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Sam Hughes had been awake for 96 hours straight, and that was still ongoing. Yesterday, she'd told herself she'd put aside her foolish fear of having nightmares around other people so she could finally get some sleep — she didn't know the next time they'd have a calm enough night to properly get some shut-eye.

But this time, she physically couldn't sleep. Thoughts of the Creel house and the living lights and Alice's room and Lucas kept her up for so long that Dustin was waking up for the final shift of Max Watch when Sam finally felt drowsy. So now, she was running on pure, black coffee and adrenaline to get her through this off-putting Wednesday.

Sam was riding in the backseat of Nancy's car with Max and Lucas at either side of her. Nancy was driving, of course, with Robin in the passenger seat; Auggie, Steve, and Dustin were all the way in the spacious trunk. The current plan (and the first, non-terrifying plan) was to go visit Eddie Munson at Reefer Rick's boat house and provide him with food (and alcohol) as he hid from the cops who thought him a murderer.

To her right, Max was staring out her window and listening to Kate Bush through her headphones. Sam didn't know what Lucas was doing to her left, but she was yawning too much to even figure it out.

"Did you sleep last night?" Lucas whispered to her, a note of concern in his voice.

Sam sobered herself up from yawning, turning her head to look at him. "Uh — I mean, I guess. I don't know. For sure."

One day Sam would get better at lying. Today was not that day.

I know who I am, what I'm good at, what I can and can't do. I'm just... I'm what I am. A good friend, a bad liar. Why can't that be enough?

Lucas looked at Sam like he saw right through her, but he always did, didn't he? Sam was seeing life through new spectacles recently. Not her glasses or contacts, just enlightenment. All of this she found out about Lucas yesterday, it made the world around her look a little brighter; warmer, happier.

"You're still having nightmares?" he asked.

I'm just tired, Lucas.

You haven't been sleeping?

Can't.

Can't fall asleep, or can't stay asleep?

Just... It's stupid, really, but I have... I mean, I keep waking up, can't stay asleep, because—

Nightmares?

Sam shrugged, feeling caught. "Yeah. I mean, it's... I'm used to them, but... Yeah."

Lucas softened, the same way he always did when Sam presented him with another concerning fact about herself. Well, concerning to him. Sam didn't really see the big deal. The inability to sleep was a constant in her life at this point. Right now, it was Sam and her 96 hours awake against the world.

"You could sleep now," Lucas advised, increasingly more worried. "Just for a little in the car."

Sam shrugged. "I mean, there's not really a point. We're almost there, anyways."

"How do you know we're almost there?"

"My sister and her friend group are, like, runners-up to Eddie when it comes to drugs."

Robin's nose crinkled at that, and Sam worried for a second that she was being a horrible wing-woman.

"I mean, not my sister," Sam stammered, trying to save Steph's back. "Not Steph. It's more Jo and Gina than it is Steph and Warren. I just — you know — grouped them together. Guilty by association, and all that," she laughed nervously, earning an intrigued look from Steve. "But not Steph. She's not a druggie. I promise."

Robin nodded slowly, a little confused where the sudden rambling came from, and why Sam was such a strong advocate that her sister didn't do drugs. She sighed, looking to Nancy now.

"Not to be a wimp," Robin started, "but can I maybe sit in the car for this visit? 'Cause this is gonna totally and royally suck."

Nancy shook her head, eyes still on the road. "It'll be fine."

"I just can't stand to see those doe eyes of Eddie's break again," Robin frowned. "I really, really can't."

"I can," said Sam. "I'll tell him."

"Oh, but I'm still gonna have to look at those doe eyes," whined Robin.

From the trunk, Steve held up the six-pack of beer that Eddie requested. "At least he can drink himself into feeling better."

"That's what my mom does," Max muttered, and Sam had no clue that she had been hearing any of the conversation. Both she and Lucas looked at Max sympathetically, frowning.

"Why don't we just give it a trial run?" Robin asked, still thinking too much about Eddie's feelings. "'Hey, Eddie. Uh, good news first this time. We got you some Dustin-approved junk food and Sam-approved healthy meals and that six-pack you requested — Oh yeah, we found Vecna! Only, the bad news is, that he's in that other, darker, much scarier dimension that we told you about and the Gate's closed, so we have no way of getting to him. Like, he's entirely shut off to us, so basically you're screwed. And — no — no — I know that you were already screwed, but now you're doubly, triply screwed!'"

Sam shrugged simply. "I don't see a problem with telling him all of that."

"Woah, woah," Lucas interjected from next to Sam, much softer. "Maybe we don't put it like that."

"Well, it's the truth, isn't it?" Auggie said, and now they were seeing the influence the boy had on Sam's thinking. "He is 'doubly, triply screwed.'"

Nancy sighed, hands clenching on the steering wheel. "How about, 'We're one stop closer to finding Vecna'? That's what we say. That's what's important."

"See, guys?" Steve pointed out, munching on a Pringles chip for Eddie. "A positive spin can make all the difference."

Auggie mocked his words in a nerdier way, Robin rolled her eyes, and Sam sarcastically muttered, "Uh-huh."

"Oh, shit," Nancy muttered under her breath as she drove closer.

As they slowly arrived at Lover's Lake, they spotted that there was a large gathering of cars, a crowd of people, heaps of news reporters, and all the cops before a line of bright yellow caution tape.

Lover's Lake.

Nancy drove slowly up to the scene before parking the car. The eight of them hurried out her vehicle to get a better understanding what was going on. They instantly heard loud chatter from the crowd before them. Nancy began leading the group behind the news reporter's van to keep them out of sight from everyone else.

Squinting, Sam could spot Chief Powell and Officer Callahan standing right in front of the caution line with reporters holding microphones up to them as the Chief spoke.

"As many of you may know by now, the Roane County line recently called a little after midnight... reporting a homicide here on the lake."

Sam's heart twisted. She looked to Auggie, who slowly pulled out Sam's drawing of Lover's Lake from his back pocket.

Four drawings, three murders. Sam had drawn a prediction for them all.

"Officer Callahan here and myself arrived first on the scene. We made our way to the shore of Lover's Lake, about ten yards from that house you see behind me. It was there that we found the victim, an eighteen-year-old senior from Hawkins High, Patrick McKinney."

The heart that was previously being squeezed suddenly stopped. Patrick McKinney. He played basketball with Lucas. Sam looked to the boy just right in front of her, reached up and put a hand on his shoulder, trying to provide a little comfort. Lucas glanced a little at Sam, but ultimately didn't do anything else. He didn't even move.

"His limbs... his body, it was disfigured... There were three eyewitnesses on the scene... We have also identified a person of interest," Chief Powell continued. He held up a startlingly recognizable picture that made Sam's breathing stop, too. "Eddie Munson. We encourage anyone with information to please come forward."

"Oh, man," Steve whispered, shaking his head. "This is not good. This is really not good."

"Really, Harrington? We hadn't noticed," hissed Auggie.

Sam frowned at Lucas, taking her hand off his shoulder when his stillness refused to stop. She felt his heavy emotions radiating off of him in an overbearing amount — there were too many to even put a name on what Lucas feeling.

Chief Powell continued, "You've got a lot of questions, and I'm going to answer as many as I can. Two o'clock at town hall, where anyone from the Hawkins community is welcome. But right now, I've got work to do, and I appreciate your understanding."

Sam's throat felt clogged in guilt. A third murder that she'd predicated, but hadn't been able to do anything about. Now Eddie, as much as Sam didn't like him, was going to be found guilty for her mistakes. Just like Victor was found guilty for Vecna's evil. It wasn't fair, none of it was, and Sam just wanted to take all of the corruption and forever shove it away.

"Hey, can you hear me?" Sam's Walkie wounded loudly, static buzzing and the feedback whining.

Sam cursed under her breath, grappling with her Walkie and turning the volume down before anyone caught them.

"Who the fuck is this?" Sam hissed into the Walkie, leaving the enclave in between the trees and the van; everyone followed her, listening to what Eddie was saying.

"Dude. Eddie Munson. Who is this?"

"Shit," Sam cursed again. "It's Sam Hughes. Kinda forgot what you sounded like, my bad."

"Who else would be comming you right now?"

"I don't know! Not some long-haired, drug—"

"That's enough," Dustin muttered, taking Sam's Walkie from her and electing on talking to Eddie instead. "Eddie, holy shit. Are you okay?"

A beat of silence from the walkie before Eddie's discouraged voice returned.

"Nah, man. Pretty... Pretty goddamn far from okay."

