Secrets // Steve Harrington

Chapter Forty-Eight - Reunited

Word Count: 2,809 words. 

Warnings: None. 

There was no time wasted. At least not on my part. I dropped my gun to the ground and rushed towards her, falling to my knees to take the small girl into a tight hug.

Hesitant, she didn't hug back and I pulled away to place a hand on the side of her face. "You're okay," I breathed, relieved. 

Eleven nodded slowly, face softening then. Her arms wrapped around me quickly and pulled me into a tight hug. I smiled, having no argument to hugging her back.

"I'm really glad you're okay," I told her, sniffling lightly. "I thought I'd lost you again."

Pulling away, Eleven smiled. "I ran."

"Why did you do that?" I asked, pushing myself to my feet to look down at her.

She shrugged her shoulders. "Truth."

"You wanted to find out the truth?" I tried and she nodded. "Well there's a lot of that around here."

"El?" Mike asked and I spotted the shocked boy.

Begrudgingly, I stepped away, allowing the two of them to hug. I was glad that Eleven was okay, more than glad, but her arrival had only settled another fear in the pit of my stomach.

"Two..." he whispered.

I turned slightly, placing a hand on my head as a sharp ache formed. "Fuck," I muttered, low enough for no one to hear.

"You alright?" Jack asked, approaching.

I nodded, the pain only getting worse. "Just a headache."

"Maybe you need some water," he suggested. "Harrington, can you bring Munson to get something to drink?"

"No, I'm fine," I dismissed, turning back around. Eleven had vanished. "Where did she go?" I asked frantically.

"She's in with Will," Lucas told me, and I sighed in relief, able to hear raised voices from the other room. Hopper and Mike were arguing.

I winced, hand back on my head. "Jesus Christ," I breathed. It had never been this bad.

"Harrington, water," Jack all but ordered.

Steve rushed over quickly, watching me carefully as he gently guided me towards the kitchen. I pulled away from him as he reached for a glass, leaning my hands against the rim of the sink.

"Are you okay?" he asked as he searched.

"Do I fucking look okay?" I snapped unintentionally.

Harrington filled the glass quickly and handed it to me. I downed the glass, placing it rim down in the sink. "Water isn't going to help," I muttered.

"What is it?" he asked, tone clearly worried.

"Two..." His voice was like wind in the air.

"The voices in my head," I explained with a scoff, turning to look at the boy. "It's like their trying to get in."

There was not a falter in his expression. "How do we stop them?"

I scoffed again. "Can you even hear yourself right now?" I questioned. "How do we stop the voices in my head? I'm fucked Harrington. I'm not fixable."

Steve stepped closer. "I didn't say I wanted to fix you," he argued gently. "There's nothing to fix."

"Don't lie to me," I shot.