I hope you enjoy this (edited) chapter! As always, I only own my OC.

Jonathan and I step out into the cool night, carrying our near-empty bags of popcorn and pop. "See, here's the thing. I don't get why the Terminator didn't already know what Sarah Connor looked like? I mean, wouldn't Skynet have her picture in its system?"

"And why only one Terminator?" I ask in response, passionately chewing on my popcorn. "I mean, wouldn't they want to be absolutely sure they succeeded?"

"Exactly!"

We reach his car and sit on the hood, watching a few stragglers as they walk through Downtown Hawkins. The lights from the Hawk marquis shine down on us. "It was a good movie though. Sarah Connor is a badass." I mutter, taking a sip of my coke. "Plus, the dude who played Kyle isn't the worst thing to look at." He looked a little like Billy, actually.

Jonathan snorts as he knocks into my shoulder. "She reminded me of you, a bit. Sarah Connor."

I roll my eyes. "Because we're both blonde?"

"No, stupid." He laughs at me. "It's how you both changed. You used to be like that, you know. All open and innocent."

"Yeah." I whisper, looking down at my converse-clad feet. "And then life happened."

"Mhmm. You both went through some scary shit, and you came out scarred. Not just here," he points at the scar on my temple, "but here. And here." He taps the center of my forehead and my heart. "But you also came out strong. Fighting."

"I guess we did." I smile softly at him.

Jonathan sighs and folds his elbows on his knees, bag of popcorn and drink between his thighs. "I'm glad we got to go see this, and hang out. I've missed you, Ver. We all have."

"I've been right here. I see you guys all the time." I tell him, frowning. "We take our lunch breaks together. Steve and I jog on the weekends. Nancy and I are usually having a sleepover or practicing at the range."

"Yeah, but it isn't the same, Veronica."

"Nothing is the same. It won't ever be the same, Jonathan." I glare at him, then scoff. "It's not like you guys have been giving that much thought, either. You all keep acting like it never happened. We're all pretenders, here."

We lapse into a tense silence, until Jonathan sighs and turns to me. "I don't want to fight, Rockstar."

"Me neither." I rest my head on his shoulder. "I'm sorry."

"I know. I'm sorry, too." He puts his head on top of mine, and I can feel his jaw moving against my temple as he chews some popcorn. "You got any plans on Halloween?"

I shrug. "Maybe. I think, uh -"

"You and your boyfriend are going to hang out?"

"Sorry."

"No, it's okay. I'm glad one of us is… moving on. From them." He breathes in sadly, no doubt thinking about Nancy. I quickly squeeze his hand. "It's such bullshit."

"I know it is." My mind drifts back to months before, on Valentine's Day. I can practically taste the alcohol sliding down my throat, smell the marijuana wafting around Jonathan's room. Joyce was out with Bob that night, Will was at the Wheelers'.

"I c-can't -" Jonathan hiccups, "believe they're still t-together."

I snort, taking another hit from our dying joint. "Such bull. Assholes." I growl, dazedly laying down on my best friend's bed and watching the smoke drift around in front of me. My bottles of beer lay empty on the ground, Jonathan hoarding the whiskey he stole from Joyce's stash. "They get t-to be happy, and we're stuck…" I giggle. "Stuck. And they leave us behind!"

"Right!" Jonathan nods, crashing down next to me and accidentally sloshing whiskey over his shirt, but he paid it no mind. "I thought she liked me." He pouts at me, eyes watering and lips quivering. My own eyes and lips do the same.

"I hoped he wanted me." I quietly admit, and we cried together over quickly vanishing whiskey and a joint.

"You with me?" Jonathan asks, shaking my shoulder. I blink out of my memory and smile at him.

"Yeah. I was just remembering Valentine's Day."

Jonathan groans. "Jesus, don't remind me. We had to deal with mom yelling at us for drinking her good whiskey."

"Yeah, well, she only yelled because you were the dumbass who complained about a bad hangover."

"Dude, she almost took all my tapes!"

I smile innocently. "But she didn't. Besides, we paid her back."

He pouts. "Yeah. And it sucked."

I laugh and shove at him, handing him my now empty bag and drink. "Go forth and rid us of our trash, oh ye complaining one."

He rolls his eyes at my snark but does as I ask. I sigh and hop off the hood of a car, turning to walk to the passenger side. It's only then I realize I'm alone. Completely alone, not even in the same world. No one else is here. The lights around me flicker, and I groan.

C'mon, I'd been free of this shit for a week.

Every building around me is covered in thick vines. The sky is dark blue and filled with white ash floating in the air. Downtown is now Upside Down. I look around, horrified. I feel like something is here, looking for me, but for some reason I feel safe. Like whatever it is can't find me.

Loud crashing makes me jump, and I turn to see a few shop doors slamming open and shut. Electricity starts to pulse behind me, my body moving towards it like a bug to light. Thunder starts to roll, and the street beneath me seems to glow red. I jump, gasping in horror as the sky fills with red lighting. A dark shadow moves, but it's too well-hidden behind thick clouds for me to see what it is.

"-ica. Veronica!" I jump and turn, crashing into my best friend's chest. With a worried look he pulls me into a tight hug, cradling the back of my head and winding thin - but still strong - arms around my back. "Hey, hey. It's okay. You're alright."

"Sorry. Just, thought I saw something." He only nods, not quite believing me. "Really, I'm fine. C'mon, it's a school night. I gotta wait up for Dustin."

Jonathan sighs but tugs me towards his beat up car. As we pull away from the Hawk, he throws me a concerned look. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yeah. Just tired. My mind likes to play tricks on me. It's a real bitch."

"You want to hang out some more? At least until your brother shows up?"

I shake my head. "No, I'll be fine. 'Sides, your mom probably wants you home."

"My mom can wait. You're my family, too."

"I know." I squeeze his hand again. "And I appreciate that. I do. I appreciate you, for dealing with me and all my crazy."

"Ver, have you met my mom? She's way crazier than you." I laugh with Jonathan, smiling as he pulls in front of my driveway.

Our front yard is decorated with lit tombstones, welcoming Halloween. It freaks me out a bit, the mini cartoonish cemetery my mom and brother set up. I try not to dwell too much on it, or else I go down a very dark and depressing rabbit hole. "Well, I'll see you tomorrow."