Dustin winced at the answer, although that was very excepted. He clicked on Sam's Walkie again, asked, "Where are you?"

"Skull Rock. Do you know it?"

"Uh, yeah," Dustin answered. "That's near Cornwallis and—"

"Garret, yeah," Steve cut in with a low whisper. "I know where that is."

Steve began jogging for the car quickly, not wanting to waste any time. Everyone began following after him in a hurry, ready to file back into Nancy's car and meet Eddie at Skull Rock.

Sam took her Walkie back from Dustin's grasp. "Hold tight, Edward. We're coming," she said.

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They stepped on broken leaves and sticks as their footsteps trailed through the woods. The group was on the search for Skull Rock, for Eddie, but Sam didn't know how they were ever going to find it if Steve and Dustin didn't find a way to agree on directions.

"Dude, I'm telling you," Steve urged, leading the group with Dustin at his side, "you're taking us the wrong way."

Dustin held a map and a compass in his hand, not giving up his stance on the matter. "It's north. I'm positive. I checked the map."

"You do realize that Skull Rock, it's like a super popular make-out spot?"

"Yeah, so?"

"So," Steve glared, "it wasn't popular until I made it popular, all right? I practically invented it. We're heading in the wrong direction."

Then Steve broke off from Dustin's side, going towards the left rather than wherever Dustin was trying to lead them.

"Steve," Dustin protested, but Steve continued walking away. "Where are you going?"

"Stop whining," Steve rolled his eyes, motioning towards his direction. "Let's go. Trust me."

"Steveeee!" whined Dustin, but he still followed Steve anyways.

Sam and Lucas were making up the very back of the group. Everyone ended up just naturally walking in pairs, so they were a few feet away from everyone else. Sam was so caught up in trying to act casual with her newfound feelings for Lucas that she felt compelled to speak up when they took the sharp turn.

"Okay, so apparently we're going this way now?" Sam questioned, eyes trained upon the leaves below. "I swear to god, if they get us lost..."

She trailed off awkwardly, and Lucas didn't even have the heart to respond. Sam cringed, and she looked to the side to find that Lucas's entire expression was distraught. She felt his emotions. Lucas was hurting right now.

"Hey," Sam's voice softened. "You okay?"

Lucas blinked rapidly. "Uh — yeah," he lied. "I'm fine. Just... thinking about Patrick, you know?"

He refused to look up, and Sam refused to stop watching him. She swallowed the rising guilt, said, "Yeah."

"I mean, it's... it's like, why him?" Lucas started rambling, although still keeping to himself a bit. "But then, I remember this one day, he — he came to practice with a black eye. He said he fell, but clearly he was lying."

Lucas began slowing down, so Sam stopped walking with him. Her green eyes were unwavering glints of concern on him.

"It's like everyone Vecna targets... has something in their life that's," he tried searching for the right words. "Something that's—"

"Hurting them," Sam finished helpfully, because she'd been thinking the same thing.

She glanced at Max who was walking away in the distance. Lucas was finally looking at Sam now, shoulders relaxing a little.

"Haunting them," she continued with a stiff nod. "I noticed it, too."

Lucas exhaled, some of the pain leaving his body the longer he stared.

"Yeah," he muttered. Sam saw his Adam's apple bob as he gulped. "I — I didn't really know Patrick, so it was easy to just... look the other way, I guess. But I did know Max..." Sam's stomach churned at the mention of her, the gravity of his voice. "I'll never forget what it felt like, seeing her floating in that graveyard. Thinking she was about to..."

He couldn't finish it. Die, he had been meaning to say.

Lucas shook his head like he was stung. "And I keep thinking," his voice was strained a little, blinking rapidly again. "Vecna, if he's... if he's going after people who..." Lucas at a tree behind Sam nervously, "who have horrible trauma, then..."

Lucas looked away from the tree then, met Sam's eyes for just long enough that she got it.

"Then you're worried I'm next," she breathed out.

Ah.

Well.

That made Sam feel... something.

"Yeah," Lucas admitted timidly, "I am."

He spared a glance at her eyebrow slit. Her B necklace. Her scarred torso. Her haunted eyes.

Sam fidgeted anxiously under his stare, and now she was the one avoiding holding a shared gaze. "Uh, well, I don't think the nightmares are Vecna symptoms... And I haven't had any headaches or hallucinations lately, so," she laughed nervously, trying to defuse the tension and escape any deep conversations, "I think I'm curse free."

The "for now" hung heavy above their heads, although left unsaid. Lucas was staring and staring and Sam couldn't do anything but look into his eyes, too. There was the squeezing of her heart again, the type of constriction that had to do nothing with Vecna or her powers. It just had everything to do with Lucas.

"Look, Sam, I'm sorry I wasn't there the past year," Lucas started, voice convicted with guilt.

Sam shrugged, not wanting to go deeper than they had to. "It's not your fault," she tried telling him, but Lucas wasn't having it.

He shook his head, "No—"

"I was acting different—"

"No, no," Lucas cut her off, never sounding more confident about anything in his whole life. "You weren't. I just didn't look hard enough. Okay?" his voice cracked sadly.

Sam gulped, unable to look away from Lucas's eyes.

"But I see you now," he continued. "I see you."

Sam felt frozen, and she didn't know what to say. She'd never felt invisible before, but hearing Lucas now...

I see you.

It made Sam wonder if she had ever been looked at before him, right now.

Sam looked Lucas, about to say something, but was cut short by Steve's voice shouting at Dustin in the distance — "Oh, boom! Bada bing, bada boom! There she is, Henderson. Skull Rock! In your face, man. In your stupid, cocky little face."

They all crawled further through the woods to reach the location. Pushing out through a bush with the help of grabbing Lucas's hand, Sam spotted a giant skull-shaped boulder resting over two, other boulders, creating a small little space shaded underneath.

"Doesn't make sense," Dustin whispered in distress, eyes darting between his compass and the rock.

Steve mocked Dustin talking with a Muppet hand. "Yeah, yeah. Even with it staring you in the face, you can't admit it. You just can't admit that you're wrong, you butthead."

"Oh, very mature, little Stevie," Auggie snorted.

Steve sent him a challenging look. "Funny comment coming from the guy called Auggie."

Auggie opened his mouth to retort back at Steve, but suddenly a body jumped down from behind, startling them all.

They whipped around to find Eddie Munson, in the flesh raising his eyebrows at the group. "I concur," he breathed, "you, Steve Harrington, are a little Stevie, and you, Dustin Henderson, are a total butthead."

Dustin whooped gratefully, speeding over to Eddie and forcing him into a hug. "Jesus, we though you were a goner," he muttered in relief.

Eddie froze a little in the hug, before patting Dustin in the back and returning it finally.

"Yeah, me too, man," Eddie admitted, and Dustin pulled himself off of Eddie. "Me, too."

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"How long have you known Eddie was killing these kids?" a Hawkins resident asked into the mic at the town hall meeting. "It was his trailer where Chrissy was killed, and you expect us to believe he was made a suspect just this morning?"

Stephanie sat in her chair, next to Aunt Kat, uncomfortably. Ever since the stupid assholes (Zimmerman and Cunningham) visited Stephanie at the house, she couldn't stop thinking about the last time she saw Sam. Honestly, Stephanie was pretty sure it was lunch on Friday at school before Sam stormed out.

Now, Sam was missing, while there was a serial killer on the loose. She wasn't even at the town meeting right now, while Chief Powell was trying to answer the badgering questions.

"The truth is we've been following several leads, and, yes, Eddie Munson was one of them," Chief Powell explained over the angry chattering. "We are now doing everything in our power to find him."

The town clamored unpleasantly, some people even booing Chief Powell. Stephanie wanted to snort in amusement at the bad reactions the cop was getting — Hopper was much better at the job, in Stephanie's opinion, even if he was a raging alcoholic who was now dead. She made eye contact with Gina Foster, who was sitting with her dad a few rows ahead. Gina mimicked shooting herself in the head, and that time Stephanie did snort.

"In the meantime," Chief Powell raised his voice, trying to be heard, "for your safety, we will be enforcing a strict curfew."

Everyone shouted at Chief Powell, angrily and incredulously.

"What?" scoffed the lady up at the mic. "That's your solution? Hide from him?"

"We're already doing that!" shouted another woman, sitting in a chair.

A man who was also sitting complained, "It's been days. Days!" Everyone broke out into exclaims of agreement. "So you tell me why he's not behind bars right now."

"I understand you all are upset, but I promise you, we will find him," Chief Powell tried ensuring, although no one seemed to be listening to him.

