"either way, we're not alone..."
In which Sophie Hargrove struggles to close off her heart, especially when she starts to let Steve Harrington in.
STRANGER THINGS
SEASON TWO - SEASON FIVE
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Sophie didn't want to let this happen -- Max at the wheel was a terrible idea. But someone had to check whether or not Steve was still breathing, and quite frankly, she had the medical experience.
Yes, Max was underage and should definitely not be driving them to the entrance to the underground tunnels, but they had few options left. She wasn't even big enough for it and they had to tape a brick to the gas pedal; it was certainly a bumpy ride. "Can you at least keep to the speed limit?"
She rolled her eyes, glancing up at the rearview mirror. "You said we had to get there as fast as possible."
"I know, but I don't wanna break more than one rule tonight." Steve's unconscious form weighed down her lap, and Mike wasn't that fond of his legs hanging in front of him. The car jolted again as Sophie tried to apply a cloth to Steve's wounds. "And it's really hard cleaning up the blood with this thing bumping up and down."
They'd stuck a few plasters on his head for his minor cuts and bleeds, but his lip was still busted and his eye was swollen. Dustin held an ice pack against his head, ensuring his head couldn't get any larger.
Max groaned, her hands clenching the steering wheel. "Can you stop complaining, please? I'm trying to concentrate."
"Go right," Lucas told her, flapping the map in his hands. It was doodled with countless lines, all leading towards a pumpkin patch near the lab. Or, as they referred to it, the main entrance to the Upside Down tunnels.
The trunk of the car was stacked to the brim with equipment. They'd loaded the leftover gasoline tanks from their trip to the junkyard and took empty bottles of alcohol from the Byers' house, along with some cloth in case they needed to make some Molotov cocktails.
Whatever couldn't fit in the trunk sat on their laps or by their feet. Admittedly, the kids thought Steve would be better if he were in the back as well, but Sophie and Dustin immediately disagreed.
It was a huge risk they were taking, but if it meant protecting the world from the Upside Down's wrath, then so be it. They could die in the process, yes -- yet it would not be in vain. The others would be alive and well, able to live without fear. Sophie just hoped they would be remembered for their good deed.
A light moan sounded through Steve's parted lips, his eyelids fluttering. His head shifted slightly as if waking from a long dream. Sophie looked down at her lap, slightly gasping. "Steve?"
"Is he coming to?" questioned Max.
"Keep that pressed, Dustin." She instructed the younger boy as she tilted Steve's chin towards her. "Steve?"
Slowly, he opened his eyes, his vision adjusting to the darkness. Steve glanced past Sophie, noticing the large can of gasoline in Mike's hands. His gaze shifted upwards to the person holding it, and he uttered. "Nancy?"
