14. Lover's Lake

A.N. Hello my lovely readers,

WE DID IT!!!! WE MADE IT TO 10K READS, WOOHOO!!!!!

Thank you all so much for all the love you have shown to my Steve Harrington story! It means the absolute world to me. As promised, here is the next chapter that was kindly rushed by my best friend prongsxwolfstarr . So, all your thanks can go to her for keeping me on track hahaha. For those of you who are Marauders Stans, we both are writing connected Marauders fanfic. Highly recommend to go read them; Hers is called Fallen Star, a James Potter fic and mine is the accompanied story to hers called My Flower, a Fabian Prewett fic.

This is also a reminder that there are only two chapters left until Volume 2 gets released on Netflix this July 1st. Who else is excited to see what happens on the show??  I cannot way to see how I can intertwine my story to the new episodes.

Alright, well, let's get back to the story shall we?

Xoxo,

Nik <3

☾.˚˖⁺✦Lover's Lake ✦˙⊹˚☽

TW // Horror

Song Guide: If I Could Turn Back Time by Cher

Dark fall quickly approached as the eight of them ran through the forest blindly chasing a hopeful lead. Dustin easily dodged through the many tree branches and bushes as Victoria struggled to stay close to him. Finding herself gasping for air in need of a break, she hunched over grasping onto her knees for stability. Trying to breathe steadily, she felt a familiar touch with the rough edges of rings on the smallness of her back.

Eddie bowed down to look at her face to face, "Hey, you okay?"

"Y-Yeah, just a bit... out of breath."

His dark eyes looked upwards seeing most of those in their group pursue on ahead. Another sound of footsteps approached them from behind.

It was Steve.

He knelt down to the ground gently resting his hand on her arm, "What's wrong? Are you okay?"

She saw the commonly annoyed look be exchanged between Eddie and Steve, who had been on each side of her now. The brunette girl was thankful for the two, but also very weirded out on the way to interact with them both. Finally, having a better breath of air, she straightened back up eyeing the two boys who followed her motion. "I'm fine, I just needed a break. That's all."

Eddie eyed her down carefully as Steve eyes were more solace to look at. Victoria felt an uncomfortable tension stir up between the three of them.

The dark haired boy shook his head at her in a disapprovingly manner as the brunette boy frowned.

"Get on my back.", they both spoke in unison.

Victoria looked at the two boys with a blank stare unsure what to say or do. Not giving her enough time to react, Eddie had been the one to pick her up as he threw her over his shoulder. If this had been any other situation, she wouldn't have been bothered by it at all, but now it felt as if it had been a way to claim his territory.

He stepped past Steve who let out a loud puff of air. She knew he must have been holding his composure to not say anything rude.

"Put me down, I can manage for myself!"

"No, no, no. When the Queen is tired, that means the royal aide steps in!"

"... That's not what a royal aide is."

"Shhhhh, I'm busy trekking the forest with the royal highness! Must stay focused at all times."

"Surprised you can even carry her.", Steve mocked.

"HEY!"

"No, I didn't mean it like that. I meant, uh, 'cause he's you know."

Eddie spun around rapidly nearly throwing Victoria off his shoulder, "I'm what, Steven?"

"That's not my name."

"No, actually I think it has a nicer ring to it. Steven."

He frowned as he pushed past the two now upset. Victoria huffed in annoyance as she forced herself off of Eddie. Her eyes trailed off on the brunette boy who was quick to disappear between the trees. She sighed as she dragged Eddie along making sure they didn't somehow get lost.

☾.˚˖⁺✦˙⊹˚☽

"Something's happening!", Dustin said in an exciting tone.

It had felt like they have been walking for days now. Everyone's feet had begun to hurt, some of the girls had leaves stuck in their hair, and the boys kept complaining on how hungry they were.

Eddie pushed away a large branch trying to keep track of her brother, "Dustin? Can you slow down? Dustin? Your sister has short legs!"

"Oh, please! She's a cheerleader, she's fi... I think we're getting close!"

Without looking the next few steps would have lead Dustin stepping into the icy cold water of Lover's Lake, but thankfully, both Eddie and Victoria pulled him back. "Watch your step, big guy."

