"The next words out of your mouth better be that you understand, Liza or so help me-"
"I understand" Liza nodded, fingers crossed behind her back.
~x~
In which Liza Henderson fights against the Upside Down with the help of her friends.
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~x~
When they arrived at the Byers house, everyone tried to connect their stories. Information was flying everywhere, but all things pointed to the same thing; The Upside Down. The noise was getting too much for Liza, the sound of chairs squeaking, the talking, people sighing. So, telling Max that she would be right back, she slipped out of the house and onto the porch.
Liza lit up a cigarette, inhaling the nicotine to try and calm her nerves. She looked out over the Byers yard, figuring if there was one thing she could do at the moment, it was look out for Demodogs. It was taking every ounce of her being to ignore the cold that was seeping in her bones, she wasn't sure if it was because she was outside or the anxiety but she wasn't going to figure it out.
"You know I hear those things will kill you." Steve spoke as he came out of the house. Liza scoffed, flicking the ash and crossing her arms.
"Not if the Upside Down does it first." She responded without looking at him. Steve grimaced, eyes never leaving her form as she rocked back and forth on her feet. "Shouldn't you be in there comforting Nancy?" It was petty and stupid especially at a time like this but she couldn't help but feel jealous and hurt.
"What?" Steve spluttered, he was confused on what she meant until he remembered Max's glare from earlier and suddenly it made sense. "No Liz, that wasn't what you think it was! She was worried and I was just comforting a friend!"
"Mhm, sure." Liza hummed as she threw the butt of her cigarette. Turning, she looked at Steve for the first time since the lab. He could see the hurt written clearly on her face despite how hard he knew she was trying to mask it. "I get it, truly. I was just a placeholder till she came back and now she is and I'll just go back to bein-"
She was cut off by Steve crushing his lips to hers. At first she tensed, but Steve's hand threading through her hair had her melting against him. She fisted at his jacket, pulling him as close as she could. The kiss was rough at first, pent up feelings and stress making it heated. Liza's lips were just as soft as Steve imagined they would be. Eventually it slowed to softer pecks, then Steve was resting his forehead against hers.
"You are not a place holder." Steve panted, hand that was buried in her hair now sliding to tilt her head up so he could stare into her eyes. "You, Liza, are a menace and a pain in my ass. You drive me crazy when you climb through my car window and put your feet up on my dash."
"Not exactly what a girl wants to hear after being kissed senseless." Liza huffed, trying to pull away. Steve shook his head and shushed her.
"Let me finish." Steve softly scolded. "You may be a menace but I wouldn't want it any other way. You, Liza Henderson, are the only girl I want to do those things. Because you are annoyingly perfect for me."
Before Liza could respond, the door swung open and revealed Nancy. The two didn't move away from each other but they turned their heads to look at her. The Wheeler girl's eyes widened as she took in the scene before her. Clearing her throat, she told them they had figured something out.
When they headed back into the kitchen, Liza was shocked to find Mike at the head of the table. He had taken control of the situation, it was his best friend that was being controlled and he had all the information they needed. Steve and Liza came to stand at the side of the table, giving the boy their full attention.
"The shadow monster is connected to everything. If the vines feel pain, so does Will." Mike explained, looking around at his friends. "It's like a hive mind, like Mr.Clark taught us. A collective consciousness. It's a super organism and the thing that's controlling it is the brain."
"Way to go, Mini Wheeler!" Liza grinned at the boy, he beamed back at her. Dustin snapped his fingers, everyone flinching at the sound.
"Like the Mind Flayer!" Dustin spoke with awe. After a chorus of 'what's' he ran off to grab something while Mike explained to Hopper, Johnathan, Nancy, Max and Steve. Lucas and Liza were the only ones who didn't seem confused.
Liza grimaced, she vaguely remembered the Mind Flayer from one of the D&D manuals that she had read during one of the boys campaigns. It wasn't a nice creature like an elf or gnome. No, this one was horrible and spelled disaster for the group. Steve rubbed his hand up and down her arm, soothing her as he could see the worry on her face.
"You sure you still want to do this?" Steve whispered down to her. She hadn't stopped shaking since the junkyard and he could tell that this was all affecting her. "Just say the word and I'll drive you home."
"And miss all the fun?" Liza joked weakly. "No, I'm staying. Dustin's here, the kids are here. I am not leaving them."
~x~
The plan was anything but simple, they had to attempt to bring Will back to them but they needed to do it in a way that the Mind Flayer couldn't pinpoint them. Liza had suggested the Byers shed, it was outside and close enough that if things went sideways, they could still protect them.
The group split up, finding what they could to disguise the shed just in case. Liza had found sheets in the Byers linen closet that could be used to help cover the walls. When she brought them out, she found Joyce sitting on some tires. The mother was bouncing her leg as she took a drag from her cigarette.
"How are you doing, Joyce?" Liza asked, crouching beside the woman. A melancholic chuckle came out of Joyce's mouth as she handed the cigarette to Liza and placed her head in her hands.
"Well one son is possessed, the other disappeared for two days, my boyfriend was killed and every child I know was fighting off those stupid monsters." Joyce scrunched her nose up, as she looked at Liza with fake amusement. Liza frowned, she had only met Bob a few times but he seemed like an alright guy. Unfortunately he was a casualty to the Upside Down now. "Now I am sharing a cigarette with you and preparing to interrogate my possesed son in hopes that he comes back to me. Overall, just fine." She dragged out the last world with a sarcastic roll of her eyes. Liza chuckled and handed the cigarette back.
"If it makes you feel any better, I had planned on just reading for the weekend." Liza shrugged. "Then my brother's pet turned into a monster, we were attacked in a junkyard and I'm now trying to help save Will."
Joyce's eyes softened, she and Liza had only really seen each other on rare occasions. The boy's birthdays or when she would pick up Will to take him to Mikes or the movies. The mother had always liked Liza, the girl was stubborn and headstrong. She also knew that Will trusted the girl completely, stating that she was his favourite sibling that any of his friends had.
"It kinda does." Joyce whispered. "Now let's put those sheets up."
The pair went to work, covering the windows and walls. Helping each other get nails or staples to hang things. They moved mostly in silence, only really speaking to ask for a hammer or the staple gun.
"That girl, Max, she really seems to like you. I know our boys can be jerks so it's nice that she can turn to you." Joyce stated as they finished hanging the final sheet.
"She's kinda like the sister I've never had." Liza smiled softly. "Just wish it didn't mean she was part of all this."
