Three's A Crowd? (Eddie Munson/ Steve Harrington x OC)

16

The group stood staring down as Steve did all he could to try and wake Nancy. Nothing appeared to be working. "Music!" Carrie shouted, running into Eddie room, the group followed. Erica staying to keep an eye on Steve and Nancy. Distant shouts from Steve could be heard as the group rummaged around Eddies room. Erica burst in, "Steve says you guys need to hurry up!" They began to panic, "yeah no shit, we're trying! We can't find anything!" Dustin shouted. "What is all this shit?" Robin questioned Eddie. "What are we even looking for?" Eddie shouted back. "Madonna, Blondie, Bowie, Beatles! Music, we need music!" Robin shouted. "THIS IS MUSIC!" Eddie and Carrie shouted in unison, Eddie holding up an Iron Maiden tape, Carrie holding a Metallica one. 

"GUYS!" Steve voice snapped everyone out of their music search as they ran to the open gate. Looking down they saw a collapsed, but awake Nancy in Steves arms. They all let out a timed breath of relief. Carrie breathed out heavily onto Eddies shoulder. Steve helped Nancy up, the group catching her carefully as she dropped into the real world, Steve followed quickly. Nancy sat shaking on the sofa, the rest of the group spread out around Eddies trailer. Eddie sat next too Carrie and even in such a life threatening situation, Carrie couldn't help but focus on the electricity that coursed through her as their knees touched. Their legs connecting up their thighs was enough to draw Carrie attention away from Nancys speech as she focused on keeping her breathing slow, not wanting to show Eddie how much he affected her. Eddie sat, his legs spreading touching the people at either side of him, Carrie and Steve. Steves voice broke Carrie out of her leg induced trance. "Okay, but he was just trying to scare you Nance, Right? I mean, I mean its not real," he cleared his throat. "Not yet," Nancy replied gravely. Nancy explained what else Vecna had shown her, Carrie did her best to focus on the conversation. It was Max's voice that next grabbed her attention. "Four chimes..." the group looked to Max. "Vecna's clock, it always chimes four times, four exactly," her head dropped low. "I heard them too," Nancy spoke. "He's been telling us his plan the whole time," Max's voice was low but not scared. "Four kills," Lucas connected the dots, "Four gates... End of the world," everyone began to look more terrified. "If that's true, then he's only one kill away," Dustin shook his head. "Oh Jesus Christ," Eddie dropped his head in his hands. Carrie placed her hand on his knee squeezing it gently. "Try em again," Steve spoke, prompting Max to go to the phone. "Anything?" Dustin asked after the phone had rang a few seconds. "Nothing," Max answered. Dustin, Steve and Max then went into a debate about how to use a phone, but still they didn't reach anyone. "The phones been busy for what? Three days now, that's not Joyce," Max explained. "Theres something wrong," Max spoke, the group agreed with her. Nancy spoke about how she believed everything was all connected, the group nodded until she said her last sentence. "Vecna can't hurt them, not if he's dead," she looked out of the window. "We have to go back in there, back to the Upside Down," she turned to the group who looked shocked, they began to shake their heads. "No way," Carrie spoke sternly. "Nope, absolutely no way," Steve added. "Nope," Eddie motioned with his hand. "Lets think this through," Steve began, "we barely made it out of there," he explained. "Yeah because we weren't prepared," Nancy shot back. "This time we will be, weapons and protection," Nancy spoke. "No," Carrie stood from where she was sat next too Eddie. "Theres no way," she continued. "We dont have a choice Carrie!" Nancy replied, getting heated. "Theres a definite choice, put my baby brothers life in danger or dont," Carrie spat back. "Carrie-" Dustin began but Carrie motioned for him to stop talking. "I dont know what you do with Mike but I prefer Dustin alive!" Carrie breathed heavily. Nancy looked at her, anger burning but she knew Carrie was right. She had put Mike in danger before and it was horrific, she couldn't blame Carrie for not wanting to do the same to Dustin. "We'd just be going to his lair, finding him and killing him," Nancy spoke, quieter. "Or he'll kill us!" Steve pointed out. "Do I get a say in this?" Dustin questioned. Carrie looked too him, the stress visible in her face. "I want too do it Car, I want to help save our town, our family," Dustin pleaded with her. Carrie swallowed harshly. "Ive done it before, now I'm with you, we can do it together," Dustin tried to give her an encouraging smile. "Please Car," he begged. Carrie chewed the inside of her cheek. "If we do it together, then I mean together, you stay with me," she replied. Dustin ran to his sister, hugging her tightly. 

The group broke out into chatter about how exactly this was going to work, talking about strengths and weaknesses. Carrie looked to Eddie who couldn't hide his worried expression, they gave each other a weak smile. "How do we know who his forth kill will be?" the questioned floated around the group. "He let me go," Nancy spoke softly. "I made my choice," Carried gulped looking at Eddie through her lashes. "I'm still marked," Max spoke. "I ditch Kate Bush, and his attention comes back too me," she let out a breath. "No," Lucas refused. "Max, you can't. He will kill you," Lucas shook his head. "I survived before, I can survive again," Max nodded. "I dont care how you put this asshole in his grave, just try not too miss," Max looked up at the group who stood before her. "So, protection?" Eddie spoke, going to his cupboard and taking out some sort of paper. 

He lay the paper, sprawled across the table. "The war zone," he pointed out an advert for what looked like a weapon place. "Ive been there once, its huge, got everything you need for uh, well killing things basically," he nodded. Robin looked closer at the pictures. "I mean how is this even legal," she questioned. "Well, lucky for us it is so.." Eddie trailed off. "This place is just far enough outside of Hawkins, if we avoid the main roads we should be able to avoid cops and uh angry hicks," he nodded. "If we're trying to avoid angry hicks, maybe we shouldn't go to a place called the War Zone," Erica made a good point. "Normally I'd agree, but we need weapons," Nancy pointed out. "I think its worth the risk," Carrie spoke. The group nodded in agreement. "It would take all day to bike there," Dustin pointed out. "Who said anything about bikes?" Eddie smirked. "You got a car we dont know about?" Steve questioned. "It's not exactly a car Steve an its not exactly mine," Eddie stood up. "but it'll uh do," he nodded, "Hey, red you got a ski mask or bandana or something like that?" Eddie asked Max. She paused in thought for a second, raising her eyebrows.

Carrie had to hold in a laugh when Eddie appeared in a Michael Myers mask. "It's an improvement," Steve teased. The group followed Eddie through the window of another trailer. Once they had piled in, Eddie pulled the mask roughly from his head, walking to the front of the trailer as he began fiddling with wires. Steve and Carrie watched as he began to hotwire the vehicle. "Where'd you learn to do that?" Steve questioned. Eddie began to talk about how it was his dad who taught him but Carrie one again zoned out, watching Eddies fingers work magic. "wanted for murder and now Grand theft auto," Eddie shook his head as the car started. "Eddie I'm not sure I love the idea of you driving," Robin spoke from behind them. Eddie smirked, standing as the vehicle started. "Oh I'm just starting her, Harringtons got this, dontcha big boy," he winked as Steve threw himself into the drivers seat. Shouting and banging came from the outside of the vehicle, throwing everyone in it backwards. "Hold onto something!" was shouted as Steve began to set off. The shouting got closer and the banging got louder. 

"DRIVE!"