Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

            The salty taste of old, canned beans never failed to make him wince. He gulped the rancid meal down a sandpaper throat and heaved out a near silent sigh. The fluorescent light above him swung limply from a single wire, electricity still stubbornly urging it to flicker and hum. Black vines that glittered with ooze and smelled of decay draped themselves across walls and floors, tendrils embracing the inedible boxes of perishables on the shelves. The very air had been tinged a cold blue, a somber breath filling the lungs of a world that had stopped spinning.

            He sat alone in the decrepit store, shirt swallowing his too-thin body and pants clinging desperately to his hips.  He’d abandoned the clothes he came here in ages ago, his body having grown with time that felt as though it’d only affected him. His hair was longer, shaggy and uneven due to his own clumsy attempts of keeping it short. It reminded him of his brother's hair, the brother that he swore he sometimes heard when he’d return to the place that had once been his home. The same one whose clothes he now wore, having found them in the barely held together dresser still somehow standing in that tiny house just outside of town.

            With his sorry excuse for dinner now choked down, he stood and grabbed his backpack before slowly creeping towards the storefront. His ears had become keen over the countless weeks he’d spent running from one nightmare to another. Hazel eyes scanned not only the trashed parking lot and surrounding tree line, but also searched the ever burning sky for danger. Seeing and hearing nothing, he continued on his way out of the store with silent footsteps.

            He’d almost made it back towards the main intersection when a sudden jolt rattled through the ground, the sound of tearing flesh ringing as the sky bloomed a violent crimson. His head whipped around, staring to the north side of town. Something was happening, but what? Should he run toward it or away? Did he want to take another chance? His body made the decision for him. His legs moved at their own accord, caution thrown to the wind as he ran down the crumbling sidewalk. His mind kept urging him to go faster, faster, to get there before it was too late.

            He didn’t know what it meant.

            Eventually, he arrived at a large building that had appeared near the edge of town months ago with little to no explanation. He went to go in the front entrance, but stopped. No, no that isn’t right. His feet carried him to the back towards large garage doors, obviously meant for various shipments from trucks. He allowed his unsettled mind to guide him to the door third in from the left. He kneeled and grabbed the slightly lifted metal, grunting as he pushed the door up just enough to create a small but reasonable gap. He moved to climb in, but found that his backpack became stuck when he tried to enter. Hesitating for only a moment, he had the eerie feeling that it was unlikely he'd be needing it after today and tossed the tattered bag to the side before crawling through the opening.

            A set of heavy metal doors stood dented and scratched in front of him, the pair looking as though they'd been pried apart by something. Something large and something angry. He continued onward never the less, squeezing through the clumsy pulled apart metal. Haphazardly stacked boxes surrounded him as he looked around the dark space. A few seconds of fumbling later, he was able to find a panel of five buttons next to the door. He pressed the one in the center. After a long moment of nothing happening, he let out a soft curse. He tried again, and again, and again. His urgency kept building with every attempt, his need to get to the source of the disturbance nonsensical yet overpowering. With a yell and a rough jab, there was a spark. With a tired whirr, the room suddenly began to plummet downward, the slightly open doors scraping noisily as the descent gained speed.

            Whether the fall lasted a moment or for a millennia, he couldn’t tell you. His body deflated when the room, apparently elevator, finally came to a stop. He crawled out of the gap of the door and into a hallway that seemed to stretch on for miles. Once again, he began to run. His lungs burned, his legs ached, yet he couldn’t stop. If he stopped, he didn’t know when he’d get another chance. He silently implored, another chance for what? His mind ignored him, only continuing to usher him forward down the hall. There was a fire lit inside of his chest, growing hotter as he came closer to his goal.

            Mercifully, the hallway ended at a junction of what appeared to be a lab. His body moved on auto-pilot as he ran through a series of doors, skirting around control panels and machinery. Doorways once red and silver were murky crimson and gray. Not even this palace of fortitude was able to escape the ever-growing rot of this world. After having to turn around at multiple dead ends, frustration mounting like lava threatening to spill from a mountain, he finally crashed into the correct room. He gasped at what he saw. He didn't know how he did, but he instantly knew what it was that he was looking at.

            A gateway.

            It throbbed like a festering wound on the wall, slowly growing and stretching as the very atoms that held it together were pulled apart. A light bloomed within the tear, beckoning and threatening at the same time. There was no telling what was on the other side. He could immediately be met with more monsters, shadow or otherwise. He could be killed the moment he stepped through, the gate not meant to allow life as fragile as his through. He could find a reality on the other side that would make his stomach churn and heart ache even worse than this one did.

            But there was only one way to find any of that out.

            Clutching the courage that had been built and broken countless times by the hell-scape around him, he rushed out across concrete that was splattered with shredded vines. The light was getting brighter, the wound was growing bigger, his body was on the verge of giving out—

            He flung himself through the gate with an agonized scream and the wound sutured itself closed.

            The sounds of his heavy breaths and the frantic punches his heart was hammering against his rib cage confirmed that he was still alive. He blinked through the haze created by watering eyes and heavy smoke. The scent of burnt flesh invaded his senses as his head cleared. He was in the very same place he’d just come from, except entirely different. There were no vines, no gurgling growls, no blue mist. This wasn’t the nightmare he’d been trapped in for days turned centuries. This was his world. He could hear voices, real voices, carrying across the room.

            Their foreign language spurred him into action.

            He scrambled on hands and knees through the smoke, gagging when he almost crawled directly into a charred, bloody pile that may have been a body at one point. He’d almost made it to the door when it swung open. He hid behind the metal tubes coming up from the floor, thankful for his finely tuned reflexes born from paranoia and terror.

            He could hear two men speaking urgently, though he didn’t have the faintest idea what they were saying. Despite the fact that the only thing he could base it on was fading memories of bad television, he assumed they were speaking Russian. But, that didn’t make any sense. Even in the other world, he was still in Hawkins, wasn’t he? He couldn’t have left the country, could he? Did the gate transport him somewhere else?

            The two men moved further into the room to inspect the large machine that had now powered down, undoubtedly the device responsible for the gate. He had no time to dwell on it, instead slipping carefully through the door and behind more machinery, narrowly avoiding the eyes of passing guards. Until he made it back outside and determined where exactly he was, he needed to stay hidden.

            With the same stealth that had kept him alive in the world that seemed created for the sole purpose of killing him, he moved from box to box, machine to machine, staying silent and out of sight despite the racket his heart was making in his ears. As he approached the hallway, he noticed two men talking in front of a small, red car that resembled a simplified van. The back door had been left open, just big wide enough for him to be able to jump in. It’s better than walking. There’s nowhere to hide in the hallway. He waited for one of the men to get into the driver’s seat and the other to turn around to leave before hopping into the back. He laid as still as humanly possible as the small van zipped down the long hallway. He could only pray that he’d be taken in the right direction.

            By some miracle, the driver wasn’t stopped or searched, just continued down the hall at a brisk pace until coming to rest before the elevator door. The driver got out and opened the elevator with a key card, mumbling to himself unintelligibly. He waited in the back of the cart for the driver to be fully distracted before he hopped out and hid on the opposite side of the vehicle. He could hear the sound of boxes being picked up and moved though it was muted beneath the frenzied panic coursing beneath his mask of calm.

            Carefully timing his steps so that he circled the car directly opposite the guard’s view, he made his way slowly to the front before bolting into the room. He crouched low behind one of the piles of boxes, holding his breath when he heard the guard pause. The agonizing moment ended as soon as it had begun, the guard simply taking one last, three-box stack before leaving. The heavy doors closed with a resounding clang and he allowed the air to be set free from his lungs. There would no doubt be more guards up above and the elevator going back up to surface level on its own was bound to draw suspicion. The most he could do for now was sit and wait for someone to need a lift.

            A beep ricocheting off the metal walls around him startled him awake as the elevator began to quickly climb to the surface. He shuffled into a tighter ball, obscuring himself further behind the boxes. There was no way to know what exactly he’d be facing once the door opened again, but he steeled his nerves and prepared for the worst. He’d come this far, he wouldn’t throw away such hard work so easily.

            Another beep sounded through the elevator as it came to a gentle halt, the doors folding open a moment later. Two heavy sets of footsteps came into the room, the owners silently surveying the area. He held his breath as he wait for their gazes to go elsewhere.

            Outside, someone barked what may have been an order and the unseen guards quickly left. Carefully, he crawled out from the boxes enough to see out the opening. There was a truck just within view, a group of men all armed to the teeth speaking in hushed tones were circled around the back of it. The cluster of trees just beyond the parking lot were blessedly familiar. This was the same place he’d come from, he was still in Hawkins. Why there were Russians in Hawkins was beyond him and should probably scare him, but what was important right now was that he was home.

            He edged closer to the door, hiding just behind the wall. All he needed was a small distraction in order to get out of the elevator. He looked out over the lot, spotting a small rock. There were times in the other world when things would happen if he thought hard enough, grew desperate enough. Maybe he could still do it? His eyes bore into the rock intensely, his thoughts all chanting a never ending mantra of move, move, move, move, move.

            One of the guards went to turn and a spike of anxiety launched through him. The rock decided at that moment to shoot off down the asphalt, its echoing skips mirroring the sounds of scurrying feet. The armed men were instantly on high alert. Two moved to go and check the noise while the other two stayed by the back of the truck, guns loaded and readied. Quickly, he dashed from the elevator to beneath the truck, allowing the shadows to fall over him. It was already dark out, the night sky beautifully void of clouds swirling red and purple. The guards converged once more, muttering a few words before beginning to unload the truck. Each of the men got armfuls and the four went together to arrange them in the elevator, talking and joking as they went.

            It was now or never.

            With shaking legs, he propelled himself out from beneath the truck and towards the trees. He heard someone say something. He didn’t know if someone saw him, but he didn’t dare look back. If he hesitated now, he would be killed and here was, decidedly, a stupid place to die. He ran far into the woods, far from the Russian guards, the strange building, the danger he couldn’t seem to escape. Panic drove him blindly through foliage that scratched and licked at his skin, his eyes seeing nothing as he ran from the ghosts at his heels.

            His foot caught on a tree root.

            He tumbled roughly for a few feet, bruises and scrapes littering his knees and arms once he finally came to a halt. He breathed deeply, once then twice, before rolling onto his back. The trees surrounding him were silent. He was alone. It was over. As he lay battered in the woods, hazel eyes gazing up at the stars while blood dried like cement on his upper lip, a lone tear glided down his cheek.

            His name is Will Byers. He’s been missing since 1983.

Chapter Text

            It was only after the feeling had returned to his thin legs that Will pushed himself to stand and continued on his way through the woods. His eyes adjusted slowly to the darkness around him, his time in the other world having made him accustomed to navigating through shadows. He could almost weep at just how much easier it was to breathe here, the cotton that was once stuffed into his lungs had finally been removed. The humidity that clung to the air and the mosquitoes dancing around his limbs were a startling indicator that Hawkins was well on its way to entering summer. If Will remembered correctly, he disappeared some time in fall. Was it October or November? Oh god, how long have I been gone?

            There was no way to really know if time worked the same there as it did here. Was it faster? Slower? Did time exist at all in that place? He knew that he had gotten older. His voice cracked during his moments of soft singing more often than he’d like to admit, his body was taller and more awkward than it once was. That didn’t change the fact that nothing else there had seemed to grow or change, though he supposed he should consider that a blessing. That still left one problem though: Would anyone recognize him? What if they assumed he was—

            He pushed his thoughts aside for the moment.

            Thanks to countless days of running and hiding throughout his hometown, Will knew exactly where he was. Up ahead was the tree with the knotted branch, about four miles to the west he’ll be able to find the quarry. If he continued south from there then eventually he’ll stumble upon his backyard. The very thought of returning home and being back in the loving arms of his mom and brother was enough to make his chest throb. He wanted desperately to tell his mom how much he’d really and truly missed her. He wanted to tell Jonathan how the songs he played for him kept him company on the darkest nights. He wanted—no, he needed to tell them he loved them.

            He was so caught up in the daydream reunion that he failed to notice the thin piece of wire tied between a thick tree root and a bush. Again, Will found himself flat on his face as he tripped over the small trap, grunting as rocks dug into his palms. He went to move his foot, but froze as he heard a bell jingling. Ahead of him, he could faintly hear the sound of a door being opened. Scrambling, he quickly untangled his foot and leapt into a nearby bush.

            He stilled as he heard the sound of footsteps approaching, a beam of light gliding over the ground as its owner searched. Back and forth, the flashlight swept over the leaf covered ground and overgrown shrubs. His breath caught as the person came closer, the steadiness of their steps holding the confidence of one who could protect themselves from threat.

            The light paused a foot away from where Will hid, zeroed in on the slightly skewed wire. There were a few beats of agonized waiting before the person finally turned away. The gentle footsteps dissipated into the distance and Will allowed the tension to drain out of his muscles. A quiet breath escaped his lungs.

            A blink and he was now dangling in the air.

            The light hit him with unrelenting brightness, revealing him in all of his dirty, scrawny glory while his body struggled against invisible bonds. Wide hazel eyes looked down to see astonished brown staring back. A girl, maybe a bit older than him? He couldn’t really tell, especially when he didn’t even know how old he was now. Her loose curls fell in a chaotic sort of tidiness, her frame almost swallowed by the old, plaid shirt she wore. Her face, serious yet innocent, was familiar. But, how? Who—

            A thin line of blood dribbled from her nose and the image clicked. The girl he saw in Castle Byers. The girl that flickered like a phantom in the woods. The girl who could see him.

            Her voice was a strangled croak.

            “Will?”

            Will sat on the girl’s, on El’s, bed in a numbed state of shock. After being dropped onto the ground, apologized to, hugged, then dragged into a lone cabin to shower and change into clothes that hung even more limply on his malnourished body than they did on his new companion’s, his brain felt as though it had simply shut off. He almost had to be physically dragged from the shower. It had been so long since he’d had the luxury of running, hot, clean water that he was almost afraid he’d never feel it again if he stepped out. Now, he sat warm and unbearably exhausted on a bed that was free of vines and offered nothing but comfort to his fatigued bones. The thin blanket around his shoulders helped to ground him slightly, a comfortable weight that was anything but stifling in the humidity that still drifted in the air conditioned room. He couldn’t even bring himself to be bothered by the fact that this stranger somehow managed to make him levitate a good ten feet off the ground only to bring him inside and dote over him. After what he’s seen, he couldn’t be bothered to question anything anymore.

            He didn’t know much about her, but he did know that she saw him while he was there. She even spoke to him, held his hand, promised that help was coming. Help never came, but he couldn’t find it within himself to blame her for that.

            A small knock sounded at the door.

            He blinked as El hesitantly came into the room, one hand holding a plate that balanced two waffles topped with whipped cream and maple syrup while the other held a glass of water. The genuine delight that blossomed within him upon seeing the childish dish made him almost want to cry.

            “Are you hungry?” El asked, approaching him slowly. She smiled when he nodded, his face lighting up when she handed the food to him. He couldn’t bring himself to feel ashamed as he ravenously dug in, though he did blush when he actually moaned at how good it tasted. El simply laughed, but her face soon turned sad. She asked, “How long has it been since you’ve had food?”

            Will paused and looked at El for a long moment. It had been so long since someone had actually spoken to him, it was a jarring thing to get used to. His voice was a weak rasp as he answered, “Not too long. Ate lots of canned food, nothing like this.” He ate another bite, unable to stop himself from smiling at the taste.

            El nodded and left the room briefly once more. By the time she returned with the first aid kit, Will had already devoured both waffles and drank over half his glass of water. She sat next to him on the bed, giving a reassuring smile when he stiffened. “It’s okay,” she said, showing him the kit. “I’m going to help you.”

            Gently grabbing hold of Will’s arm, El began to clean and bandage the scrapes clawed into his skin. He winced slightly at the antiseptic’s sting, but otherwise remained perfectly still. He tried to ignore her small frown as she caught sight of his variety of scars and fading injuries. Will was just thankful she hadn’t seen the mess that was his chest and torso. As she worked, he allowed himself to take in her appearance. The hair was definitely the biggest change, a close second was the disappearance of her haunted expression. She seemed better, happier.

            He was glad.

            “What—” His voice cracked spectacularly. He coughed and tried again, “What day is it today?” El stopped her administrations, her hands frozen mid-band aid application.

            “It’s June. June 28^th,” She carefully sounded out.

            June? I’ve been gone eight months? No, that-that doesn’t sound right.

            His arm trembled in El’s grasp as he asked, “What year is it?”

            Her hesitation made his skin crawl. She carefully placed the band aid on the last of his large scrapes before sitting back. She said, “It’s 1985.”

            His heart stuttered to a stop. The monster came for him during fall of 1983. He’d been gone for almost two years. It was no wonder she looked so different. No wonder he’d grown, he’s missed two birthdays, he’s fourteen years old. His reverie was broken by El shaking his shoulder, her voice demanding, “Will, breathe. You need to breathe!”

            Taking a gasping breath, Will shook as his nerves were set alight. The information was so much to take in, but there was still so much he needed to know. Carefully, he asked, “Who… Who are you?”

            She blinked, “I told you. My name—”

            “No, no, I know your name,” Will clarified. “I mean, how do you know who I am? Why did I see you before, in that other place? How could you see me?”

            El frowned, thinking over her answer carefully. She said, “I was being chased. I escaped a bad place and bad men followed me. There was—” Her frown deepened and she shook her head. “I was almost caught at a diner, but I ran into the woods. Mike found me.” Mike. That name sent a wave of jittery warmth through him. El noticed his slight change in demeanor and continued, “He took me to his house. I saw a picture of you and, I can’t explain it, but it was like…”

            “We were connected?” He offered.

            She nodded, “I knew where you were, sort of. You were with the monster, the one I saw at the bad place. Mike calls it the Demogorgon.”

            “Demogorgon?” Will echoed, his brow furrowing.

            “Mike says that’s what got you when they were playing a game,” El explained.

            Will blinked. Of course, how could he have forgotten? Just before biking home, Will the Wise had been attacked by the Demogorgon in his attempt to save his party from certain demise. He’d lost the reason he’d called the monster what he did months into the nightmare, more focused on surviving than lingering on memories that would only break his heart.

            He cleared his throat roughly, “Anyway, you knew where I was?”

            “Yes, but, we couldn’t get to you,” El said, looking troubled. “We tried looking, we tried very hard. But, then, they found you.”

            “What?”

            “They found you, but it-it wasn’t you,” she said, her voice becoming tight. “We saw them pull your body out of the water. Lucas, Dustin, they were crying.” Will felt something inside of him break. The thought of two of his best friends in the entire world crying over him made him feel sick. But, it didn’t make sense. How could they have found his body? He was startled when El mumbled, “But, Mike… He was so angry.”

            “Angry?”

            “He thought I lied. He thought I was lying about you being alive,” She said, blinking rapidly. Will frowned and awkwardly placed his hand on top of hers, hoping to provide some comfort despite being entirely out of his depth. She turned her hand to squeeze his, keeping a tight hold as she said, “The day after, I used his radio, and… And I was able to get you to come through. We heard you, we heard you on the radio, and Mike was so excited. We called Lucas and Dustin over. They took me to your school so I could use a bigger radio. It was easier to connect that time. We heard you yelling to your mom. You said it was cold.”

            A feeling of shame and residual fear came bubbling to the surface. He remembered that desperation, how he cried out for his mother and begged her to help him. All he wanted was to get away from the monsters, from the dark, from the cold. To know that his friends had heard his pleading felt like a ball of ice had been dropped into his stomach.

            “There was a funeral,” El said, her eyes staring down at her bed. “Mike, Lucas, and Dustin talked to your teacher, Mr. Clark. They asked him about alternate dimensions. They thought that’s what happened to you. You were stuck in another dimension, the Upside Down.” Will’s head tilted at the name. If he weren’t being told about events that had gone on during his funeral, he would’ve laughed at how childish yet accurate the name his best friends had come up with was for the hell he’d been stuck in. “Your mom…” Will’s body snapped to attention at the mention of his mom.

            “What happened to her? Is she okay? What about Jonathan?”

            El smiled sadly, “She never stopped looking for you, neither did Jonathan. When they found out what we were doing, they helped us make an isolation tank at the school so I could find you. Hopper and Nancy helped too.”

            “Wait, Nancy?”

            El nodded, “She helped. Nancy’s friend, she was gone too. Nancy asked me to find her. I did, but…” She let out a heavy breath, her eyes shutting tightly in a grimace. Will gave her hand a small squeeze and she gathered herself. “It was already too late. Then I tried to find you, and I did. You were in a little… Fort?” She asked. He nodded and she continued, “You were laying on the ground. I told you to hold on, help was coming. I wanted to say more, to stay longer but… You disappeared. Help was coming, Will. We were trying so hard—”

            “I know,” Will whispered. He believed her, really he did. But it didn’t make the pain the unknowingly false promise caused any better.

            “Your mom and Hopper went to the bad—the lab to find you,” El said. “Jonathan and Nancy went back to your house, they thought the monster was there. They wanted to kill it.” Seeing the dread growing in Will’s eyes, she quickly assured, “They’re okay! They weren’t able to kill it or maybe they did and there was more than one, but they were okay.” Will nodded, blinking slowly. “Mike, Dustin, Lucas, and I stayed at the school. The bad men came and so did the Demogorgon. They were trying so hard to protect me, but we got cornered in one of the rooms. The Demogorgon came in. I killed it, but I ended up in the Upside Down.”

            Will’s eyes widened. She was there too? “But, how did you get there? How did you get out?” He asked.

            “I don’t know,” El answered honestly. “I don’t know how I got there, but there was an opening on the other side of the wall. I got out through there. Hopper found me. He hid me here, away from everyone so that I would be safe. I asked him about you. He said… He said you were dead. For real this time.”

            “What?”

            “He and your mom went to the Upside Down. There was a gate under the lab. They gave them an hour to find you. All they found was your vest. It had blood on it.”

            The memory came rushing back like a landslide. He had laid shivering and sick in Castle Byers, alone and cold and waiting for the help that had been promised to him. Instead, only the gurgling growls and heavy footfalls of the Demogorgon could be heard just outside. One moment there was only stillness, the next his “castle” had been destroyed and he was caught in the unforgiving claws of the monster.

            He’d struggled and kicked, screaming his head off for the damned thing to let him go. He was finally given a glimmer of hope in this horrid reality that only seemed to swallow it up, he didn’t survive all this time only to die right as he was about to escape. He shrieked and struggled, fighting with every fiber of his being.

            There was a sudden jolt and the monster cried out. A jagged slash was cut into his shoulder as he freed himself, the Demogorgon too distracted by its own pain to keep its prey within its grasp. The vest was torn and fell onto the ground with a splat, forgotten among the vines as he bolted into the woods.

            “Hopper said there wasn’t anything else they could do. I tried finding you again, but I couldn’t. No matter how long or hard I looked, you were gone. I knew you couldn’t be dead, I just knew, but…” El trailed off, her bottom lip shaky as she tried to keep herself together.

            Will felt himself becoming teary as he tried to swallow the lump building in his throat. Softly, he said, “It’s okay, El. I know you tried.”

            They sat in silence for a long time, hands still locked together. Will didn’t know why but this person, this stranger he’d met just over an hour ago, made him feel like he’s known her his entire life. They were connected, somehow in some way. He could only assume, hope really, that she felt that way too. She worked so hard to find him, even after being told he was dead. No one would do that solely out of obligation to a friend, right?

            Speaking of friends…

            “How are they? Dustin? Lucas? Mike?”

            “They’re…okay,” El mumbled. “They were upset for a long time. Sometimes they still are. But they aren’t hurt, not physically.”

            Will let out a soft breath, nodding his head. He felt completely and utterly drained, his eyes drooping as the fight seemed to leave him all at once.

            Seeing his fatigue, El untangled their hands and stood up. She wandered over to her dresser, pulling open the bottom drawers to grab two thick comforters. She started to set them out on the floor when Will stopped her. “Wait, you said earlier that Hopper would be back from his shift in a few hours, right? Won’t he freak out if he comes back and sees a random guy in your room?”

            El’s brow furrowed, “But you’re not a random guy. You’re Will.”

            “I know, but… It’s been two years, El. Who knows if he’ll even recognize me? Besides, I… I don’t know if…” The words piled up in his throat. He felt like a coward, but a sudden, gripping fear filled him at the thought of being seen by anyone else. Everyone thought he was dead. To all of his loved ones, Will Byers had died in 1983 and the lanky teen standing before El was a phantom of the boy they’d never get to witness grow up. In that moment, he didn’t want to let anyone see him besides El. He wanted to hide for a little bit longer, just until his head didn’t feel like it was floating away from his sinking heart.

            A look of understanding crossed El’s face and Will felt like he could breathe. She bit her lip undecidedly, “But, where will we put you?”

            Hazel eyes immediately jumped to the space beneath El’s raised bed. It was tight, but he’d slept in smaller spaces. “I, uh, could go there. He won’t see me if you put blankets over the sides.”

            El nodded and unfolded the comforters, sliding them under so that they’d provide at least some cushion from the floor. She left briefly and came back with a small pillow obviously meant for a sofa, sliding it under as well. Once she was done, she sat back and looked at Will expectantly. He crouched down, gripping the blanket around his shoulders as he crawled on his belly under her bed.

            He got comfortable as she arranged her blankets to hide him before getting into bed herself. She clicked off her lamp and settled. A heavy silence filled the night air.

            “I’m not going to lie, I feel like a major creep right now.”

            El’s laugh echoed throughout the cabin.

Chapter Text

            A knock on the door nearly sent Will into cardiac arrest.

            He instinctively froze as his eyes shot open, body lying rigid as he stared at the wooden slats above him. Memories of the previous night slowly trickled back to him as he heard El shift and call, “Come in.”

            The door opened and Will heard a deep voice rumble, “Hey, kid. You ready for breakfast?”

            “Yeah, I’ll be out in a minute.” The door closed again and, after a beat of silence, the blanket next to him lifted up to reveal El’s face peering at him upside down. Softly, she said, “Are you okay?”

            “Fine,” he mumbled. “Forgot where I was at first. Was that Hopper?”

            “Yeah. He’ll probably leave in an hour or two, he’s working his usual shift today. I’ll come and get you once he’s gone.”

            Will nodded and the blanket dropped to conceal him once more. He heard El stand up and quietly leave the room, closing the door behind her with a solid click. Breathing deeply, Will allowed himself to reflect on last night’s events. He felt as though he were in a dream, like if he were pinched or even slightly jostled he’d be startled awake back in the Upside Down. It’s weird, giving it a name.

            I wonder what mom and Jonathan are doing now. Did mom lose her keys again? Did Jonathan burn the eggs? Do they miss me? Of course they do, they think I’m dead. Just like everyone else. A knot tangled itself in his gut. There were nights that he’d make himself physically sick with the desperation he felt to be with his family and friends again. So, why? Why did it terrify him so much to see them again? They’ll be happy to see him, to know he’s not dead. They’ll cry and he will too, and they’ll hug him and the chunk missing from his heart will finally be filled again, and they’ll smile because they found him.

            But they hadn’t found him. No one had even looked for him for a long time now. They thought he was dead. They thought he was resting peacefully after being torn to shreds, but in reality, he’d been running and screaming and crying and fighting for over a year. He battled an entire dimension filled with monsters, rot, shadows, and cold. He was promised help and in return, all he had to do was hold on. Well, he did hold on. He held on until his hands and his heart bled from the strain, never letting go for an instant. But, apparently, no one else had been holding on.

            That’s not fair. Everyone tried to find me. It’s not their fault. What were they supposed to think when they found my vest all torn up and bloody? There was only so much they could do. What matters is that I got out. Now I can see everyone again. I can see mom, and Jonathan, and Mike, and Lucas, and Dustin… Why am I so scared?

            The sound of the door opening startled him out of his troubled thoughts. He kept perfectly still as footsteps travelled into the room and stopped beside the bed. There was the rustle of someone settling on the ground and the blanket to his right was once again lifted to reveal El sitting on the floor with a plate holding two waffles and a fork set in front of her. Today, it looked like she had spread jam on each of the waffles, one bright red and the other pale orange.

            “I only know how to make Eggo’s. I couldn’t sneak any food from Hop,” El explained, tone verging on bashful. She pointed at the waffles, “This one is strawberry, this one is peach.”

            Will slowly slid out from under the bed, his stiff muscles aching in protest. “Thanks,” he said, gently sliding the plate towards himself. He haphazardly cut the waffle the best he could with the fork, smiling when he got his first bite of sugary sweetness. This kind of breakfast was one he could only dream of when he was little.

            El grinned at him before standing. She grabbed a set of clothes from her dresser and went to the door. “Hopper left for the day, he won’t be back until 5:30. I’m going to take a shower. I’ll be right back.”

            Will nodded absentmindedly, jam already smeared across his mouth. Table manners weren’t something one kept in mind while running for their life for months on end. El left the room and Will continued to think silently to himself. El is probably going to try and bring me home today. Mom probably won’t be there, not if she still works at Melvald’s. Jonathan probably isn’t home either. I bet he has a summer job by now, maybe even two. I hope he isn’t still at that pizza place. He always came home with sauce in his hair.

            A bitter sweet smile tugged at his lips. While he was stuck in the Upside Down, spending every waking moment dodging claws and vines alike, he never allowed himself to think about his family. He didn’t let himself think about his mom’s quiet laugh that managed to drown out everything around it nor did he let himself think about the way Jonathan sometimes danced around the kitchen when he made breakfast in the morning. He didn’t think about Mike’s huffy defenses for iffy campaign storylines, or how excited Lucas was to show them his wrist rocket for the first time only to smack himself in the face pulling back the rubber band, or how Dustin would study so hard for their science exams that they’d hear him sleep-talk about different types of rocks during their sleepovers. Just a few moments of reminiscing showed him the reason as to why he forbade himself from thinking about his loved ones all this time.

            There was one drip, then a second and third in quick succession. Will blinked and touched his face, hiccuping when he realized tears had begun to flow unabashedly from his eyes. He missed them. He missed them so badly that it made him want to claw his heart out of his chest just to escape the searing pain for even just one moment. As selfish and cruel as it was, he wished that they missed him so much that they shared his ache. But they didn’t. They didn’t because they gave up on seeing him ever again, because they thought he was dead—

            “Will?”

            A gentle hand touched his shoulder and he forced his waterlogged eyes to blink open. El sat in front of him, wet hair sticking to her concern face. She asked, “What’s wrong?”

            “Nothing,” came the automatic reply, Will’s hands coming up to scrub roughly at his face. “Sorry, I was just… It’s nothing.” He sniffed then cleared his throat. Shame that sounded a lot like his father scolded him. Will attempted to smile, though the look that El shot him told him that she wasn’t going to let this go.

            She opened her mouth to respond when an agonizingly familiar yet somehow off voice crackled from one of El’s dresser drawers, “El? El, you there?”

            El quickly stood and opened her top drawer, pulling out a white walkie-talkie. She pressed the button on the side, “Mike?”

            Will watched with vacant eyes as his best friend’s voice, now deep and weird and wrong, sounded again, “Hey, you’re still coming to Dustin’s today, right? We should get there early to set everything up.”

            “Mike, there’s something—”

            Before even he could comprehend what he was doing, Will stood and snatched the radio from El’s hand, effectively cutting her off. Mike’s voice crackled, “El?”

            “Will? What are you doing?”

            “S-Sorry, I’m sorry, just,” Will stammered, stopping and swallowing. Mike was on the other end of the walkie-talkie. Mike was talking. He sounded…fine. Why did that bother him? He doesn’t want Mike to be upset, or angry, or sad. So, why did hearing him sound so casual make his skin crawl? Why did his voice still manage to send his heart rocketing into the sky despite puberty dragging it down an entire octave?

            El’s expression slowly morphed from annoyance to vague worry. “Will?”

            “You’re-you’re going to Dustin’s?” He asked. El nodded. “Is everyone going to be there?” Another nod. He heaved out a breath, “Listen. I… I think I’m going to go look for my mom and Jonathan. Please, just… Don’t tell anyone I’m back, alright?”

            “But—”

            “Please.”

            El bit her lip, brow furrowed as she searched for what to say. Quietly, she said, “Friends don’t lie.”

            “Then don’t lie,” Will pleaded. “Just don’t mention me, don’t tell them I was here.” He took a step toward her, feeling frantic. “Act like you never saw me. Just give me some time and I’ll-I’ll…” He deflated, the radio hanging limply in his hand as he stared at the floor. “Let me get my head on straight and figure things out, then I’ll tell them.”

            “Are you going to tell Mrs. Byers and Jonathan?” El asked, expression still troubled.

            He hesitated before honestly saying, “I don’t know. Eventually, I will, but… I don’t know if it’ll be today.”

            El frowned, but didn’t look surprised at his answer. She said, “If you don’t tell them, come back here.” Will nodded, though he could tell that it wasn’t a request. He held out the walkie-talkie hesitantly, feeling like a child being forced to return a toy. El took it and simply held it for a long moment. She looked a bit sad, but spoke into the radio anyway, “Mike?”

            “El! Hey, what happened?”

            “Sorry, I dropped my radio. Hopper left his shoes out again and I tripped. I’ll meet you halfway and we can go to Dustin’s together.”

            “Sounds good. Can’t wait to see you, El.” Will barely held back a flinch at the utter fondness rolling off of Mike’s voice. Are they…? They can’t be.

            Will knew he was proven wrong after taking one look at El’s eyes, softened with affection, as she replied, “You too.”

            He felt sick.

            After showing him Hopper’s closet and instructing him to only take clothes from the very back so as to not be noticed, El cast Will one last apprehensive look before leaving the cabin. As he rummaged through the messy closet, he tried to map out a plan of action. His mom would be the easiest to find assuming her schedule remained the same. Jonathan would be a bit harder, his jobs and shifts changed just frequently enough to make finding him an issue. He was always trying so hard to help with money…

            Eventually, Will managed to find an old t-shirt and a large, burgundy sweatshirt. It would be hot under the summer sun, but he didn’t want to be spotted before he was ready. But when will you be ready? He shook his head as he dragged out a pair of shorts that fell down just passed his knees. He changed quickly, shoving the clothes El had given to him under the bed, then adjusted the blankets again to conceal his hiding place. Lifting his hood so that his face was concealed, Will quickly shoved on a pair of large, raggedy sneakers before leaving out the front door. He took a deep breath to try and settle his churning stomach.

            Okay. First, to Melvald’s.

            The only sound Will could hear was his heart screaming in his ears as he made the trek to the old convenience store in town. He was terrified of being spotted, but the complete vacancy he found instead was nothing short of horrifying. Sidewalks were empty, only a small handful of cars filled the once overflowing park spots along the edge of the street. There was no intermingling of loud conversations, no hurry of feet other than his own, no random commotion for everyone to collectively pretend not to see. It was just him, alone, walking down a sun bleached sidewalk in the center of an abandoned town.

            For a brief moment, the air turned blue. His breath shuddered out in a swirling cloud. The hair on the back of his neck stood on end as all the weight of the world dropped into his gut. What were once cracks in the sidewalk were turning to vines, black and oozing and rotting. There was a growl somewhere behind him, or was it in front of him? A large looming figure in the sky stared down at him once again. There were no eyes, only suffocating shadows. He saw it before, just as it had seen him. He couldn’t run forever, couldn’t hide forever, they both knew it. It was going to get him, it was going to become him. It—

            A door opening less than a block away ripped a gasp from his throat. From the entrance of Melvald’s, wearing that same navy button up and fading nametag, hair the same frizzy mess it always was when she’d been thinking too hard, his mom appeared. Will’s eyes stared in utter disbelief, tears gathering as his legs trembled. There she was. She was right there. Not a mirage, not a hallucination, not a dream, his mom was there standing in front of him. Other than the dark circles under her eyes and slightly more sunken in cheeks, she looked like the same loving, caring mom who was there for him even when her work schedule tried to swallow her up.

            “Joyce! Over here!”

            The sudden ringing of another voice sent Will scurrying around the corner, hidden in the small alleyway between the large brick buildings. He peaked out hesitantly. A man, around his mom’s age, sat on the hood of his car a few paces away from Joyce. Next to him were two small, brown bags and a couple cans of Coke. He waved happily to her, beaming when he got a small wave in response. Will couldn’t see his mom’s expression, but he could tell she had a soft smile on her face from the way she said, “Hey, sorry, had someone with a million questions come through.”

            “That’s alright,” the man replied. Will felt something inside of him twist when his mom leaned down and gave the stranger a kiss. What? Who— Who the hell is he? Why is mom— What the hell is going on? His thoughts came to a screeching halt when he heard it. The soft, gentle laugh he remembered chiming softly throughout his childhood. He looked again and his mom was smiling, laughing.

            That was good. His mom deserved happiness. She was always so stressed, so overwhelmed, so anxious. She deserved to have someone that made her happy, especially when she’d just been through a tragedy. But she hadn’t been through a tragedy, Will didn’t die. He was here. He was here and all he had to do was call out to her, yell that he was alive and he was back. It was so simple, it would be solved so easily. So why wasn’t he doing it? Why weren’t his feet moving? Why was he being so stupid?

His mom chuckled once more at something the stranger said and Will did the one thing he did best.

He ran away.

Chapter Text

            Heaving breaths struggled out of overworked lungs as Will sat on the old bench, elbows digging into his knees as shaking hands hid a face twisted in turmoil. He didn’t understand. He really and truly couldn’t understand the jumbled mess of emotions that forced him to flee from the woman he’d spent so many cold nights crying for. She’d been right there, less than one hundred feet away from him, and just one kiss and a bout of gentle laughter with a stranger was all it took to drain the elation from his body. But why? Why was he upset? Why didn’t he just say something? Do something?

            C’mon, just… Just get yourself together. Another harsh exhale tumbled from his cracked lips as Will dragged his hands down his face. Maybe it’s not too late to go back. That was just her lunch shift. I'll go into the store, tell her… Tell her what? Confusion laced misery was interrupted by the persistent clack of plastic heels against cement. Will tensed as whoever it was passed, thankful for the oversized hood that completely concealed his face as his head stayed bowed. He could feel the slight rush of air as the person hurried behind him, a sweet scent drifting back towards him. Wait, that perfume…

            “Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit…” The mumble carried into his ears, the owner’s voice unmistakable even after so much time has passed.

            Nancy?

            Hesitantly, Will turned his head to stare after her. The eldest Wheeler had cut her hair so that her brown curls floated just above her shoulders, no doubt defying gravity with the help of hairspray. She wore a simple white dress with small, light blue embroidering. A small purse clung to one shoulder while her hand clutched a large paper bag. Will stared after her for a long moment before standing and silently following after her, though he wasn’t sure what exactly compelled him to do so. It could’ve been the fact that El had told him that she’d helped to try and find him, or it could’ve been that he was utterly bewildered by how differently Nancy now carried herself. Before, despite being pretty and popular, her shoulders were often hunched and she usually had a look of annoyed uncertainty polluting her face. Now, she stood tall and took each step as if she were daring someone to get in her way. Even though she was stressed and hurrying somewhere important, it was clear she was handling it with a maturity that she didn’t have before. A lot can change in two years…

            The bitter thought washed away when he caught sight of an all too familiar Ford LTD sat tiredly ahead. Jonathan? Nancy walked toward the car, but turned suddenly right and escaped his sight through a metal and glass door. Will looked up at the large sign outside. Hawkins Post? Nancy works for the newspaper? Jonathan must be in there too if his car is here. Is this his new job now? A smile slowly grew across his lips as he imagined his brother’s photographs getting printed throughout the town’s newspapers.

            A middle-aged woman at one of the front desks turning to face the window as she spoke on the phone startled him into moving again. He walked along to the side of the building facing the familiar green car, tucking himself out of sight by sitting between the two rusting dumpsters. The smell wasn’t pleasant, but it wasn’t anything he couldn’t handle. Will knew that he obviously couldn’t just waltz into Hawkins Press and ask to see his brother, especially if they overheard he was the kid who went missing. For now, he decided, he would simply wait for Jonathan’s workday to be over.

            I hope you haven’t changed too…

            The sound of numerous men chattering as they left work woke Will slowly, hazel eyes blinking a few times in confusion. Nancy’s voice snapped him back to attention, “They’re assholes, Jonathan! Every single one of them.” I didn’t know Jonathan was friends with Nancy, but I guess they do work together now…

            “I know what they did wasn’t okay, but I’m sure they’ll warm up to you once—”

            “Once they realize how great of a journalist I am, I know,” Nancy huffed as she came into view.

            He sat up straighter when he saw his brother approach the driver’s side of the car. His shaggy hair had been cut shorter, giving him a cleaner and more grown-up look. His face looked a bit more tired than Will remembered, but it was probably due to the long workday. He may have changed a bit, but he still looked like the brother he had always been able to depend on for anything. He could do this. This was safe. Jonathan was his rock, the one who always stood up for him whether it was against his father or a wayward bully. Even if Nancy was there, Will knew who she was. She could be trusted. At least, that’s what Will kept saying to try and reason with his electrified nerves. His heart was roaring against his eardrums and his lungs were shriveling in his chest. It’s now or never. Will shifted slightly, working up the nerve to stand—

            Nancy suddenly sighed and spoke again, “Forget it. Steve invited us over for a movie night tonight. What do you say? He’s got some scary ones.” Steve? Steve Harrington? I thought Jonathan hated him.

            The eldest Byers did something Will had never seen him do with anyone besides himself and their mom. He chuckled and answered with a playful tease, “Alright, but you’re sitting in the middle tonight. He nearly dislocated my shoulder trying to hide behind me last time.” The smile he wore was one that few had the opportunity to see, bright and delighted and genuine. It normally took a lot more work to make that smile appear, yet Jonathan wore it so freely now. A sour taste flooded Will’s mouth.

            “You big baby,” Nancy laughed. The teenagers opened their doors and got in. The Ford LTD rumbled to life, creaking slightly as it backed out of its parking space and drove off towards the main road.

            Will remained hidden, tucked in the shadows as his mind took its time to digest what exactly he’d just seen. Jonathan’s…really come out of his shell. He looked happy. Both he and mom are happy. That’s good. That’s…

            With a punctured heart and a cloudy mind, Will slunk out of his hiding spot and back towards the woods. He allowed the foliage to conceal him as he trudged back to Hopper’s cabin under a sky dyed pink and orange.