"No!"

Everyone turned around, facing the voice that sounded from the back.

It was Jason Carver.

He was flanked by the remaining members from the basketball team, but also by Justin Zimmerman and Carrie Cunningham.

Their eyes were malicious.

"You won't!" Jason said as the crowd fell silent.

"Jason?" Chief Powell questioned, but there was an underlying pissed-off-ness to his voice. "Son, how about we talk about this in private?"

"Why in private, Chief? So you can keep us quiet again?"

Jason began walking down the aisle, eyes narrowed right up at the Chief behind the podium.

"You want to keep the truth from coming out?" questioned Jason. He turned, facing the citizens of Hawkins. "I don't know about the rest of you, but we can't bear to listen to any more excuses and lies."

"That's enough!"

"I agree, I've had enough!" Jason exclaimed, walking closer towards Chief Powell. "In fact, I think we've all had enough."

Carrie and Justin nodded like little minions working for Jason. Three eye-witnesses, Chief Powell had said on the news earlier. Stephanie realized he must've meant them.

The audience began applauding for Jason, although there were a few that remained resolute. Stephanie, Aunt Kat, Steph's friend group, Claudia Henderson, the Wheelers, the Sinclairs. Everyone else, though, cheered greatly in support of Jason's angry words.

Jason grabbed the microphone, while Carrie, Justin, and the basketball team began pulling out stacks of paper that Stephanie couldn't decipher just yet.

"Last night... Come up here, Carrie, Justin," Jason choked out, and the two freshman stood on either side of him. The trio faced the audience, looking sickened. "Last night, we saw things — things we can't explain. Things the police don't wanna believe. And things that I don't wanna believe myself. But I know what I saw. I know. And I've come to accept an awful truth: These murders are ritualistic sacrifices!"

The entire crowd gasp, some in disbelief and some in fear.

"We've all heard how satanic cults are spreading through our country like some — some disease," Jason continued. "And Eddie Munson is the leader of one of these cults! A cult that operates right here in Hawkins! The mall fire. All those unexplained deaths over the years. Some people say our town is cursed. They just don't know why. Now... Now, we do. Now we know."

Jason pulled out the same paper that Carrie, Justin, and the basketball team were holding. He held it up for everyone to see, although most were too far away to analyze it.

"They call themselves Hellfire," Jason explained, and Stephanie's heart stuttered for a second.

Those were Sam's friends.

"That's bullshit!" Erica Sinclair shot up from her seat, and Stephanie beamed brightly in agreement at Lucas Sinclair's young sister. "The Hellfire isn't a cult! It's a club for nerds!"

Sue Sinclair hissed, "Erica!" and forced her daughter to sit down.

"Just the facts," Stephanie heard Erica hiss right back.

"A club!" Jason pointed out, shouting into the mic. "A club. A harmless club. That's what they want you to think!" Jason's minions began passing the fliers out, enough for everyone to have one. "But it's a lie! A lie designed to conceal the truth!"

Stephanie's breath caught in her throat when the person to her right handed her the stack of papers. She took one and passed it down, inspecting what Jason wanted them all to see. It was a picture of the Hellfire Club labeled 'WANTED', which Stephane had expected to see. Underneath it, Jason and the others had scrawled out the names of all the members to alert toe Hawkins community.

But Sam's name was on there, too.

They wanted to hunt Sam.

Her little sister, Sam.

Stephanie and Aunt Kat shared terrified looks.

"And now this cult is protecting its leader, Eddie!" Jason said. "Hiding him! Allowing him to — to continue his rampage!"

Justin took the microphone from Jason, and he began speaking. "Last night, I became overcome with this feeling of... of hopelessness. Then I remembered Romans 12:21. 'Do not be overcome by evil. But overcome evil with good.' And God knows there's good in this town! So much good! It's in this room! It's in this room, right here, right now!"

The audience applauded, agreeing to Justin's very words. Stephanie, though, she was sharing rageful looks with Erica Sinclair. Here these horrible guys were, implying their siblings were the evil haunting Hawkins.

"Exactly, Justin, thank you," Jason took the microphone back. "We came here today, humbly, to ask for your help. To join us in this fight. Let us cast out this evil and save Hawkins together."

The crowd murmured quietly as he finished, people chattering with each other, mulling over Jason and Justin's words. Aunt Kat let out a quiet whimper, clutching onto Stephanie's hand out of fear. Karen Wheeler heard the sound, sharing the exact, same expression with Stephanie's aunt.

Then, breaking the eerie quiet, the same man who had protested earlier got right up from his seat. His chair squeaked loudly, and everyone watched as he began heading towards the exit of the town hall.

He faced the citizens of Hawkins who just stared.

"Well, what are y'all just sitting around for?! You heard the kids!"

Then he turned and walked right out.

Then everyone began following him out.

"Hey," Chief Powell tried, but more people kept getting up and walking out. "I want you all to hear me loud and clear on this: Anyone interfering with this investigation will be arrested!"

But the citizens of Hawkins were storming out.

They were planning to hunt Hellfire.

They were planning to hunt Sam.

Officer Callahan scrambled out of his seat, grabbing the microphone Chief Powell was trying to talk into. "Hey! Hey! We will be implementing a curfew, so if you are not in your house after sunset with the doors locked, you will be written up! And it's gonna go on your permanent record!"

Everyone was leaving the town hall, disregarding them. Everyone, except for Stephanie, Aunt Kat, Steph's friend group, Claudia Henderson, the Wheelers, and the Sinclairs. Steph's group was watching her sympathetically, while the families of those affected were sharing startled looks.

This can't be happening.

Not to them.

Not to Sam, Lucas, Mike, and Dustin.

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The family members of the four wanted kids sped to the Wheeler household at scarily high speeds. One by one, four cars filed in, and four families stepped out of their vehicles. They ran from the cars to the front door, desperately trying to check in on the teens — apparently, they'd all been staying at the Wheeler residence. It would've been nice for Steph to know beforehand, but she didn't have time to care about that.

Karen Wheeler marched into her house first, everyone else falling behind. She looked left and right, called out, "Guys?!"

No response.

"Are you down here?!" Karen exclaimed, looking down into the basement in search of the group.

They weren't there.

Karen ran back up to the awaiting group with a panicked expression. She cluelessly panted, "They should've been back by now. They should be back!"

"What time was the movie?" Sue asked.

"Uh—" Karen's face wrenched up in distress, thinking, "four hours ago."

Erica raised an incredulous eyebrow. "Hate to break it to you, Mrs. Wheeler, but they lied to you."

"Yeah," Stephanie scoffed, arms crossing. "Big time."

"Liar, liar, pants on fire!" Holly sang.

"Holly," Ted Wheeler chided.

Claudia Henderson worried, "We don't think they're actually involved with this Eddie guy, do we?"

"Absolutely not," Aunt Kat shook her head confidently. "No way. Not Sam."

But Ted disagreed, "I think at this point, anything's possible."

"Our children are not murders, Ted!" Karen snapped.

Ted shrugged, "Don't put words in my mouth."

"Then shut up," Stephanie hissed, fuse blowing.

"Stephanie!" reprimanded Aunt Kat.

Stephanie shook her head, glare unwavering. "I'm not sorry."

Karen exhaled a large breath of air. She turned and walked over to the house phone on the wall of her kitchen. Karen picked it up and Erica took a judgmental step forward.

"You're calling the theater?" Erica questioned.

Karen dialed the phone, taking heavy breaths. She put the phone against her ear, inhaled, said, "The police."

Stephanie and Erica shared a look, both nervous but fronting it with agitation.

Sam, what did you get yourself into this time?

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The sun beamed down on their backs at Skull Rock as Eddie explained to them what happened when Patrick died. He was camping out at the boat house before Jason and (presumably) the basketball fucks stormed the place.

"Well, why'd you run?"

"Because they were fucking chasing me, dude!" Eddie cried incredulously at Steve's stupid question.

Steve rolled his eyes at the attitude. He asked, "Who?"

"Stupid — fucking Jason Carver and Justin Zimmerman and Carrie Cunningham and shit. I don't know!"

Sam's heart stopped.

Everyone paused.

"What?" came her low, strained voice.

All eyes were on her; either confused (like Eddie) or wide-eyed.

Eddie shrugged like he didn't see what was so incredulous. "The three dickheads: Carver, Zimmerman, and Cunningham. What do you mean 'what?'"

"Why were Justin and Carrie with Jason?" Sam asked, trying to keep a calm composure. If anyone looked, though, they would see the clenching of her fists.

