March 1986

With careful movements, Andy put a blanket over Max. Slowly, doing her best not to wake the girl up, she tucked her in. Max had fallen asleep not that long ago and looked about as comfortable as one sleeping in a moving RV could be. The blanket that Andy covered her in was the one she found in the back just minutes ago. She figured if they already stole their RV, the incredibly angry couple they escaped from surely wouldn't mind if they use their blankets to keep tired kids warm.

They stole an RV. A goddamn Winnebago. If Andy ever wondered what crimes her police record would consist of, she wouldn't have thought there'd be one of grand theft auto.

Once sure that Max is taken care of, she looked around the rest of the RV, trying to see if anyone needed anything. Lucas and Dustin were both asleep, too, Lucas's head lulling on Dustin's shoulder. Erica was sitting next to Robin, both of them on the verge of sleep as well. The exhaustion from the night before hit them like a freight train. It was a miracle they were able to last that long, spending the entirety of the night before either running, trying to get others out of the Upside Down, or plotting plans that seemed hopeless. At least they will have a chance for a quick nap, as the drive will lead them outside of Hawkins borders.

Steve seemed okay, okay enough to drive at least, and Andy could hear him and Nancy talking, their voices hushed, so as to not wake up or alert the others. She could have joined them, but the way Steve had been behaving in the past couple of days told her that he would appreciate a chance to spend some alone time with his ex-girlfriend. If someone was going to interrupt them, it wouldn't be Andy.

That left her with two choices, really. Either sit next to Robin and Erica and try to sleep, too, or join Eddie all the way in the back and… talk? Sit in silence? Maybe sleep, too.

But that was the problem - sleep was the last thing she wanted to do. Her body needed it, her mind probably, too, but Andy knew that if she was to let her guard down for something as simple as half an hour of shuteye, the events of the last 24 hours would catch up with her, and it wouldn't be pretty. The first two days, she had time to process, but ever since she jumped into the lake after Steve, she had been running on nothing but adrenaline. Coming down from it would floor her, and she's far more useful when on alert.

So, Eddie it was. He didn't seem to mind her sitting next to him, even greeting her with a nod. Giving him a quick once-over, Andy was glad to see that he seemed a lot calmer than he was back at Max's trailer. The idea of going back to the Upside Down scared the living daylights out of him, and for that, Andy couldn't blame him one bit. Once realizing that they had no other options, he agreed, and not only that but provided them with a destination where they could find all the shit they might need. And a stolen RV.

"Well, this is a new one for me," sighed Andy, keeping her voice low. "We pulled an all-nighter, went into the Upside Down, got back out of it, and stole an RV. Wow."

Eddie chuckled, nodding his head. "Yeah, that's not exactly how I usually spend my Friday nights either. Definitely something to tell the grandkids about. If I live to have them, that is."

"Oh shush," Andy nudged his leg with hers, as they were sitting rather close. "We'll get out of this, and you'll have a chance to tell the kiddos all about it. Although," she grimaced, remembering one tiny detail that had slipped her mind. "I'm gonna assume that the big bosses from the government will make sure you'll keep your mouth shut."

"What?" asked Eddie, his eyes widening. And just like that, he was worried, again.

"It's not as bad as it sounds," Andy was quick to reassure him. "What happened before was that they'd find us one by one, just a day or two after all the mess was over. They'd make us sign some NDAs and give us payment for our silence."

"Payment?"

"I mean, they gotta," she shrugged, not really seeing what was strange about it. "How can they be sure that one of us wasn't gonna sell the story to the papers? Granted, it's highly unlikely that any investigative journalist would believe any part of this clusterfuck, but…-"

"It's better to be safe than sorry," finished Eddie in her stead. "If you were sworn to silence, why did you just… tell me everything that's been happening for years?"

Andy didn't have the strength to laugh, so she settled with a snicker. "I'd argue that rules didn't exactly apply in your case, Munson. You needed to know, at least the main details."

"Good point," he nodded, pouting as he considered her words. "Well, if I survive this, I'll be looking forward to seeing them clear my name and pay me. And pay me they'll have to."

This time, she did laugh. The way he emphasized just how much they owed him was obvious, and he was absolutely right. To have his name tarnished like it was… it couldn't have been a joyful experience. "You'll live, and get the money, and the clear name. And you're gonna get yourself a nice house or something, maybe invest the money here and there, and then live to tell the tale to those grandkids of yours."

"You paint a pretty picture, Harrington," he sighed, and then he was the one who knocked their legs together. "I wish I had your optimism. You're a force to be reckoned with."

