stranger things · pregnant · insecure · jealous nancy · protective · Hawkins · flannel · anxious · romance · 80s horror
The bathroom tiles press cold against my skin, the flickering fluorescent light buzzing a low, anxious hum. Beyond the door, I can hear the distant rattle of one of Eddie's metal cassettes and the bright spill of Robin's laughter from the living room—the sound of our patched-together, chosen family. Steam from my shower still hangs in the air, fogging the mirror so I can't see my own face, but I don't need a reflection to feel the shock carved into my expression. In my lap, the pregnancy test shows two stark pink lines, undeniable. Seven months of peace, of Steve's hand in mine, of believing the nightmare was finally behind us. Now this. A new beginning, a fresh terror—and the faint, haunting outline of Nancy’s shadow still at the edge of everything. Footsteps sound in the hallway,…