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Steve ran so hard his lungs hurt.
By the time Steve reached the Henderson residence he was so out of breath he had to bend over on his knees and take a moment. But only a moment because he was fiending to get inside.
When he swung open the front door, Dylan was the first thing he saw, sprawled out on Dustin's sofa, eyes still shut but still breathing. Jonathan had listened and kept her headphones in place.
Steve knew that right thing to do would be to creep further into the house and check on the others, especially Eleven after her extensive task but once his eyes locked on Dylan, he couldn't leave her side.
He knelt down at the head of the sofa and brushed her hair from her face before gripping her limp hand.
"Guys!" He called out instead. "Everyone alive, everyone okay?"
Jonathan came around the corner of the hall first. "Still nothing? But you guys—?"
Steve nodded. "We got 'em. We burned that motherfucker to a crisp."
The others came around the corner shortly after. Mike was propping up Eleven who looked weak in her stature and had blood dripping from her nose. Steve was relieved no one looked too badly hurt. There were still a few others he had to check on, Dustin, Max, Lucas, Erica...
"I've been checking on her, every now and then," said Jonathan. "She hasn't moved at all since you left."
Steve nodded back.
When he looked down at Dylan again, her eyes were open, staring at him. She looked confused, a little like it was her first time on earth. Steve, startled, moved back a few inches. He closed his own eyes and opened, hoping to prove he hadn't hallucinated her awake.
Dylan was still looking at him when he looked at her again, this time her face was fixed in one of her usual teasing expressions.
She sat up slowly and slid off her headphones. Her head turned to the right and she smiled, "Jonathan! You're here!"
Steve's heart squeezed in his chest, Jonathan's eyes opened wide.
He almost let his hand drop from hers but Dylan held it tight. She locked eyes with him and grinned. "I'm kidding, I remember everything."
Jonathan snorted.
Steve sighed in relief. "Jesus Christ, Dylan. I was half expecting you to stand up and plant another one on him."
