. Perking up, Robin's smirk grew as she lowered her finger. Playing Cupid with Nancy for a couple that desperately needed their help was a fun activity to pursue when fighting something evil.

Gravitating towards Lucas, Max pulled him along for their own search. Smiling at the two as they departed, Alex dropped her arm from around Steve and gave her brother a smack on the back. "Be my partner?"

"Do you even need to ask?"

Stunned that he was the only person left alone, Steve raised his arms up in confusion. "And what about me? I don't have anyone."

"Just join us," Alex offered, "We're going to check upstairs."

"Yeah, okay, I'll join you," he said with a small smile. To feel wanted, Steve adjusted his jacket and his hair as he watched Alex make her way passed him and to the stairs. However, his moment of getting to watch her was ripped from him as a light blinded his sight due to Dustin Henderson's excitement. Standing before him, Dustin was all smiles as he shined a light in Steve's eyes. "Welcome to the team! Keep it up and you might get your honorary Henderson status back."

Sighing, Steve was greatly unamused to be distracted. Pushing down Dustin's flashlight from his eyes, he decided to follow Alex up the stairs. Still, his subtle sigh didn't sit right with Dustin, "Was that a sigh? Why'd you sigh?"

"I didn't sigh," he called back to him in annoyance. "Just come on, dude. We're just always partners, okay?"

"You joined us," he reminded him. All it took was a simple no from Alex and Steve would have been off on his own or with another pair and yet he was the one complaining as if Dustin was the one to invite himself into the group. Wanting some alone time with Alex and finding the right moment to talk was what Steve wanted. Admitting to Dustin that's what got under his skin was embarrassing to him. "It'd just be nice to, I don't know, mix it up a bit," he sighed.

"Oh, mix it up? You mean do what you always do and pick my sister? That's not mixing it up, Steve," Dustin fought back loudly. Keeping a step behind Steve, he wasn't willing to let him race ahead and take away his partner. However, as they reached the top of the stairs, continuously bickering with one another at the thought of working together, they were greeted by Alex narrowing her eyes at them. "Bickering like an old married couple already? I can go work with Robin and Nance if you two wanna work together that badly."

Pushing under Steve's arm, Dustin made room for himself as he looked at Alex in anger. "Let's kick him out. Apparently, I bore him." Giving a single huff, Dustin broke past his sister and began his adventure of searching for clues and left them to the decision of what would follow.

"I never said that, man, come on," Steve called out to Dustin. Sighing at the lack of response from Dustin, Steve met Alex's eyes once more with an apologetic expression. "We're not an old married couple, by the way."

"Right," she scoffed, turning her back on him and following after her brother. Looking over her shoulder as Steve followed, Alex made another point to take a jab at him. "Don't forget we invited you to our team. We could just leave you to search this old spooky house by yourself, Harrington."

"Yeah, yeah," he mumbled as they entered the room. "Just thought we could..."

"What, mix it up a little?" Dustin teased, exchanging smiles with Alex. "How about you go team up with Max, Alex will go with Lucas, I'll go with Robin and Nance. Sound like a mixing it up to you?"

"That sounds like a lot of bickering," Alex laughed. "We might just annoy Vecna to death with all of us fighting from Steve's suggestion."

Unamused to be the butt of the joke, Steve scoffed and turned his back to the two. "Could you two maybe cool it for a sec and uh, maybe clarify what sort of clues we're supposed to be looking for here?" Eyes darting around the room, Steve saw it as one big dust-covered mess with nothing groundbreaking to uncover. It was all left behind as is and forgotten about through the years.

Approaching Steve, Dustin resisted the urge to bounce on his heels to get out a quote that instantly came to mind. Putting on his best British accent, Dustin glowed as he looked up to Steve. "The world is full of obvious things which nobody by any chance ever observed," he recited joyfully. Met with silenced his smile began to falter as the enthusiasm faded away. "Sherlock Holmes," he stated.

Forcing a smile, Steve turned away from Dustin, somehow more confused than before he asked for some advice on what to look for. Spotting Alex smiling to herself at Dustin's spark of excitement, Steve saw a chance sitting before him, especially with Dustin heading off in disappointment that Steve lacked his joy in Sherlock Holmes. Coming up beside her, he shined his light across the desk just as she had. "Hey," he said softly. Moving close, he brushed his arm up against hers just to feed that craving of being able to feel her touch once more. Swallowing his nerves, he glanced over at her before finding his eyes settle on the desk once more. "This might be a bad time, but... Do you think we could talk alone? Minus Sherlock Holmes over there?"