Eddie's confusion only heightened. Obviously, he said, "Dude, they totally want to kill you."

Sam gasped in sharply, and their eyes kept boring into her. She didn't have the courage to read their emotions or look at their expressions. Her face was flushed in embarrassment and her heart was breaking in betrayal.

They wanted her dead?

Justin wanted her dead?

"Wait," Eddie broke in again, judging Sam's reaction. He pointed, "You didn't know?"

Sam stared at him for a long, few minutes: the world's biggest idiot.

"No!" Sam cried incredulously.

How the fuck could she have known? Why the fuck would they even want to? Was Justin that pissed off she broke up with him?

"That's bullshit!" Lucas and Max snapped together in unison. They looked together, eager to agree with one another. Lucas continued, "That asshole's brain is so mushy that Jason probably fed him his lies like that" — he snapped at the last word.

"Yeah, fuck knows the idiot would believe it," Max sneered, looking angrier than them all.

Sam hugged her arms around herself, shaking her head. "Jason wouldn't, just, think of me, though. It has to — they must've..." Her voice cracked, and she swallowed. "Either Justin or Carrie thought I was involved with the murders first. And now they're..."

Now they're believing it that easy. Now they're hunting her for dead.

Did Justin ever know her at all? The question was resurfacing to break her just like it did before.

"We're not gonna let them touch you, Sam," Lucas said, confidently.

Dustin nodded rapidly in agreement. "Yeah, Specks, that asshole's already done enough damage."

Sam tried smiling at both of them gratefully, but she couldn't even force herself to manage it. She felt sick in the stomach, and worried the few amounts of chips she'd digested were working their way back up her stomach. They wanted to kill her. To death. Just like that.

It was awful. It was a horrible thought that made Sam's hope for humanity dwindle a little, a light inside dimming.

"Um," Sam choked, not wanting to think about the subject more than she had to. "So, Eddie, after — after, you know, Patrick died and everything. What, uh, happened then?"

Eddie was wincing at her, feeling so guilty that he crouched down. "Sorry, Apollo, I thought you would've known."

Sam's face screwed up in distaste at the nickname.

Eddie continued telling them about how he set out into the lake in the dingy, little boat that Reefer Rick had. As he paddled, Jason, Carrie, Justin, and Patrick (Sam still hadn't gotten over the fact they were with Jason), that's when everything started going down. Patrick was sucked under the water before he shot up, levitating in the air. Then, his bones broke in every direction before he splashed back into the water.

"When I got to the shore, I tried calling you guys, but, uh..." he took a long swig of alcohol, grimacing before he swallowed, "my Walkie was busted, man. Drenched. So, uh, I did the thing that I do now, apparently," Eddie sarcastically held up his hands in a rueful shrug. "I ran."

Nancy asked, "Do you know what time this was? The attack?"

"Yeah, no, I — I know exactly what time it was," Eddie responded, and Sam watched as he began taking off the black watch from his wrist. "My Walkie wasn't the only thing that got soaked."

Eddie showcased his watch up in the air as an explanation before he tossed it to Nancy. She flinched to catch it, but luckily the piece of technology stayed in her hands. Nancy's eyes narrowed on the frame of his watch, nodding.

"9:27," she read.

Robin noted, "Same time our flashlights went kablooey."

"And same time Firestarter went whack," Auggie nodded at Sam, who did not look pleased.

Steve's arms were crossed. He shook his head and shrugged in exasperation, asked, "Which means what, exactly?"

"That that surge of energy was Vecna attacking Patrick," Nancy answered.

"Well," Robin sighed, "we're one step closer. We know how Vecna attacks."

Lucas nodded. "And where he attacks from."

"So now we just need to sneak into his lair in the Upside Down and drive a stake through his heart," Max scoffed, only partially joking.

Robin, added, "If he even has a heart."

"A stake?" Steve questioned, blinking in confusion. "Is he, like, a vamp—? Is he a vampire?"

"Oh, my god!" gasped Auggie, intrigued. "Like Dracula!"

Max rolled her eyes at the two of them. "It was a metaphor," she groaned.

"Uh — a bullet should work on him, right?" Eddie wondered, still fucking crouching for some reason.

"I'd say Sam is a safer bet," Robin volunteered, nodding towards the blonde who had been quiet for a little too long. The girl, in question, looked up with startled eyes.

Eddie eyed her up and down, confused again. "Apollo?"

"My name is Sam," she grumbled.

Auggie shrugged. "Actually, it's Samantha."

Out of a burst of anger, an electric field surrounded Sam and she went to zap Auggie, ignoring Eddie's terrified shriek, but Nancy was standing in the middle of them like the mother she was.

"Woah, woah, woah! No electrocuting friends!" Nancy scolded.

Sam groaned again, childishly. The lightning around her dissipated, although she was really tempted to strike Auggie when he stuck out his tongue at Sam past Nancy's shoulder.

"What the fuck just happened?!" Eddie exclaimed, having fell on his ass.

Steve just gestured at Sam nonchalantly. "We told you she had superpowers."

"I thought that El girl had superpowers."

"They both have superpowers," Max corrected, shrugging.

"So she's not Apollo, she's Zeus!" cried Eddie.

"Henceforth," Robin brought them back on track, "why Sam should be the one to fry Vecna's stupid face off."

Lucas kept his hands on his hips, nodding as he listened. "Well, if she wants to, she should fuck his shit up, but... I say we really make sure he's dead. Maybe chop his head off after."

"Then eat his fried guts like it's Lord of the Flies," Auggie agreed eagerly.

"Yeah, I'd say all of the above, but — well, except for that last part," Nancy side-eyed Auggie before continuing, "but we can't do any of that until we find a way into the Upside Down."

Max sighed, "We need El to get her powers back."

Sam frowned guiltily. Her shoulders shrugged and she apologized, "Sorry I don't know how to open interdimensional Gates, yet."

"No," Max shook her head quickly. "No, that's not your fault. Don't be sorry."

"Hey—" Eddie spoke up from his sitting position on the leaves and dirt, "uh, Henderson's not, uh, cursed, is he?"

They all looked behind, finally noting Dustin's lack of involvement in their conversation. Sam noted he was pacing back and forth, muttering to himself and looking out at nothing like he was insane.

"Cursed? No, no, no, no. He's fine," Steve dismissed, arms still crossed like a disapproving mother. "Mental? Absolutely—"

"BOOM!" Dustin shouted unexpectedly, causing Sam to flinch in a little bit of fear. He stayed unphased at everyone's wide-eyed expressions, though. Dustin pointed right at Steve, finally walking back to join the group, "Bada... bada... boom."

"Someone send him to Pennhurst," Auggie whispered.

Dustin bragged, "I was right." Steve rolled his eyes dramatically at Dustin's incessant argument. "Skull Rock was north!"

"Seriously?" Steve questioned frustratedly. "You're serious?"

"Mm-hmm," Dustin nodded, an assholish grin on his face.

Steve gestured to the boulder next to him incredulously. "This is Skull Rock!" And although Dustin agreed to that, too, without faltering, Steve continued, "You're totally, absolutely, 100% wrong. Right now."

"Yes," Dustin agreed. Then, "And no."

"Oh, my god?" Steve's head shook like he was refraining from throttling a person (ie: Dustin). He had to run his fingers through his hair and take a few steps towards Auggie before he actually did.

Dustin held up the compass he'd been so obsessed with for the past few hours. "This compass worked correctly when we left the Wheeler's. It was correct when we got in the car on Kerley, but it started to slip the further east we went. Now, it's way off. When I was leading us here, I wasn't wrong! The compass was."

"So you're using faulty equipment — you're still wrong!" Steve cried, on his last straw.

But Sam was realizing something. She muttered, "Holy shit."

Dustin looked to her, proudly and gratefully. "Specks got it," he grinned.

"Got what?" Auggie questioned, feeling thoroughly out of the loop.

"Lucas," Dustin turned to face his best friend, "do you remember what can affect a compass?"

At being acknowledged, Lucas startled in a little caught off guard mannered. His eyes darted between Sam and Dustin, who were both wearing knowing looks.

Then it hit him, too.

"An electromagnetic field!"

"Yep," Dustin nodded, facing everyone else like he just did something.

Robin shook her head. "Sorry, I must've skipped that class?"

Dustin tried to explain, "Well, essentially—"

"No," Lucas cut him off quickly, shaking his head at Dustin but nodding it towards Sam. "Let Sam explain it."

