14 | Max

"Dear Billy, I don't know if you can even hear this. Two years ago, I would have said 'That's ridiculous, impossible.'. But that was before I found out about alternate dimensions and monsters, so...I'm just going to stop assuming that I know anything. So much has happened since you left. Your dad was a total mess. He and my mom started getting into fights, bad fights. I don't think he could stand being here without you, so he left. And he didn't leave mom much. She's take an extra job, and we moved to that lovely trailer park off Kerley. Basically, ever since you left, everything's been a total disaster. And the worst part is, I can't tell anyone why you're gone. I can tell them that you saved El's life. That you saved my life. I play that moment back in my head all the time, and sometimes I imagine myself running to you, pulling you away. I imagine that if I had, that you would still be here." she paused, wiping the tears away.

" And everything would be...everything would be right again. I imagine that we, that we could've become friends. Good friends, like, like a real brother and sister. And I know that's stupid. You hated me, I hated you, but I thought that maybe...maybe we could try again. But that's not what happened, I just...I stood there, and I watched. For a while, I tried to be happy, normal. But I... I think that maybe a part of me died that day too, and I haven't told anyone this, I... I just can't. But I had to tell you, before it's too late. if you can even hear this, I really hope that you can. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry Billy. love, your shitty little sister, Max." she read out, sat in front of his gravestone, crying and sniffing. Max's face dropped as she saw the sun disappear, the heavy grey clouds covering over the sun and the fog return. She wearily looked around, her breath hitching.

"Max."

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Steve's fingers drummed on the car door, his window rolled down and his arm resting on the ledge, watching Maxx. He glanced at his watch, pulling a face and opening the door. "All right, it's been long enough." he said, getting out and taking steps forward. Lucas was perched on the bonnet while Dustin had an arm resting on the opened car door, the other on the roof and one leg on the rim of the car. "Steve, just give her some time!" Lucas tried to persuade, looking at the older male. "I have, all right Sinclair. I'm calling it, if she wants to get a lawyer, she can." he insisted, turning around and walking up to her, Dustin and Lucas looking at each other.

"Max. Time to giddy up, yeah?" he said, jogging up to her, getting an uneasy feeling in his stomach as there was silence. "Max? Max. Max. Max!" Steve called, bending down before beckoning the others over.

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Max stood up, looking at the voice in disbelief. "I've been waiting to hear those words, Max. Waiting so very long." Billy said, taking small steps, gradually getting closer. "Wake up! Hey!" Steve shouted, clapping his hands in her face. Billy walked closer to her, he was still in the clothes he had on the day he died, blood splatted all over him. "But it wasn't the full truth, was it, Max?" he questioned, now right in front of her and holding his hand up, rubbing her cheek. "You know, I think there's a part of you, buried somewhere deep, that wanted me to die that day. That was maybe even relieved, happy." he spoke, staring at her. She shook her head desperately, looking at her brother. "Billy, no, that's not true." she insisted, taking small steps back. "That's why you stood there, isn't it, Max? It's okay, you can admit it now. No more lies. No more hiding." he told her. "Billy, that's not true, I swear." she pleaded, stepping back from him. "That is why you feel such guilt. Why you hide from your friends, why you hide from the world. And why, late at night, you have sometimes wished to follow me. Follow me into death, which is why I am here Max. To end your suffering, once and for all." he exposed, Max tripping over the ledge. Gasping as she saw Vecna before her, she quickly stumbled to her feet before running. "It is time, max. Time for you to join me." Vecna called.

"Max, you gotta get outta there! Can you hear me?" Lucas asked, shaking her slightly. "Call Y/n! And Nance and Robin! Go get 'em! Call Y/n, go!" Steve instructed Dustin who nodded, running as fast as he could to the car. "Shit, shit, shit, shit!" he repeated, grabbing the walkie-talkie out of the var. "Y/n? Do you copy? This is a code red, do you copy?" he hurried, pacing back and forth.

"Y/n!"

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"You're not listening, our friend is in danger!" Nancy argued, following Dr Hatch out. He huffed, not turning to look at her. "Do you really expect me to believe anything you have to say at this point?" he responded, taking them through the listening room, making sure not to interrupt the patients. "It's the truth!" Nancy huffed, trying to think a way to get out and Robin and Y/n following behind quietly. "You are free to tell your sob story to the police." he shouted as they exited into the gardens. "Victor said the night of the attack, everything went off in the house, but he made specific mention of music. He said music was playing. And, then, when we asked him about the angel, he started to him - dream a little dream of me. Hatch said that music can reach parts of the brain that words can't, so maybe that's the key - a lifeline back to reality." Y/n explained, Nancy and Robin agreeing. "It's worth a shot." Robin said, Nancy agreeing. "I think we can beat him." Y/n commented, both of them looking at them in confusion. "What?" they asked. "To the car." they said, Robin gasping. "I'm warning you right now, I have terrible coordination. Like it took me six months longer to walk than all the other babies." Robin rambled as Nancy nodded at Y/n, grabbing Robin's arm. "Follow my lead!" they called before they started running, Nancy and Robin following behind. "Hey! Get back here!" the guard called, Robin taking her shoes off and holding them, stumbling after the others as they jumped the wall.

