It was after that night at the quarry when things between Jenna and Steve slowly started going back to how they were before.

The two hung out over the next few weeks, whether it was grabbing a burger at Leslie's Diner or parking at the quarry and just talking, most of which the main topic was Janet (because both of them avoided the subject of Nashville). At first, it was hard for either one of them to bring her up, but it got easier the more they reminisced, finally getting to the point where both of them were making their peace with what happened at Starcourt Mall and trying to move on like everyone else.

As the new school year was approaching, Hawkins was busier than ever, with parents driving all over town to get new clothes and supplies for their kids. While most of Jenna's old friends had already packed up their things and left town, there was one that still had some more time before starting this new chapter in her life.

In the aftermath of the mall fire, Jenna felt bad for not seeing Dana much, especially with all that she had gone through. But between losing her dad and having to move in with the Byers, Jenna understood that the girl needed some space in order to grieve. So when Jenna got word from Dorothy that Dana was leaving for college soon, she decided to pay her one last visit. However, after riding by the Byers' house and not seeing any cars in the driveway, Jenna began to have another idea as to where Dana could be. That was how she ended up parked at the edge of the woods one mid-August afternoon.

Jenna parked her car right at the treeline next to Dana's, turning the engine off and stepping out, where she glanced up at the opening ahead of her. Sighing, she began her walk down the familiar path in the woods, soaking up what sunlight was able to flood through the trees. She looked at her surroundings, remembering the last time she was here and already noticing the emptiness of it all. When she made it to Hopper's cabin, she spotted Dana on the porch, leaning against the railing as she read a note, causing her eyes to water a little.

"I thought I'd find you here," Jenna called out to her.

Looking up with a slight scare, Dana quickly blinked away any tears, using her sleeve to wipe any that managed to fall down her cheek, letting out a weak smile. "Jenna," she mumbled, walking around the railing and to the top of the stairs. "What are you doing here?"

"Looking for you," she answered. "Figured you'd want to see this place one last time before you leave."

Dana sniffled, nodding her head and looking back at the cabin. "I've been coming here since the night of the fire. It makes me feel closer to him."

Jenna's heart sank, feeling pity for her. She stared up at the now abandoned shack, observing the damages on the siding and the leaves and dust piling all around. All she could think about was the home Hopper managed to give to three kids who deserved better, who deserved a chance at life like everyone else. He gave them a home when no one else did, memories that would forever float around the cabin and in the minds of Dana, Carter, and Eleven. And now, like the rest of the Hawkins, they would have to continue on with their lives without him.

"How are you?" Jenna asked with sincerity.

Dana let out a scoff in response. "To be honest, it's all been a lot to take in. You know, with the town making his death a big deal." She paused, scoffing. "I mean, I know what he did was heroic, but..." The girl stopped talking and let out a shaky breath before continuing on. "I just can't believe he doesn't even get to live after all the shit we've been through, especially now that I'm leaving to go to college." She paused again, shaking her head. "We didn't talk about it much all summer, because we both knew it made us kind of sad. Now that's all I wanna do and I can't because he's gone." Dana waved the piece of paper while trying to swallow down her tears. "And all I have left is this letter from him."

Jenna's face fell at her words. "I'm sorry. I should've been there for you after that night."

Dana flashed a grateful smile, with a hint of sadness curled up at the corner of her lips. "Thanks."

Jenna smiled back, clearing her throat before the silence could take over. "So when do you leave for college?"

"Tomorrow, actually," she replied, digging into her shirt pocket and pulling out a lighter and small bag. "Thought I'd get in one last joint before I left."

Jenna laughed, shaking her head in response. "Need some company?"

Her eyes now beaming, Dana jumped down the stairs and onto the ground, leading Jenna down the same way from before. She already started rolling one joint, finishing up when they made it to the logs. "You gonna smoke one with me this time? It is my last day in Hawkins."

Jenna playfully rolled her eyes in response. "Dana--"

"It's been a shitty summer, Jenna. We deserve this."

Sighing, Jenna extended her hand out. "Okay." I guess I can make another exception.

Dana passed the joint over to Jenna and got to work on the next one, smiling a little. "I bet my dad would be having a cigarette right now if he were here."

In a weird way, Jenna really could imagine Hopper and Dana bonding while smoking together. It wouldn't have surprised her if that was something they did had he survived the fire. "I'm surprised Eddie's not out here with you," she commented, changing the subject before things got too emotional again.

