the unexpected | steve harrington

papa

part two

Max tried to get through to anyone in California. Will, Jonathan, Joyce, El — anyone who would answer. They knew they needed them, more than ever.

Daphne hadn't really known El much; she was quiet and reserved. But now what she was worried about is all of the stories before surround her and her powers. Which are currently not there.

It's not long before the bickering starts as Max and Steve argue about her punching it in wrong, Max adamant she didn't.

Max tries again, still getting the busy signal.

"How is that possible?" Lucas mumbles as he paces back and forth.

"I told you, Joyce has this telemarketer job. Always on the phone," Dustin shrugs, "Mike won't stop whining about it."

"Yeah, but, this phones been busy for, what, three days now?" Max shakes her head.

"Guys, I hate to say it," Daphne glances up, "We have to come up with a plan. Without them." She sighs, "Even if they answered, El doesn't have her powers anymore, they're ages away."

Daphne pinched her nose in frustration.

"This is on us." The older Henderson deadpans, deep breaths being inhaled by them as they agree.

"This isn't Joyce, something has to be wrong." Max argues.

"She's right," Nancy mutters, "It can't be just a coincidence, it can't be. Whatever's happening in Lenora is connected to all of this. I'm sure of it."

"He can't hurt them if he's dead," Daphne shrugs as she glances to Steve, his eyebrows furrowing at her. He just almost lost her, and she's talking about going back to kill him?

"We have to go back in there. Back to the Upside Down." Nancy states.

"Nope."

"Whoa, no, no, no." Steve shakes his head with confirmations from Eddie, "What?"

"Steve, you know she's right—" Daphne tried to tell him but he jumped up, placing a hand in the air to tell her to shut up.

"You just nearly died, Daphne," Steve grumbled, pacing, "And you— he's using you as some pawn to get us all riled up!" He motions to Nancy. "We just— we need to think this through."

"Steve, there is nothing to think about!" Daphne half-laughs standing up, Steve's hands resting on his hips as he watches her stand in his space. "He's one kill away, Steve. One kill. We need to do something."

"And what if you die, huh? Did you think about that?" Steve pulls a hand through his hair, "You're next on his hitlist, Daphne, all three of you!" He looks to Max and Nancy who both look away.

"We're all dead either way, apparently!" Daphne slaps her hands by her side in frustration, turning away and back to Steve, "I'll happily take that risk if it means there's a minuscule chance of you guys surviving this."

Steve let's out a frustrated groan, the peering eyes of the group watching this unfold between the two.

"Yeah, and what about us, huh?" He grits his teeth as he lowers his eyeline to hers, "You go, you sacrifice yourself, what about all of us left behind? Huh? You're dead, you won't know, or Hell, maybe you'll watch from Vecna's nice little graveyard, but us?" Daphne's eyes clenched shut at his words. She hadn't thought about how selfish it was to be so okay with that. "Dustin? Your mom? Robin? Me?" Steve's voice broke at the last word.