Chapter Text
The crossing back into the real forest leaves them both dazed.
The cool air hits their faces like a shock.
Normal sounds — crickets, wind, leaves — feel so strange after the Upside Down that they almost hurt.
Steve keeps one hand at Jonathan’s waist, guiding him slowly between the trees until they finally reach the road.
Steve’s car is exactly where he left it,intact, normal,real.
They get in.
Jonathan sits in the passenger seat, still pale, still hollow inside.
He stares out the window without really seeing anything, like someone who has just returned from a place no one should ever see.
Steve gets in on the other side and closes the door gently — as if any noise might break Jonathan all over again.
He takes Jonathan’s hand. Jonathan squeezes back.
And then…A pang. Steve feels it in his chest. Is it really over? Is Vecna really dead? Did it all truly end?
Uncertainty fills the air. He picks up the walkie-talkie. “anyone on the line? anyone? please answer…”
Static.
And then, finally— “Steve? is that you?” nancy.
Relief floods him.
“Yes! i’m here. can you hear me?”
“our walkie broke during the fight. we don’t know anyone’s status. are you okay? and jonathan…?”
Steve looks at Jonathan, who manages a tired nod.
“we’re okay. now we are.”
On the other end, Nancy exhales.
“Robin and i set everything on fire. vecna’s entire body. it turned to ash. now we need to find out about everyone else.”
Steve closes his eyes, like it’s too much information to process all at once.
“i’ll try to find out. hang on.”
He clicks off.
Then tries again.
“anyone on the line? Dustin? Lucas? Eleven? Hopper? anyone!”
Static.
Hopper’s voice, deep, rough, scraped raw: “Steve…?”
Steve holds his breath. “hopper…?”
And then the words that shatter the weight of the war:
“we did it, kid. we won.”
Silence.
Steve’s brain takes a few seconds to understand. His heart takes less than one.
He lets the walkie fall.And his body collapses against the steering wheel. Steve starts to cry.
.It’s big,Heavy. The kind of cry that comes from someone who carried the world on his back for far too long.
Jonathan turns slowly, even exhausted, even weak. “Steve… Steve… hey…” he touches Steve’s arm. “calm down. i’m here.”
He takes his hand. “it’s okay… it’s over. it’s over.”
Steve tries to speak, but only a sob comes out.
Jonathan insists, lowering his head to meet Steve’s eyes “hey… look at me… steve. look at me.”
Steve lifts his face, crying freely.
Jonathan says it with a small, gentle smile “i know this isn’t a sad cry.
it’s relief,it’s joy,we made it.”
Steve lets out a laugh that immediately turns into more tears.
“i thought…” his voice breaks, he breathes in. “i thought i was going to lose you. i thought… i wouldn’t be able to bring you back. i thought—”
Jonathan pulls him closer, brings both hands up to Steve’s face.
Steve looks at him, eyes red, breath uneven, still shaking.
Jonathan leans in and kisses him.
It’s slow. Gentle. But full — like something that’s been waiting a long time to exist.
Steve freezes for half a second, then melts into it, his hand tightening in Jonathan’s jacket as if anchoring himself there.
When they pull back, Jonathan rests his forehead against Steve’s.
They stay like that for a few seconds. Forehead to forehead, breathing the same air, tears still slipping down their faces, small, shaky smiles breaking through the exhaustion.
Alive. Together. And finally safe.
And the two of them hold each other inside the car, a full embrace. Strong. Warm.
The embrace of survivors, of those who fought to the very end, of those who came back.
They stay there — breathing together, holding on tighter than ever.
And for the first time in a long while, the world goes quiet.
They are alive and together.
Joyce’s house was full.
Hopper, Eleven, Nancy, Robin, Lucas, Max, Dustin, Will…
Everyone was there, as if none of them wanted to be alone after what had happened.
The living room lights were on, a sense of safety hanging in the air, even though they were all still shaking inside.
Suddenly—
A pair of headlights lit up the window.
Joyce, her hands restless, froze. “…it’s a car,” she whispered.
Hopper stood up.
Will and El did too.
But Joyce moved first — almost flying toward the front door.She opened it and ran.
And there they were.
Steve stepping out of the car, helping Jonathan down as if he were made of glass.