Dana scoffed as she finished up with her joint, pulling out her lighter. "I'm kind of annoyed with him right now. He doesn't seem to care that he's about to start his senior year for the third time."

"Well, third time's a charm, right?" Jenna replied jokingly.

"Yeah, let's hope it is this time," Dana stated, lighting Jenna's joint before going back to her own.

Jenna took a drag from her joint, puffing out the smoke into the air, feeling the relaxing sensation quickly come over her. "You know, I was actually trying to quit smoking," she confessed. "And now, this is the second time since I've been back in Hawkins."

"When was the first time?"

"A couple of days before the mall fire," she answered. "With your boyfriend."

Dana furrowed her brows in confusion as she blew out some smoke and glanced over at Jenna. "Why were you with Eddie?"

"Well, my mom picked me up from Steve's house and--"

"Wait, you were at Steve's house?" Dana cut her off, positioning herself so that she was facing her. "As in, you stayed the night?"

Jenna inhaled her joint, delaying herself from having to answer the question. "Yeah," she finally mumbled. "Although it's not really a fun story of how I ended up there." She almost twitched at the thought of those events leading up to Steve finding her in the middle of the road that rainy night. "And before you ask, no, nothing happened between us that night."

A small grin came across Dana's lips in response. "How is he, by the way? I haven't seen him around much since all of the funerals."

"He's doing okay," Jenna replied.

"And what about you?"

Shrugging, Jenna huffed a sigh. "Better," she admitted. "It's still hard some days, but I'm hanging in there."

Nodding, Dana took a moment to work on her joint before speaking again. "You know, Janet and I planned on being roommates at Hanover. We both figured that sticking together after all we've been through was a good idea." It didn't take long for the smile on her face to weaken. "Not sure who I'll end up getting now."

"Probably a normal person."

"Well, at this point, fuck normalcy."

Jenna let out a chuckle in response, though the amusement faded before she spoke up again. "Janet told me that Steve was bummed out about her leaving for college. I just hope he doesn't get like that when I leave for Nashville."

"You're leaving again?" Dana inquired in surprise.

"You really think it's a good idea for me to stay after all the shit we went through this summer?" Jenna pointed out.

"I think that's exactly why you should stay," Dana stated.

"What?"

Leaning back on the log, Dana smoked more of her joint, the smoke clouding her face as she looked over at Jenna. "You're really gonna move back to a city where no one actually knows who you are and what you're capable of? You fought monsters and evil Russians, for crying out loud! You saved Will Byers' life! Hell, you saved this entire town! You did all of that, and you wouldn't be able to tell anyone in Nashville about it."

Jenna started to feel her mood heightening with every second, along with her vision becoming less clear the longer she avoided glancing at Dana. She let Dana's words sink in, despite her mind starting to get distorted from the amount of weed now in her system. Still, that didn't stop her from replying. "Well, it's not like anyone would believe me, anyway."

"That's not the point, Jenna," Dana said. "The point is that you can't be yourself around your friends and family there like you can with us here. They'll never see you like we do."

The last sentence made Jenna whip her head all of a sudden. She remembered something being said similar to her almost a year ago, picturing the more intimate setting that was Steve's kitchen and hearing his soft voice against her face.

I just want you to know that I see you.

Even in her foggy state, she could recall that exact moment where everything changed between them, where the term "best friends" became more complicated, to which neither of them were prepared for it. She remembered him leaning in with no warning, no other thoughts in the back of their drunk minds telling them it was a bad idea. And even after the fights and awkward conversations they had since then, there was still something that loomed over them, which everyone was able to see plain as day, even when Steve and Jenna stopped talking about it anymore.

"Look, everyone will support you no matter what you decide," Dana spoke up again, her body loosening up. "Just be sure that you're making the right choice."

Jenna let out a sigh and went back to working on her joint, feeling the environment around her start to spin.

*******

It was later that night when Jenna abruptly woke up in a sweat, an insufferable headache, and a bloody nose that she realized getting high with Dana did more harm than good.

Back when she often bumped joints with her friends, Jenna was able to come down from a high with the right remedies to hide it from her mom. However, she now had her powers to deal with when she wasn't sober, and with this being her first high and episode in a long time, it only made Jenna feel even worse than usual.

When Jenna looked around, she quickly realized that she was in her car, still parked at the edge of the woods, only Dana's was not beside hers like before. She attempted to jog her memory, recollecting when the girls finished their joints and sat around for a while as the sun was about to set, though Jenna didn't remember anything they talked about during that time. But she did remember Dana suggesting they leave so that she could finish packing, which meant they walked back to their cars together. Jenna came to the conclusion that she passed out once she got settled into the driver's seat.

