The next morning, Dove, Steve, and Dustin were at the Wheeler house, helping Nancy load up her car with boxes of donations for the high school. Robin balanced an awkward stack of board games, trying to shove them into the trunk, muttering about how they clearly needed a bigger car for this operation.
Nancy's mom came out the front door, holding one final box of old toys. She handed it to Nancy, brushing her hands off with a satisfied sigh. As she looked down the street, she paused, squinting. "Did someone order a pizza?"
Dove looked up, following Mrs. Wheeler's gaze, and saw a bright yellow van with a large Surfer Boy Pizza sign on top, slowly rolling toward the house. As the van rolled to a stop at the end of the Wheeler's driveway, Dove squinted, trying to make sense of the unlikely scene unfolding. The van's door slid open, and to her surprise, Mike, Jonathan, Will, El, and Danny climbed out, followed by two others she didn't recognize—a tall guy with long hair in a Surfer Boy Pizza shirt and another boy about Will's age, with dark hair and an uncertain look.
The group started up the driveway, and Dove, feeling a surge of relief and happiness, broke into a run to meet them halfway. She practically crashed into Danny, who wrapped her in a tight hug, holding her like he was afraid to let go.
"You're okay," she whispered, feeling a weight lift off her shoulders.
Danny pulled back slightly, his hands lingering on her shoulders as he looked her over. "I'm sorry I didn't call. Things have been.. crazy," he said, a small, relieved smile playing on his lips. As they pulled apart, his gaze flickered over her shoulder, landing on Steve, who had come up behind her, his arms crossed over his chest.
Danny nodded toward Steve with a polite but slightly strained, "Hey, man."
Steve returned the nod, his jaw tightening just a bit as he looked back at Danny. "Hey."
Dove's attention was drawn to the sight of El and Will, both of them hugging Dustin. They pulled apart, and El's gaze shifted toward Dove, her face lighting up with a mixture of relief and exhaustion. Dove took in her friend's appearance—the newly shaved head, the tired look in her eyes. She felt a pang in her chest at everything El must have gone through, things she likely couldn't even imagine.
Without a word, Dove stepped forward and pulled El into a hug. "Thank God you're okay," Dove whispered, her voice barely audible, filled with a quiet gratitude she didn't know how else to express.
El squeezed her back, her voice soft and steady. "I missed you, Dove."
They held onto each other for a moment longer before finally pulling apart, both girls smiling faintly. But as they separated, Will's expression grew serious, and he turned to Dustin.
"Where's Lucas?" Will asked, glancing around, noticing his absence. His question immediately caught El's attention, and she looked between the others, concern flickering in her eyes.
Dustin hesitated, his face falling. "He's at the hospital."
El's brow furrowed, her voice tight with worry. "Was he hurt?"
Dustin swallowed hard, looking at the ground as if searching for the right words. "No, no, he's.. oh God. You don't know."
El's eyes widened, her breathing quickening as she looked between Dove and Dustin, panic rising in her throat. "Know what? What happened?"
Nancy stepped in gently, placing a hand on El's shoulder. "Max... she's in the hospital. She got hurt really bad."
El's voice was barely a whisper, her eyes wide and full of fear. "Can we.. can we see her?"
Nancy nodded immediately. "Of course." She turned to Dove, fishing her car keys out of her pocket and holding them out. "Will you guys take the donations to the school?"
Dove nodded. "Of course, we'll handle it."
As she took the keys, Steve reached out, a smirk tugging at his lips. "Here, I'll drive—"
But Dove pulled her hand back, clutching the keys possessively. "Nice try, Steve, but Nancy gavemethe keys, which meansI'mdriving."
"Come on," Steve protested, making a playful grab for the keys again. Dove dodged him with a grin, her confidence only fueling his determination. As she headed toward the driver's side, Steve moved quickly, wrapping his arms around her from behind and spinning her around. He managed to snag the keys, holding them triumphantly above his head, out of her reach.
"Oh, real mature," Dove scoffed, trying to grab the keys from his hand. But Steve just smirked, holding them higher.
