Chapter Text
Nancy slowly pulled away, staying close to Robin’s face. Her eyes drifted to her lips.
“Don’t even think about it, Wheeler.”
Nancy stepped back and stood beside the bed, pacing in circles, avoiding Robin’s gaze.
“I’d really prefer if you stopped walking around. You’re making me dizzy, you know?”
“I don’t regret it,” Nancy said. Even though she was trembling, she didn’t sound unsure.
“Regret what?” Robin wanted her to say it.
“You know what.”
“No, I don’t, Nancy. I’m kind of dumb with these things.”
“I don’t regret kissing you.”
Her eyes locked onto Robin’s, who was blushing slightly.
“I hope it helped you with Jonathan. Eddie told me you’re dating now.”
Nancy gave her a pleading look. “Robin, don’t do that. Jonathan and I… we’re not dating.”
She walked over and sat on the bed.
“Robin, I don’t know what to do. I want you in my life. I need you,” Nancy’s voice turned desperate again. “I can’t have you far away from me again.”
She gently cupped Robin’s face.
Nancy didn’t have all her internal mess figured out, but Robin looked so pretty… so kissable.
“If you feel like that, I feel even worse, Wheeler. And I don’t regret what happened either, you know? But…”
Robin got distracted by the longing in Nancy’s eyes, the way she touched her like she was something miraculous.
“But what?”
“The kiss just gave meaning to everything we’ve been doing, Nance. While I was in that hell, I remembered all those moments where… things felt different. Was it all just casual, Nancy?”
“No,” Wheeler interrupted, meeting her eyes again.
For the first time, Nancy wasn’t thinking about what she was saying. She was just talking, just feeling. Having Robin so close made her feel free—almost drunk.
“You’re still mine, Buckley. Even more so now,” she whispered near her ear.
“That’s exactly why I need you to tell me what we’re going to do. Because even if I really want to kiss you right now, I need more certainty, Nance.”
Nancy swallowed hard and rested her head on Robin’s chest.
“I’m scared. My parents would kill me, and who knows what they’d do to you. And the town too…”
“They don’t have to find out, Nancy,” Robin said, stroking her hair.
“And what happens when my parents realize I didn’t bring them a nice husband?”
“Husband? Wow, you’re really seeing a future for us, Wheeler?” Robin laughed.
“I wouldn’t have crossed an alternate dimension if I didn’t want you for the rest of my life, you know? And besides… what am I supposed to do about Jonathan?”
Robin scoffed and let her head fall back onto the pillow.
“You’re right. Your boyfriend.”
“He’s not my boyfriend. And—”
“You don’t have to do this if you don’t want to, okay? I just want us to be clear about what we do or don’t have, Nancy.”
Nancy lifted her head and looked into those beautiful blue eyes again.
“I love you.”
“And what are you going to do with that, Wheeler?”
Nancy thought for a moment. She was terrified—but she was more afraid of losing Robin. Of never being able to hold her hand again, or kiss her again. Now that she had, she needed it again.
Yes, she’d been irresponsible with Jonathan, but she could fix that. And yes, her parents scared her—but when she went to college, it wouldn’t matter. Robin was right. No one had to know.
“I’m going to do the right thing, princess.”
Nancy kissed Robin again.
This time the kiss was slower, more confident. Nancy led it, like she wanted to devour her, and Robin followed every move. Between kisses, Nancy focused on her lower lip, biting and sucking it gently now and then. Robin would’ve kept going, but she couldn’t breathe, and they pulled apart.
“Wow…”
“I’m going to break up with Jonathan,”
Nancy sighed, then laughed at the look on Robin’s face. “My lipstick looks good on you, Buckley.”
They both laughed, and Nancy headed for the door.
“You kiss me and leave? Again?” Robin teased.
“Next time I come back, I’m not leaving. So yeah.”
Nancy smiled at her from the doorway.
“You’re mine, Buckley.”
She opened the door and found Steve alone in the hallway.
“And Jonathan?”