"Yeah. Get home safe."

Jonathan nods at me as I get out. "Promise." I watch as he drives away then cross my arms, heading inside.

The lamps in the living room are on, the TV muted. The hall is dark, meaning my mom is probably already in bed, so I pour myself a glass of water and settle on the couch, hoping whatever Western is on will distract me from what I saw.

And it works, it really does. Because when my brother comes waltzing in at 9:30 - right on time for his curfew - my eyes are barely open as John Wayne finishes his speech. I mute the TV when Dustin comes closer, giving me a worried look.

"Hey, Leia. You okay?"

I frown sleepily. "Yeah, Jesus, why is everyone asking me that? Don't answer." I stop him before he can respond. He nods, frowning. "I'm fine. How was the arcade?"

"Good. I owe you some money."

"That's fine. Pay me back whenever, D." I stand up and knock off his hat so I can ruffle his hair, having to reach up a bit. It finally happened. He got a growth spurt, and now he's an inch taller than me. Even with his disease, the doctor says he has a couple more inches before he stops growing. Which, unfair, because I've definitely already stopped. "You beat your record?"

"No! Because some jerk calling themselves 'Mad Max' beat all of my high scores. Keith, that son of a bitch, was super unhelpful. Please deal with his Cheetos Puffs loving ass tomorrow!" He begs, and I sigh.

"Maybe. Or you could just, I don't know, try harder?" I tease, snickering when Dustin makes an offended noise and lunges towards me. I yelp and side-step, nearly stomping on Mews's tail. She hisses at me before slinking off, and Dustin and I stop to laugh at each other. I pull him into a hug.

"Hey, what's that for?" He asks, but hugs me back all the same.

"Nothing. Just love you, Chewie."

"I love you too, Leia."

I break apart from him and smile as happily as I can without the dread knotting my stomach. "C'mon, get to bed. Am I driving you tomorrow?"

"Sure. Goodnight, milady."

"Goodnight." Dustin disappears into the bathroom, leaving me behind. I glance around the living room, worriedly biting my lip as I wait for the next mind trick. After a few moments of absolutely nothing going wrong, I exhale shakily. One heavy sigh later the lights are shut off, and I head to my room pretending I'm not losing my shit.

I drum my hands against the steering wheel of my car as I drive away from Hawkins Middle School and up to Hawkins High. My usual spot remains untouched, and I park with ease before getting out and sitting on the hood of my car. Steve is parked a little further away, Nancy in the passenger seat of his Beemer. They're facing away from me, though, so I go unnoticed. I sigh and pull out a cigarette, smiling as I light it up. Billy starts school today, after all. That means hand-holding as we walk through the halls, kisses against lockers or in dark corners of the school.

A red Ford Mustang drives into the spot on my immediate right, and Tina gets out from behind the wheel. Unfortunately Carol and Vicki climb out with her, and I toss my finished cig to the side.

While I can't stand Vicki and would like nothing better than to slap Carol - again - Tina's a sweetheart. Really. So I wave to her as she closes the driver door and accept a friendly hug, smiling inwardly when I see the other two actively avoiding me.

"Oh my God, girl. That skirt is killer!" Tina points at my pleated green skirt. It ends mid-thigh, and thanks to it being the tail-end of October I've paired it with sheer black tights and black heels. A black turtleneck completes the look, my flight jacket folded in my arms.

"Thanks. Hey, did you manage to finish that math assignment? Trig is out to ruin my life." I complain, and she laughs.

"Yeah, I did. Do you need to see my work?"

"Guilty as charged. Would you mind if I did it during lunch?"

"Hey, it's no big deal." She shakes her head fondly. "You saved my ass more than once in English. I owe you."

"Yeah, you do!" I laugh and watch the parking lot steadily fill up, waiting for one car in particular.

"Oh!" I hum and look over at an excited Tina. "My folks are out of town, so I'm throwing a Halloween party. It's totally last minute, I know, but I promise you'll get 'Sheet-faced'." She wiggles her fingers and makes a ghostly moan and I laugh at the pun.

I'm a big sucker for puns.

"That's amazing. I'm there. If only to get 'sheet-faced'."

"Clever, right?"

Before I can respond, a familiar engine revs in the distance. I stop talking and move my head towards the source, smirking when the blue Camaro drives up, the first verse of the Scorpions's Rock You Like a Hurricane blasting through the open windows. A jean jacket-clad arm hangs out the open window, cigarette moving in and out. The engine stops and the song cuts off, but I know it well enough to be singing it in my head. The door opens and a leather boot stomps onto the cement beneath it. Billy Hargrove emerges, right on time for the opening of the chorus.

"Here I am, rock you like a hurricane!"

Billy winks my way before turning around to shut the door, tucking his keys into his back pocket. A redheaded girl - Maxine, presumably 0 gets out from the passenger side and begins skateboarding towards the middle school.

"Who is that?" Vicki asks, practically purring.

Tina shakes her head. "I have no idea. But would you check out that ass?" She asks, and looks over at the other girls.

I only smirk and straighten as Billy turns back around. "Go ogle your own boyfriends." I tell the girls, then tilt my head to look at their shocked expressions. "I'll see you during lunch, Tina. Thanks for the invite." I wave back at her and promptly spin to strut over to Billy. He joins me and leans down a bit, pulling me up into a kiss a touch too heavy for school.

I give as good as I can back, though, laughing huskily when he nips at my jaw. "You look so damn good, baby girl."

"Good enough to eat?" I tease, licking my lips. He snorts and kisses my lips once more before tugging me into his side, an arm wrapped around my waist.

"Always." He starts to lead us both to the school, and I briefly look back to see Nancy staring at us, a little alarmed, her shoulder-length hair blowing in the breeze. But Steve - for the first time in forever, I can't actually read his face.

I sigh and return my gaze ahead. "And where the hell is your backpack, California? Your books? Your papers?"

"Well, I was hoping you'd help me out today, Queen V." I scoff, but it lacks any harshness. Billy opens the door for us, and as soon as we enter heads swivel. "Damn." He mutters as the hallway starts to part, only this time the students are pointing at my boyfriend and then me. "You really are royalty."

