They didn't hear anything from the group for several hours. Nat had perched by the window and watched several news vans stream past, heading in the same direction as the cops did earlier. Eddie had tried to contact Dustin on the walkie several times without success.

"Maybe it's nothing," Nat said, trying to sound more confident than she felt.

"Yeah, maybe." Eddie replied.

Nat rose from her perch at the window and crossed the room to the grocery bags. "Oh Dustin, you beauty." She said, pulling a small pack of tattered playing cards and throwing them towards Eddie who just barely had time to react to them flying at him. "Shall I thrash you at Gin Rummy?"

She went over to the boat where Eddie was sitting and climbed in opposite him, two soda cans in hand. "Here," she said, putting it down next to him. He nodded a thanks and started shuffling the deck.

"You think you're gonna beat me?" He smirked, dealing them ten cards each.

"Oh, without question." She smiled, picking a card and replacing one of her own with it. "Pa taught me, so I'd say I'm pretty good."

Eddie picked a card and rifled through his own deck to find something to discard. He looked at Nat as he placed a three in the discard pile. "He'll be worried about you, you know."

"I know," She said, replacing a four with a jack. "It's okay, Robin can cover for me." She looked over at him, he was watching her closely. "Anyway, I already had to convince him you got a flat on the way dropping me home on Friday and had to wait for a recovery truck."

He looked down at his cards, "Maybe if I had just taken you home, none of this would've happened."

"You can't think like that." Nat said, "What's happened has happened, but we'll fix this. You and me, we'll fix everything, you'll see."

Eddie let out a low laugh, discarding a two. "What would I do without you, Nat?" She shrugged in return.

"Gin," she said, folding her cards, three matching sets.

"Huh- you are good at this…" He said. Taking the cards and reshuffling them.

"Told you."

They didn't hear anything from the group all day, as night fell they made cheese sandwiches for dinner with the groceries Dustin had bought. "I think it would be better if we slept in the boat tonight." Eddie said as Nat began to lay out the blanket on the floor. "You know, just in case the pitch fork parade show up."

Nat nodded, "Yeah, good idea." She picked up the blanket and laid it out in the boat, tucking it in so it wouldn't be seen. Nat climbed in, lying down and looking up at the ceiling. Eddie climbed in next to her, tucking his hands under his head.

"I hope they're alright," Nat said, turning her head so she could look at Eddie.

"Maybe their walkie is just dead." He offered, turning to face her. He bit his bottom lip contemplatively. "You said we'd fix this, but what- what if we can't?"

"Then we'll get out of here." She said, "Out of Hawkins, we'll just go somewhere."

"Are you asking me if I'll run away with you, Nat?" He chuckled.

"I don't know, are you saying you would run away with me if I did?" She grinned, a strange feeling fluttering in her stomach. "We will fix this."

They talked long into the night, eventually after a rather large yawn from Nat, Eddie sat up to pull the tarp over them both. In the pitch blackness, all Nat could hear was the sound of Eddie's calm breathing, and all she was aware of was how close he was to her. She tucked her arm under her head, calm washing over her as she drifted to sleep.

When Nat woke the following morning the tarp had been pulled back. She looked to her left, Eddie was no longer next to her. She sat upright and looked around the boathouse, sunlight was streaming in through the window, but Eddie was nowhere to be seen. She clambered from the makeshift bed and scrambled to the door, flinging it open. Ignoring the fact she only had socks on her feet she ran over to the house, scrambling up the steps to the porch. Turning the handle, she pushed the door open and went into the hall. They had been trying to use the house as little as possible, only moving from the boathouse to use the bathroom or gather any cooking supplies. When Nat rounded the corner to the kitchen, she smelt the faint aroma of spaghetti-o's.

"Mornin'" Nat jumped as Eddie appeared from the doorway off to her left. "Hey, you okay?"

"Christ, don't scare me like that." She said, swatting at his arm. He jumped back playfully, smirking.

"Sorry," He said, holding up his hands, palms out in defence. "You hungry?"

"Spaghetti-o's?" She asked, following him into the kitchen.

"Not just spaghetti-o's, these are spaghetti-o's with sausage, arguably the top tier of canned foods." He said, taking the pan off the stove and decanting some into a bowl.

"Is that so?" She said, taking the bowl from him. "Thanks." She noted the walkie hooked onto the belt of his jeans. "Have you heard from them?"

"I haven't tried. Although," He said, having a mouthful of spaghetti off the wooden spoon. "I think a distress call for some food is necessary."

Nat perched on one of the stools at the breakfast counter, taking a spoonful of spaghetti. "I think that's a good idea."

Eddie clicked the walkie on, it crackled in response. "Hey, Dustin, this is Eddie the Banished. You there?" No response. "Dustin, can you hear me? Dustin…? Earth to Dustin."

