Hopper knew that, when Joyce called him, something was clearly wrong. His thoughts spiraled as he wondered what it was, did Steve repress his emotions again? Did Will and Jonathan find out about what had happened, was everyone okay? Joyce didn't make it sound like the house was on fire, but she was clearly nervous. Hopper wasn't putting any possibility out of his mind.

As he pulled up to the Byers' house, Joyce's car was missing, but she stood on the porch, her lips in a tight line.

"Hopper." She said as soon as he stepped out, relieved, and he rushed to her. He gave her a quick hug, hoping to be comforting, and let her grip his arms, grounding her.

"What happened? Is everyone okay?"

She nodded hesitantly, taking deep breaths. "Everyone's fine, physically at least. I don't know what happened, but Robin was crying, then Will basically had a panic attack…Steve's with Robin now, but she's barely said anything."

"And Will?"

"He's doing better, he and Jonathan went to the Byers. I just don't understand it, Hop! Will was perfectly fine and then just broke down sobbing for what felt like hours! I'm worried for him, for all of them."

Hopper shushed her, letting her cling to him desperately, her head resting on his chest.

"We'll get this figured out, I promise." He said softly. "All of these kids are strong, they're all going to be alright."

She nodded, pulling away from him reluctantly. The two headed inside together, where Hopper could see Steve and Robin sitting together on the couch, dried tears evident on Robin's cheeks, her eyes closed. Steve held onto her, letting her rest her head on his shoulder, and a blanket was thrown over their legs. The young man looked up at them as they walked in giving Hopper a nod in greeting. Hopper sat down on an armchair, while Joyce sat beside Steve and Robin, rubbing Robin's shoulder comfortingly.

"Is she sleeping?" Joyce asked gently, and Robin shifted in response.

"No, well, I don't think so. Am I?" She said, and Steve chuckled.

"Nope, you're awake."

"Huh. I figured as much."

Robin picked her head up from Steve's shoulder, looking down to the coffee table and avoiding everyone's gaze, clearly trying to avoid the topic that she undoubtedly knew that they had to talk about, the topic that Hopper didn't really know much about yet.

"So." Hopper started. "What happened?"

Robin took a deep breath, her fingers fiddling with the blanket, and Steve rested his hand on hers, trying to calm her down.

"I…I was called down from my room for lunch." Robin said hesitantly. "My parents have been feeding me a lot, you know? Because they think that I was starving in a forest somewhere? Anyways, they've been feeling me a lot, which I don't mind at all, my mom's a really good cook. My dad's not as good as her, but he makes really good pastaー"

"Robin?" Steve interrupted gently, and she nodded.

"Right, sorry. So, I went down and found that my mom had made…tuna sandwiches. I hadn't been reading their minds, at least trying not to, so it shocked me, and then I was back there."

Robin didn't have to explain herself, Hopper knew exactly what "there" she meant.

"I couldn't…I couldn't get out. The white walls, the ceiling, the cold…the fear. Apparently I had a panic attack right there, and as soon as I was out of it I rode my bike here."

Steve let Robin lean closer to him, as if his hold on her kept her grounded to reality, to home.

"I hate to ask, but why a tuna sandwich?" Joyce asked, and Steve jumped in.

"That's all he fed us. Tuna sandwiches and rice."

"What?" Hopper exclaimed, anger rising in his gut. "Are you serious?"

"Yeah. I guess it had enough nutritional value to have us keep going." Steve said with a shrug, and Robin shuddered.

"It sucked."

Joyce nodded. "It must be a trigger for you, Robin. We'll have to make sure we keep an eye out for that, okay?"

"Okay."

"So, what happened after you got here?" Hopper asked.

"Steve tried to calm me down, but it took forever. Atーat one point I could feel something in me shift, I guess. Like, my powers were doing something. And then Will started crying, panicking like I was."

She frowned, tears in her eyes, and she culled in on herself.

"I think I made him feel what I was feeling. Like with Brenner, or his guards."

"She shared her emotions with Will." Steve added. "That's why Will was upset, it had to be."

Joyce's breath hitched, understanding reaching her eyes, and Hopper nodded along, not even surprised. He knew what Robin was capable of, she had told him about the fear that she put into the guards during their escape, the anguish she made Brenner feel, anguish that made him fall unconscious, when their friend Tom was shot. This made sense.

"Why Will, though? Why not anyone else?" Joyce asked softly, and Hopper had his suspicions.

"He was probably the weakest emotionally at the time. He's young and emotional, Robin's emotions would easily be able to get into his head."

Steve nodded. "That's exactly what I was thinking."

"I wasn't trying to hurt him." Robin said, tears finally falling down her cheeks as she sobbed quietly. "I promise."

"Oh, sweetie, I know." Joyce said gently. "I don't blame you, and Will's going to be just fine."

"It's not your fault, Rob. It's not. It's just something that we have to figure out." Steve added. "Just like my powers and my inability to feel hungry, we're going to find a way around it. Find a way to master what's going on with us."

"Steve's right. It'll all work out, I promise." Hopper said gruffly, and he could see the young girl appear to believe him.

"Thank you. All of you, I…I couldn't do this myself. And my parents don't understand, they can't understand, and I'm really happy that you guys do. I don't know what would happen if I didn't have you guys."