"Aw, are you only with me because of my title? Hoping to share the throne?" I tease, and we stop at my locker so I can deal with my bag and books.

"Well, that and your ass. And your legs. Did I mention how much I love your skirt?" He asks, bending down to kiss at my jaw, arms wrapped around my waist tightly.

"Mmm, no."

"Well, I love your skirt." I blush a little, stomach fluttering innocently at the affection. A finger draws up to my open locker and points at the polaroid taped inside. "Who're they?" Billy asks.

"That is my best friend, Nancy Wheeler. She's like a sister to me." My finger then trails over to the redhead next her, glasses perched on the bridge of her nose as she laughs, head thrown back. "Th-that was Barb."

"Oh." He murmurs, then kisses my cheek apologetically, brushing my loose curls out of the way.

"It's okay, good looking. Honestly." I smile back at him and close the locker. "C'mon. We've gotta get you to the office."

"Shouldn't you be heading to class?"

I smile up at him and kiss him on the lips, keeping it tame despite his best efforts. "I'll just tell my teacher I was helping out the new kid."

"Smart."

"Sneaky." I correct, and he laughs, letting me walk him to the office. On our way I see Tommy turning the corner, and he stops when he sees me. He opens his mouth to say something, but seems to think better of it when he gets a good look at the guy wrapped around me. Tommy's always been a coward, and I've got no doubt in my mind that he's going to try and get on Billy's good side.

Seemingly having a change of heart, Tommy keeps on walking. He barely gives me a second glance. Billy's ignored him in favor of looking around the parted halls, preening at the attention our classmates are throwing his way. I snort and slap his chest playfully. He catches my hand and kisses it, then drops it to glare at a couple of guys staring directly at me.

When we reach the office, I smile up at him. "Go on. Before I get impatient." He rolls his eyes but walks in, face morphing into a charming grin.

I lean back against the wall, nodding at the classmates I'm familiar with. My indifferent expression changes into a deadly glare as Keith passes by. He seems to realize I know he was a dick to my brother, because the orange-dust fingered douchebag scurries off like some kind of zit-covered rat.

"So, that's your boyfriend?" I jump, Nancy popping up out of nowhere. Steve and Jonathan are flanking her, completely ambushing me.

Well, fuck, I should've expected that.

"Yes." Is all I say, arms crossed. "So, what do you think?"

"He's… attractive. Don't know how I feel about the mullet." She comments, and I laugh.

"I like it. It's something to grab on to." I wink at her and Nancy flushes a bit, shoving me on the shoulder.

"Gross."

"What's his name?" Jonathan asks, frowning a bit.

"Billy Hargrove. He's from California."

"Jesus, Roni, why'd you wait so long to talk about him?" Steve asks, a little put off. I haven't heard that tone of voice in a year, so my mouth twists unhappily.

"Because it's new, and I actually like him, and you know what? It's none of your business." I snap back, and his hazel eyes darken.

"Whatever. I can't be late for English, so I guess I'll see you later. You coming Nance?" Steve asks, smiling down at his girlfriend, though it doesn't reach his eyes.

"Uh, sure. Talk to you in history?" She asks me, Steve pulling her away.

"Yeah!" I shake my head, scoffing as I look at Jonathan. "What's his deal?" I gesture my head in the direction Steve stalked off to.

My brother shrugs. "Well, you did keep Billy a secret."

"Yeah, well, he shouldn't care." I tell Jonathan, pouting a bit. "I've seen plenty of guys, and he's never cared about it before."

"Yeah, well, this is the first guy you've been serious around him, now that the two of you are close." Jonathan reminds me. "He's probably just hurt you didn't introduce him."

I sigh and rub the left side of my nose. Seconds later the office door opens and Billy steps out, a few pieces of paper in his hands. "Baby girl, Mrs. Scott could give you a run for your money. I may have to trade in for an older model."

I groan. "Oh, gross. She's 63!" Billy laughs and comes up to me, pausing briefly when he sees that I'm not alone.

"And who's this?" Billy asks, arm slung over my shoulders.

"Billy Hargrove, meet Jonathan Byers. He's basically my brother. My slightly older, overprotective brother." I tease the photographer, who rolls his eyes and playfully kicks at my shin. He then holds out his hand to the slightly taller male, who shakes it just as firmly.

"So you're the boyfriend." Jonathan narrows his eyes a bit. "You're not what I pictured."

"Is that good or bad?" Billy asks, raising an eyebrow but smiling pleasantly.

Jonathan shrugs. "It's too soon to decide, Billy."

"Is this the part where you threaten to kill me if I hurt her?" My boyfriend asks, and Jonathan shakes his head.

"No. This is the part where I tell you that if you hurt Veronica, she'll kill you." He grins devilishly and smacks a wet kiss onto my cheek, all brotherly and disgustingly affectionate. "I've got calculus. Try not to be late for French. Nice to meet you, man. Welcome to Hawkins." He sends my boyfriend an awkward wave before stalking off.

"Should I be worried about him whisking you away?" Billy's tone is teasing, but he sounds a little less confident.

Smiling wide, I kiss his cheek. "Trust me, I'm not his type. And he's not mine. Now c'mon, what do you have first?"

"Biology."

I nod and lead him towards the classroom, our hands clasped together tightly. All things considered, that meeting could've gone a lot worse.

Now I just gotta look forward to introducing him to Steve and Nancy.

Nancy and I walk out of English together, textbooks held close to our chest. Tina is busy handing out orange slips, and she winks when I take mine. "Bring that boyfriend of yours, girl."

I laugh. "I'm sure he's game. Thanks for the help with trig. You're a real lifesaver."

"Anything for my Queen." I laugh and we curtsy at each other before Nancy tugs me away. She pauses once, sending a smirk Jonathan's way before turning back to the dark-haired girl.

"Hey, Tina, could I get one more?"

"Of course, Nancy." She smiles prettily and hands over the orange slip. The three of us walk away and Nancy shoves the extra paper into Jonathan's stomach. He stumbles a bit and catches it, and I laugh.

"You're coming to this." Nancy orders, and I make room for Jonathan to walk in between us.

