end zone | STEVE HARRINGTON

forty-nine

TW : Gore.

C H A P T E R F O R T Y - N I N E

season 4 episode 9 - THE PIGGYBACK

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THE OTHERS SAT IN THE CARAVAN AS NANCY WENT OVER THE PLAN. She turned around, facing them all as her voice dropped into a deeper one. "Okay. I wanna run through it one more time." Everyone paid attention to her, listening to her every word with their full attention. "Phase One."

"We meet Erica at the playground." Robin replied, there was no time for humor and everyone had a grim expression on their face. "She'll signal Max and Lucas when we're ready."

"Phase Two." Nancy said, holding up two fingers.

"Max baits Vecna." Steve answered, they had chosen for Max to bait him first and then for Anastasia to bait him to get his attention away from her and evidently save her. "He'll go after her, which'll put him in his trance."

"Phase three."

"Me and Eddie draw the bats away while Anna then baits Vecna." Dustin said next, as Eddie ruffled his head back and forth.

"Four."

"We head into Vecna's newly bat-free lair, and...flambé." Robin said, shaking the Molotov Cocktail they had previously made.

"Nobody moves on to the next phase until we've all copied." Nancy demanded, she was prepared for the battle but everything needed to go exactly as planned or else they would be in trouble. "Nobody deviates from the plan, no matter what. Got it?"

"Got it." Everyone repeated, getting themselves into position.

They got out of the caravan, heading over to Eddie's trailer to go back through to the Upside Down. Steve went through first, dropping down as he looked back up to them and shrugged his shoulders. Robin huffed and muttered sarcastically. "What does he want us to do, applaud?"

"Go Stevie!" Anastasia cheered, a smile on her face.

As Steve placed down the mattress for them, Delilah climbed through along with the rest of them. Dropping through their weapons, they were now back in the Upside Down and shills ran down Anastasia's spine again. Thunder boomed around them as Anna stood in the middle of Eddie and Dustin, she had yet to say goodbye to Steve and was planning on doing it in a moment.

Steve turned around, "Hey, guys, listen. If things here start to go South, I mean, at all, you abort. Okay? Draw the attention of the bats. Keep 'em busy for a minute or two. We'll take care of Vecna. Don't try to be cute or be a hero or something. Okay? You guys are just--"

"Decoys." The trio all replied as Dustin continued. "Don't worry. You can be the hero, Steve."

"Absolutely. I mean, look at us." Eddie said, looking between the two. "We are not heroes."

Steve nodded, and began to walk away before Anna grabbed onto his wrist and pulled him to the side away from everyone for some privacy. As Steve was about to say something she stopped him. "Don't. I need to say all of this before anything happens...I love you, Steve Harrington. I mean, I think I always have. I don't know when we are going to see one another next or if I'm even going to make it out of this alive but I need you to know that. I love you and I'm so proud of you. You are a hero and nothing you do will ever change that. So, if I don't make it out of here, just know, I'm always going to be with you."

Steve stared at her, not even bothering to wipe away the tears rolling down his cheeks as he listened to her words. "You're going to make it out of here, Anna."