When Steve woke up, it was Robin staring down at him, not Eddie. The way her face was pinched with worry told him she already knew. He held out the covers, and she climbed into his arms, wrapping around him like a koala bear. She was lucky he was wearing underwear.

"How bad was it?" Robin asked after a while.

"Where's Eddie?"

"Downstairs with Dustin. He insisted on coming after Eddie radioed this morning. He said you had a vision?"

"Yeah." Steve took a deep breath and closed his eyes, trying to focus. "I need to tell you something, but you can't tell the others."

"Okay," she replied simply. Robin would take his secrets to the grave, he knew that.

"Back when I got Eddie out of the Upside Down, Vecna attacked us. He told me he was gonna kill Eddie to hurt me. He showed me what he'd do last night." Steve began to tremble as he remembered the awful snapping noise. "He can't know."

Robin was silent for a while. Finally, she sat up and nodded grimly. "Okay then. So we kill Vecna and keep Eddie out of the Upside Down. He can't go with us."

"Good luck telling him that." Steve knew Eddie would object to being left behind. He'd been trying to come up with a good argument for weeks now—still nothing. "Hey Eddie, we need you to stay at home where it's safe while we fight the big bad monster. Don't follow us, or he'll kill you. Don't worry about us either. It'll all be fine."

Robin grimaced. "Yeah."

"See my problem?"

"Uh-huh." She began rummaging in his drawers, throwing him clothes a moment later. "Come on. Some fresh air will help?"

"Fresh?" There was nothing fresh about Hawkins anymore, but he did as he was told, allowing Robin to tow him into the backyard. He shrugged helplessly at Eddie and Dustin as they passed.

Thank god the particles didn't taste like anything. It was bad enough, knowing he was breathing them in. Robin settled in one of the deck chairs, so Steve joined her. For a while, they just watched the lightning. When Robin took his hand, Steve held on tight.

"I don't think I'm ready to face him yet," he whispered. "I can't control my powers."

"Maybe you don't have to. We have Eleven. All you have to do is help any way you can."

Steve remembered the force that had exploded from his body the day they had tried and failed to rescue Eddie. He knew it could be more powerful, become some sort of weapon. The question was whether or not he could control it. He didn't want to hurt anyone else except Vecna. Eleven could look after herself but what about Robin or Dustin?

Or Eddie? Who would surely insist on being by his side. Steve couldn't risk it.

He held out his hand, palm up to show Robin the flickering flame. It looked pathetic in the flashing light. "Yeah, I'm sure Vecna will be real scared of that."

Robin hesitated before asking slowly, "Eleven had to go through something in California to get her powers back. I can't remember what she did, but… what if we recreated it? You could remember something too. Maybe it would make you stronger."

Steve looked at her in surprise. "Holy shit, Robs, you're a genius!"

"I know."

With a plan - or at least an idea - Steve felt better.

When they joined the other two in the kitchen, he managed to give Eddie a reassuring smile. He smiled back, relaxing into his chair and patted the one next to him. So Steve sat, reaching out to take Eddie's hand. The contact helped, warmth chasing away the last ebbs of dread from the vision.

Dustin ruined the moment, slamming down a plate piled high with food in front of Steve. "Eat. My mom made extra this morning to bring you guys. She's been worried sick about you since we got stuck."

"Tell her thanks." Steve started on breakfast, only then realising how hungry he was. "Do you guys need anything? I've been keeping an eye on the perimeter for you, taking out any bats, but-"

"Steve shut up and eat," Eddie instructed, his voice fond. "You can play the hero after, okay?"

Robin slid into the seat next to him and stole a sausage. "Do you think you can manage that for five minutes?"

"Ha, ha," he replied thickly. "You both are only alive because of me. In fact, all three of you owe me!"

"You think because you throw yourself in danger head first, we should thank you?" Robin snorted. "Please, enlighten us some more."

Steve eyed her for a moment and then, with a slight jerk of his head, made the half-eaten sausage in her hand explode. She shrieked, stumbling away from the table as Eddie and Dustin howled with laughter. Smug, he returned to his food, only to have his face shoved into the plate moments later. "Robin!"

"You started it, dingus!"

Eddie helped pick scrambled eggs out of his hair. "Alright, no fighting at the dinner table, children."

"No promises." Robin winked and stole another sausage. Steve didn't complain this time.

He'd almost cleared the plate when a ping went off in his head. Sitting up straight, he ignored the other's looking at him in concern. "Eleven's calling."

Dustin frowned at the radio and then rolled his eyes as he understood. "Right."

Steve stood up, kissing the top of Eddie's head before going down to the basement. They had converted it into his own little soundproof bubble so he could concentrate better. Sitting on the soft carpet in the darkness, Steve sighed and closed his eyes, concentrating on the pull.

When he opened his eyes, he was in the void. Eleven smiled at him and ran over for a hug. "Hi, Steve."

"Hey, El. What's up?"

"The sky," she giggled, but her expression quickly became serious. "We felt Vecna last night. Will said he is close."

"I know. I felt him too."

"Are you ready?"

Steve hesitated and then shook his head. "No. Not yet. Can you tell me how you got your powers back? I think we need to do it again, but for me."

She frowned. "I do not think we can. Not without a lab. It is too dangerous."

"It's worth the risk. I'm not strong enough like this."

"You are strong."

Steve smiled and hugged her tight. "Thanks, El, but we both know it's not enough. We need every advantage we can get."

She looked up at him, expression tightening as she nodded. "Okay. I will talk to Dad. I think I have an idea. We will call soon."

In a blink, she vanished. Steve opened his eyes back in the real world, waiting momentarily for nausea to subside before standing up. He made his way back upstairs to find Robin alone in the kitchen. Outside he could see Eddie had Dustin in a headlock.

"Uh, what did I miss?"

"Boys." She rolled her eyes. "They started arguing about radio signals and brain antennas."

Steve rubbed his head. "I don't think that's how it works. Anyway, doesn't matter. I talked to Eleven about the plan. She might have an idea."

"As long as we don't have to do anything dangerous." Their eyes met, and they both grinned. "Never mind."

He created his little flame, using it to warm his cold coffee. He managed to sustain it long enough to have the mug steaming. Robin looked impressed as he sipped the drink, and he smiled smugly.

"You might be able to burn Vecna's pinky toe with that."

Steve spat coffee everywhere.

Eleven contacted him later in the evening. They had just returned from the Henderson's after checking the security around the house to ensure it was secure. Steve couldn't sense anything dangerous nearby, so he was confident they were safe. For now, anyway.

Dustin threatened to drop by again in the morning, which annoyed Eddie. "How are we supposed to have morning sex when the butthead could appear at any moment?" He grumbled on the way home.

Steve had only smiled and shook his head.

They had barely walked through the front door when the ping in his head went off again. Eddie glanced back when he stumbled. "What is it?"

"Eleven."

He nodded in understanding. "Okay. You better answer before she thinks something's wrong. I'll go check the perimeter."

"Yeah." Steve caught his arm in the door, leaning in for a kiss before letting him go. "Stay safe."

"I'm walking around the house. It's not exactly far. I'll be right back." Eddie grinned and patted his cheek before slipping outside again.

Steve settled downstairs in the dark, inhaling deeply as he closed his eyes. Eleven was waiting for him in the void. She smiled when he opened his eyes. "Hi, Steve. We have a plan."