"I do not have short legs!", Victoria snapped at Eddie.

The others quickly joined them.

"Oh, man.", came Steve's voice directly behind her. She could feel the chills run down her spine. Something about the brunette boy's voice had a grasp on the girl. "You gotta be shitting me."

"Yeah. I thought these woods were familiar.", Eddie responded.

Victoria's eyes were glued onto the water. The memories coming to her in the rush of the moment. The mocking laughters. Chrissy's screams for someone to pull her out. The sound of her choking on the water echoing into her ears.

"Lover's Lake.", Robin announced.

"This is confounding.", her brother let out.

"There's a gate in Lover's Lake?", Max questioned.

This couldn't have been a more worse area for there to be a gate in. The brunette girl was unsure she would be able to cope with the idea in stepping foot in the lake once again. A lake that held one of the most traumatic experiences of her life.

Although, she was confident she would not drown ever again, with the exception of someone or something holding her under. After what had happened to her in freshmen year, she had forced herself to join the school's swim team and be one of the best swimmer's there could be.

Summer of 1985, she had even taken on the position of being one of the lifeguards at the Hawkins Community Pool. She had gotten the job all thanks to Billy Hargrove, Max's stepbrother. Coincidentally, the same person who had given her private swimming lessons.

Her thoughts trailed off to the studious tone Nancy always had speaking away. "Whenever the Demogorgon attacked, it always left an opening. Maybe Vecna's the same way."

"So, we're going to invade Vecna's... home?", Victoria nervously questioned.

"Yeah, only one way to find out.", replied Steve.

Eddie threw a hand up in the air as he walked away from the group. "I've got it!"

Everyone trailed close behind him, curious to what the punk boy had been referring to. They approached a tarped area, as he exposed the boat underneath it.

"Wow, you're actually smart for once, E.", Victoria teased gaining her a bright smile from Eddie.

Steve knelt down grasping onto the boat with an agitated look, "Can you two stop flirting and can someone help me lift this shit up."

"Gladly.", Eddie responded pulling the boat upwards away from Steve's hands.

Max had been holding back a laugh, as everyone else seemed to be clueless by the odd interaction within the two boys. Victoria watched as they both struggled in dragging the boat over to the water.

"Easy. I... I said easy, man."

"Sorry, dude."

The small boat crashed into the water as the group got a bit splashed as an after effect. Robin smirked as she grasped onto Steve and Eddie's head stepping her way into the boat between them. Eddie was next to hop in the boat after her.

Holding out his hand for Nancy to join in. "Wheeler."

"Thanks."

Victoria approached looking at how cramped the boat was quickly becoming. The fear slowly creeping in around her like a slithering hug meant for suffocation. Eddie held out his hand, "My lady."

She laughed nervously trying to find a way to not have to go on the boat, "You sure we're all going to fit?"

He shrugged his shoulders in response not giving her time to decide if she wanted to go on the boat or not, he yanked her in almost causing her to fall into the water. Steve was quick to stand up grasping her by the waist. Her heart fluttered, amongst other areas.

Turning to see how close their faces had been, she could feel her cheeks flush. "Thanks."

"Yeah.", he smiled softly as he helped her into the boat.

Victoria squeezed next to Robin as she took a seat beside her. Dustin was next to attempt to board the boat. Eddie flicked his forehead, "Hey, hey , hey, you trying to sink us? This thing holds three people tops, and four is already pushing it, okay?"

Nancy stepped past Eddie, "It's better this way, okay? You guys stay here with Max. Keep an eye out for trouble."

"You keep an eye out! It's my goddamn theory, and do you really want the one person who's terrified of this lake to join you all?"

"DUSTIN!"

"What? Are you going to tell me you aren't scared shitless right now?", he looked at his sister with deep concern and slight jealousy of him not being on the boat.

"No, I'm not. Stay with Max. Steve will be with you guys."

"Excuse me what?", Steve replied.

"You heard her, Steve.", Robin said annoyed.

Dustin pointed at Victoria, "Who put her in charge?"

