Stay or Go

Chapter 69

We all gather around a table as Eddie slaps down a magazine, pointing at an add inside. "Check this out." He says "The War Zone. I've been there once. It's huge. They got everything you need for, uh, well, killing things basically." Robin slings her arm around my waist and I am comforted by the action as she asks "You think fake Rambo has enough guns there? Is that a grenade? I mean, how is any of this legal?" Eddie looks up at us from his seat with big round eyes. "Well, lucky for us it is, so..." He says "This place is just far enough outside of Hawkins. As long as we steer clear of any main roads, we oughta be able to avoid cops and uh, angry hicks." 

Erica leans over the table, the young girl gives us a sassy look "Of we're trying to avoid angry hicks, maybe we shouldn't go to some store called the War Zone?" The kid has a point, the patrons of that kind of store will not be the friendly kind. "Normally I'd agree." I muse leaning against Robin "But we need the weapons." Dustin adjusts the cap on his head and argues "But is it worth the time? It'll take all day to bike there and back."

Eddie sits back in his chair "Who said anything about bikes?" He asks and Steve responds with "What, you got some car we don't know about?" Eddie stands, as he does so he is so close to Steve that they could kiss right now. How adorable. "It's not exactly a car, Steve." He answers cockily "And it's not exactly mine, but it'll do." Without explaining further he turns to Max "Hey, Red, uh, you got a ski mask or bandanna, something like that?" Max, who has her arms wrapped around her body frowns. She slips from the trailer for a moment, going back to her own.

When she comes back, she has a Michael Myers mask from Halloween a year ago. Eddie sighs and takes it anyway "It'll do I guess." he mutters before we exit the trailer. 

We sneak through the park all the way to an RV, with its owners sitting right outside. We watch as Eddie climbs through a window at the back of the vehicle before we all follow him. He locks the front door before hardwiring it. "Where did you learn how to do this?" Steve asks as we watch him do his work, "Well when the other dads were teaching their kids how to fish or play ball, my old man was teaching me how to hot-wire. Now I swore to myself I wouldn't wind up like he did, but now I'm wanted for murder, and soon grand theft auto. So I'm really living up to the Munson name." 

Robin then appears out of nowhere, "Eddie, I'm not sure I love the idea of you driving." She says and he just answers "Oh, I'm just starting the sucker. Harrington's got her. Don't ya big boy?" Steve goes bright red and I giggle behind them. The RV starts suddenly, causing its owners to become aware that we are inside and we quickly speed away. Well, as fast as we can in an RV. 

-

Once safely in our way to the gun store, Fire and Rain by James Taylor playing on the radio. I settle into the passenger seat while the others sort themselves out in the back. "Hows the handle?" I ask Steve to which he replies with "Not half bad. Considering that this is a..house." I laugh and Steve smiles over at me. We sit in silence for several moments before he sucks in a breath "Yeah, it's.. it's silly, but I.. I've actually. I always had this dream that I'd have this really.... really big family. I'm talking, like, uh, a full brood of Harringtons. Like, five, six kids." My eyes widen and I scrunch up my nose "Six?" I ask.

Steve nods his head "Six little nuggets. Three girls, three boys. And.... and every summer, I figured us Harringtons, we would pack into something like this and just see the country. You know, the Rockies, Grand Canyon, maybe Yellowstone. End up on some beachside town in California. Spend a week parked in the sand. Learn how to surf or something." My heart squeezes, the picture he has for the future is so beautiful and hopeful. "That sounds nice." I manage to get out without my throat closing from emotion. He looks back over at me, a familiar look in his eye and I add "Well, except for the six kid part. That sounds like a total nightmare." Steve lets out a laugh before replying "I do wan't kids with you one day. Raise a family, you're good with kids."

This makes a lump rise in my throat and I lock eyes with him again "Steve." I say "I can't have kids." I see something break for him then and he asks "How do you know?" I sigh and rest my head against the chair "It was one of the things they did to me last time I was in the Academy when they trapped me in the basement. I was awake for the whole procedure, if I wasn't, I never would have known. My body heals too quickly to leave any kind of scare." My boyfriend looks at me with tears in his eyes "Lori, I am so sorry." I shrug, pushing back my own tears "It's fine." I insist. I have had a lot of time to come to terms with this anyway. 

-

Once at War Zone, we try to walk in as confident as possible so as not to stand out. As much as a bunch of teenagers can't stand out. "So much for avoiding angry hicks." Robin muses as we walk into the store which is filled with people who you would definitely consider as angry hicks. "Let's be fast." Nancy says looking as uncomfortable as the rest of our group. Except for me, this is like my play ground. I move away from the others and shoot Steve a wink "Be back in a minute." And I disappear into the crowd. 

This place has almost every weapon that the Academy had. Of course, the Academy also had specially made weapons to suit specific abilities and I know for a fact that I would never find them here. Lucky for me though as my abilities do not require a weapon to focus them. Otherwise, I would be totally screwed. I pick up things that are familiar to me before going to the check out. The man behind the counter gives me a confused look as I hand him my basket but he doesn't say anything, just tells me my total which I pay before leaving the store with the others in tow. 

Turns out that Nancy bumped into the high school guys that are hunting Eddie and they seemed to be suspicious as to why good girl Nancy Wheeler was in a store like that. Which means we are tearing the RV through the parking lot and out of that place as quickly as we can. Again. 

-

We, later, find ourselves in a meadow, far from any human interaction and we prepare ourselves for the battle ahead. I sit, flipping one of my knives in my hand before strapping it to the belt on my torso. "You look scary hot like that." Steve says standing in front of me, I look up at him, squinting against the sun "Thanks." I muse before he sits down next to me. "You've been avoiding me since the kid talk." He says nudging my arm, I have been because I am embarrassed and ashamed that I can't give him what he wants but I don't admit that. Instead, I say "I haven't, we've just been busy." Steve doesn't believe this, however, and sighs heavily before giving me a serious look "Do you think I'm mad or upset that you can't have kids?" He asks.

I look away and pick up another knife, balancing it in my hands "You have a plan for your future." I say simply "I can't give you that." I hear Steve scoff and he pulls me closer to him. "Lorlei, I have a plan for the future and you're in it. You will always be in it. We have a long time before we have to think about kids anyway and we can always adopt if we want some in the future. If we don't that's fine. I can live without children. I can't live without you." I feel a strong surge of love for the man in front of me and I lean forward and kiss him. "I love you, Steve Harrington." I say, his face lights up at the words "I love you too Lori." he says bringing me in for another kiss. 

Dustin screams a little further away from us and I see him and Eddie play fighting. I smile, I don't remember the last time we have been happy enough to just have fun like that. I hope after this is all done, they can have more moments like that.