The Stancy Files

Chapter 14: The House Arrest Era

Nancy gave no facial expression. Chief Powell continued to walk her through the door into the same room she had been in just a few weeks prior for questioning. "Alright, Nancy. I'm going to need you to be honest with me here. No lies and no jokes, Miss Wheeler. Only the truth and nothing but the truth." She nodded. "Let's begin, shall we? You have been reported to be back at school. Driving to and from school. Where have you been staying?" Nancy blinked. "If it's going to get the person in trouble, I'm going to refrain from sharing that information." Chief Powell became a little frustrated. "You are the only one being brought in for questioning, Miss Wheeler. You are responsible for your own actions." Nancy started at him blankly. "I was staying at a friend's house. Max Mayfield. I'm sure you know the name." He nodded. "This Max you speak of... is a boy? You are friends with him like the Harrington boy?" She wrinkled her nose. "No. Max is a girl. Don't be sexist." The chief wrote notes on a piece of paper. "Max Mayfield, a girl. You were staying with this Max for how long? A week? A month?" Nancy gave him a serious look. "I've been staying with her for two and a half weeks, almost three." Chief Powell nodded as he continued to write notes down. "Tell me something, Miss Wheeler. How is the Harrington boy involved in this? Did he want you to run away with him? To leave your home?" The more words came out of his mouth, the more sexist the man sounded. "No! I left the house by myself of my own accord. Steve was worried for me and was looking for me for an entire day! I know you wouldn't ask a boy these questions, Chief Powell. So please, don't ask me these pointless, ridiculous questions." He ignored her confrontation. "Your extra comments are not needed, Miss Wheeler. It would be wise of you to refrain from sharing them. How long has the Harrington boy known where you were located? And why were you two revisiting Benny's earlier today? I can imagine that is no coincidence considering that is where you two were found last, sleeping together." No words left Nancy's mouth. She was angry at the stupid, sexist man sitting in front of her. Chief Powell stared her down. "You must answer the questions at hand, Miss Wheeler." Her eyes didn't leave his. "No. I don't have to answer anything. If you don't want to hear what I have to say because it offends you or you have a problem with women calling you out on your bullshit, you shouldn't be saying the things you are or asking sexist questions." And just like that, she got up and left the room. The chief got up and walked after her. "Miss Wheeler, we are not finished here!" Nancy turned around with a wave of blazing anger boiling in the pit of her stomach. "Yes we are." 

As soon as Karen spotted her daughter and Chief Powell walking out of the questioning room, she walked over and overheard his statement toward her. "Nancy!" She said, defensively. "You have to answer the chief's questions. Come back down here!" Nancy ignored her ignorant mother and continued to find her way up to her bedroom. Minutes later there was an excessive amount of banging on her door. "Nancy! Open the door! Come back downstairs!" The girl swung the door open to face the stubborn woman who had given birth to her. "Do you know what kind of questions they are asking me? They would never ask the things to a boy that he's asking to me! Chief Powell is a sexist pig and I don't want to hear anything from him! For God's sake, he thinks Steve and I slept together when he fucking knows we didn't! He's doing this on purpose and it's disgusting!" Karen eyed her daughter suspiciously. "When was this, Nancy? Are you and Steve back together?" Nancy shook her head. "No, we're not. We went on one date together as friends and that's it. We were staying at Benny's when I left the first place and were sleeping on opposite sides of the room. That was before we even went on a date. Why are so many men in Hawkins like this?! They're so aggravating!" Her mother's face softened a tad. "I am sorry about that, Nancy. Men are sexist, nasty things sometimes. Sadly, that's a reality we have to live in. But you can't just say these things to Chief Powell. You ran away and questions need to be answered." Nancy's brows furrowed. "Not when they have nothing to do with what I'm being questioned about." Karen glanced downstairs. "I will go into questioning with you, Nancy. If he continues to ask gross questions, I will end it. But you're staying here." Nancy understood her mother's points and they walked down the stairs together. The mother walked up to the chief. "We will continue questioning, Chief Powell. But I will be joining my daughter this time and so forth." The chief nodded and walked back into the questioning room, gesturing for the mother and daughter to follow him. "Alright, Nancy. Why were you with the Harrington boy at Benny's? What were you doing? I need specifics, Miss Wheeler." He had only asked one question, and Mrs. Wheeler was already pissed. She walked out of the room without saying a word and Nancy followed her out. The girl went back upstairs to her room and stayed there until dinner. 

      After dinner, there was a knock on her window. The Hawkins police had already left and it was just the Wheeler family at home now. There wasn't a doubt in Nancy's mind as to who it could be. "Nance, let me in, it's chilly out here." The voice whispered. She unlocked the window and Steve Harrington climbed through her window, just as he had many times before. "Steve, you can't be here! If my parents find out you're here they're going to blow me into smithereens!" She whispered back. Steve walked closer to her. "Are you okay, Nance? The police are stupid. And I'm so sorry about what happened. I dunno how they found us. Well, I do. But I don't know how that guy knew to be looking for us." Nancy smiled at the silly boy. "Steve, I'm fine. Chief Powell is a sexist asshole and my mom made him go home because of the things he was asking me." His eyes narrowed. "What do you mean because of the things he was asking you?" She rolled her eyes, still frustrated with the whole situation. "He kept asking personal things about me and you. They had nothing to do with what he was supposed to be asking me about and he never would've asked a boy the same questions." Steve frowned. "I'm sorry, Nance. That sucks. I wish I could've done something about it." She shrugged. "You couldn't have even if you wanted to. It's the law." He pulled her hand towards the window. "C'mon, let's go. Get away from this place. Go back to Max's or Dustin's." Nancy pulled back. "I can't, Steve. You know how much I want to, but it is literally going to be impossible. My parents are putting jail bars on all of the first-floor windows and doors tomorrow. It's bad." He pouted. "It's now or never, Nance. Now or never." She looked sad for her friend. 

"I can't, Steve. I'm sorry. I should have listened to you. You were right before, it's only going to get worse if I keep running away. I have to face my parents and the other troubles we're facing right now." Steve didn't let go of her hand. "Naaaance," he whined. Nancy stepped closer to the frowning boy and took his other hand. "Hey, when I get out of this house arrest era, I'm going to be able to spend all of the time in the world with you. No helicopter parents and no chaotic monsters. Just you and me." Steve looked down at the pretty girl smiling, standing before him. He kissed her on the lips. "You're incredible, Nancy Wheeler. The most beautiful and smartest person I know. I'm going to visit you as often as I can and I'll let Max know what happened today and drop off the stuff for her mom." Nancy smiled back up at him, finally starting to feel at peace once more. "I love you, Steve." She poked him in the stomach playfully. "Now go, do whatever you have to. I don't wanna distract you anymore." Steve's eyes lit up with heart. He stepped back towards Nancy. "But you're the prettiest distraction," he said, kissing her again. She kissed back and then pulled away. "Good night, Steve. Go get rest. And don't forget, if you ever need a place, you're always welcome here. But only up here, so my parents don't kill you." A charming smile flashed onto his face. "So I can stay here tonight?" Nancy chuckled. "Go, Steve. I'll see you soon." He kissed her a third time. "Goodbye, Nancy. I'll see you tomorrow. I love you." He said as he began to climb out the window. 

Steve and Nancy were back. Officially.

Nothing or no one could stop them... or so they thought.