A/N: Hello all welcome to my new Fanfiction. I have recently started watching Stranger Things and have watched all four seasons within a week. I saw the ending and cannot wait a whole two years for Season 5! So, I have deemed to write my own take on it. You can expect a lot more of Dustin who was really my favorite character over the whole show so expect much more. This will be much more of the kids centric for fic. The adults will support but it will mainly consist of the Party and Steve and Nancy. The expected ships that will be present will involve the Steve/Nancy, Max/Lucas, Dustin/Suzie. As always, any comments to spark discussion is welcome as I love any feedback that you guys have for me.

Part 1: Pain and Regret

Hawkins. A town once viewed as a lonely small town, now the heart of a travesty. The two years since the "earthquake" the town has been shaken and almost destitute. Many people frantically left the town to escape the many terrors and nightmares they all experienced. The town no longer a prototypical small town, but more of a ghost town. Broken, and a shell of their former selves. Much like the party, while they were able to maintain the grief and loss to a minimum through serving the community in need. As the dire circumstances ended so did the volunteers needs thus the darkness crept back and once again crippling the party. In the time that was carried on.

Max broke free from her coma and after a great deal of many surgeries and therapy with Lucas by her side she was able to return home. Where the two under the watchful eyes of the Sinclair family supported her. While alive and functioning the torment of that near loss made their bond and relationship stronger for themselves so much so that the rest of the group sort of alienated one another.

Nancy and Johnathan whose cracks had already started to show prior to the attack on Vecna caused the divides to seem impossible to overcome over the constant fighting and bickering that they both agreed that the best thing was to not be romantically involved while they tried to figure out the new way of life in this quiet community.

Steve tried to maintain contact with everyone in the party and their respected families trying to keep the last few strings holding them together. This was a family to Steve Harrington since he really had none, he felt that watching over these kids and protecting them in any way that he can.

Hopper and Joyce while recovering back at safehouse were looking for any possible solution to get the group together which was tough as they were each in each other's own sort of depression. The thing they could do was that the whole tight knit "family" was to have a family style dinner every Sunday. No matter how hard it was for each individual to speak more than general small talk of the discussion for the evening. It was clear to them that the fact that the loss of the people either who were truly gone or terribly set back really made it that this crew was truly broken. Even though everyone had clear sufferings, they all relished in the fact that they could see everyone that they loved and cared about even with the party members not opening up with one another. The "Adults" being Joyce, Hopper, and the rest of the parents were clearly doing all but locking them up in a room together and forcing them to talk through there problems. Dungeons and Dragons even though Will was here was nothing but a day of the past.

Everyone knew that the attack from Vecna could happen at any moment. It had been six months since the occurrence of the "earthquake". Everyone feeling as if this dark cloud was coming closer and more ominous as it continued to be the incoming threat that was imminent. Hopper knowing this was the case had forced himself to start making plans to at least analyze the estimation of an attack. The best people who would know were none other than Eleven and Will. Since settling down in this new life of threats the Will and Joyce ended up living with Hopper and Eleven at this new safe house that has been maintained and fixed over the last couple of years. This planning then was planned by Joyce and Hopper to get the kids to speak as to what type of threat Vecna could come about. As the food was served and everyone had time to dig in, Hopper poked the first prod by starting off the critical conversation as he took a deep breath and in a very serious tone turned to the children as he spoke.

"I know that the timing is not the most ideal, but we have to prepare for the upcoming attack on our town. We have spent long enough licking our wounds and feeling sorry for ourselves. Will, I know that this is not the best time for you, but we need to know what Vecna is doing."

Will who could feel the hairs on the back of his neck stick up brushed his hand over to calm the nerves of the near mention of the man who is more of a monster than the man Henry that Eleven knew when she was at the Hawkins lab. Taking his own deep breath and holding Eleven's hand as his nervousness to response.

"Sir, if I open myself up to trying to track him down. Then we will both be connected with one another I will know where he is, and he will know where we are. It is best for all of us if I don't open the possibility to both of us seeing each other if we don't have to."

Eleven then budging in to protect her friend from this semi-interrogation as presented by Hopper and even Joyce to some extent. Which made the dinner in which everyone involved already felt like a threat to the only moments of peace that were available to the young adults.

"Well, if we cannot connect to Vecna from Will then we will need to do some brainstorming. It is time to get everyone together we need to come up with a plan."

Hopper than began to start going about and making the necessary calls for Steve, Nancy, and Johnathan. Leaving the younger ones to call the younger crew. Will and Eleven who were uncomfortable with the prior conversation and wanting some privacy to call their friends, they went out of the house to collect themselves as they went to try and answer and bring everyone back together. Will taking the hand of his friend to help settle and reassure her to some sort of relief with the incoming threat that is presented with Vecna. He was hurting as when Will last opened himself up to Vecna's presence was chilling to say the least. So, this scheming of finding a way that are in a way to be finding where Vecna will be no small task. This needed to be established in a way that would require a lot of stealth and

Closing the door, they sat on the end of the step and took a moment to truly appreciate the cool breeze that was found that was welcoming. Taking a moment, the two just sat in silence taking in the breeze that was a part of this fall day that featured the colorful falling leaves on the ground that was filled with the colors of orange, browns, and yellows that were falling one by one as the light breeze picked apart the many leaves off the branches that floated lightly to the ground. Revealing the hazy sun in the distant as it slowly set over the horizon that was a notice that the time was limited in their job of getting the crew back together again. Pulling out the antenna on the radio before making the call they contacted Lucas hoping to get him to come over first.

