After one night of fitful sleep, they had made their way to the boat house that Eddie and Jonathan used to be hiding out at. Nancy was insistent to pass by it and meet Jonathan right away, but Steve could see reporters and police flocking around the scene, and he wanted to hear what they were saying.
After telling the others to stay in the vehicle, Steve didn't waste a second hopping out of the car and sneaking around the news van that sat there. Yet, like all of the other times Steve had wanted them to listen, none of them did, and they all hid behind the news van anxiously.
Officer Powell's voice broke through the din, and Steve could tell that he was talking about the murder of Patrick, the murder that One had committed the night before.
"And, we have also identified two people of interest: Eddie Munson and Steve Harrington. We encourage anyone with information of their whereabouts to please contact the police, and we'll be sure to question them and figure out what truly is going on. Meanwhile, if anyone has any questions…" Powell said, his voice becoming softer to Steve's ears. Steve took a deep breath, shrinking back further behind the vehicle, knowing that he had to hide now more than ever.
That confirmed it. The police were looking for him. Steve was a suspect in a murder case.
He wondered what his parents would say, if they were here. The other part didn't care at all.
This was just his life now, no matter what he, or anyone else, said.
As the police broke away from the cameras, everyone broke away from the scene, rushing to the car and making their way towards Skull Rock, Dustin glancing worriedly at Steve from where they sat in the trunk.
"It'll be okay, Dustin." Steve said, opening a can of Pringles and offering him one, "It'll be okay."
"It's my fault." Dustin said, taking a chip hesitantly. "If I hadn't faced Carver none of this would've happened."
"When Hopper comes back he'll get things figured out." Steve said, hoping that his words were true, and Dustin seemed to take that answer without complaint.
"Speaking of," Robin said, turning back to them from the front seat. She seemed better now, and Steve hoped that she would stay that way, "Has anyone heard from him?"
"I called Mom last night." Will said, his tone somber, "She hasn't heard from him or El. She's doing everything she can, she's even called Murrey. She's really worried."
"Do you think that they've been kidnaped or something?" Lucas asked, and Mike shrugged.
"El would be able to fight back. They must just not be near a phone."
Steve didn't feel the same way. He was scared for them. El, if she could've, would've talked to Robin mentally. Something was wrong. But, he wasn't about to make things more hopeless than they were. His eyes met Nancy's in the rearview mirror, and somehow he could tell that she felt the same.
It didn't take them long to begin the journey through the woods to Skull Rock, leaving the car behind and making the rest of the journey on foot. Steve kept up a back and forth banter with Dustin, who was so insistent that they were going the wrong way, according to his compass, but Steve knew that they were going the right way. Steve knew this place like the back of his hand.
But, he was thankful for the argument. It felt normal, like something they would've done long before One began killing kids, even before Brenner took Steve and Robin for them to become his experiments.
Once the rock came into the distance, Nancy rushed ahead, slamming into Jonathan and wrapping him a big hug, while Eddie stood by awkwardly. He wasn't alone for long though, as Dustin, Lucas, Will, and Mike went to go and greet him. Max and Robin hung out behind like Steve, Kate Bush still barling on Max's headphones. She still looked nervous, and Steve gave her a comforting smile.
After the reunion, both groups shared stories, and Steve was horrified at hearing that Carver had gone for them, despite even Jonathan being there. Would Jonathan be next on Carver's hit list?
"Okay, so, three kids are dead, Redhead here was already attacked, and now Harrington is also wanted by the police?" Eddie said, sighing and grabbing his hair nervously. "What else could go wrong?"
"Let's not dwell on that, alright? We just need to keep going." Nancy said, putting her hands on her hips, "What's our next step?"
"We were planning on leaving Steve with you guys." Will said, "Maybe that's not the best idea now?"
"Absolutely not." Jonathan responded. "Not that we can't hang out with Steve, but Eddie can't be left alone with just one person. If Carver and his gang come back they both would be dead meat, or be taken by the cops. We have strength in numbers, we have to take advantage of that and stay together, all of us."
