"Steve? Steve, what's happening?"

Steve opened his eyes, blinking at the sunlight that burned into them, yet he quickly adjusted from the darkness to the light. He took a deep breath and realized that he was sitting on the ground, his medical gown dirty from the dust around them. Robin watched him worriedly, shock still. Steve felt blood drip down his nose and he wiped it away, trying to ignore the headache that was coming.

"I don't know." He said, getting to his feet. "We were talking and then El just stopped responding. She said she's been sick, so I don't know."

"Sort of sounds like what happened to us." Robin said, and Steve looked at her, confused.

"What? That was the first time I'd been in anything close to the Void."

"No." Robin shook her head, wiping sweat from her forehead. "When I was talking to you mentally, you just cut out, and I couldn't hear you. I can't even read your mind now."

"You can't?"

"No, it's really strange. Not like I'd be casually reading your mind, that would be really invasive, it's just weird."

"Something tells me there's stranger things that are happening to us, that have happened." Steve replied with a sigh. "Umm…maybe because I can adapt to things?"

Robin sat down beside him, flopping onto the ground in a not-so-graceful way. "Like how you can breathe underwater now? Not get hurt by fire?"

"Yeah. I mean, what if my brain could tell that someone was intruding, and then adapted so that it couldn't happen again?"

She nodded tiredly. "That makes a lot of sense. Man, your powers are一"

"Weird? Stupid? Worthless?"

"I was going to say that they're complicated, and it's none of those things that you said. Think about it, it's crazy useful."

"And useless, especially when we need to talk mentally and we can't."

"Maybe there's a way to force yourself to not adapt?"

Steve shrugged. "I don't know."

The two fell into an uneasy silence, and Steve knew that they shouldn't stay resting for long. It was still possible that Brenner would be after them, and they weren't safe. If Brenner didn't catch them, the heat and lack of water out here would kill them. Or, kill Robin. Steve didn't seem too affected by it, likely due to his powers. He didn't know how he felt about that. It was useful, sure, but did it mean that he didn't need water to survive anymore? Exhaustion wouldn't affect him like everyone else? The sun wouldn't burn his skin, wouldn't make him sweat?

He had no doubt in his mind that he was anything but human now. How long would it take for Robin to realize that, to become afraid of him? Would Dustin even want Steve to come home? Would he be pushed away by the people he cares about because of this?

He glanced over at Robin, who's medical gown was darker due to the amount of sweat that leaked from her body. Her eyes seemed drained of energy, a sight so rare that Steve had a hard time believing it. He knew one thing, though. He needed to get her to shelter or water fast. He kicked himself for not taking as much care of her as he should've. The escape would be useless if she died before they got home.

"Rob, can you walk?" He asked, and she nodded.

"Yeah. Just give me another minute. My legs are still pretty tired."

"Okay."

As she breathed heavily beside him, the heat taking a toll on her, he stood up and tried to use his body to provide a bit of shade for her, all the while keeping his mind sharp, hoping to feel El's presence like before. It was incredible, really, how both himself and Robin could feel the instant El went into the Void and touched their minds. Because that's what she did, wasn't it? That place in one's mind where the physical body didn't matter, where she could find minds and then where the person was? It was the only explanation he could think of. Though, granted, he wasn't very smart to begin with. For all he knew he could have kicked her out of the Void himself.

Thinking back to the conversation, he realized that she asked where they were. Couldn't she see for herself?

He frowned. There were too many questions and so few answers. It was unnerving.

"Maybe you should try and talk to El next time." Steve said, and Robin looked up.

"Then you have to teach me how. The only reason you communicated with her was because you had a vague idea how to."

She was right. As they walked, he had told her everything he knew about his powers, Brenner, El, her powers, and the Upside Down. Robin was catching on faster than he did, and seemed to have a better understanding too, at some points. She was the one that concluded that the Russians must've sold them to Brenner, and that Brenner wanted older experiments than an eleven-year old El, thus wanting Steve and Robin. As for the connection to the Upside Down, they were both left clueless.

Nonetheless, she was a genius, and Steve felt horrible for only realizing it now.

"It's easy, at least, easy enough. El does most of the heavy lifting, I think. You just have to empty your mind and let her talk to you."

She gave an exhausted smile. "That should be easy enough, I do it all the time with my mind reading."

Steve nodded. "Makes sense."

He reached out his hand, and she took it, letting Steve help her to her feet. Her bare legs were covered in dust now, yet Steve knew that he was just as dirty. He probably looked horrible with a shaved head, gross medical gown, and dried blood under his nose. He wasn't about to tell her, but Robin looked just about the same way, minus the blood on her face. She did still have the crimson stain on her back, though, from the bullet wound someone subconsciously healed up.

Was that really only a couple of hours ago? It felt like ages. He looked back down to his own arm, the skin covered in blood yet fully healed over. He never did take out the bullet, did he?

He felt like gagging at the thought. He still had a bullet in him, and there was nothing he could do about it.

"Ready to go?" She asked, her bright smile so strange yet comforting on her face.

He pushed all the bad thoughts out of his head. "Absolutely."

Robin collapsed as the sun began to go down, her legs giving out beneath her as all the strength left her body.

"Robin!" Steve exclaimed, catching her and gently placing her on the ground, taking in her rushed breaths, her skin that was hot to the touch, and the lack of sweat on her face.

This was bad. This was so bad.

She must've been crazy dehydrated. Could it be a heat stroke? Was she dying?

