Sunsetz | Steve Harrington

Separate Ways

Stephanie's POV:
I hugged Amanda before she went up the stairs to the Creel house. Max gave Alex a hug and he was taken aback. "Kick his ass for me like I told you." Alex nodded at her. "I-I will." Max smiled at him and I watched her step out of the rv. Lucas followed along with Erica. Gideon turned to me and gave me a hug. "Be careful." He said. "You too." I told him. Gigi then gave me a hug. It was a longer one than I expected. "I'll see you when you kill Vecna." I half smiled at her and said "you too." She then stepped off the rv with her brother. Amanda gave me a hug and I hugged her tightly. She pulled away and looked at Steve. "Don't you let my best friend get killed." Steve nodded at her and said "I'll protect her with my life. Literally." Amanda then looked at Maisie. "You stay close to Dustin and Eddie. Don't go off by yourself. Eddie-" "Nothing'll happen to her. I'll make sure of it." Eddie reassured her. Last but least was Chrissy. "Good luck, Eddie." Eddie nodded to her and then Chrissy looked at Alex. "Be careful, ok? The Upside Down is dangerous." Alex nodded to her and said "y-you be careful too." Chrissy smiled at him and then stepped off the rv. We left them at the Creel House and made our way to the trailer park. As we entered Eddie's rv, I shuddered as I looked up at the gate. The squelching sounds from the sides made goosebumps arise on my skin. I never wanted to back through the gate again. But, we had to stop Vecna. The rope still hung there and the mattress was still in it's place. "I'll go first and then you guys come after me." Steve said. He climbed up the rope and then flipped off of it when he got in the Upside Down. Robin and I rolled our eyes at him and he set the mattress down. He gestured for us to come on and I looked at Alex. "You go after me, ok? You just climb the rope and you'll fall down onto the mattress." Alex nodded at me and I started climbing up, falling down onto the mattress when I reached the other dimension. Steve pulled me up to my feet and said "good?" I nodded and his hand rested on my waist, pulling me close to him. "You got this, Alex." Dustin encouraged. Alex nodded again and slowly climbed up the rope. "M-My glasses." He stuttered. I reached up and removed them slowly. "You can drop down or climb a little bit more and then drop down." Alex pulled himself down a little bit more and then let go. He landed on the mattress with a thump and he gasped softly. "You ok?" Steve said. "Mmm-hmm." Steve and I pulled him up to his feet and I handed him his glasses back. Dustin went next. Then Eddie, Nancy, Robin, and Maisie. We all stood outside the trailer. "Don't be cute and try to be heroes. You guys are-" Steve began but was interrupted by Dustin. "Decoys. We got it." "We are not heroes." Eddie said. Steve shook his head at them and I took a step towards Eddie. "You protect Dustin. He is my son, you know." I gave Dustin a joking smile and then looked back at Eddie. "Will do, sweetheart." I patted Dustin's shoulder and then gave him a hug. "Please be careful." I whispered. "I will." He said. I pulled away and gave Eddie a hug. "Don't worry, guys. They'd be lost without me." Maisie said proudly. I chuckled at her as I pulled away. "Stab him good, Alex." Alex half smiled at Maisie and Dustin gave Alex a big smile. Alex nodded to both of them and we started making our way towards the Creel house. I had the cassette player in my pocket. I managed to grab some tapes from my house and they were in my bag. Just in case something were to happen. "I think we're lost." Robin said. "We're not lost." Nancy replied. "Make sure you don't step on the vines. Everything works like a hive mind here." I warned Alex. He nodded and took long strides, stepping over the vines. Steve stopped me and I furrowed my eyebrows. "I need to tell you something." I nodded and said "ok." Steve's hands went to rest on my hips and mine went to his shoulders. "You know that dream I was telling you about? How I'm gonna travel the country with my little nuggets." "Yeah." "There was one thing I left out. And it's the most important part." I awaited for him to finish, staring up at him. "You were there. You were my wife. And with our six little nuggets, we go and see the country. Everything." I could feel my heart