Robin nodded in agreement. "Jonathan's right. We need to stick together as much as we can now."
"Okay, now that that's settled. What do we know?" Nancy began, and Steve was more than happy to let her take charge. He watched Dustin out of the corner of his eye, the younger boy pacing back and forth, staring at the compass that didn't work. No one else seemed bothered by it, even Robin seemed to be able to focus on Nancy's words instead of Dustin's thoughts that were no doubt rambling and loud.
"We know how One attacks, and where he attacks from."
"So, if we get into the Upside Down, we can kill him." Steve said, happy that a plan was finally forming. "That sounds simple enough."
"But, we need a gate to get into the Upside Down. Is there one left?" Max asked, and Lucas snapped his fingers, pointing to Steve and Robin.
"Can't you two make a gate?"
Robin and Steve both shared a look, and a shrug.
"Not that I'm aware of. Steve?"
Steve shook his head, getting rid of the disappointment that swelled in his chest. If only it were that easy.
"Boom!" Dustin exclaimed suddenly, and all eyes turned to him.
"Henderson? Are you cursed?" Eddie asked, and Dustin shook his head rapidly.
"No. I think I found a gate." The young boy said, a huge smile on his face, "And it's close. Really close."
Dustin's rambling words fell into a huge, scientific description, one that Steve barely understood, but he tried to listen anyway. The only thing Steve took away from it was this: if Dustin's explanation was correct, they could kill One by tomorrow. All of this could be over faster than ever.
Steve still didn't like the idea of Eddie being out and about, though. Carver could still be after him, after them.
"Okay, whoa, this all sounds incredible, but Eddie's still a wanted man! He can't just join us for a stroll!"
"Using that logic you shouldn't come either." Nancy said with a mischievous smile, and Steve sighed.
"Nance!"
"This compass, this stroll, may be the key to saving Max! This shouldn't be up for debate!" Dustin argued, and Mike nodded along.
"Essentially it's Eddie's decision." Lucas said, and Dustin pointed to the man in question, dramatically raising his hands in a way that he must've learned from Eddie.
"What do you say, Eddie the Banished?"
Eddie sighed, rubbing the back of his neck, and everyone turned to him.
Steve was worried about his response. No matter where he, or they all, went, there was danger, but there was more danger out in the world than the hiding place at Skull Rock. Steve didn't want any more people to get hurt, to get killed, including Eddie, but, some part of him told him that it was impossible. People were going to get hurt, no matter what.
The whole decision was taken out of his hands when Eddie spoke up.
"I say you're asking me to follow you into Mordor, which, if I'm being totally straight with you, I think it's a bad idea. But the Shire…the Shire is burning. So Mordor it is."
With those words spoken, words that confused Steve to no end, they all began following Dustin, Robin falling into step beside him. No words were spoken between them, and Steve was thankful that there was no pressure to speak. He didn't know what he would've even said.
It was dark by the time that Dustin had found the gate, and Robin sighed when she realized that they were at Lover's Lake. It only seemed fitting, as someone had died here not 24 hours ago, but it still hurt. It was just a reminder of what Robin had failed to do, and what that failure meant for an innocent kid.
How could she, a mind reader and an empath, fail to save a life? How could, with all of her powers, she fail to do even that?
She could feel everyone's feelings, hear all of their thoughts, and they were all echoing the same things: who will die next, is Max going to die soon, will One win, will any of them survive until sunrise.
Robin didn't have any answers for them, but she really wished that she did.
"Why are we back here?" Max asked with a frown, and Robin was thankful for the distraction.
"The Demogorgon always left behind gates when it attacked. Maybe One's the same way?" Dustin said, and Robin nodded, recalling the same facts from when Steve had told her the story when they walked through the desert. It would make sense.