Alex glanced over at him and felt her doubts. Mending her relationships was becoming increasingly harder as she let more and more of them in. Though it felt good to feel the light and laughter back into her life, she felt it was coming with a cost. Not for herself, but for those around her. However, this was Steve and her heart was made to beat for him. Agreeing to his words, she motioned for him to follow out of the room quietly so Dustin wouldn't hear and tag along.

Entering the bathroom, she pretended to be interested in searching for information in a room that lacked a lot of clues. All she wanted was to look busy so she didn't seem so eager or nervous for him to begin. There was plenty the two wanted to and needed to say, however, their last conversation that had them discussing feelings led to a fight that ended in heartbreak. For today to be no different felt agonizing to anticipate because another blowup would end the broken relationship altogether.

He stayed close to her as they walked around the room, not letting her keep herself hidden so easily. "I just... I want to apologize. All that crap I said about you and saying it was all bullshit, it wasn't true. And you should know that those other girls you saw me with... They didn't matter to me. I don't know what I was trying to do. If I was trying to move on, make you jealous or-or if I'm still that same piece of crap I've always been."

His words brought her out of her shell as she turned to him. All her life, she never allowed Steve Harrington to talk down on himself. Even if he was a different person before, he grew into someone different-- the person he always was. "Steve, I'm the one who keeps screwing things up between us. Tremendously. I always understood you wanted to move on and whatever your reasoning is for being with whoever you wanted, it doesn't matter. I just wanted you happy. It's how I'll always feel about you whether we're together or not. And with our fight... I was upset about Max and I took it out on you. It wasn't fair to you at all."

He felt relief in her words and smiled down at her. "Yeah, well, all is forgiven when you're afraid she's gonna get her eyes sucked out the front of her skull." Clearing his throat, he gave a few nods to keep up his confidence. "Turns out I wasn't very happy at all. Might not believe it, but for once I was right about something... and after dating you, my expectations... extremely high."

She felt herself frown when she turned up to him. "Come on, Steve."

"You think any of those girls compared, Henderson?" Making a face at her, he continued on, "Uh, don't know if you heard but, um, Brenda liked Tammy Thompsons singing. Total turn-off. I mean, I even considered not being Robin's friend just because she denied it when I first told her Tammy sounded like a Muppet."

"All right, calm down, Harrington," she laughed, attempting to hide how easy it was for him to break through to her. "You're out of your mind if you think Tammy Thompson is enough to convince me that's the reason you suddenly aren't interested in Brenda."

Taking matters seriously now, he let a sigh out as he decided it was best to be honest with how he felt. "I don't know, I guess I... I like my life better when I'm with you." There was a silence, waiting for her to say something but when she looked at him, he saw what Robin was talking about. Alex was hurting far worse, but she was in there and that part of her still loved him. Turning to face her fully, Steve looked down at her with a softness in his eyes as he opened up with how he truly felt. "None of those girls mattered because of you. I love you. I still do."

Alex kept her eyes trained on him, a part of her breaking away. He said the words she was longing to hear for months and it was all bittersweet. The more he loved her, the more she felt she could damage him. And her silence did exactly that.

His chest tightened, wondering if this was how it all ended. Inside the Creel House, he would lose the love of his life because of the demon that hid in the walls and hid somewhere inside of Alex. Swallowing hard, he turned away, shining his flashlight across the room and a realization set in. The room they had stood in was a bathroom and here he was getting his heart broken all over again, another girl unwilling to love him.

To him, he wasn't worthy of ever feeling love from anyone. A part of him felt cursed, that he screwed up every relationship he was ever in whenever he felt he could open up his heart and fall hard in love. This time around the love he felt for Alex Henderson never compared to what he thought he felt for Nancy Wheeler. It was different and it was something he wished to never lose.

Alex looked back at him over her shoulder and she knew she could never let someone like him get away from her. Looking down at the floor, she shut her eyes and forced herself to do the thing she promised and that was to tell the truth. Her voice was soft, terrified of admitting what she told herself she needed to stop believing in just to get through another day without him. "I love you too," she said softly. Steve almost didn't even hear her, but when he did, his heart rose. Slowly coming back over to her, he stood closer, clicking off his flashlight. She licked her lips anxiously and met his gaze again, scared that after everything she's worked to hide, it would come back and attack her. "I think that it's better for you to have someone that won't hurt you though."

"You know that's not true. Anyone I'm with, I just, I keep looking for the perfect girl. And I told myself she's always out there and I'm not looking hard enough. Turns out, I was right, you know because I already had her."

