𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐂𝐇 𝟐4𝐓𝐇, 𝟏𝟗𝟖𝟔:

Dustin shook Steve awake.

"Dude, wake up. We need your help,''He said.

Steve groaned and rubbed the back of his head.

"What time is it?" He asked in a groggy voice.

"It's 9:00," Dustin responded.

Steve stood up and walked towards the couch. Lucas handed him an article on Victor Creel and he began reading it.

"What are we supposed to be looking for?," Steve asked.

"More information on Victor," Lucas responded.

Meanwhile, Y/n was sitting in the Wheelers' basement bathroom, training to use her powers again. She knew that if she could use them in a trance, she could use them in real life. She had been trying to crush an empty water bottle for 20 minutes straight. Needless to say, she was frustrated. Once again, she focused her mind and tried to crush the bottle. "Shit," she whispered under her breath. She rolled her eyes and lifted her arm again. This time, it was painful. She groaned in pain, but the bottle was crushed. "Yes," she said to herself. She wiped the blood from her nose and grabbed an empty can of coke. She had hope that this would work. Not because she crushed the water bottle, but because this is what she practiced with Brenner.

She focused her eyes on the can and lifted her arm again. Without hesitation, the can crushed. Y/n was ecstatic and jumped up in joy and wiped the blood from her nose once more. She heard the sound of footsteps coming in the basement. She could hear Robin and Nancy talking, but all she got out of it was "Pennhurst Asylum" and "Academic Scholars". She walked out of the bathroom and sat down in a chair. "They came up with a plan," Lucas said. Max was sitting at a desk writing something, while Steve, Lucas, and Dustin watched her closely.
"I know you guys are staring at me," Max said.

The four of them began acting like they weren't.

"How you think your eyes boring into the back of my head is protecting me from Vecna, I don't know" She said.

Max got up from the desk and walked up to everyone individually.

"This is for you" She handed a letter to Dustin.

"For you" She gave a letter to Steve.

"For you" She looked at the floor as she gave a letter to Lucas.

"And for you" She said as she gave a letter to Y/n.

"Oh and give these to Mike, El, and Will" She said as she handed the letters to Steve.

"If you can ever open them again," Max continued.

Steve and Dustin began opening the letters before Max quickly stopped them.

"Hey, no. What are you doing? Don't open them now" Max said.

I'm sorry, what is this?," Dustin asked, holding up the letter.

"It's um, it's a fail safe" Max said.

Everybody looked up at Max, sad and worried.

"For after. If things don't work out," She continued.

The room filled with shock.

"Woah, Max, things are gonna work out-" Lucas said.

"No!" Max said.

"No! I don't need you reassuring me that things are gonna work out cuz' people have told me that my entire life, and it's almost never true. Never true" Max continued.

The room fell silent.

"Oh course this asshole curses me. I should've seen that one coming" Max said.

Max walked to the coffee table and picked up Dustin's walkie-talkie.

"If we go to East Hawkins, will this still reach Pennhurst?," Max asked.

"Oh course. Yeah," Dustin said.

"Why are we talking about East Hawkins?," Steve asked.

Everyone just stared at Steve.

"No, no, no," He said.

Max walked up the stairs and Steve rushed to follow her.

Everyone else followed them both.

Soon they ended up out of the house and walking to Steve's car.

"Open the door" Max demanded.

Steve looked around before sighing and unlocking the car.

Y/n sat in the passenger seat while Max, Lucas, and Dustin sat in the back.

The car ride was silent. Nobody dared to even speak. Y/n just stared out the window with her head resting on hand. Steve looked at her and wanted to say something, but remembered it wasn't a good time. When they finally pulled into Forest Hills, Max told Steve to stop at a certain trailer. When the car stopped, Max hopped out of the car and walked into her trailer.

"So, what are we gonna do about Eddie?," Dustin asked.

"Eddie who?," Y/n asked.

"Munson," Steve, Lucas, and Dustin said in unison.

"Okay? What does Eddie have to do with this?," Y/n asked.

"You don't know?" Lucas asked, surprised.

"No?" Y/n said.

"Yeah, we'll the police might be after him cuz' they think he murdered Chrissy and Fred.

"What?" Y/n said surprised.

"Yeah, but we know that it was Vecna," Dustin said.

"You know Eddie?," Lucas asked.

"Yeah? He's my friend?" Y/n said.

"Since when do you know him?," Lucas asked.

"Since I was like 13," Y/n said.

"Friend or 𝒇𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒅?" Lucas said in a teasing tone.

"Lucas, shut your mouth. And for your information, I like somebody else," Y/n said.

"What? I just asked a question" Lucas said.

"Yeah a stupid one" Y/n said.

"Yeah, stupid like you" Lucas argued.

"Lucas shut up before I beat your ass,"Y/n said.

"You're not gonna do shit" Lucas said.

"Oh really?" Y/n said.

"Yes really-" Lucas said.

"Can you guys be quiet, please?" Steve asked.

"Steve, this doesn't involve you," Y/n said quickly.

"Okay but he's right. Shut up" Dustin said.

Both Lucas and Y/n rolled their eyes.

"Hey, Max has been in there for awhile" Y/n said.

The car went silent again.

"I'll go inside," Steve said.

About 2 minutes later, Steve and Max came out of the house. Then, the five of them were on their way to another location, a cemetery. Y/n hated Billy Hargrove. After all, he terrorized her brother. She hated that everyone at school adored him and she saw through his act. She saw through his questionable remarks. But, this was for Max. Max was in danger and had to be protected. When they arrived at the cemetery, Max got out of the car again. She made it clear to everybody that she didn't want to be followed or watched.

"Do you guys think Max is gonna be okay?," Y/n asked.

"Nobody can answer that right now," Lucas said.

Word count: 1088