He reads it and sighs, officially done. "'Come and get sheet-faced'. Bet you enjoyed that." Jonathan smirks at me, and I stick my tongue out at him. "No, I'm not." He tells both of us, and I pout.

"Oh, come on, Johnny. Live a little."

"Yeah, I can't let you be all alone on Halloween. That's just not acceptable."

"Exactly!" I gesture to Nancy in agreement, a freshman pulling her friend out of the way. I smile a little warmly at them, trying to convey that it's okay.

"Well, you can relax. Both of you. I won't be alone."

I raise my eyebrow in disbelief. "Yeah, no offense, buddy, but you've only got three friends."

He gives me a wounded look."Okay, rude. For your information, I'm going Trick-or-Treating with Will."

"And as sweet as that is, you should also hang out with people your own age."

"Glass houses, Huntress." I shove him playfully.

"You're chaperoning him all night?" Nancy asks in disbelief.

"Yeah."

"No. No way." She shakes her head, grinning. "You're gonna be home by 8, listening to the Talking Heads and reading Vonnegut or something."

I smile at the floor, fondness filling my stomach at the fact that she knows him so well. It also makes me a little sad, for my brother. A girl who isn't me finally knows him, and she's with another guy.

"Sounds like a nice night." Jonathan grins. We stop at our lockers and I open mine, shoving in my books while Nancy continues trying to convince my brother. I smirk their way as he groans, nearing defeat.

"Jonathan, just come. I mean, who knows? You might even, like, meet someone." Nancy shrieks as she opens her locker, Steve rushing in from behind her and lifting her up so his back is against the lockers. He laughs and sets her down, and she turns to slap at his chest. "Oh my God, take those stupid things off!" Nancy tells her boyfriend, who removes his sunglasses.

I turn away, a small pang in my heart when I hear the gentleness in his voice as he says, "I missed you." Jonathan just walks away, head down.

"It's been, like, an hour."

"Tell me about it." I turn back to my locker and pull out my bag, a little too focused on what I need.

"Oh, Vera." Nancy addresses me, and I look at her as I close my locker, jacket on and backpack slung over one shoulder. "You remembered we have dinner at the Hollands tonight, right? 5:30?"

I nod. "Yeah. I know." I admit, and she wraps me in a hug.

After a few beats, she lets me go. "Oh, how was your appointment yesterday?"

"I moved it to today, remember?"

"Right. Mark needed you after school." Nancy remembers. "Didn't you and Jonathan go see a movie?"

"Mhmm. The Terminator. I thought it was good. Jonathan bitched at me a bit, but I know he was actually into it."

"I'm surprised you didn't go with Billy." Steve says, and I raise an eyebrow.

"Okay, are you seriously mad at me for not telling you about him?"

"Yeah, a little."

"Well, it wasn't any of your business."

Steve sighs. "I know. I'm sorry. I just - I worry about you. We all do."

"I'm sorry, too. I shouldn't have been so secretive about him." I admit, biting my lip. "I just didn't want it to be a big deal."

"Whatever." He mutters, though it isn't as harsh as earlier. I give them both a soft smile.

"I've got to go. But I'll see you guys tonight."

"Okay. Good luck." Nancy squeezes my elbow before letting me walk away, and I act like I don't feel their eyes following my every move.

When I get outside, the first thing I see is Billy leaning against his car, Tommy passionately talking to him while Carol hangs off her boyfriend's arm. Nicole is on the other side, and Vicki is standing a little closer to Billy than he seems to appreciate, judging by the looks he's giving her.

So - being the hero I am - I execute plan "Save Billy."

"Hey there, California." I greet, coming to a stop directly in front of him. My boyfriend grins and leans down to pull me into another kiss.

"No more turtlenecks." He groans, tugging a bit at the fabric hiding my neck.

"Alright, you vampire."

"I'm way too tan to be a vampire, baby girl."

I snort and turn in his arms, my back pressing against his chest and his legs on either side of mine. His arms are wrapped around my hips, hands clasped together on my stomach. "I see you made some friends." I scowl a bit, but he doesn't notice.

"Well, I was all alone. I had to talk to someone."

Yeah, but did it have to be these assholes?

"Your boyfriend's pretty awesome, Veronica." Tommy grins at me, like we don't have bad blood. There's a little bit of fear in his eyes when he glances at Billy. "How the hell did you meet?"

"Big Buy. Someone wasn't watching where she was going." Billy jokes, kissing my cheek.

"She's used to people parting for her." Carol speaks up, but the smile is much friendlier than I've ever seen appear on her face.

I laugh, doing my best to hide my contempt for her. Billy laughs, too. "In all fairness, I did run into her purposefully. I needed to get your attention somehow." He tells me, turning my chin back so our eyes can meet.

I refuse to blush in front of his new buddies, though, and instead roll my eyes. "Or you also weren't paying attention."

"Shh." I huff playfully.

"Well, you did something right. Our Ice Queen's been around town with a few guys, but none of them have actually made an impression." Tommy wiggles his eyebrows at me, egging me on.

It goddamn works.

"Probably because every guy here's overcompensating."

Billy laughs, loud and dangerous. It's thrilling. "Baby girl. You're fire's intoxicating." He whispers so no one else can hear. "Hey, did you hear about the party tomorrow?" My boyfriend asks.

I nod. "First thing. We're going, right?"

"Hell yeah, we are. These guys invited us to Tommy's place first. Get the party started a little earlier."

I bite the inside of my cheek. "Sounds good."

"Just don't go too wild, Hargrove." Tommy smirks. "Don't need you upchucking if you decide to do a keg-stand."

"I can handle my alcohol, Tommy." Billy tells him.

"Well, you're gonna have to, if you want to beat King Steve's record. That'll really knock him off the social ladder. Secure your spot as Hawkins royalty, without having to depend on the Ice Queen."

"Aww, but how else would I be dating him?" I tease, and Billy laughs again, remembering our earlier conversation.

"You're a goddamn menace, Queen V."

I smile at him as I turn in his arms. "I'm also running late."

"Right. We meeting up tonight?"