She gave him a sarcastic smile, "Ha. Says Mr. Perfect himself. No perfect girl would yell at you over watching some movies. I think if anyone doesn't deserve the other, it's me not deserving you." Unwilling to accept that he could love her through everything she put him through, Alex turned away hoping it could just be that. He knew how she felt and it was better for him to move on without her.

Clicking back on his flashlight, he followed in step after her. Letting go was not something he was willing to do. He tried it once and nothing could take away what he felt for her and he needed her to know that. "You don't actually mean that, right? Because I actually don't deserve you, Henderson. Not a chance."

She flashed him a sad smile, "You're such an idiot."

"Yeah, I've been getting that a lot lately," he agreed, a smile creeping back up to see her break back into a comfortable state. "Come on, after everything, yeah, I don't really care what happens, as long as we can do it together." Grabbing her shoulder, he turned her towards him. His eyes traveled all over her face before landing on her eyes. "You were my best friend before anything. Before I had to start sharing you with the rest of the shitheads in Hawkins." Keeping his eyes on her, he hoped she could see his pleading and begging hidden behind his eyes. "Alex, you're not just some girl I fell in love with. You're my best friend," he paused, his eyes lingering towards her lips, "And I've always loved you."

Alex shifted, moving closer to him, brushing her hand against his in hopes he would take it. "Always? You probably liked me maybe a few seconds after I confessed my undying love for you. That's just a long shot though." Her words were soft and playful, but also fragile to the thought of him toying with her emotions just to have her back, however, she felt he could only be honest rather than ever use her emotions against her.

"Since my parents made me walk you home when we first met," he corrected. "You called my parents assholes... repeatedly. Which instant puppy love just from giving my parents shit, by the way," he commented playfully. "And then you continued to wow me the entire way back to your place. You weren't like all the other assholes in Hawkins." Raising a finger to her, he gently tapped the end of her nose, "One time in our life that you were the idiot. Not me. How does it feel, Henderson?"

A smile began to break out across her face the more nervous she grew. Her cheeks grew a soft pink that was hidden away in the darkness of the Creel House. "You liked me? Like actually?"

He looked away with wide eyes before falling back onto hers, biting back a smile. "Uh, yeah, Henderson. Jesus, even being with other girls, I was always trying to impress you and you never gave a shit."

"I totally gave a shit about you, I just... you never seemed like you liked me is all. It's kind of mind-blowing, actually."

"Yeah, well, don't get your hopes up," he scoffed. "See, there's this girl I sorta like now. It's crazy too because she's insanely beautiful, hilarious... always has me laughing, and she's incredibly smart, too. But she's sort of scared that she's a curse and that's- that's far from the truth. I swear, Henderson, she's the greatest thing that ever happened to a shithole like Hawkins. Turns out though, she's totally lost it and doesn't see that I've always loved her, and being around her again, it... it just makes me fall in love with her all over again."

Alex breathed out a laugh as she looked to her feet. This time she didn't have something that clouded her judgment and caused her to ignore every hint and sign that he gave to her. Looking up at him, she shook her head with a glowing smile. "I'm sort of jealous. She sounds great."

"She is. She's the greatest thing that's ever happened to me. She's my best friend."

Time stood still for the two as they watched one another, the corners of their lips turned up in pure love. Their eyes didn't stay on one another's long as they fell towards each other's lips, each one desperate to find their place back where they belonged. Alex's hand once again brushed against Steve's, having each of them gently wrap their fingers together. Steve's forehead rested against hers, waiting as she turned her head up towards his, their eyes fluttering shut.

Just as their lips began to pass over one another, the door to the bathroom burst open causing the two to turn in opposite directions of one another. Steve rubbed his neck awkwardly, sending a dangerous look toward Dustin. "What the hell do you want, man?"

"You guys left me," he pouted, shining his light across the room. "This is a bathroom. What kinda clues are you looking for in here?"

Walking up to him, Steve placed his hand on the top of Dustin's head, pushing him out of the bathroom and shutting the door in his face. Keeping his composure, he looked back to Alex, eager to pick up where they left off. They were only moments away from a kiss that would fix everything that happened between the two. Now, Alex was kneeling on the floor, pulling off a vent cover. "Hey, come look at this," she called over.

Closing his eyes in slight frustration, he saw that moment fleet just like that. Coming to her side, he kneeled down, his eyes only focused on her. He wanted to remind her how he loves her and that none of what happened between them mattered because all he ever thought about was her. She could never hurt him and he could never hurt her.