            By the time the secluded home came into view, the night had already engulfed the day’s light blue in darkness speckled with stars. The leaves crunched grumpily under Will’s feet as he made his way through the trees, his eyes red and dry from the tears he’d run out of half an hour ago. His bones felt heavy, defeat dragging like chains clasped to his ankles. It was moronic to think that nothing would change after being gone for so long, after it’d been prematurely decided that he was dead. He should’ve expected this, expected things to be different and, on some level, he had. He childishly thought that perhaps, if there were any changes, whatever ways his family had changed were the same ways he had changed. On some level, he expected sadness, distress, worry, but all he found was contentment.

            That's good, though. Jonathan’s practically never had friends and mom has always been so stressed out. I’m glad that things have changed for the better. I’m glad that they’re happy.

            A wince crossed Will’s face as the coals burning in his gut showed just how much of a lie that last thought that was. He felt repulsed as he reflected on how he felt anything but positive about the smiles and laughs he saw dancing on his loved ones’ faces. That unrestrained joy he had become accidentally privy to was like a knife being driven into his chest. Jonathan was laughing and joking with the new friends he'd made. His mom was dating someone who seemed to treat her kindly and made her content. Two years ago, these were things that would’ve made Will ecstatic. Two years ago, he would’ve bugged Jonathan to tell him what horror movies he watched with Steve and Nancy. Two years ago, he would’ve put on a show of putting on a face of exaggerated disgust while silently celebrating his mom finally having someone to take care of her.

            Now, he only felt betrayed.

            Up ahead, the cabin door opened and two sets of footsteps ventured outside. Will ducked down behind a large bush, listening quietly. He couldn’t see through the cluster of leaves, but the voices gave away the pair’s identities. The first one sent his heart into the best and worst kind of spiral.

            “Is she dead?!” Mike? Is who dead?

            “No.” Hopper? What’s—?

            “Did she fall again?”

            “No.”

            “Does she have cancer?”

            “No.”

            “Then I don’t understand. What’s wrong with nanna?” Nanna? Mike’s grandma?

            Will’s questions remained unanswered as the two got into Hopper’s car, the metal doors slamming with an air of finality. He waited for the car to start moving, but it only sat in the dark. His eyebrows furrowed, confusion increasing every moment the stillness continued. Then the door locks popped. Then they popped again. And again, and again, and again.

            What the hell are they doing?

            Two more long minutes passed of nothing happening before the car finally began to make its way toward the main road again. Will stood up, his knees complaining from staying in the awkward crouch for so long. Did something happen with Mike’s grandma? Why did Hopper sound so angry? He shook his head as he climbed the wooden steps up to the porch. He knocked three times before calling, “El? It’s Will.”

            There was a pause before the door gently opened. El stood a few feet away, brushing the small drop of blood falling from her nose away with her knuckles. Softly, she asked, “They don’t know, do they?”

            Will looked down as he shook his head, stepping into the cabin and shutting the door behind him. He knew El felt the same disappointment he felt in himself and that’s what made his already tight chest ache even more. He asked, “Did, um, did something happen with Mike?”

            El’s frown grew. “Hopper said Mrs. Wheeler called. Something happened with Mike’s nanna.” Well, that explains what Mike was yelling about. Hopper didn’t sound all too concerned though. “Will?”

            “Yeah?”

            “Why didn’t you tell them?”

            His shoulders slumped as the answer escaped him. How was he supposed to explain that he was too much of a coward to approach his own family? The words lodged themselves firmly in his throat, crawling up his windpipe like a cluster of spiders. Gritting his teeth, Will only shrugged. He startled slightly when a hand rested gently on his shoulder. He looked up hesitantly to find that El’s brown eyes reflected nothing but concern.

            “It’ll be okay,” she said.

            The genuine honesty encasing her tone almost made Will believe her.

            Cold vines were all around him. His breath was a toxic grey against acidic blue. Lights dimly flickered, struggling to keep electricity pumping through their veins. The sky swirled violet and crimson behind a towering shadow, long head leaning down to scrutinize him. Arms stretching for acres sprouted out of a thin body, holding the creature above the world it had dominated. It was calm, almost smug. It had power, but it wanted more. More bodies, more minds, more to consume.

            He stared up at it with hopeless defeat. It didn’t matter where he hid, that thing would find him. He managed to hurt it once, badly enough that he thought he killed it, but it had grown stronger since then. There was no way he could defeat it now and they both knew it. He could only stand and watch as it loomed closer, wind whistling as black tornadoes joined to compose the figure’s body.

            It lifted one of its massive limbs. It was coming closer, reaching, attacking, devouring—

            A loud knock punched the air from Will’s lungs, eyes shooting open to reveal the underside of El’s bed. It’s a dream, just a dream. Above him, he heard El shift before sleepily mumbling, “Yes?”

            The sound of the door opening was followed by Hopper saying, “Hey. Time to get up.”

            “Okay. I’ll be out in a second.” The door was about to creak close when El spoke up again, “Hopper?”

            “Yeah?”

            “Is Mike’s nanna okay? Do you know?”

            “Yeah, it was a false alarm. Don’t take too long to come out, eggs will get cold.”

            After the door closed, the blanket next to Will lifted. Quietly, El said, “Good morning.”

            “Morning,” Will mumbled, closing his eyes for a moment in an attempt to slow his rapid pulse.

            “Listen,” El whispered, eyes skirting away nervously, “Mike said that he was going to come over today, probably in a little over an hour. I think… I think it would be good if you told him.”

            “El—”

            “I know you’re scared, but he should know,” she pleaded. “He really misses you and it would make him so happy to know that you’re okay.” Will’s lips twisted as he grimaced, bile starting to sting at the back of his throat. Seeing his conflict, El sighed, “I’m going to go have breakfast with Hopper. Just think about it? Please?”

            “…I’ll think about it.”

            El offered a grateful smile before dropping the blanket and leaving the room to allow Will to sift through his entangled worries.

            The tug and pull within his heart had resulted in a stalemate by the time El had opened the door once more. Will’s hands trembled as the blanket was lifted once more, the light barely grazing his arm since he’d huddled himself to lay pressed against the wall. El spoke quietly, “I couldn’t make anything without Hopper seeing, but I managed to get you an apple.” Will didn’t trust himself to speak. She added, “I can get you more to eat once Hopper leaves.” He refused to look at her. “Will?”

            “I don’t know what to do,” his voice pitifully croaked. He tried to blink away the traitorous tears attempting to crawl out. Shaky breaths rattled his ribcage as he failed to get himself to calm down.

            He heard some shuffling and the blanket dropped. El laid next to him in the tiny space, their arms brushing together as they both stared up at wooden planks. Mildly, El asked, “What happened yesterday?”

            Will choked out, “I found them i-in town. Mom was at Melvald’s and–and there was this guy, and she kissed him. She looked so happy and she was laughing. I… I couldn’t take it and I ran. I was going to go back, at least I thought I was, but then I saw Nancy and I–I don’t know why but I followed her.” He swallowed thickly to try and cover the sobs wanting to strangle his vocal cords. “Jonathan was–they work together. For the newspaper. And they came out and they were laughing, and Jonathan was joking with her and… Him and mom, they’re both just so… Happy.”

            “Isn’t that good?” El asked, echoing the thought that had been haunting him for hours.

            “No. I mean, yes, but—” Will’s hands came up to tangle and tug at his hair. “It doesn’t… I don’t want them to be sad, but I just…” Two fat drops drifted down his cheeks. “I guess I thought that they’d be upset like I was.”

            El’s eyebrows scrunched together, “But they are upset.”

            “They weren’t when I saw them,” he stated. “They seemed fine. They’re different now, El, and if–if my family has changed so much, I can’t even imagine how much the others have changed.”

            There was a long stretch of silence as the two laid next to each other.

            “You’ve changed too.”

            Will blinked, “What?”

            “You’ve changed too,” El repeated, caramel-colored eyes peering at him with an underlying melancholy. “You’re not the same as when you went away.”

            A surge of defensiveness ran through him as the urge to squirm under such scrutiny built up beneath his skin. He remained silent. Even though he wanted to argue, there wasn’t any point. No matter how much he resisted, it was obvious that El was right. The bright-eyed Will who only thought about fantasy games, playing at the arcade, and hanging out with his friends had vanished a long time ago. Now he was paranoid, and bitter, and lonely, and exhausted, and so far removed from that naïve kid that he may as well be a different person altogether.

            But that didn’t make it any easier to accept.

            “Do you not want to see Mike today?”

            Will’s face contorted, but the telephone’s shrill ring from the kitchen cut off his response. The ring ended as abruptly as it had started, but Hopper’s voice filled the quiet swiftly with the call of, “El, phone!”

            “Coming!” She called back, crawling out from the bed. She gave Will a reassuring look before hiding him and making her way out of the room.

            Rubbing the tears roughly off of his face, Will sniffled and tried to piece together what was left of his dignity. Though El showed no sign of being bothered by his open display of emotions, the shame still nipped at him sharply. Get yourself together. He managed to get himself relaxed enough to pass as ‘okay’ when El pushed the door back open before closing it rather forcefully. She let out a breath before saying, “You can come out, Will. Hopper’s leaving.”

            He belly crawled out of his spot with a frown, “Is everything alright?”

            “Mike’s… Not coming over.”

            “Oh,” Will’s frown grew. “Why? You didn’t have to tell him no, I could’ve left.”

            “I didn’t,” El said agitatedly. “He said his nanna was sick.” Didn’t Hopper just—? “I think… He was lying to me.” The gravity in which El said the words made Will shift uncomfortably. She shook her head as if to banish the very thought from her mind. Then, she suddenly said, “I know you don’t believe me when I say Mrs. Byers and Jonathan missed you and maybe you don’t believe that Mike and the others miss you, but… But last year, Hopper said that was the hardest time for all of them. I can’t tell you what they were like then. I wasn’t allowed to leave or talk to anyone until last winter. I know that Mike, Lucas, and Dustin were upset, but I didn’t see the worst of it myself.” She looked sad as she added, “You probably wouldn’t believe me if I did, would you?”

            Will shook his head with downcast eyes.

            She took a determined step towards Will, “But what if I took you to someone who could? Someone you don’t know? Would you believe them?”

            Will shrugged, but that was enough of a ‘yes’ for El.

Chapter Text

            The walk was mostly silent as El and Will made their way down one of Hawkins’ quiet, suburban streets. Will didn’t have even the slightest clue as to where they were going, but he assumed from how vaguely El had spoken about their destination earlier that asking questions wasn’t going to get him anywhere. He kept his head slightly ducked as his burgundy hood hid his face, thankful that today was cooler so he wouldn’t be boiling too much in his thick sweatshirt. Will peered at El from the corner of his eye, concern twisting his face when she still maintained her usual, stoic expression. Carefully, he asked, “Are you okay?”

            “Yes.”

            Will stayed quiet, his lips pressed into a thin line. Though he did see El as a friend, the only one he really had at this moment, and he did want to be there for her like she was for him, he was relieved that she wasn’t talking about Mike. Just hearing his voice deeper and older, and knowing that he’d given up on Will just like everyone else agonized him far more than anything the Upside Down could’ve done to him. Mike was his first friend, his first confidante, the first person he felt like completely understood him. Mike was like family yet somehow more and now Will didn’t even know if Mike so much as thought about him nowadays.

            Up ahead, the sound of a skateboard hitting asphalt caught Will’s attention. A girl with bright red hair held an expression of pure concentration, ice blue eyes locked onto her feet. She popped the board up in an attempted kick-flip, but missed the landing with a muffled curse. The board rolled passed her as she managed to catch herself before falling.  El stopped walking, causing him to do the same, and she watched the board quickly make its way to her. Casually, she stopped it with her foot and stepped down on the nose of it, allowing it to flip up into her hands.

            Tucking the skateboard under one arm and grabbing hold of Will’s hand, El marched up to the girl with a stern gaze. She stopped a foot away from the redhead and held out the skateboard with a simple, “Hi.”

            “…Hi?” the girl said, her eyebrow quirked as she took the board. Her eyes traveled from El to Will swiftly, her face scrunching up further. “Who’s he?”

            “We need your help.”

            “Wait, wait, wait,” the redhead said, halting El’s fumbled explanation. She pointed at him. “You’re Will? But, Lucas and Dustin said you were dead.”

            Will winced, but El cut back in, “They thought he was, but I found him. Two days ago. He’s been… Lost.”

            “Lost? For over a year with no sightings of him?”

            “Max—”

            “Where did you go? Were you trying to run away or something?” Max asked, skepticism dripping from her voice.

            “It’s kind of hard to explain,” Will said, ducking his head. “Besides, you… Probably wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”

            “Try me,” Max challenged.

            When Will remained quiet, El spoke up, “Do you remember the lab that closed last year?”

            “Yeah?” Max’s head tilted. “It’s the one you came from, right?”

            El nodded. “We… Didn’t tell you everything about what happened.” She shifted guiltily, shoulders hunching slightly. “Remember how I told you the bad men made me do different tests?” Max nodded. “On the night I left, during one of the tests, I saw… Something.” El shifted again. “I saw a monster.”

            “A monster?”

            “Yes and it… It came from the Upside Down. This place that’s like here but really cold and dark. We couldn’t find Will because he wasn’t here anymore. He was somewhere no one could get to him.”

            “But, they found his body in the quarry, didn’t they?”

            “That wasn’t really him,” El insisted, obviously struggling to try for how to explain. “The lab pretended he died so no one would look into anything.” Will’s hands gripped the comforter below him tightly. “He was still alive, though. Mike said he was in an alternate dimension and there was a gate to it under the lab—”

            Max scoffed, “An alternate dimension? Are you serious?”

            “Yes! He was there and he couldn’t get out, but two days ago I found him in the woods—”

            “I’m sorry, but you seriously expect me to believe that he,” Max jabbed a finger in his direction, “disappeared two years ago and has been wandering around in an alternate dimension filled with ‘monsters’, and just now popped up like a daisy in spring outside your cabin perfectly fine?”

            “Max—”

            “And not only that, but this lab that you’ve escaped from managed to make a gateway into an alternate dimension and somehow no one found out about it? I mean, seriously, that’s—”

            “You know that she can move things with her mind,” Will cut in, anxiety running its nails down his spine, his body shaking though he felt like he was overheating. “You know that she escaped from a lab when she was twelve. Is it really so hard to believe that maybe I got lost in an alternate dimension when you have a girl with superpowers sitting right in front of you?” His heart was pounding and his breathing was becoming uneven and he didn't even know why, but he couldn’t stop. “You think we don’t know that this sounds like complete and utter bullshit? I don’t blame you for not believing us!” His words were fast and chaotic. “But, I also know that I went missing in 1983 and now it’s 1985 and I’m back, but everyone thinks I’m dead and maybe I should be, but I’m not, but no one cares because they gave up and now El brought me here so you could convince me that my friends missed me, but I don’t even know if that matters to me anymore because they’ve probably changed even more than my family has and it really fucking sucks so please just believe us when we tell you this is the truth because we have no reason to lie about any of this shit!”

            The light hanging above Max’s bedside table shattered with a hard pop and silence permeated the space.

            His hands trembled violently as he struggled to get himself back under control. He could feel warmth beginning to build on his upper lip and closed his eyes, shame and fear piercing him like knives. There was some rustling and then someone was touching him. Hazel eyes slowly opened to see El looking at him with a pained, sorrowful expression as she held a tissue to his bloody nose. He nodded gratefully and gently took the tissue, pinching his nose as he leaned his head forward. Softly, he said, “I’m sorry.”

            “Don’t be,” Max replied after a tense moment. Her eyes were wide and she looked just about ready to bolt, but relaxed her stance once she saw the defeated slump of his shoulders. She pursed her lips before continuing, “Well, after that, it’s kind of hard not to believe you.” She stared curiously at him, eyes raking over his face. “So… You have powers? Like she does?”

            “I don’t know if they’re exactly like hers, but… Yeah.”

            “Have you always had them?” El asked, shock evident in her tone.

            Will shook his head, “They started after I ended up in the Upside Down. I could… Make lights flash, sometimes I got things to move. I got better at it over time, but I can only do big things when I, uh, freak out or get really upset.” He cleaned away the blood with a few more wipes, the rush of crimson having stopped as soon as it had started. “It feels weird, being able to use them here. It’s also… Harder. In a way. Like being here kind of blocks them.”

            “They didn’t look blocked to me,” Max said, crossing her arms. A stormy look crossed her face. She then looked to El, “Why didn’t any of you tell me?”

            El shrugged, “Mike told me not to talk about it. He didn’t want any of us to talk about it.”

            Max sighed, “Figures. It took him a long time just to get him to say a full sentence to me without looking like he was going to pop a blood vessel.”

            Will looked up at that, “What do you mean?”

            “Mike hated me at first,” Max said with a small smirk. “I moved here in October and, apparently, I beat Dustin’s top score in Dig Dug. They started stalking me after that, staring at me in class and following me around. Mike probably only did it since Lucas and Dustin did. Anyway, we were in this weird sort of thing where I was sort of their friend and sort of not. Mike said I wasn’t in the ‘party’ and they were all so secretive all the time. But… I don’t know, I guess over time we warmed up to each other. He was better after El came back. All of them sort of were.”

            She walked over and sat down next to Will on the bed. She elaborated, “Mike didn’t just seem to hate me. He acted like he hated the world. He only talked to Lucas and Dustin, but even then he would get all snappy. He and Lucas got into fights a lot, but they never seemed like they were really angry at each other. They just seemed angry in general, even though Lucas was better at hiding it. I found out about you during Halloween. There was this asshole dressed up like a zombie telling everyone that he was you.” Will glowered, but wasn’t entirely surprised. Hawkins’ morality wasn’t something he’d missed in the slightest. “Mike just lost it, it took two adults to pull him off and another two to hold back Lucas and Dustin. He ran home after that. It took a while, but Dustin eventually told me who you were. He and Lucas told me about how they found your body in the quarry.” Max’s own eyes started getting misty. “They told me how much they cared about you, said that you were one of the greatest friends a person could have.” She looked at Will earnestly. “I don’t have any idea what you’ve gone through, but don’t for a second think that your friends didn’t miss you more than anything in the world.”

            Hazel eyes looked away from ice blue in favor of staring down at the carpet. Once again, his emotions were caught in a ceaseless tug of war. While El had been right, hearing a neutral party telling him that his friends had missed him gave his heart a warm lift, something sour settled in his stomach at hearing that none of them would talk about him. That they lied about what happened to him. That Mike insisted that nobody talk about what had happened to him. As if now that he was gone, he was nothing more than a touchy subject that they could ignore if they wanted to. He was no longer a person, but a concept that didn’t need to be discussed unless necessary.

            “Thank you for telling me that,” He mumbled.

            Max crossed her arms once more and said, “There’s still something I don’t understand. If you’re so concerned about your friends missing you, why didn’t you just go see them yourself? Why did you come to me?”

            Will only shrugged, his silence his last layer of protection. El spoke up instead, “Well, we were going to tell Mike today when he came over, but…”

            “But?” Max prompted.

            “He called and said he couldn’t because of his grandma. Hopper said his grandma was fine, he got a false alarm yesterday, but Mike said the false alarm was actually real. I heard his mom asking what happened with grandma, like she didn’t know, and he told her to hang up. Then he said he missed me and, then he just… Hung up.”

            Max stood up from the bed. “He’s a piece of shit.”

            “What?” Both El and Will asked.

            “Oh come on!” Max threw her arms up in exasperation. “Mike doesn’t have jack-shit to do today and his grandma obviously isn’t sick! I guarantee you, he and Lucas are playing Atari right now.”

            “But, friends don’t lie,” El said, the phrase said like a sacred mantra.

            “Yeah, well, boyfriends lie. All. The. Time,” she responded, looking utterly serious. A cold jab struck Will’s heart at the word, at the acknowledgement of what Mike was. Mike was El’s boyfriend and there was nothing Will could do about it. Max clapped her hands together decisively, “If he’s going to treat you like garbage, then you’re going to treat him like garbage. As far as you’re concerned, he doesn’t exist.”

            “Doesn’t exist?”

            “Yeah. Give him a taste of his own medicine.”

            El’s brow furrowed as her expression morphed into one of determination, “Give him the medicine.”

            “Mm-hm,” Max nodded. “And if he doesn’t come clean, if he doesn’t explain himself, dump his ass.” Will stared curiously between the two girls, eyes flickering between the two as his lips were downturned in confusion. Hesitantly, El nodded at Max’s words and the redhead sprung back up. “Anyway, I say it’s about time you had a break from ‘the party’ and,” she looked at Will being absolutely swallowed by Hopper’s oversized hoodie, “you could do with some new clothes. Both of you could, really.”

            “What’s wrong with our clothes?” El asked.

            Max smiled, “Clothes are a way to show who you are, El. Right now, all I’m seeing is Hopper. I want to see El.” She tossed a teasing smirk to Will. “And you, mister, just look homeless.” Will quirked an eyebrow and cast a glance down at himself. His nose crinkled when he begrudgingly felt himself agree with her. Still, there was just one problem.

            “Neither of us have any money. How are we going to buy new clothes?” Will asked.

            Another smirk and the tomboy left the room. A moment passed and she came trotting back, proudly holding a grey credit card between her fingers. She said, “What my step-dad doesn’t know won’t hurt him, my mom uses his card for shopping all the time. Now, come on, we’re going to the mall.”

            Will blinked in bewilderment as El hopped off the bed. He slowly stood to follow the two girls, frowning slightly.

            Hawkins doesn’t have a mall…

Chapter Text

            Crowded against the window of the packed bus, Will’s eyes stared unseeing at the blurred lines of passing trees. He’d tuned out of Max and El’s chatter as the eerie feeling of déjà vu continued to drag its nails across his heart. There was something familiar about the path the bus was taking to the mall, the curving of the road and the way the small businesses disappeared as they were carried further into what was once the rural side of town. Whatever significance this area had to him, it made him want to squirm.

            Suddenly, he caught sight of a white, towering sign. The word STARCOURT was written in large, colorful letters. Just behind it laid an overflowing parking lot leading to a large building. It was then that Will’s heart stuttered. In that moment, he couldn’t hear the happy voices rambling around him. His vision zeroed in on the building, the filter in his mind comparing the bright image he saw now to the desolate picture he had seen days ago. Though it was devoid of vines and decay, it was undoubtedly the same place from which he’d escaped his never ending nightmare.

            This is where the gate is…

            The bus lurched and groaned as it came to a stop in front of the mall’s entrance, its door swinging limply open as everyone began to pile out. A hand persistently nudging at Will’s side tugged him back to reality, El staring at him curiously, “Are you coming?”

            “El—”

            “Guys, let’s go, the bus is waiting on you,” Max called, already halfway to the front.

            Will frowned, but allowed himself to be tugged along as the trio exited the bus. Both he and El stared apprehensively at the mall.  Max grinned at the pair, “So? What do you think?” The silence that answered her caused her grin to shrink. “What’s wrong?”

            “Too many people, against the rules,” El supplied vaguely. Will’s tongue felt weighed down by the knowledge only he possessed about the building, the surrounding crowd further suffocating his voice.

            “Seriously?” Max asked, a smirk slowly growing. “You both have superpowers. What’s the worst that could happened?”

            El smiled back and followed Max towards the entrance, pulling a still quiet Will behind her. Neither girl noticed the harsh wince he gave at Max’s question.

            The inside of the enormous building was even more busy and vibrant than the outside. Neon signs flashed proudly, beckoning patrons into shiny stores filled with items entirely overpriced yet inescapably alluring. It was odd, seeing something so lively and whimsical in Hawkins. It almost made Will believe the three of them had stepped into yet another alternate dimension.

            He blinked out of his reverie when Max asked the question, “So, what should we do first?”

            El simply stared in wonder at the orderly chaos around her, everyone moving like tides in and out of the entrances of stores as advertisements dragged customers’ eyes every which way. Max chuckled and said, “You’ve never been shopping before have you?” Wide brown eyes continued to analyze in childish wonder. The redhead looked to Will. “What about you? Anywhere you want to go first?”

            Will’s brow furrowed. Now wasn’t the time to tell them about what lurked beneath the mall, not when there was no telling who exactly could overhear. The more inconspicuous he and his friends remained, the better. He answered honestly, “I don’t know. It’s been, uh…It’s been a long time.”

            Max’s eyes grew a bit sadder at his admission, but the soft look was quickly covered up as she beamed and said, “Well, I guess that just means that we’ll have to try everything.” Practically bouncing between the two unusual teens, Max looped her arms through El’s and Will’s, and excitedly led the way towards a crimson paneled store. Will’s anxious grimace went unnoticed.

            “I look stupid, don’t I?”

            “No, you don’t,” Max huffed, rolling her eyes at the slight pout on Will’s face. “It looks cool.”

            Will scrutinized himself in the mirror, hazel eyes narrowing as he mentally criticized the clothes on his scrawny frame. The music, constant flow of people, and endless material goods were already overwhelming for a fragile mind just escaping almost two years of being stuck in a wasteland of death, but actually having new clothes was something not even pre-Upside Down Will ever really had. He’d grown up with hand-me-downs and clothes from the local Goodwill. His skin was used to the rough jostle of worn fabric against it, threads coming loose and colors dimmed. These clothes he wore now, though, were bright and pristine.

            He wore a lavender t-shirt that had a thick, neon yellow stripe wrapping around the chest with a thinner one just below it. Over that, a large black over-shirt with short sleeves rested comfortably on his shoulders, buttons left open. White outlines of geometric shapes cut through the black. A pair of dark, acid washed jeans hugged his hips nicely, a couple stylish tears adorning each knee.

            It was odd how he looked the same yet so entirely different with just one outfit. His sharper jaw and thinner cheeks hammered in the fact that was just barely managing to break through the walls of his skull. He was older. The clothes were just one more uncomfortable jab at the barrier that was carefully built around his delicate grasp of the current reality. What was even more jarring was just how much Will liked it.

            Behind him, Max asked, “El, have you figured out what you want to try on yet?” When silence met her, Will turned around in curiosity. El was staring up at a mannequin with a pinched brow and pursed lips. Max spoke up again, “El?”

            “How do I know?”

            “Huh?” Will said, tilting his head.

            “How do I know what I like?” El elaborated, her expression growing more troubled by the minute.

            Max walked up to stand next to her, staring up at the clothes draped across the model. She said, “Well, you just try things on until you find something that feels like you.”

            El blinked, “Like me?”

            “Yeah,” Max nodded with a smile. “Not Hopper, not Mike, you.”

            The smile that slowly spread across El’s face seemed to brighten the entire store and some of Will’s fear vanished in the light.

            If there was one thing that Will was certain he wouldn’t enjoy, it was going shoe shopping. He vividly remembered Mike’s endless whining about how Nancy could spend literal hours doing nothing but trying on various high heels only to decide that she wanted to look at the flats instead. Though he’d probably be smacked if his companions knew, Will felt a bit wary entering the long isles of footwear with two girls.

            No one was more surprised than him to find that a half an hour in to browsing, he was sporting a wide grin as he helped El balance in a pair of far too tall wedges. He slowly stepped back and had to bite back a snort at the way the girl’s knees wobbled like a newborn giraffe. She caught sight of his amusement and glowered, shuffling forward with comical fury. Will practically giggled, inching backwards in a mocking effort to evade her.

            His eyes widened when he saw El crouch slightly with a look of determination.

            “El, no—!”

            Will’s plea fell on deaf ears as he was promptly hit with a flying tackle from El. Max’s face turned the same shade as her fiery hair as she cackled at the two piled on the floor like limp ragdolls.

            “But why?”

            “Will, I’m sorry, but you look like Shaggy’s traumatized twin. You need a haircut.”

            “You’re exaggerating.”

            “What’s a ‘Shaggy’?”

            Max hit El with a deadpan look for a long moment before turning back to Will. “Listen, Will. This is about finding the new you as much as it is about finding El.”

            But what if I don’t want to find a new me?

            Shaking his head, Will replied, “I don’t understand why the new me needs a haircut.”

            “Because the current me said so,” Max retorted and promptly began to tug him into the hair salon. “Trust me, this’ll help you feel better.”

            The teen let out a suffering sigh before mumbling, “Fine.”

            “And the new you will not have a bowl-cut.”

            El followed after her friends with a puzzled stare.

            “Alright! Smile big for the camera now!”

            The trio had their heads stacked with goofy grins, Will on the bottom, El in the middle, and Max on top. They all donned wild hats with feathers and fluff along with abhorrently mustard, suit jackets. Cartoonish jewelry hung from all of their necks and wrists, completing the disaster. The flash of the camera went off and Will’s heart ached with the longing to see his brother on the other side of the photoshoot.

            Just as he felt his smile beginning to dip, El was tugging him hurriedly back to the changing room. Max was already digging through the countless costumes, ice blue eyes searching tirelessly for the perfect clash of colors. Will’s newly cut hair was ruffled slightly as he slid off his hat. The oak-colored strands formed a small wave of bangs that swept to the right on his forehead, the top portion of hair left a medium length while the rest was short.

            El was beaming when she looked at him, saying, “This is amazing.”

            Will couldn’t help but smile back, “Yeah, it is.”

            For the first time in almost two years, the thing that was making Will Byers' head feel light wasn’t shock and horror. It was joy.

            “El! Will! Bedazzled jean jackets or feather dresses?”

            “I have limits, Max!”

            The trio huddled together behind the pillar, eyes all locked onto a gaggle of gossiping girls. Will could recognize most of them even with the evolution their bodies had gone under in time. They all held smoothies in their hands and their degrading comments about fellow classmates could be heard clearly. The one at the center laughed and Will recognized the demeaning snicker to be the same one that would sound when a high heeled foot would stick out to trip Dustin in the halls.

            El’s eyes narrowed, focus sharp and unwavering. Will could practically feel the crackle in the air as her mind worked, a strange itch rubbing at the back of his brain as she jerked her head and made the girl’s cup explode orange slush all over the friend group. He couldn’t dwell on the odd feelings as shrieks rang out through the food court and he joined his friends in a gleeful escape.

            Bags swung cheerfully in their hands as the three teens continued to stroll through the mall. Will was donning his new outfit from the Gap, now complete with new white sneakers with yellow highlights and a mature haircut. El practically danced along, new black dress with bright patterns swaying along with her curly hair. Max hummed contently, large, red-rimmed shades obscuring her carefree gaze.

            The redhead paused, “Hey, you guys want ice cream?”

            El and Will nodded, both following her dutifully to a small little shop on the outer rim of the food court. A familiar voice made ice grow in Will’s veins, his haze of happiness dispersed with a monotone, “Ahoy, maties. Can I take your order?”

            “Will?”

            The boy blinked and saw the two girls staring at him in mind concern. He swallowed thickly despite all moisture leaving his mouth. Up ahead, he could see the bored face of one Steve Harrington grabbing two waffle cones with the enthusiasm of a comatose bull. Steve Harrington, king of the high school, Nancy’s asshole boyfriend, Jonathan’s friend. His hands trembled slightly at his side, but he tried to maintain nonchalance as he said, “I’m going to wait by the fountain if that’s alright. It looks, uh… Crowded over there.”

            Max squinted at him then stared over at the ice cream shop. The flow of traffic was no different from that of the fountain. She turned back to Will, “For being a member of the party, you seem to love breaking the ‘no lying’ rule.” Will had the decency to look ashamed, gaze dropping to the floor. Max held her hard stare for a moment before taking pity on him, “If you’re worried about Harrington, all you had to do is say so. El and I will be right back.”

            El shot him a reassuring smile as the two girls went on ahead. Although he didn’t feel the energy to grin back, he felt relief at his friends’ understanding all the same. Keeping his head down and shoulders hunched, Will trudged himself to the large fountain that babbled continuously in the center of the large space.

            Settling on the cold, faux marble, he let out a heavy breath. Today had been the best day he’d had since he’d disappeared that cold, November day. A melancholy weight began to settle on his lungs as his mind drifted to his friends. Was he being selfish? It wasn’t as if Will never wanted to see them again, there wasn’t a day that went by when he didn’t miss them. He just couldn’t guarantee that he’d be able to handle seeing them flourish in his absence like the rest of the world seemed to be doing.

            Was Max right? Was Mike playing Atari with Lucas right now? Was Dustin there too? Were they fighting? Laughing? Sad? Happy? Did they wish he was there? Did he wish he was there?

            Will leaned forward and planted his elbows on his knees, burying his face in his hands. The more questions that tumbled into his head, the harder the red hot spike of a migraine dug into the tender space behind his eyes. It was nauseating acknowledging it, but the truth was inescapable.

            Will was far more lost in Hawkins than he ever was in the Upside Down.

            The sunlight glared down on Will as he followed Max and El out of Starcourt. He licked absentmindedly at his ice cream, the girls having chosen cookie dough topped with chocolate chips for him. He traced the cracks in the sidewalk as he went, not paying much mind to the friends before him trading their frozen treats. While he was grateful to both of them and did enjoy himself far more than he’d expected, exhaustion tugged at every cell in his body. All he wanted was to curl up in his little makeshift hideout beneath El’s bed and sleep his clustered emotions away.

            And that was when he heard it.

            “That’s ridiculous. Can’t I just mow old man Brigby's lawn?”

            “Yeah, but, it’s not even that much money.”

            His heart was in his throat, his blood roaring like an overflowing river pummeling his eardrums. It was that voice again, but there was another one. Another one that sounded so familiar and yet completely and utterly wrong. His muscles were burning, aching to run fast and far just so he could erase this horrid coincidence from his mind.

            They’re here. Why are they here? Why did Mike lie? Why is this happening?

            Will’s eyes shifted traitorously, giving him the perfect view of two ghosts from his past.

            There, less that fifty feet away, were Mike and Lucas. Two of his closest friends in the entire world, one of whom dug his way deeper into his heart than most would accept. Both of them had grown taller, Lucas a good inch or so above Will and Mike seeming as though he’d have to make an effort to hunch down to look the youngest Byers in the eye. They were lanky and awkward and teenagers, and Will’s chest constricted because they were grabbing their bikes and getting ready to go home as if it were any other day.

            Because it was just any other day. Just any other day where they hung out and went on adventures while believing that Will Byers laid cold and decaying in hell.

            Will dropped his cone and, by the time cookie dough had splattered across the pavement, he was already on board the bus.

Chapter Text

            Trembling against the cold metal of the bus’s side, the window slightly ajar above Will allowed the voices from outside to invade the air. Though the words were indistinguishable, the sharp melody of Max, annoyed crackle of Mike, and stern lilt of El just managed to grace the cowering boy’s ears. Logically, there was little chance that the two had seen Will. They had their backs to him and were enthralled in a conversation when he’d bolted away from them. From their tones, it was obvious that they had been walking the thin line between bantering and bickering.

            His heart lurched with the bus as more people gathered on board.

            Sweaty hands rubbed on his brand new jeans, the expensive fabric heating up under the rough friction of nerve-driven panic. Tears burned his eyes and muddied his vision, shame a thick syrup in his throat. So many days he’d wanted to see them, so many times he lied in the cold and dark wishing to see the faces of his best friends just one more time. They were right there, just like Jonathan was right there, just like mom was right there.

            Will could practically hear his father’s disgusted sneer at his weakness.

            More people piled onto the bus and, for a brief moment, Will wondered if he’d be going back alone. The somber speculation was dispelled as a sudden weight dropped down into the seat next to him, followed by a third squishing him against the wall. He blinked at El and Max, the two giggling as they determinedly crammed into the seat.

            “I really don’t think these seats were made for three people,” Will commented, though his voice was quiet and bloodied with insecurity.

            Max grinned, “You missed El telling Wheeler off. It was awesome.”

            El seemed to preen under the praise, eyes shining with mirth as she said, “I dumped his ass.”

            Will didn’t attempt to hide his confusion as Max laughed and high fived her friend, the two girls continuing to munch on their ice cream. Aren’t people supposed to be sad after a break up? She seems happy about it. I know he lied today, but… He squirmed uncomfortably as he tried in vain to squash the traitorous feeling of joy at the news.

            “Are you okay?” Max asked, leaning forward to peer at Will from around El. “I’ve never seen someone move so fast.”

            “I’m fine,” Will said, shaking his head. Self-hatred coiled like a snake in his stomach and its venom stung him with comments of his cowardice. He forced a small smile, “Sorry for wasting the ice cream.”

            “Do you want mine?” El offered, holding out her half-finished cone.

            “No, thanks. I’m not hungry,” Will answered. He crossed his arms and leaned his head against the sun-heated window, ignoring the concerned stares of his companions.

            The bus let out a low growl as it began to lumber forward, trudging its way out of the overflowing parking and back onto the winding road. As tree littered fields and speckles of small homes rushed passed in a blur of colors, regret seeped into his chest and made his lungs heavier with each passing moment. He wanted desperately to go back and throw himself at his friends, tell them how much he missed them and how happy he was to finally see them, though they look so different now. It was a nice fantasy, but Will knew that even if he could go back, he would still flee without a backward glance. For Mike Wheeler and Lucas Sinclair, Will Byers died in 1983.

            Will was starting to wonder if perhaps that was true after all.

            The day passed quickly under the haze of summer heat and the frenzied wandering all about the small town of Hawkins. Now, the trio was congregated back in El’s bedroom. The peaceful chime of Angel by Madonna poured out of the peach colored radio on the dresser. Max danced across the carpet, a hairbrush her choice of microphone as she parroted the lyrics. El bounced along to the song as she flipped through magazines, lightly jostling Will who laid with his eyes closed, sprawled on the bed beside her.

            Suddenly, Will heard Max pause and chuckle, “Oh, you found Ralph Macchio.”

            “Macchio?” El asked playfully.

            “Yeah, he’s the Karate Kid. Hiyah!” Max swung her arm down in a mock chop, causing El to giggle.

            Will frowned, “The Karate Kid?”

            Max blinked, “Yeah, haven’t you—” She stopped herself short as realization made her ice-colored eyes widen. She looked away sheepishly. “It’s a movie. It came out last June.”

            “Oh,” Will breathed, directing his gaze back up to the ceiling. There was a heavy silence in the room then, the unspoken significance of what Max said hanging in the air. It came out last June. It came out when you were still gone. It came out while you were still dead. The teen shook his head. His obsession over his own faux death was starting to make him truly unsettled. It was a mistake, a logical hypothesis that happened to be proven false. Who would have honestly expected meek, frail Will to survive in a dimension full of bloodthirsty monsters? Still, it didn’t make the bitter truth any easier to swallow. It also didn’t make the macabre ponderings that had begun probing his brain any easier to ignore.

            “I bet Macchio’s an amazing kisser.”

            The cough that escaped Will sounded as though Max had punched him directly in the gut. While he was thankful for the change in subject, what the subject had changed to left much to be desired. El’s eyebrows crinkled in amusement.

            Max laughed at Will’s flustered expression. She teased, “The Upside Down can’t bring you to your knees, but talking about kissing boys does?”

            He didn’t dignify her with a response, opting instead to throw an arm over his face to block out the ribbing. El asked, “Why does it bother you?”

            “Probably since he’s a guy,” Max answered for him. “The thought of kissing another guy is always so repulsive to them.”

            Will’s heart lurched. The thought of kissing another guy is always so repulsive to them. Repulsive. It’s gross. It’s not right. How he thought and how he felt, it was wrong. The deeply drilled belief made his body stiffen and jaw clench, though he didn’t speak. The tension was once again palpable. 

            He could feel eyes on him, could practically hear the wheels turning in the girls’ heads. He doubted El would be able to decipher his behavior with how much she was still learning about social cues, but Max was startlingly perceptive. He needed to say something, tell them that Max was right. He thought liking another guy was gross. He just needed to say it, just needed to lie—

            “It’s not, though,” the redhead cut in. Will froze before slowly lowering his arm, staring at Max uncomprehendingly. She spoke again, “It’s not gross. Most guys are just stupid.”

            The words were like salve over a burn, unfamiliar and stinging but soothing to the part of himself that he didn’t wish to acknowledge quite yet. Will gave a small nod and Max offered a kind grin in return.

            Her expression turned playful once more as her attention went back to the silently observing El. She asked, “So, is Mike a good kisser?”

            Will felt interest and envy spark within his chest.

            “I don’t know,” El said honestly. “He’s my first boyfriend.”

            Max hummed, “Ex-boyfriend.” El’s smile shrunk slightly, her eyes trailing to the bed. Will sat up with a sympathetic look. The redhead laid a hand on El’s shoulder, “Hey, don’t worry about, okay? He’ll come crawling back to you in no time begging for forgiveness. I guarantee you, he and Lucas are wallowing in self-pity as we speak.”

            El giggled as Max’s performance became more theatrical. Will felt himself starting to smile as well despite the conflict in his heart. Max jutted out her lip in an overdramatic pout and she comically whimpered, “Oooh, I hope they take us back.” The three chuckled at the image. Max commented, “God, what I wouldn’t give to see their stupid faces.”

            A thoughtful, almost mischievous look crossed over El’s face. Will asked, “What is it?”

            El stood from the bed and went to her dresser, turning the dial of her radio until the music was swallowed by static. Will watched in confusion as El grabbed what appeared to be a blindfold from one of her drawers and sat down on the floor.

            “What are you doing?” he asked.

            “I’m going to see what their ‘stupid faces’ look like,” El answered, smiling when she saw Max beam. Will still held a look of confusion, so she elaborated, “When I close my eyes and focus on someone, I go into a place where I can see what they’re doing.”

            “So, you can spy on people?” He asked, though not unkindly.

            “Spy?”

            “You can watch people, without them knowing?”

            El nodded. Max looked at Will, “Can you do that?”

            Will thought for a moment, then shrugged. “I have no idea. I mean, I haven’t tried doing something like that before.”

            “Do you want to?” El asked.

            “Huh?”

            “Do you want to try? I can help.”

            “You should!” Max chirped. “You might have powers you don’t even know about.”

            After a brief moment of hesitation, Will nodded and sat down on the floor beside El. El opened one of her drawers and pulled out another piece of fabric, this one bright white. She held it out to Will, “Put this on to cover your eyes.”

            He took the blindfold and tied it around his head, his nerves already beginning to nip at him. He could hear Max shifting on the bed, excitedly commenting, “This is so cool, this is going to be awesome!”

            “Max.”

            “Sorry, shutting up.”

            Will jumped slightly when he felt a pair of hands grab his and give a firm squeeze. El’s voice comforted him, “Just relax. Focus on Mike and Lucas. Think about their faces, their voices. Picture them clearly and look.”

            Gradually, El’s encouragement and Max’s restless shifting fizzled out along with the static. Breathing deeply, Will allowed himself to become lost in the endless ink of nothingness.

            It was dark.

            There was a building.

            Something wasn’t right, something was wrong.