"Sorry, bad boy. I have dinner with the Hollands. But, you can drive me to school tomorrow? My brother's biking with his friends."

"Okay, sounds like a plan." I push off from his chest, and glance over his shoulder to see the redheaded girl skating towards us, hands in her jean pockets.

"Head's up, California." He follows my line of sight and instantly tenses. I grab his forearms and gently squeeze them, and he breathes out. "Introduce me."

"She's got a big mouth. Could slip up with Neil." Billy quietly reminds me, and I look up into his ocean eyes.

"And if he tries anything with me, I'll sic the damn Chief of Police on him."

"Fair enough." Billy concedes. "You're late, Maxine."

"Sorry. Was trying a new trick." The redhead glares up at him, all fire. "Don't call me that."

"Sure thing, Mad Max." I furrow my brows, trying to figure out why the name is so familiar.

Oh. Mad Max. She beat Dustin's high scores! Oh, that's gold.

"What's with the fan convention?" She sasses, and he rolls his eyes.

"Just some new friends. And this is my girlfriend, Veronica Henderson."

"It's nice to meet you. I'm guessing you go by Max, right?" I ask, waving friendly at her.

Her eyes rake over me, as if she's trying to get a reading. "Yeah. Nice to meet you." The girl dives into the car and slams it behind her, and Billy starts to vibrate.

"Whoa, it's okay. Calm down." I tell him, and he huffs.

"For you, baby girl." I kiss him one more time. "Alright, get out of here." I roll my eyes and shove at him, laughing when he smacks my butt.

"I'm going, I'm going. Later, guys." I wave to my sworn enemies, all of whom look incredibly confused. As I walk to the Falcon, my gaze lands on Steve. Nancy's standing off to the side, talking to Ally. But he's leaning against a pole, arms crossed as he glares at me and the party I just left behind. With a deep sigh I'm climbing into the car, lowering my window so I can smoke without filling up the car and peeling out of the lot. I blow a kiss Billy's way, laughing when he catches it and sends one back.

The drive to Hawkins Lab is quick, but just as unsettling as always. It gets worse, the closer I get. Every time. Like something's tugging me back into the hellhole.

The security guard recognizes me instantly and lets me in without any hassle, and I park next to Hopper's cop car. I'm running a little late, so I haul ass inside and see Hopper, Joyce, and Will hanging out in the lobby, the Byers matriarch wrapped around her son. We either do our appointments together or separately, depending on what day we go in.

"Cutting it a little close, huh Robin Hood?" Hopper asks. I roll my eyes but let him pull me into a hug.

"Sorry. I was talking to some friends." I hug Joyce next, then Will. Thankfully he's still shorter than me, but I fear the day he finally gets a growth spurt.

"You mean your boyfriend?" Joyce teases. "Jonathan let it slip." She winks at me, and I snort.

Typical.

"Hang on, 'boyfriend'?" Hopper asks. I gulp and Joyce gives me an apologetic look.

"It's new, Hop."

"Well, still. Maybe I should meet him? Have a little chat."

"No, nope. C'mon, Will. Let's go get psychoanalyzed." I smirk and Will laughs, grabbing my hand as I tug him away from the adults.

After changing into our hospital gowns, we're led into the usual examination room. Hopper and Joyce are already there with some nurses, waiting for us to get this show on the road.

They weigh us, measure our height - that part's a little insulting, like, if I haven't grown in the months I've been coming it's clearly not going to happen.

As always, a mean-looking lady takes our blood. I've always hated needles so Hopper holds my free hand and tells me about how a crow scared him at Merrill's farm. I laugh, trying to ignore how nauseous I am. Next to me, Will's dealing with the blood loss like a pro. Seriously, he's the strongest kid I know. He gives me a comforting smile and I grin back, happy I'm not alone in all this.

Once she's satisfied with the blood she's taken, the lady moves out of the way so another guy can take our blood pressure. They mark our foreheads and the sides of our cheeks with a red pencil, taping the little monitors to us.

Dr. Owens walks in as the receiver turns on, scanning our brain waves. "Sir Will and Lady Veronica." He greets, folders in hand. "How are ya? Mom. Pop." He greets the adults, eyes briefly flicking down to the fatherly way Hopper is holding my hand. The Chief of Police gives me a small smile.

Yeah. He sort of is my pop.

"Let's take a look, see what's going on here." Dr. Owens stares down at our readings. "Well, Will, I see you shaved off a pound since last week. Must be making room for all that Halloween Candy. And Veronica, it looks like not much has changed."

"It never does." I mutter, but he ignores me.

"Still, I'd really like for you to eat a little more. You're nowhere near dangerous in terms of weight, but I'm worried about your energy levels."

"Okay." I nod.

"You going to be eating much candy?"

I shrug. "Depends on if I manage to sneak some from my little brother."

"What's your guys' favorite candy? Desert island candy, if you had to pick one?" He asks, rolling his chair closer.

I shrug. "Smarties or 3 Musketeers."

"And you, Sir Will?" Dr. Owens asks.

The youngest Byers bites his lip. "I don't know."

"Come on. Life or death situation, what would you pick?"

"I guess, uh," Joyce mouths something to him, "Reese's Pieces."

I grin. "Good call. Good call." Dr. Owens tells him. "I'm more of a Mounds guy, but I gotta say, peanut butter and chocolate," he quickly wheels his chair over to the table behind him to toss down the files before returning to us, "come on, hard to beat that."

"I don't know. 3 Musketeers literally saved my life." I comment, though the remark falls flat to Hopper, who glares down at me. I shrink down.

"Touché. Alright, talk to me. Have either of you had any episodes?" Dr. Owens asks us, and Will looks at his mom, who nods encouragingly. Joyce's gaze flicks over to me, and she frowns at the clear guilt on my face.

Well, time to bite the bullet.

"I had one last night." I quietly admit, and feel both adults glaring at me. I look up at Hopper. "I'm sorry, I should've called. I just…"

"Okay, kid." The Chief nods, removing his hand from mine to rub them over his face.

I look at Will, reaching over so we can squeeze each other's hands in solidarity. "I had one, too." Will tells the good doctor, who simply nods.

"Alright. Who wants to go first?"