Alex didn't notice as her curiosity spiked, leaning forward for a better look inside the vent. She wasn't willing to stick her hand inside, fearful of the spiderwebs that sat inside. "There's stuff in there," she whispered. Pulling his eyes off of her, he peered in himself. This time around, Alex kept her eyes on him. "What is it?" She questioned in a whisper, but her mind was elsewhere. For once, she could feel her heart beating for nothing but good reason. He was going to kiss her and it was because he truly loved her despite the pain she caused him. For now, all the blame she put on herself for Steve, was gone, washed away by his touch.

He raised a glass jar and inside were dead spiders— black widows. Alex pulled her eyes away from him as she looked at it in disgust. Taking the jar, she turned it over, "That's disgusting."

What had truly been creepy was the thing that crawled up Steve's arm and onto his shoulder. A black widow was eager for a sign of life after a friend like Henry Creel had left them many years ago. All Steve wanted to do was scoot closer to Alex, acting as if he wanted a better look at the spider himself, but he immediately took notice of the thing that crept up his arm.

There was no time to keep calm for him and he jerked up, beginning to swat at the spider out of pure fear. Startled by his sudden actions, Alex flinched and the glass jar she held shattered right before her eyes. As he got to his feet, swatting away, he found himself stumbling towards the door to make sure he didn't throw the spider toward Alex.

Sitting back, Alex panted, brushing off the glass that sat on her lap. Feeling a sting, she looked to her cut hand and winced from the pain. Getting to her feet, she frowned, pouting at the specs of blood that broke out from the small cut and walking out of the bathroom just as Steve did.

Standing out in the hall, Steve stood with Nancy as she fished the webs from his hair. Making her way around, Alex kept her eyes down. A new questionable fear lingered in the back of her mind, wanting to find some answers on her own, but Steve called out to her to stop. "Hey, hey, whoa, where you going?"

Alex turned back to him with a concerned look. Holding up her hand, she gave a shrug. "I dropped the jar and cut myself. I was gonna see if Max had anything in my bag so none of this nasty dust got in it."

Steve watched as she walked off down the hall and gave a small sigh. They were so close to being together once more and just as its always been, someone decided to step in and come between their moment. Taking notice of the way his shoulders slacked in disappointment, Nancy couldn't help but smile as she peeked around him. "She'll be fine without her protector, you know."

"Yeah, I'm not her protector, okay?"

"Oh, so you're learning," she teased. Picking at the webs in his hair, Nancy couldn't help but smile at him, shaking her head in awe at how ridiculous he could be sometimes. He was slow but he had a good heart and he was head over heels in love.

"It's cool you and Robin are there for her, you know. Alex really loves you two are friends now. She's obsessed with Robin and you know she's always loved you. Maybe after we find Vecna, kill him, save the world and stuff, maybe we can all go out or something. You know, me, you, Alex, Robin, Jonathan, when he gets back. Alex'll wanna see him too. And- and you know that's how me and Robin are too, by the way, like Jonathan and Alex. We're not dating or anything."

"Yeah, she made that very clear," Nancy chuckled.

"Platonic with a capital P," Robin called over to them.

"We're great friends. She's... she's one of my best friends but, between you and me, I think she likes Alex more," he whispered. "I mean, I don't know. She actually thinks I'm funny."

Nancy smiled in amusement at his lack of confidence. He was great, but he couldn't see that for himself. Something Steve always did was talk down to himself when he was someone that somehow made the group just more perfect. "I'm done. It's all out," she said softly.

"Thanks," he sighed, turning back to her. His eyes fell to his feet as she watched him. Something was on his mind that he needed to get out. "Hey, uh, Nance, can I ask you something?"

She gave a small nod, quiet just for him to feel safe talking to her. He let out a shaky breath, holding his fingers together nervously. Talking to anyone but Robin about his relationships was rare and even if he did, he never wanted to share how hurt he was. "I was talking to Alex in there and... and I told her I still love her. But, uh, even when she told me she loves me too, I-I couldn't help but notice... She's not wearing the ring I gave her. So, uh, if you know..."

Relief filled Nancy, seeing now she had been holding her breath. She couldn't help but chuckle softly, looking down to her feet as well to hold back her smile. "She's wearing it."

His eyes shot up, his face scrunched up in confusion. "N-no, no, she's not, Nance. That's the whole reason I'm asking."

Her eyes slowly looked up to his, a pout coming to her lips to see how hopeless he really was. "Steve," she whispered in disapproval. "It's on her necklace. She's always wearing it. I guess this time, it's just a little closer to her heart."