"Lucas, do you copy?"

"Will, I copy. What is it?"

"We need you guys to come over. Hopper wants everyone involved with Vecna to put a plan together for trying to figure out what he is planning."

"Do we really think that we can come up with a plan? Besides the fact that the whole party hasn't really talked about Vecna since the Earthquake. Will this actually work?"

"I don't know Lucas but having you and Max here would be really helpful in how we could possibly put a stop to him."

"We will be there, but once Max gets uncomfortable, we will have to stop. She is willing to help for the sake of the group but the reality ending up being that she is broken, what Vecna did to her has changed her even more than just being blind. The experienced has left her… broken."

Hearing Lucas talk they could totally tell the grimace his face must look like speaking on the struggles he has had to deal with that is a part of the new life of the almost full success of killing Max. Now acknowledging the fact that they will be coming and helping in whatever way that they can which is good, but the fact that Max and Lucas by association will be limited by the Vecna experience makes the situation very troubling.

"Alright, this is Will going over and out."

Having accepted the situation and grateful for the help that Max and Lucas were providing their focus was now reset to trying to recruit Dustin. Taking a deep breath before trying to contact the Henderson household.

"Dustin this is Will. Do you copy?"

Hearing no reply, Will repeated once again.

"Dustin this is Will. Do you copy?"

Beginning to worry Will turned to look at Eleven. Eleven seeing the fear in her friend's eyes looked and started to opening up her backpack and pulled out her blindfold and began to take some deep breaths as she continued to focus and concentrate on where Dustin was located. As she traversed into the void to look and find Dustin where she eventually saw him at a place where she would have never guessed that he would be. A graveyard. As Eleven looked at who it was and reading the headstone it was the name Eddie Munson.

Seeing the tears of her friend being one who was in such despair and pain she could tell that he was hurting. This tore Eleven to her core, as she did not really stay as close to Dustin as her other friends. Will was like a brother to her as was part of the reason why she moved with the Byers family. Lucas and her while friends, never really connected as they had their issues from when they started, but never really became people who were hanging out all the time outside of the party. Max being a person to which she was extremely close with as someone to hang out with while not having to be around the other boys. Leaving only Mike who Eleven loved very much, while their relationship has kind of stalled due to the losses incurred by Vecna and the destruction that has come to Hawkins. Noticing the lack of attention that she gave to her friend is the reality in which she wasn't really able to there for her friend in his time of need and seeing him so broken with his loss hurts her even more.

Pulling off the blindfold that kept her in complete darkness. Looking at Will and having the tears slowly trickling down her face made it abundantly to Will that something was wrong.

"Eleven. What happened?"

"Dustin, He's hurting."

"What do you mean?"

"He lost his friend. He is at his gravesite and is mourning. We weren't there for him, I wasn't there for him."

"Eleven, that was not your fault. You were thousands of miles away from Hawkins. You had to get your powers back. You weren't here to be able to help everyone in Hawkins. Sometimes you can't save everyone, especially with the way that you had to fight Vecna."

"I should have done more; Dustin was my friend."

"What do you mean Dustin WAS your friend? He still is and always will be."

"Not after I failed to save his other friends. Then when he lost his friend I wasn't there when he needed me to support him."

Then with determination, Eleven got up and ran to her bike laying in the grass near the end of the driveway. She picked it up and began to ride it. Followed closely behind by Will on his own bike trying to keep up with Eleven to support her in any way he can. Eleven and Will pedaling through Hawkins on the way to get to their friend Dustin. Will more focused on keeping Eleven's mind on the present task of finding a way to focus on the important mission of the impending wat from the Upside Down to the town of Hawkins, Indiana. Realizing that as much as they should help their friend, but a war is coming and there is little time to prepare for the size of such an army attacking the town is crucial. Seeing Eleven begin to slow down Will did the same as well when he saw Elven begin to run right into the arms of Dustin as she cried and seeing the two hug. Will stayed back to give them their moment as it almost seemed intimate between the two friends. Both taking in the others sorrow and being thankful for the offering of the other in this sad, but supportive moment between the two.

Soon after recollecting themselves from this hug Dustin went over and gave a hug to Will. The three then walked back to the Henderson household. The walk solemn in nature as was fitting as Dustin in the memorial of his friend Eddie Munson, and his two friends being as supportive as possible. The three together, all suffering with pain and regret.

A/N: That is it for part 1, I want to put something out there and update when I can as college is pretty busy for my workload. Please comment with any ideas for where this story would go as I have not completely fleshed it out yet. I also have two other stories on my page for the show Kenobi and my The Amazing Spider-Man 3 fanfics that I am also working on that I have to offer for you guys as well. Comment and let me know what you think so far!