"Nah, I'm just tired of going through all of this," she was being slightly modest, but at that point, the only thing she wanted was to know for sure that she wasn't going to have to go through any of that again. "I'm so getting the hell out of here once this shit is over."

"Cali again?" Eddie asked, but Andy shook her head.

"Nah. Lost its charm. I'm thinking more of, maybe, Chicago. Or East Side, Philly, New York, maybe even Boston? No strict plans - just an unbearable desire to be away from here."

"Can't say I blame you. I wish I had left the first time I flunked senior year. I could have been miles away, safe and sound, making a living with a decent job."

"But without the satisfaction of graduating," she reminded him.

He laughed. "Is that really necessary?"

"Can't answer that question for you," Andy laughed. "I do know that this is your third try, and I'd argue that you wouldn't bother with it this much if it didn't actually matter."

"I'll get that goddamn diploma, even if it's the last thing I do," he promised. It sounded as if he was promising it to himself, but Andy was glad to be a witness to it. In times like these, she found that the best chance of success lies in having something to look forward to. To her, it was getting out of Hawkins. To Eddie, it was finally getting that elusive diploma.

"And I'll make sure that every single one of these little rascals, including the older ones, will be there to cheer on you when you do."

It wasn't much, Andy knew that, but his smile told her that he appreciated it. Once they were done with Vecna and his bullshit, they'll all have something to look forward to. A belated graduation party for Eddie Munson sounded like the best idea they had all day. At the very least, it was the safest. And it made the ever-anxious Eddie smile. A win in her book.

December 1986

"Do you still play?" asked Andy, nodding towards the guitar that Eddie kept hanging on the wall of his living room. It was there the first time he invited her in, but Andy had managed to convince herself that asking if he played was too personal.

They've now spent days, weeks even, getting to know each other, and it no longer seemed as invasive. And she could remember how much he loved that thing. It was worrying to see it as a decoration, and not as something he used daily.

"Not that much, honestly," he confirmed her suspicions. He didn't look troubled by it, simply shrugging as he looked towards it. "The guys from the band floored it out of Hawkins as soon as they could. And playing alone… I mean, I used to do it, but it kind of lost its charm."

Yet another thing that Andy could relate to. Ages ago, when she was still a normal teenager, with normal teenage problems, she spent quite some time writing down poems in her favorite notebook. Some were short, some were long; some were meaningful, and some were just random thoughts formed into poetry. She never thought of it as more than a hobby, but it was something nice she did to keep the creative juices flowing. Then, she started opening the notebook less and less, until it got to the point when she realized that she can't even remember the last time she had it in her hands, much less written something in it.

"If you think it's weird, I don't think you should," she spoke up, not quite sure if he needed reassurance, or convincing to give it another try. "We all change and so do our interests. At some point, other things become our priorities; I'd say it's very normal. But also, if you do have the drive to pick it up again, you shouldn't let your thoughts stop you. Maybe you'll be rusty, or maybe it wouldn't be as fun, but if the will is there, there's no harm in trying."

"Hmm, maybe," he said, turning to face her, a shit-eating grin on his face. "I could totally learn one of those crappy songs of yours."

"Crappy songs that you've grown to love," she reminded him with a glare. "You can turn your nose as much as you like, Munson. I know damn well you were playing Simple Minds when I wasn't in your vicinity. And The Police. And even the ever-disturbing Smiths."

After one afternoon full of bickering about music genres, Andy decided that enough was enough, and took it upon herself to provide him with an excellent selection of mixtapes. Every single time she'd pay him a visit, a different one was in his cassette player, proving to her that he was actually listening. She hadn't teased him about it before, as she took it as her personal victory and didn't want him to stop listening. However, that day she couldn't stop herself. For something he called shitty music, he sure as hell listened to it.

"That's only 'cause you provided me with the finest selection," he answered, unfazed. "I doubt any of their B sides are half as good as the shit you presented."

"Is that a challenge?" she laughed.

"No, it isn't, but I know now you'll take it as one," he rolled his eyes at her. "You will, won't you?" he asked, sounding as if he's resigned to his faith. He couldn't fool Andy though - the smile on his face said more than his words ever could.

"Damn right I will. Expand your horizons, Munson," she grabbed him by the shoulders and shook him for comedic effect. It worked - he was laughing. "Life is too fucking short to not dip your toes into… not metal."

"I come into it with an open mind every time, but it's just…"

"Not your thing?" Andy offered.

"Yeah," he admitted, his expression showing guilt. "But hey, we're functioning just fine. You listen to metal, I listen to your stuff, we both survive?"