            This wasn’t the Upside Down, but that eroding chill hung in the air.

            Something was hiding.

            No, that thing was hiding.

            How was it here?

            It shouldn’t be, couldn’t be.

            There was a rat.

            It was shaking, jerking, screeching.

            Pain, there was so much pain.

            More rats, more hurt, more shaking.

            Melting.

            Bones.

            Hurt.

            Shadows.

            Decay.

            There’s an army.

            An army of one.

            Soon two.

            Growing.

            It’s growing.

            He’s growing.

            Dead rats.

            Dead bodies.

            Dead minds.

            It’s coming.

            It’s here.

            It’s too late.

            It knows.

            He knows.

            “What? What happened?”

            The sound of El taking off her blindfold. Her and Max giggling. Static from the radio, warmth from the cabin, gentle light from the lamp. Trembling hands pulled the cloth away from Will’s eyes. The giggling stopped. A car pulled up outside. Angry footsteps stomped into the cabin. Will dove under the bed and covered himself, the girls grabbed their magazines and pretended to be busy.

            Hopper, El, and Max’s voices sounded as though they were submerged in water against Will’s ears.

            “—three!”

            “Do you knock? Geez!”

            “Yeah, geez!”

            “O-Oh, I’m sorry, I thought that, uh—”

            “Mike’s not here.”

            “Max wanted to have a sleepover… Is that okay?”

            “…Yeah. Yeah, yeah. Your, uh, parents’ know about…?”

            “Yup.”

            “Yeah, that’s cool. That-That’s really cool.”

            A pause. Will’s heart thunders.

            “…Did you need something?”

            “No, no, I’ll leave. I’ll just, uh, I’ll leave you… To it. Yeah.”

            The bedroom door shut with a resounding thunk. A few moments later, the sound of late night talk shows could be heard faintly outside. There was movement in the room, twin shadows appearing in front of his blanket curtain.

            “Will? Are you okay?”

            A half choked retch is all the girls received in reply.

Chapter Text

            “Will? Will, what happened? What did you see?”

            The teen shuddered in his cramped nest of blankets beneath the bed, swallowing roughly to fight back the nausea climbing up his throat. He rubbed his arms harshly, childish and desperate in his attempt to rid himself of the ghastly cold. The creature that once haunted him with its body of shadows was here and he knew it would stay until it took him. Until it took everyone.

            A hand touching his shoulder startled a gasp out of him.

            “Will?”

            Slowly, Will turned his head and looked at the two girls staring at him with concern. There was a long moment of heavy silence as hazel eyes that appeared far older than fourteen gazed at El and Max. Finally, Will croaked, “I saw… Something bad.”

            “Bad how?” Max asked, laying down on her stomach so that she was eye level with the terrified boy.

            “There was something… Something from the Upside Down,” Will said, shifting so that he was fully facing the two. “It looked like it was here, somewhere in Hawkins.”

            “The Demogorgan?” El guessed, her expression like stone.

            “No, it’s… This is different,” Will shook his head. His hands kneaded at the blankets below him as he thought. “It’s bigger and smarter… It can control things.”

            “What kind of things?”

            “Living things. I remember there was more than one Demogorgan, but they weren’t fully grown. It controlled them, like a queen bee controls a hive,” Will swallowed thickly. “Or an army.”

            “So, the Demogorgan that came here before, was it controlled by that thing too?” Max asked.

            “I don’t know… I don’t think all of them were.”

            “How could you tell?” El wondered, tilting her head. “How did you know which ones were or weren’t?”

            “There wasn’t really a way to know for sure,” Will said, expression pinched. “But there was one that… It sounds weird but, it reminded me of my dog.”

            “Your dog?” Max incredulously repeated. “Does your dog walk on two legs and open its face like a demented Venus flytrap?” Both Will and El simple stared. The redhead shrugged, “Lucas went into a lot of detail.”

            Slowly, Will shook his head, “Like I said, there were other Demogorgans that weren’t fully grown. They go through stages, like a frog. They start out like a slug, that’s how I found Chester, and then they grow into what look like dogs. The final stage is walking on two legs.”

            “Wait, wait. Chester?”

            “That’s what I called him, the Demogorgan. It… He was just like my dog, so I just called him—”

            “Dude, it’s fine,” Max cut off Will’s frantic defense. “I’m not judging your choice of monster names.”

            “He wasn’t a monster, though,” Will said softly. “He was my friend, the only one I had.”

            Silence settled like a thick blanket over the room, just short of suffocating. El put her hand on Will’s, her gaze holding melancholic sympathy. Gently, she asked, “What happened to him?”

            “There was something happening, something at the lab,” Will explained, voice shaking. “All the Demogorgans were swarming it and that thing was there.” He shuddered. “I didn’t know what it was doing, I didn’t even really know that there was a gate underneath that place. All I knew was it was trying to destroy something and I wanted to stop it.” The memories of his own screams scraped his ears, the crackle of fire, pain, darkness, growling, shadow. It was cold and burning, and he was so afraid. “I don’t know what I did. I remember there was fire and—and I think the gate closed because I remember it felt like something had snapped. The Demogorgans, they started coming after me. I had to run, but I wasn’t going to make it. And Chester, he–he—”

            El gave his hand a squeeze as he bit his lip, trying in vain to keep his turmoil at bay. Max’s eyes slowly trailed down to the ground, her mouth twisted downward. El supplied, “Last year, something happened at the lab. No one knows what, but one night, there was a power outage and no one knew what caused it. The next day, it had been shut down. Jonathan and Nancy managed to get the word out that they were the ones to have killed you and Barb.” Will winced, but El carried on, “We always thought something else must’ve happened, something that no one knew about that made them leave.”

            “Well, their huge interdimensional portal collapsing is already a bad blow. Jonathan and Nancy then turning the whole town’s attention and criticism on them must have been the finishing move,” Max speculated.

            “I know I hurt it,” Will said. “The shadow monster looked like it had gotten smaller and the Demogorgans that were still chasing me were slowing down. The only reason I managed to get away was because all of their energy seemed to be going to keeping the monster alive. I didn’t see it for a long time after that.”

            “So, how could it be here if you managed to stop it from getting through the gate?” Max asked.

            Will thought for a moment, answering carefully, “Well, I don’t really know how far it got into the lab. The place was completely overrun with Demogorgans, so I had to fight it from the outside.” He rubbed his cheek tentatively. “It’s possible that only a part of it got through.”

            “A part of it?” El echoed.

            “This monster, it can break off parts of itself. When it takes over something, part of it goes into that thing. That’s how it takes control and makes a bunch of individual things into a hive mind. I’m sure it isn’t impossible for it to do without a host, it would just take a bigger piece.”

            “But how would it be able to do this without the gate being open?” Max asked, arms crossed as her expression grew more troubled.

            Will shifted fretfully, curling slightly in on himself. El prompted, “Will?”

            “There is a gate open,” he mumbled, unable to look at the girls’ astonished expressions.

            “What?”

            “Where?”

            “The mall,” Will said. “It’s underneath the mall. That’s… How I got out.”

            An uneasy pause was punctuated with the solemn melody of crickets outside. Max spoke up first, “I don’t understand. So, you’re saying that those guys from the lab just set up shop beneath the mall? And how were you even able to get out of there?”

            “I don't think it was the people from the lab. I couldn’t understand anything that anyone was saying, they were all speaking a different language. To be honest, the only reason I knew that I was even in Hawkins was because I recognized the woods once I’d gotten out.” Will smiled bitterly. “I practically memorized the layout of the forest while I was in the Upside Down. I always needed to know where to hide.”

            Max deflated slightly at the confession, but El pressed, “Who was under the mall? Who opened the gate?”

            “I don't know who they were. If I had to guess, I think they were speaking Russian—”

            “Russian?!”

            El slapped a hand over Max’s mouth, all three of the teens freezing as they stared at the door of the bedroom. The soft sound of the television still managed to drift through the hinges, a gruff snore cutting through the air. Tension flooded out of the trio, Max giving El a small, sheepish smile when she lowered her hand.

            Her expression turned urgent once more when she turned back to Will, “Are you serious? There’s Russians underneath the mall?”

            Will nodded.

            “And you managed to come tumbling out of their gate, sneak passed all of their security and personnel, and escape into the woods?”

            Will nodded.

            “…You’ve got to be shitting me.”

            Exasperated, the boy shook his head. “Look, I know it sounds crazy and I don’t know how to exactly prove it to you. All I can tell you is that it’s the truth.”

            Max pinched the bridge of her nose, eyes scrunching closed. “I believe you, I do. It’s just a lot.”

            Will sighed, shoulders sagging under the weight of his mind. It wasn’t enough that he had the mental warfare of having to connect himself into a world that had long since buried him in the obscurity of insignificant history, but now the cruel tendrils of the other world were threatening to pull all that he held dear into its gaping maw. He felt lost and, even with two friends sitting right in front of him, he felt so horribly alone.

            “What should we do?”

            The apprehensive question sat suspended in the tense atmosphere, an answer nothing more than a pipe dream beneath its oppressive perplexity. Max bit her cheek before asking, “Do you know where it is right now? What was it doing?”

            “It’s trying to build another army, at least that’s what I think it’s doing,” Will said. “I think right now it’s using rats, but I wasn’t able to make out much. I felt like I was getting overloaded with information.”

            “What if we tried finding it together?” El suggested. At her companions’ confused glances, she specified, “Maybe if we look together, we’ll be able to understand it better.”

            “Can we do that?”

            “It’s worth a shot,” Max chirped, pushing herself up so that she was sitting against the side table of the bed. “You won’t know unless you try.”

            Will hesitated briefly before crawling out from his makeshift hideout. El got up and grabbed the radio from her dresser along with the blindfolds. The two sat across from each other, their crossed legs and hunched shoulders mirroring each other. El turned on the radio once more, dialing up the volume so that the static drowned out the chorus of crickets and the lower baritone of Hopper’s snore.

            Sharing a wary yet determined look, Will and El each tied their blindfolds. They then grabbed each other’s hands. Will swallowed thickly before asking, “So, how should we do this?”

            “Um, we could try and find each other?” El suggested.

            Will hummed in agreement before allowing himself to become lost in the dark.

            “Will?”

            He blinked, looking around in astonishment. He was standing in El’s bedroom, looking at himself and El clasping hands in silence. To his right, Max sat on the ground in absolute silence. She showed no indication that she could see or hear him at all, as if he were nothing but a ghost.

            A sudden presence appeared by his left side, startling him slightly.

            El appeared equally puzzled, eyes drifting from herself and Will in the center of the room to the Will standing beside her. The pair simply stared for a moment, their brains slowly processing the current predicament.

            “I… Guess it worked?” Will said, unsure. He frowned when he heard himself mumble the same words from where his replica sat.

            El nodded, though she still looked mystified. “It’s… Never been like this before.” Her seated self also quietly copied her words.

            "What do you mean?”

            “It’s usually all… Nothing. I can see the person, maybe some furniture, maybe someone they’re talking too… But, I’ve never seen the whole room before.”

            Will’s head tilted slightly as he pondered the meaning of her words. Although it was the second time he tried it, this time was far less overwhelming. He said, “Maybe my vision is mixing with yours. Like, we’re combining what we’re seeing into one image.”

            “Must be,” El agreed, still gazing thoughtfully at their other selves. Apparently content with the reasoning, she turned to Will. “Alright, are you ready?”

            Will nodded and El took his hand. As soon as his focus drifted to that of the shadow monster, the room distorted. Colors smeared like oil paint, thick and swirling as it was lazily whisked into oblivion.

            The light colors of the bedroom were replaced by dark leaves and gravel road, a lone car sitting with its headlights on faced an old lumber mill. Its windshield was barely held together, a spider web of broken glass obscuring any view the driver could have had. The two teens approached it slowly, its engine purring as they crept closer. They peered in and discovered vacant leather seats. The stench of old cigarette smoke wafted from inside.

            Will and El continued on, their eyes landing on the opened trunk. As they rounded the back, they found it empty as well. Frowning, Will looked toward the large lumber mill. A chill ran down his spine as the pale moonlight painted the abandoned building in a somber grey, the shade resembling the horrid blue that dyed his nightmares. He cleared his throat, “Let’s check in there.”

            The two walked into the building, their grip on each other’s hands firm as they made their way through the deserted room and toward the metal stairs leading to the basement. They moved as if on autopilot, following the string that seemed to tug on their minds. The lights flickered and hummed, the smell of humidity and rotting wood growing stronger the further in they went. Silently, they descended the steps, the sound of whimpering cries greeting them. Together, they saw a young man crouched in the center of the space.

            “Don’t be afraid,” his deep voice soothed, cool and unfeeling. “It’ll all be over soon.”

            “Billy?”

            Will’s head whipped around to stare at El in shock. The girl’s face showed confused horror, her brow furrowed and lips parted.

            “Wait, Billy? You see Billy?”

            Max’s voice rang out and Will looked around curiously.

            El answered it, “He’s here. We see him.”

            “What’s he doing?”

            “I don’t know,” El whispered, her grip tightening on Will’s hand. Whatever they were witnessing, it wasn’t right.

            In front of the man, Billy, laid a woman, his age if not younger. She appeared to have on a bright red shirt and tan shorts. Her arms and legs were bound with rope, unable to move as her sobs were obstructed with duct tape. Will said, “He’s on the floor, talking to a girl. She’s tied up and… She looks really afraid.”

            His skin crawled as Billy threw a leg over his victim, the girl trapped beneath his body. He whispered something into her ear, the words just barely out of reach of Will’s hearing. He then slowly took the tape from the teen’s lips. Relieved confusion took over Will when Billy stood and backed away, though dread soon froze him as he saw a large, lumbering figure emerging from the shadows.

            Elongated limbs landed with squelching thumps on the ground, pounds of flesh glistening in the wavering light. Bloodied muscle and sinew twisted together like messily molded clay, pieces of teeth and bone from various rats poking out from the masses. From one of the arms, a mouth emerged. Tethered by a line of veins and arteries, glistening with slime, it moved toward the trapped girl on the ground. It closed in with a growl that shook the world around it, opening to reveal teeth and claws grotesquely arranged for consumption. The girl’s screams filled the air.

            Billy was looking at them.

            Will and El scrambled away from each other, gasping and shaking as they wrenched their blindfolds off of their heads. Max looked between the two with frenzied panic, demanding, “What happened? What did you see? What did Billy do?”

            Gulping down air, Will winced at the dark suspicion in Max’s eyes. He knew what she was guessing and he shook his head at her assumption. Shakily, he said, “I-It was there. With Billy. B-But it didn’t hurt him.”

            “What? Then… Why—?”

            “I think Billy was helping it, bringing it another person to control.”

            Max’s face showed only fear. “What are you saying?”

            El wiping her nose with a tissue, smearing crimson across her lip. She handed one to Will as well, the two sharing a nervous glance. Solemnly, Will pressed the tissue to his nose.

            “I don’t know who Billy is, but… He’s in danger.”

Chapter Text

            Max continuously shook her head. She looked imploringly at El. “You’re sure it was him?” She asked, disbelief and dread dripping from her voice.

            El frowned, but nodded. “It was him. We saw his face.”

            Will looked between the two girls, shifting uncomfortably. Hesitantly, he asked, “Who’s Billy?”

            “He’s my stepbrother,” Max said, expression constantly shifting between irritable worry and dread. “He’s a complete dick, but… Listen, are you sure you guys didn’t just, I don’t know, misinterpret what you saw?”

            “Misinterpret?” Will felt his eye twitch.

            “I mean, like—”

            “Max, we saw him standing over a tied up girl while a monster made of raw meat came forward to suck her face off. Is there really a way to misinterpret that?”

            “No,” Max snapped, glaring at Will. There was a tense moment between the two, narrowed ice-blue battling firm hazel. Eventually, Max’s shoulders slumped as she broke eye contact. Quietly, she muttered, “I just… It’s hard to believe it.”

            Will’s face softened as he took in the other’s slouched form. He scratch the back of his neck, mouth twisting slightly before he amended, “I know it’s hard, but this isn’t something we can ignore.”

            “Isn’t there some way we can help him?” Max asked. “Billy isn’t some mindless animal. Maybe there’s a way to snap him out of it?”

            “It’s not about snapping him out of a trance. We’d have to kick this thing out of his body,” Will said.

            El perked up slightly. “Is there was way to do that? To get it out?”

            Thinking for a moment, nails scratching lightly on his chin, Will’s eyes shifted restlessly as he stared at the ground. Finally, he said, “Wherever that thing was, it was always cold. I think I hurt it before by setting it on fire.”

            “We can’t set Billy on fire,” Max protested, though there was a note of reluctance in her rejection.

            “Well, no, but maybe we can make it so hot that the monster can’t stay in him anymore,” Will suggested.

            “How do we do that?” El asked.

            “The pool.” Max’s expression lit up. “Billy has a job as a lifeguard there. The locker rooms have a sauna. If we get him in there, do you think that’d be enough to get it out of him?”

            “I think we just have to hope that it is.”

            Will awoke the next morning to a persistent finger prodding his shoulder. Groaning, he swatted the pestering digit away before letting out a quiet yawn and stretching. He slowly crawled out into the pale light of the morning sun, blinking hazily up at the sight of both girls staring at him expectantly.

            “I hope you know that you sleeping under El’s bed will never not be creepy,” Max chided, her smirk playful.

            Will rolled his eyes, but couldn’t stop the smile from coming to his face. His chest felt light, the teasing reminding him of the countless mornings spent in Mike’s basement in the aftermath of cheer-filled sleepovers. He pushed away the ache of wishing his best friends faces were also there to greet him, instead trying to cherish the fleeting contentment for as long as he could.

            “We’re leaving early so Hopper won’t catch us,” El explained. “He has the day off today. This will be our only chance to leave without him seeing you.”

            Will nodded, nerves fizzling beneath his skin at the prospect of the police chief catching him. He would reveal himself to Hopper, and Mike, and Lucas, and Dustin, and Mom, and Jonathan. He would, but only when he was ready to do so.

            When will you be ready?

            The girls left the room, allowing Will to dress in peace. Despite how hard he wracked his brain, his last confrontation with the shadow monster had been fuzzy. Any details from the fight were lost in a murky fog, any useful scraps of information all but wiped from his head. Whether the memories were erased in order to preserve his already fragile sanity or were crowded out by the onslaught of various other catastrophes, Will would probably never be able to determine.

            Slipping on a new, moss-green hoodie from their shopping adventure yesterday and absently running a hand through his sleep-addled hair, Will finished dressing and left the room. He caught sight of El pinning a messily scrawled note to the fridge with a magnet before the three teens crept quietly out of the house. A particularly loud snore roared after them as El closed the door and trailed down the steps of the porch.

            Max looked Will up and down with a quirked eyebrow. She commented, “You’re going to roast in that.”

            “No, I won’t,” he countered, looking down at himself. “I have shorts on.”

            “Yeah, and a thick hoodie. You’ll be sweating buckets by the time we get to the pool.”

            “I’ll be fine.”

            “But—”

            “I’ll feel better with it on,” Will said, fingers playing with the hem of the hood. “Just in case we see… Someone.”

            Though an unidentifiable expression crossed her face, Max allowed the subject to drop. For the longest time, the only sounds to surround them were the crunch of leaves, the whistle of wind, and the chirping of cicadas.

            Inconspicuously wiping a drop of sweat from his temple, Will squinted over at the already rapidly filling pool. Despite the overcast sky and oppressive weight of humidity, dozens of families were cramming to get into the community pool. What was most interesting was the antsy energy that seemed to surround the mothers waiting in line, their enthusiasm looking as though it outweighed that of their floaty-wielding children.

            The quiet bird song drifting from the trees was broken by the low hum of shuffling feet carrying the crowd into the gated pool. Will, Max, and El watched for a moment as the majority of the group moved in before joining the advance at a slower pace. As they entered the entrance, Max noticed a bored looking man sitting at a desk. Snapping his gum loudly and flipping through a car magazine, his blindingly white shirt was marred by the poppy red word ‘MANAGER’ encased in a cartoon life preserver on his left breast. Next to him, a lifeguard with perfectly curled hair leaned against the wall as she sipped at a Diet Coke. Frowning, the redhead approached the counter.

            “Hey,” she greeted, resting her arms on the ledge. The man gave her a disinterested sneer which she answered with a smile holding up glaring eyes. “Sorry to bug you, but is Billy Hargrove here today? He’s my brother.”

            “He’s not scheduled today,” the man said, obviously annoyed at being put into a conversation.

            Zoning out of the dead end conversation, Will slowly wandered to the corkboard framing the opposite wall. Various photos of smiling lifeguards were tacked up beneath gaudy yellow letters screaming, ‘MEET YOUR ’85 SWIM SEASON LIFEGUARDS.’ Peering closer, the teen’s eyes widened when two particular faces stared back at him. Billy’s picture was the only one lacking a smile, instead his eyes stared at the camera with challenge. To the right of his photo was a young woman, her dark locks cascading in wet waves on either side of her beaming face. The name ‘HEATHER’ was written in bold sharpie beneath her portrait.

            Quietly, Will called, “El! Come here.”

            The girl turned from where she’d been gazing out at the pool, her stare searching and serious. She came to stand beside her friend, recognition lighting up her features as she looked at the photo. Will cast a glance over their shoulders. Max was still struggling to remain pleasant with the pair at the front desk, fully occupying their attention. He turned back to El and nodded, the girl needing no further permission to reach out and pluck the photograph from the board.

            “Hey, Max!” Will said after El tucked the clue into her pocket. “He’s probably at home, let’s go check there!”

            Max blinked at her friends’ rapidly retreating backs before quickly walking after them. The trio walked a fair distance from the pool, not stopping until several minutes could pass without them catching sight of any ill-fitted swimsuits.

            El pulled the picture from her pocket, showing it to Max. “Do you know her?”

            Humming, Max shook her head, “No, I don’t think so. Why?”

            “She’s the girl we saw with Billy,” Will answered, frowning as gruesome imagery of her tied up and screaming swam to the forefront of his mind. “If we find him, we’ll probably be able to find her, too. Can you think of anywhere else Billy might be?”

            The lowly grumbling clouds blotting out the sky cast a somber light over the small house. Max frowned, commenting, “That’s weird. His car isn’t here.” She looked over to El and Will, their faces troubled. Unease crept up her spine, asking herself as much as them, “You really want to do this?”

            El gave a firm nod while Will mouthed a silent, “Yeah.”

            Together, the three marched up to the front door. Miles away, lightning crackled.

            Beer cans littered the floor and tops of dressers. The bed laid unmade, sheets and blankets crumpled messily. Stale cigarette smoke and cheap cologne made the air sour as soft rock music interrupted the stillness. Posters of bands and scantily clad women spotted the walls, clothes laying in piles spread across the carpet. Various cassette tapes were stacked in small piles all around the room along with hand-held weights and red darts for the board set up by the door.

            Max was the first to venture further in, looking around with thinly veiled displeasure. Curious, she walked to the bedside table. On top was a glass ash-tray filled to the brim with ash and cigarette butts beside a grass green phone. She opened the small drawer, her eyes flinching when confronted with multiple magazines of partially shirtless women. She groaned, “Ugh, gag me with a spoon.”

            Will’s mouth curled into a wince, though he didn’t linger. He and Max followed El to the bathroom next door, the brunette flicking on the lights to reveal the childish wallpaper covered in little spots of bubbles. Tucked into the right wall, the dark blue bathtub sat still filled with water. On the surface floated opened ice bags, its contents long since melted.

            “Max,” El said, staring down at the bathtub.

            Max maintained an unbothered air as she stepped forward and lifted one of the bags using her pointer finger and thumb. “Ice, it’s just ice,” she said, scrutinizing the plastic. “It’s probably just for his muscles or something. He works out like a maniac.”

            El nodded slowly but Will continued to frown. He turned to look at the sink across from them, eyes locking instantly onto the smudge of crimson between the handles of the cabinet below. He stepped towards it and crouched down, pulling the small doors open and revealing a plastic wastebasket.

            He stood up, holding the small container tightly to his chest as he looked inside. The girls gazed at him in concern, watching his face turn pale. Max asked, “Will, what is it?”

            Slowly, Will reached in and picked up a bright red fanny pack, ‘GUARD’ written cross the front in white letters along with a small cross below it. El came forward and slowly took the pack from him, her expression darkening further when she pulled out the picture from her pocket and saw the very same pack buckled around Heather’s waist. Will reached into the wastebasket again, grimacing as he pulled up a bright yellow whistle. The exact same whistle had been dangling from Heather’s neck in her photo, only now it was splattered with blood.

            The three teens stood in silence, the quiet riff of guitars still drifting in from the other room. Outside, a crack of thunder unleashed a steady downpour of rain.

            Clearing a space on the litter-covered floor, Will and El sat across from one another as Heather’s fanny pack, whistle, and photograph laid between them. Each of them held one of Max’s shirts in their hands, the pair tying the makeshift blindfold over their eyes as Max fiddled with Billy’s radio so that pure static leaked into the room. The two teens on the ground took each other’s hands and allowed themselves to be lost in the noise.

            A rain soaked, white mailbox stood at attention in front of Will and El. Its small plaque read 1438. Behind the mailbox sat a large house, its cottage-like façade interrupted by the ruby front door. The rain and dark clouds blocked out any light the remaining daytime had to offer, the street lamp casting the area in a pale marigold.

            “What do you see?”

            “There’s a house,” Will mutters to Max, a pit forming in his stomach.

            “A red door,” El whispered, stoic but tense.

            The two began walking toward the home, the rain falling on them without the moisture ever hitting their skin. Climbing up the front step, El reached out hesitantly to open the door. The dark knob turned with a muted rasp, the wood creaking as it moved.

            Will blinked in confusion when he and El suddenly found themselves inside of a bathroom. The blinding white was only interrupted by the pale blue wallpaper speckled with flowers. A porcelain, clawfoot bathtub stood before them. Water crowded with ice cubes filled the tub to the brim, the surface eerily still. The gentle drip of the tap sounded as loud as screams in the tight space. Will curiously leaned forward, squinting to try and gaze passed the ice. He ignored the worried tugs from El for him to back away, the hairs on his arms starting to raise as the anticipation crawled across his skin. The water was clear, no blur of color. It was empty. Surely, it must be empty—

            A flurry of movement.

            Heather gasped as she sat up, ice and water leaping from the tub. Her eyes were wide with horror, tears treading dangerously on the edges of her eyelids. Her face was pale and every inch of her body was shaking. Her knuckles were white as she clutched the edges of the tub.

            A terrified, pleading whisper left her trembling lips.

            “Help me.”

            Like an invisible hand had clutched the back of her neck, she was flung forcibly backwards and pulled beneath the water.

            El screamed and, in her panic to rescue Heather, released Will’s hand.

            The onslaught of images and noise was torturous.

            The house again, filled with light and conversation.

            Billy was there, so was Heather.

            It wasn’t them.

            Heather’s parents sat at the table.

            They couldn’t see the shadow.

            Couldn’t see the vines.

            The house is growing blue.

            Cold.

            Angry.

            More bodies.

            Bring them.

            Take them.

            Consume them.

            Billy looked at Will.

            He was frowning.

            “Will!”

            A scream broke off into a rough choke as Will was dragged back into reality, the makeshift blindfold on his face getting ripped off by clammy hands. Blood flowed in a heavy stream from his nose, staining his shorts as hazel eyes whipped around the room in an effort to locate the cold stare that had plagued him moments ago. Gulping down air, he struggled to allow his heart to settle into a semi-steady rhythm as his rattled mind became aware of the absence of threat.

            In front of him, El mirrored his stricken expression and red stained lip. Max’s eyes were frantic as they danced between the distressed teens. She pleaded, “What did you see? What’s wrong? What happened?”

            Neither of the bloodied friends spoke, Will visibly trembling while El tried to regulate the oxygen fighting to fill her lungs. A migraine pulsed beneath Will’s temples, his brow pinched as one of his hands came up to gingerly cradle the side of his head. A long groan escaped him before he gathered his words, “I think we saw Heather’s house.”

            “She’s at home?” Max asked. “Was Billy there?”

            Will nodded his head. El spoke up, “Heather is in trouble.”

            “Well, we knew that—”

            “Her parents might be in trouble too,” Will added, using his hand to try and clean some of the drying mess on his lip. “I couldn’t see much, but I think something is going to happen to them. Something that involves Billy and Heather carrying it out.”

            Max’s face dropped. “So, Heather is already also…”

            “She asked us for help,” El said, looking at Will. “You disappeared and I saw her getting dragged into the dark.”

            “I saw Billy and Heather talking with her parents.”

            “Wait, how did you guys see two different Heathers?” Max crossed her arms, tone growing more confused by the moment.

            Humming thoughtfully, Will answered, “After El and I got separated, I saw Billy and Heather while El only saw Heather. Maybe…”

            “Maybe?” El prompted.

            “Maybe I connected to the monster while you connected to what was really going on in Heather’s head?”

            “That doesn’t make sense,” Max interjected. “Both of you were focusing in on Heather. If Heather’s possessed, why did only Will connect with the monster?”

            The question hung heavily in the static filled room.

            Outside, the thunder growled.

            Will’s legs pumped furiously against the pedals, sprays of rainwater lapping at his calves as the bike wheels glided across the water glazed asphalt. El stood on the pegs of the rear wheel, gripping his shoulders firmly as she took in the rapidly passing scenery. To his right, Max held on tightly to his elbow, allowing the pull of the bicycle to guide her skateboard along. The dim headlight between the handlebars tried feebly to illuminate the path before them, but the surrounding shadows swallowed the attempt easily.

            The sound of his bike tires rolling over dry leaves and rocks, the gentle tussle of wind through the forest. Trees were towering, their occupants silent. Hawkins felt empty. No cars, no people, no animals. Only him and his bike pedaling leisurely down the road.

            A shadow appeared up ahead.

            He was running. Chester was barking. The house was empty.

            Why was no one home? Why was he so alone?

            It was going to get him.

            The click of a gun.

            Flash of a light.

            A growl.

            Darkness.

            Cold.

            “There it is!”

            Will blinked as El tapped hurriedly at his shoulder, her gaze trained on the all too familiar house sitting to their left. Gradually slowing as to not jostle Max, Will pulled over in front of the white mailbox. Its plaque displayed the numbers 1438.

            El hopped off from behind him while Max stepped off of her board, setting it firmly in the grass. Will laid Max’s bike down beside it and joined the girls in the short trek up the driveway. The red door burned like a fire in the storm, beckoning with unspoken threats. The anxiety that stung his palms with crescent marks from fingernails and numbed his lip with the worrying of teeth made Will want nothing more than to turn and run into the treacherous trees that leered at them from the sidelines.

            Narrowing her eyes, El glared at the lock as blood began to creep out from her nose. There was an odd nudge to the back of Will’s brain when the dead bolt of the door clicked open and the handle turned, the red panel slowly revealing a modest foyer. Together, the three teens stepped inside and began to make their way down the hall.

            Portraits of the family lined the walls, some of a little girl steadily growing through the years and others of a couple with unnervingly white smiles plastered across their faces. The sound of gentle conversation drifted in from up ahead and the friends cast apprehensive glances at one another. Following the low hum of record player music and a woman’s off-key laugh, the trio eventually emerged into a conjoined family and living room.

            To the left sat a nicely dressed woman, her hair neatly pinned back while bushy bangs fell just above her smile crinkled eyes. To the right sat a man in a casual, tan suit with only the jacket missing. His posture held an air of polite smugness. In the center of the table, dressed in a powder blue dress shirt and smiling with sharp teeth, sat Billy. In unison, all three of the diners turned to look at them. Only Billy maintained his smile.

            “Max,” the young man said, tone devoid of the faux surprise covering his face.

            “We didn’t mean to… Barge in,” Max awkwardly supplied, discomfort clear in her rigid stance. “We tried to knock, but maybe you didn’t hear us over the storm.”

            “I’m sorry,” the man to the right said, his tone indicating that he was in no way apologetic. “Who is this dripping all over my living room right now?”

            The laugh that left Billy’s mouth caused Will to bristle. “I’m sorry,” he said, smile making his face taut. “Janet, Tom, this… is my sister, Maxine.”

            “Oh,” Janet tittered, looking at the teens with paper thin delight. Tom’s expression remained unimpressed.

            Billy stood from his spot at the table, quickly making his way around to the drenched group. Will could hearing his blood roaring in his ears, the needles under his skin itching and screaming. The young man stalked closer as he asked, “What on Earth are you doing here?” His teeth shined in the light. “Is something wrong?”

            Max’s expression scrunched slightly. “We just wanted to make sure everything was okay.”

            “Okay?” he asked, head tilting slightly. “Why wouldn’t everything be okay?”

            “Where is she?” El asked, her face and tone like stone.

            Steel eyes drifting leisurely to the girl, Billy’s face remained pleasant yet questioning. The pause was crushing, but soon broken. “I’m sorry. Where is who?”

            El opened her mouth to respond, but another voice beat hers into the air.

            “Well, they’re a little burnt. I’m sorry—”

            Heather stopped as she reached the table, smile faltering when she caught sight of the trio next to Billy. In her hands, she held a tray of freshly baked cookies. Her curls were up in a side ponytail, her face framed by blue, hoop earrings. She looked as healthy and cheery as a model straight out of a Teen Beat advertisement.

            Her eyes were vacant.

            “Heather,” Billy almost purred as he gestured from her to the teens. “This is my sister, Maxine, and… I’m sorry” Will felt goosebumps form like pebbles on his arms as Billy’s gaze shot through him like a bullet. “I didn’t quite catch either of your friends’ names.”

            “El,” the brunette answered, defiance weaved into the single syllable.

            Will remained silent.

            “And, what’s yours?” Billy once again prompted. He made to take a step closer, only for El to block him by deliberately shifting to stand in front of Will.

            “You know,” Tom said, frown twisting with intrigue, “he looks a bit familiar.”

            Will’s hands trembled, mouth going dry when Billy’s empty stare continued to stay pinned to his face. Janet hummed, “What do you mean, dear?”

            “I don’t know… I feel like I’ve seen his face before,” Tom murmured. Louder, he asked, “What’s your name, boy?”

            The room felt as if it was getting tighter, the suspicion in the older man’s tone grating against Will’s already frayed nerves. The cold was already starting to seep in through his fingertips, drilling into his bones. His own breathing was echoing loudly as eyes scrutinized every inch of his form. He didn’t have to use his powers to be able to see it. Those blue eyes raking over his body weren’t Billy’s. The cocoa-colored irises that once belonged to Heather were no longer controlled by her.

            They belonged to that thing and soon Janet and Tom would too.

            They’re going to take them to that place, they’re going to take them over. But how? By tricking them? No, it leaves too much up to chance. It would be too suspicious, their daughter and this guy taking them to some mill out in the middle of nowhere. No matter what, they’ll have to end up there for that thing to get them. Knock them out, maybe? With what? Maybe—

            You should have died.

            Jumping violently, Will looked up to see Billy’s eyes were pitch black. The house was doused in blue, black and rotting vines caressing every surface. Janet, Heather, and Tom were entirely covered with the grotesque tendrils. El and Max were gone. He was alone and Billy was getting closer. His mouth was filled with teeth sharpened to deadly points. His face was moving, shifting, convulsing. Slits were forming, flaps of skin folded back as slime oozed from within. His head was opening like a toxic flower. His body was turning grey and green, his nails elongating into claws. Taller, taller, his limbs were stretching.

            It was so cold.

            Now, they’ll take your place.

            Will screamed, the lights of the house flickering violently and the glass of the chandelier dangling above the dining table audibly vibrated. The house was too small, too big, suffocating, horrifying, terrifying. He was going to die.

            Dislodging the hand desperately trying shake his shoulder, the boy turned and bolted from the house, disappearing into the rain. El and Max’s yells fell upon deaf ears as he melted into the shadows.

            Somewhere far away, a creature purrs.

            Shards of rain pelted his scrawny body without mercy as he sprinted through the woods, branches and thorns biting the exposed skin of his legs as he ran with the desperation of a hunted animal. His sweatshirt was soaked through, his hair plastered to his forehead like an uneven curtain. His lungs felt like they were on fire, oxygen barely occupying them long enough to allow him to rasp. His eyes were blurry to the point that he had little to no clue as to where he was going. He ran on pure instinct, his mind insisting that he follow the path it gave him as quickly as possible.

            He had no other choice.

            By the time the haze of his mind cleared enough for him to finally stop sprinting and look around, a heavy rock settled in the pit of Will’s stomach as he realized that the clumsy pile of wooden planks and tree limbs stacked a few paces ahead of him was none other than the childhood sanctuary that offered him protection from a world that felt as though it could only hurt him.

            Castle Byers. 

            Will stared incomprehensively at the structure. In the Upside Down, his little bunker had been destroyed long ago. Now, it sat before him as if its sole purpose of remaining standing was to welcome him back inside. A detached whisper in his head pointed out how much smaller it seemed now. As he walked to the front of the fort, he noted how the paint on the planks around the entrance had faded from the elements. Moss was growing all around it, spongey green beginning to invade the surface of the slender wood composing the walls.

            As he pushed aside the now stiff curtain, he was surprised to find that everything inside was just as he’d left it. The makeshift bed was damp, its blankets soiled from endless battering from weather. His old drawings still clung stubbornly to the walls, their details wrinkled as the paper fought to stay pristine amongst the moisture. Pencils, crayons, and small knick-knacks still sat upon the little table next to the bed, a metal baseball bat tucked behind it. In one corner, Will could just barely make out the shape of one of Chester’s chew toys. His heart ached.

            Crawling as though he were a wounded dog, Will sluggishly settled himself on the dirty bed. He gazed at the little table beside him, soon zeroing in on one picture in particular. His and his friends’ smiling faces looked back at him from when they’d won the science fair. Hazel eyes traced each figure carefully, as if committing to memory those who he never would’ve been able to forget in the first place. He wondered what his friends would say to him now.

            Lucas would probably scold him for running away, but he wouldn’t hold it against him. He would probably offer encouragement, assure Will that he would be there for him and there wasn’t anything to fear. Dustin would probably be listing off theories and strategies, brainstorming on the best way to bring down the enemy. He would probably tell Will that as long as the Party was all together, they could accomplish anything. Mike would probably ask him what was wrong, offering the same gentle comfort that felt like it was only reserved for Will. He would probably tell Will that it was okay to cry, that he was still a hero even when they weren’t playing Dungeons and Dragons.

            His friends would probably tell him that he would be okay.

            His friends think he’s dead.

            “Stupid.”

            He was alone and, right now, he had no one to blame for that but himself. Sobs shook his frame as he curled himself into a tight ball, face tucked against his knees as he let himself mourn and scream, and rage. The storm outside howled and snarled, the slobber of the clouds hitting the fragile walls of Castle Byers with malice.

            “So stupid.”

            Outside, just above the pounding of rain, there was the faint sound of approaching footsteps. Will hiccupped as he scrubbed a hand across his face, sweat and rainwater mixing on his flushed cheeks. He should’ve known that the girls would’ve followed him. It was selfish, racing off while they were left to deal with those horrid eyes all on their own. He needed to apologize. El and Max were the only allies he had left in the world. Will couldn’t afford to lose them.

            Stiffly, Will crouched as he crawled to the opening of the fort. The footsteps were close, the sound of sneakers trampling wet foliage a welcome distraction to the chaotic symphony of the weather. The footsteps stopped a few paces away from Castle Byers. The sooner we can go back Max’s house, the better. With this final thought, he left the fort and stood up.

            Upon opening his eyes, Will came face to face with Mike Wheeler.

Chapter Text

            The storm had dissolved into a dull roar of sound. From only five feet away, those agonizingly familiar, dark brown eyes bore into his hazel. Black hair hung in drenched spirals trailing down his neck, freckles still as bright as constellations upon his skin. A large, yellow raincoat was draped around his lanky body, the very picture of a teenaged growth spurt. His lips were parted in a silent gasp, features paralyzed by shock.

            “Will?”

            A single word shattered the stillness.

            Like red-hot irons struck his feet, Will turned and bolted deep into the woods. Behind him, the voice of a ghost screamed itself hoarse at his back. The sound of someone tailing him pushed his legs even faster through the leaves trying desperately to clutch at his legs. His sneakers struggled to keep a hold of the mud-slicked ground below him, but the endeavor only made his desperation burn brighter. Rain was blinding him, bellowing thunder and piercing lighting overwhelming his senses to the point of the forest becoming nothing more than a cacophony of sensations. He was exhausted, his body was on the brink of giving out, his head was swimming.

            Mike was there.

            Why was Mike there?

            Mike saw me.

            Clawing his way through the brush, Will choked when a low laying log collided with his shin. Flying forward, the teen barely had time to brace himself as he tumbled down a short slope. His back landed with a smack against a wide tree, the air leaving his already deprived lungs with a muted shout.

            Mike’s face scarred the back of Will’s eyelids as he faded into unconsciousness.

            “…ill…”

            “…Will…”

            “Will.”

            “Will!”

            It felt as though weights were placed upon every muscle of his body. A quiet wheeze escaped as Will pried his eyes open. He was laying on his side in a sea of endless black. The surface below him appeared to be water, though it seemed to have no intention of pulling him under. There wasn’t any light to be found, yet he could see perfectly fine. His sweatshirt was glued to his arms and torso with moisture, his shorts trying to mold themselves to his burning legs. He didn’t have to look down to know that they were covered in bruises and abrasions.

            El was knelt in front of him, hands gently clutching his.

            “Are you alright?”

            If he had any strength left within himself, he may have laughed at the question. Not even the Upside Down could compare to how not okay he was and he didn’t even know why. The laughter would’ve likely extended at the realization that this was the second time El had discovered him in such a position. Perhaps this was the way he was meant to end up. Bruised, cold, and miserable while the living looked on in pity, the promise of help doomed to be forgotten in the steady flow of time. It was so pathetic, so pointless, so damn laughable.

            “Mike was yelling over the radios,” El said, shifting slightly closer. “He said he saw you, said you were out in the woods and that you ran away. He was screaming and he—” Her frown deepened when Will’s gaze remained cold. “What happened last night? Max and I, we went looking for you. When we couldn’t find you, we went back to her house and then Mike started calling us.”

            Will stayed silent, his eyes slowly drifting to stare at their hands. It was frustrating. So gut-wrenchingly, excruciatingly, insufferably frustrating. Hours upon hours, days upon days, months upon months, Will waited for the moment he could see his closest friend’s face once again. Over an entire year wasted sobbing and longing, and pleading to see the boy who made his heart feel like it was about to burst and one look into his eyes was enough to send him careening into the depths of water-logged woods. All he wished for was to see Mike, to see his friends, his family, to see them and be able to feel loved again. To feel alive again.