A smile snuck its way onto Sam's face as a pit of nostalgia grew in Sam's stomach. It was an inside moment that only she, Lucas, and Dustin would understand.

The Earth has an iron core that's part liquid and part solid crystal, due to gravitational pressure. The movement in that liquid, outer core is what produces Earth's magnetic field. Compasses are made to detect the Earth's natural magnetic fields and respond to them."

Lucas and Mike blinked silently.

Lucas and Mike looked to Sam in unison, having no clue what Dustin just said.

Sam met their gazes, then sighed exasperatedly.

"He's saying the needles of all compasses are naturally drawn to the Earth's magnetic North Pole," Sam explained in simpler terms for them.

"Thank you, Sam," said Mike, pointedly shooting Dustin a glare for his complications.

"Right, well, essentially," Sam picked up where Dustin left off, sending Lucas an amused look, "in the presence of a stronger electromagnetic field, the needle will deflect towards that power instead of True North. So either there's some super big magnet around here, or..."

"There's a Gate," Lucas and Dustin chimed in unison.

Sam nodded at their correct answer, gesturing to them in acknowledgment.

"But we're nowhere near the lab," Nancy protested in confusion.

"But what if," Dustin countered, "somehow, there's another Gate?"

Eddie pointed at Sam, feeling lost. "So she can open Gates?"

Dustin sighed wearily. "Not that we know of, no. It would have to be a Gate that we don't know about. Smaller and way less powerful."

"A snack-size Gate," added Robin.

"How? Why?"

"No idea," Dustin shook his head. "All I know is that something is causing this disturbance, and the last time we've seen anything like it, it was a Gate. And I hope it is, because then we'd have a way to Vecna. And a shot at freeing Max from this curse. And an answer for Specks's connection to all this."

Promptly, Dustin turned around and began walking away towards the direction his screwed-up compass was telling him to take.

"Where are you going?" Steve asked immediately. "Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey."

"Henderson, you get back here right now," Auggie hissed, and Dustin finally listened. He turned around with an annoyed face, but Auggie was holding out a hand towards the person of interest. "Eddie's still a wanted man. We can't just go for a hike in the woods!"

Dustin held up his compass, said, "This little steel capsule might be the key to saving all of Specks, Max, and Eddie." He held out both his arms towards Eddie. "What say you, Eddie the Banished?"

Like before, everyone turned to him. Although, this time they weren't listening for a story. They were looking for his decision on whether he'd be risking his life to fight Vecna, or not. It was a weighted question that had everyone on edge, in all honesty.

Eddie scratched his cheek contemplatively. Eyes on nothing but a random leaf, he started, "I say you're asking me to follow you into Mordor, which, if I'm totally straight with you, I think is a really bad idea... But, uh, the Shire... the Shire is burning."

Sam heard a thudding noise from behind her, and turned to see that Dustin was jumping up and down with the most excited grin he'd ever had on his face. If it was a cartoon, Sam would've heard little boinging every time his feet hit the ground.

Eddie had a mischievous grin of his own. He finally (finally) stood up, finished, "So Mordor it is."

◦☆＊★ ━━━━━━ ★＊☆◦

They'd been walking through the woods for so long that it was night now, and Sam didn't even want to know how many hours it had been. She was way too unathletic for this shit — her feet hurt and she was so tired that Sam feared she would collapse in the next breath.

She was so tired that Sam was pretty sure she was hallucinating Eddie Munson hanging back just so he could talk to her.

"You know, Apollo-Zeus—"

"It's Sam," she grumbled, although it came out more as a growl this time.

"—The 'wanted criminal' life has really made me stop and think about the past," Eddie ignored Sam's complaint, throwing his arm over Sam's shoulder despite her squirming and grimacing. "You know, back when I wasn't aware your small, little, adorable ass could be Zeus—"

"Sam!"

Eddie waved the hand that was around Sam's shoulder. "Gesundheit." He breathed in sharply, "Anyways, you've got a lot of backstory to yourself, don't you, Zeus?"

"I'm—" Sam exhaled very passive aggressively, trying not to lose her temper on him, "not going to keep entertaining you."

Eddie grinned, as if all previous statements had just been a test. He was so much taller than her, that Sam had to crane up to even see his smile.

"Your friends told me you don't hate anybody," Eddie cut to the chase amidst a horrible segue.

Sam pulled a face. "Okay?"

"But you hate me."

She just stared at him, a blank expression on her face.

Eddie finally asked, "Why's that?"

Sam refrained an eye roll, knowing it would not help her point. "I don't hate you. I mean, sure there are people I hate, but... you're not one of them."

What? Sam knew it was hard to believe, but it was true. Eddie was too irrelevant in Sam's life for her to hate. Sure, a part of her subconsciously blamed him for losing all her friends; and, yes, she wasn't the happiest when Eddie pulled her Party into his. But that wasn't hate.

It was just... mild dislike.

"You sound unsure," Eddie pointed out.

"I'm not — I'm just," Sam threw her head back, groaned. "This is weird."

Continuing his badgering, Eddie pointed out, "Ever since your first day of high school, when I tried rescuing from the depths of loneliness, you didn't want anything to do with me."

"I didn't want anything to do with your club," Sam corrected, opening up a little.

Eddie hummed, sounding amused. "Yet I hear you're quite the D&D fanatic. A Druid, am I right?"

Sam didn't like that he knew anything about her.

"...Yeah."

"Elemental powers, coincidentally. Into preserving the balance, nature, and... protecting your friends?"

For some reason, she felt a malicious urge to turn Eddie into the police.

"Something like that," she gritted out through clenched teeth.

Don't blame Sam, it was a known fact she hated feeling called out.

As an underlying tease, Eddie wondered, "So is Hellfire too freaky for the Druids, or...?"

"Look its not about you, okay?!" Sam finally snapped. "It never was. You being a freak is just a subsequent factor."

Eddie wiggled, so Sam underneath his arm was forced to do the same. "Ooh," and he definitely was teasing now, "she knows big words."

"Shut up," Sam scoffed.

Eddie laughed, then. "So if it's not me, then what is it about?"

Sam didn't know if it was easier or harder to talk about her less-than-selfless feelings to a (for the most part) stranger. She actually didn't like talking about her deeper feelings at all, so it was a hard decision to make.

Sam sighed, finally calming down a little. She confessed, "I'm... I'm already part of a Party. We were already part of a Party."

"You, Henderson, Wheeler, and Sinclair?" Eddie guessed.

She added, "And Will."

"Who?"

"Will."

"Who's—?"

"He's our friend," Sam cut him off, knowing Eddie was too slow to get it; knowing the boys hadn't even mentioned a whisper of Will to him. "He's our Cleric and he's in our Party, but... but he moved. And before he moved he promised he wouldn't join another Party."

Then Eddie realized the rest. "But no one else in the Party did the same."

"No," Sam confirmed, sounding a little petty. "They didn't. I don't get how they can play without Will, it's — it's not right! It's not right when we're all not doing it together."

Eddie looked down at her, condescendingly. "Aw," he began ruffling her hair, "you're just a little softie, aren't you, Zeus?"

Sam began swatting him away with meeping protests. She got out from under the depths of his smelly armpit, glaring at him so furiously that her eyes shone an electric blue. Sam stayed a good distance away in case Eddie tried anything again.

"And you wonder why you have so many people hunting you," Sam murmurs, fixing the hair she could feel Eddie rubbed out of place. She crossed her arms, always closing in on herself these days.

Eddie inhaled a sharp breath at that. She'd accidentally stumbled upon a conversation that was deeper than she wanted to go.

"Well, it looks like we have one thing in common," Eddie mused, though he didn't sound pleased. "Would you look at that?"

Sam laughed, humorlessly. "Would you look at that?" she echoed.

For the first time, in possibly ever, Sam and Eddie fell into a relative silence. She knew he was processing the whole "hunting" thing, because she was, too. Here they were — real people — and they were being hunted for crimes they didn't commit. Eddie was fucking on the run from the cops. It was all so insane that it sounded like information made up for a show.

"You know," Eddie spoke up again, because god forbid he stay quiet for longer than a couple seconds, "I really am sorry that your ex-boyfriend who cheated on you and the girl who he cheated on you with want you dead, by the way."

Sam raised a suspicious eyebrow at him. "How'd you know all that?"

"Word travels fast," Eddie shrugged.

Sam's head was still craned up at him, staring a little longer in incredulity. Eddie looked to her, wondering why this short, little freshman was watching him with such an analytical stare.