"Robin! Talk to me!" He could feel a lump in his throat begin to develop, tears in his eyes as he tried to get her to wake up. He frantically looked for any water, knowing that he wouldn't find any because he'd been looking for hours.

Two times in one day. Two times in one day that she had been hurt and close to death. Two times in one day when he had no clue what to do.

He pressed his hands to her cheeks, hoping that he was the one with healing powers, that he was the one to heal her. He had to be, right? Or else she wouldn't be unconscious with heat stroke, with a lack of water.

It made sense. It made sense. So why wasn't it working?

He closed his eyes, focusing on healing her, yet nothing happened. He tried again. And again. Nothing was happening.

The only peace he found was that she was still breathing. She was still alive.

For now.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, bringing in the dark dusk, he felt the air get colder. Good. Maybe it would help her. As he soon felt the cold air become warm, he knew that it had to be his own body, it had to be. It was still cool, wasn't it? It had to help Robin. It had to.

Then he heard something. Something like an engine.

Panic racing in his heart, Steve looked up, his eyes blurry with tears, and saw a pair of headlights coming towards them, and fast. Was it Brenner? Was he finally here to take them back?

If Robin was okay they would've started running. But now? With Robin collapsed on the ground? Was it better for her to die than to be taken back?

Steve knew what he would want for himself, but he was in no position to make that choice for her.

As the vehicle came closer, he realized it wasn't military or government grade. It was a pickup truck, rusting and old, with one person in it. The truck slowed as it approached them, and Steve didn't run. He didn't know what to do, so he stayed frozen, watching it come to a stop.

An older man hopped out of the vehicle, wearing a baseball hat and dirty clothes. In the darkness Steve could tell that he was of medium build, with tanned arms, and wasn't holding a weapon. That was a good sign, right?

"Are you okay, kid?" The man asked, his voice a bit gravely, and Steve stiffened, holding Robin closer to him. The man clearly studied them, focusing on their clothes, their heads, and their condition.

"Not again." He mumbled, but with a louder voice he spoke up again. "I'm not going to hurt you or your friend, I promise."

"How can I know that?" Steve asked, hesitant and conflicted, "Why do you think I can trust you?"

"You don't. You really don't. But I can offer you some water and a ride to town, if you'll let me."

Steve glanced between the man and Robin, who was still unconscious, weighing his options. Robin was going to die if he didn't get her help, yet this man could take them right back to Brenner. Could he be trusted?

He had to make a decision. He knew that he shouldn't have been the one in this position, he could mess it up for the both of them. Yet, the way he saw it, there was only one option.

"Okay. Okay." Steve said hesitantly, and the man sighed in relief.

"Good. Too many people have died in this wasteland, I don't want you two to join them."

Steve didn't know what to say to that, so he gently picked Robin up and followed the man back to the truck, placing her in the backseat when the door was opened.

The truck was quite messy on the inside, with food wrappers and boxes discarded on the seat and floor, as well as a bag. Steve cleared off the seat and helped Robin sit up, where she mumbled something that he couldn't understand.

"It's okay, you're going to be okay." He whispered, watching as the man walked around the truck and into the drivers' seat. Soon he felt the vehicle moving, their driver glancing back at them worriedly.

"There's water in the bag, take as much as you need. Pour some on your friend's head to cool her off."

Steve nodded, getting the water and obeying the man's instructions. It sounded like sound advice, and he hoped that it would work. As air conditioning blasted from the vents and the water poured onto her skin, Robin came back to consciousness slowly, her blue eyes opening with confusion.

"Steve?"

"Yeah, it's me, I have water."

She looked around the vehicle, and he rushed to explain before he panicked.

"This man is giving us a ride to town." Steve explained, gesturing to the person in question, and the older man nodded in her direction through the rearview mirror.

"Oh." Robin said, taking the water hesitantly from Steve's hands. She took a slow sip, her hand shaking, and Steve helped her drink some more.

"What happened?" She asked after a moment, clearly becoming more awake and alert.

"You collapsed. Heat stroke, I think."

"Yeah, that sun can be a dangerous thing." The man commented, "You always have to be careful when outside at this time of year."

Robin's eyes took on a focused look as she watched the older man. "I guess so."

She then leaned over to Steve, who let her whisper in his ear. "He's legit. Not one bad thought in his mind."

He smiled softly. He had made the right decision after all. "Good."

She offered up the water to him. His brows furrowed in confusion.

"I don't need that. You have it."

She shook her head. "Take it. Please?"

He never expected her to say that, to offer up the water, but he knew that he couldn't argue with her. He took it gratefully, taking a few sips.

Even though his body told him that he wasn't tired, that he wasn't hot, that he was okay, the water felt good against his throat, making him feel better from the inside out.

"Better?" Robin asked, and he nodded thankfully, finishing off the water bottle in his hand.

Robin leaned over and wrapped Steve in a quick side hug, and he let her, feeling a bond between them that he never expected. As he looked at her, he began to see her from a whole new light, seeing their relationship differently than he had before. He didn't feel a swell of love in his chest like he expected to feel when he saw Nancy, but a swell of pride, so happy that he could have her as a friend. Best friend. He didn't want anything more than that.

It felt strange having a best friend, someone who actually cared for him and meant something to him, meant more than someone like Tommy or Carol did. Robin offered him water when she clearly needed it, and that small gesture meant the world to him. And she knew, better than even himself, when he needed help, even when his body told him that he didn't.

He was glad to have her. He was glad that she made it out alive. He was glad that she was okay.

He didn't know what would come next, if sitting in this truck would get them anywhere, but as long as Robin was by his side, it would all be okay.

He knew it.