Robin smiled, "I did, now suck it up."

Nancy held out a hand in agreement with Robin, "Now compass?"

Dustin looked back at Victoria as she shrugged her shoulders at him, "Listen, Dustin, you've put your life at risk one too many times. It's my turn, okay?"

He groaned as he placed the compass into Nancy's hand. "Fine."

The four of them settled on the boat as Steve braced himself to push them off into the water. Giving one final push, he stepped into the boat with them ignoring any sense of how they would all fit without sinking.

"He said THREE!", Dustin yelled from behind.

Victoria smacked Steve's arm, "What are you doing! You're the babysitter, and you're doing a horrible job at it leaving them alone. And Max? Oh, god! MAX! Who's going to protect her?"

Steve sighed, "They'll be fine... They always are."

Something from the tone of his voice made him seem very unsure if that was even true. The brunette girl felt unsettled that her brother and the other two, she loved very closely to be as her own siblings, were now left alone to fend for themselves.

Robin tried to ease the tension, "Bedtime at 9 kiddos!"

She stood up waving at the three that had been left behind. Causing the boat to rock side to side, Victoria was quick to grasp onto Steve's hand feeling her paranoia take over for a few seconds. Maybe, her brother was right, she shouldn't have been the one to go on this boat.

Eddie and Robin took on the job on rowing the boat as Steve, Victoria, and Nancy had to awkwardly reposition themselves in order to not have one side lean towards the water more. The brunette girl took her spot in the middle as she had forced herself to sit in the puddle of water, allowing Nancy and Steve to sit on the other end.

She tried to avoid staring at them as she knew the more she looked at them the more she would realize she made a mistake in having to watch them both interact. Jealousy, was a factor that played in this as well.

Thankfully, Nancy had her eyes glued onto Dustin's compass. She stood up holding her hand out for Eddie and Robin. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, slow down. Slow down, guys."

Steve held a flashlight over the compass as they all attempted to crowd around to get a better look. The device had been going haywire. "Whoa."

"Ladies and gents, we've got ourselves an electromagnetic field!", Victoria squealed in excitement.

The brunette boy gave her a look as he tried to contain a smile away from the others.

The walkie talkie that Robin had taken along with them began to sound. It was Dustin trying to get through to them. "Guys, what's going on? Come on, talk to me. What's going on? Victoria?"

Robin picked it up as she replied, "Uh, Dustin, your compass has gone from wonky to wonky with a capital 'aah!' "

Steve began to remove his shoes and socks off.

"Woah, what are you doing?", Victoria questioned with bewildered eyes.

"Yeah, Steve, what are you doing?", Nancy questioned next.

"Somebody's gotta go down and check this thing out. Unless one of you three can top being a Hawkings High swim co-captain and a certified lifeguard for three years, then it's gotta be me. No complaints, all right?"

Steve attempted to stand as Victoria yanked him back down, "Um, complaint! But may I remind you I was the co to your captain and I was a lifeguard for two years. You're not going alone on this. No complaints, all right?"'

As much as Victoria hated the idea of having to take a dip into Lover's Lake again, there was one thing that overcame her fear. She did not want to risk Steve getting taken by this unknown monster who was terrorizing Hawkins. If there was one thing she could do, it was to go with him. Besides, things work better in pairs, as she told herself to ease her nerves.

"Listen, I'm not complaining. I do not wanna go down there, but I think Steve should go..."

"No! No one is going anywhere alone, and plus Robin said I was in charge, so that's my new... DECREE as queen."

Eddie laughed, "Okay, don't take advantage of that now..."

Steve stood up on the boat annoyed as he glanced down by the water, "Well, if you're queen than I'm king. And as the king, I order you to stay."

Victoria stood up causing the boat to rock slightly, "No."

The brunette boy proceeded to take his shirt off ignoring the girl's complaints. Frustrated, Victoria did the same as she was now standing with her laced bra out into the cold world. Steve's eyes immediately glanced down to her breasts.

A devious smile swept onto her face, "Are you staring at my boobs, Steve Harrington."

"I was not."

"Oh, yes you were."