In a split-second decision, Dove leaned up and kissed him, catching him off guard. Steve's triumphant expression melted instantly, his focus slipping as he softened into the kiss. Taking advantage of his distraction, Dove reached up, snatched the keys back, and darted toward the car, slipping into the driver's seat with a victorious grin.
"Hey! That's not fair!" Steve called, laughing with a mix of admiration and exasperation on his face.
Dustin, who had been watching the whole scene unfold, rolled his eyes dramatically. "Ugh, can you two not? This is traumatizing."
Robin gagged in exaggerated disgust. "I thought we agreed on no PDA in front of us! Seriously, get a room."
Danny, on the other hand, stood off to the side, looking thoroughly confused. His gaze lingered on Dove, his brows furrowing slightly as he processed the scene.
"Well, come on, let's go." Dove called from the driver's seat, pulling him out of his thoughts. She flashed them all a grin, her eyes shining with mischief as she waited for them to get in the car.
Steve slipped into the passenger seat and looked over at her, shaking his head with a smirk. "You are unbelievable."
"That's why you love me," Dove teased, putting the car into gear. As they turned onto Main Street, the lighthearted atmosphere that had filled the car quickly faded, replaced by a heavy silence as they drove into the heart of Hawkins.
The town was almost unrecognizable. Smoke billowed from collapsed buildings, staining the sky with a dark, foreboding gray. The streets were littered with debris—chunks of brick, shattered glass, and twisted metal. People milled about in shock, some loading up their vehicles, others clutching each other as they tried to make sense of the destruction around them. The distant wail of sirens underscored the chaos, barely cutting through the muffled roar of the few fires that still burned.
As they passed the town hall, Dove's breath caught. The once stately building was now a crumbling shell, its clock tower half-collapsed, the hands frozen at some arbitrary hour as if time itself had shattered along with the structure. Police officers and rescue workers were everywhere, trying to establish order among the rubble. A reporter stood in front of a news van, broadcasting live to anyone who still had power to watch. Behind him, a bulldozer moved piles of debris, its massive metal arm swinging back and forth, carving out temporary paths through the rubble.
"God.." Robin murmured, leaning forward to get a better look. "I knew it was bad, but.. I didn't think it wasthisbad."
Dove tightened her grip on the steering wheel, her knuckles going white as she tried to process the sheer scale of the destruction. Families huddled together on the sidewalk, some crying, others staring blankly ahead.
Steve reached over, resting a hand on Dove's thigh in a silent gesture of comfort. She glanced over at him, her eyes filled with a mixture of sorrow and determination.
Dove knew that the battle had left scars on her, on all of them, but seeing it reflected in her town—the place she'd called home—made it all feel painfully real. This wasn't just their fight anymore. It was everyone's.
As they pulled up to Hawkins High School, the place was barely recognizable. The parking lot was packed, bustling with people moving in all directions, carrying boxes, bags, and supplies. A red-and-white striped tent stood at the entrance, a makeshift triage area where paramedics tended to the injured and families huddled together for some semblance of comfort. Yellow school buses were parked haphazardly around the lot, some being used as temporary shelters for those who had nowhere else to go. Fire trucks and police cars lined the outer perimeter, their lights flashing a grim reminder of the town's recent devastation.
They each took a box of donations from Nancy's trunk, their faces somber as they took in the carefully balanced a pile of casseroles her mom had prepared.
Around them, people shuffled forward with blank stares, some carrying their entire lives in a single suitcase. Children clung to their parents, eyes wide with confusion and fear. Volunteers in reflective vests directed the crowd, trying to keep some semblance of order amidst the chaos.
As the group walked into the school and made their way to the gym, Dove felt a pang in her chest. Less than a week ago, she and Chrissy had been standing in this very room, cheering for the basketball team, surrounded by the excitement and energy of their classmates. Now, the bleachers were gone, replaced by rows of cots, each one occupied by someone whose life had been completely upended in a single night. The air was heavy, a mix of antiseptic and smoke, and the hushed murmurs of worried voices filled the space.