beating fast and I swear the love I had for Steve grew. I had thought about marrying him. I thought about possibly having kids one day. But, I didn't know how he'd feel about it. I don't ever want to be without him. "Even Disney World?" I asked. Steve chuckled and said "yeah, baby. Even Disney World." I went to kiss Steve's lips. He leaned down and cupped my cheek. I wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling him closer to me. "Lovebirds, come on!" Robin said. Steve rolled his eyes and I did the same as we went to follow them. Alex shined his flashlight at every noise he heard. I reassured him they were just noises and that as long as he stayed close he'd be ok. Alex reached for my hand and I let him take it. "It's ok." I said. Alex nodded and once we reached the playground, we signaled Erica. Alex's eyes were wide as he stared at the bats. Whimpers left his lips and I covered his mouth. He went to throw my hand off and I said "shh, it's ok. They're getting ready to leave." "Yeah, it's ok. They're not gonna get us. We're safe here. As long as we don't make any noise." Steve said. Alex buried his face into my stomach as we hid behind the playground equipment. We were all crouched or sitting. I was currently sitting since Alex was basically in my lap. The bats started to leave the area. Alex looked up, small tears in his eyes. "Hey, it's ok. I need you to be brave for me. Can you do that?" I cupped Alex's cheeks and he nodded, holding my hands to his cheeks. I kissed his forehead and Nancy said "come on." The five of us stood up, walking towards the house. Steve led the way, looking over his shoulder at all of us. Steve opened the door and vines laid all over the floor. Robin gulped and shook her head. "We'll go one at a time. I'll go first." Steve started stepping over the vines, being sure not to touch them. "Alex, you can't touch the vines, ok? Just follow what we do." "W-What happens if I touch them?" Nancy bit her lip and I said "game over." Alex closed his eyes and took a deep breath. I followed Steve, stepping where he had stepped. Alex followed me, his boots clunking against the hardwood floor. Robin followed him, then Nancy. The stairs were the tricky part. We could barely touch the walls or the bannister of the stairs. Steve stood on the second floor, awaiting us to reach him. He pulled me up the stairs, his hand going to my waist. "You ok?" He asked softly. I nodded and said "yeah." Alex stood next to us now. Steve helped Robin and Nancy to the second floor. Steve pulled out an axe and I did the same. "We got the same weapon?" Steve said. I shrugged and said "Alex picked it for me." Alex nodded and Steve looked at the attic stairs. "Just one more flight to go." "Ok. Let's make this quick." Nancy said. We went to approach the stairs but were stopped as the house started to rumble and shake. I fell into Alex's arms and Steve held up Nancy and Robin. I gripped handfuls of Alex's jacket. Nancy looked up at Steve and a small relieved breath let her lips. Robin took a deep breath and sighed. I slowly detached myself from Alex as the rumbling stopped. Robin then gasped as a vine wrapped around her leg. She was pulled away from us and pinned to the wall. "Steve! Nancy!" Nancy immediately started hitting the vines with the butt of her gun. "Stephanie! Steph, help me!" Robin said. Steve swung his axe at the vines, trying to free Robin. I mimicked Steve's actions, wanting her to get away. Steve lifted his axe but it was grabbed by the vines on the adjacent wall. Steve stumbled to the other side of the room and pulled at the axe. He braced his foot against the wall as he pulled with all his might. Then Steve was grabbed. My eyes widened and I said "Steve!" He exclaimed in fear as he was drug up the wall where I couldn't reach him. I watched the vines wrap around his arms and legs, the last one going around his neck. Steve gasped and dropped the axe in his hand. "Steve!" I tried to reach for his leg and he shook his head. "No! Stephanie, no!" He said. Nancy was pulled away from me and she was now incapacitated. It was just Alex and I. I looked at him and he looked at me, fear in his eyes. "Alex..." I began. He whimpered and looked up at our friends who were struggling to breathe. I swung at the vines holding Steve and I yelled out in frustration. A loud