            The Will Byers that existed before the Upside Down never would’ve run from Mike. He wouldn’t be cowering from his friends nor would he hide himself as though he was a shameful secret. The Will Byers from before the Upside Down was, dare he say it, brave. Even if that courage was borrowed from some fantastical wizard, it had been there nonetheless. The Will Byers from before was a fighter. The Will Byers from before would’ve done the right thing. The Will Byers from before wasn’t broken.

            “Will, what happened? Where are you?” El was pleading at this point.

            Cracked lips finally opened. “Maybe you guys were right.”

            A beat of silence. “What?”

            “Maybe Will did die.”

            El’s eyebrows crunched together in a stricken expression, blood draining from her face. “That’s… You… You didn’t die.”

            “No, I didn’t,” Will agreed. “But maybe Will did.”

            “I…don’t understand.”

            A wet chuckle tumbled from his throat.

            “Neither do I.”

            The next time Will opened his eyes, it was to the gentle light of the sun peering down at him through the trees. His entire body ached and his bones felt like they’d been replaced with lead. Ever so slowly, he rolled onto his front and pushed himself up on trembling arms. A hiss escaped from between his teeth as he stood, shoulders slumped and legs wobbling from the effort. Quiet bird song danced around him while a gentle breeze attempted to tousle his mud-crusted hair.

            I could’ve sworn El was here… What were we talking about? She looked upset.

            Stumbling slightly, the battered teen made his way through the woods. He remembered being afraid and he remembered running, but the rest was hidden in a thick fog. There was a house, some people at a table. Max and El were there, along with…

            That’s right, I ran because of that thing. I made it to Castle Byers, but then…

            His blood ran cold.

            Mike.

            Mike saw me.

            Mike knows I’m—

            Heaving out a heavy breath, Will clawed a hand down his face and grimaced. Every inch of him was covered in grime from spending the night on the forest floor. His clothes were stiff from drying muck and the myriad of cuts from his tumble last night were no doubt filthy. Emotional turmoil aside, he needed to at least make himself look like less of a walking swamp. As he continued to bumble his way along, the trees gradually began to disperse. Up ahead, the dirt road and gentle lapping of water at the shore signaled to Will that he had reached the quarry.

            Peering hesitantly out of the foliage, the boy breathed a sigh of relief when he found the area deserted. He broke out into a jog as he approached the water, the crunch of rocks under his feet far too loud in the serene space. The days of constant stealth had etched its mark deep within him, making every noise public enemy number one when lost in an area without cover to dive under. Even with the harsh sunlight and bright greenery, the horrid chill of the Upside Down still clung to his heart.

            As he reached the shore, more thoughts prodded at his composure.

            El said that they found my body in water… Did she mean here? But, what… Never mind, there’s no point.

            Shaking his head with a scowl, Will knelt down by the water’s edge and dipped his hands below the surface. He splashed his face, scrubbing at his cheeks, his mouth, his nose, his hair. He was desperate to get the mud off, frantic in his movements. It was as if washing away the mud could erase the shocked stare of those dark eyes on freckled cheeks. It wasn’t fair. Why did Mike have to show up? Why couldn’t Will just be given a little more time? Why couldn’t he just wait until—

            Until when?

            Letting out a short shout, Will slammed his fists into the water. The echo bounced off of the surrounding rocks, mocking in their chorus. Huffing quietly, the quick shot of anger leaked out of him as the ripples of the water carried the emotion away, leaving him with only emptiness. In the deafening silence of the quarry, Will realized that he had no idea where to go from here. He couldn’t go to Max’s house, not after his humiliating retreat from Heather’s house. He had no doubt that the girls were probably furious at him. He also couldn’t go to Hopper’s because of this, and for the fact that he had no idea if the police chief was there. He obviously couldn’t go home. There wasn’t anywhere—

            A wet, flimsy stick bounced off the back of Will’s head.

            A soft grunt came from him as he brought up a hand to the site of impact, turning to look behind him. His eyes widened as he took in a very irate El standing a short distance from him with another stick already in her hand. She was glaring fiercely as her expression morphed into a look of disdain. Her hair was frazzled and her shoes were covered in mud.

            “El? What—” Will yelped as El chucked the stick in her hand, hitting him square in the forehead. As she began to stomp toward him, he tried to keep the rising nerves out of his voice as he squawked, “Hey! What was that for?!”

            “You don’t get to do that!” El shouted, her hands curled into tight fists as she continued to advance.

            “Do what? What are you talking about?”

            For a moment, Will worried that the girl may hit him. The fear was dispelled when she stopped a couple feet away from him, though the rage on her features still had him feeling uneasy. She yelled, “Last night! You said that Will Byers is dead and-and it was like you were trying to say you weren’t Will, but you are! You are Will!”

            The memories of their conversation came back in a nauseating flood. Will shot back, “I know—!”

            “No! You don’t!” El fumed, pointing a finger at him. “Because if you did, you never would’ve said that! You don’t get to talk about yourself like you may as well be dead!”

            “Look, it doesn’t matter, alright? I wasn’t all there when I said—”

            “It does matter! You matter! Stop talking about yourself like you don’t!”

            “Why don’t you stop talking about me like you know me?!” Will snapped, allowing the previous spark from moments ago to ignite once more. “You know nothing about me!”

            “I do!” She insisted. “I do know you! Mike talks about you all the—”

            “Mike told you about the me from before I went to the Upside Down,” Will said, his knuckles turning white as his hands balled up at his sides. “You said it yourself, El. I’m not that kid anymore.”

            El shook her head. “No! I said you changed, just like the others have! They’re still them just like you’re still you!”

            A snarled grunt of annoyance ripped at Will’s throat as he gave a sharp tug at his hair before allowing his hands to once again fall to his sides. He turned away, beginning to walk back to the forest. “Forget it, El. You wouldn’t understand.”

            “Then explain it to me!” El yelled. She ran forward and quickly stood in front of Will, blocking his way of retreat. “Stop running away from me when I’m trying to help you!”

            “This isn’t something you can help me with!”

            “You don’t get to decide that! Not when I haven’t even tried!”

            “El—!”

            “We finally got you back!”

            The shriek reverberated off the walls of the rocky heights around them. The rebuttal building spitefully on Will’s tongue dissolved when he caught sight of the tears crawling their way out of El’s eyes. She gave her face a rough wipe with her sleeve, turning her cheeks red but doing nothing to stop the drops gliding steadily downward.

            She said, “I wasn’t able to save you from the Upside Down.” Her words jumbled slightly, a sob threatening to plug up her voice. She swallowed it down. “I found you and you just-you just disappeared! I thought you were gone forever and then you came back, and I was so happy! Not just because the others would be able to see you again, but also because I would finally meet the person my friends were always telling me about!” She sniffled, body rattling. “Then, last night, you disappeared again and I couldn’t find you again…” Tears were now dripping off of her jaw, her caramel eyes ringed red. “You don’t get to just disappear after we finally got you back! It isn’t fair!”

            Hiccupping wails attempted to smother themselves, but their sound still stirred the air. El stubbornly attempted to scrub the signs of weakness from her face, biting her lip at the futility of it all. Any and all anger Will felt a mere moment ago had been thoroughly extinguished as he took in the sight of the strong girl reduced to muffled sobs. Guilt froze his chest as he struggled to figure out what to do.

            Inching hesitantly forward, Will awkwardly held out his arms in silently offering. El sniffed as she looked up at him, blotchy face showing miserable confusion before realization dawned. The force of her grabbing him in a tight embrace almost made him topple, but he miraculously kept his balance. Bewilderment flooded him when he felt how tightly El clutched him, hugging him as if her life depended on it. Her cries continued to ring out, seemingly spurred on by the show of comfort. He continued to frown as El let out the burden she’d been carrying.

            Why do you care so much?

            As the two marched solemnly through the woods, Will’s head was weightless on his shoulders. The emotional exhaustion, the barrage of small injuries, and the weight of the impending union with his friends made him feel as though he was drifting along. They didn’t speak, though the silence wasn’t uncomfortable. The trip to Hopper’s cabin wasn’t long, but time stretched itself thin making the journey into the shortest eternity on record.

            “You said Mike had been calling you and Max over the radio,” Will croaked wearily. “Won’t he be wondering where you are?”

            “Everyone decided they would wait until this morning go to his house since the storm was so bad last night. Max said that she would ‘stall’ for me,” El answered. She then blinked. “What does ‘stall’ mean?”

            Will smiled despite himself. “It means she’s going to distract them to buy you time.”

            “Buy us time,” she corrected. Her expression remained firm even when Will faltered. “You can’t keep hiding, Will. They need to know.”

            Will remained quiet, the sour taste invading his mouth making his expression grow gloomier.

            Thankfully, the cabin had been vacant when the teens had arrived. A shower and a fresh change of clothes later, Will and El were once again on the move as they made their way toward the house that had been branded into Will’s internal compass. His hoodie was unzipped, revealing a black shirt with a bright red squiggle smeared across the chest. The hood was once again up, a mercy El had awarded to him with only a small raise of an eyebrow. He wanted to remain in the safety of obscurity for as long as possible, the unrelenting heat of the sun be damned.

            The home's shadow poured like diluted ink over his body as they approached. It wasn’t a surprise to see that the Wheeler household was just as pristine and proper as he’d last seen it. When he was very young, the giant home made him feel inferior. That feeling was bubbling once more, though the reason behind it differed. Nevertheless, the immature urge to shield himself behind El became harder to ignore with each passing moment.

            Finally, they had arrived at the front door, and all of Will’s courage evaporated.

            “El,” he murmured, “I don’t think I’m—”

            “You’re never going to be ready,” El chimed, her gaze staring straight ahead. “It’s better to just get it over with.” If her tone sounded almost identical to that of a certain redhead, Will kept it to himself.

            El tried the knob and found it unlocked, the door readily sweeping open. They slowly inched inside, though the first floor appeared to be empty. As they continued on through the foyer and dining room, Will couldn’t help but gawk at the new family photos that adorned the walls. He almost grinned when he saw how much Holly had grown since he’d last seen her, her bright blonde hair like the feathers of a misplaced duckling when she was picture beside her siblings. Mr. and Mrs. Wheeler appeared to be the same parents that could be found in a school brochure: well-groomed, wealthy, and lacking chemistry.

            Approaching the basement door, an argument was being carried steadily up the stairs. Three of the voices held venom that could only belong to those whose hearts were far too scarred for being so young. The words became clearer the closer they got.

            “…she’ll get here eventually! Stop freaking out!”

            “What don’t you get about the fact that we need her to find Will?!”

            “Mike, seriously, stop. Will is dead—”

            “No, he isn’t, he was there! He was at Castle Byers!”

            “How is that even possible?”

            El opened the door and began to descend the stairs. Will’s body gave a harsh shudder before he followed after her.

            “It isn’t! Look, man, I know that none of us want to accept it, but we have to. Will is gone. He isn’t coming back!”

            “Fuck you, Lucas! I know what I saw! Will was there! He saw me, I know he did!”

            “It doesn’t make sense though, Mike. How could you have seen him?”

            “Dustin, I swear it was him. I’m not crazy!”

            “Then stop acting like it!”

            El and Will came down just in time to see Mike shove Lucas, the shorter teen stumbling back slightly before rushing forward to retaliate. Dustin began shouting, urging his friends to stop as he attempted to get between them despite his own grief-fueled rage shining brightly on his face. Max also stepped forward, grabbing the boys’ arms in an effort to separate the fight. Will’s three closest friends, the ones who always swore that they’d there for each other through thick and thin, were quarreling like rabid wolves in the middle of the basement. Beside him, El was trying to gain the groups attention, but her words were lost in the conflict.

            This wasn’t right.

            This wasn’t how his friends treated each other.

            They fought, sometimes, sure. But this was utter chaos.

            They looked, in that moment, like they hated each other.

            “Enough!”

            The lights flickered briefly, the snap of surging electricity dimming quickly into an inaudible hum. Any and all commotion had come to an immediate halt. Three pairs of eyes were trained solely on Will, all of them haunted. Max stepped back from the frozen but still entangled boys, looking between them and Will with concern. El frowned and crossed her arms, remaining close to Will’s side.

            Mike was the first to break the stillness.

            Roughly, he shrugged out of Lucas and Dustin’s grip, stumbling to get closer to the petrified teen in front of him. Lowly, Mike said, “Will?”

            Will swallowed thickly. “Hi, Mike.”

            Faster than anyone had ever seen him move before, Mike lunged forward and grabbed Will in a fierce hug. Immediately, his shoulder had begun to grow damp as he was tightly squeezed. He’d just barely managed to bring his arms up to hug Mike back when Lucas and Dustin rushed forward as well, both of them grabbing on to him from around Mike. Tentatively, Will managed to move his head so that it leaned against Lucas's while maneuvering his hand to hook lightly onto Dustin's shirt.

            For a long moment, all that could be heard was the soft weeping coming from the huddle of boys. At that second, Will felt like he was twelve again. He felt like his friends were the same rambunctious and idiotically genius goofballs he’d grown up with. They were crying just like they did after a particularly bad bike crash or a brutal run in with some bullies. The sobs were the same ones he’d witnessed so many times before, but never judged or demeaned. It was just like before, before all of the turmoil and the monsters. Before the darkness swallowed up the innocent light of their naive little group. For just a few seconds, everything was as it had once been.

            He felt warm.

            Lucas was mumbling, “It’s...Is it really you?”

            “It’s me,” Will said, sniffling. "It's really me."

            “We thought you were gone,” Dustin hiccupped, squeezing closer.

            “I know. I’m sorry. I’m here now. I’m here.”

            For the first time since 1983, the Party was complete.

            Though the hug had dragged on for years, it ended far too soon. Now, the boys were all squished together on the couch. Will sat in the center with Lucas and Dustin to his left and Mike to his right. The girls sat across from them, El cross-legged in an armchair and Max beside her on the floor.

            “Will, what happened?” Dustin asked, his tone far more gentle than Will remembered. “They told us they couldn’t find you… They thought—”

            “How did you come back?” Lucas interjected, wincing at the thought of Dustin repeating the words he’d said not minutes ago. “You were in the Upside Down, weren’t you?”

            “I found a gate,” Will answered lamely, trying to keep his nerves at bay.

            “You mean, the one under the lab?” Dustin wondered.

            Will shook his head. “No, it was a different one. I don’t think the lab has anything to do with it.”

            “What do you mean?” Mike asked.

            “The mall. There’s something happening underneath it,” Will said, wringing his hands endlessly. “I think the people behind it are Russian.”

            Dustin practically jumped to his feet. “I knew it! I fucking knew it! I told you guys I intercepted a Russian transmission!”

            “You’re serious?” Lucas leaned forward, expression awed. “There’s Russians in the mall? How did you even get out?”

            “Well, uh, I guess I just sort of sneaked passed them…? I don’t know how I did it, to be honest.”

            “Where did you go? We haven’t heard anything from your mom or Jonathan,” Dustin said as he settled back down. When Will didn't answer, he became more urgent. "Wait, they don't know?" Will hummed timidly, looking anxiously at El for an answer that she didn’t have.

            Suspicion crossed Mike’s features. He looked from Will to El then back again sharply. Quietly, he asked, “When did you come back?”

            Tension turned the air to choking smoke as the group looked expectantly to Will. His leg bounced up and down with a jittery rhythm, words piling up in the congested freeway of his throat. Any truthful response he had would only end in chaos, but the longer he remained silent, the more agitated his friends were becoming.

            Mike was practically glowering at El when he spoke again. “You knew about this, didn’t you?”

            El stayed quiet, but Dustin piped up. “Mike, what are you talking about?”

            “It’s obvious, isn’t it?” Mike said, his words like razors. “El goes off somewhere and somehow knows where Will is in order to bring him here. Will, who just came back from being in the Upside Down for two years, is brought here by El with nice clothes and is perfectly clean? Not to mention his hair looks pretty short for someone who hasn't been able to cut it all this time.”

            “Mike…” El whispers, her voice failing her.

            “And,” Mike whips his attention over to Max, clambering to his feet as he pointed at her, “you started telling me about how I need to stop worrying about where El is because you knew she was getting Will. You knew she was hiding him, didn’t you?”

            Max scowled at the teen, but didn’t offer any counter. Lucas’s face became unreadable. “Max… Did you know Will was back?”

            A pause, then a single nod.

            Lucas stood up from the couch. “Why would you keep that from me? You knew I… Goddammit, why would you do that?!”

            “All I knew was Will didn’t want you guys to know,” Max responded, though she couldn’t bring herself to look at him.

            Mike seethed. “After all of the shit you gave us about lying, you go and hide the fact that you’ve found our friend who we thought was dead?!”

            “Stop! Stop!” Will stood and quickly positioned himself between the two sides. “I told them not to tell you! They were just doing what I asked! If it’s anyone’s fault here, it’s mine.”

            Mike and Lucas recoiled a bit at the information. Dustin got to his feet as well, looking hurt and confused as he asked, “Why would you ask them to do that?”

            “I-I don’t know! I just… I…” Will could feel himself beginning to panic, his feet itching to run. His legs tensed as he resolved to stand his ground. His determination, however, did nothing to will any sort of answer into being.

            Shaking his head, Mike still raged. “I don’t care if you asked them to do it, they shouldn’t have done it! They should’ve told us!” His fury was once again aimed solely on the girls. “He’s our friend! Why the hell wouldn’t you tell us he was back?!”

            “Look, it was obvious that he wasn’t ready to see you, alright?” Max asserted, standing up as she defiantly crossed her arms. “He needed some time, so we just—”

            “So, you just what?” Mike rumbled, face turning beet red. “You just decided you were going to keep it a secret that Will was alive and in Hawkins?! After everything we’ve been through with him being gone, even though you knew how badly we wanted him back, you thought it was just fine to keep us in the dark about this?!”

            “We were going to tell you,” El said, defensive guilt lining her features.

            “When?!” Lucas demanded. “You obviously weren’t in a hurry if you had time to do a little makeover!”

            “Okay, let’s just calm down a second,” Dustin said, pinching the bridge of his nose. He looked imploringly at Will. “Will, be honest, when did you get back from the Upside Down?”

            His friends' bore deep into his skin as the weight of the argument fell heavily onto his shoulders. Will took a steadying breath before quietly saying, “It was four days ago. I ran into El when I was trying to find my way home through the woods.”

            A bitter laugh left Mike’s lips as he sneered at the girls, “Four days. He’s been back for four days and you never said anything.” He shook his head as his hand raked through his hair. “Let me guess, Hopper knows about this shit too, doesn’t he?”

            El was now sporting a glare of her own. “No. Nobody knew but us. Max only found out the day before yesterday.”

            “Dude, you seriously have to go see your mom," Dustin said. "She lost her shit when you disappeared!"

            "Dustin," Lucas admonished.

            Will trembled. “I… Can’t.”

            “Why not?”

            “Because it’s just… I’m not… Shit, I don’t know why but I just can’t, okay? Just seeing you guys is hard,” Will said, his hand coming up to drag down his cheek.

            “Maybe it would’ve been easier if El told us right away,” Lucas muttered.

            Max scowled at him. “Hey, it isn’t her fault. Will told you that she only did it because he asked. She was trying to be a good friend.”

            Mike’s eyes were practically aflame. “A good friend? A good friend? Lying for days and making us believe Will was still dead is being a good friend?!”

            “Maybe it’s a good thing she kept it from you if you’re going to be such a dick!” Max retorted.

            Dustin snatched Mike’s shoulder when he made a dangerous lurch towards her, his temper reaching its breaking point. Lucas held a wounded look of his own, his grit teeth grinding as he tried to keep himself together. Dustin, trying his best to remain collected, called out, “Alright! We need a time out!”

            “Dustin’s the only one who’s asked Will why he told us not to tell you! You just went straight to yelling and acting like a total jackass when that’s the last thing Will needs right now!”

            “Don’t start lecturing me about what Will needs!” Mike snapped. “You’re not even his friend! Neither of you would even know about him without us!”

            Max scoffed, “What, so you own him now?”

            “No, I’m—!”

            “Stop it!”

            Will’s bellow halted the turmoil immediately, his cheeks flushed red as his expression read of pure distress. He was practically frantic as he said, “Enough, alright?! You all need to just knock it off!” He jabbed a finger at Mike. “Yes, we should’ve told you earlier! We’re sorry and I get that you’re upset, but a screaming match isn’t going to fix any of this shit!” He looked at Lucas. “It isn’t El's or Max’s fault for lying! I told them to do it and maybe they shouldn’t have, but I’m glad they did so if there’s anyone you should be angry at, it’s me!” He turned to Max. “Mike and Lucas have the right to be upset, what we did was shitty and we shouldn’t have handled it the way we did! We shouldn’t be screaming at each other, but it’s stupid to think that they wouldn’t be pissed!” He looked at El and then Dustin, his expression apologetic. Finally, he addressed the group as a whole, “What I did was stupid and selfish, and I’m sorry. I’m just… Sorry.” He turned, heading for the stairs.

            Five voices cried out, “Will!”

            “I'm not leaving. I just... I need a minute,” he said, before promptly leaving the basement and continuing on out the door of the Wheeler residence.

            Crouching down beside the house, Will closed his eyes and let out a burdened sigh.

            The static in his head was deafening.

Chapter Text

            The dull throb churning the contents of Will’s skull was comforting in its familiarity. Somewhere, a sprinkler was chattering as it sprayed a lawn that was still quenched from yesterday’s storm. A bird was singing from its perch in a nearby pine. Rumbling from an old car engine could be heard from a few streets over. The sun was warm and the air was clean. He was at the Wheeler house. This was his reality; this was where he belonged. He wasn’t lost anymore. He was home.

            He felt cold.

            “Will?”

            Being startled was quickly becoming another constant in Will’s life, his teeth gritting when the adrenaline left his system as abruptly as it had entered. Exhausted, his gaze slowly drifted up to see Dustin shooting him an apologetic grin. Will murmured, “Yeah?”

            “We were getting worried,” Dustin said. “I came to see if you were alright.”

            More like you came to make sure I haven’t disappeared again. Will swallowed the bitterness that gathered on his tongue. He mumbled, “I’m fine.”

            Grass crunched in protest when Dustin shifted his feet, his fingers twitching slightly at his side. He leaned on his left leg, then his right, then back to his left. The wild curls poking out from his green and yellow hat bobbed as he swayed, blue eyes flickering from side to side without any real target. The sprinkler kept chattering, the bird kept singing, the car kept rumbling, and Dustin kept shifting.

            “I’m fine, Dustin,” Will insisted, his weariness masquerading as irritation. “Just go back to the others. I’ll be down in a minute.”

            “No.”

            “No?” He parroted, nose scrunching indignantly. “What do you mean no?”

            “I mean no, I’m not leaving,” Dustin said, furthering his point by coming forward and sitting down beside the curled-up teen. “Look, man, you’re obviously not fine and if I go back down there without you, you’re going to have to deal with everyone coming up and bothering you, which is probably going to suck way more than dealing with just me.”

            Will huffed, silently admitting defeat. “I’m surprised that you trust those four to be left alone together.”

            “Like I said, we wanted to send someone up to get you and I’m the closest thing you’re getting to a neutral party.” The pair sat quietly for a few moments, the gentle soundtrack of the surrounding neighborhood playing on loop around them. Dustin eventually said, “I’m sorry.”

            “For what?”

            “Subjecting you to two screaming matches in the span of ten minutes.”

            “It’s not your fault. You haven’t really done much of the screaming.” Will shrugged. “Besides, I don’t blame them. I know this is all… A lot.”

            “Yeah,” Dustin agreed, idly playing with the grass. “Though, to be honest, this sort of thing is kind of the norm with them.” He paused. “The screaming, not you being resurrected.”

            Will sat up slightly, looking at his friend properly. He asked, “It is?”

            Dustin nodded and while Will itched to know more, the solemn expression on his friend’s face stopped his words short. Sweat was gathering in the creases of his palms, unease settling deeper into his chest the longer the silence continued. It felt wrong, seeing his once animated friend slouched in numbing defeat. He wanted to ask what was wrong, wanted to selfishly beg the other to just go back to being the bubbly goofball he’d known before Will was dragged to hell. But he couldn’t, because he knew what was wrong and he knew why Dustin couldn’t bounce back as if nothing had happened. He also knew that a huge part of it was his fault.

            “Is there really a Russian lab underneath the mall?”

            The question landed like a slap to the face, its sudden appearance startling a small chuckle out of Will as he answered, “Yeah, there really is.” He shifted so that he was properly facing Dustin. “Did you really intercept a Russian transmission?”

            “Sure did,” the curly haired teen said with a grin. “I told Mike and Lucas about it, but they wouldn’t listen. They thought it was me making up some lame excuse for why my girlfriend didn’t answer when I tried radioing her.”

            Will’s eyebrows scrunched tightly together. “When you were radioing who?”

            “My girlfriend.” Dustin grinned, his pride trying to play itself off as nonchalance. “Her name’s Suzy. She’s awesome.”

            “You have a girlfriend?”

            “Oh, goddammit, not you too—”

            “No, no, I believe you. It’s just weird to think about.”

            “Why?”

            Will shrugged. “Guess I just didn’t think that day would come.”

            “Gee, thanks.”

            “No, I mean—” Will let out a small huff, his patience dwindling as his migraine raged. “The last time I was with all of you guys, none of us even thought about girls or dating. It was the kind of stuff we made fun of Nancy for liking, you know? And now, you have a girlfriend, Mike is dating El—”

            “Was. Mike was dating El. Just like Lucas was dating Max.”

            “Lucas and Max are together?”

            “Yeah. Well, they were. Pretty sure Max broke up with Lucas at the mall in solidarity with El or whatever. At least, I think that’s what happened. I wasn’t really paying attention to what was going on with that,” Dustin explained. “They didn’t tell you?”

            “No, but in hindsight that makes sense. Sort of.” How the hell do relationships work? The boy pressed his fingers to his temples, rubbing them with small soothing circles. “Whatever. It doesn’t really matter.” He let out another sigh, looking back at Dustin with a drained expression. “Do you have any idea what the transmission said?”

            “I’ve been trying to translate it,” Dustin said, pulling a crumpled scrap of paper from his pocket. It was littered with Russian letters and scribbled out English words. Toward the center of the page, three words were messily scrawled.

            Will squinted. “Week, cat, China?”

            “Those are the only words I’ve been able to make out for sure.” Dustin crunched the paper back up into his palm, letting out a sigh. “I probably would’ve been able to figure out more if I’d gotten some damn help.” The following silence was a long way off from being comfortable, but Dustin, thankfully, didn’t allow it to last long. “Whatever it is must be something to do with the gate you came from.”

            A nod was all he got in response.

            Will could feel Dustin analyzing him, but he couldn’t bring himself to particularly care. He could still hear the cacophony of the neighborhood around him, that chattering sprinkler, that chirping bird, that old car, all of those sounds so deeply embedded in his childhood that he should feel relief at hearing them again. Instead, just like in the mall, just like in the Upside Down, all he felt was completely and utterly lost. His friends were more broken than ever because of him. His family was oblivious to the fact that he was even alive, let alone back in their world, because of him. Mike and El, and possibly also Lucas and Max, broke up because of him. Every single problem laid out in front of him all led back to the one and only Will Byers.

            All this and he hasn’t even mentioned the new monster yet.

            “We should head back inside. The rest of the brigade will probably be coming after us soon,” Will commented, trying for casual but missing by a mile. He stood clumsily, his knees knocking awkwardly together in his haste.

            Dustin frowned, asking, “You, uh, sure you’re ready to go back?”

            Pausing for only a moment, Will just gave his friend a hollow smile. “Nope.”

            The air in the basement was at least twenty degrees colder than that of the summer air outside, the chill intensified by the irritation of the four teens sat in the room. There was a clear divide, made visible by the way El and Max scrunched together on the arm chair while Mike and Lucas were slouched on the sofa. Will could see all of them straighten at the sound of his and Dustin’s footsteps descending the stairs, though no one spoke a word. Anger, for the most part, had fled the space but there was too much weight still remaining for the atmosphere to be described as calm.

            Dustin joined Mike and Lucas on the couch, settling on the arm as Will remained standing in front of the group. He stomped down the urge to squirm under their stares, his own eyes trained on the ground. His head was filled with the endless ringing of what now? What now? What now?

            Eventually, he said, “Listen, what I did was shitty. I should’ve come to you all right away instead of hiding and that’s on me. But there’s something else going on that you guys need to know about. Something other than the Russian gate.”

            “Is it the Demogorgan?” Mike asked, almost haunted by the very word. “Did it come back?”

            “No.” Will shook his head, his hands balled into fists. “This is a lot bigger than that.”

            “What do you mean?” Lucas leaned forward, his mouth curved into a heavy frown.

            “There’s something else that lives in the Upside Down. Something other than the Demogorgans.”

            “Wait. Demogorgans?” Dustin interjected, “There’s more than one?”

            Will crossed his arms, fighting to keep the begrudging edge out of his voice. “Yeah. A lot more.” He looked around briefly, gaze locking on to a piece of paper and pencil on a nearby table. Knowing that words weren’t enough to convey the mess of information straining to get out of his mind, he made his way over and began to messily sketch out the figure that had been haunting him for over a year. He ignored the uneasy comfort warming his skin when the others followed, gathering around him in a tight circle.

            Across the paper, graphite lines were slowly piecing together a warped, towering figure. Below it, Will scribbled a handful of Demogorgan heads. He began to explain, “There’s another monster, but it isn’t like the Demogorgans. This thing doesn’t run on instinct, it’s strategic. It was able to use some sort of mind control to make the Demogorgans do whatever it wants.”

            “Mind control?” Lucas echoed.

            “I don’t know how to works for sure,” Will admitted, his knuckles white as he furiously shaded in the monster. “Not all of the Demogorgans were affected by it, at least not that I could tell. I think it spreads one by one until everything is under its control.”

            “It sounds like a Mind Flayer,” Dustin commented.

            The words made Will’s frantic drawing stop. He looked up. “What?”

            “A Mind Flayer. You know, from Dungeons and Dragons?”

            Dustin made his way over to the shelves behind the stairs. He rifled through a few items before letting out a small sound of triumph, returning to the table with the Dungeons and Dragons Monster Manual clutched in his hands. He flipped through it blindly, blue eyes raking through each page swiftly before stopping and setting the open book down. He pointed at a humanoid creature with an octopus-like head. “Right here,” he said. “It uses psionic powers to enslave races of other dimensions.”

            “It doesn’t just enslave them,” Will said, shakily drawing a tether from each of the Demogorgan heads to connect them to the monster. “Whenever it possesses something, that thing becomes a part of it.”

            “Like a hive mind,” Mike mumbled.

            “Exactly.”

            “So, if we kill this thing—”

            “Mind Flayer.”

            Lucas shot Dustin an irritated side glance. “If we kill the Mind Flayer, then will whatever it possessed turn back to normal?”

            “No,” Will said, pencil twirling between his fingers as he thought. “I remember in the Upside Down, whenever that thing—”

            “Mind Flayer.” Dustin yelped when Lucas smacked his arm.

            “—got hurt, the Demogorgans were hurt too. I think the only way to save someone that’s been possessed by it is to force it out of them.”

            “Someone? Has it already gotten somebody?” Mike asked.

            Max scowled as Will replied, “It’s already gotten Max’s brother and a lifeguard at the pool.” There was a mix of emotions decorating each of teens’ faces, none of which Will found himself able to accurately discern. After a few uncomfortable beats of silence, he hesitantly continued, “But, there might be a way we can help them.”

            “How?” Lucas queried.

            “When I was in the Upside Down, the only thing I’ve ever seen hurt th—” Will’s eyes flicked to Dustin then rolled themselves, “—the Mind Flayer is fire.”

            “We’re going to set Billy on fire?” Dustin asked, spirits a little bit too high.

            “No,” Max cut in. “We’re going to wait until the end of his shift at the pool and trap him in the sauna. Once we get him in there, we’re going to crank the heat until the fucker gets the hell out of him.”

            “When?” Lucas looked surprised at her ferocity.

            “Today,” the redhead replied, crossing her arms. “I know for a fact he works today.”

            “We’re coming too,” Mike said, his face set in stony determination.

            The following silence tasted bitter.

            Huddled behind a pollen spotted car, the six teens stared intensely at the perpetually crowded pool. Will had clearly been marked as the line in the sand as the girls stood to his right and the boys to his left. Mike was standing close enough to him that their shoulders brushed as they surveyed the frolicking families beyond the chain-link fence. Dustin stood at the end of the group with a large pair of binoculars pointed conspicuously toward the lifeguard chair.

            In its seat sat an utterly blank faced Billy. His sun visor and shades blocked any possible view of his eyes. A white, long-sleeved shirt shielded his torso and arms from the sun. Across his lap, a towel was spread over any patches of skin not covered by his red swim trunks. The opened, pale cherry umbrella above him stood as the finishing touch in his one-sided war against the sun. He mindlessly dug around the ICEE cup in his hand with a bent straw, barely even reacting to the gleeful screams of the children around him.

            “Yeah, something’s definitely not right with him,” Dustin muttered, lowering his binoculars. He looked to Will. “But, how do you know for sure?”

            “Him and El—”

            “El tried to see what Billy was doing one night and found him bringing a girl to the Mind Flayer,” Will cut Max off, refusing to look at her undoubtedly befuddled expression.

            “Why were you trying to see what Billy was doing?” Mike inquired suspiciously.

            “It was a game,” was all El said.

            “It doesn’t matter,” Will interjected again. “Trust me, we know the Mind Flayer is in Billy and we have to get it out before it can do any more damage.”

            “So, we get him inside the sauna and then what?” Lucas asked.

            “Like I said, we’ll make it so hot that the Mind Flayer has to get out of him,” Max said, annoyance flaring behind her tone. “There should be a control switch right outside the door. That’s the way it’s set up in the women’s locker room.”

            “Well, we should go scope things out just in case,” Mike decided, moving to go walk towards the pool. He paused and looked at the girls. “You two wait out here.”

            “Why?” El almost demanded.

            “You can’t exactly come with us into a men’s locker room,” the tall teen snapped back. “Besides, unlike you guys, we’ll actually let you in on what’s going on.”

            “Mike, stop,” Will said, giving his friend a hard stare. Mike had the decency to guiltily look away, though his angry scowl remained. Will could see Max practically biting her own tongue to refrain from retorting. He sighed, “Look. It won’t take all six of us to check out the sauna anyways. El and Max, why don’t you two go and try to find something that’ll help us lure Billy in tonight.”

            El tilted her head. “Like what?”

            “We could use one of those creepy CPR dummies. I’ve seen the lifeguards throw them in the back with the pool supplies before,” Max suggested.

            “Perfect. Grab one of those and anything else you think we’ll need to set up the bait.”

            Dustin commented, “It’ll need to be dark for him to mistake one of those things for a person.”

            “I’ll go around the building and try to find the circuit breakers,” Lucas volunteered. “While I’m doing that, I can take a look at the sauna and see where the controls are.”

            Will nodded. “Okay. Dustin and I will look for things to barricade the door. Even if the sauna has a lock, anything possessed by the Mind Flayer is going to have a lot of strength. Mike, you stay here and keep an eye on Billy.”

            “I want to come with you,” Mike said.

            “Mike—”

            “Please,” he stressed, eyes far too close to begging for Will’s comfort.

            Dustin looked between the two and shrugged, stating, “I don’t care either way.”

            After a few moments of quiet thought, hazel gaze searching for something unknown on the other’s face, Will deflated and said, “Alright.”

            El eyed them closely, her eyebrows scrunching though she remained unreadable. Will had no time to process the look as she was swiftly led away by Max.

            The chipping, white paint of the sliding wood panels felt hot beneath Will’s fingertips as he opened the small shed. Above him, a white sign with fading red font proclaimed, “MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL ONLY.” The inside of the metal storage was dark and cramped. Rickety wooden shelves precariously held pesticides, tools, and various lawn-care products. Toolboxes and bins were placed on the ground along the walls along with what appeared to be spare pieces of metal leftover from the construction of the fence outside.

            Will immediately began to dig around in one of the larger boxes, eyes flicking over the shelves in between rummaging to scan for whatever may come in handy. He could feel Mike drilling holes into the back of his head with his stare, but ignored it to the best of his ability. His heart was pounding and his chest felt tight. The silence was suffocating. Will hated it, this feeling of awkwardness between the two of them. Almost two years had passed since they were alone together, really alone without Will being able to bolt off into the woods. There was so much he once wanted to say, so much he wanted Mike to know. But the Mike he wanted to tell these things to wasn’t this one, and he wasn’t the Will who had the right to say them.

            “Hey.”

            Slowly, as if something would break if he reacted too rashly, Will turned his head to peer at Mike. His dark curls were beginning to defy gravity with the help of humidity and his face was becoming a bit rosy from the heat. His expression was pinched with uncertainty, though his coffee-colored eyes held some hope. For what?

            Will looked away. Mike deflated a bit. “Will—”

            “You shouldn’t keep snapping at them.”

            Mike blinked, then sighed, “I know. I’m just… Angry.”

            “If there’s anyone you should be angry with, it’s me. Not them,” Will chided, his tone far from stern. “They just did what I asked them to do.”

            “Why did you ask them to—?”

            “I don’t know.”

            Another round of silence. Will perked up as his hands brushed a bunched-up metal chain. Each link was thick and heavy, their surfaces scratched from years of use. On the shelf above it is a steel padlock which he also snatched. As he turned, he saw Mike grab what must have been a piece of metal railing for the pool stairs, skinny enough to slip through a door handle but not weak enough to break. Will nodded and said, “This should work.”

            Just as he was making his way to leave, Mike spoke up once more, “I really missed you.”

            Will paused, a lump instantaneously materializing within his throat. He clutched the metal chain tighter in his hands, paying no mind to how it jabbed into his palms. He took a steadying breath.

            “I really missed you too.”

            Hawkins Community Pool held a far more somber tone at night.

            The gentle lapping of the water against the tile edges felt lonely in the absence of splashing and laughter. Its once cheery blue was turned an ominous black without sunlight, the dying yellow lights outside the locker rooms doing little to drive back the shadows. The chairs sat crookedly around the perimeter, their rubber still smelling of cheap sunscreen and tanning lotion. Out front of the establishment, a lone car remained parked in the lot, waiting for the last lifeguard to leave his post.

            Inside the men’s room, the sounds of a lone shower echoed off the cement walls. Silent feet scurried across the floor, careful not to make a sound as they got into position. Merging into the shadows, the hushed figures dispersed into their hiding places. The trap was set, the motion sensor for the lights turned off, tools ready. With a nod, it began.

            The slamming of the far metal door.

            A gruff reply, “Pool’s closed.”

            Another slam, this time with a click.

            The shower shuts off.

            “Hey! Didn’t you hear me? I said, pool’s closed!”

            Feet stomp across the tile toward the sound. Hands bang and push against the closed door.

            “Billy.”

            The hands stop. A growl, “Who’s there?”

            “Billy.” The voice sang.

            “Who’s there?” He teased back, his voice sharp.

            Laughter. A curtain gets ripped open. An unheard breath shudders.

            “Billy!” The voice grows more insistent. “Billy!”

            “You think this is funny, huh?”

            More laughter. “Billy. Come and find me.”

            “If I find you, it’s your funeral.”

            Eyes catch a blue door gliding shut.

            “Come and get me, come on!”

            He follows, surging around a corner.

            “Billy!”

            A silhouette stands in the window of the sauna.

            “Got you.” He cackles, clapping his hands maniacally. He walks forward.

            “Come and get me, you piece of shit.”

            He almost breaks the hinges wrenching the door open, confusion bleeding into his face when he’s confronted with a plastic mannequin. He grabs it roughly by the shirt, lifting it into the air with feral bewilderment.

            “Hey, Billy.”

            His gaze locks onto the radio taped crudely to its waist.

            “Behind you.”

            Dropping the doll, Billy whips around only to be confronted by El.

            “Hi.” She glares as Billy makes to move, jerking her head with grunt and sending him crashing into the back wall of the sauna. Several tiles shatter with the impact, a groan sounding from the body they land on.

            Will watches Mike rushes forward, following him as the dark-haired teen yells, “Now!” El swipes a hand in front of her, slamming the sauna door shut. Mike, Dustin, and Lucas rush toward the door. Mike wedges the metal rod between the door handle and a nearby pipe positioned near the wall. Dustin haphazardly coiled the metal chain around the handle and the pipe, Lucas leaning around him to lock it into place. Will peered over at Max, concern growing as she watched the process with a look of detachment.

            The three boys rushed back to the others once the door was secured, the group looking on in shock as Billy raged inside the sauna. The door shook once, then twice. It gave a final shudder before Billy finally stopped, his face like stone as he glowered at the teens. His eyes locked onto one in particular, the veins in his neck and forehead practically pulsing with fury. Lowly, he said, “Max.”

            Her sharp intake made Will’s frown deepen, though her expression remained carefully impassive. The stepsiblings leered darkly at each other, utterly devoid of emotion during the standoff. Eventually, the redhead spoke, “Do it.”

            Dustin bolted forward, reaching the control panel and hastily twisting the knob. Instantly, the thermometer’s needle twitched to life and began to climb. Again, he ran back to his friends, coming to a stop beside Will.

            Within minutes, sweat was beginning to glisten on Billy’s skin as steam made its appearance in the back corners of the room. The trapped blonde practically snarled as he smashed his fists against the door, the metal quaking from the blows. He roared, “Max! Let me out of here!”

            The teens took a collective step back, their eyes wide as the demand bounced around the room. Billy trembled, lips curled as he repeated, “Let me out.” No one moved, they hardly dared to breath. Will could feel the familiar prickle dancing beneath his skin, his fingers going numb. Billy’s body shuddered once more as he said, “You kids— You think this is funny?” From the corner of his eye, Will saw Lucas and Mike exchange an uneasy look. “You kids think this is some kind of sick prank, huh?” Suddenly, Billy spat at the glass, the saliva sliding down with a sickening shine. This time, Max and Will exchanged glances. “You little shits think this is funny?!” Billy’s breath clouded the window as he leaned closer to growl, “What is this?” None of them answered him. “Open. The door.”

            Another smash against the metal startled the group, Will visibly jumping as Billy once again yelled, “Open the door!”

            “When you said the Mind Flayer gives whatever it’s controlling a lot of strength,” Dustin began, his hands twitching with nerves, “exactly how much strength are we talking?” Will opened his mouth to reply but was cut off by Billy flinging himself against the door.

