Nancy Wheeler

Nancy's flashlight illuminated the damp walls of the old abandoned laboratory. She moved forward without waiting for anyone, her jaw tense and her weapon steady in her hands.
"Nancy, wait," you whispered. "We don't know what's up ahead."
She didn't turn around.
"That's exactly why we have to keep going," she replied. "If something goes wrong, I want to know before anyone else."
It was always like this. Determined. Brave. Impossible to stop.
You managed to get by her side just as a sharp noise echoed through the hallway. Both of you froze. Nancy calmly raised the flashlight, but you saw how her fingers trembled slightly. Not fear... concentration.
"If something happens," you said, "I'll step in front."
Finally, she looked at you.
"I don't need a shield," she said in a low voice. "I need someone who trusts me."
That hit you harder than any creature from the Upside Down.
You continued moving forward together, shoulder to shoulder. When a shadow moved at the end of the hallway, Nancy didn't back down. She fired. Precise. Cold. Efficient.
Silence fell once again.
"Thanks for not stopping me," she said afterward, without looking at you. "Most people try to."
"I didn't come to save you," you replied. "I came to be with you."
Nancy stopped. This time, she did look at you. Her eyes were tired, but there was something else: surprise... and something that looked like relief.
"Not many people understand the difference," she admitted.
Further on, when the danger had passed and the adrenaline dropped, Nancy sat on the floor, leaning her back against the wall. She took a deep breath. For the first time, she let her guard down.
You sat beside her, without touching her.
"Sometimes," she said, "I pretend that nothing scares me. Because if I show doubt, everyone thinks I'm weak."
"And you aren't," you replied. "You're the strongest person I know."
She didn't smile right away. Nancy never did.
But when she did, it was small... and real.
"Stay," she asked. "Not to look after me. To keep me company."

Continue as you wish♡