003 ➳ stranger things [1]

Chapter 18: Father Figure

"Nancy but we- we never-" Jonathan stammered.

"I know." Nancy nodded, biting her lip.

"You," Jonathan paused, looking at Steve who was talking to Dustin. "With him?"

"I know it's messy and bad-"

"No Nancy you said you- What is happening?" Jonathan started walking away.

"Jonathan please!" Nancy begged, tears began to fall.

"What happened?" Steve asked, approaching.

"Steve he just-" Nancy started crying as she tried talking.

"Hey, hey, come here," Steve pulled her into a hug, comforting her. "Everything is going to be okay. The baby, you and him, me."

"No, no- Jonathan..." Nancy grabbed onto Steve tighter.

"What the hell just happened?" Erin looked over at Dustin, who was watching.

"Nancy's pregnant." Dustin looked at her, then back at Steve and Nancy.

"Is it Jonathan's?" Erin asked.

"No. It's Steve's." Dustin explained.

"They were together? When?" Erin asked.

"For a year. They were cute." Max handed Erin and Dustin each a cup of water.

"For a year? What about Jonathan and Nancy?" Erin asked, taking a sip of her water.

"A couple of months," Dustin paused. "Steve still loves her."

"Jonathan is sobbing with Will," Lucas sat down next to Max. "We knew this would happen eventually."

"You knew?" Max turned to him.

"Dustin and I found out the same time." Lucas explained.

"About the thing." Max sighed.

"I don't want to talk about it." Erin's expression fell.

"It's going to happen and you know it." Max shrugged.

"I know. I just don't want it to be true or real. It's terrifying to just imagine or think." Erin sighed.

"Hey," Max paused. "We all are here for you." Max looked at her, and looking at Dustin for backup.

"Yeah." Dustin nodded.

The next morning, Erin was sitting in a chair looking to the forest. Dustin, Mike, Lucas, and Max were all asleep on the porch. The cool night made Max and Lucas get more blankets.

"Hey kiddo," Hopper opened the screen door. "Wanna come inside?"

"I'm good." Erin looked at him, then back at the forest.

"Have you been up all night?" Hopper asked.

"Yeah." Erin sighed.

"Why?" Hopper narrowed his eyes.

"I don't know this thing. I mean, I'm not afraid of Brenner or Owens because I've spent months with them. But with this," Erin paused. "I've had visions about it. That's about it. I feel like I'm not ready."

"None of us are ready for anything." Hopper sighed, sitting in a chair next to her.

"You're trying to be a father figure, aren't you?" Erin looked over at him, smiling.

"Maybe." Hopper shrugged.

"Good news is," Erin paused, narrowing her eyes at the forest. "You're good at it."

"So," Hopper paused, changing the subject. "You and Dustin."

"I don't know. Cassidy wants him."

"What?"

"I randomly read minds, I see the feelings she has."

"Are you gonna let her?"

"Probably," Erin sighed. "She always gets the guy."

"What do you mean?"

"Seventh grade," She paused. "She stole the guy I liked. But I let her."

"Why'd you let her?"

"She's my best friend, my twin sister. I couldn't hurt her even if I hated her."

"Breakfast-" Nancy said with a loud voice, then stopped herself seeing that Hopper and Erin were the only ones awake. "Is ready." She said with a much softer voice.

Hopper nodded, getting up. "You coming?" He turned back to Erin.

"Uh," Erin paused, thinking. "Yeah."

--

"Hey Kali," Cassidy paused. "Can I talk to you?"

"Yeah, sure." Kali nodded, putting her plate in the sink. The two walked to the corner, Eleven pulling her.

"Has Erin told everyone?" Cassidy asked.

"I don't think everyone. She hasn't told me yet," Kali explained, and Cassidy tapped her foot. "You do understand what will happen, right?"

"I know. Funeral, crying, Erin shutting everyone out." Cassidy sighed.

"What?"

"I know Erin. I love Erin, but it's what she does."

"She didn't do that with her parents."

"Because she pushed her parents away when I went missing."

"That seems like it was forever ago," Kali paused. "But it was just last week."

"She just got me, and now she has to lose me again."

"It's gonna be really hard on her."

"Promise me you won't let her push everyone away."

"Cass, I won't be around."

"Shit," Cassidy sighed. "You're right."

"Erin has to know that, that's not what you would've wanted," Kali explained. "I'll be there for a few days and then I gotta get back to you and," Kali paused. "Him."

"He's not a demon, pretty sure you can say his name."

"Okay but if anyone found out who he was, we'd be dead."

"Good thing they won't." Cassidy paused.

"Erin will hate you." Kali changed the subject.

"It's for her safe being." Cassidy nodded.

"Is it really?" Kali asked, sighing.