Steve stared at Nancy, searching for a reason why she would lie to him. But she was so genuine and despite their issues in the past, she never stopped caring for him. They were always meant to be friends and this proved that. If she could go back and change things, she would've pointed Steve back in the right direction, showing that it was always Alex and in return, Alex could show her how she was missing out on Jonathan Byers. "She loves you, Steve. She always has and you know that. Don't doubt yourself. You heard it straight from her how she feels. So go and find her and be with her. This time, don't let any spiders ruin your chances."

"Nancy," he whispered, "Thank you."

"Don't screw this up, I'm really looking forward to all hanging out together like you said. Even if Jonathan's not there. You're right, Robin's great. I might even steal her from you."

He gave a small nod as she made her way around him. Not letting his moment fade away so soon, Steve headed straight for the stairs, his feet hitting hard before he skipped the final step and was prepared to search for her. However, she was standing not too far away, watching the grandfather clock before her.

Slowly approaching her side, Steve looked at it as well. Brushing his arm against hers, he wished she would take notice of his presence. Humming quietly to himself, he didn't think twice about the silence. However, Alex slowly looked at him. "What are you doing?"

Eyes quickly darting over to her, he tried to flash a smile but his embarrassment at telling the truth had his smile hesitate. "I-I'm prepping," he stated. "Being in this place gives me the creeps and apparently you're on Vecna's hit list. Hammer to Fall— it's your favorite song and I'm prepping to sing it the second that thing tries anything."

A sad smile came to Alex's face as she looked at him. "That's not... it's not my favorite song anymore, Steve," she whispered regretfully.

Turning to her, he shook his head, unwilling to accept it. "No, it's been your favorite song for, like, ever. You play it every time we hang out. I-I would know," he laughed as he pointed to his chest. "We've... you know, done some pretty unforgivable acts to that song."

"Oh, no, please stop," she laughed through a face of disapproval. "I mean, it was my favorite song before. Don't get me wrong, I still love it, it's just... I changed it up."

"You changed it up," he whispered. "I'm sorry, who are you? You've always been obsessed with that song."

"All right, calm down there," she chuckled. Wishing to stay focused, she tore her eyes off him to look back at the clock in front of them. It clearly meant something to Vecna just as she meant something to him. "But listen, I've been thinking and I really want to know your thoughts on this. Let's say I did what Nancy's saying and opened this doorway for Max to go into Vecna's mind: how I would I ever do that, I don't know... again?"

"You're asking me," he said gently as he narrowed his eyes at her. "The same guy that thought Vecna was a clockmaker. Not sure if you've lost your mind or what's going on here."

"Yes, sometimes your guesses are a little... off. But this requires out-of-the-box thinking like you so greatly do."

"Okay, then if it were me, I'd say you'd have to have some type of Jedi mind connection with Vecna to get into his brain. I mean, I don't know, maybe it's not even his mind, maybe it's yours."

"First one was cool, the second one was creepy. I wouldn't have some red fog horror show in my head, Steve. And I didn't even remember what this house looked like. My mind would be really dark and sad, but I also think if I wanted to save Max, I would've brought her to the happy part of my mind. It'd be really cute too. I'm talking Mews and movies and maybe some Johnny Depp and all my friends-- all of us inside of Scoops Ahoy while you serve us up ice cream in your sailor uniform..."

"I don't get the obsession with the uniform," he whispered through a smile.

"I don't know, maybe it's the shorts, the cute little hat or maybe the blue... I like yellow better on you but the blue was very cute on you." Tapping against her cheek in thought, she came to a more logical explanation. "Maybe it's just you... I couldn't imagine being attracted to anyone else in that uniform."

"Not even Johnny Depp?"

Looking up at him, Alex couldn't stop herself from laughing. "Ah, back with the jealousy?"

"No, no, no," he fought back loudly. "I'm not jealous of him, okay? Sure, he's great in one movie and... and you got a poster of him in your room..."

"Creeper, hey, how do you know that?" She interrupted curiously. "Did Dustin tell you? He did, didn't he?"

"Robin, actually," he shot back. "She keeps bugging me about him, saying he has a better shot with you than I do. But, if you think about it, he couldn't even survive Freddy Krueger. I could. I'm like a ninja, I'd just take him out."

Alex pursed her lips to hide her smile as she nodded her head. "Yeah, yeah, you totally could. Honestly, I don't know why I don't have a poster of you hanging up on my wall. You're cute, funny, and you have the ability to take on Freddy Krueger." Playfully perking up in excitement, she raised a finger at him. "Oh my God, and you cracked the case when you discovered Vecna's a clockmaker which totally makes you a certified genius. You're the whole package. How did I ever let you go? One word and I should be on my knees for you. Wow!"