Joyce didn’t hesitate.She ran straight to her son.
“jonathan!”
Her cry broke halfway through, full of relief, fear, pain, love. She wrapped him in such a tight hug she nearly knocked him over.
Jonathan melted into her arms, holding on just as tightly, as if he needed to prove he was real, that he was there, that he had come back.
They both started to cry.
Not small tears — but the kind that come from reunion, from seeing the worst and still making it home.
“oh my god… my god, jonathan… thank god…” Joyce kept saying, her hands moving over his face, his hair, checking every part of him, like she needed to be sure he was really there. “you’re okay… you’re really okay…”
Jonathan smiled — tired, weak, but alive.
Joyce’s voice shook as she spoke again.
“i was so afraid of losing you,” she said softly. “and i know i haven’t always been a good mother to you…”
Jonathan tried to speak, to protest, but Joyce shook her head gently.
“no, jonathan. let me say this,” she said, breathing in deeply. “i know i wasn’t the mother you needed sometimes. you had to grow up too fast. you had to work too young. i treated you like an adult when it was convenient for me.”
Her voice broke.
“but you’re not an adult. you’re a kid. my kid. my son.”
She took a shaky breath, tears spilling freely now.
“When i thought i was going to lose you… all i could see was you small again. that little boy who went through so much, far too early.”
“i’m sorry,” Joyce whispered. “and i promise you, with all my heart, that i’ll be better for you. a better mother. you deserve that.”
Jonathan collapsed into her arms, crying openly now, holding her even tighter.
They smiled through tears, both of them shaking, both of them still holding on.
That was when Will ran forward.
He didn’t say anything. He simply threw himself into Jonathan and Joyce’s arms, forming a three-way embrace — tight, long, silent.
El and Hopper joined them, wrapping their arms around all three.
An entire family finding each other again after almost losing a piece of themselves.
Jonathan closed his eyes, letting himself be held by them.
When they finally pulled back just a little, Joyce kept one hand on Jonathan’s face, smiling through tears. “my boy… my boy came back to me…”
Jonathan smiled, shy and exhausted.
Will stood there for a few seconds, staring at his brother as if he still couldn’t quite believe it.
“you… you’re okay?” Will asked, his voice shaking.
Jonathan placed his hands on Will’s shoulders, and then they hugged — just the two of them. The kind of hug only brothers who have been through hell together can share.
“i’m really glad you’re okay, jon…” Will murmured into his shoulder.
“i’m really glad you’re here, will,” Jonathan replied.
A moment just for them.A moment only siblings who have suffered so much together can have.
They pulled apart, and El stepped forward, wrapping Jonathan in a hug.
When she leaned back, she smiled and said softly,
“i was afraid of losing my big brother.”
Jonathan smiled back at her.
“you’ll never lose me, El” he said gently. “and… thank you for saving my life.”
Then Hopper stepped in and pulled Jonathan into a rough, tight hug.
“don’t ever put yourself in danger like that again, kid,” he said gruffly.
Jonathan let out a small laugh. “i’ll try.”
After Hopper and El stepped away, Nancy moved closer.
She didn’t hesitate. Nancy wrapped Jonathan in a tight hug, holding him like she was afraid he might disappear again.
“please,” she said against his shoulder, her voice shaking. "Don't ever do that to me again.”
Jonathan let out a soft laugh, his eyes still bright with tears. “yeah… definitely not doing that again.”
Nancy pulled back just enough to look at him, her expression serious but full of feeling.
“we’ve got shared trauma,” she continued quietly. “that means we’re connected for life.”
She took his hand. Carefully, deliberately, she pressed her palm against his, lining up their scars — the marks etched into both their hands.
A silent understanding. A bond forged in pain, survival, and everything they’d lived through together. Jonathan squeezed her hand. And for a moment, neither of them needed to say anything else.
Dustin was the first to notice Steve.
His face lit up — and then crumpled. He crossed the room in seconds and threw his arms around Steve, holding on tight.
“I was scared,” Dustin said, his voice muffled against Steve’s jacket. “I thought i was going to lose you.”
Steve froze for a heartbeat.
Then he hugged him back just as tightly, one hand pressing against the back of Dustin’s head.
“hey,” he said softly. “i’m here. i’m not going anywhere.”
