Love Is A Battlefield (A Stranger Things/Steve Harrington Fanfiction)

Chapter Thirty-Five: Long Story

We immediately took off looking for him, and I found myself growing concerned and guilty about the whereabouts of my father, and potentially Eleven as well.

"You ok?" Steve asked, stepping up beside me as we walked the train tracks with Flashlights in our hands. I shook my head.

"I should've been there." I said quietly. "I don't even know where he is now, or what he's gotten himself wrapped up in, and I wasn't there-"

"Riley, your Dad is a grown man, and an incredibly capable one. You don't have to worry about him." I sighed.

"Exactly," I pointed out, "He's 'incredibly capable', which means if it comes down to it, and someone has to die on behalf of other people, it'll be him and I can't lose my Dad. He's the parent that wanted me, you know? The parent that stayed and if I lose him-"

"You're not gonna lose him." Steve said. "You don't even know if he has anything to do with where those monsters are going. He might just be working late at the office or something."

"Possible, yes...but highly improbable."

"Hey..." He ran a hand down my back between my shoulder blades, somehow able to make me feel better with one touch. "Give yourself, and your dad, a little credit, ok?"

"You're positive that was Dart?" Lucas said, putting an end to our conversation and starting a new one.

"Yes. He had the same exact yellow pattern on his butt." Dustin replied.

"He was tiny two days ago." Max pointed out.

"Well, he's molted three times already."

"Malted?" Steve asked.

"Molted." I corrected.

"Shed his skin to make room for more growth, like hornworms." Dustin explained.

"Well when's he gonna molt again?" 

"Its gotta be soon. When he does, he'll be fully grown, or close to it. So will his friends.

"Best to avoid that if we can." I stated, pulling my hair up into a ponytail.

"He's gonna eat a lot more than just cats."

"Wait, a cat?" Lucas asked, reaching out out to stop Dustin from walking. "Dart ate a cat?"

"No, what? No." Dustin lied.

"What are you talking about? He ate Mews." Steve stated.

"Mews? Who's Mews?" Max questioned.

"Its Dustin's cat."

"Steve!"

"I knew it! You kept him!" 

"No...no. No I-No I...He missed me. He wanted to come home."

"Bullcrap!'

"I didn't know he was a Demogorgan!'

"Oh, so now you admit it?!" Lucas exclaimed.

"Guys, who cares? We have to go." Max interrupted.

"Yes, finally, someone speaks logically." I said, putting a hand on her shoulder.

"I care! You put the party in jeopardy! You broke the rule of law!"

"SO DID YOU!"

"What?"

"YOU TOLD A STRANGER THE TRUTH!" He shined a flashlight in Max's face as he said it, earning a scoff from her.

"A stranger?" She asked, jumping into the argument. I heard a noise coming from the woods, putting a hand on Steve's arm and tuning out their conversation. We walked over towards the woods until he heard it too. The Demogorgan's screeching cry.