Phew, I'm back. It's been a while.
I've changed some canon stuff pertaining to Mr. Harrington - I haven't started writing the third season yet, but there's a line in 3x01 where Steve mentions having to work because his dad wanted to teach him a lesson. It's not a big deal, but I wanted to give y'all a heads up.
Alright, I hope you enjoy! There will be two more chapters for the "between seasons" updates. After that, we're finally getting to season 3! As always, I only own my OCs.
It takes almost a week for my bruises to fade to a light green. Thank god for turtlenecks and high-collared shirts, or mom would've locked me up indefinitely. At least I came out of the fight with my pride intact; both Kate and James have been the latest laughingstocks of the school. I know I should probably feel bad about that from an ethical standpoint, but they're both assholes and it's what they deserve.
Tina's been much more cheerful, and twice as relaxed. With James - despite the shortness of the relationship - she always looked like she was putting on a show. She wasn't as funny or carefree. Say what you will about Carol and Tommy, but no one can deny how healthy their relationship is. You know, considering that they're douchebags.
Also, it's a good thing I have a job, because I'm not sure I could've afforded to keep Dustin's mouth shut if I didn't. Between nougat, rounds of hot chocolate at Sally's, and trips to the arcade, I'd have been completely in debt. I have a sick feeling that Dustin kind of enjoyed my situation, considering how much he benefited from it; he was also a little too quick to deny it. He profited, my bank account suffered, it was a blast.
I haven't even mentioned my three guard dogs. There's nothing like an overprotective boyfriend and two extremely vigilant best friends to make you wish you had the power to turn invisible. While I was definitely irritated on the inside, I let it slide everytime one of them made puppy eyes at my neck. The extra tender loving from Steve helped to soothe any remaining frustration, and their behavior - along with Billy's threat hanging over his head - has James keeping his distance even now. And yes, his nose is still broken. Thank you, Richard. Who, by the way, is seriously the biggest gentle giant I've ever met. I mean, Hop has his moments, but the southerner puts the Chief of Police to shame.
In the few weeks that I got my head out of my ass and actually registered Billy wasn't the only new guy in town, I've started getting to know him. We're not exactly best friends, but he's the only person in English class who can explain The Time Machine to me without my brain exploding. I'm a nerd, but I'm not that kind of nerd. Comics are my thing. And his thing. He's more of a DC guy, but no one's perfect. All I know is he and Dustin can never meet, or else I'll never know peace and quiet again.
"So Wells wasn't big on advancements in technology?" I ask, walking through the crowded hall with Richard.
"Nah, it's more like he thought too much technical progress was a bad thing. See, Wells believed that people shouldn't be usin' their brains to make life easier. Which things like the phone clearly do, or else I'd be waiting days to hear from my nana."
"Got it, thanks." We stop near his history classroom, and I crane my neck to stare up at the blonde. "Do you miss it a lot? Georgia?"
Richard grins, showing off his dimples. "Well, the weather's better down South. I wasn't built for the cold." I gesture to his large frame. "Nah, size ain't gotta thing to do with it. There's nothing like sunshine and heat to make your day whole. That being said, there's more to do here."
I raise my eyebrows. "Okay, that's the first time I ever heard someone say that." The warning bell rings, and I curse. "Shit, I gotta run. Tina's gonna kick my ass if I'm late again."
"Tell her I said 'hi'." Richard blushes.
Something tells me it isn't Hawkins's nonexistent booming business that has Richard happy to be living in this hellhole.
One mind-numbing trigonometry class later, I all but collapse into my tray of lunch. I wrinkle my nose at the chicken and poke it, expecting the meat to be moving with the way it's colored. "This is raw, right? Did you see that? Is it still alive?"
Steve laughs at my dramatics, Nancy rolling her eyes while Jonathan silently hands over an extra pudding he managed to swipe. "Thanks. You're my only real friend."
"Babe, you're a hunter. You know when an animal is alive." Steve gently reminds me - like I suddenly forgot - before offering me some meatloaf. I shake my head at the chunk of mashed meat before sadly shoving my tray away.