            Bang.

            “Open the door!”

            Bang.

            “Open the goddamn door!”

            The words ricocheted around them, but no one moved to follow his command. Now thoroughly sweating, springs of hair glued to his forehead, Billy slid down to sit on the floor with an infuriated yell.

            Hesitating for a moment, Will then quickly approached the thermometer. The needle held steady at the top of the gauge. He turned back to the others and said, “We’re at 220.” A pit laid heavily in his stomach just being near the room, his hands growing clammy with fright.

            El eyed him nervously as he rejoined the group while Dustin quietly asked, “Is that going to be enough?”

            Before anyone could answer, a grunt sounded from the sauna followed by a strangled sob. Faintly, they could hear Billy pleading, “It’s not my fault. It’s not my fault.” Slowly, Max began to walk towards the door, Lucas watching her carefully. Billy continued to cry, “It’s not my fault, Max. I promise you, it’s not my fault.”

            Max’s mouth twisted with misery. She whispered, “What’s not your fault, Billy?”

            Will could hear Billy whimper, “I’ve done things, Max. Really…bad things.” The sound of Heather screaming, of Heather being dragged forcibly into a bathtub of ice, of Heather laying bound as that monster approached her played in Will’s head. “I didn’t mean to.” El crept tentatively closer, the boys following a step behind. Max regarded Billy with disbelief as he said, “He made me do it.”

            “Who made you do it?” Max asked.

            “I-I don’t know, it’s like a shadow.” Billy’s words made the hair on the back of Will’s neck stand on end. El turned to him, unsettled as Billy continued, “It’s like a giant shadow. Please, Max.”

            Max leaned closer to the glass. “What did he make you do?”

            “It’s not my fault, okay?! Max, please,” Billy begged, drifting to slouch against the bench beside him. Sweat was steady making its way down his temple in fat drops. There were tears gathering in Max’s eyes as her stepbrother cried, “Please believe me, Max, it’s not my fault.”

            Do you see what you’ve done?

            Will stiffened, his back straightening as his breathing stuttered. Billy continued to sniffle, “Please believe me, Max. Please believe me.”

            Look at how they suffer.

            Max’s voice was choked. “Billy, it’s going to be okay.”

            It is your fault that I am here.

            “Please, Max.”

            You were never supposed to return.

            “It’s going to be okay. We want to help you.”

            You were never supposed to live.

            “We want to help you.”

            You were supposed to be mine.

            “You just have to talk to us, okay?”

            Now look at the mess you’ve made.

            “You just have to talk to us.”

            I’m going to take them.

            “I believe in you, Billy.”

            And I’m going to kill them.

            “We’ll figure it out together, okay?”

            And it’ll be all your fault.

            “Will?” Mike whispered, his gaze burning into the shorter teen’s paling face.

            Will tried to take a trembling breath as he mumbled, “H-He’s…” His throat constricted, terror sending electrified sparks throughout his body. “That… That isn’t Billy.”

            Mike’s eyes never left Will’s as he said, “Max… Get away from the door.”

            “What?” Max’s focus never left Billy.

            Mike whipped his head around, screaming, “Get away from the door!”

            Just as Max moved, Billy’s fist smashed through the small window. He clutched a shard of tile tightly in his hand, swinging wildly at Max, his attacks leaving dents in the metal as he collided with the door instead. “Let me out, you bitch! Let me out!” He bellowed, his eyes ablaze like a rabid animal. Max shook, more tears spilling down her cheeks as Billy yelled, “I’ll fucking gut you!” Blindly, Billy threw the shard at Max before reaching down to roughly pull the metal rail from where it entangled the chain with the door. He continued to demand, “Let me out!”

            “Oh fuck!” Dustin yelped. Lucas grabbed his wrist rocket from his pocket, hurriedly loading a rock into the sling. He pulled back, aimed, and fired with a sharp crack. The rock struck Billy in the center of his forehead, knocking him back into the room.

            “Max, come on!” Lucas cried, prompting the redhead to finally move. She was ushered behind El just as the lights began to chaotically flicker.

            Will could feel the temperature dropping, his vision tinting slightly with blue. There was a hand on his shoulder, but he didn’t know who it belonged to. Reality itself seemed to be cutting in and out. His world, Upside Down. His world, Upside Down. He could hear Billy roaring again, now using his entire body to smash against the door. His world, Upside Down. His world, Upside Down. The chain rattled and slammed, struggling to hold Billy. El stood in front of them all wearing a mask of pure defiance, her arms out wide to shield her friends. His world, Upside Down. His world, Upside Down.

            “Shit, he’s going to get out,” Dustin said, taking another step back.

            “No, he’s not.” Lucas shook his head though his fear was palpable. “There’s no way.”

            Billy screamed and charged again.

            And again.

            And again.

            With one final bellow, Billy rushed the door, the metal pipe beside it breaking with the impact and rendering the metal chain useless. He stumbled breathlessly into the room, the teens in front of him scrambling backwards. His tanned body was marred with black veins that spread like toxic webs along his skin. His cuts and bruises oozed with what looked like ink, sluggish and dark as it bled from him. He breathed heavily as he glared at the group, his blue irises having become totally obsidian.

            El’s lip curled as she raised a hand, lifting a dumbbell beside her slowly before shoving it into Billy. It pinned him to the wall, shoving brutally against his collar bone. His hands pushed against it as the metal bar slid up toward his neck. El grunted, both hands now out before her as the weights dug into the bricks on either side of Billy’s head. It felt as though a blast of arctic air hit Will as Billy growled and readjusted his grip, pushing once more against the force of El’s power.

            The dumbbell began to lift and El started screaming as blood flowed steadily from her nose. Billy continued to counter, the dumbbell going further, further, until suddenly he threw it across the room. El ducked, dodging the attack by mere centimeters. She gasped as Billy grabbed ahold of her hair, eyes wild and teeth bared as she struggled.

            Billy looked out across the room, staring each teen down. He lingered on Max for a few moments, glowering at her as he grabbed El’s neck with his other hand. He then looked to Will, slowly lifting El into the air as he seemed to silently challenge him. They were all frozen utterly still with terror, even as El choked and shouted, “No, no! No!” Will wanted to move, wanted to save her, wanted to do anything. But he was so cold, and so lost, and there was a monster right there, and oh god he’s back in the Upside Down—

            There was the clang of metal and Billy fell, releasing El. Behind him, Mike stood with the same metal rod from the door raised above his head. He yelled, “Go to hell you piece of shit!” He swung the rod down, but was easily stopped by one hand. Billy rose from the ground, ripping the metal from Mike’s hands and throwing it against the wall. All of Mike’s fury fueled bravery fled out of him at once, the boy stumbling backwards as Billy advanced toward him.

            Just as he began to raise his arm to strike, Billy frozen with a startled grunt. His body seized, slowly rising from the ground as El stood up behind him. Her hands were raised toward him as she slowly circled around his rigid form, her face downright murderous. Billy screamed, struggling against her restraints. El panted as she stepped to stand in front of Mike and move Billy away, skin flushed red from exertion. She raised him higher, and higher, and finally she shrieked as she blasted him against the wall, the bricks giving way behind him and throwing him out in the night.

            El then collapsed, pulling Mike down with her as she sobbed. Mike tried to comfort her despite his own horror. Max was clinging to Lucas’ arm, her teeth digging into her bottom lip as she stared at the wall Billy disappeared through. Lucas shook, eyes bouncing around the room as if trying to absorb everything at once. Dustin stood gripping his hair, pulling on the strands beneath his hat as he whispered desperate questions to himself under his breath.

            Will stood blankly at the back of the group, his face white as his features remained petrified with dread. All of his joints were locked in place, a tremor running through him. The Mind Flayer was right in front of him. It was going to kill him. It was going to kill El. Why didn’t he help her? Why didn’t he fight? Why was he so scared? Why, why, why?

            He’s so fucking cold.

Chapter Text

            “Holy shit. Holy shit.”

            “Dustin.”

            “That was insane! He broke through that door like it was nothing! And did you see his veins, they were—!”

            “Dustin,” Lucas cut his friend off, frayed nerves further whittling his patience into nothing. “We were there, man. We saw it.”

            The small group of teenagers stumbled along the dark street, hazy streetlamps lighting the picturesque neighborhood. Clouds obscured the stars above them, the moon no more than a smeared thumbprint amidst the black sky. Humming crickets and singing frogs were drowned out by Dustin’s rambling, his fingers lost in the curls spilling from his hat. Max walked with her head hung low, fiery strands obscuring her face from the others. El was on the other side of her, holding her hand and continuously trying to catch glimpses of her expression. Mike’s head was swiveling back and forth, ears alert to even the smallest shifting of leaves. Will lingered toward the back of the group, head swimming with shame, fear, and bone-deep disconcertment that he couldn’t shake no matter how far he treads from the locker room.

            “And there’s more people like that? How’re we going to get that thing out of all of them? I mean, the heat definitely had an effect on him, but what’s the threshold to drive that thing out? What else can we even—”

            “What if we close the gate?” Lucas asked, turning to Will. “If we break the connection, would that put Billy back in control?”

            Will continued to stare the cracked asphalt beneath his feet as he answered, “If we sever the Mind Flayer’s connection between its body here and the main body in the Upside Down, it will kill Billy.” He kicked a pebble halfheartedly. “Like I said before, by possessing Billy, the Mind Flayer made him a part of itself. He can’t survive the way he is now without being connected to the hive mind.”

            “So, what do we do?” Dustin prodded.

            “We’ll try something else,” Max said, her tone steely even with the small tremor running through her shoulders. “Find a way to make him hotter or something.”

            “How are we supposed to do that? That sauna was 200 degrees and it barely did a thing,” Mike countered.

            Max rounded on him, “Oh, so you just want to leave him like this?”

            “No, but—”

            “But, what, Mike?!”

            “Max,” Lucas pleaded, his eyes sympathetic as he raised his hands in a surrendering gesture. “We’re not going to leave him like that, we’re going to help him. We just don’t know what to do right now.”

            The redhead’s attention snapped to her ex-boyfriend, her mouth opening to bite back another retort, but stopped when El gave her hand a small tug backwards. Reluctantly, she fell silent, though her body remained tensed with anger.

            “Maybe we should, you know,” Dustin shrugged, “tell Hopper?”

            The others murmured their agreement, but Will went rigid at the suggestion. Every fiber in his being was yelling no, that this was a bad idea. They couldn’t tell Hopper because if they told Hopper about this, then they’d have to tell him about Will, and if they told him about Will, then Hopper would tell—

            Wringing his hands, Will stayed quiet. The situation was obviously to the point that they needed outside help. El could barely fend off Billy with Mike’s help and Will himself hadn’t proven himself exactly useful in all of this. Hopper was the chief of police, had access to resources a group of ragtag teens could only dream of having. But still, the thought of reuniting with his family, of watching the new normal they’d developed without him unravel, it was just too much.

            Will could see Mike observing him silently out of the corner of his eye. The taller teen’s lips pinched slightly in thought before he suggested, “Let’s talk to him tomorrow.” Mike saw Max turn to him and he rushed to explain, “It’s late and we just went through some seriously messed up shit back there. Hopper’s probably asleep already anyway, so let’s get some rest and regroup, okay? It’s better than—”

            “I agree with you,” Max cut in.

            Even El’s mouth dropped open in stunned silence as the redhead led the way back to the Wheeler household.

            The floor of the basement was cluttered with blankets and pillows. The dim light of the yellow lamp sitting in the corner gave the room a drowsy haze. Each of the teens curled up in their own personal corners, few words cast between them as exhaustion rammed into their bodies like trucks. Dustin sprawled across the couch with a sheet draped across his midsection. Lucas laid on the ground next to him, a comforter wrapped around him to both cushion him and provide warmth. After locking the door at the top of the stairs, Mike positioned himself across from Lucas on the other side of the coffee table, ready to intercept his mother if she were to call down at any moment. El and Max were laying beneath a desk adjacent to the stairs, a blanket laying over the top and bedding bunched beneath it creating a small fort. The set up was already there before the group had arrived and El’s evident familiarity with it both answered and created questions inside of Will’s head. He remembered El’s recounting of the night she was discovered.

            “Mike found me,” she’d said. “He took me to his house.”

            Will quickly found himself losing interest as a yawn escaped his lips. He made his own spot away from the group, grabbing a couple of wool blankets and hunkering down on the dusty space of floor behind the stairs. Hidden entirely from view, he arranged one blanket beneath him before cloaking himself with the other and nestling down. He heard some more shuffling, a couple more mumbles, before someone finally shut off the lamp and bathed the basement in merciful darkness.

            Closing his eyes was probably the worst decision he’d made that night.

            He was back at the lumber mill.

            The air was heavy and sour with the scent of decay, an unrelenting chill adding weight to its already oppressive density. Grey particles drifted lazily through the blue-tinged light like dead skin. Vines were all around him, clinging to the floor and crawling up the walls of what Will vaguely recognized as the mill’s basement. Shadows blotted out the farther recesses of the area, but deep down he knew it wasn’t empty. There was something there.

            It was there.

            His legs wobbled as he took a step back, goosebumps raising along his arms and making the back of his neck feel tight. His breath was tangled in his throat, his lungs burning with the urge to cough. He had to get out of here. He wasn’t safe. That monster was going to get him and it’ll hurt him, maybe kill him, and he was scared, and he had to run, had to hide—

            Another step backwards and Will’s back collided with an unwavering chest.

            “You shouldn’t have done that.”

            A yelp tore out of the teen’s throat, hazel eyes wide and petrified as he swung around only to come face to face with Billy.

            The young man’s face stayed perfectly neutral, almost bored as he analyzed Will’s cowering form. The black veins were gone, the cuts and scrapes littering his torso free of their previous sludge. He appeared healthy, as if the near life or death brawl at the pool had been as inconsequential as a petty schoolyard fight. He spoke again, “You shouldn’t have come back.”

            Will swallowed, hands forming tight fists.

            “Nothing you do will make a difference.” Billy’s gaze shifted and landed somewhere over Will’s shoulder. “You can’t save anyone.”

            Bracing himself, Will turned his head to cast a glance behind him and felt his stomach plummet. Dispersed throughout the basement were people. Men and women, children and adults, all of them standing with straight backs, slumped shoulders and glass-like stares. All of them wore the same blank expression, their features slack as if they were sleeping. They had no reaction to the vines anchoring their feet to the floor nor to the cold that grew stronger by the second. Their sightless glowers were all locked onto Will, hateful and burning, and empty.

            “This is your fault.”

            Will’s head whipped back around to Billy, the blonde’s expression unchanging. Will shook, his lips trembling as he said, “I know how to hurt you. We all do.” Billy didn’t answer him. None of the hollow bodies did. He continued, “I’m not afraid of you.”

            A slow smile stretched across Billy’s face, his teeth glinting in the low light as he said, “Friends don’t lie.”

            “We’re not friends,” Will hissed.

            “Aren’t we?”

            Billy’s face began to ripple and churn, his features folding in on themselves as his bone structure shifted and changed. Bile rose in the back of Will’s throat as he listened to cartilage break and muscle tear. Billy’s skin grew paler and his body grew thinner, becoming young and gangly. A shirt weaved itself across his torso, blue and dorky, and horribly familiar. Freckles were dotting themselves across newly formed cheeks, dirty blonde curls shifting into dark waves.

            Will choked.

            Mike’s face stared back at him, wearing the same horrible grin Billy had worn. A perfect replica of his friend’s voice played, “I really missed you.”

            “No,” came the pathetic whimper.

            “Would you prefer someone else?” The duplicate’s face crumpled, its bones reforming as its skin darkened. A bandana wrapped itself around its head as its hair grew shorter. Its body became slightly shorter, though still taller than Will. Within moments, Lucas’ face was leering back at him. Again, the voice was an exact copy, “Is it really you, Will?”

            “S-Stop.”

            There was barely even a pause before the change started again. The snap of bones, the squish of muscle, the nauseating rearrangement of anatomy. Another shift in skin tone, its bandana disappearing while a brightly colored hat took its place. Now Dustin was staring at him. “We thought you were gone.”

            “Stop it.”

            Bones snapped; muscles shredded. Max’s face appeared. “Don’t for a second think that your friends didn’t miss you more than anything in the world.”

            “I said stop.”

            Crunching, mangling, reforming. El looked back at him. “We finally got you back!”

            “Stop!”

            The deafening shriek rattled the basement, the mindless puppets watching the exchange swaying from the sheer force of the yell. An electric current seemed to run through the air, a heat emanating from Will’s chest as he glared at the monster before him. The creature shrunk back from him, El’s face holding an expression of pain before it too crumpled in on itself. Flesh became shadow, its form struggling to maintain shape for only a brief moment before morphing into a furious Billy.

            Will felt a vindictive smirk of his own come onto his face. “You’re afraid of me. I hurt you before and I can do it again. I’ll stop you just like I did last time!”

            Billy blinked, utterly still for one agonizing moment. Then, he threw his head back in a bark of laughter, the sound sending ice into Will’s veins. He cackled, “You did! You did stop us before! But, did you know what else you did?” A tanned hand shot out, wrapping itself tightly around Will’s neck. The teen gasped, clawing at the steel-like grip as Billy brought his face closer. He breathed out; the air cold as it hit Will’s face.

            “You brought us back.”

            A strangled gurgle left Will’s throat as he shot up, a hand slapping itself against his throat in his haste to rid himself of the horrid touch once there. Shaky breathes struggled to escape his aching lungs. Goosebumps littered his skin as he shuddered, the horrid chill refusing to leave his bones. He shook his head, forcing the cloud muddying his thoughts to lift. It was just a dream. Just a dream.

            There was the sound of movement behind him and Will tensed, first with terror as the effects of his nightmare lingered, then with worry that he’d woken one of his friends. But the noise didn’t come closer and Will chanced a peek from his obscured spot behind the stairs. He watched as Max crawled out from the small blanket fort she shared with El, her body moving carefully so as to not wake her companion. Once free, she stood and headed for the door leading to the backyard. She opened it, cast a quick glance around the room, then escaped outside.

            Will frowned at the behavior. Where could she possibly be going? Leaving his own nest of blankets, he stood and made for the door as well. He turned the knob, bristling when he heard a brief pause in Lucas’ breathing. He waited a moment, then another, and finally he heard his friend continue his deep, slumbering breaths. Soundlessly, Will opened the door and stepped out into the humid night. His gaze instantly landed on a lone figure sitting on a large rock near the edge of the property.

            As he crept closer, he could hear Max’s uneven inhales and slight shake of her shoulders. Discomfort instantly prickled his skin as he internally came to terms with the fact he was about to engage in his second encounter with a crying girl. Hesitant, Will cleared his throat and asked, “Um, you okay?”

            Under any other circumstance, the squawk Max let out would’ve made Will collapse into a fit of laughter. Any and all mirth he might’ve felt, however, fled from him as she turned to him with eyes shining with stubbornly unshed tears. She whisper-shouted at him, “What the hell are you trying to do, give me a heart attack?”

            “Sorry,” he said, putting his hands up placatingly. “I just— I saw you come outside and wanted to make sure you were alright.” He slowly came up and sat down on the ground beside her, awkwardly pulling at the grass as he settled. “I didn’t mean to scare you.”

            “It’s fine,” she huffed, though there were no traces of any real anger. The two sat in silence for several minutes, the crickets hidden in the grass serenading them as they sat together. Finally, Max asked, “What are you doing up?”

            “Couldn’t sleep,” Will said with a shrug. “You?”

            “Same.”

            Another round of silence.

            “Do you… Want to talk about it?” Will ventured, glancing at Max.

            She regarded him for a moment out of the corner of her eye, looking at him as if weighing the pros and cons of speaking. Eventually, she said, “There isn’t anything to talk about. My stepbrother’s being possessed by some weird monster that’s apparently straight out of Dungeons and Dragons, and it seems like nothing short of setting him on fire will get it out of him. Heather’s probably possessed by now too, along with her parents and who knows who else. There’s a portal to another dimension being held open by Russians under the mall which is allowing this Mind Fucker to do all of this shit in the first place. And on top of it all, the guys are pissed at El and I for keeping secrets and lying which is just rich coming from Mike, of all people.”

            Will stayed quiet for a moment, tapping his finger nervously against his knee, before softly commenting, “I mean… That kind of sounds like there’s a lot to talk about.”

            “Talking isn’t going to fix any of it,” Max snapped, her shoulders hunched.

            “Maybe not the first few things,” Will conceded, “but it can help with the last one?”

            Not another word was spoken for a full minute. Will had just begun opening his mouth to prompt his friend once more when Max suddenly sighed, “It’s not like I don’t get why they’re mad.”

            “…But?”

            “But nothing. You were right when you said they had every right to be pissed. We shouldn’t have kept you a secret. All of this… We could’ve handled it in a much better way and it sucks that we didn’t.”

            Will nodded, though he squinted slightly in suspicion. “But, that isn’t the only thing that’s bothering you about this, is it?”

            Max tilted her head, absently studying the sky. She thought to herself for a moment before saying, “It just feels so hypocritical sometimes. I mean, I didn’t find out about El until I met her at the school dance, and then I didn’t find out about her powers and the lab stuff until weeks after that. Then, just when I think I know everything I need to know about my only friends in this town, I find out that there’s even more that happened at that lab and with you than I could’ve ever thought possible.” She folded her legs up to rest her chin on her knees. “They tell me I’m their friend, yet I’m still always the outsider. I’m always the last to know what’s going on and who’s doing what. El bringing you to my house was the first time she’d ever sought me out, out of her own volition. Mike has always been ready to pop off at any little thing I say or do involving you or El. Dustin doesn’t really talk to me about anything deeper than arcade games. The only person who’s even sort of open with me is Lucas and even then, I know there’s a ton that he doesn’t tell me. I mean, he never even told me what really happened to you.” Max raked a hand through her hair tiredly, another sigh escaping her. “I know that I haven’t known them for very long, compared to how long they’ve known each other, but… I thought we were close enough that I could finally be let in on things, you know? Actually be a member of their fantastic party.”

            Will peered at her quietly, his teeth biting anxiously at his lip as he saw Max’s shoulders begin to faintly tremble. His right hand continued to trace the blades of grass beneath him, every so often plucking some of the longer strands as he searched for the right words to say. Eventually, he said, “I don’t know if you’ve noticed this, but… The four of us kind of suck at talking about our feelings.”

            Max snorted. “You don’t say?”

            “It’s just…” Will faltered, switching from picking at the grass to picking at his nails. “I know a lot’s changed since I, well… You know. But, before all of this, we really only had each other.” He laid his legs out flat in front of him, slumping back against the rock Max sat on. “The other kids were all jerks and the adults weren’t much better. I guess over time we sort of developed this ‘us versus them’ mentality. I think it took Mike some time to let even Dustin in on everything when we met him.”

            “From what I heard; he didn’t have that problem with El.”

            Will tensed. He knew it was just bitter grumbling, but he couldn’t stop the pit forming in his stomach. Mike was always the one in the group who’d had the hardest time accepting kindness from others, always suspicious of everyone who hadn’t managed to secure a spot within their tight-knit circle. He’d be the first to pout when the four of them were divided into different groups for school projects, the first to glare when a stranger approached their table at lunch, the first to protest Mr. Clarke trying to find more members for the AV club. And yet—

            “He was better after El came back.”

            “Mike was dating El.”

            “Can’t wait to see you, El.”

            The boy jumped as the redhead beside him, evidently sick of the silence, muttered, “Let me guess, your advice is for me to just wait it out?”

            Giving his head a quick, awkward scratch, Will replied, “I know it’s not the best solution, but… You really have to let them come to you. It’ll probably help if you’re honest with them, like put one foot in the door, you know?” He exhaled softly, bowing his head. “If it makes you feel any better, I’m kind of in the same boat as you.”

            “How so?”

            “I don’t know, I just… I feel like I’m not—”

            “What are you two doing out here?”

            Max and Will flinched, their heads swiveling around to see a very tired but watchful Mike standing a few paces away from them. Max scoffed, “We were just talking, Wheeler.”

            “About what?”

            Will’s mouth turned downward at the borderline hostile tone coloring the taller teen’s voice, the frown only deepening when his companion countered, “None of your business.” He gave Max a nudge with his elbow, shooting her a pleading look. She looked from him to a now simmering Mike and her glower dropped. Begrudgingly, she said, “I couldn’t sleep, so I came out to get some fresh air. Will saw me leave and followed me outside.” She stood up from the rock, making a small show of brushing off her shorts before making her way back to the house. “And, now, I’m going to bed.” She paused halfway to the door, shooting Will a small smile. “Thanks for talking to me.”

            Mike watched her disappear back into the basement with an expression that was equal parts bewildered and miffed. At the sound of Will’s feet shuffling, he turned back with a considerably softer look towards his friend. He asked, “Are you okay?”

            “I’m fine,” Will replied, shoving his hands into his pockets. “I’m going to head back to bed too.” He moved to walk past Mike, but was halted by a hand wrapping itself around his wrist. He froze. “What?”

            “Why won’t you talk to me?”

            The somber words made Will swallow thickly, but he instead simply responded, “What do you mean?”

            “You looked like you were doing just fine with Max, but now that it’s you and me, you’re practically running away,” Mike said, his brow pinched. “Why don’t you want to be around me?”

            “It’s not that I don’t want to be around you—”

            “Then what is it?”

            Will blinked, startled at the hard edge to Mike’s words. He wasn’t used to being on the receiving end of the taller teen’s temper. Guess that’s just one more thing that’s changed. Beginning to scowl, he said, “I just need some space, Mike. I’m still getting used to being…Here. Again.”

            Mike pondered over this for a moment before asking, “Did I do something wrong?”

            “No, you didn’t.”

            “Then, what’s—”

            “Nothing, Mike.”

            “It’s obviously something if you’re going to act like this!”

            “Like what?”

            “This!” Mike blurted, gesturing at Will in exasperation. “All angry and stand-offish!”

            “I’m not—!” Will grit his teeth, forcing himself to take a deep breath. He couldn’t rationalize the anger beginning to bubble within him. Mike really hadn’t done anything wrong, nothing to warrant to sharp irritation building beneath the boy’s skin. It was all just too much. “Mike, seriously, it’s late and I’m tired. Let’s just go back inside.”

            “Will, please,” Mike begged, “I just want to be there for you. Whatever’s going on, you can talk to me.”

            “There isn’t anything I want to talk about.”

            “You mean there isn’t anything you want to talk to me about.”

            “Goddammit, Mike, will you just drop it? Please?” Will snapped.

            “You and I used to talk about everything before! Now you’re acting like we don’t even know each other!”

            “I’ve been gone for almost two years, Mike! That’s not something I can just bounce back from!”

            “I’m not saying it is—!”

            “I’ve been alone for months and suddenly, I’m back with everybody again and you expect me to, what, just act like nothing changed?!”

            “No, I just—!” Mike tugged at his hair, his body shaking. “I just want you to act like Will!”

            “Which Will, Mike?” Will practically spat. “Because, I hate to break it to you, but the Will that you remember wasn’t stuck in the Upside Down since 1983!”

            “So, now, you’re just going to shut us out?! You’re going to shut me out?!”

            “I just want to be left alone!”

            “Then why’d you even come back?!”

            Will’s breath caught in his throat, his left foot taking a stumbling step backwards. Mike’s eyes were wide with horror, all anger draining from his face as the humidity around them seemed to become frigid. Slowly, the curly-haired teen said, “I…I-I didn’t mean that.” But Will wasn’t listening. As if the floodgates had been blasted open, familiar, cruel thoughts began swirling within his mind.

            You shouldn’t have come back.

            You were never supposed to return.

            You were never supposed to live.

            You should have died.

            “Will, I—”

            The boy took another step away from the outstretched hand headed for his shoulder, trying desperately to blink away the tears threatening to gather in his eyes. Quietly, Will said, “Just leave me alone, Mike.”

            He retreated back into the house without looking back.

            Throwing his blanket over his trembling body and curling into a tight ball, Will was oblivious to the dark eyes watching him in concern from beside the couch and to the sharp curse that rang out in the summer night outside.

            Watching El as she silently attempted to pinpoint Hopper’s location was a nerve-wracking, but welcome distraction from the emotions waging war within Will’s chest. He was sat on the ground near the sofa where El was perched, decidedly putting as much distance between himself and Mike as possible. If the others noticed his cold behavior towards his friend, they kept it to themselves, though Will kept catching Lucas looking at him out of the corner of his eye. He didn’t have the energy to deal with what that could mean.

            “I found him,” El said, a line of red beginning to run from her nose.

            Max leaned forward. “Where is he?”

            “Woods.”

            “Woods?” Lucas parroted.

            “With Mr. Newby and…Will’s mom.”

            At that, Will blinked. “My mom?”

            And who the hell is Mr. Newby?

            Max’s face scrunched in confused. “What are they doing?”

            El’s mouth formed a thin line before she carefully sounded out, “Ill-annoy. They’re going to Ill-annoy.”

            A sharp knock came from the door at the top of the stairs. “Mike! Breakfast!”

            Will instinctively ducked down in a half-hearted attempt to hide from the sudden voice, his nerves too fried to go into full on panic. Mike’s head whipped around, shouting, “Not now, mom!” Once satisfied his mother had retreated, he turned towards El, now considerably softer as he asked, “Illinois? You mean, like the state?”

            El simply shrugged in return.

            “Why are they going to Illinois?” Lucas inquired.

            “Maybe they know something is going on and there’s something in Illinois that can help them?” Dustin suggested.

            Mike frowned. “How would they know something’s going on?”

            “Well, if there’s more people like Billy, maybe somebody else reported something weird is going on,” Dustin theorized, scratching his cheek. “I can’t think of another reason for them to suddenly head out of state.”

            “Maybe, but Illinois? What the hell’s in Illinois?”

            “Another lab? Or—”

            “Come on, El,” Max cut in, standing up and holding her hand out to the brunette on the couch. “Let’s get you cleaned up.”

            El took the redhead’s hand, allowing her to guide her to the bathroom on the other side of the room. The boys remained quiet as the door closed behind the pair, leaving a troubled silence behind them. Distantly, they could hear the girls talking amongst themselves and giggling.

            Softly, Dustin asked, “What are we going to do now?”

            “Well, considering we don’t know when Hopper’s going to be back,” Lucas commented, “it looks like it’s up to us.”

            Mike scoffed, “Up to us to do what, exactly?”

            “Find Billy and stop him.”

            “Okay, yeah, that’s a really nice sentiment, but even if El could find him again—and that’s a pretty big if—then what?”

            “We burn the shit out of him and make sure he doesn’t escape this time.”

            “Okay, and then what?”

            “Then we win.”

            “Not necessarily,” Will said, causing both boys to turn to him. “Even if we get the Mind Flayer out of Billy, there’s still others who have been possessed by now too. It’ll just keep spreading until it’s taken over everyone. We can’t just stop Billy. We have to stop the Mind Flayer.”

            “Do you know how to do that?” Lucas asked.

            Flashes of fire, heat, pain, screaming, Demogorgans—

            “You brought us back.”

            “No,” Will answered. “Other than heat, I don’t know anything that can hurt it or kill it.”

            “Maybe El knows,” Dustin said, prompting the teens to turn their eyes towards the bathroom door.

            A heavy frown settled on Mike’s lips, the genuinely miserable expression on the other’s face tugging on Will’s reluctant heartstrings. The teen directed his own gaze to the floor, trying to block out the turmoil still churning his stomach from last night. He knew that Mike was right, that he wasn’t acting like Will. He wasn’t being fair to any of his friends, expecting them to keep secrets and only navigate their situation in ways he felt comfortable. He was being selfish, he knows that, but—

            “Is there any particular reason you all are leering at us?”

            Will looked up at the sound of Max’s snark, her and El finally emerging from the bathroom. He grimaced at the sight of the bruising now fully visible around El’s neck, but she simply returned his concerned gaze with a small smile. To his right, he saw Mike’s frown deepen at the exchange and he felt the knot in his chest grow tighter.

            “We weren’t leering,” Lucas protested.

            “Uh-huh,” Max drawled, “I’m sure you weren’t, stalker.” Though the words were casual, there was also hesitancy in her voice. As if she were testing the waters. While Lucas hadn’t shown any hostility since yesterday’s fight, he also wasn’t offering any quips of his own towards his ex-girlfriend.

            A tentative truce, but not forgiveness.

            Will figured it was better than nothing.

            Crossing her arms, Max asked, “So…What now?”

            “We have to stop the Mind Flayer,” Mike answered. “Or at least stop it from spreading until we figure out how to stop it completely.”

            “And how do we do that?”

            “If we can figure out how it does the possessions, we might be able to stop the spread,” Dustin suggested.

            Will’s lips pursed in thought. “I’ve never seen any of the hosts possess something else, so I think they’re all done by whatever the main body is here.”

            “Then there must be a specific location the possessions take place at, somewhere the Mind Flayer can hide without anybody seeing it.”

            The smell of rotting wood, a dark basement, cold and wet and dead—

            “The old mill,” Will whispered, causing the others to turn to him. He felt relief when he saw realization flicker in El’s eyes.

            “What mill?” Lucas asked.

            “There’s an old lumber mill on the edge of town,” Will explained. “It was—Um, El saw it. When she saw Billy with the girl.” He winced as he forced another lie onto the girl, but when the others turned to her, she only nodded. It seemed the lying rule was extremely flexible, especially considering her fib to Mike at the pool yesterday.

            That’s probably my fault too.

            A knock sounded at the basement door.

            “Not now, mom!”

            “Mike, open the door!”

            The group froze as Nancy’s voice rang out.

            If there was one thing Will still knew for certain even after all the time he spent in the Upside Down, it was that while Mike’s mom could be shooed away, Nancy could not. The urgency in her tone practically signaled a countdown to her kicking the door down to get an audience with her brother. Whatever she wanted was important and, Will decided, he was not going to be here for it.

            In a frantic whisper, Will said, “It’s too dangerous for all of us to go unprepared. I’ll go and scout the place, and tell you what I find. Then we can come up with a plan of how to take it down.”

            “Woah, woah, woah,” Lucas protested. “It’s too dangerous for all of us, so you’re going to go alone?”

            “Yeah, no, we’re not doing that,” Dustin chimed in.

            “I’ll be fine—”

            “Will, no, that’s way too big of a risk,” Mike said, seeming to shrink when Will fixed him with a hard stare. “What if something happens?”

            “Nothing will happen. I’m quick and I’m good at hiding. If I go alone, I’ll be able to sneak in, see what we’re dealing with properly, and sneak out without risking anyone else.”

            “But—”

            “I managed to live almost two years in the Upside Down,” Will interjected. “I think I can handle an hour or so at a lumber mill.”

            The group looked amongst each other, none of them happy with the current state of affairs. Upstairs, three more sharp knocks sounded on the door. Nancy’s voice hissed again, “Michael, if you don’t open up in the next five seconds, I’m getting the key and kicking your ass!”

            Mike gulped, coffee-colored eyes indecisive as they flicked from Will to the door, then back again. Will stood straighter at the doubtful stares of his friend. Firmly, he said, “This isn’t up for debate. I’m going. The rest of you stay and see what’s happening with Nancy.” He tried to ignore the way Max’s eyes narrowed as she realized the reason for his insistence on the solo mission, but he felt a stab of shame all the same.

            He turned to leave, moving quickly for the back door when Mike called, “Wait!” It took all of his self-restraint to will his body to halt. He turned, ready to argue, when Mike beat him to the punch with the question, “Dustin, did you bring your walkie?”

            Dustin jumped at the sudden inquiry, but nodded nonetheless. “Yeah, I brought it yesterday.” He gestured to the handheld radio sitting on the table beside the couch.

            Mike nodded before walking over and grabbing another radio that had been resting on the desk that harbored El’s hideaway. He moved back over to Will, holding the radio out. He pleaded, “At least take this with you. Just in case.”

            Will hesitated before nodding and grabbing the offered device. He opened the door, looked over his shoulder and requested, “Don’t tell Nancy about me. Please.” He left before anyone could respond, clutching the radio to his chest.

            I’m going to be fine.

            The thought tasted like a lie.

Chapter Text

            Sweat trailed down the side of Will’s temple as the summer sun battered his back. His dark red hood stayed stubbornly up, though the front of his sweatshirt remained unzipped. The walkie-talkie Mike had insisted he take was clutched tightly in his shaking, left hand. Every step felt as though it added another mile between himself and his friends, yet he didn’t slow his brisk pace through the woods. His wayward route would undoubtedly add an hour onto a trip that could’ve been thirty minutes, but he didn’t care. He wanted out of the town that did nothing but mock him, even in death. He wanted out of that house filled with happy memories that didn’t feel like his anymore. He wanted to get away from the conflict caused by his return. A return that he was beginning to regret more with every echo of Mike’s words in his ears.

            Then why you’d even come back?!

            With a grunt and a rough swipe at the side of his head, Will quickened his stomping trek through the foliage. Anger was burning uncomfortably beneath his skin, growing hotter the longer it went without a target. Will wanted to be pissed with Mike, to be outraged at the horrific question that had sunk its teeth into him, but he wasn’t and somehow that just ticked him off more. Why did he come back? Why did he have to bring himself back? Why did everyone give up on him? Why did they get to move on? Why did he ruin everything? Why was everything getting worse? Why was he starting to miss the—

            The tree line’s abrupt end sent Will stumbling into the sun-bleached field leading to the old lumber mill. The mill had been abandoned for years now, but its appearance had been decrepit even during its peak years of operation. Thin walls of sheet metal composed the exterior, rust unevenly splotching its surface. Plants gathered heavily along the bottom, some vines and tall weeds beginning to use the building as leverage as they reached for the sun. Patches of grass were steadily encroaching on the dirt road leading to the massive entrance, looming and dark as its maw laid open in indifference.

            With the mill in sight and the memories of shrieking rodents and frightened screams rushing back, Will felt his own stupidity hit him like a brick to the face. Alone with nothing but a radio and powers that were virtually useless without El literally holding his hand; Will was rapidly losing certainty that he would be able to return to his friends without incident. Lucas’ chant of, “Dude, I told you so,” rattled around in his head.

            Sucking in a deep breath through clenched teeth, Will slunk towards the structure. His heartbeat steadily grew with volume as he approached, goosebumps running along his arms despite the humidity in the air. Countless days of hiding and evading had turned his footsteps mute, his presence like that of a ghost. Stay low, stay quiet, get out. Stay low, stay quiet, get out.

            The dirty, broken windows leaked stained light onto his chestnut hair as Will crept into the dilapidated building. The stench of molding wood dust invaded his senses as his visional tunneled. Ahead laid the opening to the stairs, beckoning him closer as shadows obscured the undoubtedly treacherous basement below.  Faintly, as though coming from underwater, the sound of voices met Will’s ears.

            “…have to move faster…”

            “…they know, now, they know…”

            “…won’t do any good…”

            “…the girl will…”

            “…he’ll see…”

            Dragging footsteps scraped themselves towards the stairs, the conversation dwindling into nothing. Like a startled rabbit, Will leapt silently behind one of several abandoned crates, tucking his body tightly into the shadows. From the basement, came two men, both wearing stained dress shirts and wrinkled slacks. Will’s eyes widened as he recognized one of the men to be Heather’s father, Tom. His naturally stern face was stoically blank as he led his companion outside. Their unkept appearances along with their apathetic gazes told Will everything he needed to know.

            They belonged to the monster.

            He waited until long after their silhouettes disappeared outside, counting the seconds until they turned into minutes since the sound of their shoes trudging through dry grass and gravel faded. It was only when the faint titter of finches dominated the air that Will deemed it safe enough to emerge from his hiding space. He frowned as he brought up a hand to anxiously scratch at his cheek.

            If Heather’s dad has been possessed, then her mom must have been too. Sweat pooled in the creases of his hands, goosebumps raising along his arms. This is definitely where it’s being done. It can’t do it from a distance and its hosts must be unable to. How many more has it already gotten? A faint shudder danced its way down his spine, his left eye trembling to stop an oncoming twitch. His nails tapped lightly on the walkie-talkie sticking to his palm. If we can’t even get it out of one person, how will we get it out of multiple? Do we take them all somewhere hotter than the sauna? Where would that be? How can we do it without burning them? Is it possible to—

            “Lost in thought again, Will?” Will’s breath stuttered as a horrifically familiar voice practically purred behind him. “Some things never change.”

            Forcing his frigid muscles to unlock, the teen turned his head to see a lazily smirking Billy. Bruises and cuts still littered tanned skin, though the sludge-colored veins from before were nowhere in sight. Patches of dirt and grime spotted the blonde’s face, the reek of sweat and decomposition wafting from his obviously unwashed body. His eyes were devoid of light, filled instead with a smoke looking to smother any who dared breathing too close.

            Words tangled in Will’s throat, tripping over themselves as reality began to bleed away around him. Blue hues were blossoming like poisonous flowers, their color swallowing the normal palette of the mill. Rapid blinks did little to drive the intrusion away, instead only allowing his mind to create snapshots of vines flickering in and out of view. His heart battered his ribcage as Billy stalked closer. His brain begged his feet to run, to move, to do something, but they stayed stubbornly rooted in place. Distantly, he remembers his mother telling him about deer, how they would become so afraid that they’d stand perfectly still even as a car barreled towards them. He remembers thinking it was so silly, remembers wondering how something could see danger so clearly and do nothing.

            But as Billy stared him down, walking with the power and bloodlust of a starved lion, Will knew he was no better than the adolescent does and bucks struck down by the mesmerizing headlights of a driver who’d hit the brakes too late.

            He hopes the impact will be painless.

            A low chuckle made bile burn the back of his throat.

            “Look at you,” Billy sneered, appraising Will with curled lips. “You were real brave with your little friends last night, locking me up and hiding behind that girl.” Will bristled at the reference to El, but stayed silent. “Just about pissed yourself when that door opened, though.”

            “Billy,” Will practically croaked, trying to undo the knot in his vocal cords, “if you can still hear me, if the real you is still in there, you need to hold on. Don’t let it take control.”

            “Really? This is the best you can do? A pep talk?”

            “Billy, you—”

            “Truth be told, I’m actually pretty disappointed,” the young man huffed, crossing his arms haughtily. “You were acting real high and mighty before.” Billy’s voice went up several octaves, shrill and mocking, “I know how to hurt you. I’m not afraid of you.” His usual growl came back, “It’s pathetic.”