"I don't mind an agreement like that," Andy pretended to be indifferent, okay with it, but the truth was that she liked it just fine. While the sound that Eddie usually went for was a bit too hard for her usual taste, she didn't mind it one bit. There were a few bands and even more songs that have made her regular rotation. In fact, she figured she'd put one or two on the- "Party!" she yelled so loud, she startled him.

"What are you going on about?"

"Steve's having a party this Saturday, I totally forgot to tell you about it," Andy was annoyed with herself. Her memory used to be impeccable, but somehow she managed to forget something as important as inviting him.

"Oh, he told me already," Eddie brushed her off. Well, Steve will pay for that. "I'll tell you the same thing I told him, I'm not coming if there's going to be a bunch of people."

"There'll be a few more than usual," Andy warned him honestly, as she knew for a fact that Steve was planning to invite some of his old friends from school, as well as a girl he's decided he has a thing for - Andy wasn't even sure about her name, that's how important she was to him. "It shouldn't be an issue, though. You'll have all of us by your side."

"I'm not afraid of people coming at me," Eddie chuckled, but by then, Andy could read his gestures and expressions with ease; he wasn't comfortable, and the laughter, albeit brief, wasn't genuine. "If no one attempted murder at any of the construction sights, I doubt they'd be willing to turn Harrington Manor into a crime scene."

"What's worrying you then?" Andy inquired, keeping her tone light. She learned with Max that presenting something as a major issue often was what made it a major issue. Simply listening and acknowledging their points of view was always a better option. Eddie needs to speak if he wants her to know, and she needs to know if she was to understand. And if he doesn't, she will respect that. They've been good about that - no longer touching topics that made them uncomfortable. His was March of that year. Hers was California.

"I just don't like being around people," he admitted, without much of a struggle. "I don't think it's anything new, either. Even in school, I never liked it. I've always just had my crowd and never made an effort to step past it. When I had to attend the high school parties to sell, I would usually stay until my stash was emptied and then I'd hit the road."

"I figure it's pretty understandable, as high school was hardly full of people one would like to spend time with," Andy joked. While she was never a real outcast, nor was she as bothered by it as Eddie was, she understood the desire not to be around some people. Perhaps even most people. "Tell you what; if it becomes too much, too annoying or hell, even too boring, we can always just go up to my room and listen to some music?" she suggested.

Eddie's laughter was real then. "Do you think that sneaking away from a party with Andy Harrington, to her bedroom of all places, will do good for my reputation?"

"Oh, excuse me, mister proper gentleman," joked Andy. "Why would we care, again?"

"My reputation is dead and gone; it's yours I worry about."

Eddie had that habit. He never minded being seen with Andy, but he was worried about her being seen with him. Perfectly fine with being the local outcast, he didn't want to see Andy become the same. He told her as much, once when she was brave enough to ask why he was holding back when they were in public.

In his own four walls, Eddie was funny as fuck. He was loud and flamboyant, and a real chatterbox - everything Andy liked about him. But whenever they would run into one another in a public setting, he'd settle for a wave or a brief conversation. It ate away at Andy, but once he explained his reasoning, she understood. She tried to convince him that she didn't give a shit, but he was yet to accept it. Like many other things, it was a work in progress.

"Eddie, I stopped caring what people thought about me years ago," she reminded him. "I spend time with people I want to spend it with. As simple as that."

"We'd be the talk of the town," Eddie gave her a pointed look.

"Like we're not already!"

They were. All of them were, but Eddie in particular, and by extension, Andy was, too. Because as much as Eddie kept their public interactions brief, Andy knew that people had started noticing. The dirty, lingering stares had become just a little dirtier and lasted just a little longer than usual. When she told them that she didn't care, she meant it. She meant it every time, and she will continue saying it until he realizes that she truly meant it all along.

The only thing that bothers her about that, about the two of them, is that there was no name for it, no exact definition.

They didn't mention what happened at Thanksgiving. That kiss, that one simple kiss on the cheek was haunting her, being replayed in her mind every single day, and every night too, especially when the time came to turn the lights off and shut off her brain. The memory of it cornered her whenever she had her defenses down, or, even worse, when she was around him and she would start to wonder if he would do something like that again.

He didn't. Other than a few bumps of his shoulder against hers, or a few nudges here and there, he hadn't touched her. It made Andy realize that that one kiss was their only touch, ever, that wasn't a nudge of some kind. She racked her brain, trying to remember if anything else had occurred that spring, but other than him bandaging her arm, there was nothing.