I sigh. "I will." I shift up on the paper-covered seat, still holding Will's hand. "My friend and I had just left the theater. We saw The Terminator. It was awesome, you should check it out." Hopper clears his throat. "Right. So, Jonathan left to go throw out our trash, and I was alone by the car. The lights flickered, like they do before I have an episode. Then they just shut off. Everyone was gone. It was just me. There was pulsing electricity, the same damn vines and white flecks in the sky. The doors on the shops banged open. But it was also different, this time. There was thunder, and red lightning. And it looked like there was this giant… thing… hiding behind the clouds. Then Jonathan snapped me out of it."

"That sounds terrifying. Is that how you felt?" Dr. Owens asking, pen scratching as he writes it all down.

I pause, blinking. "I was scared, yeah. Who wouldn't be? But I was also… it felt like something was trying to find me, but it couldn't. So I also felt, uh, safe? My mind just kept telling me I wasn't in immediate danger. It was the location that scared me, not the event." I try to word, but Dr. Owens nods like he understands. "I'd really been getting better, I promise. I went a whole week without one. Something changed, I guess."

"These things aren't set in stone, your episodes. PTSD doesn't run on a regularly planned schedule, Veronica. It's like I've said before, you'll have good days and bad days." I nod, and he focuses his attention on Will. "What about you?"

Will shifts like I did, then squeezes. "I was - I was at the arcade with my friends. The lights flickered, and my friends were there, but then they weren't. And I was back there again. Like Veronica."

"In the Upside Down?" Dr. Owens asks, and even though the question is directed at Will we both nod. "Alright, so what happened next?"

"I heard this noise, so I went outside, and it was worse."

"How was it worse?"

"There was this storm. Just like Veronica described."

"Okay." Dr. Owens nods. "So, how did you feel when you saw the storm."

"It was different than she did." Will nods towards me. "I felt… frozen."

"Heart racing?"

"Just frozen."

"Like, frozen cold? Frozen to the touch?"

"No. Like how you feel when you're scared, and you can't breath or talk, or do anything." Will corrects. "I felt this evil, like I was being watched. Only it found me. It was like it was looking at me." I squeeze his hand tighter, anchoring us together. He squeezes back.

"It was evil?"

I can't help the sass that pours out of my mouth. "No, I'm sure it was just hoping to give us an invitation to his Halloween party. Maybe a playdate."

"Veronica!"

"Hooligan!" Joyce and Hopper scold me, and I roll my eyes. Dr. Owens laughs.

"No, she's right, it was a stupid question. Well, what do you think the evil wanted?" He asks, clearing his throat.

"To kill."

I swallow sharply. "To kill you?" Dr. Owens questions.

Will turns his head so he's looking directly at the older male. "Not me. Everyone else."

Will and I wait on the bench outside of Dr. Owens office, dressed in our normal clothes with the red marks wiped away. I have his head pulled onto my chest, arms wrapped around his thinner frame. "I'm sorry." I finally say, after a long silence. "I should have called you after it happened. I knew it felt different."

"No, it's okay." Will tries to assure me, but I'm plagued with guilt. "I'm fine."

"No, you aren't. Neither one of us are, no matter what Doc tells us." I glare at the office door.

"Well, I'm tired of not being fine. And I'm tired of everyone babying me. Aren't you?" Will asks, glaring up at me. I sigh, pressing a kiss to the top of his head.

"They don't baby me. It's more suffocating than that. But they also… they act like nothing happened. That's worse to me, that they're pretending like we can all just forget it. The Upside Down, the Demogorgon. Barb. El." My voice cracks and I clear my throat. "I, uh - I don't want to forget. Move on, yeah, but still remember."

"Me too." He whispers.

With a sigh, I nuzzle my forehead into the top of Will's head. "What time did you have your episode?"

"Probably around 7:15. You?"

I pause, thinking about what time we left the Hawk. The movie ended at 7:10, we spoke on the hood for -

"Five minutes." I mumble, and Will pulls away from me so we can stare at each other. "Mine happened around 7:15, too."

He blinks at me, lips pursed in concern. "Should we tell them?"

I pause. "We should, right?"

"Only, 'once is happenstance'." The youngest Byers quotes Ian Fleming, and I nod, following along.

"'Twice is coincidence',"

"'The third time it's enemy action'." Will finishes the quote.

I nod, understanding him. "So, we wait?"

"Yeah. It'll only be worse if we tell them now. We could kiss the outside world goodbye. No Halloween candy, no friends, no boyfriend." He teases me, and I stick my tongue out at him.

The door opens and Dr. Owens steps out, smiling at us as the other two adults exit. "Alright. I'll see you both next week. Let's get you guys on the road. I'll show you out."

We walk in silence as we move through the halls, getting out in record time. Dr. Owens leaves us by the exterior stairs and wishes us a "Happy Halloween" before an assistant gets his attention. I walk with Will to his car, the two of us mulling over everything in silence. I smile as Joyce and Hopper talk about her boyfriend "Bob the Brain." She smiles, but it falls after she hugs me tight and unlocks the car.

"Hey. Things get worse, you call me first." Hopper tells her. She nods. "Call me."

"Okay." She promises, getting in her car and driving off with a small wave. I turn and look up at Hopper, who's leaning against his cruiser.

"I'm sorry." I finally say. "I should have called."

"Yeah. You should've. But I get why you didn't."

"What did he say?" I ask, nodding in Dr. Owens's direction. Hopper sighs. "C'mon, I have a right to know. My mom doesn't have a clue what's going on and my brother doesn't need to deal with this shit."

"Language."

"Hypocrite." I bite back, and he laughs before sobering up.

"He called it the Anniversary Effect. They usually see it in soldiers. The anniversary of the event -"

"Triggers traumatic memories." I finish for him, figuring it out. "So, what do we do? What do I do?"

"Dr. Owens says to act like nothing is happening."

"So, just pretend everything's fine? Should be easy, everyone else is."

"Whoa, where'd that come from?" Hopper asks, surprised.

"You! Steve! Jonathan! Nancy! Everyone but me, Joyce, Will, Mike, and the Hollands! You're all just walking around like nothing happened, and it's so damn stupid! Stop pretending that everything is fine, nothing is fine!" I scream at him, tearing up. "Nothing's fine." I whimper, and he pulls me into a tight hug.

