Four Times Someone Asked Steve to Stay. One Time They Stayed for Steve.

Nancy Wheeler

Every few months or so, no matter how busy she was, Nancy made a point of getting into her car and driving down to the local florist, buying a bouquet of flowers and visiting Hawkins' Cemetery.

Usually, there was no one around when she dropped off her flowers, giving Nancy ample time to stay for a while without interruption so that she could update Barb on the goings on around town and what her parents and herself was up to. The tradition had started after their first run in with the Upside Down because when everything had been said and done, Nancy had drove and drove until she eventually reached the familiar gates of the cemetery and stumbled her way over to the still pristine gravestone before promptly spilling her heart out on Barb's empty grave.

This time as she followed the well-worn path, Nancy noticed that someone was already stood in front of Barbs' grave, looking down at the headstone.

Realisation dawned on Nancy that she was in fact staring at the back of Steve Harrington's head, his familiar build and hairstyle only cementing the fact. The shock that Nancy had expected to wash over her at the sight of him didn't come, because when she thought about it, the idea of him visiting Barb's grave seemed so inherently Steve-like. He hadn't known Barb well, but he knew that she had meant so much to Nancy and so Steve Harrington had simply decided to care too and he did it so well.

Steve looked up, only looking slightly startled by the sound of someone approaching from behind him. He tensed when it was Nancy who joined his side, her own flowers clutched tightly in both her hands. An awkward silence hung between them and Steve took an almost unconscious step back from the headstone as if he had been burned by its proximity. Guilt swirled in Nancy's stomach as she grappled for something to say that would make him look like less like a deer caught in headlights.

"The flowers make sense now." She breathed out, gesturing to the beautiful bouquet laid on the grass.

Similar arrangements sprang forth in Nancy's memory; she remembered seeing them often and had just chalked it up to Barb's parents. Steve still didn't speak but his eyes jumped between her and the flowers at the mention of them.

"I'm sorry. I should go."

Nancy blanched and darted forwards, her arm was outstretched like she was going to grab Steve before recoiling as if she thought better of it. Her hand was raised awkwardly in the air only a few inches away from his sleeve. "Stay. Please." She hastily dropped her arm, cheeks warming. For a second, Nancy thought that Steve was going to walk away, (he looked like he wanted to be anywhere else in that moment), but he had always been too kind- too willing to overlook his own discomfort for the wishes of others. Nancy tried not to let any guilt settle in her chest when he shoved his hands back into his pockets and stood stiff beside her, unmoving.

No words were exchanged when she set her own flowers beside Steve's.

When she straightened up, Nancy flicked back her hair and her eyes darted covertly over to Steve before she seemingly came to a decision. Her shoulders squared themselves back and her face hardened as if she was preparing herself for a difficult conversation. Steve didn't know how to react when she turned and stared him head on except to stare back, slightly hunched forwards.

"Steve. You know that I don't blame you for Barb's death." Nancy blinked at him. "Right?"

She remembered what she had said those years ago in that bathroom. Maybe a part of her had meant it then, because she had been hurting and grieving and everything had been spinning out of control- but that didn't mean that Steve deserved her anger. He didn't deserve to be lashed out at when all he had done was try and help her grieve and move on but she had dug her heels in and hurt. All he had done was love her and she'd thrown it back in his face because she had wanted somebody to hurt as bad as she was and Steve had been a convenient target, using the way that he held his heart on his sleeve against him. She should have none better than to leave it so long without being said.

Steve held back a wince at Nancy's blunt wording and her eyes squinted at the sign of weakness- she stared at him like she was trying to pry him open with her gaze alone. "Steve?" She pressed.

"I know." He sighed, looking down at his feet before meeting her eyes again.

Nancy's nose twitched. "You shouldn't blame yourself either, Steve." She tilted her chin as if she expected Steve to argue with her. Instead, he took in a long breath and tore his eyes away from her.

He kicked at a clump of grass. "Easier said than done."

"I know." Nancy said quietly, looking contemplative with her brows furrowed while she turned back to the grave in front of them. "But it can be done."

When Steve looked back at her, his expression was a little sad and tinged by grief and regret and so many other things that flashed and flickered too quick for her to catch and decode. Still, Nancy knew that the Steve she knew from years ago couldn't have even begun to fathom feeling so much at once.

"We should meet up sometime." She suggested, wrapping her coat tighter around herself.

"Yeah. I'd like that." Steve admitted before he took a step back, as if he was testing the waters to see if Nancy would call him back like she had before. She didn't. Instead, she smiled and offered him a wave goodbye that he returned gratefully before rushing back down the path she had just walked up. Nancy watched him go until he was fully out of sight before she turned back to the headstone and brushed her fingers against the cool stone with a wistful smile.