The Stancy Files

Chapter 8: The Confession

      Steve glanced over at Nancy, taking a moment away from the frying pan. "Uh yeah, sure Nance, just give me a sec 'cause the bacon is almost done." He wondered what she wanted to talk about. It couldn't be that important, right? It was just Nancy and she seemed pretty damn upset about Jonathan... even though she'd broken up with him. 

Nancy stood by her friend's side as the bacon finished cooking. She watched the grease from the savory-smelling meat overflow in the pan as Steve placed the bacon onto a plate. Robin walked behind Nancy towards the door. "I'm heading out. I'll see you two tomorrow," she said with a smirk and a wink at Nancy. The two said their goodbyes to their friend. Slowly growing impatient with Steve, Nancy smiled up at Steve, wanting him to meet her eyes. "Can we go talk now?" Steve nodded after wiping his hands off with a dish towel. He followed Nancy into the living room, a little nervous because of how angsty she was acting. They sat on the couch together, Nancy on the left, closest to the kitchen, and Steve on the right, closest to the windows. Nancy's eyes were peeled on the ceiling, not knowing how to begin the conversation. "So... you had something you needed to talk to me about?" Steve asked, trying to ease the tension. Her eyes fell to the floor. "Steve, do you know why Jonathan and I broke up? Do you know why I was angry earlier this morning?" He shrugged the shoulder closest to Nancy. "He was lying to you. You didn't deserve that and you knew it. I'm not exactly questioning your motives here, Nance. And what does any of this have to do with Jonathan anyways? You haven't seen him in weeks," Steve said, getting close to gritting his teeth. He sounded almost... jealous. Nancy shook her head. "Nevermind. I shouldn't have brought him up, I'm sorry. Just forget it." Silence fell between the two friends. 

"You're not wrong about why I broke up with him, Steve," Nancy said, finally gathering the courage to face the boy. "But you left one part out. When we were talking in my room a few weeks ago, before everything with Vecna and all of the chaos that's been going on, something in my mind shifted." Steve looked up at her, eyes wide, filled with the most heart-breaking vulnerability. Nancy searched his eyes. "I never loved Jonathan, Steve. It was only you. Only ever you. He's the one who pushed me to break up with you... and said so many stupid, stupid things. And I'm so sorry that I ever hurt you. I never stopped loving you... and I just wanted you to know that." Steve Harrington was speechless. "Nance- I don't even know what to say." She gave him a small, hopeful smile. "You don't have to. I just wanted you to know that." Nancy got up and walked away to the kitchen, suddenly hungry.

Steve didn't do anything the rest of that night. He just sat in his thoughts, which he would've loved to say were all at rest, but weren't. Jonathan had pushed Nancy to break up with him. Had he just done the same to her? Steve loved Nancy and didn't want to do anything that could hurt her, in the present or in the future. He watched as she painted something new, a vivacious green field filled to the brim with pretty little lavender flowers. The flowers reminded him of Nancy herself: gorgeous, vibrant, charming, and daring. Everything was right in this moment. Simple and at peace. But like everything else in the world, it came to an end. 

The next day was no flower field. As soon as daylight began, the Hawkins police were at Benny's. They had found Nancy and Steve. 

Chief Powell stood, looking enlarged to Steve and Nancy, who were just waking up from the couch and pull-out. Officer Callahan was looking down at the sleepy girl, shaking his head in pity. "You and your not-boyfriend have just created a living hell for yourself, missy." Nancy, still a little sleepy, rolled her eyes sarcastically. "As if we hadn't been living in a hell before this." Steve's eyes were also peeled to her. "Not the time, Nance. We're dead." Nancy looked over at her friend who she had feelings for and scrunched her eyebrows together. She stood up, walking over to the chief. "You can take me in. This is already punishment enough." Steve wondered what that meant and began to follow, but Nancy turned around to him, dismally. "You don't have to come. You've probably just had the most miserable twenty-four hours of your life." She said aggressively. Steve was now more confused than ever, but more than anything, worried for Nancy. "Nance, you know I feel the same way!" He said expressively. "I have forever! Of course, I love you! That's not even a question in my book and you know it!" Nancy's facial expressions were saddened. "You don't have to protect me, Steve. If you don't feel the same way, it's okay. You don't have to protect me anymore."

This is insane. This is insane. Steve thought to himself. She knows how I feel. Did I really not give off anything yesterday? God, I'm such an idiot. I have to do something.

After changing back into some decent clothes, Steve drove to the Wheeler house. He prayed Nancy was there. He wouldn't know what to do if she wasn't. Steve debated climbing up the side of the house to Nancy's room, but he doubted she'd actually let him in. Instead, he made the bold decision to knock on the front door. Mrs. Wheeler opened the door. "Steve!" Her eyes widened, resembling her daughter's. Halfway turning her head, Karen began to shout. "Chief Powell, Officer Callahan, Steve Harrington is here now! Questioning is necessary!" Nancy heard her mother's bellows from up the stairs and rushed down as quietly as she could. She didn't know what to think. She wasn't even thinking. She just rushed out the door, grabbing Steve's hand along with her. More cops began pulling up to the Wheeler house. "Miss Wheeler, stand down. Stand down!" One cop called. "Block the Harrington boy's car!" Another shouted.

Steve and Nancy had no other choice but to dash into the woods. "Nance, what are you doing? They're going to think we murdered someone or something." Steve whispered hysterically. She turned around violently, facing her ex-boyfriend. "Me? What were you doing just casually knocking on my front door? You're crazy!" He threw his hands up defensively. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I had to apologize though, Nance! What was I supposed to do? Let you think I don't love you too?" Nancy's anger dwindled. "We have to go, Steve. I don't know where. But not here." The popular brown-eyed brunette boy didn't move an inch. "Nance, I understand where you're coming from. I really do. My mom is crazy and my dad is a douche but if we keep running, when we really do get caught and we can't escape, it'll only get worse." He pulled Nancy's hand back towards the house and she reluctantly followed. Steve was right. It would only get worse if they kept running, just like it had with Eddie. 

Steve Harrington and Nancy Wheeler's journey was far from over. In fact, it was only just beginning.