𓆩♡𓆪

   LOUD CRIES FLY FROM El's mouth. Brooke and Mike are practically holding her down as the creature moves under El's skin. Blood flows out from the cut. Brooke used to think she was born to be an older sister. Like, no one was meant to be born before her. She was the menace her parents needed but as the creature squelches and crawls under her sister's skin, Brooke feels weak. They could cut it out but it makes it harder for El. She can't think of anything to help El yet her brain is going a hundred miles per hour.

    "What is that?" Erica inches closer to El's leg. The flesh sizzles on the bone. "Something is in her leg," Casey shouts. His eyes bounce everywhere to look for something but Jonathan beats him to it. "Keep her talking. Keep her awake, okay?" Jonathan tells them and runs to find a knife.

   Steve crouches down next to Brooke. Hearing El cry in pain is something forgein to him. El is the super hero, she usually always recovers quickly. Her pain tolerance is wild. Steve's breath quickens when Brooke's worried eyes meet his. "Hey, hey, she'll be okay, okay?" Steve tries.

   Brooke frowns at him and then the crease between her brows deepens when she looks back at El.

   "What is in her leg?" Robin asks. "Robin, I wish we knew. Just—Just watch or not. I don't know what's happening," Paisley rambles, her eyes blinking rapidly. Robin immediately takes in Paisley's nervous ticks and slides her hand into hers, hiding it behind Paisley's back.

   "Get her on her side!" Mike tells them. Dustin and Steve help Mike flip the girl onto her side. El lets out more cries of pain even though they're trying to be as gentle as they can. Robin can't help the nervousness within her as well now. Trying to calm down Paisley did nothing for her in itself when she got a better view of El's injury.

  "It's not actually that bad. There was a......the goalie on my soccer team, Beth Wildfire, this other girl slid into her leg and the bone came out of her knee, six inches or something. It was insane!" Robin now rambles. Paisley nervously smiles at her. "Robin," Steve says.

  "Yeah?"

  "You're not helping."

   "I'm sorry," Robin apologizes. Paisley gives the girl's hand a squeeze and rubs her thumb along her hand.

  Footsteps speed up behind Brooke and she looks over to see Jonathan speeding with a knife in hand. "Oh, Jesus. We thought of the same thing," Brooke says and swallows hard. "Okay. Alright, El? This is gonna hurt like hell, okay?" Jonathan doesn't sugar coat it. "Okay," El gets out between sobs.

   "I'm gonna need you to stay real still, okay? You're gonna wanna bite down on this," Jonathan hands Brooke a wooden spoon. Brooke's hands shake as she places the spoon into El's mouth. The knife hovers over El's leg and El whimpers. Brooke can't take her eye on the knife even though the blood is next and she knows it. Dustin curses, not being able to believe what Jonathan has to do.

  There's a long pause. Jonathan is hesitating, he's stalling. He's never done this. What if he fucks up and El ends up worse than her current condition? He glances at Brooke. It takes her a second to realize he's asking for permission from her. Brooke lets out a sharp exhale and nods, "Do it."

   The hot knife sizzles as it splits El's skin open. Brooke becomes light headed. El screams which only makes Brooke's head more light. She's subconsciously falling backwards as her oxygen feels like it's becoming less and less. Steve holds her up, wincing the louder El screams. The knife cuts deeper until Jonathan feels like the opening is enough. Brooke forces herself to sit up straight and immediately regrets it when Jonathan fishes for the creature in El's leg.

  "Oh, fuck!" Stella curses. Vomit crawls up her throat and she pukes into a faux bush next to her. Casey doesn't say anything, he just winces at the sight and rubs Stella's back.

   El thrashes and screams under Mike and Dustin's hold. Danny panics, "Jonathan, you're making it worse!" He has no idea if he actually is but by the blood spilling out and El's screams, he feels as though he's right. "Stop talking!" Jonathan tells him. Danny scoffs as panic rises in his chest.

  Jonathan makes a swift move with his finger that makes El lunge up in pain. Brooke keeps gagging but her hand is still interlaced with El's. The younger girl's nails dig into Brooke's skin but she really doesn't care because the crescent shaped cuts are signs that El is still fighting. The creature keeps dodging Jonathan fingers and El has had enough of the uncomfortable and horrible pain.