They passed by large boards near the entrance, plastered with hastily made missing persons posters. Dove's eyes scanned the faces—some familiar, others strangers—all of them haunting reminders of the chaos that had unfolded. Her gaze froze on one poster in particular: Eddie's. His face had been defaced with red marker, making him into a caricature of the devil, and a pentagram was scrawled over his identifying details. The sight sent a chill down her spine, a harsh reminder of how the town had vilified him.
As they walked further into the gym, they passed a row of makeshift hospital beds. A doctor was kneeling beside an old woman in a wheelchair, carefully helping her put on an oxygen mask as she struggled to breathe.
Dove took a deep breath, clutching the casseroles a little tighter, feeling the heat of them seeping through the tin foil. She looked over at her friends, each one of them silent, absorbing the scene around them. This was more than just a disaster; it was a tragedy that had touched every single person in Hawkins.
They finally approached a table labeled 'Relief Donations', where a young woman stood, taking note of something on a clipboard. Her face was tired, but she managed a weary smile as they approached.
Robin was the first to speak, her voice soft but steady. "Hi, uh, so these are blankets and sheets." she said, gesturing to the box she was carrying. "We also have some clothes, toys, and uh.. casseroles."
The girl's eyes brightened slightly, and she nodded gratefully, sifting through one of the boxes. "Wow. It's already so organized." She glanced at the casseroles Dove was holding and gave a small smile. "Those will be really appreciated. We're running low on hot food." She picked up the clipboard again. "Do you want a tax receipt for it?"
Robin looked between them, unsure of how to answer, and Danny spoke up, "That won't be necessary. Thank you, though."
"But is there anything else we can do to help?" Robin asked, her voice softening as she took in the sight of people all around, desperately in need of comfort and support.
The girl looked around, exhaustion evident in her gaze. "We need all the help we can get. Take a nametag and walk up to any of the station leaders in the blue vests."
They each grabbed a nametag, sticking it to their clothes as they split up. Danny drifted toward the medical area, where he'd be able to offer his steady hands to the doctors helping the injured. Robin grabbed the casseroles from Dove and headed toward the food area. Dove moved to follow Steve toward the clothing area, but before she could take more than a few steps, Dustin gently grabbed her arm, his eyes wide with something between worry and uncertainty.
He tilted his head toward the cots, and Dove's gaze followed. She saw Eddie's uncle sitting alone on the edge of a worn cot, his shoulders slumped and his face blank, staring at the floor as though he'd lost everything. Which, Dove realized, he had.
She swallowed hard, feeling a knot tighten in her chest. She turned to Steve, giving him a small, apologetic smile. "I'll catch up to you," she murmured.
Steve followed her gaze, his face softening with concern as he registered who she was about to approach. His mouth opened as if he wanted to say something, but he stopped himself. Instead, he gave her a silent nod of encouragement, watching her with a mixture of worry and support as she and Dustin headed over to Eddie's uncle.
Dove took a deep breath, steeling herself as she walked up to the grieving man. Her mind raced with what to say, how to possibly comfort someone who had just lost everything, who didn't even know the full extent of what his nephew had gone through, how he had helped save everyone. She paused a few steps away, her heart heavy, before she finally spoke, her voice soft and gentle.
"Mr. Munson?" Eddie's uncle looked up at her, his face etched with the kind of weariness that only grief could bring. For a moment, his expression was guarded, hardened, likely assuming she'd come to throw accusations his way, like so many others had. But as recognition dawned in his eyes, his face softened. He gave her a small nod, acknowledging her presence.
"I don't know if you remember me," Dove began, her voice low and hesitant. "We only met once, but I'm Dove Henderson, and this is my brother, Dustin. We were friends of Eddie's."
Wayne's gaze flickered over to Dustin, then back to Dove. His lips pressed together in a faint, sad smile, and he nodded. "I remember you," he murmured.
Dove took a small step forward, feeling the weight of what she had to say settle even heavier on her shoulders. "Is it alright if I sit?"
Wayne nodded, shifting slightly to make room on the edge of the cot. Dove sank down beside him, her heart pounding, the words tangled up in her throat. Dustin sat across from them, his hands fidgeting as he glanced between his sister and Wayne, a shadow of grief darkening his usually bright eyes.
