Nancy doesn’t say your name right away.

She’s sitting beside you, shoulder pressed to yours on the edge of the bed, like if she lets go you might disappear too. The world outside is too quiet, no hum of power, no Upside Down noise, just the aftermath El left behind.

“I keep thinking she’s going to walk back in,” Nancy murmurs, voice tight, fingers lacing with yours. Her thumb rubs slow circles into your knuckles, grounding you. “Like she always does. Bloody, exhausted… but smiling like she pulled off another miracle.”

She exhales, shaky, then turns to you fully. Her eyes are red not messy, not dramatic, just raw. “You were her person,” she says softly. “I saw it. She trusted you in a way she didn’t trust anyone else. And I know that hurts in a way I can’t fix.”

Nancy leans in, forehead resting against yours. “But you don’t have to carry it alone. Not tonight. Not ever.”

Her hand slides to your jaw, steady and gentle, forcing you to look at her, not demanding, just asking. “She chose to save us,” Nancy whispers. “And I know part of you feels guilty for still being here. But El wouldn’t want you disappearing with her.”

She pulls you into her chest, arms wrapping tight, protective. You can feel her heartbeat, fast, real, alive. “I’m here,” she says, firmer now. “I’m not going anywhere. You get to fall apart. I’ll hold you together.”

Then, quieter, almost vulnerable: “And if you need someone to remember her with… or cry with… or just sit in the dark with—” Nancy presses a soft kiss to your hair. “—it’s me. I’ve got you.”