Exhaling, she started the car, almost widening her eyes when she saw the time being almost midnight, and headed out onto the main road, her grip tight on the wheel so that she stayed awake while driving. Instead of going back to her house to try and sleep off the after effects of getting high--knowing her mom would be pissed if she came home in her current state--she made her way over to the one person who could help her with it.

When Jenna pulled up in front of the Harrington residence, she thought her vision was playing mind games when she saw the car belonging to Steve's dad parked in the driveway, indicating that his parents were actually home for once. Her eyes went over to Steve's BMW next (much to her relief) as she turned off the car and got out, staring up at the house, trying to figure out how she would explain to Mr. and Mrs. Harrington why she showed up unannounced and in the middle of the night. But as she started walking up the driveway with no excuse in mind, she heard the faint sound of music coming from the backyard. She carefully treaded towards the gate left ajar, peeking through to find Steve sitting by the pool with a Coke can in his hand. She was about to knock on the gate, only to find herself stumbling over her feet and pushing it open instead, causing Steve to jump and whip his head towards her.

"Jenna?" he called out, his expression filled with confusion, adjusting his glasses.

"Heeeey, Steve," she said, trying to play it cool while standing upright again, trying not to focus too much on her stomach now growling from hunger.

"What are you doing here?" he asked. "You know it's super late, right?"

"Yeah, I know," she said, slowly walking towards him. "It's, uh..." She paused, letting out a nervous chuckle in the process. "It's kind of a funny story, actually..." Jenna plopped onto the chair next to him, the wave of nausea starting to hit her.

"Jenna, your nose is bleeding." Steve sat up from his chair in order to get a better look.

With wide eyes, Jenna muttered, "Shit," and quickly used her arm to wipe it off, forgetting that it was even there in the first place.

The realization came to Steve, causing his face to fall a little. "You had another episode," he stated.

"Yeah, well, I guess that's a new side effect of smoking weed," she responded jokingly.

He raised his eyebrows, more puzzled than ever. "Wait, are you high right now?"

"Not anymore," she answered. "At least, I don't think I am..."

"Okay, just stay here and I'll get you some food and water." Steve got up from his chair and hurried back inside the house, leaving Jenna alone.

She glanced around the empty backyard, then shifted her eyes to the calm pool below. Suddenly, the memories of the night Barbara Holland vanished came flooding back, where she was able to see herself with Steve, Janet, Tommy H, Carol, and Barbara in front of her. She replayed the memory of them (minus Barbara) cheering Nancy on as she shotgunned a can of beer, then it skipped to when they all jumped into the pool, swimming around and splashing each other. Jenna smiled a little as she reminisced, feeling a bit sentimental over the flashback and her eyes burning over them getting a little watery.

"I'm back!" Steve called out, breaking Jenna out of her thoughts, looking over at him holding a bottle of water and a plate with a grilled cheese sandwich. "I made this earlier and only ate half of it. Sorry it's kind of cold."

"You made a grilled cheese sandwich all by yourself?" Jenna quipped.

"Believe it or not, yeah, I did," he admitted proudly. "I've been slowly learning the basics. Figured that was better than sitting around and listening to my dad yell at me for still not having another job." He paused, his body language becoming uneasy. "So now I just listen to him yell at me while making grilled cheese sandwiches."

Jenna flashed a small smile at him, taking the water and plate from his hands. "Thanks for this," she mumbled, digging into the sandwich. "Fuck, this is really good."

Steve laughed as he watched Jenna finish the rest of the grilled cheese. "So, wanna tell me why you got high tonight?"

"It was Dana's idea," she quickly said in a defensive manner. "I mean, I did try to say no, but it was her last day in Hawkins before she leaves for college tomorrow. And like she said, it's been a shitty summer."

He scoffed in response. "Tell me about it."

Once Jenna was done with the sandwich, she took the water and downed most of the bottle in one go before speaking again. "Anyway, why are you out here so late?"

Steve leaned back in his chair, sighing. "Couldn't sleep."

"Nightmares again?"

He shook his head. "Just a lot on my mind, that's all."

Nodding her head, Jenna took another sip of her water, the headache beginning to subside. "You wanna talk about it?"

Steve glanced down at his hands, shrugging. "It's nothing."

"Clearly it's something if you can't sleep."