For a moment, none of them spoke. The silence between them was thick, carrying all the weight of things unsaid, the memories, the sorrow, and the enormity of their shared loss. Dove took a deep breath, steadying herself, feeling the rough fabric of the cot beneath her, grounding her in the moment.
"We were with him," she said softly, her voice wavering as the words left her lips. "When the.. when the earthquake hit." The emotion in her voice threatened to spill over, and she could feel her throat tightening.
Beside her, Wayne tensed, his gaze sharp as he looked between Dove and Dustin, trying to read the truth on their faces. His voice, rough and broken, cut through the silence. "And.. where is Eddie now?"
Dove looked down at her hands, her vision blurring as a tear slipped down her cheek. She felt the weight of the question settle heavily on her, knowing that Wayne was bracing himself for an answer he didn't want to hear. She opened her mouth to speak but found the words caught in her throat.
Across from her, Dustin shifted slightly, reaching into his pocket. Dove's breath hitched as she saw what he was holding—a small, black and red guitar pick on a chain, worn and familiar. Eddie's necklace. She hadn't even realized Dustin had taken it, a small piece of Eddie that he'd brought with him.
Wayne's gaze dropped to the necklace in Dustin's hand, his face crumpling as he understood. Dustin extended the necklace toward Wayne, his fingers trembling as he held it out. "I'm.. I'm so sorry," Dustin managed, his voice thick with grief.
Wayne's hand shook as he reached for the necklace, taking it with a reverence usually reserved for things far more sacred than a simple piece of plastic. He held it carefully, his rough fingers tracing the worn edges of the pick as if by touching it, he could somehow feel Eddie's presence one last time. Dove watched him, the weight of the moment pressing down on her chest like a stone. She wished she could find words to soften the blow, to make this easier for him, but she didn't know what to say.
Dustin's voice trembled as he spoke, but his words were steady, filled with a raw honesty that cut through the silence. "I wish everyone had gotten to know him. Really know him. Because they would have loved him, Mr. Munson. They would have loved him." Dustin's voice cracked, a tear slipping down his cheek, but he pressed on. "Even in the end.. he never stopped being Eddie. Despite everything."
Wayne's face softened, his rough exterior crumbling as he listened, his hands clutching the guitar pick necklace.
Dustin wiped his face but kept going, the words spilling out with a mixture of pride and grief. "I never even saw him get mad. He could've run, you know? He could've saved himself. But he fought. He fought and.. he died to protect this town. This town that.. hated him." Dustin's voice wavered, and he swallowed hard, his gaze locked on Wayne. "He wasn't just innocent.. Mr. Munson, he's.. he's a hero."
A strangled sob escaped Wayne, his shoulders shaking as he nodded, clutching the necklace close to his chest. The words seemed to break something open inside him, the grief spilling out in waves. Without a second thought, Dove reached over and pulled Wayne into a hug, holding him tightly as he sobbed into her shoulder. "Thank you.. thank you," he choked out, his voice thick with emotion. They stayed like that, the three of them bound together by their shared loss and love for Eddie, letting the silence speak all the words they couldn't find.
Mr. Munson pulled away and let out a shaky breath, holding Eddie's necklace tightly as he looked between Dustin and Dove. His eyes were filled with gratitude and sorrow, the weight of loss evident in his gaze. "I appreciate everything you've done for my boy," he murmured, his voice raw, "but.. if you don't mind, I'd like a moment alone."
Dove nodded, understanding his need for solitude, and she and Dustin stepped back, giving him space. As they walked away, Dustin muttered something about helping Robin at the food station, casting Dove a sad, lingering look before limping off.
Just as Dove turned to head toward Steve, a familiar voice called out to her. "Hey, Dove!" Danny's voice carried from one of the medical beds.
She paused, turning to see him motioning her over. "Can I take a look at those wounds?" he asked, concern etched into his features.
Dove hesitated for a moment, then nodded, walking over to sit beside him. She shrugged off her windbreaker and rolled up her sleeve, revealing the cut on her arm.