"Maybe I'll just become a vegetarian."
Nancy scoffs and hands me back my fork, shuffling her home-packed lunch closer so we can share. "Please. You like bacon too much to do that."
"It's high in salt. And fat. It's literally just a slab of salt-and-fat."
Steve kisses the side of my head, his arm slung over the back of my chair. "You're very dramatic today."
"The school's trying to poison me. Haven't I suffered enough?" All three of my companions break into laughter, and I cover my face. "I need new friends. I'm going to sit with Robin and her buddies."
"The band geeks?" Steve asks, though I've gotta give him credit for sounding way less judgmental about their life choices than he did when he was rolling around town as King Steve.
I nudge him in the ribs with my elbow, clicking my tongue in admonishment. "You do remember that one of those band geeks is responsible for James looking like he ran face-first into the Berlin Wall, right?"
Steve huffs. "I helped."
"Dude, it's not a dick-measuring contest." Jonathan teases, and I grin at my boyfriend's affronted expression.
"I guarantee mine's bigger. Mine's bigger, right?" Steve asks me.
I make a face, gesturing confusedly. "How would I know, I've never seen his dick."
Nancy snorts. "I should've just stayed in the library."
"But then you'd be so bored. And I'd be so hungry, because the boys suck at providing."
"I gave you an extra pudding!"
"I offered you my meatloaf!" Jonathan and Steve defend themselves. "Alright, fine, the next time you have a late night craving for strawberry milkshakes, you can go to Sally's on your own." My boyfriend warns.
To his frustration, I shrug. "I was doing that before we started dating. Get more creative with your punishments."
"Or don't!" Nancy cut into the conversation, seeing the not-school-friendly looks in our eyes. "You do realize you're in public, right?"
"You're no fun." I grumble playfully. "Shit, I love your mom's cooking."
"I'll let her know." Nancy sounds distressed as I practically shove the steak and mashed potatoes into my face. "Jesus Christ. Every time."
"Your mom's a good cook!" I defend myself, but neither Steve nor Nancy understand me with my mouth full. Luckily for all of us, Jonathan's known me the longest, so he acts as my translator. The only responses I get are Nancy rolling her eyes and Steve handing me a napkin.
As the last of my injuries heal, the further we roll through April. With the days growing warmer and the rain melting away the lingering snow, I spend as much time as possible outdoors. I even manage to drag Steve into the woods for a night, which goes about as well as you can expect.
Whatever. We'll try again this summer.
Fast approaching is his birthday, but ever since he got those rejection letters he's been a different Steve. I mean, it's understandable. He worked so hard, and to see that it wasn't enough, that those admissions pricks wrote it off as too little too late - he's giving up. He's cruising towards the end of the school year, and while his grades are still higher than before, he's not pushing himself. His dad's no help. Mr. Harrington's had no problem reminding his son everyday that he's nothing more than a failure. And no matter which way I try to say it, Steve still doesn't really believe me when I tell him that his dad's wrong, that he's meant for more, that he won't be stuck in Hawkins his whole life. That I'm proud of him for doing his best, every damn day, because that's all any of us can do. That I love him.
So the week leading up to his birthday, I go all out. I love him everyday, no matter what, but I want him to understand he's someone worth celebrating. Our friends, Dustin, and the party have had no problem showing their second favorite babysitter how much we appreciate him.
I've let him pick the station on every drive the past few days, and while his bubblegum pop songs are slowly destroying my sanity, I love him and his singing too much to even silently complain.
On the fourth night, I take him to Sally's. We take our time, talking about everything and nothing while sharing a - ugh - chocolate shake. I even let him steal some of my fries. The icing on the cake? The Harringtons left for a conference in Ohio yesterday evening. Steve gets his house to himself, as an early birthday gift.
"You didn't have to pay, babe." Steve tries to scold me as we walk out of the diner, and I flick his earlobe in retaliation.
"It's your birthday -"
"Not for another three days -"
"We're celebrating the week. Accept that." I playfully smack his ass and he jolts, shooting me a lewd expression.