He kept his eyes away from her, a hint of melancholy coming through, no matter how hard he was trying to fight it. "It's just...everyone is leaving town for college, moving on with their lives, and I'm still stuck here. I couldn't even get into Tech, which my dad likes to rub in my face whenever he gets the chance." Pausing, Steve looked away and out at the pool. "I have no future, Jenna."

"That's not true and you know it."

Steve scoffed in response. "Easy for you to say. You're leaving for Nashville soon."

"It's not like I'm never gonna come back and visit." She then realized what she said and backtracked. "I mean, I know that I didn't visit the last time I left like I said I would, but that won't happen again. Not this time."

He opened his mouth, as if he was about to protest her words, letting the sadness in his eyes take over as he turned to face her. "You promise?"

Jenna's face fell as she continued staring at him, nodding her head. "I promise."

Steve flashed her a small smile while taking a sip of his Coke. "I'm glad you came over tonight."

"Me, too," she replied. "There was no way in hell I could get away with being high from my mom."

"Yeah, she'd definitely freak out," he added. "Remember that one time me, you, and Janet got high at Reed's house and almost jumped in the lake?"

"Oh my God, yes!" Jenna laughed. "I'm surprised we even got home that night."

"I honestly don't even remember how we got home that night."

The two continued to chuckle over the memory, beaming as the tension was slowly lifting between them. Jenna glanced back at the pool, the lights shining on the ripples.

"Speaking of swimming..." Trailing off, she kicked off her shoes and pulled off her socks, standing up from her chair.

"What are you doing?" Steve asked, shooting her a puzzled look like before.

"A midnight swim doesn't sound too bad right about now." Jenna headed over to the diving board, carefully stepping on it and steadily walking to the end.

"You're crazy," he said, getting up as well.

"Oh, come on, we did it once, remember?"

"That was Tommy H's doing, not mine."

"Still, we had fun, didn't we?" Once Jenna reached the edge, she looked down at the water, teasing her jump, which made Steve almost flinch. "Why so scared, Steve?"

"I'm not," he quickly argued. "I just don't want you to get hurt."

"Why, 'cause I smoke some weed and now I'm a walking hazard?"

"Yes, that's exactly--"

All of a sudden, Jenna slipped and lost her footing on the board, letting out a scream as she fell into the water. Her nose began to burn the moment she went under, hearing the sound of another splash and feeling a pair of arms pull her up to the surface, coughing and spitting up water that got into her mouth.

"Are you okay?" he asked frantically, panting hard as he held onto her.

Once Jenna got the water out of her system, her panic turned into amusement as she began to snicker. "I'm...fine..." she answered in between laughs.

"Oh, thank God," he muttered in relief. "You scared the shit out of me."

"I'm sorry," she said, still in a fit of giggles as she floated away from him.

Playfully shaking his head, Steve splashed water her way, a grin coming across his lips. "You really are crazy, Jenna."

"Says the one who jumped in to save me," she pointed out, kicking water at his face.

Instead of heading towards the ladder to get out of the pool, Steve swam back over to Jenna, pushing more water at her, leading to her doing the same back to him. The two found themselves in a splashing fight with each other, screaming and laughing while swimming around in the pool, trying to get away from each other. Eventually, they made their way back in each other's proximity, with Jenna placing her arms on Steve's shoulders and his hands on her waist, much to her surprise. With their labored breathing, Jenna started to feel her heart rate increase the longer she stared into Steve's brown eyes, and him lifting his hand to move some of her tangled hair out of her face only made it skip a beat and the growing knot inside her stomach get tighter. As every second went by, they waited to see which one would pull away first, though both of them remained still. But after another moment passed, Jenna finally let go of Steve and cleared her throat.

"I-I should go," she said, treading the water until she made it to the steps, quickly getting out of the pool.

"Are you sure?" he asked, swimming towards the steps and following her back to their chairs.

"Yeah, my mom's probably worried," she stated, gathering her socks and shoes.

"Well, let me at least get you a towel."

"I'm fine," she tried to assure him, despite dripping wet from head to toe. "Thanks for the grilled cheese and water."

"Jenna--"

"I'll see you later, Steve." With that, she spun around and dashed down the driveway and back to her car, stopping to look back at the backyard one last time, where a part of her thought she heard Steve running after her.

But all she saw was the gate now closed and the lights no longer on.

~~~~~~~

A/N: Okay, I know I said things were gonna get more fluffy, but to be fair, this chapter was not originally the one I had planned on writing LMAO.

Anyway, what do we think?

Also, I have this idea of writing ANOTHER Steve Harrington fic. Thoughts on that?

Comment, vote, more to come soon!

-A