Eventually, though, Sam laughed out in disbelief. "You're a gossipy bitch," she realized, shaking her head in amusement.

Eddie snorted out a laugh of surprise at her abrupt statement. Although, he took it with stride and shrugged because Sam was right. Eddie couldn't even try and deny it.

"And you're totally metal," said Eddie, and it took a lot for him to call someone that; especially little blond chicks. "I didn't think you could be."

"Dustin!" their conversation was cut off by the sound of Auggie's voice, exclaiming fervently. "Can you slow down?! Dustin!"

Sam and Eddie shared one, last look before the conversation was over and they were following after their speedy friends. Apparently, Dustin had found something, and now he was following that something so quickly that Auggie and Steve were muttering about getting a leash for him.

Sam picked up the pace as everyone else did, jogging lightly and pushing past branches that were jutting out. She had to hop over a bush, shove one more branch away, but after she did, Sam was the last one to stumble upon where Dustin's compass was leading them.

Dustin whipped his head back towards the group with an excited grin, though he was still running forward. "I think we're getting close!" he cheered, but didn't account for the vast body of water he was heading towards.

Auggie grabbed him by the back of his collar before Dustin could fall in, stopping him in motion. "Watch your step, Curly," he pulled Dustin into his chest, patting the boy's front to keep him stationary.

"Oh, man," Steve groaned, when he, too, spotted where they were.

Lover's Lake.

Dustin's compass brought them to Lover's Lake.

"You gotta be shitting me."

"Yeah," Eddie frowned, sounding a little dead inside. "I thought these woods were familiar."

Robin pointed out, "Lover's Lake."

"This is... confounding," said Dustin, voice breathless out of shock.

"There's a Gate in Lover's Lake?" Max questioned.

Sam's hand (that wasn't holding her flashlight) moved up to clench at her chest when a fresh cold moved in. "I think so," she admitted quietly.

"Whenever the Demogorgon attacked, it always left an opening," Nancy suddenly recalled, mind working hastily.

Sam's hand fisted the front of her shirt, before shakily letting go. "Vecna's the same way."

Auggie looked to Sam, then he threw his head back miserably.

"Oh, god, we've gotta check it out now, don't we?"

"Whatever Zeus says, goes," Eddie muttered as he passed Auggie up.

He began walking over to where he hid the dingy boat (rather poorly, may Sam add). Everyone stood around as he grabbed a tarp that just happened to be lying in the woods, yanking it to reveal the form of transportation he'd evaded Jason, Carrie, and Justin with last night.

It wasn't much, but it would do.

Eddie, Auggie, and Steve proceeded to band together and shove the boat back out on Lover's Lake so they could investigate further. Sam tried not to think about how, just twenty-four hours ago, Patrick McKinney died at that very spot. It was morbid and horrible.

"Here you go," Steve offered out a hand for Robin to take. Unfortunately, though, Robin just placed her hands on both of Steve's and Eddie's heads and used that to step on into the boat. He muttered, "Yeah, that works, too."

Eddie stood up to climb in after, and Steve held out another hand to try and offer aid, but was ignored again. Nancy stepped forward next, and Steve's hand went up again, but he put it down passive aggressively when Eddie was the one who helped stabilize her in.

Auggie followed her, and Steve tried offering his hand again. This time, Auggie pretended he was about to take it, but yanked his hand away and hopped into the boat right after. The force caused water to splash onto Steve, and Auggie laughed, terribly amused.

"Oh, very funny, Smiths. Yeah, thanks for that," he snapped, passive aggressively, shaking off the water from his hand.

Auggie sent him a careless wink right back, and Steve rolled his eyes to hide the rising smile.

After Auggie, Dustin tried getting into the boat with an eager smile. Before he could even take a step, though, Eddie pushed Dustin straight on the chest and the younger boy stumbled back.

"Hey, hey, hey, you trying to sink us?"

Dustin retracted, sharing an exasperated and offended look with Sam.

"This thing holds four people tops, okay?" Eddie finished, Dustin's frown growing.

Eddie didn't care much for Dustin's breaking heart, as he walked towards the front of the boat away from Dustin. Nancy looked apologetically to him and Sam. She said, "It's better this way, okay? You guys stay here with Max."

"As much as I love Max," Sam started, "I would love it even more to maybe, oh, I don't know, find the Gate and stop Vecna so that way I could actually help her?"

Auggie rolled his eyes at her. "Dude, come on. Just keep an eye out for trouble."

"You keep an eye out!" Dustin glared. "It's my goddamn theory! And she's the only one who can save your asses if anything happens!"

None of the older teens were deterred, staring at Sam and Dustin with unimpressed faces.

"You heard Nancy," Robin dismissed him.

Dustin gestured incredulously. "Who put her in charge?!"

"I did."

Sam crossed her arms, anxiety rising. "I don't like this idea," she protested. "I should be there with you. What if something happens to you guys? What if you get hurt?"

"Sam, come on," Nancy tried calming her anxiety. "We're just going for a little boat ride, okay? We'll be fine."

"Oh, like 'It's A Small World' where they kill you in their sleep?" Sam challenged, raising an eyebrow.

Robin's face wrenched up in confusion. "I don't think you've actually been to Disney."

"No, I haven't! But still!"

"Sam," said Nancy.

Sam groaned, head throwing back in an admission that said she knew this was a losing battle for her. Dustin pat Sam on the shoulder empathetically, glaring at the older teens like they'd just upset his child.

Nancy didn't care much for his look. She stepped closer to Dustin with a victorious look, holding out a firm hand.

"Compass."

Dustin's eyes narrowed, although, eventually, he pulled the compass out from his hoodie pocket and placed it into Nancy's grasp.

Nancy sent him a smart-ass grin before she walked back to the middle of the boat. She took a seat next to Eddie while Auggie was sitting next to Robin. Steve stood up and chucked Dustin's backpack at the boy, "Hey, there you go."

"Ow," Dustin muttered quietly, only being heard by Sam, Lucas, and Max.

Steve began pushing the boat for the group of four to start off on the journey. But, catching them completely by surprise, he hopped into the boat with them. Sam watched the old metal wobble hazardously with his weight, and she and Dustin immediately broke out into protests.

"You said four!"

"Dude! Not cool!"

Steve shrugged and faced them, but there was no hint of guilt in his eyes. He whispered, "Sorry," before sending the two an unapologetic shrug.

Eddie and Auggie began paddling the boat further away, and their boat slowly began a silhouette consumed by the fog until Sam couldn't spot them anymore.

The only sign of life she had was the voice of Robin's taunting voice, shouting, "Bedtime at nine, kiddos! Miss you already!"

Dustin glared furiously, throwing all five of them the middle finger. Sam wrapped her arms, hands moving up and down her biceps in attempt to provide herself a semblance of comfort.

"Fine," she muttered under voice passive aggressively. "If they want to get themselves killed, fine. I'm done failing to try and help."

Sam turned on her heel and began stalking off to the left. The sudden mood change had Lucas's eyes widening in worry, and while Max and Dustin started talking about what they were going to do while they waited for the other group's return, Lucas was jogging after her.

"Sam?" he asked, but Sam continued walking away, shoulders tense. "Sam. Sam, you good?"

Sam dismissively lied, "I'm good—"

"Sam," Lucas kept up the pace as he followed her quickly. "Hey, look at me. Sam. Are you good?"

"I'm fine!" she snapped, like it wasn't a big deal. Sam whipped around to face him, stopping her walking to stare at him with eyes that read the opposite of fine. Her fists were curled and her body language was still stiff.

Lucas's gaze softened on her. Quieter, he muttered, "Are you okay?"

"I'm—" she tried again, but she felt caught like a deer in headlights under his gaze. Sam began calming down the longer she stared into Lucas's eyes. Her shoulders were slowly dropping. "I'm okay," she nodded softly, before shaking her head. "Sorry. I know they're probably going to be fine, I just thought... You know, I thought I could control this."

He tiled his head, confused but wanting to understand. "Control it?"

Sam shrugged cluelessly, not truly knowing herself. She huffed, "I don't know. Everything in my life is just going to shit, and I don't know. I can't even keep a few boat-riders safe, how am I going to keep you safe?"

"Sam, you don't have to worry about me—"

"But I do, Luke!" Sam cut him off, expression desperate and voice squeezing his heart. "You worry about me, too, and that's just what we do. I've never been able to help it," admitted Sam, helplessly. She scoffed, but her voice was breaking again and it sounded more like a wet laugh. "And I worry about you, and I worry about Max, and I worry about everyone, and now..." Sam gulped sharply. "Now, look where that got me. Now Justin wants me dead. How am I supposed to be okay with that?"