thud made me turn around. The vines now had Alex. "No! No!" I said. Alex screamed and thrashed to try and get free. Tears brimmed my eyes as the vines wrapped around his neck. Alex was sitting on the floor, the vines hadn't taken him up on the wall. The vines on the floor wrapped around his legs tightly, Alex yelling out in pain. I knelt down and said "Alex, I'm gonna get you out." Steve coughed and I heard Robin wheezing. I shook my head and realized my friends and boyfriend were going to die in front of me. Unless I was next. I waited for the vines to grab me but they weren't. Alex's high pitched screams rung in my ears. I pulled at the vines on his legs and arms, my hands digging into the long sticky lines. Alex shook his head and tears streamed down his cheeks. "Stop. Stop. Stop." Alex said as he looked at the vines. His arms were stretched out on either side of him and he tried to get his arm free. I used my axe and swung at the vines holding Alex. "Stephanie, he's going to get you too!" Nancy said. "I can't let you guys die! I have to try!" I replied. Alex gasped for air and I could see the color draining from his face. "Alex, no." I cupped his cheeks, desperately trying to get him to look at me. "No, please." "Help.." Alex desperately tried to reach for me but could barely move his arm. My heart pounded against my chest. I couldn't save him. What was I going to do? "Stephanie." The voice of Vecna said. I turned around to see him standing on the attic stairs. "I didn't think you'd be back since your boyfriend saved you." I gulped and said "please, don't kill them. Please. Take me instead." "No!" Steve yelled. Vecna came closer to me, his footsteps echoing in the large house, making the wood creak under his feet. "You and Max have been causing me to lose. I almost had you and Steve took you away from me. And Max managed to save herself and Chrissy. I need two more deaths. You choose who lives and who dies. Right now." I shook my head and said "I can't. I can't choose who lives or dies. That's just not something I can do." "Choose. Steve or Alex. Choose right now and I might let you live." My stomach dropped. I looked between both of them. I shook my head again. "I can't." Vecna raised me in the air, gasps leaving my lips. "Do it! Or I go after Max." "No! Don't!" "Choose!" He bellowed. I sobbed and Vecna slowly put me on the ground. "Don't hurt Steve." "The choice has been made." I watched as Alex was released from the vines. He took deep breaths, taking in the air he had lost. "Alex." His eyes were wide as he looked at Vecna. He was slowly raised in the air like I was. "The trauma you've suffered. How awful. Being kidnapped wasn't fun, was it? Being locked in a shower for days on end while you're kidnapper burned you with hot water. All because he felt like it. You're a grown man, Alex why would he kidnap you?" Alex shook his head and Vecna said "why don't I take you back there, hmm?" Shrill screams came from Alex. I went to grab Alex and Vecna froze me in place. Vecna looked pleased as Alex writhed in pain. "Stop it!" I said. And with a wave of Vecna's hand, Alex's bones started breaking. All the air left my body as I watched his arms and legs contort in different directions. His screams only got louder and they slowly came to a stop. Vecna dropped Alex to the ground, leaving us. "Alex!" I screamed as I was able to move again. Tears ran down his cheeks as he struggled to stay alive. "Alex. Alex, stay with me." Alex moaned in pain and I held him in my lap, stroking his head. "Alex, no." He looked up at me, pain in his green eyes. "It hurts." He whimpered. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. It's all my fault. I'm sorry, Alex." "N-Not your fault." Alex said. I sobbed softly as his chest rose and fell slowly. Tears blurred my vision as I stared down at Alex. He closed his eyes and I shook him. "Alex, don't. Don't go. Please, don't go." "Stephanie! Wake up! It's me! Stephanie, please wake up!" I furrowed my eyebrows as Steve's voice seemed to echo around me. "Steve?" I asked, still holding onto Alex. "Wake up! I'm not letting him take you! Wake up, Steph!" I felt Steve's hands on my cheeks and gasped as he stood in front of me. "What? What're you-" I was confused. "Listen, it was a trick! He was making you see stuff! And while he did it, I