Sending her sarcasm, Steve looked over at her in annoyance. "Does Johnny Depp look good in a Scoops uniform? Didn't think so. So you can stop running your mouth and apologize for being an asshole right there. And yeah, you know what, I should be the only one you get on your knees for, Alex. Me. Not some shmuck who couldn't even stay awake for one night."

"A man of convincing words," she whispered as she began to get to her knees. "I mean, Steve, if you insist."

"Okay, okay," he whispered as he grabbed ahold of her and helped her back onto her feet. "People were murdered here, Alex. Maybe for once keep your pants on."

"Oh, so rich coming from you," she scoffed as she brushed off her jeans. "Your pants were practically around your ankles when you asked me if I wanted to watch Dr. Zhivago with you. Double VHS? Come on, man, you agreeing to that means you want one thing."

"You," he stated. "I wanted you, actually, brat."

"Yeah, so you could, what, run your fingers through your hair, friend zone yourself, or do you only do that in front of the children in the most embarrassing way possible, huh?"

"That's just mean," he whispered. "And may I add in the fun little fact that you agreed to Dr. Zhivago. Not only that but an entire marathon of movies. Sounds like you're the one that had plans and they didn't require pants."

"You're disgusting," she said with narrowed eyes in his direction. "I could tell you whenever that I wanted you and you'd lose your pants in a second. The only reason you're so hesitant now is because you're actually afraid this Vecna creeper is watching."

"No, I'm not," he scoffed, however, his eyes quickly darted around the room. Holding his breath, he met Alex's eyes once more with curiosity. "Let's say you and him have that weird mind connection after all... that wouldn't mean he could see everything, right?"

"Are you afraid some monster from another dimension is seriously interested in watching us have sex? Really?"

"No," he said quickly. "No, no, I'm saying for the sake of the team. What if he sees us here right now."

"He's literally in Max's head. I don't think he needs two sets of eyes," Alex said but she kept her eyes on him. Wanting to relieve him from the clear reason he was stressing out, Alex gave a soft sigh. "He doesn't watch us have sex, Steve. Will you relax?"

"No, yeah, no, uh, I'm relaxed," he scoffed. "I wasn't even worried about that. Sounds like you are though."

"Definitely," she whispered through a disapproving smile. "And who knows, maybe he's a jealous monster that will kill you too because you did... what did you say? Some unforgivable acts with me?"

"Why would you say that?" He whispered anxiously. "Cut it out."

"Cut it out," she mocked in a deep voice. "First Johnny, now Vecna. Will you keep it together, Harrington?"

"I am keeping it together, Alex," he shot back. "As your..." hesitant, Steve paused, fumbling over his words. "As your... your ex, I have the right to worry. Don't need you running off with some creep who watches every step you take and that shmuck you love that can't keep his eyes open."

"Because Mr. Perfect is standing before me and..." looking down, she pointed to his ankles. "And his pants are around his ankles again. Gosh, Steve, stop throwing yourself at me. I'm with a monster and a famous actor now. I'm satisfied enough."

"Shut up" he groaned. "I'm not even throwing myself at you right now. This is you projecting."

"Oh, so I'm throwing myself at you?" She questioned loudly. "I already warned you, man, one word and I'm right back on my knees and will do something very unforgivable right here and..." Clearing her throat loudly, Alex's words came to a halt as Max and Lucas stood by the front entrance, watching the two with mixed expressions.

Turning around to face them, Steve stood beside Alex, growing red with embarrassment. Stumbling over her words, Alex looked from Steve to the other two in an attempt to formulate a sentence. Amused with the lack of confidence in her answer and even the ability to get an excuse out, Max watched with her arms crossed. Lucas, on the other hand, was disgusted and held his hands out in front of him. "Stop, stop. Just stop. I don't care and I don't want to know. In fact, I don't even know what you two were saying and I don't want to know."

"Movies," Steve squeaked out.

Agreeing quickly, Alex nodded her head. "Ever seen A Nightmare on Elm Street? I-if you haven't, you don't wanna know what Johnny Depp's character does to Freddy Krueger."

"I've seen it and I don't remember that kind of scene," Max spoke up. Meeting Alex's eyes, she wished to stir the pot and take away from the haunting of the Creel house. "Care to explain? Maybe I'm misremembering?"

"Deleted scene," Steve called out. Nervously setting his hand on the back of his neck, he looked at Alex, searching for a reason to be confident in his answer. "Yeah, uh, they deleted it. Don't even show it anymore so it's, like, insanely impossible to come across. Wiped it out."

Scrunching up his face in horror, Lucas shook his head to shake the thought out. "Why would he do that to Freddy Krueger?"