Danny grabbed a clean cloth and some antiseptic from a nearby kit, carefully preparing to clean the wound. He dabbed at it gently, his touch careful but firm. "So, uh.. you and Steve are back together?" he asked, his tone casual, though his eyes flickered with something deeper.
A soft smile played on Dove's lips. "Yeah, we are."
Danny gave a small nod, focusing on the wound as he worked. "And you're happy?"
Dove glanced over to where Steve was standing by the clothing table, his back to them as he held up a tiny baby onesie, examining it for a moment. The sight made her heart swell. "Yeah. For the first time in a long time, I think I really am."
Danny nodded again, a faint smile touching his lips. "Good. You deserve to be happy."
Dove studied him for a moment, a curious thought crossing her mind. "What about you?" she asked. "Seems like you might have someone special back in California."
Danny looked up, genuinely puzzled. "What do you mean?"
She tilted her head slightly. "I called your dorm the other day and a girl answered. I figured.."
For a split second, something flashed across Danny's face—surprise, maybe something more—but it was gone just as quickly. "It was probably Mia." he explained, his tone light, brushing it off.
Danny carefully wrapped the wound on Dove's arm, securing the bandage snugly. He glanced up, concern flickering in his eyes. "What about your back? Can I take a look?"
Dove sighed, nodding slightly. She lifted the back of her shirt, exposing the jagged claw marks and bites. Danny's expression tightened, but he stayed quiet, gently dabbing at the wounds with antiseptic. Dove winced, her fingers curling into the fabric of her shirt.
Trying to distract herself, she asked, "So, what's Mia like?"
Danny hesitated, his hands pausing briefly before he resumed cleaning. "Mia?" he repeated cautiously.
"Yeah," Dove said, her voice tight from the discomfort. "Tell me about her."
He exhaled through his nose, focusing on the task at hand. "She's.. also a student at Stanford. A year ahead of me. Pre-med."
Dove hummed, the pain ebbing slightly as he moved to a less tender spot. "Sounds impressive."
"She is," Danny said softly. "She's.. smart, driven. A bit intense, but in a good way." He hesitated before adding, "And she's my roommate's girlfriend."
Dove glanced at him, her brow furrowing slightly. "Oh," she said, trying to mask her surprise. "I didn't realize."
Danny gave a small shrug, focusing on taping clean gauze over the wounds on her back. "Yeah, they've been together for a while. I guess I've just gotten used to her being around."
Dove gave him a small, knowing smile. "Sounds like she's made an impression."
He nodded, smoothing down the last piece of gauze. "Yeah. She's got this way of making you feel like you need to be better, do better." He paused, glancing at her. "Kind of like you."
Dove blinked, caught off guard by the comparison. "Me?"
Danny gave a small smile. "Yeah. You've always had that.. drive. It's inspiring, even if it's a little intimidating sometimes."
Dove chuckled softly, though her face softened at his words. "Thanks, Danny."
Danny nodded as he finished taping the gauze, his movements quickening as if eager to wrap things up. He stood abruptly, offering Dove a tight smile. "I should see if anyone else needs help," he muttered, avoiding her gaze as he turned and walked away.
Dove watched him go, her thoughts briefly lingering on the conversation before she shook it off. She spotted Steve across the gym, sorting through a pile of clothes. Taking a deep breath, she made her way toward him, her footsteps soft.
Steve didn't notice her until she was right at his side. Without thinking, he wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her close. He pressed a gentle kiss to the side of her head, his voice low and warm. "How'd it go with Eddie's uncle?" he asked, glancing down at her with concern.
Dove let out a slow breath. "It wasn't easy.." she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "We couldn't tell him everything, not the full truth anyway.. but Dustin told him enough. Enough so he knows that Eddie went down fighting, protecting the people he cared about."
Steve nodded, folding a jacket with deliberate care. "Eddie deserves to be remembered that way."
Dove managed a small, sad smile, looking down at the pile of clothes. "Dustin told him that.. that Eddie died a hero."
Steve's expression softened, looking over to watch as Dove shakily folded a pair of jeans. "He was a hero." He hesitated for a moment before adding, "And you and Dustin? You did good, Dove. You gave his uncle something to hold onto."