She wanted him to do something. Hell, she was even ready to do something herself. What? She wasn't quite sure. A hug? Another kiss on the cheek? Maybe a lingering moment that would leave a door open for the potential of something more? She had ideas, and frankly, she had the balls to do it all, but this was a different game. If something was to happen, anything at all, it had to come from him.

Andy was into him and was no longer denying it. But where he stood? She had zero clue. And she wasn't going to make a fool of herself and ruin a solid friendship, a friendship she truly enjoyed, because she misinterpreted something.

"Well, if my lady doesn't mind being seen with me then I will do as my lady commands."

"Oh, stop being theatrical; you might see my teenage room, not ask for my hand in marriage."

"Speak for yourself, I already plan on having a chat with Mr. Harrington," Eddie joked.

"Well, if you find him, do let me know where he is - been a while since I last saw him," Andy meant it as a joke, she truly did, but the moment the words left her, even she could hear the bitterness in her tone.

"Could always ask Steve?" Eddie suggested, and for that, Andy could hug him. He noticed and understood that the topic wasn't one she felt comfortable with, and he shifted around at the speed of light, essentially saving their conversation.

"See, he's no longer scared of you," Andy reminded him. "Before, you were an enigma, but now he knows you have the temper of a golden retriever puppy."

"A golden retriever puppy?" Eddie sounded shocked. "That is how you see me?!"

"I said what I said," Andy was unfazed. That was exactly how she saw him, and she didn't mind him knowing. "Goofy, excited, full of energy. How could I not connect the two?"

"That's unnerving," Eddie's words are somber, a massive change from the mood he was in just moments ago. "I don't think anyone else would describe me like that. It's like I'm only that way when I'm around you."

That made Andy's heart melt. But it also made it break a little bit.

"It's cause you're comfortable with me," she said it simply, as if it made all the sense in the world. "When and if you become as comfortable with others, they will see that side of you, too. And they'll know what an honor it is because if I'm being honest, it's pretty fucking awesome being your friend."

"Harrington," he glared, but she could tell that he blushed. "Why are you buttering me up?"

"I'm not, I'm being dead honest," she insisted. "I don't mind reminding you of that every now and then. I'd continue doing it now, but I should get going," she sighed, giving her wristwatch a quick glance, her eyes widening. "I should have left about half an hour ago!"

"Right, your thing with Mayfield," Eddie remembered, as every Thursday, her afternoons were off limits. Or they were before him; now, they're off limits just after 5 PM. "Come on, I'll give you a lift. We can pick her up, too."

"Eddie, you don't have to-"

"I know. But I wanna. Tough luck, Andy."

God, she would have fought him on it; she would have planted her feet firmly on the ground and he would have to drag her out of his home, and even then she wouldn't agree to it, and he would just be taking her by force. The only reason she threw in the towel quickly was that she was running late, and she hated the idea of letting Max down. Especially for something as stupid as making a point. Eddie had called her out on it before - she always goes above and beyond, quite often putting others before herself, but when the time comes that she needs help, even if it's something as simple as accepting a ride, she runs from it. Once he pointed that out, Andy became a little less reluctant to refuse every offer, at least Eddie's. She'd sometimes keep it up, for the sake of playful banter, and she would have done so today, too, but Max was involved too, and when it comes to her, Andy doesn't play around.

"Fine," she pretended to be reluctant, knowing it would make a triumphant smile appear on his face. Right on cue, there it was. "You know where Max lives, right?"

"Yup. Step it up, Harrington, we don't have all day!" he joked, holding the door open for her.

It was August when Andy promised to take Max out for ice cream after she was done with physical therapy. That was the first time that Max had mentioned going to a different kind of therapy, something that Andy had suspected, and also fully supported. It was also the first time Max had asked her to come with her.

She had assured Andy that she would go regardless but that she would feel a lot better about it if she knew that someone was there. Andy couldn't do much except be on the other side of the door in case she was needed, and that was exactly what Max asked for.

So, that Thursday, and every Thursday since, the two would meet in front of the hospital, they'd make their way up to the second floor, Max would go in for her hour-long conversation and Andy would wait outside, coming up with ideas as to where to take Max afterward.

Around September, she started having company. Jonathan was in the exact same position as Andy was - he'd give Will a ride, wait for him to finish his conversation, and be there in case he was needed. At first, it was a bit unusual; while she and Jonathan got along just fine, they were never really close and Andy wasn't quite sure how to break the ice. Little by little, the ice melted on its own and their hour-long wait would be a lot more comfortable.

Sometimes, Will and Jonathan would join her and Max for ice cream. Other times, they'd each go in their own direction. But all four shared an understanding and appreciation for each other, and they were all there, every Thursday, without exception.