"That's why it's deleted," Steve whispered, lacking all confidence. "Really messed up stuff."

"Thank god it wasn't you two talking like that to each other," Max laughed, a fake open-mouth smile as she shook her head in disbelief. "Not when I'm going to die at any point and we're supposed to be looking for clues to stop this."

"Which is why we are looking for those clues," Alex said with a finger in the air. Agreeing with her, Steve nodded along, putting on a fake smile to sell the idea that they were doing just that. Lowering her finger down, Alex's attention was caught off guard as she peered behind Max and Lucas. "Are you guys seeing that?" She questioned as she advanced forward.

"Ha, nice try," Max scoffed. "You don't have to pretend. I really couldn't care less about you two flirting."

"No, seriously," Steve mumbled, following after Alex. The two broke between Lucas and Max at the sight of a light. Arriving at the Creel house, no switch would turn on a single light, and now, pulsating right before them, the dull light of the lamp gave a glow against their faces as they watched it.

Pursing her lips together, Max kept her eyes focused on the lamp. "Some clue," she whispered through a crack in her voice. Hesitantly reaching out, the tips of Max's fingers just barely grazed the edges of the lamp before the light faded away and a new glow emerged from behind them. Breaking through the group, Max followed after it in quick steps. "What the hell?" With a quick flicker of lights, the lamp flickered out until a new one began its glow in the chandelier above them.

Feeling a small nudge to his arm, Lucas slowly turned his eyes to Alex who kept her focus on the lights above them. "Go get the others," she whispered. A quick nod and the flash of his feet, Lucas took off towards the stairs, hollering out to the others lost in the darkness in the house for them to come see what the they had. Started and curious to see what the noise was all about, Nancy, Dustin, and Robin dropped their investigation for clues as they raced after Lucas down the stairs.

Huddling around underneath the glow of the light, Max retold the events that occurred that had them on the edge of their seat. Clicking off her flashlight, Nancy swallowed hard as she looked over at Alex. "It's like the Christmas lights."

Afraid to be left in the dark, Robin leaned in close to Alex's ear, leaving only centimeters of air between them. "Christmas lights?"

"When Will was in the Upside Down, the lights... came to life," Nancy whispered.

"Vecna's here," Lucas spoke up. The others were far too afraid to admit it, terrified of what kind of hell they brought themselves into. "In this house. Just on the other side," he continued on.

"That means he can hear us," Alex whispered.

"Doesn't help we were just talking about him," Steve said as he moved closer to her. "Think he heard us?"

Bringing her eyes over to meet his, Alex raised her brows as the corners of her lips turned upwards with worry. "Definitely." Feeling the hairs on her arms began to stand up from the chill of the room, Alex began to rub her arms to find that warmth, "So he knows we're in here," she said to the group in a hushed whisper.

Slipping off his jacket, Steve saw how cold she became and placed his jacket over her shoulders. His eyes never met hers, hoping to keep this moment as not a big deal. As she accepted his jacket by slipping it on for herself, both Nancy and Robin bore their eyes into the couple-- Robin hoping to shoot either of them a wink and Nancy wishing to encourage their motives in growing closer. Yet, what had caught their attention was the dull faded light fading out above them and leaving them to the small glow of their flashlights.

"I think he just left the room," Robin whispered. "I think Stevie made him jealous."

Reaching out, Lucas gave a small tap on Max's arm. "I don't like this. Headphones," he instructed. Not hesitating, Max fumbled to get them over her ears. Once they were, the muffled sound of music replaced the eerie silence of Vecna's disappearance.

Nancy's eyes stayed on her flashlight and how it slowly faded out just as the light above had done. With Vecna now on the move, the lights around them fell back into darkness whether they had been on before or not. Eyes shooting up, she looked to the others to follow her lead. "Everyone, turn off your flashlights and spread out."

There was close to no fighting as everyone listened to her instruction. Collectively, the light from the flashlights clicked off and the group began to scatter, watching for a sign of life from the Upside Down. The only one not amused with the thought of returning to darkness and separating had been Steve Harrington. "We're not gonna be able to see if we turn off our flashlights," he called out as the others dispersed, leaving him to fight against the impossible.

Returning to his side, Alex reached out, grabbing ahold of his hand and pulling him along with her. "Jesus Christ," he mumbled, tripping over his feet to stay alongside her.

Pulling him into a room to themselves, Alex took his flashlight and turned it off for him, leaving them in complete darkness. "I don't want to be alone, do you?" she whispered. With no response from him, she got the answer she was expecting. "Exactly." The broken light of the fading sun poured in enough light to give them the smallest glow of seeing one another. Sighing through a smile that broke out across her face, she shook her head, "Kinda romantic, huh?" she teased.