"I know kid. I know." Hopper whispers into my hair, and he lets me sob out all my frustration in the near-empty Hawkins Lab parking lot.

When my tears finally subside I step away, wiping under my eyes and praying I don't look like I've got two black eyes. Hopper gives me a comforting pat, and I smile up at him. "Thank you. You don't have to keep coming here. Not for me, anyway."

Hopper huffs. "Of course I do, Veronica. You're - look, if you need to talk to an adult who isn't a shrink or whatever Dr. Owens is, you can call me. I promise I'll answer."

I nod, and smile. "Thanks, Hop."

"Of course. Now get on home, hooligan. Oh, and after Halloween, why don't you bring your boyfriend to the station? Let me get to know him?"

"Fat chance, Chief!" I shout, walking back to my car so I can get the hell away from the Lab.

I drive home in silence, not listening to the radio, not even bothering to fish out a cig. I don't want to overdo it. I think about maybe heading out to the range and just shooting until my hands bleed, but I've got a dinner to get to.

I pull into my driveway, promptly ignore the tombstones, and enter my house to see Dustin at the kitchen table. He glares down at the homework scattered around him, not even noticing my return. "Hey!" I shout as a greeting, laughing when he jumps.

"Screw you!" He shouts back, clutching his chest. I laugh some more and walk over to join him in the kitchen, biting into my apple.

"Sorry."

"Whatever. Hey, are you okay?" He asks, pointing to his eyes.

Right. I'm rocking the raccoon look. "Just a good old healthy cry fest. I'm good. The appointment was, well. The usual."

"And you're okay?"

I shrug. "I will be. I just have to get through this week."

"What do you mean?" Dustin shifts nervously, and for once I humor him about my problems.

"They call it the 'Anniversary Effect'." I explain, sitting across from him. "The closer I get to the day this all went to shit, the worse I'll be. But once it passes, I'll be fine. It's all just part of the process."

"So, it'll get worse before it gets better?" He asks me, and I nod. He's out of his chair like a bolt of lightning struck him in the ass, and throws his arms around me, sitting on my lap like he's still the little dweeb he used to be. "I don't want you to get worse."

I tear up and glance at the ceiling. "That makes two of us, D."

Nancy breathes out heavily as Steve parks in the driveway of the Holland house, and I look at my hands. I've been silent the whole ride, Nancy trying to pull me into their conversations while Steve ignores my existence.

So much for forgiving me for not being open about shit that's not his business.

"Are you two going to be like this the whole time?" We don't answer her, and Nancy scoffs. "Because if you are, I'm going to ignore both of you. That's right, give you a taste of your own medicine."

"Okay."

"Fine." Steve and I say, glaring at each other as we follow Nancy out of the car. I trail behind the couple, stopping as soon as my eyes catch the "FOR SALE" sign on their manicured lawn.

Huh. That wasn't there last week.

"Roni?" Steve grabs my shoulders and I look up at him, trying not to let the tears fall. "I've got you. Nance has got you. It's going to be okay." He promises, and I nod shakily. Nancy holds out her hand and I take it without hesitation, letting her lead me to the front door.

After a few moments of just staring at the white-painted wood, Steve sighs. "Okay. Ready?" He asks, looking at me last.

"Ready."

"No." Nancy and I respond, and I glare at the ground.

Steve releases a heavy sigh. "Okay."

He rings the doorbell, and moments later Marsha Holland is opening the door, her smile so much like her daughter's. "Hello." She greets, as pleasant as ever. "Come on in, dinner's ready."

"Thank you. It smells great." Steve speaks for us, and we calmly take off our shoes and jackets.

Marsha hugs Nancy first, then pulls me into a tight hold. We break apart, no words said, and I watch as Steve shakes Mr. Holland's hand. Nancy awkwardly hugs the man, but it's still a gentle gesture. Mine is more sure, a testament to how often I've come over. Not that Nancy hasn't, but it's a little different for me. I owe it to the Hollands to be here as much as possible. I was the only one who could have saved their daughter, and I failed.

We take a seat at the dining table, near cabinets covered in pictures of Barb. A shrine for a daughter they can't find. Or, more accurately, won't be found. I sit at the head of the table, between Steve and Barb's dad. Nancy sits on her boyfriend's other side - giving us both a look to behave ourselves - and Marsha sits next to her husband. We dig into the KFC, eating in a slightly awkward silence.

"I'm sorry I didn't get to cook." Marsha says after a few awkward minutes have passed. "I was gonna make that baked ziti you guys like so much, but I just forgot about the time, and before you know it, 'oh my God, it's five o'clock'."

"It's fine." Nancy assures her. "It's great."

"Right. I love KFC." Steve nods, and despite my irritation and the confused flutters in the stomach that I just want to go away because I have Billy now, I smile down at my plate, carefully chewing on a biscuit.

I clear my throat and take a sip of water, staring at the Hollands. "We, uh, noticed the 'FOR SALE' sign. Is that the neighbors', or…"

The Hollands look at each other. "You want to tell them?" Marsha asks, and her husband shakes his head, though they both look a little happy.

"Go ahead." He tells his wife, and she nods.

She looks at the three of us, still smiling softly. "We hired a man named Murray Bauman. Have any of you heard of him?"

The couple shakes their head, but I nod. "Yeah. The private investigator. He talks to Hopper a lot." I don't mention how much Hopper complains about the conspiracy theorist, but the idea that they hired him doesn't actually make me too worried? Like, if anyone can figure out how to reveal everything that happened, it's a guy like him.

"Yes. He was an investigative journalist for the Chicago Sun-Times."

"He's pretty well known." Mr. Holland passes me the little card, and I check out the information before handing it over to Steve and Nancy, ignoring the tingling as the former's fingers touch mine. Enough. Think about Billy, think about Billy.

It works. Thank God.

Alright, feelings. You seriously need to get your shit together.

"Anyway, he's freelance now, and he's agreed to take the case." Marsha continues, and I smile. She looks at me. "That means we have someone who can help figure out what happened to you, too." The guilt eats away in my chest, but I still keep smiling.