Steve gave her another hug. "We're in this together, Robin. Always."

"Always." Joyce echoed, and Robin managed to smile.

"I'm telling you, Nance, something's not right."

"And I believe you, I do. I just think your theory is a bit…odd."

Nancy watched as Jonathan paced in the back yard, his jacket blowing in the wind as he did so. She could feel her own hair swaying, but forced herself to focus on her boyfriend, who seemed more stressed than ever.

"I know, okay, I know. But look at the facts. Steve, Robin, Hopper, and my mom talk, and they share what happened to them. No one else is in on the secret except for El. El, who was a government experiment and has powers."

"So, you think that Steve and Robin have powers now, too?"

Jonathan stopped short, turning to her and meeting her eyes, wide open and desperate.

"Yes…no…I don't know. I just can't ignore what seems to be happening. Robin comes to my house crying, and then Will starts to cry. Steve goes outside in freezing cold weather and can't seem to feel it, rants all about humanity and how precious it is, and to top it all off Hopper and Joyce are hiding the truth from even us."

She sighed, resisting the urge to pull him back into the swings that they were sitting in previously, knowing that he wouldn't be able to calm down from this.

"Jonathan. You have good ideas, but they wouldn't have powers. Steve wouldn't keep it a secret, not from me. We may not be together, but he still trusts me."

"But he wouldn't tell you if he thought that you would get in trouble."

She had to mull over the words for a moment. He was right. Steve wouldn't tell anyone anything if it would get them hurt, could Jonathan be right? He didn't have much evidence proving anything, and the evidence he did have was weak. Steve could've not needed a jacket, he was moving around a lot cleaning his car, maybe that warmed him up? And Will could have been crying because he was worried for Robin, even if he didn't know it. And El would be too curious to find out what happened that they had to tell her upfront, or else she would've snooped.

"Are you sure you're not coming up with this theory because you're desperate? All of your evidence isn't that strong. It's based on suspicion, not fact. Them having powers? That's crazy and super unbelievable."

Jonathan frowned. "Maybe. Maybe you're right and I'm wrong, but something doesn't feel right. You should've seen him, Nance. Steve was so distant when he mentioned how important humanity was, like it meant something. And we both know that Steve isn't the deepest of thinkers. And, what else could've happened?"

"I don't know. I don't know and I really don't care. They're home, Jonathan. That's all that matters."

"Even though they're home, they're not free. I know that. I can see it in their eyes, in the way Steve doesn't relax, in the way he changes. I can hear it in Robin's voice. They may be here physically, but not mentally. They're still trapped, and I want to help free them."

He rushed in front of her, kneeling in front of her and gripping her hands in his, the chill from the cold spreading from his skin to hers.

"And, shouldn't we know what's happening in order to help them? Can't you see the mystery in this? The need to solve it?"

"Maybe I don't want to solve it!" Nancy yelled suddenly, her breath hitching as she realized what she had said. She pulled her hands from Jonathan's gripping the chain desperately as tears suddenly burned in her eyes.

"Nance?"

"Maybe I don't want to know." She whispered, and Jonathan sat in the swing beside her, waiting for her to continue. "Maybe it's best kept a secret."

Jonathan's uncharacteristic rant fell silent as he silently hoped for her to explain what was going through her head. Luckily he didn't have to wait long. Nancy gently swung her feet out, making the swing go forward and back slowly.

"I gave up, Jonathan. I gave up on them. On him."

He frowned at the words, looking down to his shoes, drawing circles in the dirt.

"And, if I find out what happened, what they went through, and find out that I could've helped? I couldn't handle that. After Barb, knowing that I could've saved her if I just went home when we were supposed to…what if it's the same with Steve and Robin? What if…what if I had done something different, something that would've saved them? But, if I don't know what happened, I can't feel guilty for any of it."

"But, you still do." Jonathan said softly. "You still do."

Nancy let out a watery laugh. "You said it yourself, they're suffering. Anyone can see that. I just don't want to find out why."

Jonathan nodded silently beside her.

"I know what you mean, but can you please keep an eye out? If they have powers, which they might not, you're right, but if they do…they'll need more support than ever."

She took a second before responding. "I will. But, it's crazy. It's absolutely crazy."

"I know. I know I'm probably grasping at straws, but for me it's the only thing that makes sense…And, for the record, Nance? They wouldn't blame you. I know Robin would never, and Steve wouldn't either. You know that."

She stiffened beside him. "That doesn't stop me from blaming myself."

A stray tear fell down her cheek, and she sobbed, pressing her hands to her mouth in a weak attempt to stop her from breaking down. Jonathan rushed over and pulled her to her feet, wrapping her in a hug and kissing her forehead.

"I'm here, Nance, I'm here."

And she shattered in his arms, clinging to him desperately as she cried, wishing that things could be different, that none of this had happened, and that it wasn't her fault. But it was. If she hadn't stopped looking, would Steve and Robin be as scarred as they were now? Would they be hurting?

She didn't know. But Jonathan was right, that didn't stop the guilt that threatened to drown her. Nothing could stop it, Nancy knew that for certain.

So she let it consume her, and Jonathan continued to hold her for as long as she needed too, the rock that she clung to in the swelling storm.