            Will blanched, subconsciously bringing the walkie-talkie to his chest like a frightened child would a teddy bear. That was a dream. That was just a dream. He couldn’t know about that. That couldn’t have been—

            “Oh, it was real, alright,” Billy assured. “Everything you saw, everything I’ve done, everything I said. It was all real.” Bringing himself closer to the shaking brunette, he narrowed his gaze into a dark glower. “Your friends, your family, this town, none of it is safe. All of it will belong to me and their blood will be on your hands.”

            “N-No—”

            “No? But, Will… The only reason I’m here, the only reason any of this is happening, is because of you.”

            “Th-That’s not—”

            “I’m here because of you—”

            “No—”

            “—I’m stronger because of you—”

            “Stop—!”

            “—all of this, everyone and everything that has met its end, has done so because you came back.”

            A strangled yell tore out of Will’s throat as he threw a haphazard punch at Billy’s face, the blow easily caught in one strong, sun-kissed fist. Terror mixed with fury in his gut, the fire slowly spreading through his veins. It wasn’t true. It couldn’t be true.

            “You think I’m a monster,” Billy stated, his tone bored as an ice-cold chill radiated off of his skin. His fist crushed Will’s in its steel grasp, his other hand snatching the teen’s collar. “You think I’m some villain you’ll be able to defeat like in one of your little games.” He lifted Will into the air, the boy’s legs swinging as his body tried to balance with one hand captured and the other still holding his radio. “But you know, deep down, that you and I are the same.”

            “I’m nothing like you,” Will spat.

            “Wreaking havoc in a world once closed off to you; some beast that came through a gateway and is now tearing into the lives of people who knew only contentment when you aren’t around,” the blonde listed with a dry chuckle. “Oh, Will, you’re exactly like me.”

            “Let me go!”

            “You know—”

            “Let me go!”

            “—you’re nothing—”

            “Let. Me—”

            “—but a coward.”

            “GO!”

            A crackle of energy danced across his skin, the roaring of blood in his ears drowned out his own shrieking as he swung his body forward. His foot connected with Billy’s knee with a sharp crack, a flash of heat seeming to leap from his heel. The sensation brought back the hazy memory of a burning lab, a shrinking shadow, Demogorgans clustering, running, pain—

            A yelp escaped his captor and he was dropped, his legs breaking into a sprint the moment he’d hit the ground. He tried to ignore the agony grinding into his skull, the hot and heavy drip running from his nose, the ache from his bruised hand, the burning from his tired legs. He closed his eyes and ignored it, and did the only thing he seemed capable of doing correctly.

            He ran.

            The glare of the slowly setting sun through the leaves of the forest turned the soil a dull crimson while the grass reflected a polluted yellow. Will didn’t know when he’d finally stopped running, didn’t even think it was truly a conscious decision. One moment, his vision was a smeared blur of colors while his lungs struggled to differentiate between the humid air of the summer and the carbon dioxide he’d already breathed out. The next, he sat leaning against an old maple tree with flaky bark nipping at his neck and tugging at the loose pieces of hair on his head. Dimly, he could hear the crackle of static beside him, but it felt as though weights had been placed on his limbs.

            “...—ill…”

            It was all a trick, a lie. It had to be.

            “…copy…Wi…”

            He wasn’t anything like the Mind Flayer.

            “…do you…repeat…”

            He wasn’t. He wasn’t. He wasn’t—

            “WILL!”

            A rough jolt rattled his bones as he was finally pulled back into the moment. The walkie-talkie lying beside him was alive with impatient voices. He stared at the device for a moment before reaching his hand forward and wrapping numb fingers around it. He pressed the button and mumbled a quiet, “I’m here.”

            “Will! Oh, thank god!” Dustin’s relieved voice replied. “You had me worried!”

            “Sorry,” he said, curling his legs towards himself.

            “You okay?” Dustin asked. “You sound…Off.”

            “I’m fine.”

            “Did something hap—”

            “I’m fine, Dustin.”

            A beat of uncomfortable silence passed, though Will was too exhausted to feel much guilt. He was being a jerk, he knew that, just like he knew he was being a jerk with Mike, but…

            “Well, um, I managed to break away from the group. Nancy came downstairs talking about rats and how they’ve been acting crazy, like eating pesticide and fertilizer. She thinks it has something to do with either the Upside Down or the lab, she doesn’t think there’s any other explanation.”

            The image of convulsing rats once again made itself known in horrific detail. Will remained silent.

            “We mentioned Billy and Heather acting weird. Heather’s the lifeguard you were talking about before, right?” Will hummed in acknowledgement. “Apparently Heather’s dad, Mr. Holloway, is Nancy’s boss, who she said was also acting weird and yelled at her for pursuing the rats. Y’know…Like he’s hiding something?”

            A bitter smile tugged on Will’s lips. Oh, he’s hiding something alright.

            “We’re at their house and there’s a shit ton of cleaning supplies all over the place, and blood on the carpet! And Nancy said Mr. Holloway had a bandage on his head this morning when she went to meet with him. She said he was super pissed off, and fired her and Jonathan for—”

            Will sat up. “Jonathan got fired?”

            “Oh, right, you didn’t know,” Dustin said, the assumption only half right, “Jonathan and Nancy worked together at the newspaper. But, like I said, Mr. Holloway fired them this morning. Apparently, Jonathan and Nancy got into a huge fight or something. I guess she asked Steve to try to get Jonathan to come and help her with this again, or something? I have no idea.” Will opened his mouth to say something, but a commotion on the other end interrupted. He could hear Dustin’s voice distractedly whispering, “Yeah, he said he’s fine… No, he… Mike, seriously…” A moment of static, then Dustin came back again, “I gotta go. We’re going to see Mrs. Driscoll at the hospital.”

            “Mrs. Driscoll?”

            “Yeah, don’t you remember? She’s the weird woman on the edge of town who always gave us expired taffy on Halloween.”

            “Oh, right…Uh, why are you visiting her?”

            “Apparently, Nancy and Jonathan walked in on her eating fertilizer while investigating the rats. She wants to see if we can get more information on her ‘condition.’”

            “I guess that makes sense.”

            “Anyway, we’re heading out. Plan for now is to meet back at Hopper’s cabin afterwards, but I’ll radio if anything changes.”

            “Okay,” Will mumbled. He paused a moment, gripping his pant leg, before murmuring, “Be careful.”

            The radio went dead.

            Will’s head thunked back against the tree, his eyes falling shut. There was so much he could’ve told Dustin, so much he should’ve told him, yet the words stayed locked inside his chest. First the rats, then the people. Just like he saw it in his head. He saw the events play out before anyone else even knew there was a story to be told, as if he’d taken on the twisted role of narrator.

            At this point, he supposed he might be the villain.

            It wasn’t until he was already under the spray of the shower that Will had even realized he’d made the walk back to Hopper’s. Bewildered, he stared down at his hands, watching the rivets of water run along his fingers and pool in his palms. He could see the thin scars littering his arms, most thankfully placed where they could be easily hidden by long shirt sleeves. He knew if he craned his head down, he’d see the knotted flesh composing the healed wound from when the Demogorgan had grabbed him at Castle Byers. He knew if he looked, he’d see the claw marks on his calves and thighs from protruding branches and rocks that had cut into him as he made countless escapes from creatures looking to inflict far worse damage.

            No matter how much soap and water he used, he knew that even if the dirt and sweat washed away, his skin would still be just as damaged as the rest of him.

            He didn’t go to the lumber mill to find more information. He went so he could run away from Nancy, so he could run away from Mike. He ran away from his friends and towards the monster, because monsters didn’t stare at him with haunted eyes and unasked questions dancing on the tips of their tongues. Monsters didn’t wear faces he recognized but no longer felt familiar. Monsters didn’t comprise his entire world but made him feel locked outside of it. Monsters wanted to hurt him, to kill him. He knew what to expect from monsters, he understood them.

            The water felt cold as Will shut off the shower.

            Will had just begun to doze off when he heard the sound of a car pull up outside. He stared at the boards beneath El’s bed, hidden by the surrounding blankets despite his solitude. A flurry of footsteps against loose stones and grass grew louder before the front door banged open and a myriad of voices erupted into the cabin.

            “What the hell was that?!”

            “El, are you alright?”

            “This is insane, this is insane, this is fucking insane—”

            “Dustin, shut up!”

            “Did you know it could do that?”

            “No!”

            “You said it just possessed people!”

            “Wait a minute, you knew about this?!”

            “Well, I mean, sort of—”

            “Sort of?”

            “Look, we just—”

            The sound of the bedroom door opening and shutting made Will curl further into his pile of blankets, nerves running its nails along his skin. He heard some rummaging, the sound of several tissues being plucked out of a box, a weary sigh, the tissues crumpling, clothes hitting the ground, more footsteps—

            A shadow appeared at the side of the bed. The edge of the blanket slowly lifted, revealing a tired El peering down at Will. Her hair was a mess, light brown curls now free from their scrunchie unfurling into frizz. Her clothes had been changed, a bright yellow and black shirt replacing the dark spotted one now piled on the floor. The faintest hint of red still stained her top lip despite her attempt at cleaning herself up.

            Will frowned, asking softly, “Are you okay?”

            “Fine,” El said, though her voice sounded hoarse. “What about you?”

            “Fine,” he echoed back. “What happened?”

            “We went to find Mrs. Driscoll at the hospital. Steve and Jonathan were there. Nancy had called them earlier,” El paused, unease coloring her eyes. “There was… Nancy, Steve, and Jonathan went upstairs by themselves. We waited for them in the lobby, but they were taking so long. We went up to get them and there was…” Will could feel his own anxiety growing as he watched El gather herself. “Steve said two men attacked them, Mr. Holloway and someone else… The monster had—” Will felt a stone settle in his stomach. He saw Mr. Holloway at the mill, he heard him and the other man talking, he could’ve stopped this— “Will, they… Nancy said they melted.”

            Nausea gripped him, the image of shaking rats reemerging in his head. “Melted?”

            “When we went up, there was this big…thing attacking Nancy. It was like what you and I saw hurting Heather, but it was bigger and bloody, and—” El’s breath caught in her throat. Will reached out a hand, hesitantly grabbing hers. She turned her hand to grip his, taking a moment before continuing, “I fought it. I made it go away.”

            “How?”

            “I threw it,” She answered, her tone dark. “It went out through the window. I was trying to kill it, but when we chased after it, it went into the sewer.” They both stayed silent for a moment, digesting the story that sounded far too gruesome to be reality. Outside, the muffled sounds of an argument drifted in through the gap of the door. Eventually, El asked, “What happened with you?”

            “Not much,” Will said, looking away from far-too-earnest, caramel eyes. “The mill is definitely where the possessions are happening, but I don’t know if there’s any way to—”

            “Will,” El interjected, giving his hand a firm squeeze, “friends don’t lie.”

            Will blinked. “I wasn’t—”

            “Something happened.”

            “Nothing—”

            “You’re upset. I can tell.”

            “I’m always upset,” Will commented with a wry smirk, though it soon fell off as El’s stern expression only further steeled itself. “Nothing happened.” Another squeeze on his hand. “Nothing serious happened.”

            “But something did happen.”

            Will sighed before quietly confessing, “I may have run into Billy—”

            “What did he do? Are you hurt?”

            “No, he just—” Will groaned, dragging a hand down his face. “He didn’t really do anything, he just…Talked.”

            “Talked?”

            “Yes.”

            “What did he say?”

            “Nothing, just…Dumb things.”

            El shot him an unimpressed look. “Dumb things.”

            Will grimaced. “He didn’t say anything important, alright? He pretty much just made fun of me. It was stupid. I shouldn’t have gone in the first place.”

            “What did—”

            “Just drop it, El.”

            She frowned at him, a glint of hurt in her eyes. Will felt the already festering guilt building in his chest grow. He didn’t know why he didn’t want to tell her. He should apologize and just come clean, tell her the cruel and confusing things Billy spat at him before he escaped. He should reveal the odd, muddled memory that kept swimming up from the recesses of his mind with fire and panic. He was being selfish and stupid, and illogical, but somehow, he knew that if he told her what the monster said, if he repeated those awful words of, “You and I are the same,” then there would be the horrid chance that El would understand.

            That she would agree.

            He moved to pull his hand away, to retreat back into his miniature bunker to feel all of the shame and worthlessness he deserved to feel, but El’s grip wouldn’t relinquish him. Instead, she tightened her hold. With a tone of compassion that was completely and utterly wasted on him, she said, “You don’t have to tell me what he said, but you can’t keep running away. You shouldn’t hide from your friends.”

            What if it’s the only thing I know how to do?

            Will stayed quiet, hazel eyes boring into the carpet below him.

            El observed him for one long moment before stating, “Jonathan is here.”

            He had assumed so, given that El had stated he was at the hospital. It didn’t stop the ice shooting through his veins at the words. When it became apparent that Will had nothing to say, El continued, “You should see him. You should tell him, and Nancy and Steve. Tell them about the Mind Flayer.”

            “What if that puts them in danger?”

            “They’re already in danger. They noticed something was wrong before coming to us. If you tell them, they’ll be safer. They’ll know what they’re dealing with.”

            “We barely know what we’re dealing with.”

            “Maybe,” El conceded. “But at least we aren’t alone.”

            Will didn’t respond, simply shifting his gaze from the carpet to their connected hands, then back once more.

            El tugged on his hand. “Come on.”

            “El, I don’t think—”

            “No more running.”

            Ten long seconds ticked by before Will crawled out from his hiding space. Both he and El stood up, gazing at the door with unreadable expressions. Carefully, as if walking on glass, they approached the slab of wood separating Will from the brother he’d missed so dearly and evaded so deliberately. Would Jonathan even recognize him? It’d been so long, and his hair was different, and his clothes, and his face, and—

            Taking one last deep breath, Will nodded to El. She reached forward, opening the door.

            “—handled it! You’re acting like she’s a defenseless little kid!” Max was in the process of yelling.

            “And you’re acting like she’s just some tireless machine that can fight off anything without any help! You don’t even care what would happen to her if something went wrong!” Mike shot back.

            “Of course, I care! How could you even say—!”

            “Because you’re being reckless! All of you are! I’m not going to stand by and let you treat her like some weapon you can use whenever you want! I’m not going to lose anyone else that I lo—”

            “Who’s that?” Steve’s voice cut in, turning all attention to Will and El.

            Will, who’s mind was oh-so-helpfully filling in the blank of Mike’s unfinished sentence.

            Will, who was currently being battered by the pain searing through his heart at the fact that Mike felt so strongly for someone he knew would never be him.

            Will, who now not only had Mike’s panicking eyes trained on him but also his brother’s glassy ones.

            Will, who if he didn’t think he was going to vomit or sob if he opened his mouth, just might’ve laughed at the absurdity of it all.

Chapter Text

            The cabin was still. Steve’s question settled like cement blocks on Will’s shoulders, his scraggly frame giving an almost imperceivable shake under the weight of every stare locked onto his body. He could feel El giving his hand a squeeze of reassurance, was somewhat aware of the way the color had drained from Mike’s face. Distantly, he registered Lucas and Max glancing between him, the group, and each other in concern while Dustin seemed to be bracing himself for impact. He was vaguely conscious of the fact that Nancy’s bewildered expression was melting into one of mystified recognition as Steve was still firmly locked into a look of befuddlement.

            Will’s gaze was incapable of wavering from the teenager across from him.

            There was a new scrape to the right of the bridge of Jonathan’s nose, the skin surrounding it stained pink from where blood was hastily cleaned away. His brown eyes, identical to their mother’s, were weighed down by heavy bags. His hair was disheveled, some wayward pieces defying gravity with the help of sweat. The button-up shirt he wore was cleaner than the rest of him, though there was noticeable bruising hidden beneath the material. Days ago, when Will had spotted his brother at Hawkins Post, he’d thought his brother had looked a bit tired. Now, when Jonathan stood ten feet away from him, his brother seemed to radiate complete and utter fatigue.

            Yet his eyes were burning bright as he stared at Will.

            He took a step forward, the younger Byers barely holding back a flinch at the movement. Swallowing down the lump stubbornly clinging to his throat, Will slowly untangled his hand from El’s and mirrored Jonathan’s action, hesitantly edging closer. Will’s hands wrung together, the tips of his fingers gripping his own shirt. The group surrounding the pair was silent, observing with bated breath.

            “…Will?”

            The uncertainty coloring Jonathan’s tone pricked Will’s heart.

            “Hi, Jonathan.” He fought in vain to keep the waver out of his voice, his fingers twitching as he watched a myriad of emotions flicker across the other’s face. Steve made a baffled noise from across the room, but was abruptly silenced by Nancy’s elbow to his side.

            “You…But, you’re not…Y-You can’t—” If the fact his usually calm brother was stumbling over his words hadn’t rattled Will, the tears rapidly flooding his eyes definitely did. Will moved to take another step forward, wanting to comfort, reassure, anything that would just take that look off of his face—

            He was knocked backwards by the force of the hug Jonathan tackled him with. A soft, “oof,” escaped him as he landed on his back. Jonathan’s hand protected the back of his head while the other was clutching the back of his hoodie as if it were the only thing tying him to reality. His shoulder was steadily becoming damper by the moment as Jonathan’s body shook with heaving gasps. Gently, Will wrapped his arms around his brother as he sat up, tucking his head against the other’s shoulder.

            “I thought— We all— Y-You’re dead.”

            Will recoiled slightly at the words, though Jonathan’s hold didn’t allow him to move far. He then hugged back tighter, his own composure barely hanging on as he said, “I’m not. I’m not, Jonathan, I’m here. I’m here.” The strangled sob that answered him made Will tremble, his fingers curling tighter into Jonathan’s shirt.

            “We missed you,” Jonathan mumbled, his shaking just barely beginning to slow. “We…I really missed you.”

            “I missed you, too.”

            “We couldn’t find you; Mom couldn’t find you. She went to the lab and they said you were gone. We thought you were gone—”

            “I’m sorry—”

            The broken laugh that escaped Jonathan startled Will, the younger Byers frowning slightly as Jonathan pulled back and set his hands on Will’s shoulders. Fondly, the older teen said, “Don’t apologize. You always…” Jonathan pulled Will in for one more squeeze, pressing a kiss to the side of his head. “Don’t apologize.”

            “Alright, hold on, wait a minute,” Steve chattered, working overtime to come to grips with what exactly had just transpired. “That’s Will? And he was just, what, chilling out in El’s room?”

            “It’s…a long story,” Lucas offered sheepishly.

            “A long— Did you know about this?” Nancy immediately rounded on Mike, betrayed anger beginning to turn her cheeks red.

            Mike’s eyebrows and hands shot up defensively, barking back, “We’ve only known since yesterday! El and Max had been hiding him for days before we found out!”

            “What?”

            “Oh, fuck you, Mike!” Max snapped.

            Chaos erupted in the small cabin, voices trampling each other in their desperate attempts to attack and defend in equal measure. The Wheeler siblings held identical looks of conflicted rage. Max lashed out at Mike’s provocation, vehemently defending herself and the stonily silent El who had moved over to her side. Lucas’ reluctant attempts at peacekeeping were steadily devolving into venting his own frustrations at the situation. Dustin was quickly and loudly rambling out an explanation, much of it punctuated with Steve’s squawks of agitated confusion.

            It was so loud, and angry, and Will couldn’t think with all of this noise. Everyone was mad, and scared, and upset, and it wasn’t like this before he came back. They were happy before. They were getting better. It wasn’t this noisy, it shouldn’t be this loud, this was his fault, all his fault, he caused all of it, he shouldn’t have—

            Two gentle hands gripped his upper arms, dragging him into standing. Dazed, he was led back into El’s room and moved so that he was sitting on her bed. The door of the room was then closed and, after a few seconds passed, the radio on the dresser was turned on. The volume was lowered and the station was changed. The familiar sound of dimmed rock music began drifting through the air. The bed shifted beside Will and an arm draped itself across his shoulders, guiding him back into the present.

            Will’s hazel eyes blinked sluggishly, air entering his lungs far more easily than moments before. Next to him, Jonathan was humming lowly, patiently waiting for him to get his bearings. Slowly, Will leaned against his brother, allowing the lyrics of How Soon is Now to wash over him. And for a moment, they weren’t in El’s room.

            For a moment, they were sat on Jonathan’s bed. In front of them was Jonathan’s clunky old record player their mother just barely managed to afford for his eleventh birthday. A band Jonathan had discovered a few weeks ago was playing and the brothers were nodding their heads to songs they’d already memorized about fifty rewinds ago. A few band posters were taped to the walls, perfectly level and meticulously placed. Records Jonathan spent weeks mowing lawns for were scattered around the room.

            For a moment, the six voices outside the door had melded into two. One was slightly slurred and filled with bitterness, as if all of the problems it faced were of no fault of its own. The other was taut with stress, like a rabbit that had been caught in a snare for months but stayed suspended in its struggle to survive. The voices screamed about jobs and finances, and liquor, and regrets, and divorce, and Will.

            For a moment, Will was eight years old, and he’d heard enough screaming to fill his days and still have enough to trickle into his dreams. He was creative and quiet, and didn’t like the way his comic books lied about how easy it was to make friends. He wondered why Mrs. Wheeler didn’t scowl at Mr. Wheeler when he pulled a beer out of the fridge. He wondered why Mr. Sinclair was always so eager to hear about Lucas’ day and why he seemed so happy to be with his children. He wondered why Ms. Henderson didn’t have dark rings under her eyes nor shake when she received the bills for the month.

            For a moment, Jonathan was twelve and Will realized that maybe it didn’t matter that their parents fought. Their father would scoff at Will’s drawings, calling him a name that would make their mother snarl in outrage. But Jonathan would compliment them, would tape them up on the inside of his closet door as if they were worth protecting. Their mother would sometimes miss the afterschool science club presentation, the elementary school scheduling it before she would be able to get off of work. But Jonathan would be there, sweaty from biking all the way from the middle school so that he wouldn’t miss a moment of their shabby little volcano blowing bubbles of baking soda and vinegar.

            For a moment, it was just Jonathan and Will, sitting together as the voices outside battled. They were listening to music and they were together, and they were safe. The monsters were real, but they couldn’t get them. Their fears were real, but they couldn’t feel them. Hell was real, but they weren’t in it.

            Jonathan looked down at him with a small smile. He said, “You always hated yelling.” Will blinked, staying silent. “I don’t know why you didn’t come find Mom and I right away. I won’t lie and say I’m not upset, but I know you must have had a reason. And when you’re ready, I’ll hear you out, okay?” He rubbed Will’s back, just like he did when their parents fought and Hawkins seemed far too cruel for children to grow up in. He kept his voice soothing and even, the sound conflicting with the wet lines trailing down his cheeks. “You’re okay, Will. Everything’s going to be okay.”

            For a moment, Will was eight and Jonathan was twelve, and the music was playing, and they were okay.

            And, just like that moment so long ago, Will grabbed Jonathan, burying his face into his chest, and finally allowed himself to cry.

            By the time Will had managed to pry himself off of Jonathan’s now tear-stained shirt, the fighting from the living room had dissipated into uneasy silence. Trepidation was steadily leaking back into his veins as he looked at the door. His mind raced as he attempted to decide his next course of action. There was too much that needed to be said, too much more that couldn’t be explained. He held all of the answers, but they only led to more questions. Too many people were involved, too much was at stake for him to possibly solve all of it himself. The problem had grown to the point that Nancy, Steve, and Jonathan had deduced something was wrong before they’d ever even suspected Will was back.

            “Will.”

            Will jumped slightly, looking up at Jonathan in surprise.

            “It’s alright if you don’t want to talk to everyone yet. We can wait as long as you want.”

            “If we do that, I don’t think we’ll ever leave,” Will admitted, grinning when Jonathan chuckled in response. He sobered quickly. “I need to talk to them. You should know everything that’s happened.” He hesitated a moment, playing with the hem of his shirt. “They all need to know the truth.”

            Jonathan regarded him for a moment. Will tried not to fidget underneath the stare, but couldn’t help slumping in relief when his brother finally nodded and said, “Alright.”

            The two stood and made their way to the door, a perfect replay of what Will and El had done about an hour earlier. Will reached out a shaking hand, gripping the handle with white knuckles as he tried to quiet the hammering in his chest. He took a deep breath. Then a second, and a third—

            “Hey,” Jonathan softly called, giving Will the same encouraging look he’d given so many times before. “It’s going to be okay. I’ll be with you the whole time.”

            Will smiled back, murmuring, “Thanks.”

            Straightening his shoulders, he crafted courage from his brother’s support and opened the door.

            An unsteady truce had been wordlessly declared in the living room with each group taking up separate corners. Will felt a faint hint of amusement as he saw the striking resemblance between the room before him and the scene in the Wheeler’s basement when he’d been fetched by Dustin.

            El and Max were huddled together on the couch, El glaring down at the table while Max picked irritably at her nails. Lucas and Mike were seated at the counter, Dustin leaning against the wall beside them with a look of exasperation. Steve stood beside the front door, watching blankly as Nancy paced and muttered in front of him.

            Will cast one more look to Jonathan before stepping forward and awkwardly clearing his throat. Instantly, every head swiveled to pin him with stares ranging from concerned to awestruck. Slowly, he said, “S-So, you’re probably wondering what’s going on, how I came back, if I know anything about all of this. I don’t know everything, obviously, but I know more than I’ve been letting on. A-And, um…” Will’s eyes darted from person to person, eventually landing on El. Her gaze was sympathetic but firm.

            No more running.

            “…I think it’s time I told you. About everything.”

            And so, Will talked. He talked about being in the Upside Down, about the strange feeling he felt one day after going through the typical routine of evading monsters. He talked about finding the mall and, subsequently, the portal. He talked about the Russians and hiding, and running. He talked about finding El and learning about what had happened while he was gone. He talked about asking El to keep him a secret, to let him see for himself how his family was doing before leaping headfirst into the reunions he’d played a million times in his head. He talked about seeing his mom and seeing Jonathan, seeing them happy, and not knowing what to do. He talked about El taking him to see Max, about them cleaning him up and helping him to forget about everything awful for just a few moments. He talked about the rats and Billy, and Heather, the Holloways, the Demogorgans, the Mind Flayer. He talked about finally agreeing to see Mike, Lucas, and Dustin. He talked about how they trapped Billy, how they tried burning the Mind Flayer out of him, how Billy ended up getting away. He talked about the lumber mill, about seeing Mr. Holloway and the other man, about seeing Billy.

            He talked about the dreams, about the awful words the Mind Flayer pumped into his head both while he was awake and while he slept. He talked about the powers he was still figuring out; about the painful memories he has of the Upside Down that are too muddled to fully make out but he knew were important.

            Will’s gaze caught Mike’s, his stomach dropping when he saw a look he could only describe as complete and utter hurt decorating his best friend’s face from being kept in the dark. Zeroed in on the curly-haired teen, he desperately said, “I’m sorry I never told you all this. I should have, I know I should have, but I…” His bottom lip trembled as he forced himself to confess, “I was scared.”

            Mike’s expression softened at that, before his coffee-colored eyes darted away. Will frowned before looking back at the rest of the group. Everyone was still obviously processing the tale, their frowns varied in their severity. Nancy was the first to speak up.

            “We need to tell your mom.”

            “We can’t,” Will said, looking at the ground. “She’s going to Illinois. I don’t think she’s going to be near a phone for a while.”

            “Wh— Illinois?” Jonathan echoed, his brow scrunching. “Why is she going there?”

            “We don’t know,” Lucas spoke up. “We think she figured out something was going on too. El saw her with Hopper and Mr. Newby in the woods. They were heading to Illinois.”

            “That’s where they said they were going,” El further clarified.

            “Great, so there’s Russians with an open gate underneath the mall and a face-sucking monster going around mind controlling people, and the chief of police decided now is the time to go AWOL,” Steve summarized, a hand dragging down his face. “That’s…That’s just awesome.”

            “Okay, well, I guess we’ll just have to figure this out ourselves,” Nancy huffed.

            “That’s what I said!” Lucas commented.

            “Yeah, and we aren’t any closer to figuring this out than we were before,” Mike said, crossing his arms.

            Nancy brought her hand to her chin, thinking for a long moment before saying, “Well, it sounds like Will was able to stop it before it did any serious damage the first time it tried coming here.”

            “I know that heat hurts it,” Will said, his head steadily beginning to ache. “I-I might’ve used fire? I can’t really remember how I did it.”

            “Maybe I can help,” El suggested, standing up from her place on the couch. She walked up to Will; her face weary but determined. “I can help you remember.”

            “How?” He asked.

            “If you and I did what we did before, like when we looked for Billy, but instead focus on that memory… Maybe if I focus on it too, we will be able to clear it. We can see what really happened.”

            Will thought it over for a moment, conscious of the way everyone was waiting expectantly for his decision. It was a good idea, the best they really seemed to have at the moment. Any clues as to what managed to beat back the Mind Flayer before would only benefit them in the long run. It may also provide some insight on what exactly the Mind Flayer was taunting Will with. On the other hand, El looked like she’d been run ragged. Her upper lip was still dark from the blood that had been previously settled on it. There was sweat still in the process of drying on her brow. Her body was tensed and alert, as if even a moment of relaxation would end with her in a heap on the floor.

            His worry-fueled hesitation must have shown on his face because El steeled her expression further, assuring, “I can handle it.”

            “Doesn’t really mean you should, though,” Will mumbled, still weighing his options in his head. Unfortunately, it seemed that there truly was no better idea. He sighed and nodded. “Alright. But you have to promise that you’ll let us know if you need a break. Deal?”

            “Deal.” El nodded back. She lifted up her hand and spat into her palm, holding it out for Will to shake.

            Will stared at her, then her wet hand, then back up at her. Finally, he turned to Lucas and asked, “Why did you teach her that?”

            “Why are you assuming it was me?” Lucas shot back, indignant.

            Dustin piped up, “Because it was you.”

            “Never mind,” Will cut in, ending the exchange that would’ve no doubt turned into an argument.

            The familiarity of it all made his heart feel just the tiniest bit less constricted.

            Deafening static filled the room as the group circled around the pair on the floor. Dustin, Max, and Lucas sat on the couch, each of them leaned forward in anxious anticipation. Mike sat in a small armchair beside them, grimacing as his focus ping-ponged from El to Will. Jonathan, Nancy, and Steve were gathered behind the couch. Nancy’s hand held onto Jonathan’s wrist, acting partially as a show of comfort and also as a restraint.

            El and Will faced each other in front of the blank television, their legs crisscrossed and their hands joined. El wore her usual black blindfold while Will wore one of pure white. The two breathed deeply, the girl murmuring, “Focus on the memory. Focus on what you do remember. Do not be afraid.”

            Will lost himself in the void.

            It was dark.

            The chilled, lifeless air flooded Will with a horrid feeling of nostalgia. The atmosphere was tinged with that same sickly blue, flecks of grey matter floating like pieces of dead skin. They were just outside of the woods, feet barely scuffing the edges of the vine-covered road. Before them, across a short field, towered the Hawkins Lab. Black tendrils crawled up the building, curling into windows and sprawling across ledges. The interior was utterly dark, the faint sounds of growling and roaring coming from inside. The sky was an ever-churning grey, thunder rumbling even in the absence of lightning.

            Will nearly leapt out of his skin at the feeling of El squeezing his hand.

            He glanced over to her, unease bubbling up within him when he saw the terror clouding over her eyes. She told him before that she’d escaped from the bad place, the lab. He wondered what memories were racing through her mind as she stared up at the building. Gingerly, he tightened his own grip on her hand and called, “El?”

            She stiffened, then turned her head to look at him. “I’m okay.”

            “Are you—”

            “Friends don’t lie and I said I’m fine.”

            Any further protest was swiftly blocked off as an immense pressure began to weigh down on the two of them. Their breaths rattled as they looked up, their blood freezing as a vast shadow came into focus. Its body was composed of braided smoke, twisting and pulsing in on itself as it glided across miles of land within a single step. Around Will and El, dog-like Demogorgans were leaping from the brush and bolting towards the specter. There was a faint flicker of light rippling between the floors of the lab, distant pops of lightbulbs shattering from powerful surges. Crimson was bleeding into the clouds above them, diluting the desolate blue into garish violet.

            The shadow stopped its advance once it was looming directly over the building. It bent its neck to lower its head, calculating its next move. The Demogorgans were flooding the structure, some even using the vines to scale the walls and crash through the cracked windows. The lights were flickering faster, growing brighter by the moment. The air was beginning to move, feeling less like wind and more like labored breathing.

            One of the monster’s ghostly limbs lifted off of the ground, funnels of air descending into the building. It flooded windows and doors, squeezed through cracks of brick and cement. It was rooting around, searching as if it were a child with its hand in a jar. More glass shattered, more lights popped, more electricity surged.

            Will and El flinched when something burst out of the foliage beside them, two blurs sprinting onto the field leading to the lab. Will felt detached as he took in the image of himself. He looked older than he did before he’d been dropped into the Upside Down, but younger than he was now. His hair was a mess, a couple of wayward leaves sticking unpleasantly to undoubtedly grease-laced locks. His clothes were tattered, just one of the many scavenged outfits he would have to replace thanks to the cruel layout of this altered Hawkins. He was covered in dirt, grime, and sweat. He was shaking, his teeth undeniably rattling as he tried to get himself together.

            The smaller figure made Will’s heart stutter in his chest. Identical to the other creatures that had flooded the building except for the odd splotch of color running along the base of his spine, stood Chester. His only companion for however many months since he’d found him as a slug hiding within what was left of Castle Byers. He’d watched him grow from a tiny ball of slime into a chirping quadruped that followed him just like the dog he’d been named after. Will liked to think that when he would spend the nights rambling, aimlessly listing off anything and everything on his unstable mind, Chester was listening. At the very least, Chester was always there and, for that, Will owed him more than he could ever repay.

            “How did you know?”

            Will blinked at the sudden distraction from his thoughts, turning to El.

            She reiterated, “How did you know? That something was happening?”

            Will allowed the memory to come back to him, let the information spill from his mouth. “I just… Got a really bad feeling. I knew something wasn’t right, but I didn’t know what.” Past-Will was becoming visibly more distressed, his ribs visibly heaving as he rattled his brain for what to do. “I had a feeling something was going to happen that would hurt people. I thought it was going to hurt my friends, or mom, or Jonathan.” Past-Will began calling out to the monster before them, trying to gain its attention. “I didn’t know what to do, if there was anything I even could do. All I knew was that I couldn’t let it go through with whatever it was planning.”

            Past-Will was now screaming at the top of his lungs, the vocal cords he’d used so sparingly sounding as if they were tearing from the effort. “Go away!” He shrieked, begged, demanded, roared. “Go! Away! Go away!”

            The shadow’s head shifted just barely, as if looking at him with derision. Another one of its limbs lifted, this time heading for Past-Will. Will felt El growing more and more rigid beside him. She was holding herself back, he realized. She wanted to try and help him. Will whispered to her, “It’s okay.”

            “It’s not,” she refuted, though stayed still.

            Past-Will was still screaming. Chester was snarling, trying to position himself between the human and the encroaching monster. The air was growing more frantic, almost sentient in its writhing. More screaming, more snarling, more lights, more shadow. It was practically upon him now, the smoke close enough to brush his cheeks. It was going to get him. It was going to get him. It was going to—

            “GO AWAY!”

            A burst of flame erupted in the shadow’s arm, racing below its inky surface like blood in a vein. There was a series of bursts, silent explosions that knocked the air out of Will and El’s lungs. The fire grew in size as it surged towards the main body, the monster convulsing in agony as its insides were set alight. There was screeching from inside the lab as the Demogorgans shared their master’s anguish. A deafening boom echoed from the depths of the lab; the sound of a connection being forcibly severed.

            The limb reaching for Past-Will crumbled away. The limb that had been reaching into the lab had vanished as well. Orange, yellow, and red are still dancing violently in the shadow’s chest. Demogorgans were pouring from every opening of the lab. They rushed to the monster, flinging themselves into its large body. They sacrificed themselves without hesitation, offering their flesh to heal the crippling damage. A small puff of the grim smog broke off from the main body, streaking through the sky and diving down toward the field. Several Demogorgans followed it, gaining speed when they’d caught sight of Past-Will.

            Blood was gushing from his nose and his legs were trembling, struggling to keep his slumping body upright. Chester was nudging him, begging him with everything but words to move. With a choked gasp, Past-Will pivoted and shot off into the woods. Chester was right on his heels, always sure to stay slightly behind so that there was some sort of barrier between the boy and his pursuers.

            Will and El watched as the forest shifted around them, trees and rocks whipping past them as they stayed level with Past-Will’s flight through the wilderness. The sounds of the Demogorgans were growing louder. Soon, Past-Will and Chester stumbled upon a jagged wall of rocks. There was only a moment of hesitation before the boy began climbing, ignorant to the cuts and scrapes being sliced into his hands as he forced them into sharp crevices. He looked over his shoulder, halfway to the top, and could see the Demogorgans bounding through the foliage. He also saw that Chester was not climbing.

            Will felt his chest tighten.

            “Chester! Chester, come on!” Past-Will yelled, his voice utterly wrecked.

            The bizarre animal huffed, standing on its hindlegs to headbutt the underside of Will’s foot, a silent command to keep going. He then lowered himself back to the ground, his head directed solemnly at the approaching group.

            Past-Will shook his head. “No! No, I’m not leaving you! I’ll find another way! I can—” He moved to hop off the wall, to lose all of his precious progress, but stopped at the sound of a vicious growl.

            Will watched, his face turning ashen, as his old companion shook his head at his past self. He gave a small rumble of assurance. As if giving him permission to keep going, to abandon him. Past-Will looked at Chester, then at the Demogorgans. The group was close enough to make out the slime on their skin, the dark cloud above them emanating malicious intent as it led the charge. A whimper escaped Past-Will, tears leaking out of his eyes as he quickly scrambled up the rest of the wall.

            Now stood at the top of the ledge, Past-Will sobbed down at Chester, “I’m sorry!” A soft purr followed him as he took off into the woods. Will felt disgusted as he watched himself, shame making acid burn the back of his throat. He could’ve done more, should’ve tried more. But, just like always, he ran.

            The Demogorgans were upon Chester now. The smaller creature roared, tackling the first of the beasts to appear. He rammed it into another that tried to skirt around him. The Demogorgans were piling on top of him, biting and tearing, shredding, maiming, killing—

            Will’s gaze was torn from the scene as the woods continued to move with his past self. He felt El’s hand on his face, her gentle effort to try and get him to look at her rather than the massacre. He felt his hand gripping hers with bruising force.

            “Will—”

            Chester was dead.

            “Will!”

            Chester was dead.

            “Will, look!”

            Chester was dead.

            “WILL!”

            Will’s hand nearly wrenched itself out of El’s as she screamed him back into awareness. He sputtered and frantically surveyed the area around them. He stopped when he saw himself still running, but noticeably slowing. He could see that he was exhausted, that it was taking effort to even get his legs to take a single step. The Demogorgans weren’t after him anymore, it was growing quiet in the woods. Past-Will was panting, was stopping, was resting.

            The dark cloud shot through the trees, slamming into Past-Will’s head. He landed with a shriek, his face contorting as he thrashed on the ground. The pain was all encompassing, as if a hot brand was being placed directly onto his cerebrum. Will felt the pain swelling behind his own eyes as he watched his younger self suffer. It grew, swarming his senses. He hated it, he was scared, he didn’t know what was happening.

            It hurts.

            It hurts, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts—

            Ithurtsithurtsithurtsithurtsithurtsithurtsithurts—

            “It hurts!”

            The television screen cracked as Will and El snatched their hands away from each other, tearing off their blindfolds as tears and blood dripped steadily from their faces. Will scrambled backwards, his left shoulder knocking against the side of Mike’s armchair in his haste. Voices started up all at once, some directed at him, others at El. All of them were shrill with concern.

            Will curled in on himself, forming a protective ball. He buried his face against his knees, his hands squeezing his legs together. He was quivering, his eyes too dry to let out any more tears. Images of Chester, himself, the Demogorgans, the dark cloud; everything was fighting to take over his senses at once. There was only one thought, however, that had prevailed over all. That dark cloud had gotten him, had invaded his head.

            Part of the Mind Flayer was inside of Will.

Chapter Text

            The fizzling of static mixed messily with Will’s labored breathing. There was chattering around him, the cacophony of worry rattling him as he tried to get his bearings. The once blockaded memory played on repeat in his head. The Mind Flayer got me. It got me. Just like the Demogorgan. I wasn’t fast enough. It got me. It—

            “Will, hey,” his brother’s voice was whispering. “C’mon, buddy, look at me.”

            Will shook his head, burrowing his face firmly against his knees. The pressure against his eyes alleviated the smallest bit of the piercing migraine plaguing his skull. He could feel the blood smearing messily on his legs and mouth from his movement, but he couldn’t bring himself to really care. All this time, all this time, that thing was inside of him. It was a part of him, gnawing on his thoughts and watching what he did.

            What if it knew where he was right now?

            What if it knew how to get to him, to all of them?

            For all Will knew, he was leading it right to them.

            It followed him through the gate.

            How many people died because of him?

            How much blood did he have on his hands—

            “Will, listen to me, you need to breathe, alright?"

            Will's chest stung as he sucked in a breath, his core starting to ache from his tensed, curled position.  He felt a hand rubbing his back in large, soothing circles.

            “You’re alright, buddy, just keep breathing. You can do it.”

            Another breath was forcefully sucked into his burning lungs, his heart reluctantly beginning to slow its erratic rhythm. Distantly, he could hear similar reassurances being murmured to El. El knew. El saw his weakness, his cowardice, as he was taken over by the monster plaguing them now. She knew he wasn’t safe to be around anymore. She would agree that he has to leave. She could stay and protect the others, figure out a way to herd the Mind Flayer back into the Upside Down, and close the gate permanently.

            But, how could they possibly take on the Russians by themselves? I'm the only one who’s been—

            His mind paused.

            He could do it.

            He managed to escape once without alerting the guards.

            Maybe he could do it again.

            Maybe he could sneak in, close the gate, then get back out.

            No one else would have to get hurt, no one else would get possessed.

            In fact, while he goes to close the gate, the others can get the Mind Flayer out of Billy. Surely the Mind Flayer would be too invested keeping the gate open to bother expending energy to keep control over Billy. He’s seen how powerful El is first hand. She could do it. With some heat, support from the others, and interference with the gate, Will was sure she could do it. It was the only plan and it was as perfect as he could get in this situation.

            He could do this.

            He could save every—

            “Will!”

