0 0 1 ━ [ 𝘚𝘵𝘦𝘷𝘦 𝘏𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘵𝘰𝘯 ]

𝙲𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝟺𝟿: 𝙽𝚎𝚠 𝙱𝚎𝚐𝚒𝚗𝚗𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜

As Hopper and Steve fell through yet another hole, both could still only see the look on One's face as she sent them back home. The pain, the anger, the sadness...but mostly the fatigue. She had looked so tired. After living a life of constantly running and fighting, she had looked ready for it to all end.

Hopper tried to hold onto that image as long as he could. It wasn't the best memory he had of his daughter, but it might be the last. He recalled the final words that One had spoken to him: "You're a good dad. Don't forget that". But how could he be a good dad when he couldn't even protect his own child? He had lost her twice now, and all that was left of his heart was a pile of ashes.

They dropped on their feet onto a familiar gravel road, Eleven's unconscious body still clutched tightly in Hopper's arms. By either miracle or coincidence, One had been able to deliver them back to Hopper's truck and when they turned around to face it, they found an unexpected party waiting for them. 

"Where the hell did you guys go?" Joyce demanded once the initial shock of three people suddenly appearing before her had worn off. "And why the hell didn't you answer me?"

Hopper ignored Joyce's questions as he pushed past the other members of the party to his truck. Steve helped him to open the door and Hopper gently laid Eleven's body on the back seat.

"W-what happened to her?" Mike stammered once he saw his girlfriend lying unconscious. "Is she okay?"

"She'll be fine," Hopper reassured him. "But you guys need to get her to the hospital."

"'You guys'?" Joyce asked. "Where are you going?"

Hopper rested a hand on Eleven's knee before turning back towards the woods. "I've got to go back," Hopper answered quietly but determinedly as he began to walk in the direction of the rift that had taken them to the Upside Down less than an hour ago.

"Go back? Back where?" Max asked.

"Why is El unconscious?" Lucas asked next.

"Why do you guys look so upset?" followed Will.