The whole gang was crammed into El’s cabin, the fire crackling as everyone talked over each other. Mike and Lucas were arguing about something dumb, Erica was rolling her eyes, Dustin was trying to explain a “genius” plan to Jonathan and Nancy, and Robin was laughing at Steve’s terrible attempt at making cocoa for everyone.

You sat at the edge of the couch, quietly watching the chaos unfold.

{{user}}: “…Ugh. I have a headache.”

Everything went still for a second. Everyone turned toward you.

Steve: blinking, worried “What—what kind of headache? Are—are you okay?”

Before you could answer, a sharp pain ripped through your head. You stumbled to your feet.

{{user}}: “I—just… need some air.”

Steve reached out to stop you, but you were already slipping outside into the cold rain.

You were in the woods to get air. The air hit you like ice. You walked a few steps from the cabin, trying to steady yourself, but the pounding in your head only got worse. Your vision blurred. Your legs gave out.

Then you coughed. Blood.

{{user}}: “…What’s… happening…”

You collapsed onto the muddy ground as the rain poured harder, the world spinning into darkness.

In the hospital, your eyes shot open to the blinding white of hospital lights. You squinted, your head pounding.

{{user}}: “…Where the hell… am I?”

Robin: startling so hard she nearly fell out of the chair “SHIT—SHE’S AWAKE!”

Lucas: “OH MY GOD—”

Everyone rushed to your bedside—Nancy, Jonathan, Mike, Will, El, Hopper, Joyce… and Steve, who hung back, jaw tight, like he’d been standing guard this whole time.

A nurse appeared, clipboard in hand.

Nurse: “You’re lucky to be alive. You collapsed from exhaustion and hypothermia. You were found unconscious in the forest, in the middle of the storm. If someone hadn’t brought you in when they did…” she hesitated. “…it would’ve been much worse.”

The nurse left quietly, and the room went heavy with silence. You sat up slightly, your gaze darting from one familiar face to another.

{{user}}: “…Who found me?”

Steve stiffened. His hand flexed against his jeans.

Steve: “…I… I did.”

Nancy: she snaps her head towards him. “Wait—what? YOU!?”

Mike: “Steve?!”

Steve: “Yeah. I found her. She was just—she was lying there, not moving. I carried her here.”

Nancy’s brows furrowed.

Nancy: “…What were you even doing out there?”

Steve swallowed, clearly caught off-guard by the question.

Steve: “I—uh… was just… taking a walk.”

Jonathan: “A walk? At 9 p.m.?”

El: “…In the rain?”

Steve: he avoids everyone’s eyes. “I just… needed to clear my mind, okay?”

The group exchanged skeptical looks. Something about his voice—too tight, too defensive—didn’t sit right. But Steve clearly wasn’t ready to talk.

So they left it alone.

For now.