            Will’s head turned abruptly, facing Mike’s sharp call. The dark-haired teen was kneeling beside El, the hand on her shoulder mirroring Jonathan’s hold on Will’s. His eyes were stern, but not harsh, as he looked between the two brunettes on the floor and asked, “Guys, what happened?”

            “Will stopped it,” El whispered, wiping the blood from her face with a shaking hand. “There was a gate at the lab. The Mind Flayer tried to go through. Will stopped it and closed the gate.”

            “Wait a minute, you managed to fight the Mind Flayer and close a gate, by yourself?” Dustin practically squawked.

            Will wrung his hands. “I didn’t really have many other choices…”

            “Is it possible for you to close the one beneath the mall?” Nancy asked.

            Will opened his mouth to reply, but El cut him off with a swift, “No.”

            “Why not? If you did it once, you can do it again, right?” Steve asked.

            “The Upside Down wasn’t full of Russians with guns,” Jonathan argued with a firm frown.

            “On top of that, if Will closes the gate, it will kill Billy,” Max reminded that group once again. “We can’t close it if it’s still inside of him.”

            “If you guys focus on getting the Mind Flayer out of Billy,” Will started slowly, determination swelling within his chest, “I could close the gate. I’m sure if El and all of you were to—”

            “No,” El snapped, frustration adding a burning sear to the word.

            “Even if we did that, some of us would have to go with Will. He can’t go in alone,” Lucas said.

            Will bristled. “I can do it by myself.”

            “Just because you got lucky once doesn’t mean it’ll happen again,” Mike commented, withering only slightly when Will shot a glare his way. “Come on, Will, you can’t be this—”

            “This what?”

            “Reckless,” El interjected, looking ready to strangle her friend. “You’re being reckless. You can’t close the gate. Not by yourself, not with others, not when—”

            “This is the only plan we have, El,” Will stubbornly pushed on. “This is the only way the least amount of people will get hurt!”

            “What about you?!” El stood, her hands clenched into fists.

            The lights were beginning to flicker. The crack on the television screen grew another inch.

            “G-Guys, let’s calm down for a minute, alright?” Dustin suggested, hands held up in a placating manner. Beside him, Steve and Nancy began to back away from the volatile exchange. Nancy attempted to drag Jonathan away as well, but he shrugged her off, remaining by his brother’s side.

            Will felt his own irritation building, his teeth grinding as he felt more warmth gathering on his upper lip.

            “I’ll be fine! I’ll handle it!”

            “You said closing the gate will kill Billy! If you close it—!”

            “You guys will get it out of him! He’ll be fi—”

            “You’ll die!”

            Mike and Jonathan both jolted.

            “What?”

            “Will, what is she talking about?”

            El turned to look at Jonathan.

            “The Mind Flayer—”

            Will shot into standing as well.

            “El, don’t—”

            El glowered at Will.

            “They need to know!”

            “Not right—”

            “If not now, when?!” The floor rumbled, the cabinets just barely containing the rattle glasses inside as El bared her teeth. “When you’re dead?!”

            Mike’s voice chimed in, “Will, El, just tell us—!”

            “Stay out of this, Mike!” Will demanded, a light bulb popping behind him.

            “No, I won’t! We’re in this together! Whatever is happening, we can fix this! Just tell us what—”

            “This isn’t something you can—!”

            El hollered, “When Will closed the gate, the Mind Flayer chased him—!”

            “El, stop!”

            “—It caught him!—”

            “El!”

            “—The Mind Flayer is inside of Will!”

            “SHUT UP!”

            An enormous tremor rattled the cabin, the television screen shattering. The cabinets fell open, dishes and cups raining down to create a chaotic mosaic upon the floor. Several light bulbs popped and rained sparks, dimming the area into a dark, mustard tinted haze. Any and all noise outside of the cabin stuttered into silence.

            Everyone waited with bated breath as El and Will stared each other down, the air electrified as their rage mixed.

            Will shuddered, a cocktail of indiscernible emotions mixing in his stomach and rattling his brain. He opened his mouth, prepared to yell, to berate, to apologize, to scream, to ask why, why, why—

            A chill caressed the nape of his neck.

            Found you.

            The cabin quaked faintly.

            Then again.

            And again.

            And again.

            Each shudder gained intensity, the threat lying beneath each vibration stealing the breath out of everyone’s lungs. Will and El’s heads turned in unison to stare blankly at the wall behind the television.

            Steven squirmed uneasily. “Hey, uh, is that shaking you guys? I mean, it has to be, right? It isn’t—”

            “Steve,” Nancy hissed, “be quiet.”

            More tremors. The faintest sound of something rumbling. The leaves shifted.

            The air was cold.

            Nancy began forcefully tugging everyone into the center of the room. She said, “Stay away from the windows. El, does Hopper have a gun?”

            “In his room,” the girl answered solemnly, eyes still locked in the direction of the building sound.

            Nancy walked off, steps quick and purposeful. Jonathan and Steve also began looking around the room, scanning the cabin for viable weapons. Some rummaging and ransacking of random closets rewarded Jonathan with an old axe and Steve with a partially bent golf club. Nancy emerged from behind the curtain shrouding Hopper’s room with a 12-gauge shotgun.

            Like sheepdogs guarding a huddle of sheep, the older teens shielded the younger occupants in the center of the room. The few lights that had survived were pulsing erratically, several heartbeats coming together to fuel one giant body. Everyone stayed silent as the trembling came to an abrupt halt, time itself seeming to grind to a halt.

            The wind stopped blowing, the trees outside falling still.

            Pure ice made a mad dash up Will’s spine as he waited for the inevitable.

            The moment of tainted peace was broken with the shatter of a window.

            A slime covered tendril ending in a gruesome maw slithered violently into the space, followed quickly by another. The first let out a snarl before shooting towards El’s face, the second hell bent on targeting Will.

            Before the pair could reach either of them, Jonathan and Steve lunged.

            Steve swung the club down repeatedly on the gnarled limb, dragging out gurgling screeches. It stopped just short of El, retreating for a moment, then turning its focus on him. Steve complained, “I missed when you were just a fucked-up rat! Why couldn’t you stay a fucked-up rat?!” Each word was punctuated with a brutal swing to the horrid mouth. At the last blow, the tendril ducked out of the way before slamming into Steve, sending him careening into the wall.

            Jonathan hacked mercilessly at the mouth aimed for Will, digging his axe deeper into the mesh of meat with each strike. He shouted wordlessly as he pushed his arms to swing down harder and faster, Will watching in a frozen state of terror and shock. He needed to help his brother. He needed to stop this. Why wasn’t he stopping this? Why couldn’t he bring himself to move?

            You’re weak.

            Will jumped, a strangled yelp clogging his throat.

            You’ve always been so very, very weak.

            The flesh closed around the blade of Jonathan’s axe, halting the vicious assault.

            And now, they will pay the price.

            The limb twisted before whipping itself to the side, dislodging both the axe and Jonathan. Will yelled as his older brother collided with the wall, several shelves and wooden panels breaking under the impact.

             Just as both mouths charged toward their attackers, a barrage of gunfire sounded in the cabin. Switching between the two tendrils, Nancy quickly unloaded the rounds of the shotgun into the beasts, forcing them to pause their advance. The one that had been heading for Steve shook and snarled, rearing back and ramming into Nancy.

            The young woman let out a grunt as she was thrown backwards, the collision of her back with the wall causing her to drop her gun. With a pair of shrieks, one head dove for Nancy and the other continued toward Jonathan.

            El and Will each lifted one hand, blood dripping from their noses.

            The attacking limbs were immediately seized.

            The one facing Nancy jerked violently in El’s invisible hold, writhing to free itself and continue its rampage. The brunette glared at the creature, every muscle in her body pulled taut as her fingers stiffly began to curl. With a rough shout and twist of her wrist, El brought her fist down and wrenched the malformed head off of the tendril. The mouth fell to the floor with a heavy thump, using its teeth as grotesque legs to scuttle back to the hole it created in the window.

            Jonathan watched as the creature before him stopped mid-lunge, mouth open and quivering. Dark crimson spots began forming along the skin, spreading and steaming as a horrific screech left its throat. The scent of burning flesh filled the air as steam and smoke lifted off of the limb, the muscles quivering in agony. Will kept his hand outstretched toward the scene, guiding the heat blooming in his chest from his body to torch the threat to his brother. Within moments, the tendril had turned a charred black and fell limply to the floor.

            The damaged limbs lay there for only a second before being forcibly retracted back outside.

            Max stared out the hole from where one of the creatures had retreated, muttering a dazed, “Holy shit.”

            Splintering wood rained into the room as four new limbs burst through the cabin. El seized two, her eyes wild as she shifted her gaze between them. They fought and lunged, squealing and shrieking as viscous mucus flew from the bones composing their teeth. Raising her fists, El let out a snarl as she threw her arms down, beheading the tendrils and sending the wailing mouths to the floor. Behind her, Will focused in on one limb at a time, swiftly scorching the flesh before moving to the next. It was only a minute before the extremities had to retreat once more, a furious roar sounding from outside.

            From the ceiling, the enormous jaws of the monster burst through the paneling, shooting out yet another appendage. Before El could react, its fangs dug into her leg, sealing itself to her before dragging her upwards. Mike shot forward, grabbing hold of her arms as El cried out. Dustin and Max shot forward, taking hold of El and pulling. Steve stumbled into the fray as well, yelling for Nancy to get her gun as he assisted the teens in a twisted battle of strength.

            “Will, get it!” Dustin called, voice cracking with panic. “Burn it!”

            Will ran forward, thrusting his hand toward the Mind Flayer, allowing the heat to build and swell. Breathing deeply, he pushed to force the heat towards—

            Look at what you’ve caused.

            The voice felt as though glass was scraping inside of his ears.

            Will’s eyes involuntarily faltered from their target, instead landing on El’s agonized face shining with tears. Mike’s face just below hers reflected horror and grief, his own turmoil clear in his desperate tugging to free El from the monster. Max and Dustin were yelling, screaming for Will, Nancy, somebody to help put an end to this chaos. Nancy was clumsily shoving bullets into the chamber of her gun, her body trembling as nerves and adrenaline mixed together. Steve was yelling to Jonathan, the older Byers sibling still shifting the debris off of himself from where he crashed.

            Their pain, their suffering, their anguish, it is all because of you.

            “N-No,” Will grunted, a sharp throb radiating through his skull.

            The limb grasping El gave a strong jerk, the teens below staggering but holding firm.

            They will die. Your friends, your brother, everyone in Hawkins. They will die and their blood with be on your hands.

            Will’s legs gave out, his hands clutching his head. The voice echoed and growled, filling his brain, his blood, his skin, his bones—

            “Will!” Jonathan distantly cried out; his call muffled by the Mind Flayer’s roar.

            You and I are entwined, Will Byers. I have become you, just as you have become me.

            Gunshots began sounding, grunts and shrieks responding to them in kind. The monster continued to pull, tightening its grip as El’s leg convulsed under the strain. There was a flurry of footsteps. A pressure formed around Will’s shoulders, squeezing him.

            We are one. Together, we will destroy Hawkins. Together, we will kill every last—

            “Lucas!” Max yelled.

            Lucas bellowed as he lifted the axe high above his head, bringing it down onto the limb with a sickening squelch. The Mind Flayer roared, its true volume drowned out by the continuous fire of Nancy’s bullets and rhythmic blows of Lucas’s axe into the same, growing puncture. With one final, thunderous howl, the limb was severed.

            The teens fell to the ground, El landing on top of Mike with a muffled grunt.

            Will’s head cleared enough for him to blink some of the haze from his eyes. Jonathan was kneeling beside him, arms wrapped protectively around him as he stared worriedly at El. Mike was holding the girl’s face gently, murmuring, “El! El, are you okay?”

            El didn’t answer and Will could see she didn’t need to.

            The mouth of the severed limb was still wrapping around her shin, its fangs sunk deep into her calf. Mike quickly sat up, noticing the appendage as well. The dark-haired teen grabbed the creature, visibly gritting his teeth before yanking with all of his might.

            El let out a wail as the mouth was ripped forcibly out of her muscle and skin. Mike threw the mouth against the wall. It landed with a shriek, crawling blindly out of the cabin to rejoin the hulking mass outside.

            Above them, the monster roared, moonlight revealing row upon row of shining teeth and broken bone. Three long, horrid tongues twisted and twirled as it vocalized its fury. Clear sludge dripped and sprayed from its raging head, its muscles pulsing and shifting under a web of arteries and veins.

            Will glared up at the monstrosity, fire licking the back of his throat at the sight of blood spilling from El’s wounded leg. The girl was trying to get up, trying to still fight, trying to protect all of them.

            The Mind Flayer rumbled, head lowering to unleash another attack, it’s mouth preparing to shoot forth another limb to shred, tear, maim—

            Will stood roughly, his vocal cords almost tearing under the weight of his scream as he pushed both hands forward.

            The flesh of the Mind Flayer’s head instantly blackened, smoke billowing as it writhed and shook, trying to escape the pain.

            The shrieks were amplified by ten inside of Will’s head. The sound overwhelming, suffocating. It raked across every fiber of his body, shredding him apart. It was too much, way too much, it needed to stop, stop, stop—

            There was a familiar nudge at the back of his brain.

            From the corner of his eye, Will could see that El was now standing, her own glower burning into the Mind Flayer as she raised her hands alongside Will’s. She cried out as her fingers grasped an invisible force, her arms wrenching them downward.

            The monster’s agony ended in an abrupt splatter as its head was torn in two.

            Slime and blood dripped down into the cabin as the massive body finally leaned away from the opening. Max caught El as she collapsed from exhaustion, Will landing in a similar state in Jonathan’s arms. Immediately, Steve ran to the door, ushering everyone on the way with desperate cries of, “We’ve got to move! Let’s go! Let’s go!”

            Mike parroted him with his own calls of, “Go! Go! Go!” He put El’s arm around his shoulder, helping Max carry her from the house. Dustin and Lucas followed after them, looking worriedly at Will as they escaped. Jonathan lifted Will from the floor, lugging him to the door as Nancy closely tailed him. Steve was the last out, rushing after the group.

            In a flurry of motion, the group piled into the Wheeler’s station wagon. Will was squished in-between Jonathan and Dustin as Mike, Max, El, and Lucas clambered into the back. Nancy and Steve threw themselves in front, Nancy immediately starting the engine and flooring the accelerator.

            The sound of screeching tires mixed with the Mind Flayer’s groans as the car peeled out of the woods.

            The grocery store’s glass door shattered under the impact of the thrown stone.

            Nancy marched over the broken pieces, making a beeline for the aisle labeled Health. Max and Mike followed her, tenderly helping El through the store as she kept her injured leg lifted. Will and the others hurried after them, all of their eyes bouncing from over their shoulders to El.

            Nancy grabbed a box of gauze and a bottle of rubbing alcohol, turning to look at Mike and Max. “Okay,” she said, “put her down.”

            Slowly, the two teens lowered their injured friend onto the ground. El let out a relieved breath as she was finally allowed to sit, her body going limp with fatigue. She winced, however, as Nancy gently tugged up her pant leg. Max gasped, “Oh, shit.”

            Will couldn’t hold back a grimace.

            El’s leg had two jagged punctures to the side of her shin, the skin red and inflamed from the tugging and tearing of the Mind Flayer’s teeth. Blood welled up inside of the wounds, dribbling down the sides of her leg to land sloppily on the floor. The smell of iron hit the air, adding to the guilt already crushing Will’s lungs.

            She’s hurt because of me.

            Nancy urgently tore open one of the packets of gauze, grabbing the bottle of rubbing alcohol and beginning to tip it onto the material.

            “Wait, wait, what are you doing?” Max asked, a single eyebrow raised, one hand landing on Nancy’s arm to halt her movements.

            Nancy looked puzzled, shrugging her off. “I’m cleaning the wound.”

            “No, first we need to stop the bleeding,” Max stated, scooting forward to take the gauze from Nancy. “Then clean, then disinfect, then bandage.”

            Nancy simply stared.

            Max rolled her eyes. “I skateboard. Trust me.” She took the gauze from Nancy’s hand and placed it on top of the punctures, pressing down and causing El to let out a low hiss. “Mike, hold this.”

            Mike leaned over, allowing Max to position his hand and nodding as she instructed him, “Keep pressure on it. Nice and firm, alright?”

            Max looked back up at Nancy. “We’re going to need water and soap.”

            “Got it,” Nancy said, standing and turning to head further into the store.

            Will could see Jonathan shift beside him. He nudged him, murmuring, “You should go with her.”

            Jonathan frowned at him. “But—”

            Will silently shook his head, internally begging his brother to give him a moment to himself.

            After a moment, Jonathan seemed to deflate before nodding and following Nancy.

            “Dustin,” Max said. “I need you and Steve to find me a washcloth and a bowl.”

            Dustin peered around for a moment, before turning to Steve and asking, “Do you know where the bowl aisle is?”

            “Dustin.” Max glared at him.

            “What? I don’t know where it is,” Dustin retorted, even as Steve huffed and tugged him out of the aisle.

            Will watched the pair wander off before letting out a heavy sigh, allowing his eyes to close for a minute before looking tiredly towards Max. Quietly, he said, “I’m just…Going to sit down for a bit.”

            Without waiting for a response, Will turned and walked to the end of the shelves, settling down just around the corner with his back to the endcap. His shoulders slumped, a stiff ache stinging at the nape of his neck. His eyes felt sandy and dry, a hint of a burn igniting every time he blinked. He covered his face with his hands. The distant sounds of conversation and footsteps created an atmosphere that rode on the precipice of being soothing. A whimper faintly escaped El.

            The sight of his friends’ tortured faces as they faced the Mind Flayer polluted his thoughts.

            Look at what you’ve caused.

            I have become you, just as you have become me.

            El was hurt, was bleeding, everyone is going to die all because of me.

            It all happened because of—

            “Will?”

            Will lifted his head at Lucas’s voice, his friend’s brow pinched as he regarded him.

            “Are you okay?” Will asked.

            Lucas breathed out a laugh, sliding down to sit beside Will. “I should be asking you that.”

            “I’m fine,” Will assured in a flat tone. “I’m just tired.”

            “Yeah, that was…intense,” Lucas weakly offered, still looking at Will with blatant worry. “Are you sure you’re alright, though?”

            “Yes.”

            “Because, you know, that fight with El was pretty intense, too. Plus, we saw you go down when El was—”

            “I’m fine, Lucas,” Will said, statement bordering on a snap. “I’m fine. I—I was being dumb and, and you know, I should’ve stopped it, but I—”

            “Woah.” Lucas shook his head. “Man, that is not where I was going at all.” He placed a hand on Will’s shoulder, gripping firmly enough to offer comfort, but not so tight as to prohibit escape. “Will, none of us blame you for what happened.”

            “But you should,” Will insisted, curling his knees towards his chest. His arms wrapped themselves around his legs, forming his body into a ball. “I’m the reason the Mind Flayer found us. I’m the reason he attacked all of you. El got bitten because of me.”

            “Will, none of those things are your fault.”

            “Yes, they are. You heard El back at the cabin, the Mind Flayer, it’s—It’s in me, Lucas. It’s a part of me. He found us because he’s connected to me. Me being here, being around all of you, it’s the reason all of this is happening. I led him all to you. Th-The bite, the possessions, all of the fights, it’s all because I—”

            “Will, stop.”

            A knot formed in Will’s throat at Lucas’ forceful interjection.

            The hand on his shoulder squeezed as Lucas’ dark eyes bore into Will’s hazel. “Do you remember when we were seven?” Will blinked at the sudden change of subject, but remained silent as Lucas carried on, “Mike and Dustin were both home sick, so it was just the two of us for the day. We went into the woods to play hide and seek, and it was my turn to find you.” A rueful smile began to form across Lucas’s lips. “You’d run off and I had no idea where you went. You were, like, the champion of hiding.” A bitter smirk flashed quickly across Will’s face before dropping back into grim confusion. “So, I tried climbing a tree to see if I could find you that way. Cover more ground with less work, you know?”

            Will did know. He could remember a humid day, the song of cicadas drifting into the wind as he tucked himself into the nook of a tree. He remembered the adrenaline rushing through him, a smile spread across his face as he pictured Lucas searching far and wide when Will was only hiding a few feet from the starting point. He remembers the sound of a branch snapping.

            “The tree couldn’t hold my weight and I fell. I broke my arm in two places.”

            Lucas had yelled, crying out a word their parents would be astonished to hear from his young mouth. Will remembers going rigid, but staying in his hiding spot. He’d stayed hidden, wanting to keep playing the game. He thought it was a trick. He was seven and he was stupid, and there he was listening to his friend scream in pain because he’d thought Lucas was trying to lure him out of hiding.

            “You didn’t come out right away. You only came out once I’d started running home.”

            “I’m sorry,” Will whispered.

            Lucas chuckled. “I know, man. You apologized then, too. You were upset for weeks afterwards.” He shook his head as he let go of Will’s shoulder. “I remember you saying over and over how you were the worst friend ever, and you should have realized sooner that it wasn’t a trick. And, the funniest part is, I was never even mad at you.”

            “You weren’t?”

            “No,” Lucas said. “Will, I was the one who climbed the tree. I took the risk. You didn’t need to apologize for breaking my arm when I’m the one who broke it.”

            “I…guess,” Will conceded. He swiftly added, “But that was a lot different from what’s happening now.”

            “You’re right. You have even less blame in this situation.”

            At that, Will couldn’t hold back a scoff.

            “No, it’s true,” Lucas asserted. “El said, the lab had a gate open underneath it and the Mind Flayer had tried going through it. She said you stopped it and closed the gate, right?” Will nodded. “Right, and since then, the Mind Flayer hasn’t been able to come here.”

            “Until I came back,” Will grumbled.

            “And how did you come back, Will?” Lucas asked, exasperation dripping from the words.

            Will’s mouth twisted. “The gate underneath the mall.”

            “Right,” Lucas said. “You came back because of the gate. The Mind Flayer was able to come here because of the gate. If anyone’s to blame for the Mind Flayer being here, it’s the Russians. Not you.”

            “But, he…followed me—”

            “Man, the Mind Flayer is a huge, highly intelligent monster that knows how to possess and control other things like some sort of giant, meaty queen bee,” Lucas deadpanned. “I’m sure it would’ve figured out a way to come here, with you or without you.”

            Will stayed quiet, breaking his eye contact with Lucas to stare down at the floor.

            After a moment, Lucas sighed, “Look, Will, I’m going to tell you the same thing I told you back when we were seven and you apologized to me for the twentieth time in one day.” Lucas draped his arm around Will’s shoulder. “You need to stop thinking everything is your fault. Sometimes, shit just happens and there isn’t really a reason for it.”

            “But I could’ve stopped it,” Will’s voice broke.

            “You did. You stopped it back in the Upside Down. You saved us when we—” Lucas stopped himself, his own eyes growing wetter. “You saved us before. Now, you’re back and we’ve been…really shitty, but…This time, we’re going to help you. This time, you need to let us save you.”

            A sob broke through Will’s crumbling façade and Lucas tugged him into a tight hug.

           Outside, the night was quiet.

Chapter Text

            It took several, long minutes before Will could find the strength to pry himself off Lucas’ shoulder. The weight nestled inside of his chest was still there, leaning ominously against his ribs, but the threat of his bones splintering had momentarily lessened. Lucas kept a hand on his back as he tried to get his breathing back into a steady rhythm. He roughly rubbed his eyes, adding to the irritation. He could hear faint whimpering emerge from two aisles over, his heart aching at the hurt El was enduring.

            It won’t be long before he finds us. If he could find the cabin, then he can find—

            “Dustin, put that back, we’re supposed to be finding a bowl—”

            “Hey, Lucas, Will!” Dustin said, his happy trot coming to a halt in front of them. Behind him, Steve gave an audible scoff before rolling his eyes and wandering off to continue what would likely be a fruitless search.

            In Dustin’s arms was a large, yellow box. “You guys need to check this out, I found a—” His smile dropped as he caught sight of Will. “Are you okay?”

            “I’m fine,” Will answered, though fatigue weighed down his words. “What did you find?”

            Dustin looked unconvinced, continuing to gaze at his friend for a somber moment. He knelt down so that he was eye-level with the other, a hesitant grin making its way onto his face as he said, “I think this’ll help us out. You said the Mind Flayer is weak to heat, right?”

            “Yeah?”

            “Well, Steve and I were looking around, and I think I found a new addition to our arsenal.” Dustin lifted the box with pride, showing off the bold text and alternating flames decorating the box. “I present to you, Sa—”

            “Satan’s Baby?!” Lucas whispered in complete awe. Will watched blankly as he took the box excitedly, his dark eyes roaming over the various warning signs in glee. “No way.”

            Dustin, though slightly deflated from his thunder being stolen, smugly said, “Way. I bet, if we check in the back, they’ll have even more.”

            “Sweet,” Lucas muttered, holding the box as if it were a precious treasure.

            Will’s gaze bounced between his two friends, a complex combination of light and bitterness churning inside of him at the innocent excitement painting Dustin and Lucas’ faces. The sight of the oversized, frankly irresponsible rocket may have once sparked a similar feeling inside of Will. A feeling of exhilaration, of bravery, of dangerous curiosity. But now, staring at the explosive marketed to children, there was a hollowness inside of him. A loss of sensation that left him looking at his friends’ excitement with complete apathy.

            You changed.

            “That doesn’t look like a bowl.”

            The three boys peered up in response to the disappointment-laced voice. Max stood a few paces away, arms crossed sternly as she regarded them. Dustin and Lucas quickly stood up, Will joining them after a brief delay.

            Lucas smiled and declared, “Nah, it’s way better.”

            Dustin grabbed the box back, swiveling it around so that the warning label faced Max. He tapped the cardboard proudly and said, “See that? That says eighteen or older. Know why?” After a beat of unimpressed silence, Dustin continued, “Because, this is filled with one hundred and fifty grades of black powder. What’s black powder, you ask?”

            “Gunpowder,” Lucas quipped.

            Dustin tossed the box to Max, who caught it without a trace of enthusiasm.

            “Strap two of these together, and it’s bigger than an M80,” Lucas said, hands acting out the grandeur of the statement.

            Dustin nodded, adding, “Put five of them together, their strength can rival that of dynamite.”

            Max’s eyebrow quirked, looking between the two impromptu salesmen with silent judgment. She said, “You want to kill that thing with…fireworks?”

            “Well, realistically, we’d probably need a lot more of these things to actually kill it,” Dustin conceded. “This could probably at least maim it, though.”

            “So, you want to piss it off with fireworks?”

            “Uh, no—”

            “At the very least, it'll do something,” Lucas said, irritation beginning to bleed onto his face. “It’s better than nothing.”

            “You’re right, it is better than nothing. Except, we don’t have nothing.” Max tossed the box back at Dustin, the curly-haired teen fumbling momentarily before securing it in his arms. “We’ve got Eleven and Will.” Bile rose in Will’s throat.

            “I’m sorry, did you miss what just went down at the cabin?” Lucas asked. “That thing is huge and El is hurt. She and Will are going to need back up if they want to face that thing. They need help, Max, even if you think they don’t.”

            Max opened her mouth, ready to retort, but Will met her gaze. He shook his head, pleading with her to not allow this to grow into another argument. She scowled and turned away with a huff, marching further into the store to undoubtedly look for the long-forgotten bowl.

            Lucas watched her with a frown, body rigid with a tension he didn’t know how to release. Eventually, he muttered, “C’mon, Dustin. Let’s look for more of these.” He stomped off without waiting for a reply.

            Dustin blinked, looking from Lucas to Will. His mouth twisted as his conflicted thoughts played openly across his face. Will took pity on him after a moment, finally saying, “Go with him. We both know he’ll just get angrier if we let him stew for too long.”

            “What about you?”

            Will frowned. “What about me?”

            “Will, I’m pretty sure you’ve been doing nothing but stewing since coming back to us,” Dustin said, stepping closer to put a hand on his friend’s shoulder. “It’s not good, man.”

            A flare of indignancy flashed, just barely smothered in time for Will to reply, “I’m fine, Dustin. Just go with Lucas for now, alright?” His knuckles turned white from the force with which he clenched his fists.

            As if finally recognizing the futility of arguing, Dustin sighed and nodded. With one last glance, he walked off in the direction Lucas had disappeared.

            Will stood motionless, his eyes locked onto the now mud-streaked, scuffed up sneakers on his feet. If he squinted just so, the lines of the tiles could be bent and twisted into string like vines. The dust in the air, when looked upon too intently, could evolve into the formless flakes of decay drifting through the Upside Down’s air like a dandelion’s seeds. Somewhere, perhaps somewhere far or uncomfortably near, the growls of a predator were reverberating through the night sky. He just had to listen closely, just had to focus, and the call would surely find its way into his ears.

            “…hurt?”

            “Not bad.”

            A hush conversation, one not meant for him to hear.

            Will stepped closer regardless.

            “Just let me know. If it hurts, I mean.”

            “Hm.”

            His footsteps were silent as he crept closer.

            “…Did he say why?”

            “What?”

            “Will. Did he…Say why he was scared to tell us?”

            His body stilled.

            “He said everyone changed.”

            “Changed how?”

            “Everyone is…different.”

            A huff, the sound of something shifting.

            Will’s throat was dry.

            “Are you scared?”

            “Huh?”

            “Will changed, too. Are you scared?”

            “I’m not scared, I’m just— He’s just—” A heavy sigh. “I don’t know. Things used to be so easy, between me and him. We never hid anything from each other. I used to know everything about him, could tell what he was thinking just by looking at him. Now, I look at him, and I—” More shifting, a troubled groan. “Nowadays, I don’t even know what I’m thinking. All this stuff with Will, all these things I’m feeling, it’s…It’s making me crazy.”

            “What’s making you crazy?”

            “…I—”

            “How is there not a single goddamn bowl in this place?” Steve’s agitated cry broke through the secretive air, putting an abrupt halt to the whispering.

            The sounds of shoes clacking angrily against tile ended with a faint whack and the sound of Nancy reprimanding, “Keep your voice down!”

            “I’ve got one!” Max’s voice entered the fray, the squeak of her sneakers rapidly approaching.

            Will straightened up, gulping down the breaths that Mike and El’s hushed conversation had stolen from him. His heart was pounding at an impossible rhythm, its speed second only to that of his thoughts. The desperate desire to know what Mike was going to say, what he was thinking, was inescapable.

            Things used to be so easy, between me and him.

            Why'd you even come back?!

            “You alright?”

            Blinking back into the present, Will briefly wondered how long Max had been standing in front of him. The redhead’s face was pinched with aggravated anxiety, but her ice-colored eyes still shined with genuine concern.

            Will let out a small huff, saying, “I think I should start charging you guys money to ask me that.”

            “If you gave us an honest answer, maybe we’d stop asking,” Max said, one hand on her hip while the other held a small bowl. “Hiding might’ve worked in the Upside Down. But, sooner or later, it won’t be an option.”

            “Considering what happened thirty minutes ago, it already isn’t an option.”

            “I’m not talking about the Mind Flayer, Will.”

            Then it’s not worth talking about.

            Will held his tongue, instead allowing his eyes to drift back to the floor. He could feel his skin prickle with vexation as the unwanted advice was tucked away alongside his other friends’ snippets of wisdom. He knew they meant well, knew they were trying to help, but that couldn’t stop what was boiling inside of him. How effortless it was for them, how simple, to say all he had to do was be honest about it all. As if sharing his thoughts, his feelings, his torment, would solve anything.

            Just talk about it.

            How? How could he talk about it? What phrases held enough weight; what words held enough meaning? Two years lost in the dark, in the cold, in the forgotten recesses of his loved one’s minds and he was supposed to talk about it? To whom? To the ones he’d broken apart, the ones whose healed wounds he shredded open just by being alive?

            What right did he have to talk to them about it?

            What right do they have to hear it?

            A sudden squeeze to his hand almost startled a yelp out of him, Will looking to see Max was gently gripping his fingers. Her expression, somber and tinged with fright, made his shoulders slump. Quietly, she said, “We’ll get through this.”

            The words seemed to be directed more at herself than at him.

            Will nodded all the same.

            After the stark white bandage had been firmly secured around El’s bite, the group of teens sat in a small huddle within the aisle. Plans were muttered, exchanged, and shot down. The tangled mess of possibilities, of problems and complications, quickly extinguished each and every spark of strategy. Fitting together a puzzle none of them had the pieces for was quickly dissolving their morale. There were so many variables, so many moving parts, so many chances of failure.

            Will couldn’t take his eyes off El’s leg.

            “This is going nowhere,” Nancy huffed, crossing her arms as she leaned back against a shelf.

            “Why don’t we go to the cops or something?” Steve asked, hair thoroughly disheveled after countless rakes of his hand.

            Mike scoffed, “Yeah, because they’ve always been so helpful.”

            “Hopper knows about the Upside Down. He’d be able to help,” Dustin pointed out.

            “Yeah, that’s great but, as we’ve already established, Hopper’s in Illinois.”

            “Do you think he’s still there?” Max asked.

            “We haven’t checked in on them in a while. They could be back in town or at least somewhere closer,” Lucas said. “Better to look than just rule them out.”

            “I’ll look,” El said, shifting her legs to stand up.

            Will felt a pulse from the bandage as her leg passed him.

            “Are you sure?” Mike asked, unease painting his features. “You shouldn’t be overdoing it–”

            “I’m fine,” El said, face like stone as she stood and made her way to the end of the aisle. She grabbed a hand towel from the endcap, ripping off its tag. “We don’t have time.”

            “But–”

            “El’s right,” Max cut in. “We need to figure this out quickly. The longer it takes, the more people that thing is melting.” She matched the glare Mike shot her way, but neither made any move to escalate.

            Will stood as well, quickly grabbing another hand towel and joining El in front of the freezers. Ignoring Jonathan’s soft call of his name, he said, “I’ll help you.”

            “I can–”

            “I know you can,” Will said. “Let me help anyway.”

            El gazed at him for a moment, some of the frost slowly melting from her stare as she nodded. Quietly, she mumbled, “Thank you.”

            The stares of the rest of the group burned into Will’s back as he helped El situate herself on the ground. He sat down as well, fiddling with the hand towel to find a way to tie it around his head. As he moved, his leg suddenly brushed ice. A shiver wracked his spine as he quickly put down the towel, looking down at his shin.

            El’s leg was brushing his.

            “Will?”

            “Are you cold?”

            El paused, her head tilting slightly. “No?”

            Will stared at her bandage. “...Really?”

            “Will,” El said, tone almost scolding. “Focus.”

            With an apologetic nod, Will settled and tied the towel over his eyes. He held his hands out, his fingers brushing with El’s before intertwining with them. Her hands were warm, almost too warm. He could feel the cold radiating from her bandage, a steady thrum of something just out of his reach.

            Why–

            “Focus.”

            There was a nudge at the base of his skull, a gentle but firm push.

            Together, the two breathed in deeply and lost themselves to the hum of the freezers.

            Cries of delight filled the air.

            Large rides with blinking lights and twinkling signs spun with whimsy as children screamed with joy. The sound of popping balloons and air rifles puncturing paper targets peppered themselves between the myriads of conversations. Families and couples, children and adults, all the attendees moved and swayed in an unorganized dance as they partook in the celebration. There was so much happiness, so much light, a perfect bubble of revelry.

            Will didn’t recognize the scene.

            “What do you see?” Max’s voice leaked into the air.

            “It’s a fair?” Will guessed, surveying the area. “For the Fourth of July.”

            “Wait. That’s happening in town right now. Are you in Hawkins?” Lucas' voice appeared.

            El nodded beside him, catching him by surprise. “We’re in Hawkins. Today’s fair.”

            “Since when do we–”

            “Where’s your mom? Where’s Hopper?” Nancy asked.

            The pair looked around, eyes scanning the fluctuating crowd. The bright stalls and vibrant clothing, matched with the flickers of ignited sparklers was an overwhelming sight to eyes that had been surrounded in darkness for so long.

            They were being so loud, so careless, so stupid.

            It was going to get them.

            “There,” El said, pointing with her free hand to a small group of figures hidden behind an inactive stall on the outskirts of the festivities. Will swallowed thickly before joining El in the walk towards them. The cacophony of the surrounding party began to bleed away the closer they came to the huddle, hushed voices sounding oddly choked as a muted argument was had.

            Will’s mother was crouched on the ground beside Hopper, the two of them pale and sporting matching faces of horror. They were muttering lowly, so lowly that it was impossible they could hear one another. There were tears running down Joyce’s face, the sight of them making his chest ache.

            Across from them were two men, though Will recognized neither. One looked utterly stricken, mumbling something about stepping away for only a moment. A moment too long. The other was a gentle looking man, the same one Will saw outside of Melvald’s. The same one who’d kissed his mother and brought a smile to her face. He was holding his mother’s hand, his own look of sorrow weighing on his face.

            In the center of the huddle, a man was slumped over on the ground, a Woody Woodpecker plush half fallen out of his limp hold. He had thick glasses with black frames, his hair short and tightly curled. His face was unfamiliar, a stranger to the tiny town of Hawkins. In the center of his chest, a splotch of crimson had blossomed.

            “Did you find them?”

            That man is dead.

            “El? Will? You need to talk to us. What do you see?”

            Their hands squeezed each other simultaneously, an unspoken plea for strength.

            “There’s…I…” Will’s mouth refused to form the words.

            “Someone is dead,” El said.

            “What?”

            “What did she say?”

            “Someone’s dead?”

            “Who is it? Who’s dead?”

            The scene around Will and El became shaky, the sound of their friends' voices growing stronger as the reality around them wavered. The colors were blending, bleeding, warping, fading–

            “Quiet.”

            El’s firm command dispelled the noise, the somber picture once more coming into focus. The adults looked at each other, their lost expressions mirroring what the teenagers felt just moments ago.

            “Karen doesn’t know where the kids are,” Joyce said, her voice partially water-logged. “She said the only place she can think of that they would be if not here is the mall.”

            “Then we’ll head there,” Hopper decided, his tone like steel. “Either way, that’s where we need to be to shut down the machine.”

            The man closest to the man on the ground let out a harsh breath. “And how do you propose we get to the machine, Jim? Even with the map and details Alexei gave me, we have no idea where the entrance to the base is.”

            “If those Commies’ve been this sloppy with their operation so far, then we’ll figure it out. We don't have any other options here, Murray.”

            “The military,” the last man said. “The military is on its way, isn’t it?”

            “We don’t have time to sit and wait for them, Bob. We’ve got to act now.”

            Together, the adults stood.

            Will startled as his mother came to an abrupt halt right in front of him. Her face twisted, a conflict playing out across her features as she seemed to stare through her youngest son. Will felt sweat gathering in his palms, a shake developing in his legs. He was taller than her now, could see the top of her head without balancing on his toes. She looked smaller now, less invincible. He wanted to reach out, to call out to her. He wanted to run.

            A small tug on his hand grounded him.

            “Joyce? You coming?”

            The woman before Will blinked, the haze in her eyes clearing as she looked back to her group. The man, the one they’d called Bob, had laid a gentle hand on her back.

            “I…Yes, I’m coming.”

            With that, the adults made their way out of the fair.

            Together, Will and El removed their makeshift blindfolds. The steady pounding behind Will’s eyes coupled with the stickiness on his upper lip wasn’t welcome, but it was familiar. From the slight sway of El’s body, he could tell the connection had drained her as well. To his left, he heard a small, expectant cough.

            He turned to see all six of his friends crowded around him and El.

            Jonathan was staring at him in worry, hand partially raised as though he were debating whether to reach out to his brother. The hesitance was heart-wrenching, but also gave Will an odd reassurance. Jonathan so clearly wanted to fuss over him, wanted to ask that same question he’d already been pelted with a million times, but was biting his tongue. For that, Will was grateful.

            “What happened?” Max finally broke the silence. “What did you see?”

            “Who died?” Dustin blurted, only to be immediately elbowed by Lucas.

            El answered, “There was a man, dead on the ground. Hopper, Mrs. Byers, and Mr. Newby were with him. Another man was there too.”

            “Another man? Who?”

            “Murr…ay?” El attempted, looking to Will for confirmation.

            He nodded. “They called him Murray. They mentioned a machine at the mall. They must have been talking about what’s being used to open the gate.”

            “How did they find out about the gate?” Jonathan asked.

            “I don’t know, but it must be tied to whatever they were heading to Illinois for. Hopper also mentioned the Russians, so they must somehow know about the operation under the mall,” Will theorized.

            “They’re looking for us,” El added. “They’re going to the mall to look for us and stop the machine.”

            “If they stop the machine, they’ll close the gate, right?” Steve asked.

            Will nodded, but said, “It sounds like they don’t know where it is, though.”

            “We need to tell them,” Nancy said. “From what Will’s described, there’s no way they’ll find it if they go in blind.”

            There was a moment of heavy deliberation, the group casting glances amongst themselves as their options were weighed. It was clear that the decision rested on the pair before the freezers, their eyes the only ones to have even partially witnessed what they were truly up against.

            El gave Will a hard stare, searching for something though he was lost as to what. To him, the choice was clear. Going to the mall and attempting a wide sweep for the gate while avoiding the guards was a suicide mission. The adults’ lives depended on his intel. His mother’s life depended on it.

            Looking up at his companions, Will said, “Let’s go.”

            Getting into Starcourt was far easier than expected. The last movie of the evening, Back to the Future, was still releasing the last of its guests. Men dressed in security jackets stood at the doors, wishing the patrons a nice evening. Their eyes were covered with dark shades, the slightest hint of an accent just barely detectable if one listened closely. The steady flow of people from the main entrances mandated the men to keep their positions to ensure all civilians were making their way out of the building.

            This left the employee entrance to the far side of the mall critically vulnerable.

            With Nancy and Jonathan standing watch, Steven unlocked the door and ushered the younger teens inside. Dustin, Lucas, and Mike carried boxes overflowing with the largest fireworks they could loot from the convenience store. Will and Max helped a profusely sweating El hobble after them, moving as quickly as her injury would allow.

            Once they were all inside, Steve locked the door behind them and led the way through the narrow hall to Scoops Ahoy. He surveyed each door carefully as he passed even as he commented, “Everything closed by noon ‘cause of the fair. Only the theater stayed open since today was a special release.”

            Before long, the group had managed to smuggle themselves into the vacant ice cream shop. Lucas and Dustin set about organizing the fireworks to distribute evenly to each person. Will and Max situated El as comfortably as possible on one of the small booths, the redhead and Nancy sitting with the injured girl to discuss further details of their half-formed plan. Jonathan and Steve were also quietly conversing, though Harrington was keeping a close eye on the pair handling the fireworks while the elder Byers’ eyes never left Will.

