Number Four

Those Left Behind

Bonnie's car pulled into the space outside Hopper's cabin. Steve and Hopper jumped out, slamming the doors shut behind them. "It's just us."

Nancy and Jonathan were already outside, working on better securing one of the walls; Robin was a short way away, trying to persuade Erica to just be useful and hand her the pipe to put in the back of the truck! Eddie emerged from inside the cabin, where he had been laying low, followed by Eleven and Mike, hand in hand, Will trailing behind them. Dustin was last; darting out past everyone to run up to Steve. Lucas noticeably was not there- he had barely left Max's side at the hospital in days.

"Julia was not happy to find out Bonnie went M.I.A just in time for rent to be due." Steve said. "But it made getting her stuff easier- she practically threw it at us. It's all in the car."

"You'd think she'd be more understanding with everything going on." Nancy muttered, walking towards the vehicle in question. "Is this everything?"

"Should be. Anything left behind she'll probably drop off at the police station. Assuming she doesn't set fire to it first. Why? Is something missing?"

"It's just..." Nancy trailed her fingers along the edge of the car roof. "... It's not that big of a car. Someone's whole life fits in here, so if needed, she could just... pack up and go. Can you imagine living like that?"

"I can." Eddie gave a one-shouldered shrug; but there was a sombre edge to his voice.

"She was running away. Her whole life, she was running away."

The click of the car door signalled Dustin pulling open the driver's side and climbing in. Sitting in Bonnie's seat, it struck him just how personal her car was; even her apartment with Julia, whilst nice, had never quite seemed hers, she had seemed so transient in the space. Here, there was a string of glass beads hanging over the mirror, a used lipstick in the cupholder, her music in the glove compartment mixed in with her IDs; a world atlas open at a random page, designer sunglasses tucked between the front seats and a small bottle of jasmine perfume stashed in the door. Memories of someone they didn't truly know.

There was the sound of doors and Dustin could see in the mirror Robin climbing into the back; Erica had gotten in the passenger seat and was rummaging curiously through the dashboard. Eleven peered over Erica's shoulder, looking in through the car door and Eddie pushed Robin's feet off of the chair, scooting in next to her, Steve and Nancy squeezing in on the other side. Even Will had drifted over, but was standing outside the car, letting them have their moment as he had never met Bonnie.

Dustin's hands gripped the steering wheel; there were tears welling in his eyes- tears for everything that had happened, everything that had gone wrong. He blinked them back and cleared his throat. "I feel like someone should say something, but I don't know what."

The others nodded quietly and made sounds of agreement, but it was Eddie that had the answer. Reaching forward, he chose a tape from from the glove compartment and slipped it into the tape player, turning the music on. The low tones of Bonnie Tyler filled the car.

"...Ooh, what's this?" Erica had been investigating underneath the passenger seat and had pulled something out of a compartment in the floor.

A box wrapped in silver paper.

It was a shoebox, decorated in shiny wrapping paper, tied with a glittery ribbon. 

"Hey, give that here—!"

Erica had it open before Eleven even had time to fully react. "Ooh, pretty!" She had fished out a large chunk of red crystal hanging on a gold necklace chain, the colours inside dancing like fire as she admired it against the light.

"That's not yours." Robin snatched the box from her, and the necklace a moment later.

Erica pouted. "It's only a book and some postcards."

It was indeed a book— The King in Yellow— and a collection of postcards, tied this time with red ribbon, from all around the world. There was also a packet of matches, written on in Chinese characters, and a book of sheet music, titled in German; there were a handful of jacket patches, depicting a dragon, a gorgon and a spider; two sets of Dungeons and Dragons dice in different colours, and three sticks of Brighton Rock, coloured pink, blue and green, tucked in next to a skull and crossbones bandana.

Dustin gave a confused look. "But... Bonnie doesn't play Dungeons and Dragons.  Whenever we mentioned anything about it, she had no idea what we were talking about."

Reaching down, Robin picked up something from the floor that had fallen from the box amidst all the squabbling. It was an envelope— words were written on the front in familiar, elegant cursive. Mon petite monstre.

Robin's eyes went wide as she shared a look with Steve and Nancy. "This... isn't Bonnie's. Well, it is," She explained at all the looks she was suddenly getting. "But it's not for Bonnie. This is a card. It's a present."

Realisation was creeping onto the faces of all around as they realised what she meant. Dustin turned around in the chair. "Wait, do you know what this means?"

"Bonnie... has someone." There was a look of horror blossoming on Nancy's face, as the true weight of what had happened sunk in. "Someone out there who's waiting for her to come back."

"246 Harbour Road." Eleven said sagely.

Hopper had come closer when he had heard the commotion, and had managed to catch some of the end. "Harbour Road?" He frowned. "I think there's a Harbour Road the next town over. Well, technically speaking. It's one of those ones between here and there.
...We could head over, if you wanted— take her car, see if it's maybe somewhere we can drop it off."

A/N: Thoughts? Theories? Don't forget to like and comment! XD Luv ya all!