Saturday, 29th March 1986

THEY STOOD IN THE RV AS THEY discussed the plan, "I want to run through it one more time," Nancy said, "Phase one, we meet Erica at the playground,"

Bea nodded, "Phase two, max baits vecna and he'll go after her so we'll put him in his trance," she explained.

"Phase three, me and Eddie draw the bats away," Dustin said and Bea looked over at her brother who was dressed in some stupid looming protective gear.

"Four, we head into Vecnas lair," Robin said as she held the molotov cocktails in her hand.

"Nobody deviates from the plan, no matter what," Nancy said and the group went to the gate in eddies trailer, jumping through the gate.

They walked out, everyone looking at one another, "Hey guys listen, if anything here starts to go south you abort okay," Steve said as he looked at Dustin and Eddie, "Don't try to be cute or heroes or something,"

"Don't worry, we're not heroes," Eddie said and Bea pulled him in for a hug.

"Look after him for me," she said, smiling at him before she turned to her brother, pulling him in for a hug.

"Don't worry Bea, it's gonna be okay," Dustin said as he felt her tighten her arms around him.

She pulled away, putting on a fake smile, "I know, it'll be okay," she said, walking over to Steve as the group headed to Vecnas.

The four walked to the Creel house, weapons in hand as they prepared for what was ahead of them.

Bea was terrified, hating that this could be the end of everything. She looked over at Steve, her eyes landing on him and she took a deep breath, knowing that as long as she was with him, it was all going going be okay.

They walked through the woods, Steve and Bea together and Nancy and Robin in front.

"They look close dont they," bea said as she eyed her best friend as she smiled at Nancy.

"Yeag, its nice that they have each other," Steve said, not realising that his girlfriend meant that Nancy and Robin looked like a couple.

"Uh, I don't mean to freak anyone out but I swear we've seen this tree before," Robin said and they all stopped, "It would suck if Vecna destroyed the world because we got lost in the woods,"

"We're not lost robin," Nancy said before seeing Robin head for some vines, the girl grabbing her wrist, "Careful, hive mind,"

"Don't worry about them baby, they're just stressed, scared," Steve said as he reached down for her hand, watching the two ahead of them.

"Yeah, it's just Robin's a bit of a klutz but she's my best friend, I don't want to lose anyone," Bea explained, already feeling calmer as she felt steves hand in hers, "She did take sixth months longer to wal than other babies though so,"

Steve chuckled, "I shouldn't laugh. You know, when I was a baby, I actually crawled backwards," he explained.

Bea laughed, "Crawled backwards? Is there even possible Steve?" She asked, a grin on her face.

Steve smiled, he loved it whenever she smiled, "I'd push with my hands like this, always in reverse. I did reverse my baby but down a flight of stairs and thumped my head real good," he explained.

"That explains everything," she said with a smile, "But I wouldn't want you any other way,"

"The biggest thump of my head was when I realised I loved you. It made me want to be a better person you know," he said.

Bea smiled at the sentiment because she loved him just as much. He had changed her life for the better as well and she couldn't ask for anything else. Their petty squabbles had been forgotten as they realsied what really mattered is each other.

"Maybe once this is all over, we can live that dream. The winnebago, seeing the country with our six little nuggets," he said with a smile, "We could leave Hawkins, not too far. We could get married and spend the rest of our lives together,"

"I like the sound of that, of living the rest of our lives together," she said, stopping as she let go of his hand to touch his face, fingers brushing over a slight stubble, "Maybe we'll start soon, with the six nuggets of yours,"

His face flushed slightly, "Soon?" He questioned, his voice shaky as he imagined Bea in their home, a small baby in her arms that was a perfect mix of both of them.

"Yeah, maybe the next year or two, once this is all over," she said with a smile.

Bea was already imagining Max, Lucas, Dustin and Erica babysitting the kids. She could see Joyce fussing over the little baby. She could imagine Steve sitting on the couch, a baby against his bare chest. She could imagine it all.

Before they could kiss, they heard robins voice call out, "Awesome news! Looks like we weren't going the wrong way after all," She said and they started walking and lo and behold, they were met by creel house.

It was surrounded by bats but they could see a pulsing light in the playground and rushed over, knowing it was Erica.

Erica signalled that they were ready to go in and they did, Beas hands shaking as they walked inside.

Steve went in first, navigating the vines on rhe floor and everyone followed suit. He helped them up and they stood on the platform, ready to go go the door.

Steve grabbed his axe and just as that happened, the house began to shake and somehow they all managed to stay upright.

All of a sudden, Robins legs were grabbed by vines and she was pulled against the wall. Before they could act, Beas legs were grabbed as well and she was pressed to the wall next to her.

Steve and Nancy were grabbed as well, the four being tugged to the walls, the vines wrapping around them, suffocating them.

Beas eyes met steves and she wondered if this was it. If this was rhe moment that she was going to die.

She'd imagined the moment since 1983 when they'd summoned the demogorgon. She'd imagined it in 1984 when they'd gone into those tunnel. She'd imagined it in 1985 when she was in in Russian base.

But now it all felt a little bit too real as she felt the vines cutting off her air supply. But she kept fighting, not ready to die without a fight.

All of a sudden, they were dropped and everyone began gasping for breath, Beas eyes finding Steve's as he pulled her in for a hug, both of them relishing that they were alive.