            A look into the main area outside of Scoops Ahoy revealed a deserted food court. The distant sounds of people still making their way out of the mall drifted down from the floor above. Dim moonlight spilled into the open space from the skylight. The large fountain in the center had been switched off for the evening, no longer a source of white noise. It felt so far removed from where Will had joined El and Max to watch as a local mean girl’s smoothie exploded into her hair.

            It feels so long ago.

            Peering back at his brother, Will lightly motioned with his head to the space outside. He said, “I’m going to look around.”

            Jonathan frowned, regarding Will for a moment too long, before finally saying, “Stay close, okay?”

            With a nod, the teen turned and ventured out into the food court.

            He walked silently across the large stretch of free space before settling himself on the edge of the center fountain, the sensation of being out in the open filling him with unease. It was preferable to being in the group, just for a moment. The events of the past few days, the knowledge of what had already begun to unravel, were flooding Will’s brain. His mother was coming. She was going to see him alive and well after believing all that had remained of him was a tattered, bloodied vest abandoned in an unreachable hellscape. Hopper would likely have questions for El, the answers to which he was not going to like. Yet another conflict Will had kick-started, another thought that needed to be filed away for later because there still wasn’t a solid plan about what exactly they were going to do about the Russians, or the gate, or the Mind Flayer, or Billy—

            There were footsteps coming up from behind him.

            His body’s immediate instinct was to freeze, his lungs frozen mid-exhale.

            “Will?”

            Mike.

            Allowing the breath to fully leave his chest, Will forced his muscles to untense.

            “Yeah, Mike?”

            The dark-haired boy was biting his lip, his legs shifting awkwardly. The anxiety was so palpable, Will felt himself turning to face his friend. Gentling his tone, he asked, “What is it?”

            Mike’s mouth opened and shut several times before he managed, “I just wanted to talk to you. If, um, that’s alright.”

            Such a request would’ve once been so outlandish, Will might’ve thought Mike had lost his mind. Now, the same apprehension coloring Mike’s words could be found flowing through Will’s veins. The shorter teen nodded. “Sure.”

            Mike nodded back, slowly coming forward and sitting down beside Will on the fountain. His eyes were dancing along the floor, as if assembling a puzzle that only he could see. He said, “I’m sorry for what I said to you before.” His pale hands were rubbing on his legs, uselessly trying to rid them of sweat. “I know I’ve been an asshole, and I don’t want to be.”

            “Then why are you acting like one?” Will asked.

            With a small wince, Mike said, “I’m just…Mad.”

            “About?”

            “I think that’s pretty obvious.”

            “You’re taking it out on the wrong people, though.”

            “I’m sorry.”

            “I’m not the one you should be apologizing to.”

            The gentle lapping of the water along marble filled the uncertain air between them. It wasn’t long before Will’s eyes gave into the temptation of glancing at Mike. The taller teen was hunched over slightly, his brow pinched as he thought silently to himself. There was a sadness there, draped over him like a cloak. Will wished he could remove it.

            Eventually, he said, “There is one thing I’ve been wondering about.”

            “What’s that?”

            “The night before I came back to your house, why were you at Castle Byers?”

            Mike looked surprised, a faint dash of color coming to his cheeks. He turned his face away from Will. He replied, “I just go there, sometimes.”

            “Why?”

            “I…” Mike hesitated, again sorting through his words carefully. Finally, he turned to Will. “When everyone thought you were gone—fuck, since the first day you went missing—people were telling me to move on. That you would want me to get over it. And it just, it just pissed me off because how was I supposed to get over that?” Mike’s eyes were shining with an overwhelming honesty, burning bright with something unknown. “How was I supposed to get over you?”

            Will felt his mouth go dry.

            With a quiver of his bottom lip, Mike continued, “Even after your mom found your vest, told us you really were gone, I just–you know–I couldn’t accept it. I hated how everyone seemed so ready to just let it go.” A breathless, almost abashed laugh left Mike. “It was like Castle Byers was the one trace of you Hawkins hadn’t gotten rid of. I would go there, on my really bad nights, and…It felt like, in a way, I could be with you again.” Mike scratched the back of his neck, a grin climbing uncomfortably onto his face. “Sorry, that probably sounds weird.”

            “It’s not weird,” Will managed to mumble, eyes glassy as he digested Mike’s stumbled explanation. His stomach felt odd, squirming with something far removed from dread. Memories of sneaking into the Wheelers’ house, of sitting on Mike’s bed and pretending the deafening silence was filled with his favorite voice chattering on about the latest campaign idea, swam to the front of his mind. “I get it.”

            He held back a flinch when Mike’s shoulder softly bumped his, the comforting pressure remaining after the teen had scooted closer. Quietly, Mike whispered, “I’m sorry, Will.”

            “Mike, El and Max are who–”

            “No, no, I mean.” Mike swallowed. Will could feel his shoulder tremble.

            “Mike?”

            A shaky hand wrapped around Will’s.

            “I’m sorry we didn’t save you.” There was a tremor in Mike’s voice. “I’m sorry I left you there.”

            Will stared down at their hands, the world narrowing down to long, pale fingers clutching those that were littered with small scars. Will could remember when those scars weren’t there, when his fingers were small and clumsy, and Mike’s were too but they were always just a little bit longer. Back before the Upside Down, before the dark, and decay, and rot, and heartbreak; their hands often found themselves together. A sign of support, a sign of bravery, a sign of happiness, their hands would slot together perfectly as they faced all that Hawkins threw at them.

            Now, their hands were big, awkwardly stuck in the middle of rapid growth. His hands were rough and marred with months of clawing through hell to survive. Mike’s were boney with sharp angles, as if his skin was caught off-guard by the sudden growth of his bones.

            They were different, almost unrecognizable, but somehow, they fit.

            We still fit.

            “Mike–”

            A short, cut-off shriek startled both boys, their attention whipping over to Scoops Ahoy.

            “Was that El?”

            From the second floor, there was a far-off order barked in a foreign tongue accompanied by heavy footsteps. Will cursed silently to himself. Whatever guards had been securing the exits had no doubt begun to move back into the mall. That yell just alerted them to their presence.

            Dustin came sprinting toward the pair, gasping, “Mike! Will! El’s leg, it’s gotten worse! Like, a lot worse!”

            “What?” Mike asked, quickly getting to his feet. “How’d it get worse?”

            “Shit, I don’t know, man; there’s something moving in it!”

            Will stood as well, his stomach sinking as he thought about the frost-like feeling of El’s leg. He wants her power. Distant movement could be heard upstairs. He said, “Mike, you and Dustin help the others with El. The Mind Flayer must have tried to attach to her, probably injected a piece of itself into the wound. You need to get it out.”

            “What about you?”

            “Those guards are going to be here soon. I’ll keep them away,” Will explained, already moving toward the halted escalator just outside of the food court.

            Mike blocked his path, head shaking. “Will, you can’t. It’s too–”

            “If they come down here and find all of us, there will be no getting out of it,” Will said, desperate. “At best, they’ll take us hostage. At worst, they’ll kill us.”

            “One of us can come with you, though,” Dustin suggested. “We can use some of the fireworks.”

            “No. If we end up needing them, then we’ll need all of them. Besides, they might alert the guards who still don’t know we’re here.” Will looked between his two friends, grimacing at their unconvinced frowns. He grabbed Mike’s arms, giving them a small shake. “Please, I can do this.”

            All of them could hear the voices and boots, their volume emphasized by the emptied mall’s echoing. Mike’s gaze bounced from Will to the upper level.

            Frantic, clearly unpleased, Mike said, “Don’t get caught.”

            Will nodded, giving a small grin and a squeeze to Mike’s arms before racing toward and up the escalator.

            “Stay alert. Clear all sectors of civilians.” The gunman spoke in Russian into his earpiece, his partner staying close to his side as they surveyed their section of hall. On the other end of his comm, he heard four voices give an affirmative. The guards held rifles that were once concealed under their black jackets. The two had been stationed at the east entrance, just finishing their final lock up when a sound within the mall had alerted them and the other four watchmen to a possible loiterer. He cleared his throat, calling out in English, “Starcourt is closed for the evening. As of now, you are trespassing on private property. Please come out now and we shall escort you to the nearest exit.”

            A faint reverberation of his voice was all that came back.

            His partner scoffed. “If I’d known I would be spending this assignment playing security for American pigs, I would’ve–”

            “You would’ve stayed quiet and done as you’re told,” the gunman said, monotone in his reprimand. “If you cannot do something as simple as this for our country, then you do not deserve the uniform.”

            “Are you saying you enjoy this?”

            “I’m saying, the sooner we find the intruder and deal with them, the sooner you can stop playing security.”

            There was a flash at the corner ahead.

            “Did you see that?”

            “See what?”

            “What is the use of you? You don’t even pay attention.” The gunman forced an amicable tone. “Hello! If someone is there, we must ask you to come out now. The mall is closed.”

            The two continued forward, unsurprised by the lack of an answer. There was nothing beyond the corner, just another stretch of darkened shops. The gates were all lowered, most sporting padlocks of differing sizes.

            “You must be as eager to leave as I am,” the gunman’s partner commented, “if your eyes are already playing tricks on you.”

            “Shut it,” the gunman hissed. “Just stay fo–”

            A shadow darted across the end of the corridor.

            The two stopped talking, eyes locked onto the space. They advanced slowly, the gunman’s partner slowly raising his rifle.

            “Excuse me. You must come out now,” the gunman said, friendly facade forgotten. “The mall is closed.”

            The stretch of mall began to curve, gently coaxing those on its path back towards its core. Benches and plants broke up the space, creating immovable figures in the dim light. The skylight above provided just enough illumination for the men to avoid knocking into anything.

            The pair’s earpieces crackled to life.

            “West wing is quiet. Nothing to report.”

            “Nothing to report in the north section.”

            The gunman frowned. “The original disturbance came from the south food court. All units, make your way there.”

            “Yes, sir.”

            “Yes, sir.”

            Looking at his partner, the gunman said, “Any route to the exit will be blocked. Converging from all sides will eliminate escape.”

            The two continued through the mall, guns now poised for as they quickly scanned the windows of each store front. Faceless mannequins peered back at them from all sides, posed playfully in their neon fabrics. Large banners describing sales and new arrivals shoved their way into view with bold print and dramatic designs. In the daylight, it was vibrant. In moonlight, it had turned to lifeless grayscale.

            A loud pop sounded from beside the gunman.

            He spun to the left; gun raised.

            Another pop, this time further down the line of shops.

            Up ahead, a shadow dashed to the right.

            “There!”

            The two guards ran toward the figure, following its route back into the mall. The gunman began rapidly speaking into his earpiece, “In pursuit. Subject making its way toward the second-floor main plaza. All units, be ready to head them off.”

            “Yes, sir!”

            “Yes, sir!”

            The men tailed the target, unable to gain speed on it as disorienting flashes and flares would suddenly dance in the corners of their vision, disorienting them. There were random yells from their earpieces, the other agents shouting about sparks leaping from nowhere as they followed the trail to the center of the second floor.

            All at once, the men stumbled to a halt before their fellow operatives, all three pairs almost colliding with each other.

            “What–”

            A sharp, piercing screech erupted from the earpieces, forcing a cry from the group as each agent ripped the devices from their ears. On the ground and in their hands, the instruments were sparking as the smell of burnt wires rose from them.

            The gunman scowled. “How did this–”

            “Sir,” an agent from the west wing interrupted. “Over there.”

            Across the plaza, one of the store gates was slightly ajar, lifted the perfect amount for a small body to slip through. The padlock lay on the ground, inexplicably open.

            The gunman’s partner whispered, “Let’s finish this.”

            Together, the group moved toward the store.

            The north and west agents lined themselves against the glass windows, the gunman’s partner keeping his gun aimed into the store as the gunman reached down to lift the gate. Casting a confirming glance at his allies, he lifted the metal slowly.

            Inside, clothing racks were aligned in neat rows through the store, a basic set up for its consumers to simply rifle through for what they want. Mannequins stood atop platforms, frozen in moments of summer merriment. At the far end of the store, a large banner of a smiling family gazed down at the armed men.

            Waving his hand, the gunman motioned the men forward.

            They slowly fanned out, dispersing throughout the racks.

            It was dead silent, a stillness seeming to freeze the very air around them. Pressure was bearing down on them, gravity feeling heavier by the moment. Their heartbeats pounded in each of their ears.

            A distant yell came from the other end of the mall.

            The men turned to look.

            “Ah!”

            On of the north agents cried out, abruptly dropping his gun.

            “Shit!”

            “What the hell are you–” The gunman’s own reprimand was cut short as a searing pain overcame his hands. His skin felt as though it were being peeled back as heat blossomed through his palms, his flesh physically cooking. He dropped his rifle, just barely able to see the blisters bubbling onto his palms. Around him, he could hear the yells of the other men as their weapons hit the ground one by one.

            “It hurts!”

            “What’s happening to me?!”

            “Dear god, make it stop!”

            “Calm yourselves!” The gunman yelled. “Keep your heads! We mustn’t–!”

            Like a rope had been tied to his guts, the gunman felt himself tugged backward with inconceivable speed. A sickening crack echoed through the store as the men’s heads collided with each other. They fell into a heap on the ground, limp bodies laid like stringless marionettes.

            The figure from before entered the store, staring at the men for a moment before gathering the rifles into their arms. Retreating back to the front, they set the guns down to lower the gate. They grabbed the padlock, having to forcefully jam the bar back into place from where they had broken it.

             Standing back up, the figure wiped at their bloodied nose, uncaring of the way crimson smeared across its sleeve. Grabbing four of the guns once more, they took one last glance at the scene they’d created. It was hard to tell if any were breathing.

            Fighting back nausea, Will Byers began his trek back to his friends.

Chapter Text

            Poorly stifled yells bounced off the mall’s walls, drowning out Will’s footsteps. He balanced the rifles precariously in his arms, struggling slightly under the weight but maintaining a delicate hold so as not to touch the triggers. He walked quickly, tampering down the urge to recklessly tear towards his friend. Pressure bore down on him, the image of those men lying prone on the floor a permanent fixture behind his eyelids. A pulsing chill had begun to thrum along his spine, growing stronger as he got closer to the sound of wails.

            Upon entering the food court, Will could see the group huddled together on the floor. Panic fueled voices overlapped with each other as pained groans drifted up from the center. El lay on the ground, every tendon and muscle pulled taut beneath her skin. Her face was twisted in agony as she bit down on a wooden spoon. Mike sat behind her, supporting her head and back, while Max and Dustin each held one of her hands. Her body was covered in a thin layer of sweat, causing her clothes to stick onto her skin. She was pale, the jarring flush on her cheeks breaking her corpse-like appearance.

            Jonathan was holding a kitchen knife above El’s leg. There was red smeared along the blade, specks of it flecked across the wooden handle and his face. “Goddammit,” he grunted. “I-I can’t get it! I need to—” He lifts the knife.

            El spits out the spoon. “No!” She screams, tears cutting through the grime on her face. “Stop it!” Nancy reaches over and grabs Jonathan’s arm, the young man dropping the knife with a stricken look. The wounded girl pays him no mind, dislodging Dustin and Max to rest herself on her elbows. El says, “I can do it. I-I can–” Her leg ripples and her eyes slammed shut. Two rough breaths were forced out through her gritted teeth before her brown eyes slowly peeled open, finding Will’s.

            A voice, straining, pleading, entered Will’s head.

            Help me.

            Will sprinted to the group, clumsily depositing the guns on a nearby table. He wedged himself into the huddle, squeezing between Jonathan and Nancy. The wound was far more grotesque up close. Torn flesh sluggishly drooled crimson onto the table. The skin swelled and bruised around the shredded punctures, trying to retake its original shape. Angry, bulging veins fought desperately to supply blood to the rest of the leg. Within the myriad of blues, purples, and reds, black lines slithered along the mangled muscle. A clean slice started at the puncture, splitting El’s bandage open, and stopped just short of halfway down her tibia. There was bubbling, something sliding away from the incision and closer to El’s ankle. Will hovered his hand over the spot.

            Freezing.

            “Okay,” Will muttered, brow furrowed. “Okay, here’s what we’ll do. I can get this thing back up to the cut. It’ll be easier to pull it out that way.” He looked at El, hoping his expression reflected reassurance rather than the trepidation he felt. “Are you ready?”

            Though terror would’ve poured from anyone else’s gaze, El’s held only determination. She nodded once, her voice coming through Will’s head once more.

            Do it.

             Breathing deeply, Will forced his hand to hold steady as he closed his eyes. He gathered heat within his chest, allowing it to build just beneath his heart, nurturing a small spark into a gentle flame. The air in his lungs grew hot, feeding the fire’s warmth. He guided the heat through his shoulder and down his arm, feeling it bloom from his palm. He focused on the cold, the image of a dragon’s breath wafting over a frozen heart playing distantly behind his eyes. The flame within him crackled, racing through his veins and out of his hand.

            There was a sharp ache, an irritated hissing scratching at the back of his brain, though the boy did not relent. He sharpened his concentration, allowing his anger to fuel the blaze. The cold spot began to move. It flinched, leaping forward before stubbornly leaning back. El let out a whimper as it seemed to try to burrow deeper, only to run into bone. Again, it jumped upward, reluctant and fighting. Will’s jaw clenched as he pushed at the creature, shoving it toward the incision.

            Get out. Get out of her. She’s not yours. Get out. Get out NOW.

            Something else seized the coldness, something swirling through the iron grip of his fire. It flowed with precision, wrapping around the invader. It felt like his own energy, but somehow alien. There was a nudge at his brain. A shriek came from below him.

            There was a splatter of something hot against his face, something that smelled like iron.

            The cold was torn from his grasp.

            Will’s eyes opened just as the glass barrier over the booths shattered behind them. El’s eyes were open in a wild fury, her arm swinging as she wrenched something black and squirming and rotting out of her leg, and onto the linoleum floor.

            The mass landed with a sickening squelch, blood and mucus shining in the muted light of the mall. Weakly, it twitched, struggling like a squid that had fallen from an aquarium. It dragged itself along the floor, slowly at first, then gaining speed and strength. More of its limbs began to animate themselves as its bid for freedom grew. It left a streak of decay as it slid, scrambled, panicked. Will lifted a hand, focusing on the pathetic bundle, ready to ignite it—

            A heavy boot fell onto the parasite, a rasping shriek whispering into Will’s ears.

            Across the food court, four adults stood. Jim Hopper’s boot gave one last vindictive grind, crunching whatever bones were still intact within the blob. A balding man with large glasses that Will recognized as the grieving stranger from the fair stared at the children with an almost irked bewilderment. Another man, the one Chief Hopper called Bob and El called Mr. Newby, looked concerned and vaguely frightened. He was squeezing the hand of the woman beside him.

            The woman whose face had gone ashen. 

            The woman whose eyes had locked on Will and have yet to waver.

            The women who raised him. 

            Joyce Byers was looking at Will Byers for the first time since 1983.

            If there was one thing Will Byers had an innate talent in, it was hiding. 

            From the time he could crawl, the youngest Byers had caused many heart attacks. Cupboards and nooks of furniture were his favorite, though he was also partial to the underside of his bed. Anywhere that was quiet, dark, and a tight enough squeeze for just his little body to fit into, Will managed to maneuver himself into it and would stay for hours. Where the world was scary, loud, angry, his hiding spots were calm and safe. Whenever he felt that particular itch of anxiety beneath his skin, Will Byers would disappear.

            His father had no patience for it.

            “A boy running off at the drop of a hat, squirreling away hell knows where– You want to be a sissy forever?” he ranted, a half empty beer bottle swaying in his hand. “One of these days, people are going to stop looking for you. I know I already have.”

            Those words, too heavy for a five year old to properly swallow, buzzed inside of Will’s ears as he slipped away after dinner that day. He’d fled into the woods, weaving through the trees as if he were a fox with hounds snapping at his heels. Eventually, he came to a large tree with a hollow trunk. It was sturdy, dark, and perfect. Uncaring of the cobwebs and leaves tangling into his hair, the young boy shuffled himself into the crevice. Tucking his knees to his chest, he hunkered down and waited for the fluttering in his heart to stop. 

            Even as the sky’s color changed and the shadows around him warped, Will stayed perfectly still. His pulse eventually calmed and the air entered his lungs with less strain. His mind was quieter, thoughts less tangled than they had been before. Everything was calm and he was safe. 

            One of these days, people are going to stop looking for you.

            Maybe, his young mind thought, I can stay here forever.

            Leaves were crunching under light steps, stopping every so often before coming closer. Will held still, waiting for—the monster? His father? No, his father stopped looking—to pass. A breeze drifted through the bark, carrying pollen and dust. A traitorous sneeze escaped him. The footsteps stopped. Will’s heart hammered. They came closer, closer, closer…

            The worried face of Will’s mother appeared in the opening of the tree. 

            Upon seeing her youngest son, Joyce’s face flooded with relief. Fondly, she said, “There he is.”

            Shame had replaced fear, causing Will to remain scrunched in a tiny ball. 

            “I think you’ve set a new record, mister,” Joyce continued, crouching down to look at Will. “I’ve been looking for over an hour.”

            “ ‘M sorry,” the boy mumbled.

            “It’s alright,” his mom said, reaching out a hand to dust some of the debris from Will’s hair. “I’m just glad you’re safe.”

            “You’re not mad?”

            “Why would I be mad?”

            “‘Cause I’m hiding,” Will said, hugging his legs tighter. “Hiding is for sissies.”

            That last word made his mother’s face sour.

            “Sweetheart,” Joyce sighed, “it’s alright if you need to hide sometimes. I’ll always find you, no matter what.”

            “What if you can’t one day?” Will asked. “What if I hide so well, no one ever finds me?”

            Joyce pursed her lips, looking up at the red sunlight breaking through the leaves above. Eventually, she hummed, “Then… I guess when you’re done hiding, you’ll just have to come find me.”

            With the kind of stubborn flair only a five year old could muster, the little boy retorted, “Maybe I’ll hide forever. Maybe I won’t ever come out, not ever again.”

            “No one wants to hide forever, Will,” Joyce said with a kind, sad smile.

            “Why not?”

            “It’d be pretty lonely to hide forever, don’t you think?”

            “...But, not hiding is scary.”

            “It is,” his mother conceded. She gently plucked Will’s hands from where they were gripping his legs, holding them gently in her hands. “But, one day, you won’t have to hide anymore. Until then, I’m always going to be here, either to find you or wait for you to find me. Okay?”

            The little boy sniffled. “Do you promise?”

            “I promise.”

            With that, Will Byers came out of his hiding spot.

            “Well, we know what the commotion over the radio was now,” the man in glasses dryly commented. “Your kids managed to get themselves into the center of a Russian scandal.”

            Hopper shot the man a look. “Not now, Murray,” he grunted. He looked back at the kids. “What are you all doing here?”

            No one moved, each teen gauging the reactions of each adult. Hopper immediately locked onto El, distressed when he saw her wound. He asked, “What happened? Are you alright? How did–”

            “Joyce,” the gentle man, Bob, prompted. “What’s wrong?”

            The woman was silent, not even breathing as she continued to stare straight ahead.

            Will held her gaze, his blood rushing in his ears as he allowed himself to be seen, forcing himself to stay put. The familiar itch ran under his skin, threatening to escape. A tremor ran through him, and he felt a hand land on his shoulder, giving a squeeze. He distantly recognized it as Jonathan’s.

            Hopper looked at Joyce then back to the group, squinting at Will. The cogs turning in his head were visible in his expression before his eyebrows lifted in disbelief. “Is that…” He muttered. “It can’t…”

            Murray seemed even more perturbed by the change in mood. He barked, “What? What is it?”

            There was a small nudge at Will’s back and another in his head. An urging voice.

            No more running.

            Slowly, the boy rose to full height. His legs were wobbling, carrying him with the same amount of grace one would expect from a newborn deer. He tried not to focus on the way his mother’s face didn’t change, staring at him as if he were a figment here to torment her. His lips parted in an attempt to call out to her, but all that left him was a weak rasp.

            He stopped halfway to her, feeling a barrier that had never been between them before.

            Joyce continued to stare, pale and frozen.

            No one moved, the distant sounds of humming electricity swimming through the tension. Even Murray seemed to somber at the scene, his gaze growing softer as the magnitude of what was unfolding dawned on him. 

            From behind Will, there were two hesitant steps. Jonathan’s voice spoke up, “Mom. It’s him.” A few more steps, a hand at Will’s back. He was gently ushered two more steps. Jonathan said, “Will’s home, mom. He’s alive.”

            Hopper and Bob’s mouths were agape with shock. When the grip on her hand went slack, Joyce pulled herself free and began to dazedly shuffle forward. Her eyes darted over every one of Will’s features, lingering for moments where Will was sure the faintest of cuts or scars could be seen. She stopped right in front of him, staring, looking through him.

            Pushing past the gravel in his throat, Will mustered a faint plea of, “Mom?”

            A hand shot forward, grabbing his right arm. Hurriedly, desperately, Joyce pulled up Will’s sleeve. There were scars and knots from months of struggling, months of surviving, but her eyes didn’t linger on any of them. Instead, they locked onto the spot just below his elbow. A peculiar, brown birthmark, still just as vivid as the day he was born.

            A shaky breath tumbled out of Joyce, her fingers gently grazing the mark. Slowly, her gaze lifted to her son’s hazel eyes. In a whisper far too broken to be Will’s mother, she said, “Will?”

            His voice cracked. “Hi, mom.”

            The breath was knocked out of him as Joyce all but tackled Will in a bone-crushing hug. Sobs, shattered but relieved, wracked his mother’s body. She felt so much shorter, so much smaller, in his arms as Will clung back just as frantically. Her arms clutched him as if afraid he’d be taken away, as if this were just another cruel joke.

            Joyce pulled back slightly, hands coming up to cradle his cheeks as she looked at Will in wonder and heartbreak. “My boy,” her voice trembled, thumbs wiping away the tears pouring from hazel eyes. “My beautiful boy.” Will couldn’t find it within himself to be embarrassed by the familiar endearment, not when his mother said it with enough love to make all of the darkness plaguing him in that moment so much lighter. Joyce squished his cheeks slightly, pulling him forward to press kisses to his forehead, nose, and cheeks, before pulling him back into a tight hug. 

            Will buried his face in his mother’s shoulder, his own wails beginning to slip out as he breathed in the scent of cheap detergent and home. The way her hands rubbed his back, how she began to rock slightly when she felt his tears through her shirt, the gentle call of, “I’m here, I’ve got you,” as they stood together soothed something he’d stopped paying attention to long ago. He felt one of Joyce’s arms lift from where she held him, giving a harsh tug to something beside them before the awkward body of Will’s brother joined the embrace.

            Soon, Jonathan’s arms were wrapped around him as well, cocooning him entirely in warmth and protection. Will’s cries grew louder, the sounds of a lost and scared child flooding out of a fourteen-year-old body. His mother and brother just held him closer, their own tears flooding their cheeks as their missing piece was back where he belonged. Will was here, he was with his family, he was home.

            Will was no longer hiding.

            Pulling teeth from a Demogorgon was beginning to seem easier than explaining the events of the last several days to the adults. Every other sentence, an interruption was made. A worried question from Joyce, an indignant protest from Hopper, a confused pondering from Bob, and the odd side comment from Murray. Frustration had long since bled into everyone’s voices as a cohesive timeline was haphazardly constructed. Will did less of the talking than he likely should have, but his voice cracked and wavered every time he attempted to contribute. El was quick to add whatever he wanted to say, giving him a quick glance before correctly supplying whatever event he’d been thinking of.

            As if his thoughts flowed directly into hers.

            “Wait, wait, wait—” Hopper cut off Dustin’s animated retelling. “So, you’re saying you found out about the Russians and whatever they’re doing under the mall. This thing they built is what Will came through to come back here. But there’s also a monster—”

            “Mind Flayer.”

            “—that’s come through and is putting parts of itself into people to melt them in order to make a body so it can…What, exactly?”

            “It’s trying to find a way to get completely into our world,” Mike said. “The thing that’s here isn’t the main body, that’s still in the Upside Down. It’s targeting Will and El, probably because they’re the only ones with the power to stop it.”

            “Will and El?” Joyce echoed, confused. 

            “Oh yeah, Will has powers now,” Dustin added with a grin. “It’s totally rad.”

            “Dustin,” Will hissed.

            “What? It’s awesome!”

            Joyce looked at her youngest son, her expression bordering frantic. “What is he talking about?”

            “I–” Will swallowed roughly. “I can do things, like El can. Move stuff and spy on people—”

            “And set things on fire!”

            “Yes, thank you, Dustin.” Will sighed, closing his eyes to block out whatever look his mother was giving him. “I-It started after a few weeks in the Upside Down. Little things at first, but eventually I could do more. I haven’t been able to actually start a fire, but I can heat things up by… A lot. At one point, I had fought the Mind Flayer and I was able to hurt it.”

            “You fought it?”

            “Well, I mean, I burned it. It can’t stand heat,” Will explained, looking over at Hopper. “If we can close the gate, the main body’s connection to the thing here will be severed. The Mind Flayer will be stuck in the Upside Down.”

            Murray stood up, spreading out a bundle of papers on one of the tables and arranging them with a flourish. He said, “Sounds like the plan hasn’t changed then. We go down there, shut down the Key, close the gate, then this will all be put to rest. For now, anyway.”

            El’s expression shifted, her brow furrowing as she opened her mouth.

            Will beat her to it. “There are people the Mind Flayer has infected that are still alive. If we close the gate, it’ll…Probably kill them.”

            “Who?” Bob asked.

            “My brother, Billy,” Max said, “and…” Her eyes trailed to Will.

            This time, he didn’t defend himself, didn’t lie. Even if he’d wanted to, he doubted he could muster up anything believable to appease them. They were all in too deep for Will to keep anything else from any of them. He felt his mother clutch his hand, her head swiveling between the redhead and her son.

            “You mean…Will is…?”

            Max gave a tiny nod.

            “No,” Joyce said, her voice strangled. “No. Then, we can’t— We won’t close it. We’ll find another way.”

            Murray protested, “There is no other way! If what the kids are saying is true, then the longer this gate stays open, the worse this is all going to get! We—” He frowned, guilt creeping into his tone. “We need to do this, Joyce.”

            The woman spun on her heel, a flame burning in her brown eyes as she stomped over to the man. He looked fearful as Joyce stopped in front of him, seeming to brace for impact. She snarled, “I am not losing him again. I don’t care what we have to do, how long it’ll take, how dangerous it’ll be; if there’s a way to do this without sacrificing my boy, then that’s what we’ll do.”

            “Joyce, look at where we are! At what’s happening!” Murray argued with a wave of his arm, his courage thin. “We don’t have time for another plan! The Russians already know we’re here! The fact we haven’t been swarmed by guards already is a goddamn miracle. Even if we leave to regroup and think of a plan, whatever the hell the kids are talking about is still out there and the Russians will come after us. If we don’t do something now, then it’s all over!”

            “W-What if…What if we killed the body it made here? The one made of rats? Maybe that will—”

            “Who’s to say there aren’t more rats or people, or whatever the fuck this thing is using. Not to mention that doesn’t do anything about the—”

            “We–We can get into contact with the government again! Tell them about—”

            “They’re already on the way and the fact they aren’t here already means, by the time they do show up, it’ll be too late.”

            “Then—”

            “Mom.”

            Joyce stopped, her objection clogging her throat. She turned, looking back at Will’s somber face with denial. The younger Byers took a step toward her, saying, “We have to.”

            His mother shook her head, her frizzy curls dancing in the air as the blood left her cheeks. She went over to Will, trembling. “No, no we don’t,” She insisted. She gripped his arms, fingers digging in to anchor him to her. “We’ll find another way. We’ll figure something out. We’re not doing anything that has even the chance of you—”

            “Joyce.”

            She stopped, looking over at Hopper.

            The police chief grimaced and started, “I think—”

            “Stop,” Joyce said, her features turning stony. “You can’t— You shouldn’t— You know what I went through, how it feels. Of all people, you cannot be asking me to do this.”

            Hopper stayed quiet, gaze dropping down to the floor. El reached out, putting a hand on his arm before looking over to Will with a frown. The group fell into an uneasy silence, time ticking away as a silent reminder of the inevitable.

            Softly, almost childlike, Mike whispered, “There has to be something else.” He stared at Will, his devastation open and sincere. The words hung like a cloud, bearing down on all of them.

            “You said you hurt it before?”

            Will looked up. Bob Newby scratched the back of his neck uncertainly, mouth twisted anxiously though his eyes remained kind. After a beat, the boy nodded.

            “You hurt it with your powers, right? By heating it up?” the man further inquired.

            “Um, yeah…”

            “Have you tried doing that here with Billy? To get it out of him?”

            Lucas spoke up, “We tried taking Billy into the sauna at the pool, but…It didn’t work. It probably wasn’t hot enough.”

            Bob hummed, then continued, “But what about Will’s powers? The heat you said he can make.” The group stared blankly. He looked at Will. “You said it breaks parts of itself off into its host and that’s how something becomes a part of it. When you put Billy in the sauna, the heat had a very low concentration. It built around the entirety of his body and did so gradually. If you’re able to control the heat, to concentrate it on where that part of the Mind Flayer is—”

            “He could drive it out,” Mike finished, a spark returning to him. “Just like he did with El’s leg!”

            “Could that really work?” Max asked, visibly perking up.

            “Definitely! He can drive the Mind Flayer out of Billy, then he can do it to himself, and if we close the gate after that—”

            “They’ll still be alive and the Mind Flayer will be gone!” Lucas said. He and Mike beamed at each other.

            “Woah, woah, woah,” Hopper interrupted, crossing his arms. “Slow down. I think we’re getting ahead of ourselves here. We have no idea if that’s how any of this works or if it's even possible.”

            “Do you have any other ideas?” Mike shot back. 

            Recoiling at the tension, Bob put his hands up placatingly and said, “L-Look, it was just an idea. It is risky–”

            El spoke up, “We have to try something.”

            Joyce swallowed thickly, eyes darting amongst the teenagers before looking to Will. She took his hand as she mumbled, “I… I don’t know.”

            “Well, there isn’t exactly a safe way to do this,” Dustin commented with a shrug, seeming to ignore the pointed looks his friends shot him. “But I think it’s our best bet.”

            “Agreed,” Lucas and Max chimed in unison, glancing at each other before looking away. 

            Jonathan approached his mother, saying, “Mom, if there’s no other way… We need to try it.” He looked at his little brother. “If there’s a chance to save you, we need to take it.”

            Will shrunk slightly under the expectant eyes now pinning him to the spot. He admitted, “I…Don’t know if I can.”

            “What?” Max blurted. “But you just did it with El. You found exactly where it was right away. You barely even had to—”

            “A big chunk of tissue got injected into El’s leg!” Will countered. “When the Mind Flayer possesses something, when a part of its main body goes into it, i-it’s like a mist! It’ll be like trying to light smoke on fire!”

            “Wouldn’t it have to stay together though?” Steve finally chimed in, though he was startled by the attention it brought to him. “It’d have to all go to the head or something, wouldn't it? If it spread itself too thin, it wouldn’t be strong enough to control anything. So, it'll probably be all clumped together... I mean, right?”

            Will shook his head. “Even if that were the case, if there's a chunk of the Mind Flayer in Billy’s head and I heat it up, I’m going to cook his brain!”

            Mike frowned. “You don’t know that will happen.”

            “You don’t know that it won’t!” Will yelled, shaking himself free of his mom’s hold and taking several steps back. “Don’t you get it? What if I do this wrong? What if I kill him?!”

            “Will,” Max snapped, her hands forming fists. “You’re worried that if you do this, he might die. If we don’t do it and close the gate, he will die! At least this way, we’ll have a chance!”

            “Will also has to do it to himself,” Nancy said, shoulders hunched uncertainly. “How will that work?”

            El stood from where she’d been seated in a chair, wincing as she tried to keep some weight off her hastily rebandaged leg. She ignored Hopper’s hand reaching out to steady her, saying, “I will help him.”

            The police chief sighed. “Kid, you can barely stand.”

            “I can do this. I can still fight,” the girl said, hobbling forward with a determined scowl. “My battery’s low, but I’ll recharge.” She stood in front of Will, her gaze never wavering. “I will help you. We will get it out of you.” Her hand landed on Will’s shoulder. “I promise.”

            Just…Just hold on a little longer.

            Something that wasn’t quite hope forced Will to nod his head.

            “Alright, if these maps are accurate and the children are right about the amount of guards, we should be able to enter the elevator through the vents. I believe they’ll be big enough for us to fit, if Jim can suck in his gut—”

            “Bauman.”

            “Coming out from the elevator, this is what Alexie called the Hub. Now, the Hub takes us to the Vault Room.”

            “So, where’s the gate?”

            “I’m not sure of the scale on this, but it should be pretty close to the Vault Room. Likely, around fifty feet.”

            “It’s not.”

            Murray and Hopper lifted their heads, surprised by Will’s interruption. The group was gathered around a strewn-together map. The adults had led the discussion while the teens’ eyes scampered over the messily sketched blueprint.

            Will could remember the endless halls perfectly.

            “What?” Murray huffed.

            “It’s not fifty feet. It’s way farther,” Will elaborated. “These halls are big enough for them to drive small cars through.” He grabbed a pencil from the pile of papers, tracing his own route from the gate to the elevator. “I managed to sneak into one of their cars and it still took a few minutes. If you want to do this quickly, you’ll need to use one of those cars.”

            “You snuck through the base in a car?” Hopper asked, eyebrows high.

            “More like a cart, I guess? I laid down in the back,” Will said. “They had enough stuff to cover me for a short amount of time.”

            Murray shook his head. “You managed to hide and seek your way through a base of this supposed size? One full of Russian soldiers?”

            Will scratched his arm. “I’m, uh, good at hiding.” He tried not to fidget from the grin Mike shot his way.

            Rifling through some of the papers, Murray grumbled to himself about vents before unfolding another document, this one dark blue. He says, “This is the blueprint Alexei had on him that shows more of the ventilation. If the Vault is here and the Key is here, then…There!” His finger jabs at the page. “There’s a vent in this room which connects these areas. We’ll be able to get to them easily.”

            Nodding, Hopper suggested, “We’ll need weapons.”

            “There’s some over, uh, over there.” Will pointed sheepishly. Looking over, the group could see the guns the boy had acquired piled precariously on a far table. At the look both Hopper and Joyce leveled him with, Will mumbled, “I, um…Found them?”

            Hopper blinked before pinching the bridge of his nose. His mustache ruffled as he grunted, “Okay, alright, that works then, I guess. Now, we should probably get some disguises.” There was silence, the group thinking. The police chief looked over when the hazel-eyed teen squirmed. He squinted. 

            “...Will.”

            After leading the adults to the store he’d left the Russian guards in and withstanding copious amounts of gawking bewilderment, Will managed to escape with his mother to head back to the food court as Hopper, Bob, and Murray changed into the men’s uniforms. Walking through the darkened corridor of the mall, Will couldn’t recall ever feeling so awkward in the presence of his mom before. He could feel Joyce eyeing him, the weight of her judgement making his skin crawl.

            I had to. I didn’t want to. I had to.

            “Will.”

            The boy stopped, his shoes catching slightly on the floor and making him stumble. He righted himself, looking back at his mom with what he hoped was a neutral expression.

            “Yeah?”

            Joyce said nothing, simply taking in the sight of her younger son before her. There were bags under her eyes and the lines on her face had grown so much deeper. She looked old. She didn’t look the way she was supposed to. Though, Will probably didn’t either. He was the one who put that burden on her, gave her something so heavy to carry that the weight of it now showed even in her face. 

            “Mom, are you okay?” Will asked, taking a hesitant step closer to her.

            Though it took a moment, Joyce let out a long breath and nodded her head. She came forward, wrapping Will in another hug. This one was soft, less intense, but held all of the same warmth. She said, “I love you, sweetheart.”

            Will’s head tilted, but he hugged her back. “I lo—”

            “I’m so, so sorry.”

            His thoughts screeched to a halt, his fingers turning rigid from where he’d been gripping the back of his mother’s shirt. “Huh?”

            “I’m sorry,” Joyce repeated, pulling back to look her son in the eyes. “Everything you’ve been through, how alone you’ve been, how scared you must have felt.” Her lip trembled, but she steeled herself. “I’m your mother. It’s my job to protect you and…I failed you. I’m sorry, Will.” She cupped his cheek, blinking back her own tears. “I’m sorry I couldn’t find you.”

            Two forces swirled and fought within Will. There was grief, sadness, a longing to forgive; there was anger, betrayal, a voice demanding why. The air around him tasted stale. Blue and black danced in front of his eyes, vines growing in his periphery.

            It wasn’t your fault. Don’t blame yourself for this. I shouldn’t blame you for this. I don’t want to blame you for this.

            His chest grew colder.

            Why couldn’t you come for me? Why didn’t you find me? You said you would always find me. You were always supposed to find me. You left me to rot. I wanted my mom. I needed my mom. You said you were coming. I hung on because you said you were coming. Mom never came. Mom never found me. Why did she never—

            I found her.

            That sentiment cut through the warring thoughts, a moment of stillness gifted to him.

            She couldn’t find me. She couldn’t come to me. 

            So, I came to her. 

            And she waited for me.

            This whole time, she’s been waiting for me.

            Tears were gliding down his cheeks, prompting a soft sound to leave Joyce’s throat. His mother pulled him back into a hug, shushing him as he childishly tucked his face into the crook of her neck with a whine. His shoulders shook and his ribs rattled, trying to stifle his cries.

            “I won’t let anything take you away again,” Joyce said, rubbing his back. “I’ll keep you safe. This time, I will protect you. I promise, Will.”

            Maybe if Will were still twelve, maybe if he hadn’t been dragged into hell and forgotten by the world on the other side of the veil, he would have believed her. Maybe he would have believed that his mom really could protect him from any monster that came looking, that she could always find him no matter what tree or hole he hid in. Maybe if he were anyone other than Will Byers, he could have believed that it was possible for all of this to have a happy ending.

            But, he was Will Byers and his belief in happily ever after ended in November of 1983. Despite that bitterness, that cynical distrust that had rooted itself deep into his soul, there was something Will had always known. He knew that if his mom promised him something, if Joyce Byers vowed to do something, she would do her absolute best to fulfill her promise. She wasn’t always able to. There were times that she had failed, that she came up just short.

But she would always try.

For now, knowing that was enough for Will.