Lucas's eyes saddened, or maybe Sam was just feeling all the poignant emotion radiating from him. It was a certain type of concern that Sam only noted when his gaze was on her, when Sam said something mildly worrying about her well-being that she probably shouldn't have said.

He shook his head firmly. "You're not, Sam. It's not okay. He is not okay."

"I just — I feel like I knew that, but," Sam got choked up again, "wanting me dead?"

"He never knew you," Lucas stated, with the upmost confidence. Then, with even more confidence, he abruptly placed his hand on Sam's shoulder, grip firm on her. "And we're going to figure all of this out, okay? We're going to kick Vecna's ass, then Justin's, then anyone who's ever hurt you because they suck, okay? You're going to be okay."

She hadn't felt that was possible in a long while.

Sam sniffled, a soft notion; her hand found the golden, B necklace.

You know. A lot of people get you wrong, Samantha Hughes. I think I have. I think you do.

I don't know what that means.

No. You wouldn't.

Sam's fists finally unfurled, red, crescent marks receding.

◦☆＊★ ━━━━━━ ★＊☆◦

The group of five was slowly making it across Lover's Lake. Auggie had passed his paddle to Steve long ago, too unathletic to get them a few feet. They rode in relative silence, Nancy directing, Steve and Eddie paddling, and Auggie and Robin content with not having to do anything.

Nancy's eyes widened on the compass when she spotted something peculiar. "Woah, woah, woah, woah, slow down. Slow down, guys" she spoke up.

They immediately stopped paddling, listening to Nancy's request. Auggie peered over Nancy's shoulder, shining his flashlight down on her and wondering what had her so urgent.

The compass, in question, was whirring around like mad. It was making a tiny, flickering noise as it flittered in circles, unable to choose a northern direction.

"Woah," Steve muttered, peering over Nancy's other shoulder.

Over by the shore, Lucas was checking on the group of five through his binoculars. He knew how worried Sam was about them, so he promised her to keep a close eye.

"Woah, woah, wait," Lucas spoke, gaining the attention of Sam, Dustin, and Max who were trying to skip rocks. "They're stopping. What are they stopping for?"

Dustin clicked on his Walkie, asked, "Guys, what's going on...? Come on, guys, talk to me. What's going on?"

"Uh, Dustin," Robin's startled voice crackled through the speaker, "your compass has gone from wonky to wonky with a capital 'AaAaHh!'"

"What the hell does that mean?" Max asked.

Sam let out a shaky exhale, heard by all four. "They found the Gate."

And so back in the boat, Steve had begun taking his shoes and socks off without any heads up.

"Steve, what are you doing?" Auggie questioned, although a part of him knew, and that was the reason he sounded so concerned.

Steve continued slipping his socks off. "Somebody's gotta go down and check this shit out. Unless one of you four can top being a Hawkins High swim co-captain and a certified lifeguard for three years, then... it's gotta be me. No complaints, all right?"

"I have many complaints," Auggie protested.

Steve scoffed, albeit fondly. He pointed out, "I don't think radio and movie expertise are gonna help you here, Smiths."

"I don't think your stupidity will help you."

"Auggie," said Steve, softer, and Auggie was listening now. "Just let me go, okay? I'll be fine."

Auggie could feel everyone's burning stares at the two. He was thankful it was so dark out, because they couldn't note how flushed he was at the earnestness of their little moment. Auggie grumbled in annoyance to cover up affection.

"Fine."

Steve stood up in the boat, beginning to get ready to jump in. While he did that, Eddie huffed.

"Hey, I'm not complaining," Eddie interjected. "I do not wanna go down there."

From the inside of his leather jacket, Eddie pulled out a plastic, grocery bag. He emptied it and began stuffing the flashlight inside, presumably so Steve could take the flashlight under water alongside himself without the electronic getting ruined. Auggie was paying absolutely no attention to confirm that theory, however, because Steve was taking his shirt off right in front of him.

Auggie's eyes were glued onto the sight.

Nancy's and Robin's eyes were glued onto Auggie, sharing amused smiles.

Lucas's eyes felt permanently scarred.

He wrinkled his nose in disgust from the shore. "Ugh," he groaned. "When'd Steve get so hairy?"

"Right?!" Dustin exclaimed. "I keep telling him he needs to tame that jungle, but he claims the ladies 'dig it.'"

Sam shook her head, arms crossed. "The ladies definitely do not 'dig it.'"

Auggie Santos, however...

Proving Sam wrong, though, Max stepped up to Lucas from behind. "Let me see," she said.

Max stole the binoculars from Lucas before he could even move — "What?" — and looked out into them for herself. The three, other kids exchanged puzzled and put off looks as they stood in an awkward silence. Max didn't stop staring for an awfully long time.

Back to the boat, Eddie was still fumbling with the illuminated flashlight and plastic big, waterproofing it for Steve. Auggie was shamelessly, still, staring at the shirtless Steve; luckily, Steve was turned away and couldn't notice.

"Here," Eddie muttered when he finished making his contraption.

Steve turned around, and Auggie quickly turned his head in the opposite direction so as to not seem suspicious. He took the bagged flashlight from Eddie with a nod.

"Good luck," finished Eddie quietly.

"Thanks," Steve breathed. He tossed Eddie his yellow sweater that he no longer wore.

Eddie nodded back at Steve before he tossed Steve's sweater to Auggie. "Here, you probably could probably find a better use to this," he told Auggie with a wink. Auggie's nose scrunched in disgust at the insinuation.

Steve was breathing steadily, one foot up on the wall of the boat. The boat rocked a little as Steve did, and they all knew he was mentally preparing himself to jump in.

"Uh — Steve?" Auggie spoke up before he could stop himself.

Steve looked around and down again, staring into Auggie's soul with his eyes. Auggie swallowed, but didn't falter in meeting his gaze.

"Be careful," he whispered.

Auggie smiled at Steve, so small that only the older boy could see it. Steve grinned and nodded right back.

Then, Steve took the leap of faith.

He plunged into the lake with an expert dive that was, admittedly, impressive. Although, the remaining four in the boat got splashed by the water that shot up when Steve actually did.

No one even had the hearts to complain right now, though. Steve was there, under the water, and all they could do was wait for him to come up. A million thoughts ran through Auggie's head — concern, attraction, fear, and something a little stronger than that.

The group on the shore was silent, too. Until Dustin, that is.

"You guys realize," he spoke up with an impish grin, "if there's a Gate down there, it's technically a water Gate." Dustin beamed at the four, who blinked back at him. An owl hooted to fill the blank silence. "Watergate!"

Sam couldn't hold it in for much longer. A laugh bubbled out of her at the play on words, and Dustin let out a cheeky, little giggle. She had to admit, it was funny, even if Lucas and Max looked absolutely unamused. Sam snorted for Dustin, though.

Back at the boat group, however, shit wasn't as funny. Auggie let in a shaky breath as the tense silence became enough to drown him instead of Steve.

"Where are we at, Wheeler?" Robin broke the quiet.

She was referring to Nancy, who was timing Steve's duration under water on her watch. Unlike Eddie's, hers hadn't been destroyed by any type of water-to-electricity ratio.

"Closing in on a minute," answered Nancy, sounding worried, too. Her eyes were glued onto the water where Steve had disappeared last. Auggie thought it was funny (not really), because he couldn't bring himself to look there.

Robin nodded stiffly. "Okay," she breathed, letting out a concerned puff of air.

And, yes, Steve drowning was quite a big issue at hand. Sam believed that would be their biggest (and only) issue of the night.

But she heard indistinct radio and chatter from behind her. She noted bright lights shining onto their backs.

"Shit!" Lucas cursed, hissing. "Get down, down!"

They all dived behind a tree that had fallen, it's trunk big enough to hide under. Well, three of them dived. Lucas had wrenched an arm around Sam before she could shoot down. Together, they hid, and Sam could feel his arm curling around her waist; he had Sam under his hold, pressing both of them into the tree.

Sam's breathing was fragile. She turned her head to look at Lucas, a little surprised, only to find out they were much closer than she expected them to be. Lucas was looking at her, too; she could feel his startled breath on her face.

"It was on the shoreline!" Sam heard an officer shout, and his voice was getting closer to where they were.

The boat, she realized. The boat was on the shoreline. Now, the Sheriff's department was heading towards where they were. They were going to find the group on the boat. They were going to find Eddie.

Aforementioned group on the boat was oblivious to this, though.