got free!" Steve said as he pointed to the vines on the walls and the floors. I looked at Alex, Robin, and Nancy who were still trapped. "Alex!" I rushed over to him and Steve followed. Alex opened his eyes and moaned in pain. "I'm gonna get you out. I promise." I hit the vines with my axe, they immediately let go of Alex. Steve helped Robin as she slid down off the wall. The vines left Alex's legs and his arms. He pulled at the ones around his neck, starting to sit up as he did so. Once he got himself free I said "Alex, you're ok." He threw his arms around me and started to sob. His body shook as he cried and I held him tightly. "Oh, Alex, I thought I'd lost you." Alex buried his face into the crook of my neck and Nancy exhaled as Steve helped her. "What happened to you?" She asked. I looked up at her and said "Alex died. He was dead. Vecna had killed him. Then Steve was calling my name and telling me to wake up. I don't understand what just happened." "Babes, he was making you see a vision. Like earlier. When he showed you Hawkins. He did it to you again. We were all screaming your name and for whatever reason I got free. And I woke you up." Steve said as he knelt down. I looked up at Nancy and Robin. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." "Why're you apologizing?" Robin said to me. "Cause I was just gone and wasn't helping you guys. I didn't do it on purpose. I thought he had killed Alex. Alex was..." Alex looked up at me and I brushed his bangs out of his face. "I died?" He said. I nodded while holding back tears. "I couldn't stop him. I thought it was real." Alex shook his head as a tear went down my cheek. "No. No. D-Don't cry. I'm ok. I'm o-ok." He hugged me and I rubbed his back, not being able to get the image of his limbs snapping out of my head. "Why would he show you that? It doesn't make sense. Isn't he after Max?" Nancy said. "Not if he can't find her. She said she'd hide in one of her happy memories. If he's struggling to find her, maybe he's trying to pick us off, freak us out." I suggested. Steve put his hands on his hips and said "ok, well, why do all of that and even go through with it? Why would he show you that and not even do it?" I shrugged, not properly understanding it. "It was like a bad dream except it was almost real." I said. Robin shook her head and said "I can't believe he showed you something like that." Alex pulled away and  slowly wiped a tear from my cheek and I sniffled. "What now?" Nancy said as she looked at all of us and Steve looked at the attic stairs. Steve pulled Alex to his feet and then the two of them pulled me up. I stood up, looking at the two of them. "I'm scared." I whispered. Steve shook his head and said "don't be. I think we're through the worst of it." "Don't jump to conclusions." Robin quickly said. Steve cupped my cheek and pressed a sweet kiss to my lips. I half smiled up at him and Steve nodded at me. "It's ok. I won't let anything happen to you." He reassured me, well attempted to. I watched the worry spread across his face as he looked at the attic stairs again. Alex wiped his face with his jacket sleeve and felt around for his knife. He held it in his hand and stared at the vines that covered the floor. His hands shook and his whole body trembled. "Alex, you're trembling. It's ok." I said as I rubbed his arm. Alex shook his head and said "I can't. I can't do it." A broken sob left his lips. "I can't do it." Robin frowned and Nancy said "he could stay on the stairs?" "No! Don't leave me! D-Don't leave me." He pleaded. "Hey, we have to go take care of Vecna. You can stand behind us and not do anything or you can help us fight. It's up to you. We'll protect you but we're taking his creepy ass out. Otherwise, we're dead." Steve told him. Alex's lips parted and Nancy started leading the way to the stairs. Robin followed behind her and then Steve. Steve held his hand out for me to take and I took it. I looked over my shoulder at Alex who followed behind, shuddering breaths leaving his lips. "Deep breaths, Alex. Deep breaths." Alex nodded at me and the five of us reached the attic, Vecna floating in the air.

Here's the update! No, this isn't the end of the finale but I hope this was good. I'm not the best at angst so I'm warning everyone now. But, did I tear up writing this? Yeah.
~skylar✨🫧✨🫧