The walkie crackled and a voice returned, "Hey, it's Nancy." Wheeler? Eddie turned to Nat in shock, nearly dropping the pan of food.

"Wheeler! Hey." Out of all the people that could've responded to the food distress call, Nancy Wheeler was certainly not who Nat was expecting. "Um, we're gonna need a food delivery, like, really soon, unless you want me going out into the world to find poor Nat something decent to eat." Nat stuck her thumb up, holding up a spoon of spaghetti to him, grinning.

"No. No, no, no. Don't do that. Just stay where you are, we'll be with you as soon as we can." She sounded exhausted.

"Yeah, uh, listen. Um- can you pick up a six-pack?" Nat could almost hear the eye-roll she was sure Nancy gave. "I know, I know. It's stupid as shit drinking right now, but a cold beer would really calm my jangled nerves. Plus, I think Nat needs something to stop her jumping at everything."

"Asshole." She mouthed at him.

"Hey-uh, I'm gonna have to call you back." She said hurriedly.

"No, don't you dar- Wheeler?" He shook the walkie in frustration. "Wheeler? Christ."

Nat waved her hand in the air, "If Nancy is bringing food we'll be okay, don't worry." He perched on the stool next to her and they both finished the spaghetti-o's.

"How'd you sleep?" She asked him as they made their way back to the boathouse after Nat had washed up the pots and bowls.

"Fine," He said. "It's not the worst place I've ever slept, but you're a terrible bed hog."

"Pfft-" She spluttered, "I am not."

"You absolutely are," He said, pushing the door open for her. "Didn't stay on your side for one minute, practically lying on top of me."

She felt a small heat rise in her cheeks. "Oh shut up…"

"It's true." He said, sitting down on the crate and pulling the playing cards from the pack, dealing them out for another game of Gin Rummy.

"Well I'll stay on my side tonight then." She said, sitting down opposite him.

"Hey, I didn't say I minded." Nat rolled her eyes at him.

"Make up your mind, Munson." She gestured to the deck, "Now hurry up and deal so I can hand you your ass again."

After several games of Gin, which Eddie had started getting better at, Nat decided that a card tower was in order. Although, most of the surfaces in the boat house weren't even enough and she didn't have the steadiest of hands. Eddie tried first, getting to the second layer of the tower before it collapsed, whereas Nat needed several attempts just to get the first two cards standing up against one another. Eddie was cackling as she did.

"You best hope that whatever the plan is for Vecna, that it doesn't involve card towers." She said, sticking her tongue out in concentration.

The sun was just beginning to set when they heard the car trundling down Holland Road. "Oh thank God," Nat said, putting her hand on her stomach. "I'm starving."

The sound of doors opening and closing filled the space outside of the boathouse. Eddie rose from where he sat and went to the window. Nat was just rising to go to the door when she heard Eddie curse.

"Shit. Get down." Nat dropped into a crouch, scooting herself back up against one of the walls.

"What?" She said.

"Shh-" Eddie said, holding his hand up. "It's Carver."

"What's that asshole doing here?" She whispered. Eddie scrambled back over to the crate where he had left the walkie talkie. He clicked the button and it crackled into life.

"I don't know." He said, "But he's bought company."

"Pitchfork Parade…" Nat whispered, a knot forming in her stomach.

"Hey, Dustin." Eddie said, still looking out of the window. "You there? It's Eddie.. You remember me, right?" His voice began to hitch. "Hey, if anyone's there, I really think we might be in a bit of trouble here. Okay? Wheeler? Anybody?!" He smacked his hand on the walkie in frustration. He looked back to Nat who still had her back pressed up against the wall, knees up to her chest. "You have to go." He said, standing and heading back towards her. "You have to go right now."

"What? Are you crazy?" Nat rose to her feet, watching him as he began digging around the boathouse.

"Here's a flashlight," He said, heading to her and pressing it into her hands. Nat's mouth was agape. "If you get to the road and head left it's not far till you get to Greenwoods, you know, the tackle place? You can call someone to get you."

"Eddie, no." She said, refusing to take the flashlight from him, pushing it back in his direction. "I already told you I'm not leaving you."

"You can't be seen here with me!" He said, trying to keep his voice down. "They will hurt you, Nat, I- You can't be hurt because of me."

"I am not going anywhere." She said, her voice final. "I've made my choice." She pushed him aside, opening draws, cupboards, looking for anything that they could use should Carver and his gang decide on looking in the boathouse. "If we stay down and stay quiet, they might not even look in here."

The best thing that Nat could find in the boathouse was a few rusty screwdrivers and a mallet. Not exactly the best things, but they could do some damage if Carver decided things were going to get nasty. They watched from both windows as lights flickered on in the house, shadows dancing across the windows. Nat was practically shaking from the rush of adrenaline that was now pumping through her veins like wildfire, she tried to steel herself from the feeling. It's okay. You're okay. She thought.

