WARNING: DO NOT ENGAGE [stranger things] [1/2]

XLI - Radio Ga Ga

"You had your time,

you had the power,

You've yet to have your finest hour."

•

"Do you think that I'm an idiot? Serious question."

Nancy jumped, whipping around to look at Rosemary before she could even get to the car door. Jonathan barely even faltered, leaning on the drivers door as he watched whatever was about to happen play out. Rosemary stepped away from the wall, looking supremely unimpressed with the two of them. Nancy figured she'd be a great mom with a disappointed look like that.

"You're going to enact your little monster hunting plan, right?" She tilted her head, raising an eyebrow at Nancy. At a further look, they could tell she was a little bit more than just unimpressed with them. Though she masked it well, Nancy knew her well enough to see when the girl was starting to get angry. "I can help you." She insisted. "Trust me, I'll be a lot better use helping to kill that thing than sat around here-"

"No." Nancy cut her off, causing Rosemary to falter and fall silent nearly immediately. "I-" She sighed, clenching her eyes shut. She didn't know how to handle this - not even a week ago, she had been sat in the passengers seat of Rosemarys car, telling her about Mikes gross eating habits and admiring the beauty of the messed up girl beside her.

Now, she knew there was a whole lot more mess than she originally thought. A theory of an abusive home had turned to lab rat conspiracy, had turned to weaponry and... Nancy dread to think what they had done to her. She stood there, looking at the girl that was meant to be her best friend, knowing that she was dangerous, if not now than once upon a time. And how could a girl like her be dangerous? She's the girl who once sat for hours to sew a specific emblem on a jacket for Mikes Halloween costume. She cried when they watched Bambi, and more than once had Nancy seen her laugh until milk came out of her nose.

Is it possible to be dangerous when you can't even play dodgeball well? When you're so sentimental you still own the first present you ever got from your foster mother, all these years on?

"I need you here."

"You'll get hurt doing this-"

"So will you." Nancy cut her off again. She had rarely been so bold, letting disagreements play out until Rosemary had calmed down. But time had become a tricky thing, and their friendship a fickle one.  "All this bullshit aside," She shook her head. "I don't know what you can do. But, if the bad men get here, I know you can at least fight. El can't now, but I know you're smart enough to be able to, superpowers or not, so I need you here. To protect Mike and the others."

Rosemary looked away from Nancys almost pleading expression, gritting her teeth.

"We can talk it all out properly later. I promise." Nancy said. "But now..." She looked at Jonathan, who took his cue to get in the car.

An aching silence followed, Nancy silently pleading Rosemary to stop being so stubborn for one moment, just one.

"Go on." Rosemary said, gesturing to the car door with a sigh. She didn't seem happy at all about the decision, a frown etched on her face so unwavering Nancy wondered if it would stay that way had the wind changed. "They'll be safe here. You guys be careful, don't do anything stupid...er." She added as an afterthought, rolling her eyes.

Nancy opened the car door, and Jonathan started the car. "You too. Don't do anything stupid...er." She said, giving the other girl a soft smile before getting in. Dare she say it - for a moment, Nancy was sure that Rosemary had returned her smile before she disappeared back inside. Once they turned onto the road, her smile fell, and she shared a look with Jonathan as they made their way to the police station.

Whether they knew it or not, danger was the exact thing needed that night. And she was in the right place.