Dustin sniffed, pulling back just enough to look at him.
“don’t ever do that again,” he said, half serious, half relieved.
Steve smiled, tired but real.
That was when Robin stepped in.
She didn’t say anything at first. She just wrapped her arms around Steve and held him — long and fierce, like she was afraid letting go might undo everything.
“I love you,” she said, her voice shaking. “and i wouldn’t survive this without you. i wouldn’t survive without my best friend.”
Steve swallowed hard. He hugged her back, resting his chin against her shoulder.
“I love you too,” he said quietly. “you’re stuck with me.”
Robin laughed through tears. “good.”
Dustin leaned back in, throwing an arm around both of them.
The three of them stayed there for a moment —
holding on, breathing together, alive.
Joyce, her eyes still shining, turned to Steve.
He stood there, unsure what to do with his hands.
But she didn’t hesitate. Joyce hugged Steve with the same strength she had hugged her son.
Steve froze for a second, surprised
Then, slowly, he hugged her back, closing his eyes, letting a tear slip free.
Joyce spoke softly against his ear: “thank you. thank you for bringing my son back. thank you for not giving up on him. thank you for saving his life.”
Steve tried to brush it off, but she didn’t let him. “you’re part of our family now. do you hear me?”
“I…,” Steve swallowed hard. “i hear you.”
Joyce pulled back just enough to look him in the eyes. “we’re a family. all of us. you too.”
Steve took a deep breath, his face red, trying to smile without crying again. Because no one had ever said that to him. No one.
He looked over at Jonathan, who was now surrounded by Dustin, Robin,Lucas, and Max — all hugging him, all touching his arm, all saying things like “you made it, man,” “i’m so happy,” “oh my god, you’re back.”
Jonathan smiled, tired, but truly happy.
And Steve realized: Yes. They were a family.
The kind of family he had always wanted. And watching Jonathan being hugged, cared for, loved by everyone…
Steve knew that everything —every fight, every scar, every song sung through tears —had been worth it. Because Jonathan was alive. And he was home.
Joyce’s house felt far too small for so many people.
But no one cared. The improvised table in the living room was full of plates, mismatched cutlery, homemade food, and laughter.
So much laughter.
Hopper was arguing with Joyce, laughing.
Joyce rolled her eyes, smiling right back.
Max and Lucas were betting on who could eat more pancakes.
Dustin was explaining something about “wormhole” — no one understood a word.
Will sat close to Jonathan, touching his arm now and then, just to make sure he was really there.
And Jonathan…
Jonathan laughed.
He laughed loudly, genuinely, with Nancy, remembering some stupid high school story — something that only made sense to the two of them.
And it was so good to see him laugh.
So good to see him light.
So good to see him alive.
Steve sat at the corner of the table, watching everything.
He didn’t say much.
He just looked around — the warm lights, the friends, the stories crossing the room, the jokes, the chaos, the small big family they had built.
And he looked especially at Jonathan.
The way Jonathan threw his head back when he laughed.
The way his eyes lit up when Nancy brought up old stories.
The way, every now and then, even while laughing, Jonathan searched for Steve’s gaze — and when he found it, he smiled in a small, intimate way, just for him.
Steve felt his chest warm.
That boy had almost died in his arms. Had almost disappeared twice.
And now he was there — laughing, alive, loved, whole.
That’s what family does, Steve thought.
Robin nudged his arm. “hey, steve. you okay?” she asked, smiling lightly, but with attentive eyes.
Steve looked at her. Then looked around:
Hopper serving more food.
Joyce arguing with him, but smiling.
Will and Jonathan talking quietly.
Nancy laughing at some memory.
Eleven leaning against Max.
Dustin explaining absurd theories.
Lucas talking way too loud.
And all of them — all of them — alive.
Alive.
Steve took a deep breath. He felt his heart full. Fuller than he remembered it was possible to feel. And he answered, with a sincere, warm smile, full of truth: “better than ever.”
The conversation went on. The night continued. The improvised family celebrated as if they had conquered the world — and, in a way, they had.
And so… the story ends.
With everyone together, everyone alive, everyone laughing.
And Steve, watching Jonathan laugh, knowing deep in his heart:
They survived.
They won.
They have each other.
Because There is a light that Never goes out.