𝐌𝐄𝐒𝐒 𝐌𝐄 𝐔𝐏, ronance ¹

𝟎𝟗. 𝗦𝗧𝗨𝗠𝗕𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗚

The morning light filtered through the curtains, pulling Nancy out of the deepest sleep she'd had in ages.

As she blinked her eyes open, the hazy remnants of dreams faded away, replaced by the reality of a new day. Glancing to her side, Robin was still asleep, a small smile on her lips as Nancy realised she was holding her hand.

Nancy blushed, squeezing her hand to make sure she was really there. Robin's relentless pursuit of Nancy was difficult for her to believe, especially after all she had done and said. She just couldn't wrap her head around it.

She pushed the thoughts away, smiled at Robin, and pushed a strand of hair behind her ear. Not wanting to disturb the serenity, Nancy slipped out of bed, determined to start the day with a touch of sweetness.

Quietly padding into the kitchen, Nancy set about brewing coffee, her movements careful to maintain the morning calm.

The aroma of freshly ground beans filled the air, a fragrant symphony that held the promise of new beginnings.

As the coffee machine hummed, Nancy heard a rustle behind her. Turning, she found Robin emerging from the bedroom, her eyes adjusting to the light.

She was wrapped up in a light blue sweater with clouds, which most definitely wasn't hers. Nancy bit back a tease, fearing it was too early to try and go back to how things were before.

But Robin smiled at her, "What, I can't wear my girlfriend's clothes?"

Nancy smiled back, "Of course you can, but you might want to rethink your hair," she said, handing Robin her mug of coffee. She sipped it slowly, making a face.

"What's wrong with it?" she feigned an adorable pout.

Nancy laughed and stepped forward, reaching for the top of Robin's head.

Robin ducked so Nancy didn't have to stretch as she flattened a strand of light brown hair that was sticking up.

"Tsk, you're too cute when your hair sticks up like this," she said, smiling playfully.

Robin blushed, watching the features of Nancy's face settle into focus, her brow furrowing in concentration.

When Nancy leaned forward, arm still stretched above her head, Robin ducked even lower, giving her a quick kiss.

Nancy's fears and doubts about returning to their 'normal' were swept from her mind as she kissed her back, a new depth to their feelings opening up between them.

"And you're too sweet for fixing it," Robin said quietly as they pulled away, "You taste like coffee."

Feeling taken aback and slightly amused, Nancy smiled broadly. But the soft touch of Robin's lips left an imprint— a question lingering in the air.

"Does this mean you've forgiven me?" she asked, her tone holding a mixture of hope, hesitation, and vulnerability.

Robin's expression softened, and she took Nancy's hands in hers, "There's nothing to forgive," she said with a small smile, shaking her hands slightly so Nancy would look at her. Nancy's eyes flicked up to meet Robin's as she continued, "I meant what I said that night. I will always be here for you."

"But the things I said—" Nancy hesitated.

"Hey," Robin interrupted, her thumb tracing circles on Nancy's hand, "It's alright, love. I'm not going to hold it against you."

Nancy couldn't help but wonder if forgiveness really came that easily. She knew she didn't deserve it, but Robin's eyes sparkled with vulnerability, and a heaviness started to lift from her shoulders.

"I love you," Robin said, noticing the change in Nancy's eyes, "And I always will, no matter how many times you try and tell me not to," Robin's expression turned playful, "So I guess you're stuck with me again."

The lightness returned to her eyes, and a smile spread across her face. She slipped a hand from Robin's and took the coffee mug from her. Nancy's urge to protect Robin was powerful, but the ache in her heart for her was stronger.

She set the mug down on the counter and put her arms over Robin's shoulders, "I wouldn't have it any other way," she said softly, kissing her with a bravery she didn't know she had.

When they finally parted, Nancy opened her eyes to see a fresh shade of blush creeping up on Robin's cheeks.

"Are you blushing, Buckley?" Nancy teased.

"Absolutely," Robin said. Even her freckles seemed to have turned pink.

A half-hour later, still hand in hand, they sat together at the table, coffee mugs cradled in their hands and surrounded by freshly printed notes from Nancy's laptop.

"Okay, let's go over what we've got," Nancy said, diving right in, "The Sentinel's reach is far, but it's not invincible."

Robin nodded, her eyes scanning the notes, "We know they control people in power, manipulate the town's narrative, and leave no trace. But there has to be a weak spot somewhere, right?"

Nancy leaned back in her chair, a thoughtful expression on her face, "What if the key is in how they manipulate the narrative?" she asked, swivelling to face Robin, "Controlling information is their strength, but it's also their weakness."

Robin furrowed her brow, more intrigued than confused, "So you're saying, if we expose The Sentinel and show Hawkins the truth, it could break their hold?"

Nancy's eyes sparkled with determination, "Exactly. We need evidence, obviously. A way to unveil their secrets to the town without giving The Sentinel the chance to retaliate."

"But they destroyed our last exposé," Robin said, the gears in her head starting to turn, "We need something irrefutable, something they can't just sweep under the rug."

"What if we use their own tactics against them?" Nancy smirked, a glint of mischief in her eyes.

Robin raised an eyebrow, "A counter-narrative that exposes them without them realising they've been exposed until it's too late?" she asked, "How do we do that, exactly?"

Nancy leaned in, her voice hushed, "We need to gather evidence, testimonies, and documents, but we can't publish it all at once. We feed them bits of information and control the narrative ourselves. It's a chess game, and we must stay two steps ahead."

Robin grinned, the excitement of the challenge lighting up her eyes, "We'll turn the tables on them, catch them off guard."

"Precisely," she said, smiling at her, "We expose their influence and puppet strings, one revelation at a time. It'll be too late by the time they realise what's happening."

"What if they come for us again?" Robin asked, concern edging in her voice, "They nearly burned your apartment to ashes, Nance. Can we really come back from that again?"

"We're phoenixes, Robin," she said softly, "We'll always rise from the ashes."