Nat watched the shadows pace through the upstairs, saw frantic movements as they turned the house upside down. Her heart was thumping uncontrollably in her chest, then she saw him, Jason Carver. From the light in the upstairs bedroom, she watched as he paced and stopped, looking down, down straight at the boathouse, it was almost as if she could feel his eyes boring into hers.

"Shit." She whispered. The walkie crackled into life as Eddie stood, panicked.

"Dustin?" He said, "Please. Are… Are you there…? Nevermind." He took three quick strides to the boat and ripped off the tarp, pulling the blankets from inside. "Get in the boat." He said, opening the doors out onto the lake.

Nat stood quickly, grabbing an oar from the floor where they'd discarded it yesterday to make the makeshift bed. Eddie lowered the boat into the water as Nat clambered in, it rocked gently, knocking on the sides. Eddie pushed the boat until it was almost out of the boathouse then clambered in. He pushed off with the oar, Nat dipped hers into the inky blackness, trying to paddle as soundlessly as she could. Turning to look back at the house she saw as two figures crossed the yard to the boathouse, she dipped the oar again, pushing as quickly as she could. Eddie did the same.

Nat hoped that once they were far enough out into the lake, the darkness of the night would simply consume them entirely. The only light on the lake was that of the moon. She did not dare utter a word to Eddie, worried the slightest noise would travel like a beacon straight to Carver.

"Hey Freak!" They both turned together at the shout. Carver was stood on the edge of the lake, another beside him, who it was she wasn't sure. "Where do you think you're going?"

"Shit." Eddie cursed.

He stood so quickly that the boat wobbled dangerously. Nat gripped the side watching as he wrenched at the ripcord of the boat's motor. They didn't want to use it because it would have drawn way too much attention if they were planning to slip away unseen, but it was the only thing that could get them away quick enough. "Come on, you piece of shit!" He muttered, as the motor spluttered but failed to engage.

Nat watched as Carver removed his jacket and launched himself into the water, the other boy following him. "Christ he's crazy!" She said, turning and dropping her oar back into the water, she swapped the oar from side to side, trying her best to get the boat moving.

"Come on, you've got to help me out here man!" Eddie was bashing his hands on the motor now.

"Eddie, let's go come on!" Nat shouted, her voice panicked.

"I'm trying!" He growled, ripping on the cord again and again. Nat heard the rapid splashing of Carver and the other getting closer and closer. Damn stupid bloody swim team. The engine spluttered and puffed in protest. "Goddamn it! No? Okay. Alright. Okay." He turned from the engine, boat rocking in protest and grabbed his oar, slamming it into the water.

Nat was paddling frantically. What would they do when they got to the boat? Nat wouldn't put it past Carver to try and drown them both if he really thought Eddie had killed Chrissy. Nat dared to glance over her shoulder, the two were so close to the boat now.

"We need to go faster!" She cried, panic overtaking her voice, there was no way she could try and be calm now. Eddie looked at her face and the alarm written there, he turned, waving the oar wildly.

"Hey, stay back, man! Stay back!" He waved it at Jason, who was now inches from the boat. Nat turned to stand, the boat now very unstable, she also raised her oar in defence.

"Hey come on let's go! We almost have him!" Nat heard Jason call amongst the splashing of the waves. He'd stopped to look back at the other boy, who had stopped motionless in the middle of the lake, a blank look overtaking his features. "Hey, Patrick. Patrick!"

Patrick disappeared below the water so suddenly that it was like something had snatched him from underneath. Nat dropped her oar in shock, her eyes darting so fast over the rippling water, searching for any sign of him, she tried to steady herself against the rocking of the boat.

The explosion of water made Nat shriek, as Patrick emerged from the water, high into the air. She stepped back through fear, catching her heel on the back of the boat, arms outstretched as she tumbled, "Eddie!" she crashed into the water, it bit into her skin like ice and she barely had time to breathe as the inky blackness crashed over her head.

Nat span under the water, grasping out for anything in the abyss, then her head broke free of the surface, gasping hair clinging damply to her face, coughing lake water from her mouth. Eddie emerged from the water beside her, "Nat," He gasped, snaking an arm around her to hold her into him. She barely felt his touch, her eyes were pinned to the sky.

Nat watched as Patrick, unmoving, floated in mid-air, then one by one she heard the sickening crunches of each one of his limbs shattering as they snapped violently. Her breath, now curling in tendrils about her, stopped entirely as Patrick's head dropped back with a crunch and then like a marionette who had its strings cut, Patrick plummeted into the water.

The ripples of the impact reverberated through the water and, keenly aware now that Eddie was the only thing stopping her from slipping below the waves to whatever was below, Nat had no control over the scream that bubbled from her throat.