"Yeah, not even close," he scoffed with a playful roll of his eyes. "There's a monster on the loose in case you didn't notice." Taking his flashlight back from her, he raised it up for her to see he'd be willing to search for him just as she was. Together the two stayed at each other's side as they hunted down the man in another dimension.

Somewhere within the Creel's home, Robin paced around anxiously, waiting for her moment to capture Vecna and call out to the others. Her grip grew tight against her flashlight and her eyes started to burn from her lack of blinking as she watched it so carefully, not wanting to miss the chance of the smallest flicker. When that light encapsulated her face, lighting up bright, her grin broke out. "I got him!"

Racing into the room, the group caught sight of her holding onto the glowing flashlight, a proud smile on her face until soon enough it flickered back towards darkness. Pouting, she looked around those that gathered around, "I had him."

Opening his mouth to reassure her she'd get it again, Steve was startled to find the light of his flashlight beam up towards his face. Taking a step back, he held his free hand out above his flashlight afraid that even the smallest breath of air would somehow take away the light. "I think he's moving," he whispered as he began to step forward. "He's moving. He's moving," he repeated back, a twang of excitement and urgency in his voice. Heading out of the room, Steve took lead with his flashlight back to the bottom of the stairs.

Desperate to keep up, the group tripped over one another, all hoping to keep their own eye on the light just in case it went out and they were needed to take lead for Steve. Up the stairs, everyone raced up because somewhere on the other side, Vecna was in step with them.

At the very top of the stairs, it was as if a breath was ripped out from Steve's lungs when the light instantly went out. "I lost him," he whispered in disappointment.

Shoulders began to slack and upset huffs of air began to spill from some in the group, feeling as if they lost the biggest lead yet. However, Max never lost hope that Vecna could just disappear right before their eyes. Eyes traveling around where they stood, she caught sight of the faded light pouring from the attic. "No, you didn't," she whispered as she passed over Steve. Pushing open the attic door, she looked back to the group as the horrors behind awaited for them to arrive.

Hesitantly, the group kept their breath held as they gathered around the stairs leading up. Just around those stairs, Vecna found comfort in this home, making it a place of his own— it was how he reached into a doorway through to Hawkins, Indiana. And tonight, his hands would reach through that doorway as he claimed hold of his newest victim. Yet the only one that wasn't willing to be fazed by a creature on the other side, Alex was the first to break through. What she feared most than a monster of nightmares was seeing how scared the group she cared for was.

Advancing up the stairs to the attic, Alex felt as Steve kept his hands on her, peering over her shoulder to keep sight of any dangers that could head her way. With a quivering breath, she reached the last step, her eyes locked in on the single bulb that lit up the ominous attic. As the group slowly poured into the attic alongside her, Steve's hold broke from Alex and he took a stand beside her.

Gathering under the low light of the bulb, the flashlights of the group began to flicker on the closer they got to the bulb. Nervous, Steve held his flashlight up toward the ceiling just as the rest had, an anxious chuckle escaping his lips. "Okay, what's happening?"

There was a silence of uncertainty as the group had nothing more to do than watch and wait. It was impossible to say what they wondered would come as Vecna only lurked on the other side. There was no gate to allow him to pour through and Max Mayfield was saved from his hold with her headphones sitting against her ears. An uneasiness settled among them to know this was the closest they had ever gotten to Vecna, however, it wouldn't stay that way for long.

On the other side, in the Upside Down, Vecna wished for the horrors Hawkins brought him many years ago unleash among those that suffered as much as he had. Wishing to free them from their hell, he claimed them as his own.

Patrick McKinney lived his horrors in secret, keeping them within the walls of his home. However, his secret wasn't safe when he allowed Alex Henderson into his life. Eighteen years old and a basketball star, he was unprepared to leave this world behind because soon enough he could free Hawkins to escape from the abusive home he lived in. Tonight on March 25th, Patrick took a dive into Lover's Lake for his final moments in life. Just as his countdown began the flashlights in the hands of the group began to shine brighter and brighter.

Pulled beneath the surface of the water, Patrick submerged into Vecna's curse. That final chime of the clock and Patrick rose to the air, lost in his mind and trapped in a nightmare to lead him to his final breath. As he fell victim to Vecna just as Chrissy and Fred, the power Vecna had unleashed inside the Creel House broke through into Hawkins. Pops filled the air as the light became too powerful and each flashlight burst until finally, the light bulb above blew when Patrick's body fell into Lover's Lake, free from his horrors and leaving Hawkins to the darkness.