wires, steve harrington

thirty-seven.

steve drove to max's trailer, and she promised him that dropping her letters off for her parents would only take twenty seconds. "that thing's got batteries in it, right?" steve asked, looking at dustin's walkie talkie.

dustin sighed. "i'm not even answering that question." after a moment of silence, he shook his head. "yes, it has batteries."

"yeah, i got it." steve replied.

minutes passed, and the four left in the car all got out, hoping they would hear her if max tried to call for help. "that was longer than 20 seconds." steve accused when she walked back, but he quickly noticed that she was upset. "hey, whoa, whoa. you all right?"

"i'm fine, just drive." she responded, throwing her backpack into the car and climbing in without another word. she began to speak only to give them directions, and no one was going to tell her no at this point. "turn here."

the car pulled into a cemetery, and meadow wasn't quite surprised. max had one final letter in her hands as she walked up to billy's grave. the rest of the group stayed behind to give her some privacy, but meadow anxiously eyed the girl.

"are you okay?" steve asked as he looked over at her. she was leaning against his car, fidgeting her fingers and seemingly distant from the world. "sorry, i feel like i keep asking you that."

she shook her head. "no, i don't mind you asking. and honestly.. no. no, this is.." she frowned. "i don't think i can forgive myself if anything happens to these kids."

his gaze softened. he understood exactly what she was talking about. "i know, i know. me neither." steve replied, putting his hands on her arms. "she's gonna be okay." he said after a moment, looking over at max. "and we're gonna find venkman-"

"vecna." she corrected. "venkman is from the ghostbusters."

"okay, vecna, yeah. we're gonna find him and we're going to stop him, okay? just like the demogorgon and the mind flayer." he almost had to stop himself as he took in all of the names. "we're gonna stop him together."

meadow nodded then, leaning into his touch. "i just can't help but see all of them as my siblings, you know? or my kids or something." she looked over her shoulder at lucas and dustin. "i know you said we're always stuck babysitting, but i think it's good that it's us."

he tilted his head. "yeah?"

"yeah, i think, in some ways, maybe they need us. maybe not, maybe i'm just hoping they do. but i think we need them just as much, you know?" she shook her head, looking down at her shoes. "they really look up to you, steve."

this made him smile, and he grabbed her hand. "yeah, well, you're probably their biggest role model." he said. "remember when wheeler was giving me a hard time saying you were the babysitter?"

meadow laughed. "yes, i remember this quite vividly. you were so jealous about it, too."

"i was not!" he laughed. "but they all wanted you to lead them, they trusted you to make the calls for them. and even since then.. you're the one max went to hug, the one she trusts most. even el, despite all the trust issues she has to have, trusts you. and don't even get me started on dustin, how much he looks up to you. you're the parent and the sister that most of them have never gotten to have."

she hid her head in his shoulder, smiling widely. "thank you, i really needed to hear that."

he smiled, putting a hand on the back of her head. "we all love you, don't forget that." he kissed the top of her head.

max sat there for a while reading the letter, and the group had been waiting to give her time, but steve was beginning to get worried.

"alright, it's been long enough." he insisted, beginning to walk over to her.