"You are so getting it tonight."
I grin widely, sending him a teasing wink. "That's the plan." He huffs, stopping at the passenger seat of the Beemer. I only smile and wrap my arms around his shoulders, bouncing up for a kiss. There's no reluctance when he returns it, and he even laughs as my smile interrupts us.
"Come on." Steve urges, kissing me again as he opens the door and gently shoves me in. I snicker as he slides across the hood of his car, my hand carding through his hair as my boyfriend starts the engine. We drive in a comfortable silence, the Beemer's radio lowly playing a Toto song, the two of us occasionally humming along.
The calm fades when we pull into Steve's driveway, and find his dad's car parked in its usual spot. "What the hell, they're supposed to be out of town?!" He growls. I can see his festering anger boiling, and reach over to take his hand.
"Steve, come on, let's just go back to my place -"
"No. Something happened, this trip was a big deal. He wouldn't have canceled." Steve argues. "We should -"
"Right behind you." I nod, following him out of the car. We barely make it halfway to the front door when it bursts open, two large, haphazardly packed suitcases tossed at our feet. A harried Kathleen Harrington appears, clearer eyed than any other time I've seen her. She's dressed to the nines as always, but her face is bare of makeup, and there's blemishes all over her skin.
She's been crying.
"Oh, Steve. And Veronica, it's lovely to see you again." She smiles our way before storming back inside. We both just stand outside, frozen as Kathleen appears with another full suitcase. "I'm so sorry, but could you help me pack this in your father's car?" Is all Kathleen asks.
"Yeah. Uh, sure." Steve and I are equally confused, but we don't hesitate any further to unlock the trunk and help Kathleen shove her husband's belongings inside. "Mom, hey, what's going on?"
"Just some spring cleaning." She smiles with rage-filled eyes, and as she passes by I get a whiff of… nothing. No alcohol. No nose-itching expensive perfume to try and fail at covering the scent of spirits. "Close the trunk, dear, John's assistant will be arriving shortly."
"Alright." I blink over at Steve as I slam the trunk closed, then hurry back over to him as his mom walks back into the house. We find her in the living room, lounging on the expensive white couch, her eyes glued to a bottle of unopened wine even as she drinks from her mug of coffee.
"Mom, what's going on?" Steve asks again, worriedly sinking into a nearby armchair. I sit in the one beside him, reaching over to squeeze his hand as he stares at his mom.
"Did I ever tell you why I married your father?" Kathleen questions in return. She hums, still not looking away from the bottle. "I come from old money, sweetheart. I have more than your father could ever dream of having. When I met him, your father's family business was suffering. He was studying at Dartmouth, working for a business degree so he could improve the situation. I was attending Mount Holyoke - you should look into it, Veronica, I think you'd do well there." Kathleen clears her throat, taking another sip. "We both went to a mixer. God, all I could feel were sparks. One date turned into a year-long relationship. I fell in love with him, with how much John wanted to help his family. He worked two jobs while he studied, and refused to let me pay for any dates even though I was more than happy to. He always told me it was because all he needed from me was my love and support. He's always been a proud man, and he's always wanted more than he had. Still, I loved him, until that was all I knew. My parents raised me to be a faithful, supportive wife, even if my husband couldn't return the favor. If I wasn't, I'd be tarnishing the Jones name. Your father and I were married two years after we met. Four years later, we had you." Kathleen finally smiles at Steve, her angry eyes now warm. "And I fell in love with John all over again, because he was the father of this perfect, beautiful little boy. At first, he was happy with it just being the three of us. But eventually, he wanted more. More heirs for a booming business. No matter how hard we tried, it never happened. And when we lost our fourth baby, I knew… I knew we'd never be enough." She whimpers, sniffing as she wipes away some slowly-falling tears. My own eyes are wet, Steve's cheeks as damp as his mom's. "For almost twelve years, he made me believe it was my fault. I let it consume me, until I came home and my son was a complete stranger. I knew he was sleeping with other women, and I hoped that if I went with him, if I showed him my devotion, he'd remember I've always been faithful to him. I wanted him to love me like he used to. I'm so sorry, Steven. There's so much I should have done to protect you from his vile words. I never should have let him speak to you the way he does. You're my baby, the one good thing that came from my marriage." She sobs, and Steve rushes over to her, falling to his knees as he takes her hands in his.
