The Stancy Files

Chapter 5: A New Beginning

"What happened?" Steve whispered to Robin. Robin shrugged. "She didn't tell me much. Only that Jonathan was an idiot and thought she was cheating on him. He doesn't think he did anything wrong." Steve's brows furrowed. "Why does he think Nance cheated on him? She's the most loyal person you'll ever meet." Robin didn't meet her best friend's eyes. "Steve, he thinks Nancy cheated on him with you." Steve was annoyed and aggravated. "But that doesn't make any sense, Robin. We didn't do anything. Nance didn't do anything. We talked like friends do. I told her how I felt, but I didn't try to make a move on her or anything. I wouldn't hurt Nance. And hurting Jonathan would've done that." Dustin smirked over at his buddy. "A friend, Steve? Just a friend?" Steve gave him a serious look. "Shut up, Henderson. Just a friend. Because that's what friends do. They talk." Dustin shrugged. "That's how all great relationships begin. Just take a look at me and Suzie-poo. And Mike and W- El. I mean El." Mike gave his friend a strange look. He didn't understand what Dustin had been about to say. Steve rolled his eyes. "Yeah, but Nancy and I are just friends. Friends, Henderson. Nothing more. Nothing less." A sparkle gleamed in Dustin's eye. "For now," he said, chortling.

While Steve was conversing with his friends, Nancy and Mrs. Wheeler were still having a talk. "Honey, is this about Steve? I know you used to date, but you can't just dump your boyfriend for your ex! It isn't right, Nancy." Her daughter rolled her eyes sarcastically. "I didn't dump Jonathan for Steve, mom. I broke up with Jonathan for myself. He wasn't treating me right. And Steve and I are friends. I've told you a billion times, just friends." Mrs. Wheeler sighed. "If you aren't going to talk to me, I'm going to make you start going to therapy." Nancy shouldered her mother, walking towards the front door. "Nancy Carolyn Wheeler, you come back here right now and apologize!" The eldest Wheeler slammed the door to the house. Holly looked up from playing with her toys, unphased.

This time, Steve didn't hesitate to go after her. "Whoa, whoa, whoa. Nance, where are you going? Is everything all right?" Nancy let out a deep breath, opening the door to her car. "My mother won't listen to me. So I'm going away." Steve was at a loss. "What do you mean? Where are you going?" Nancy met Steve's eyes. "Anywhere but here. She is going to force me to go to therapy if I don't give her the answer she wants, and it's ridiculous! I can't tell a therapist about the lab or Barb or Max! And it's not like I can tell my mom either. She wouldn't let me go anywhere. Even less than she is now!" Steve walked over to his friend and grabbed her keys from her hands. "Steve!" Nancy shouted, a little annoyed, but grateful someone cared enough to stop her. "Nance, are you out of your mind? You can't just leave and go off to nowhere. Especially now. We need you here!" Steve's vulnerability touched Nancy. Her facial expression softened. "But I can't be here anymore, Steve. I'm just so tired of the lies. No one knows the truth." Steve sat on the edge of her car. "I completely understand that, Nance. We shouldn't be having to lie to every single person we see on the corner of the street. I completely agree. But it's for their safety." Nancy got up and started flinging her hands in the air dramatically. "But no one's safe anymore! Vecna's here and he's going to send the monsters into our neighborhoods! Our homes! Everyone I care about is going to die! I can't just sit here and watch that happen!" He walked up to her and took one of her hands. "Then don't, Nancy. I know that things haven't gone in our favor so far, but we have to keep trying. We have to fight. Do anything." She nodded, breathing out slowly.

While Steve was still holding Nancy's hand, the Hawkins police returned once more to the Wheeler's house. Nancy heard the car coming up the driveway and turned around to face Chief Powell staring at them in the car, while Officer Callahan was in the driver's seat next to him. Steve pulled Nancy away, both running towards his car, doing anything to get away from the cops.

As soon as the two got into Steve's car, he started the engine and they were off. Nancy and Steve had no idea where they were going, they just knew they couldn't be there when the cops were. Nancy stayed silent most of the car ride, still trying to process everything that had gone down with her and Jonathan just a few hours prior. Steve ended up pulling behind Benny's old restaurant, the last place the Hawkins police would expect them to be. The place was deserted but still trashed from the last gathering of the former Hawkins High basketball team. The school closed for the rest of the year because so many bad things were happening. They wouldn't even let the seniors graduate. Everything in or related to Hawkins was a mess. Countless funerals to plan and attend, almost a hundred search parties, and no answers.

"Well, this place is... nice," Nancy said, with a small smile on her face. Steve looked around, observing his surroundings. "Yeah, it's no the nicest place or anything, but we can just walk down to Bradley's Big Guy and get whatever we need for the next few days. Or however long we're stuck here." Nancy was silent for just a moment. "Does Robin know where we are?" Steve looked over to his friend, a little lost. "What? Robin? Oh.. no. She doesn't. She probably thinks we're at... Skull Rock or something." Nancy looked at him, almost giggling. "You don't have to say it like that, Steve. That would be better than wondering through the Upside Down for hours with no way out." He nodded. "Yeah, but it wasn't that bad. Plus I'm glad I got to talk to Eddie. He said some things that stuck with me, for sure." Nancy was now walking closer to him. "Not that bad!? You were being eaten alive by bats!" Steve laughed a little, but their conversation fell to silence once more. "What did he say to you? Eddie, I mean. That stuck with you?" Steve shook his head, acting a little shy, like he had been when he told Nancy what he had on their last trip to the Upside Down. "Nothing really... he just gave me some advice." Nancy gave the world's saddest smile. "I'm glad we got to know him, you know? Even though the town never really got to, we did. He was a good guy. I wish we had had more time with him." Steve nodded, agreeing. "Yeah, you're right. He opened my eyes to a lot of things. I'm glad we got to know him. Thanks, Nance. It's been a hard day." Nancy nodded, looking at the ground. "Yeah, it has been for all of us." Steve put a hand on one of her shoulders. "C'mon, let's go inside."