Distortion [S. Harrington]

chapter 35

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"I never gave up on you," Mike said, pulling away from Eleven's embrace. "I called you every night for-"

"353 days. I heard you, " El finished. Mike was confused.

"Why didn't you answer? Why didn't you tell me you were there? "

"Because I wouldn't let her," Hopper said, coming forward to give El a hug. "Where have you been?"

"Where have you been?" Eleven said forcefully, but she hugged him nonetheless. Eleven saw Lucy in the small crowd of people and ran over to hug her. "I missed you so much."

"You don't know how much I've missed you, El," Lucy said with a wide grin on her face. "I felt you on the tracks. I knew you were there. You're getting better." Lucy engulfed her in a hug and said nothing more, just enjoying the moment.

Eleven had a special connection to Lucy, like a real sisterly bond. She hadn't ever had a real sister before Lucy. El loved her and was connected to her in ways unknown. It was like El could sense if Lucy was in danger without Lucy even saying a word and she could see her better in her mind than anyone else. She knew when El was there.

"You've been hiding her," Mike said forcefully. "You've been hiding her this whole time!" Mike pushed Hopper and he turned around and grabbed Mike by the shirt.

"Let's talk. Alone, " Hopper said.

When He had finally finished going around saying hello to her friends, she went back to Lucy. She found her sitting on the couch talking to Steve in the living room. When she got to her she pulled Lucy in for another hug.

"Are you okay? Where have you been? What's happened to you?" Lucy bombarded her with questions.

"A lot," Eleven stated.

"Tell me later?" Lucy asked as she stuck out her pinky.

"Of course," She said, connecting their pinkies. Then, her eyes fell on Steve. "Boy?"

"Yeah, uh, this is Steve," Lucy said, smiling at the boy. She just stared into Steve's eyes and then walked away, going towards Joyce in the kitchen.

"I don't think she likes me that much," Steve whispered.

"You should be used to that by now. Not a lot of people like you, "Lucy laughed, poking Steve in the stomach.

"Ha ha, very funny," he said, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her closer.

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With everybody gathered around the table, including Eleven, Hopper started speaking.

"It's not like it was before. It's grown a lot, and that's considering we get in there. That place has those dogs crawling all over it.''

"I can do it," Eleven spoke up.

"Even if she can, there's another problem. If the brain dies, the body dies, and if we're really right about this, Will dies," Mike stated frantically.

Joyce went into Will's room and everyone followed. She slammed the window shut, cutting off the cold airflow at its source.

"Will always tells me he likes it cold. We keep giving it what it wants," Joyce said.

"If this is a virus...and Will's the host then..." Nancy said.

"We need to make the host uninhabitable," Lucy said looking towards Nancy.

"So if he likes it cold..." Jonathan said, looking at Will.

"Then we have to burn it out of him," Joyce finished.

"We have to do it somewhere he doesn't know this time. Somewhere far away," Mike said.

The group split up once again. Jonathan, Joyce, and Nancy were getting ready to take Will to The Hopper's cabin. Hopper, Eleven, and Lucy were set out on closing the gate. The rest of the group was stuck at the Byers until further instruction.

"Lucy," Hopper said forcefully. He was about to get in his car and so was Lucy. "How many times have I said already that you aren't going."

"I can help you. It's dangerous over there and-"

"That's why I'm telling you to stay here. It's dangerous. Stay with the kids, protect them," Hop said, putting his hands on her shoulders.

"What if something happens to you? Or to Eleven?" Lucy said.

"Nothing bad is going to happen to us," he said, trying to give her a sense of relief, but she didn't feel any better.

"How do you always know what's gonna happen?"

"That's because I'm your dad and I'm supposed to know." He pulled her in for a hug and kissed her on the head. He whispered his goodbye and got into the truck. "Channel 10, okay?"

"I know," Lucy said with a sad smile. After that, Hopper sped out of the driveway with Jonathan's car following. Trudging her way back to the house she saw Steve standing on the porch waiting for her.

"So you decided not to leave me by myself, huh?" Steve asked with a smile.

"I would never leave you alone, Harrington," she laughed. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and they walked into the house together.