"You coming over this Saturday?" Andy asked after she and Jonathan have been sitting in silence for a little while.

She knew that Steve had invited him, just as she knew that the relationship between the two wasn't rosy. They were civil, friendly even, but at the end of the day, Jonathan was dating the girl Steve still hasn't gotten over. And to make matters worse, it was the same girl he still considered a friend and had to be around. Andy never really understood the Steve - Nancy - Jonathan triangle, but she thought it was admirable how all three tried to move past it and be as friendly as possible.

Hell, the main fucking reason she ended up in the Upside Down bullshit was that Steve was trying to be a nice guy and apologize for previously being a dickhead. He was Andy's ride that day, and he was the one who insisted they made a de-tour so that he can apologize to Jonathan. Minutes later, Andy had faced her first ever Demogorgon.

"I should, yeah," Jonathan confirmed. "Nance insists that we need time to relax and let our hair loose and she's right. We all need a break."

"That we do," agreed Andy with a chuckle. "Especially you, being the man of the law and all."

"It's only temporary!" Jonathan was very clearly exasperated.

"Oh, no judging," Andy lifted her hands up in surrender. "Especially if it can get me arrested."

"Ha-ha," Jonathan deadpanned, but Andy was still smirking. He explained, time and time again, that the only reason he passed the shortened training and joined the cops, was to help out Hopper and the handful of cops that were still in Hawkins. He insisted that he had other plans, goals, and aspirations, but much like everyone that was still there, Andy included, he had put in on hold. For Hawkins, for his family, and for his friends. A brief pause on everything else, in order to make sure all is good and handled. "I wouldn't be joking about that if I were you; I could totally get you arrested for possession."

"Oh, you could," Andy laughed. "But you won't, 'cause you will also use with us."

"Exactly," Jonathan joined in on the laughter. "Was it Judas Preist that sang it? "Breaking the Law"?" he wondered out loud.

"Not sure. Maybe?" Andy shrugged. Her knowledge of Judas Priest was incredibly limited.

"I figured you'd know, seeing as you're dating the local metalhead."

She saw the trap, didn't recognize it for what it was, and walked directly into it.

"I'm pretty sure you know damn well that I'm not dating him, and are just saying it to get a rise out of me," Andy tried to make it seem as if she is brushing him off; if there's one thing she has learned from hanging out with a bunch of teenagers, is that if they realize something is annoying you, they will continue rehashing it, over and over again. Jonathan was hardly a hormonal teenager, but he was a dude, and Andy figured, it was similar enough. "That said, he's much more Iron Maiden than he is Judas Preist. As far as I know, at least."

"You know what's the craziest thing?" Jonathan asked, but didn't bother waiting for an answer. "The two of you actually make sense. Not at first glance, definitely not. But if you look past the surface… you two make perfect sense."

Andy had no idea what to say to that. Not once did she stop to wonder what she and Eddie might look like on the outside, if or how the two of them made sense. Even when forced to consider it, like she was then, it was too easy to brush it off. She didn't care what they look like on the outside. It didn't faze her what others might think, or how they might see them. Especially when there was still nothing to see.

She'd have to be with him first, and then maybe wonder what others would think of it.

Andy had to say something at that point - Jonathan was waiting for a reply. "Eddie's a great guy. I think he'd make sense with anyone."

Jonathan opened his mouth to reply, but Andy would never learn what he wanted to say; right on cue, the door on her left opened, and Max exited her therapist's office. She gave Jonathan a quick smile while Andy quickly got up and put on her jacket. "I'll see you on Saturday, Jonathan. The two of us are going to grab some ice cream."

"See you on Saturday," he confirmed. "Bye Max!" he waved at the girl as she and Andy made their way towards the elevator.

"Why are we having ice cream in December?" Max frowned at Andy.

"Why wouldn't we have ice cream in December?" was Andy's response.

Thinking it over for a moment, Max nodded. "Good point. What's on Saturday?"

"Steve's having a party at our house," Andy informed her, immediately raising a finger in warning, as she knew all too well what the next question will be. "No, you can't come. You kiddos are way too young for high school parties."

They asked before; they asked every time. Knowing that they should wait at least one year more before allowing them entrance into the grown-up half of teenage life, the older part of the gang kept refusing. And they will continue to do so, for as long as they can.

"Fine," Max sighed in exasperation, very clearly annoyed with this, although not surprising, turn of events. "I'm getting an extra scoop, though!"

Andy shrugged, not seeing a problem with it. She was gonna offer her an extra one regardless.