ORPHIC [STEVE HARRINGTON]

SIX

ONE MONTH LATER

Emmy made her way down the decorated staircase as the smell of gingerbread cookies filled her nose. Her way was blown out and her longsleeve black shirt was tucked into her long plaid red and green skirt. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas by Frank Sinatra was playing on the Hart family's record player, causing a small girn to appear on Emmy's face as she made it to the bottom of the stairs without wobbling or limping. She made her way into the living room, seeing her family and Jim Hopper gathered by the tree. 

Kimmy was wearing a red dress with black heels as her hair was pinned up in a classy updo. Sam, Henry, Jim, and Tommy all wore similar black suits with their hair styled in a gel hairdo.

"Hey, look who made it down the stairs by herself!" Tommy exclaimed, causing all of the Hart children to look at Emmy who stood at the bottom of the stairs with her hand on the rail. Sam looked at Emmy while he was fixing his tie and he walked over to her and held his arm out. Emmy took it and he spoke.

"Leg feels fine?" He asked looking down at her as her hand was tucked under his and she nodded and balanced on her right leg and kicked her left one out, moving her ankle. "Feels fine." She said and he nodded and the two of them walked over to their big Christmas tree and Tommy spoke looking at everyone.

"I want to take this family photo before people start showing up." He said and they nodded and Jim made his way to the camera that was already set up, while Sam helped Emmy walk over to the Christmas tree and the family all stood around each other. Tommy's smile fell as he looked at Jim and he spoke.

"Jim, get in here." He said and Hopper shook his head and spoke. "No, I can take the picture." He said and Henry shook his head and spoke.

"No, c'mon, Hop." He said and Hopper walked over to the Hart family, passing Tommy the small cord to take the picture from his spot and he stood right behind Sam and behind Tommy. Kimmy sat on the chair that was placed in front of the tree and Henry was in the front as Emmy stood in front of the space between Hopper and her Dad. 

"Ready?" Tommy asked and everyone nodded and they all smiled and in seconds, their family photo was taken.

Within the next thirty minutes, people started to show up to the Hart Residence. The Wheeler Family, consisting of Nancy, Ted, Karen, Mike and Steve Harrington. The Byers came, as did Lucas, and his family and Dustin and his mother. Some of the cops from the station came as well and so did Henry's teacher, Mr. Clarke.

Emmy watched as everyone interacted near her place by the couch, sharing some of the cookies Kimmy baked or enjoying some of the beer or wine the Harts offered. Emmy watched as Sam, Steve, and Jonathan were talking to one another, laughing about some joke Sam said. Nancy was talking to who Emmy assumed was Lucas' eldest sister, Henry and his friends were talking to one another probably about D and D and the adults were talking. 

Emmy stood up from her place on the couch and walked over to the Christmas tree and fixed one of the ornaments that looked like it was falling off the branch. Emmy's eyes moved across the tree, making sure every ornament was okay when her eyes landed on an ornament that had their family on it from when their mother was alive. The porclin ornament had a large crack where her mother had stood, seperating her from the rest of the family and her eyebrows furrowed inwards as a voice spoke, causing her to turn around, seeing Steve Harrington standing before her.

She looked up at the teen with a confused look and he spoke, breathing in as if he was nervous. "I just- I wanted to apologize." He said and Emmy furrowed her eyebrows inwards, wondering why he was saying anything and he licked his lips.

"When I was friends with Carol and Tommy H." He said and Emmy let a small 'oh' escape and he spoke shaking his head. "I didn't know she was going to say what she said about your mother. It was pretty fucked up." He said, making Emmy cringe internally and she shook her head and spoke.

"It's okay, seriously." She said and Steve shook his head and Emmy gave him a small smile and spoke. "Thanks for saving my ass, by the way. I would have gotten eaten by that thing." She said softly and Steve let out a soft chuckle and nodded. 

"Anytime, Hart." He said and Emmy gave him a thin lipped smile and he gave her an awkward head nod and made his way back to Nancy.

"Emmy?" A small voice said from behind her and Emmy turned, seeing Will Byers standing next to her. She gave him a small smile and turned towards him. 

"Will, right? It's so nice to finally meet you." She said and Will gave her a small smile and he came around the couch and sat next to Emmy and spoke.

"Thank you, for everything." He said and Emmy furrowed her eyebrows inwards and spoke. "Oh, I- All I did was help trap the Demogorgan." She said and Will shook his head slightly and spoke. 

"You don't remember?" He asked and Emmy shook her head slowly and Will spoke with a confused expression on his face.

"You helped me escape the demogorgan." He stated, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.