"That's great." Steve nods. "That's uh, really great." We look at the silent Nancy, who drops her fork a bit.

"Um, what exactly does that mean?" She asks.

"Mean's he's gonna do what that lazy son of a bitch Jim Hop-" Marsha clears her throat and gently strokes her husband's elbow. He gives me an apologetic look, but I shrug. I'm still not really over how he's just let the Lab dictate how truth is handled. Her body could have still been returned. They could have come up with a story. They did it when they threw a dummy of Will Byers into the quarry. What makes Barb any different? "Sorry." He continues, exhaling first. "What the Hawkins Police haven't been capable of doing." Mr. Holland finishes.

I smile gently up at the adults, my right hand under the table, clenching into a fist so hard I can feel my skin ripping a bit. "That's really good news. I-I'm glad you've got someone helping you. If you need me to rehash what I remember -"

Mr. Holland pats my left hand, gently. "Veronica, you've given us more than enough to help Mr. Bauman go off of. But we appreciate it, we really do." He smiles. "This all means that we have a real detective on the case."

Nancy takes a sip from her drink. I do the same. "It means… we're going to find our Barb." Marsha says. I swallow dryly, holding in my sob. The Hollands don't notice how tense Nancy and I have become.

"If anyone can find her, it's this man. He already has leads. By God, he's worth every last penny." Mr. Holland tells us, voice shaking. Steve looks between Nancy and I.

"Is that why you're selling the house?" I ask, clenching my fist harder.

"Don't worry about us, sweetie." Marsha tells me, then Nancy. "We're fine. More than fine. For the first time in a long time, we're hopeful."

Nancy looks down at her plate, lip quivering a bit. "Ex-excuse me. I'll be right back." She stammers, standing up.

I nod and join her. "Me too."

"Of course, take your time." Marsha gives us an understanding smile, and we both disappear down the hall.

I enter the bathroom first, and Nancy gasps when she sees my hand. "C'mon, we have to get it clean." She closes the door behind her and runs my hand under the cool water until what little blood there was fades.

As she washes my hand, she starts to pant. Heavily. Like she's starting to have a panic attack. "Nance." I whisper, and she shakes her head, looking briefly at a picture of our late friend next to her before placing it face-down. She shakily walks over to the bathtub and sits on the edge, sobbing quietly as tears roll down her cheeks. I follow her, my body reacting the same way to the Hollands' news. As I sit next to her we pull each other into a hug, crying on opposite shoulders.

"It isn't fair. This… t-this isn't okay." She whispers. I nod.

"No. It's not."

"I'm sorry. I'm so so-sorry."

"Why are you apologizing?" I ask, shoulders still shaking as we speak with muffled voices but my voice more controlled than hers.

"I-I... I've b-been. Been pretend. Pretending. T-that ever-everything wo-would. Would b-be…"

"Okay?" I offer, and she nods.

"I-I sh-shouldn't have. I-I should. Should've been. Be-been helping you. With B-Barb. To shu-shut down -"

"Hawkins Lab." She nods into my shoulder. I blink then sit up, moving her shoulders back to stare into her very blue eyes. "Maybe we can."

"W-what?"

"I'm tired of letting those people ruin lives." I growl. "I won't be a toy for them to play with. Hawkins isn't theirs to mess with."

She nods, and wipes away her tears, calmer. "We can get in touch with the investigator?"

"He'll believe us, he's all about conspiracy theories. But we'll need proof to really sell it."

"If we do this - there's a chance the Hollands can get hurt. That our families will be hurt." Nancy cautiously reminds me. I nod.

"Then we'll give it a couple of days. Mull over everything. Be absolutely sure."

"Okay. It's a deal." We give each other a comforting look, then arms are wrapped back around bodies, small sobs wracking through us once more.

I toss and turn in bed, the moonlight pouring in through my window and catching on my dad's framed Purple Heart and the pressed gardenias. I look at my right thumb and wiggle it around, missing the weight that used to be there.

I can just wear another ring. It isn't a big deal.

My mom welcomed me home from Barb's with open arms, Mews actually rubbing her head against my leg before hissing at me and slinking away. My mom made me a big mug of hot chocolate, and Dustin made sure to fill it to the brim with mini marshmallows.

But it's not enough to quiet the guilt rolling in my stomach, or the hairs rising on the back of my neck the later it gets. I huff and sit up, reaching over to turn on my muted lamp. With a whisper of a groan I bury my head in my comforter-covered knees, imagining Billy is next to me, holding me like he did the night he asked me to be his. Officially.

It works, but only until the lamp beside me flickers. I look at it and hiss, panicking as I try to turn it off. Before my hand reaches the switch it flicks off, and my room is covered in vines.

I get out of bed, beyond pissed that I can't just have one good night.

"It'll get worse before it gets better. It'll get worse before it gets better." I tell myself out loud, then move over to my window, staring out at the blue sky. White flecks rain down around me and outside my Upside Down house. The thunder starts to roll, and that feeling like something is hunting me comes back full-force, only a tingle running through my body reassures me that it's starting to give up. The hair on the back of my neck still stands at attention, warning me of nearby danger. I keep looking skyward, hands on my windowsill avoiding the vines. They're ignoring me now, too.

The dark blue and cloudy sky suddenly fills with red lightning, and I watch in horror as the shadowy creature appears in the distance. I cover my mouth with both hands, swallowing my scream as it grows ten times its size, filling the sky with its gargantuan form. The shadow looms over its land, its head is like some elongated tear, or maybe a flame. It's got multiple limbs, like some sort of bug - skinny and thick, short and long appendages reaching out over everything. It doesn't look my way, though. But it does roar. It's loud enough for me to hear over the thunder and I cover my ears, falling to my knees and closing my eyes -

And then I shoot up in bed, panting hard, my copy of Lord of the Flies open next to me. My lamp is still on, dim as always. The moonlight still pours in. The vines are gone, the ash is gone. There's no more thunder, or flashes of red. It's just me in my bed, steadily losing my mind.

I reach over and turn off my lamp, lying back down. Only one question floats through my mind as I calm my breathing and try to drift back to sleep.

Was it all I dream? Or is the second time a coincidence?