ɴᴏᴛʜɪɴɢ ʟᴀꜱᴛꜱ ꜰᴏʀᴇᴠᴇʀ ☆ ꜱᴛᴇᴠᴇ ʜᴀʀʀɪɴɢᴛᴏɴ

018.

[1983]

018. Gwen Stacy

"I have to go home."

"No, you can't." Hopper replied back to the wheeler girl, eyes not leaving the binoculars once. The three teenagers sat in the back of the car, Hopper was driving them home, trying to piece together what he had found out and the teens. 

"My mom... my dad are there." Nancy shot back. She was standing by the car door to the back seat. Before the girl was about to go home, Hopper had saw the government raiding the Wheelers house. 

"They're gonna be okay."

Annabelle sat on the other side of Jonathan, twisting the pink scrunchie around her wrist. She had no idea how far this had gone. She had no idea how far she'd gone down the rabbit hole. 

Jonathan put a hand over Annie's, squeezing her hand lightly in reassurance. The duo stayed put in the backseat while Hopper made sure Nancy didn't do anything reckless. 

A moment later, Joyce got back into the passenger seat and Hopper and Nancy joined to. "Look, we need to find them before they do. Do you have any idea where they might have gone?"

"No, I don't know." Nancy scoffed back.

"I need you to think."

"We haven't talked a lot.. I mean, lately.." The youngest brunette sighed.

"The comic book store. But its too far. They wouldn't leave anywhere with there walkie talkie. I don't have mine, but Will..." Annabelle sighed, attention on her. The times she did babysit the kids on occasion, they'd beg her to go to the comic store across town. So, she'd have to beg Liam's older brother to take them. 

As soon as the five pulled up to the Byers residence, they were quick to get out, hurrying into the house and into Will's room. Nancy and Annabelle stopped, looking around at the house full of lights. "Whoa." The blonde grabbed Nance's wrist, getting her to follow to the boys room. 

The second they stepped into the room, Joyce was reaching under the bed, calling out she had it. She handed it to Hopper who turned it on, passing it to Nancy to speak though. 

"Mike, are you there? Mike?" Nancy spoke into the radio. "Mike, it's me, Nancy. Mike, are you there? Answer. Mike, we need you to answer." When no answer, they shrugged for her to try again.

"This is an emergency, Mike. Do you copy? Mike, do you copy?" She asked again but no answer. "I need you to answer. We need to know that you're there, Mike."

Hopper snatched the walkie talkie out her hand and tried it. "Listen, kid, this is Chief. if you're there, pick up. We know you're in trouble and we know about the girl. We can protect you, we can help you, but you gotta pick up. Are you there? Do you copy? Over." 

When no answer again, Annabelle sighed and put her hand out for the device. "Let me try." She smiled and he hesitantly put the walkie talkie in her hand. 

"Dustin? Mike? The party? It's Annabelle. You know, the one you always say I remind you off Gwen Stacy from the comics. We need to make sure your safe. This is a code red. I repeat, a code red." With no answer she added one more thing. "I'm Gwen right now. I'm falling off the bridge and if none of you use your webs to catch me, I can't be saved and all of you will be the punisher again, always on the run... So, If you answer me, I'll buy you any comic book you want. No limit. Over."

... 

"Yeah, I copy. It's mike. I'm here. we're all here."

"Thank God. I'm glad you didn't listen to Dustin's advice about Lando Carissin right now." she sighed a breath of relief. "I told you." She heard Dustin cheer in the back. Passing the walkie to Hopper, he sent her thankful smile before talking to the boy.

Jim Hopper left to collect the group, Annabelle, Nancy staying at the Byers house with the family. Annabelle sipped on a warm tea that Joyce had made her, seeing as she was shaking ever so slightly from not just the cold but the anxiety of this whole situation. 

When headlights flashed through the window, all four stood up. Joyce was the first one to rush out the house, followed by the other two. Annabelle placed her cup down, rushing after them. 

"Mike! Oh my god, mike!" Nancy sighed in relief. Once Annie's eyes met the other two boys, she also noticed a new girl. "Dustin. Lucas." Annabelle sighed a relief, rushing to pull the two in a hug they both desperately needed. 

"You promise about the comic book." Pulling back, hands on there shoulders, she lent down so she was the same height as them. "Promise. Any comic book. I'll even add in a slushie if you like." The curly head boy grinned and hugged her tight again. Lucas was quick to rewrap his arms around the teen to. 

"Hi." She called out to the girl, making her look to the teen. "I'm Annabelle. Annie." She held her arm out, seeing if she wanted to join the hug, stumbling back as the young girl and Mike tackled her in a hug. 

It was safe to say that they all needed Annabelle for a second. She had always felt like a sister to them, even if she was not around as much, she was still a comfort to the party. 

Annabelle would try and understand the D&D game, helping in what she could. Take them to the comic book store, help with there homework and gave them a few M&M's every time they got the answers right. Annie would let them talk her ear off about Star Wars or Superhero's. But never minded it. She was their babysitter, but felt like a sister. It was just what Annabelle did. Made every person warm up to her with just one smile. 

"That's Eleven." Mike said when they all pulled back, except the girl who was stayed close to her. "El for short." The Wheeler boy clarified to her. Annie offered a smile to the girl and saw how she was ever so slightly shaking. Carefully rubbing a thumb over the girls cheek, she frowned. "You're freezing." Pulling her jacket off, she wrapped it around the girl who already had a jacket but still ice cold. 

Joyce motioned for everyone to go inside and as the kids trailed ahead of her, she was met with the teen boy at her side. "I forgot you babysat, Gwen Stacy." He chuckled. Annie rolled her eyes at him, playfully. 

"Says you, Peter Parker." Annabelle remarked with a smirk, following the kids inside. "Wait, what?" He shouted out, joining her inside. She didn't get a chance to explain how he was Peter Parker or Nancy was MJ. The three boys had already started to get there explanation ready.