"Not to intervene, but dude, I saw your eyes practically glued onto them... No judgement though, she does have some nice boobies.", Eddie chimed in.

"Eddie!", they both yelled at him.

Robin was the one staring at her breasts now as she nodded in agreement, "Boobies."

Feeling self-conscious, she placed her arms over her boobs. "Alright, enough of that all of you."

Steve shook his head again, "I'm sorry, but you are not coming with me and I am being SO serious on this right now."

She felt someone stuff something into her hand from behind, feeling the multiple rings touch her skin she knew it had been Eddie. Taking it upwards to look at it, she saw it had been a flashlight wrapped with a trash bag to protect it.

Taking a quick glance into the water, hearing every bad thought spin around her head, it was time to face her fear. She grasped onto the flashlight tightly as she looked Steve dead in the eye. "Try and stop me."

She dove into the dark cold lake.

☾.˚˖⁺✦˙⊹˚☽

Steve's Pov

"What the fuck! Like what the actual fuck.", Steve yelled into the emptiness all around him.

He stared blankly at the water, Victoria's body had just been engulfed into. Goosebumps filled his entire body as the memory of him saving her flashed back into his mind. Panic resurfaced onto the boy.

"I can't believe she fucking did that. I'm going in after her."

"Steve?", Nancy called out after him.

He turned to look at the girl he had once loved. "Be careful."

Those same words he had said to her were now said to him. He knew for a fact he no longer felt the way he had about the girl, but it was still nice to know she did care about him. He knew he would always care about her, not in a loving relationship way, but simply as a friendship form. The way he would do with Dustin and Robin. That is how he now viewed Nancy.

He softly smiled down at the girl giving her a reassuring head nod as he then dove after Victoria. Seeing the distant light only a few ways down from him, he managed to do wide strokes to pull him closer to her.

The only reason he had forcefully jumped into the small boat was the fear of knowing that the girl he loved would had to be the one to dive into the water. He wanted to protect her from that. He needed to protect her from Vecna. 

Steve made his way to her, grabbing her wrist giving her a frightful reaction. He took the flashlight out of her hand as proceeded to lead the way, now holding her hand to swim along through the depths of the water.

The two of them approached the bottom area where it had become a home of fish skeletons. He could feel her squeeze his hand as her eyes gave off that she was frightened.

As good as he was at hiding his emotions, he too felt scared. The uncertainty of what they would encounter was a crippling thought that was taunting them before their eyes.

His eyes were busy looking at the fish bones that Victoria pulled for him to look towards their right side. A red light had been beaming a few strokes away.

They had arrived at the mysterious gate in Lover's Lake. It seemed as if a crack in the earth had been formed, an entrance to hell. Well, that's what the Upside Down felt to be like for Steve at this point. A form of hell they could not quite seem to find an escape from.

Steve had been the one to approach closer to it as Victoria shook her head not wanting anything to do with it. He swam as close as he could get. Reaching his hand out to it, he felt an odd shock wave grasp his skin. It was a weird sensation that startled him enough to drop the flashlight. Pushing himself away from it, he dragged him and Victoria back up to the surface.

They both gasped for air as they swam back to the boat grasping onto it for stability.

"What the... fuck!", Victoria questioned.

"We found it!", Steve spoke to the other three.

"You found it?", Nancy got closer to the edge of the boat as so did the other.

"We found it. Yeah. We found it."

Robin walkie talkied to Dustin, "Dustin, you are a goddamn Einstein."

Victoria had been quiet, still trying to take in what she had saw down below.

"It's wild. It's more of a snack-size gate than the mama gate, but still, it's pretty damn big."

"T-There's a mama gate?", the brunette girl finally managed to say. She shook her head still in disbelief. "I can't believe it, this... It's all re--."

Victoria's words caught off as she fell under the water and then came back up coughing all over the place. "Steve, what the hell! That's not funny!"

The boy was unsure to what she was referring to. "I didn't, I didn't do anything."

With a final yelp, something had pulled the brunette girl down and under.

"Victoria!"

Preparing to dive in after her, there was no time as he too had been dragged under the water by an unknown source.