“He went home. Is Robin okay?” Steve asked, stepping closer.
“Let her tell you. I’ll be back tonight.”
With that, Nancy left.
Steve entered the room and saw Robin smiling up at the ceiling.
“Did she drug you or something?”
Then Robin looked at him, and Steve covered his mouth. “You kissed, didn’t you?”
Robin nodded.
“She’s going to break up with Jonathan,” she said, excited.
Steve walked over and lightly hit her on the head.
“Why didn’t you tell me? I’m your best friend.”
Meanwhile, Nancy drove to Jonathan’s house. She rang the doorbell and waited.
“What’s going on, Nancy?” Jonathan asked, clearly tired.
“We need to break up. I realized I don’t feel the same, and actually… I feel something for—”
“Robin,” he finished. “You feel something for Robin. Yeah, I know.”
“You know?” Nancy looked scared.
“I don’t have a problem with it, Nance. I just wish I hadn’t been your… cover. Or whatever I was,” he said, grabbing her shoulder. “Nancy, I don’t care if you date her. You two always had a weird tension anyway. So do whatever you want.”
Nancy laughed and threw her arms around him.
“God, you’re incredible, you know that? If Robin didn’t exist, it’d definitely be you. But she does, and I’m madly in love with that idiot.”
They both laughed.
“Honestly, it took you long enough. You’re really jealous, Wheeler.”
“Stop saying that! I’m not.”
“Did you ask her to be official yet?”
“No…”
“What are you waiting for, idiot? You’re the one who messed it up in the first place. You’re the one who has to ask.”
“How do you know I messed it up?” Nancy asked.
“Well… Steve and I talk. A lot. About you two.”
Nancy rolled her eyes and walked away.
“Thanks, Jonathan. Really.”
Then she went straight to buy flowers.
Eddie was with Robin and Steve, arguing about how Robin managed to make Nancy fall in love with her.
“I still don’t buy it, Buckley. You don’t really look like… her type.”
“What are you talking about? I’m totally her type. I’m smart, tall, funny—”
“And, most importantly, beautiful,” Nancy added, entering slowly with a small bouquet.
“Oh no. Oh God. That’s so cheesy,” Eddie groaned dramatically as he stood up.
“Didn’t think I’d ever see Wheeler being cheesy.”
“Me neither,” Steve said, smiling.
Nancy blushed. “Yeah, me neither, honestly. But… thanks,” she said to both of them. “For making this easy and not… judging us. Especially you, Steve.”
She stepped closer to him. “I’m sorry I made you mad. I didn’t know how to handle this either.”
“What? Harrington bothered you?” Robin asked.
“No!” Steve defended himself. “I just didn’t want you to get hurt, and Nancy was acting like an idiot.”
Robin laughed. “Thanks for taking care of me, Steve. Now leave me alone with my beautiful friend.”
Eddie laughed loudly and dragged Steve out.
“Are those flowers for me, Wheeler?” Robin asked flirtatiously.
“Of course. They’re for the most…” Nancy paused. “Special person in my life.”
She walked closer and set the flowers down.
“Robin, I broke up with Jonathan and—”
She laughed nervously.
“Oh my God, you’re nervous,” Robin teased.
“Shut up, idiot! I’m trying to make this romantic,” Nancy said, sitting down and taking her hand. “I love you, Robin. And I know I was an idiot with a capital I, but I fixed it. And I want to be with you—if you’ll let me, if you want to.”
Robin looked at her, and all the dark thoughts she’d had on the other side disappeared. Nancy had suffered too, and that was okay. Now she was looking at her with almost puppy-like, pleading eyes.
“It’s going to be hard…”
“I know, Robin. But even so, I’m not going to be a coward again.”
“I love you too, Wheeler.”
“So… that means you’re my girlfriend, right?”
Robin sat up and lightly punched her arm.
“Are you dumb? Obviously I’m your girlfriend now. You better live up to it.”
They looked at each other—happy, free.
“I promise I will.”