"Mom, hey, it's alright."
"No, no sweetheart. It's not. I failed you." I shift in my seat, unsure of what to do. "You are twice the man your father will ever be. Your grades don't matter, you not getting into college - it's not great, but it's not the end of the world." They both tearfully laugh, and I smile. "And I am so sorry that your father refuses to see it. You aren't a failure. You're a blessing." She kisses his forehead, then smiles over at me. "Wouldn't you agree? I'd like to think you know my son better than me." Her words are sad, but her tone is loving.
I nod awkwardly, then grin over at my boyfriend. "I do. He's amazing. Your son saved my life, in more ways than anyone can possibly know. But that's not why… it's not why I love him. I just do. He's my person."
"You're my person, too." Steve holds out his hand and I rush over, falling down beside him to rest my head on his shoulder. He kisses my hair then smiles back up at his teary-eyed mom. "I'm proud of you."
"There's still more I have to do. And unfortunately, it means I'll be away awhile." She whispers. "Even without your dad here, alcohol - it's something I've grown too dependent on. I need to learn how to step away from it. There's a place in California, the Betty Ford Center. I'll be there as long as it takes. I'm leaving for the airport as soon as your father's car is picked up. Don't worry about John coming back - he has plans to take his latest conquest to Hawaii, for another 'conference'. The locks have been changed, your new keys are on the counter. I own the house, not him, and he knows no judge will rule in his favor if he tries anything. When he does come back, because he will, remind him. This house will always be your home, but… I'm worried, Steven. I don't want you to fall in a pit because I wasn't there to build you a net. This summer, please get a job. Learn to take care of yourself without our money, like I wish my parents taught me. I'll be charging you rent -"
"Aw, c'mon!"
"Steven, shh." I nudge him.
Kathleen laughs as he pouts. "Don't worry, it won't be a ridiculous amount. And the money you give me will be saved. When the year's up, and you're ready for more… it's yours. As is your trust. Do we have a deal?"
"Work for a year, learn my lesson, and still have a roof over my head? Sure." He shrugs, then grins down at me. "You alright with that? Dating a working man?"
I snort and roll my eyes. "I guess I'll manage."
"Veronica." Kathleen murmurs, waiting for me to glance up at her. She frees one hand from her son's to take mine. "Please, take care of my boy while I'm gone. And yourself. You don't know how happy I am to know Steve has someone like you in his life."
"I will, Kathleen. I promise."
"Good." Steve's mother sniffs then moves to wipe her tears. "I'm sorry I'm missing another birthday, sweetheart."
"No, it's alright this time. Knowing you're getting what you need… that's the best present I could ask for." My boyfriend swears. "I love you, mom."
"Oh, sweetheart, I love you, too."
We spend the next hour on the couch, talking about Kathleen's trip. John's name isn't brought up again, and for the first time the Harrington house feels like a home. Not that it doesn't when Steve and I are alone, but his father's presence can still be felt. Now it's gone, leaving a glowing warmth in its wake.
All too soon, Mr. Harrington's assistant arrives. He accompanies Kathleen to the car, planning to drop her off at the airport on the way to Ohio. She leaves us with a couple of strong hugs, and a reminder to Steve of where to find her list of emergency contacts. My boyfriend wraps his arm around my shoulders as we wave to the departing car, only heading in when the taillights have disappeared. We collapse onto the couch, and Steve starts to laugh.
"Steve? What's so funny?"
"Nothing." He giggles. "Everything. God, this - this is the best birthday ever. I have you, I have my mom back, and my dad's basically out of the picture. Even if he comes back, or tries to leave those messages, or is just his usual douchebag self - it doesn't matter. I've got everything I'll ever need, and he's got nothing."
So I laugh with Steve, until our joy fades into a different kind of pleasure.