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October 27th, 1991
Hawkins Cemetery
Fog poured into the already dew-soaked grass of the cemetery. It was the witching hour, so they say. Robin wasn't much for scary stories, but Nancy never seemed to get enough of it. She must've watched a good two dozen bloody scream fests this month. She was like an addict for that stuff. She found her excitement for the season endearing. Tonight, though, Robin couldn't seem to find her. They had planned on a movie marathon, popcorn, pizza, and candy. But she wasn't home. Robin waited for hours, no sign of her. She bit her lip. Was something wrong? Did she do something wrong? Was Nancy having regrets? She turned and decided to walk home at long last. She'd call Nancy in the morning. The fog made everything seem more mysterious. Maybe that was why Nancy liked horror so much. Exploration of the unknown, facing it, understanding it.
Wait, what was that? Robin squinted into the fog and spotted a figure in the cemetery. Visibility was so low that it could be anyone. The only way to find out for sure was to get closer. There was only one person she could think of that would be out this late. At this time of year. At this place.
"Nancy?"
It was Nancy, which both relieved and concerned Robin in equal measure. She decided making her feel guilty about standing her up wasn't going to be productive and settled for giving Nancy her jacket. She was definitely not dressed for the weather.
"Here, you must be freezing. Why don't we get you home?"
"Okay," Nancy said, her tone flat and distant.
Robin took a moment to observe Barb's gravestone. Unlike Eddie's, it had remained in fairly good condition over the years. It seemed like it had been recently cleaned. Nancy's raw and red hands told her who had been responsible. It was then that she noticed the bucket of dirty, soapy water, the sponge floating in it, and filthy rags. She knelt down and collected the supplies, then got to her feet.
"Come on."
She took Nancy by the hand and began guiding her home. She was indeed freezing, and this was no normal cold, it was a bone deep chill that had settled there hours ago. Robin walked faster, hoping the movement would bring the girl closer to warmth. Any longer out here and she could've gotten hypothermia. Her mind automatically rattled off facts and she wanted to ramble, needed to, but she kept her mouth shut for once. This wasn't what Nancy needed. Luckily, after a moment, the compulsion passed and she was able to remain patient.
"I'm sorry," Nancy said finally. "I'm sorry that I ditched. I'm so...I'm such an awful-"
"Don't finish that sentence," Robin replied softly as they entered her house. "You're not. You're really not."
"But I am."
Robin had a feeling that she wasn't talking about them. Their relationship. She stopped in the living room and waited for Nancy to continue. She was quiet for so long that she was really starting to become worried now.
"Nance..." She flicked on a light, illuminating the curly haired girl in the yellow glow.
"I'm going to bed," Nancy interrupted, plunging the room into darkness again. "Goodnight, Robin."
She was so stunned at how quickly Nancy had shut her out that she wasn't sure what to do. She hesitated there in the pitch black room. Eventually, Robin turned and left. Maybe tomorrow night they could talk. She knew Barb had died due to the upside down, but not really the details. The one time she had asked, Nancy's pupils had dilated with fear and she sobbed in Jonathan's arms for almost an hour as he tried to get her to calm down.
Jonathan. Not her. But of course, even separated, they seemed inseparable. Robin had almost had that. But after one too many nightmares that Vickie hadn't been able to understand, that broke apart for her. On the surface, they were the same. But the upside down had left an indelible mark inside her that only those who also had it could understand. Nancy could. Nancy Wheeler, liking girls? That was laughable. Nancy Wheeler, liking her? But what was she even saying here? That she wanted Nancy? She couldn't. She shouldn't. So she wouldn't.
Next day. Halloween was that weekend, and the anticipation that once permeated Hawkins years ago for this holiday was extremely muted. Half the houses were decorated, if that, and the kids at school weren't dressed up like they used to be. It seemed the innocence had been shattered for everyone here. The evil may be gone, but some wounds took time to heal, if they did at all.
Robin couldn't blame them. She was silently begging for this month to be over. At least Christmas wouldn't have her jumping at her own shadow every night, or reaching for the nearest weapon when she got startled. She still didn't understand why Nancy ran towards the horror. All she wanted to do was shy away from it. But she'd never begrudge her friend a good time. So she never said anything about the decorations, the costumes, the parties. Because Nancy deserved to be happy. God, they all did. They all really did.
"I'll go ahead and lock up!" Steve called as he grabbed the keys.
"Cool. See you later, Harrington." Robin started for the door.
"Don't you want a ride home?"
"Oh, Nancy's getting me." Robin shrugged, as if this was something that happened all the time. Steve arched a brow.
"Nancy? Why?"
"You said you had that Halloween party. Halloween's not my thing. Therefore, Nancy is picking me up. Now we're up to speed, dingus."
"Whatever, Buckley. I'll see you tomorrow."
Robin shivered in the freezing air as she waited for Nancy. Steve's car pulled out of the lot, and she was officially alone. She paced around, checking her watch. Five minutes. Ten. Fifteen. Nancy was never late. In fact, she made a point of making it to each destination annoyingly early, while Robin had no sense of time unless she was looking directly at her watch. The time was currently 11:43. She'd been out here for almost twenty minutes, no sign of Nancy. She steeled herself and began the long trek to the cemetery.
Back again, but this time Nancy wasn't at Barb's headstone, but a different one. Robin was able to find her, though, and she put a hand on her arm. She jumped and looked at her, eyes like a wild animal caught in a cage.
"It's just me," Robin assured her. "This is the second time you've stood me up to stay out here until you've nearly made yourself ill."
"I'm sorry." Nancy's voice was small, fragile.
"I wish you'd...talk...to me. Tell me what happened. So you don't have to live with it all by yourself."
"I can't," Nancy whispered, sounding almost strangled. Robin took her hand. It was like ice.
"It's okay, Nance, it's okay. Let's just get you inside and warmed up."
"W-warm," Nancy mumbled, as if she never heard of the concept. "She'll never be warm again. Or him."
So...what." Robin frowned and tried to understand her mindset. "You wanna join them or something?"
"Would that really be so bad?"
Robin had never heard Nancy talk like this before, and she wasn't sure if this was how she felt all the time, or it was just the "anniversary effect" talking, as Hopper had once described it. She would never admit to how many times she had gone to him for advice about Nancy. The nightmares, the anxiety, the jumpiness, the avoidance, the anger. She was just a mess. But they all were in their own ways. And now her beloved friend was talking about wanting to die. This was...so much worse than she could've imagined. And she was internally kicking herself for not seeing it, even though she had spent the last three and a half years trying to put this poor girl back together.
"Yes," Robin said suddenly, pulling Nancy away from Fred's gravestone.
It wasn't like it was an open grave, or anything. But there was an edge she was getting uncomfortably close to anyway. She didn't want her to go over it.
"Yes it would," she continued when Nancy looked at her with those frightened eyes again. "Okay? Don't you ever think that this world would be better without you. I know I wouldn't."
"You...wouldn't..." Nancy was mulling over the words in that way she sometimes did with new ideas that had been given to her.
"You're my best friend, okay?" Her mouth turned to ash at the words 'best friend' and she prayed that Nancy didn't notice the twitch in her face.
"Okay," Nancy said, without much commitment to it.
"So. Inside. Hot chocolate. Blankets. Movie. Please?"
"Okay," Nancy said again.
Robin didn't feel the tension leave her body until they left the cemetery. Perhaps she would never get into horror movies. They'd already lived in one. But if it was Nancy? Sure, she could tolerate all the blood and screaming in the world. She was worth that discomfort.