Escape ~ S.Harrington

106} Here's to Jenna (1)

(The Broken Timeline)

{18 Months Later}

"No, no, no," Steve watched as Jenna fell to the ground in front of him, "Fuck!"
"You couldn't save me," She croaked out, "You failed me, Stevie."
"I tried," He sobbed, "I tried so hard to save you, Jen. I'm sorry."
"You didn't try hard enough," A puddle of blood started to spill out from beneath her, "Why didn't you save me?"
"I'm sorry!" He dropped to his knees next to her, trying desperately to stop the bleeding, "I'm so sorry."
She slowly melted into the blood, "You let me down, Steve. This is all your fault," The only thing she left behind was her ring.
He picked it up, hugging it to his chest.
Come back. I'm sorry, Jen. I promise I tried. I love you so much, just come back to me.

BEEP!

He jolted awake from his nightmare, sweat running down his face along with a couple tears.
"Hey," Alice stood in the doorway, "Same dream?"
"Yeah," He sighed, "How'd you-"
"I could hear your screaming from down the hallway," She sniffled, "I'm sorry you have to go through that."
"I wish I could say you get used to it, but you don't."
"I know. I have nightmares, too. Not as bad as yours, but still bad."
"Why'd you never tell me?"
"Didn't want you to worry," She sat down on the edge of his bed, "You already worry that Rob and I put moving to Boston and going to school on hold to stay with you. Didn't wanna give you something else on top of that."
"Thanks for telling me, Alice. You two do really need to get the hell out of here-"
"Shut up!" She plugged her ears and stood up, "You need to get ready for Dustin's graduation now. I changed your alarms after you went to bed to let you sleep a bit longer. Put on the good suit."
"Yes, mom!"

He stood up with an eye roll, walking over to his closet, wincing with every step. His doctor told him that he was developing arthritis and man, was it hitting him hard. It started in his knees and was starting to affect his ankles and hands. Because of the physical pain and mental pain from losing Jenna, he didn't really do a ton. He filled in as a substitute teacher here and there at the middle and high schools, but for the most part he just stayed home and listened to music. His mixtape and the few of Jenna's he still had were always on, whether it was playing on a cassette player throughout the house or in his Walkman, they were on. It was the one thing he felt like he had control over and the one thing that kept him grounded.

Alice had gotten accepted into her dream school in Boston along with Robin who was accepted into a school only a couple miles from her. Once they realized how bad of shape Steve was in, they decided to push back and defer their enrollments a year to stay and help him out. They also helped the Henderson's out with cooking meals and forcing Dustin to go to school.

Neither Dustin nor Claudia were holding together well. Dustin started to lash out even more than he had the first time Jenna disappeared. He'd broken up with Suzie and was overall more distant from his friends. Alice made sure to keep him in check, though, reminding him of what Jenna would've wanted. Even with his plummeting grades towards the end, he was still valedictorian.

Nancy and Jon both moved away from school and didn't contact them all that much. Jon was consumed in his film studies while Nancy was doing god knows what with reporting. Alice held a job as manager at one of the local shops while Robin continued to DJ alongside Jimmy 'Fasthands'. Neither of them loved it as much as school, but they knew they couldn't leave.

As Alice wandered down the hall, the phone rang.
"Hello?" She answered.
"Alice?" She heard Claudia sniffle on the other end, "I can't find Dustin. He graduates in an hour."
"I'm on it, don't worry, Mrs Henderson," She replied, "I'll find him. See you at the ceremony, okay?"
"Okay," She hung up.
"Who was that?" Steve walked up to her while failing to tie his tie.
"Claudia," She swatted his hands away, tying it for him, "She can't find Dustin."
"Can't find him? But he has a big speech soon."
"I know, I think that's exactly why he's hiding."
"I'll find him," He smoothed his suit, "Thanks."
"No problem. I'll meet you there then?"
"Yeah," He picked up his keys off the counter, "Gotta find mini Henderson."