Dove's gaze lifted to meet his, and she nodded, feeling a mixture of sorrow and gratitude. "I just wish.. more people could see him the way we did."
Steve wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her close once again. "They will," he said softly. "Maybe not today, but someday. And until then.. we'll keep his memory alive." He kissed the top of her head, a silent promise shared between them, before they both turned back to the pile of clothes, continuing their work side by side in quiet understanding.
The once-bright daylight inside the gym suddenly dimmed, leaving an eerie atmosphere hanging over everyone inside. Dove and Steve exchanged a worried glance before moving toward the large windows.
Outside, the sky had shifted from clear blue to a swirling mass of ominous grey clouds, spinning like a slow-motion storm. Billowing dark smoke stretched toward the heavens, split through with flashes of red lightning. The smoky plumes rose like twisted pillars, tearing through Hawkins' skyline, casting an ominous red glow over the town. Dove's heart skipped as she watched delicate white flakes start to drift downward. A tingling sensation crawled up her spine, prickling at her neck, a chill that went deeper than cold.
Without hesitation, she rushed for the doors, Steve close on her heels. They burst outside, joining a small crowd of townspeople who had also gathered to stare up at the strange sky. Dove held out her hand, catching one of the flakes in her palm. Her stomach twisted as she looked down to see the familiar translucent shape.
Steve's face paled beside her as he glanced down at her hand, realization dawning in his own expression. He looked back up at her, fear and confusion mingling in his gaze.
"Steve," she murmured, her voice barely audible over the confused muttering of the crowd. "This.. this can't be happening."
Dove swallowed, her mind racing as the ominous particles continued to drift down around reached for Dove's hand, squeezing it tightly,a silent reassurance that they were facing this together. His gaze remained fixed on the horizon, where the boundaries between Hawkins and the Upside Down had dissolved into chaos, the familiar merging with the monstrous.
Around them, townspeople gasped and pointed, parents clutched their children, and whispers of fear rippled through the crowd. Some fell to their knees, others covered their mouths in horror, and a few turned and began running, though there was nowhere to go. The Upside Down had breached their world in a way that couldn't be ignored or air smelled of sulfur and decay, a pungent reminder of what had been unleashed.
A cold chill ran down Dove's spine. Her vision blurred, and for a brief, disorienting moment, the world around her faded. She could feel him—Vecna—a presence in her mind, dark and invasive, like a shadow clawing its way into her thoughts.
"Did you think.. you could defeat me?"his voice rasped, its once commanding tone now rough and broken, laced with an unmistakable anger. "You have only delayed the inevitable.. nothing can stop what is coming."
Dove's heart pounded as the voice echoed through her mind, reverberating with a sinister resonance, each word piercing deeper than the last.
"I am not done with you.. with any of you. This world..yourworld.. will be mine..ours."
Her knees buckled, and Steve quickly reached out to steady her, his face etched with worry.
"Dove? Hey, what's wrong?" he asked, his grip grounding her, bringing her back to the present. Around them, the sounds of chaos—the frightened murmurs, the thunder of the red lightning—seemed to fall away as her mind wrestled with the lingering trace of Vecna's voice.
She looked up at Steve, her face pale, her eyes wide with horror. "He's.. he's in my mind," she whispered, barely able to find her voice."It's like.. he's weaker, but he's still there. He said he's not done with me.."
Steve's expression hardened, his jaw tightening as he pulled her closer, shielding her with his presence as best he could. "You're stronger than him, Dove." he said fiercely, his voice low but firm. "Whatever he's trying to do, we'll stop him."
Before Dove could respond, a sharp crack of red lightning lit up the sky, illuminating the swirling clouds and the ominous plumes of smoke. The ground beneath them trembled slightly, as if echoing the tension hanging heavy in the air.
Danny and Dustin joined them, both looking out at the unsettling sight ahead. The oppressive quiet around them was deafening, broken only by the occasional crackle of energy from the sky.
Robin appeared beside them, her face pale as she glanced between the others. "What the hell is happening?" she asked, her voice trembling.
"It's him," Dove murmured, her eyes never leaving the dark horizon. "He's still here."