No one had spoken since Robin did. It was horrible, heart-crushing silence. The longer it went on, the more Auggie's mind whirled. A part of him feared Steve's body would float back up, but it wouldn't be conscious—

Something was shooting out of the water, splashing them and making the water gush loudly. Auggie yelped in fear, and the four teenagers flinched back at the jump scare. Eddie almost flipped the boat, he flew back so hard.

Auggie calmed when he saw that it was just Steve, alive and well.

"OH, CHRIST!" Eddie cursed incredulously. He didn't commune in Auggie's light heart, annoyed at Steve for spooking them all.

Steve gasped in for air, spluttering out water as he continued swimming upwards to stay above water.

"I found it," he announced.

"You found it?!" Nancy repeated incredulously.

Steve swam towards the boat, using his hand gripping the rim to keep himself afloat.

"I found it," Steve confirmed. "Yeah. I found it."

Steve panted, still trying to find air. Auggie smiled down at him with the brightest grin he'd shown anyone in the vicinity, yet. Robin clicked on her Walkie, said, "Dustin, you and Specks are goddamn Einsteins. Steve found the Gate—"

Dustin cursed under his breath, turning his Walkie all the way off quickly. Sirens wailed in the distance, and Sam prayed to god that the cops didn't hear Dustin's Walkie go off. She was breathing shakily, facing the log with Lucas's arm still around her waist.

She, Lucas, Max, and Dustin peered over the fallen tree they hid behind, checking to see if anyone did hear.

"Cops," Max whispered, seeing men holding flashlights and clad in blue uniforms.

"Shit, shit, shit."

Lucas shook his head, and Sam felt his hand flex. "We can't let them find Eddie."

Max went a silent, head looking between her friends and the cops in a contemplative manner that reminded Sam a lot of her own Scheming Face — as Will had dubbed it. For a second, she wondered if she was a bad influence on Max, right before Max confirmed her worry.

"Stay with me," she advised them, rising up from behind the tree.

Then, Max began to scream and flail her arms around.

"Hey, officers!" Max yelled, causing the hiding three to send her wide eyes of incredulous panic and utter terror. They all hissed for her to shut up, but — "Over here! I found the killer! This way!"

Max broke out into a run, then, off to the right.

"Shit!" Sam cursed, again, realizing she'd have to do more running.

Lucas and Dustin began scrambling to stand up, too. They were just as panicked and cursing as much as Sam was. Before Sam could think, Lucas was grabbing a hold of Sam's hand with a firm grip. He began running, and Sam was being tugged along with him. They ran, holding hands, following after wherever the hell Max was going.

Again, the group back at the boat was still absolutely oblivious to what was going on.

"It was pretty wild," Steve told them what he'd discovered under the water. "It's more a snack-size Gate than the Mama Gate, but still, it's pretty damn big."

Just then, Steve was just suddenly pulled under the water. Both his hands gripped the rim of the metal boat out of instinctive panic. It happened so fast that Auggie didn't even realize something was happening.

Steve's head popped back up from underneath the water, a perplexed face on his features.

Auggie panted, "Dude, are you oka — STEVE!"

Before they knew it, Steve was properly yanked underneath the water this time. Auggie, Nancy, Eddie, and Robin all yelled as Steve disappeared against his own volition. They all called after him, panicking, but Steve didn't return this time.

"STEVE!"

"HARRINGTON, SHIT!"

"NO, NO, NO, NO!"

"STEVE! STEVE!"

"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT, MAN?!" Eddie cried.

Auggie grabbed Nancy's arm hastily, his instinctive fear working him through something he couldn't even understand. "Nancy, really, what happened?!"

Nancy was shaking her head back and forth, panicking just like the rest of them. She had that same look on her face that Sam did when Sam was thinking out a plan for them to execute.

Auggie didn't have time to think.

He jumped into the water right after Steve.

He took the leap of faith.

◦☆＊★ ━━━━━━ ★＊☆◦

alright! i'm pretty sure this is the longest chapter i've ever posted. take this as an apology for my late update

although i have to admit that i probably won't be able to accomplish daily updates anymore. i'm really sorry about it but school's kicking my ass and there's other shit going on but i really do promise i'm trying my hardest to get these chapters out. i feel like shit for not being able to write faster, but please bare with me

if it makes anyone feel better, the chapter after the next (i'm pretty sure???) is gonna be HUGE for this story. like seriously. you'll know when you see it

on that note, i just reached 1k reads on this book!!

that's absolutely insane. thank you to everyone who's reading this story. i know i've said this a lot but i really never planned on publishing this story, i was too scared for people to judge my writing, but i (stauggie pun) took a leap of faith and did. and i'm so glad that i did now. publishing this story has pushed me to actually finish the story lol. thank you so much!!

but, on THAT note, i really want to encourage people to comment on my stories!! please don't be a ghost reader, because it makes me feel like shit and i honestly lose motivation cus my anxiety tells me everyone's hating on my writing lmao. pls feel free to comment as much as you want on anything you want because it really helps me when writing!! don't be a ghost reader!!

anyways onto the chapter:

hughclair nightmare convo callback. oh this is just the beginning. sam's sudden attitude whenever it comes to eddie sldfjhdl?? what is her problem LMAO??? sam trying to be a good wing woman and convince robin that steph doesn't do drugs HELP (she definitely does)

HUGHCLAIR WALKING IN THE FOREST CONVO!! IS UR SHIP EVEN REAL IF THEY'RE NOT WALKING IN THE FOREST TALKING ABOUT THE MURDERS OF THOSE AROUND THEM!!

(btw i had to rewatch the scene to write this chapter and lucas is literally holding a pinecone the entire time. it's actually so hilarious, go and look and you'll spot it. like why is he doing that)

lucas worrying vecna's gonna take sam cus she's trauma central is lowkey so funny. like she doesn't even have symptoms boy quit calling her out lsdjfsgdfgd

but the apology. but the "i see you now". oh my children i love them.

JUSTIN ZIMMERMAN WHEN I CATCH YOU JASON CARVER WHEN I CATCH YOU !!!!!!!!! WHEN I CATCH YOU SLGFKJFDLSGHSNTU. THESE MOTHER FUCKERS RUINING EVERYTHING. OH THEY PISS ME TF OFF (i am aware i am the writer who is making this happen)

but seriously i fucking hate them. steph hates them. good on steph for hating them. and steph and erica tag-teaming was all i needed in life

sam finding out about justin and carrie :( i'll protect you sweetie!!! get behind me!!!!

dude imagine if you counted how many nicknames sam has. omg it would literally be like a million LMAO

eddie and sam's dynamic needs its own personal shoutout >>>>>

they're just so funny to me like this disgruntled freshman is being harassed by this annoying idiot and sam is THIS close from throttling him and he is stinky. writing their scene was so fun.

lucas saying "are you okay?" and sam calming down completely??? i'm sick. they're sickening (i love them so much)

"he never knew you" NO!!! HE FUCKING DIDN'T!!

auggie just being a gay idiotic disaster. omg someone save him.

ik sam was getting butterflies when lucas caged her in to hide from the cops. like girl ur so real for that.

anywho cliffhanger at the end!! HOPEFULLY next chapter will be up by thursday/friday but if it's not please be aware i'm working on it and i'm trying my hardest. again, sorry the consistency in posting has slowed down i feel really bad about it

on a completely random note:

JUST WATCHED THE NEW PJO EPISODE PERCY WAS SAM-ING SO HARD!!! OR. SAM IS PERCY ENERGY-ING SO HARD???? every single time a new episode comes out i can't stop thinking they are literally the same. not literally. but. you get the gist

"you're not dead." "i mean..... we're all dying...... to some extent...?" "and you didn't pay to cross." "here! drachmas. just — take — take, uh... just, you know, take them all. you can buy a new whistle."

his face when he had to leave annabeth behind??? the despair??? the pure sadness???? sam face. for lucas. imagine.

also imagine sam and percy like put in a room together. oh it would be the best time of everyone's lives. if sam had a brother it would be him

(also imagining sam and stiles stilinski in the same room. ik that's off the topic, but it'd be hilarious and so iconic)

"i want [her] to know who [she] is... before your family tries to tell [her] who they want [her] to be. [she] is better than that. [she] has better things in [her] than that."

^^^^^^^^OOOO you guys don't understand how much sam related to that yet BUT YOU WILL. i know exactly who would even say it to who, referring to sam. i'm ill

to close things off: sam's fit for this chapter and the rest of the season:

what'd you think?