But, she didn't want things to make sense. She wanted all of this to be over. She wanted to be able to go back to the Byers' house, watch movies and drink hot chocolate, hug Steve without having to worry about who would die next, go back to school and finally graduate without having her best friend be hunted by her classmates. She wanted to be able to live a life where One's violence and threats were not hanging over them like an ax.
"We should go take a boat and find the gate. Kids, you'll stay back, there's not enough room for all of you. Eddie, Nance, Robin, Steve, we'll all go and check to see if there's a gate there." Jonathan said, clapping his hands, and Nancy nodded along with him.
"That's a great plan."
"Will you all fit?" Lucas asked, and Eddie shrugged, a shaky smile on his lips. Robin could feel his nervousness, nervousness that Eddie was trying to cover with an easygoing attitude, but didn't call him out on it.
"We'll soon find out, right?"
She glanced over at Steve, her brow furrowing when she noticed him staring at the water, nearly completely still, oblivious to the conversation around him. His breathing seemed rushed and pained, short and gasping in a way that was foreign to him. Dustin seemed to notice, too, and the two quickly made their way over to Steve. Robin put her hand on his arm, hoping that her touch would break him out of this episode that looked to be close to a panic attack, and Dustin said his name.
Robin could still hear the others talking behind them, but she didn't pay attention to them.
Steve's eyes were distant, as if he was looking at something that wasn't there, and Robin wished that she could read his mind and comfort him, yet, like many times before, something was stopping her.
"Steve? Are you okay?"
It was her voice that broke him out of it, and her eyes turned to her, wide and panicked.
"Sorry? Sorry, I…"
"It's the water, isn't it?" Dustin said, keeping his voice soft. "You don't want to go near it. No one blames you, Steve."
Robin focused on Steve's pained gaze, kicking herself for forgetting that Steve had drowned, that Brenner had tortured him using something as simple as water. No wonder why Steve was so scared.
"No, I…I'll be fine. We need to find the gate, and it's probably in the water. I can breathe underwater, remember? I need to go." His voice was soft and uncertain, shaking, and she shook her head.
"Steve, you won't be fine. You may be able to suppress emotions most of the time, but I don't want your powers to suddenly fail. You could fall into a panic attack underwater. It would be horrible."
In front of them, Nancy, Jonathan, and Eddie had begun to get a boat ready, and Steve watched them with a distant, longing expression filled with fear.
"I want to help. I'm a really good swimmer, I can breathe underwater, I can be a huge help."
"You've always been a big help, Steve." Dustin said with a small smile. "Just let the rest of them do this. Stay away from the water. For me?"
Steve reluctantly nodded, and Robin gave him a quick hug.
"It'll be okay." She said, and he held her tightly. "I'll go with them, and you'll stay back with the kids."
"Okay. Okay."
"Steve, Robin?" Nancy asked from where she was already in the boat. "Are you guys coming?"
Robin let go of Steve, gave him a comforting smile, and began making her way to the others, stepping in the boat shakily. She waved back at Steve, trying to ease his worry, and he gave her a small wave back.
"He's going to stay behind. He's not too fond of water, remember?"
Nancy paled in the moonlight, casting a concerned glance to Steve. "I completely forgot. Yes, absolutely, he'll stay back."
"What? Why can't he come?" Eddie asked, and Jonathan sighed, giving the kids and Steve onshore a wave goodbye before pushing the boat away and into the water.
"When he got his powers they drowned him to see if he could breathe underwater."
"Are you serious? They drowned him?"
Robin nodded. "Yeah. He's terrified even looking at the water, there's no way I'd let him come out here."
Eddie whistled, shaking his head. "You guys really need therapy or something."
"I think all of us do, to some degree." Nancy said, grabbing a paddle, "Now, come on, this boat won't move itself."
Robin watched as Steve and the kids became distant figures on the shoreline, a sick feeling in her gut. She focused on reading their minds, promising herself that, if anything went wrong, she would know, and come rushing back to them, no matter what.