you are not alone → stranger things

xv. barb

Tuesday afternoon, January 9, 1984
Nancy's POV

I brooded over life as I sat, bored, in the waiting room. How long would it take for him to wake up? I'd been waiting since school got out. I peeked up at the clock for the millionth time. Only thirty minutes?

I suddenly remembered with a pang the question Eleven had asked me last night as I was helping her get into her pajamas. "What happened to Barbara?" It was the most I had really ever heard her speak. She had pointed to my mostly empty bulletin board.

I hadn't wanted to answer. "She... uh..."

"Gone." She didn't say it like a question. An intelligence I had never seen before sparked in her eyes.

I had nodded, fighting tears. "Gone. And it's all my fault."

That night, I had had to have another cleansing of sorts of Barb. I pushed away all memories of her. It was the only way I could function as usual without breaking down like Mike had.

"Nancy Wheeler?" a nurse called, her heels clicking on the tile as she walked over to me. "You can see him now."

I leapt up from my chair and sprinted towards where I knew Jonathan's hospital room was. I hadn't seen him since he had defended me from Billy. Thank god he had.

Jonathan was awake. His eyes tiredly moved over to me. His arm was broken, and he had bruises all over his body and face, which was still bloody in hard-to-reach places. He smiled weakly. "Nance."

"I'm so sorry," I said quietly, wanting to cry. "If- if Billy had... well, I would never have forgiven myself."

He closed his eyes briefly, looking pained. "What about Steve? You were with Billy instead of him."

I swallowed. "He... Steve, he... he hit me."

Jonathan's eyes flared. "What?"

"I broke up with him today at school," I sighed, trying not to remember. "And I told Billy to leave me alone." With a jolt, I realized this was the first time I had talked to Jonathan since after Will had come back from that other world.

Red hair and big glasses swam in my vision, but I firmly pushed it away. Not now. She's gone, Nance. Let it go.

Jonathan had been watching me. With his unbroken left arm, he reached up and gently touched my cheek. It felt right, and all sad thoughts I'd had fell away. On a sudden impulse, I brought my hand up to touch his.

"Nancy..." he whispered, sounding so broken and so happy at the same time in two simple syllables.

Nothing would interrupt this... not like last time in his house. I leaned forward and kissed his chapped lips. He tasted like blood, but I didn't mind one bit. Without realizing it, I had been wanting this since we'd become friends.

His hand slid to my back, and he pulled me as close as I could be without touching him. It was wonderfully awkward, and I was filled with desire so deep I had to pull away slightly, gasping for breath. Jonathan's eyes twinkled, but he said nothing. Neither did I.

JONANCY HAPPENED GUYS. IT HAPPENED SO GOOD.
haha but none of this happy stuff will last long, that I promise... not sorry
And I realized the other day that I hadn't put anything about Barb lol so here we go!!