"Oh my God!"

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Max crouched down, hiding behind a wall to catch her breath, praying he wasn't near. "You cannot hide from me, Maxine." Vecna called, standing at the opposite end of the path. Y/n, Nancy and Robin all ran through the entrance, the security still chasing after them. Y/n unlocked the door, climbing in as the others followed ignoring the guards calls of 'Stop! Get out of there!'. Y/n stomped their foot on the pedal, the car speeding off and leaving them behind. "Holy shit! Holy shit! Holy shit!" Robin repeated, looking out the back window. "Y/n, where the hell are you? This is a code red, I repeat, a code red!" Dustin's voice called from the walkie talkie, Nancy passing it to Robin to hold for them to speak into. "Dustin, bud, it's y/n. We copy." they spoke up, tapping the steering wheel.

"Holy shit. Finally! Please, please, please, tell me you guys have this figured out."

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Max looked around, the panic finally settling in. She regretted her attitude before - that it was over and this was it, pushing everyone away and even her friends who had been there all along, trying to help her. "Dustin! Lucas! Lucas please, help! Dustin!" she screamed, eyes widening as she saw the red mist appear in front of her. She stumbled forward, walking into it. Dustin emptied her backpack out on the bonnet, grabbing as many cassettes as he could along with the headphones, and brought them back over, dropping them in front of the group. max carefully walked through, seeing the wet ground she had now walked upon. In the centre, stood a dilapidated house, pieces missing and other bits floating around. "Max! Get outta there!" Steve called, one hand on Lucas and one hand on max. "What is her favourite song?" Dustin asked, looking at Lucas. "Y/n said if she listens...it's too much to explain now. What's her favourite song?" he repeated, Lucas panicking.

"What are you doing in here, Max? Come back to me." Vecna's voice called, Max stumbling as she stepped on a nest of spiders. She looked up in horror, seeing Chrissy and Fred's lifeless bodies wrapped against a pillar each. "How do you like them, Max? Would you like to join them?" he asked, grabbing Max's leg as she tried to run. "No!" she screamed as she was pulled back, tied to an empty pillar. "It's right here! I got it!" Lucas called, taking the cassette out to put in her Walkman before putting the headphones on her head. Max looked in the distance as she saw some sort of opening, showing reality and seeing Steve, Lucas and Dustin calling for her desperately. "They can't help you, Max. There's a reason you hide from them. You belong here, with me." Vecna said, tightening the Vines making Max cough, she shook her head, trying to fight still. "You're not really here." she reminded him as he chuckled, shaking his head. "Oh, but I am Max." he announced, holding his hand above her head. The boys stumbled back as Max's body lifted into the air, Steve making Lucas and Dustin go behind him, his hands in front and stood in a protective stance.

Max's gaze remained on the opening, thinking happy thoughts. Of earlier, when Lucas had gotten out of the car and reminded her that he was there for her, they all were. The times she had messed around with Lucas, their dates, him doing his stupid ideas. The time y/n had taken her and El out shopping when Mike was being a dick and wasn't seeing El (because of hopper), the times Y/n had sleepovers or taken her out as a treat - like an older sibling. Halloween - when she had first bonded with the group, when she had met Mike, the cinema with Lucas - the snow ball. When Lucas had asked her to dance, the first time they had kissed - Lucas being her person. She pulled away, catching Vecna off guard and pulling the vine from his neck. taking the chance of him stumbling to get up and run, towards the opening that had appeared. She barely dodged the rocks, ignoring the aching in her legs and muscles, just focusing on getting out - getting back to Lucas, getting back to her friends. She carried on going, avoiding Vecna's attempts of trying to stop her, launching herself at the opening and bracing herself for whatever impact.

She gasped, huffing as she dropped to the floor, the boys all shouting her name. Lucas lifted her up, so she was leaning on his lap in his arms. "Max! It's okay!" he said, hugging her tightly as she hyperventilated. "I thought we lost you." Lucas admitted, holding his face to hers.

"I'm still...I'm still here. I'm still here."