"I don't believe in a higher power or divine intervention but that was a miracles," Robin said to Nancy as she caught her breath.

"Then we better not waste it," Nancy said, cocking her gun.

They stormed through the door, seeing Vecna was in rhe middle of the room, hanging by vines as he was suspended in some sort of trance like state.

Robin lit her molotov cocktail, throwing it at Vecna and watching as he lit on fire, falling to the ground, screaming as he realised what was happening.

It looked like he was waking from his trance and Steve lit the next one, throwing it at vecna as he fell from his vines and onto the floor.

He looked up at the group and Robin threw the last one, watching as he stood up despite their interference. It caused him to stumble back.

Bea and Nancy nodded at one another, heading forward and shooting at Vecna in close succession, causing him to stumble backwards until he was flying out of the window.

They all looked at one another, rushing down the stairs to find Vecnas body but when they got out, he wasn't there and all that was left was a charred impritng of where he hold be.

☆☆☆

BEA WATCHED AS A VAN PULLED UP in front of the Wheeler residence and she recognised those inside.

She smiled as she saw Will, Jonathan, Mike and El jump out of the van along with some other dude wirh long hair.

She rushed to Will, pulling the boy in for a hug, "Holy shit peanut, its been too long," she said and Dustin ran over, pulling the three in for a hug.

"Yeah," he said before noticing the ring on her finger, "Is that a wedding ring?"

She grinned. Steve had gotten his grandmothers ring, a beautiful oval diamond ring, "Yeah, Steve finally proposed," she said with a smile. 

"Congratulations," El said, pulling her in for a hug, "Where's Lucas?"

"He's at the hospital, he's fine," Dustin said before realising that they didn't know, "Oh god, we have to tell you,"

Once they explained it all, she turned back to Jonathan, a sad smile on her face. Neither said anything to one another, not knowing what to do.

She smiled, pulling him into a hug, holding him tight in her arms, "I'm glad you're safe," she said.

He smiled, holding her just as tight, "You too," he said, pulling away as he looked at her, "We might be half way across the countey and I might not call often enough but you're my sister,"

"You getting emotional with me Jonathan?" She asked teasingly and he smiled.

"Yeah, maybe I am," she said.

☆☆☆

When they got to the high school, Bea held the boxes in her arms with Robin, Dustin and Steve as they walked in, ready to donate.

Bea couldn't stop looking at everyone, just wanting to help. She felt so helpless and it sucked.

"So uh, these are blankets and sheets and some clothes and some kids toys," Robin said as she placed the boxes on the table with the lady in front, Melissa.

"Wow you're so organised, do you want a tax receipt for it," Melissa asked.

"Uh, no I don't don't we need one," robin said before looking around, "But uh, is there anything else that we can do to help?"

A lady that Bea knew from the local shop walked over, "Police officer and pretty boy come with me, suspenders, you're on food duty and fuzzy hair can go redirect people," she explained.

Bea was helping sort out the clothes when she saw a group of kids over by Eddie's missing poster.

She excusd herself and walked over, "Brett, Conrad, Bob," she said and they turned to her, wide eyed, "I better not catch you defiling a missing poster again do you hear me?" When they didn't reply she got loude, "Do you hear me?"

They nodded before walking away. She looked at Eddie's missing poster which was now graffitied and she felt choked up, still upset over his death.

"It's hard to watch them graffiti it isn't it," a voice said and she turned to see Wayne standing there. He began to pin up another poster, clearly anticipating it.

Bea talked to Wayne for a little bit, apologising for what happened to Eddie as she knew he must be struggling. Eddie was his only family left.

After she finished talking to him, she walked over to Steve before checking her watch, realising how late in the day it was.

"Oh god Steve, I've got so much to do. I have to go help out Miss Mayfield and bring flowers to Max and I have to check on El and I have to check in with work," Bea rambled on, her head in her hands as she stood there.

Steve sighed, pulling her in for a hug, her head against his chest. He wanted to calm her down, make sure that she knew that he loved her.

"You take a break okay, call Lucas and tell him you'll be a bit late. Just calm down," he said, pressing a kiss to her temple.

Bea nodded before walking towards a payphone on the other side of the hall.

"Is she okay?" A voice asked and Steve turned around to see Calahan.

Steve sighed. He knew that Bea was struggling but he couldn't explain that the night terrors were about eddies dead body or the way she nearly was choked to death.

"She's really struggling. But it's getting better, she said she's gonna come back to work soon," Steve explained.

He looked over and saw he standing there, a smile on her face as she talked to her mum.

"You look after her okay Harrington, I've seen that ring, I know you want to spend the rest of your life with her," he said with a smile on his face, "You both deserve to be happy,"

"Thanks Calahan, she really looks up to you," he said and Phil smiled, placing his hand on the younger boys shoulder.

"Good luck, and I'm sure I'm getting getting invite to the wedding," he said jokingly.

Steve waved goodbye as Bea walked over, placing her head against his chest as they just relished in the moment together.

"What was Calahan talking to you about?" She asked, looking up at him.

"Not much," Steve said, pressing a kiss to the top of her head, "I love you,"

"Love you too," she replied. She squinted as she looked over his shoulder, approaching the window as she noticed something weird outside.

The crowd began to follow her as they all looked at the dust particles outside, like in the upside down.

Bea and Steve looked at one another and he grabbed her hand, the two knowing what this meant. The upside down had infiltrated Hawkins.

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