  "No! Stop it!" El yells, spitting out the spoon, "Stop! Stop!" El falls into Mike's arms, tears streaming down her face. "I can do it. I can do it," El grunts, forcing herself to sit up. "El, are you sure?" Brooke asks gently. El pants, staring at her leg, "Yeah, I can do it."

   Brooke lets go of El's hand and scoots away from her. A low frequency vibration sounds around the group of teens. It rings throughout their ears. El wails, using what seems like all of her strength to grab the creature, "GOD!" She yells. Robin stands a few inches away, watching completely bewildered as El uses her powers. It shakes and fights against her powers beneath her skin. She screams and the vibration gets louder and louder.

There's a sound of glass shattering behind them before the actual glass bounces off their skin and hits the floor.

  "Shit," Steve curses, using his body to block the glass from hitting Brooke. El's screaming continues as she manages to get the creature out. It's thrown across the mall and crawls in attempts to get away from danger, screeching loudly. "Ho—ly fuck," Casey's jaw is dropped.

  Everyone's eyes are on the creature until it explodes. The body splashes blood everywhere on the floor. Everyone gasps, looking at El if she did it but she's just as confused as they are. Shadows line the floor until they're so close they're no longer shadows.

   Brooke's eyes widen at the sight of Hopper, Joyce, Cory and two people she doesn't recognize. Relief and a big smile adorn her face but it switches to confusion when the blonde girl steps forwards.

   Bright red lips and a nearly all black outfit is on her. Heels click against the tile. She takes one look at the exploded creature and shrugs, "Easiest kill today."

    Brooke shakes her head, "Today?!"

   "Dad, again?" Paisley rolls her eyes at her dad. "Blame Hopper. He invited me. Joyce insisted actually!" Cory throws his hands up with a loud chuckle. Hopper and Joyce both scoff at him.

   "Explain what the hell is going on? El, are you okay? Brooke? Everyone okay?!" Hopper yells. Brooke practically launches herself into Hopper's arms while the Byers reunite with their mother. "Oh, Jesus," Hopper holds Brooke to his chest. He makes eye contact with Steve and for a second Steve's heart drops to his ass but a somewhat warm smile eases Steve's nerves. What he doesn't see is the long eye roll he gives the teen as he rests a kiss against the top of Brooke's head.

  Brooke pulls apart from Hopper so that El can get a hug in. Her eyes land on the mystery blondes. The male one has large glasses and an outfit nothing like the expensive looking outfit on the female.

   She catches Brooke staring. It isn't a mean stare or a judging one, it's one full of wonder and interest. "I'm Penelope Bauman. The better Bauman," Penelope smiles. Perfect teeth. "There's no time for an inaccurate introduction, Penny. I'm Murray," He says and extends his hand to Brooke.

    She hesitates for a second. "I'm not diseased," Murray smiles and leaves his hand extended. Danny runs over and grabs the man's hand to shake it, "Danny Martel. This is Brooke. She's just mean."

   "So is Penny," Murray whispers but Penelope still hears him. "Don't call me Penny. I'm not worth once fucking cent, jackass. I'm worth way more," Penelope curses and click clacks away.

  "Gather together, kids!" Paisley shouts and they all crowd the middle area of the mall. Mike explained what the hell the group of adults....and Penelope.....had missed while they were on their little field trip. The fleshy monster. The fact that it attacked El and that it's made up of innocent towns people.

  "How big is this thing?" Hopper asks. Casey crosses his arms, "Large. Very large. Thirty feet, at least."

    "Yeah. It sorta destroyed your cabin," Lucas says. Hopper lets out a deep sigh and glances between El and Brooke. "Whoops?" Brooke shrugs. Steve steps closer to Brooke, his hand hovers over the small of Brooke's back. Brooke can feel his hand dancing behind her. She just steps back, desperate to feel Steve's touch even over clothes. Physical affection is a rare thing in the Martel household—so is anything that shows love towards their kids basically. Both kids are touch starved. Hugs and random finger links are how they get their affection from others without seeming desperate.

  She's never felt the miracle that is falling asleep in the car and teleporting to your bed. She's never felt her mother holding her to her chest while her daughter is sobbing, desperate to keep her child together like a cracked glass.

    Brooke accepts the affection with a sharp inhale. "Okay, so, just to be clear, this.......this big fleshy spider thing that hurt El, it's some kind of gigantic......weapon?" Steve asks, ignoring the pain as he raises his eyebrow. "Yes," Nancy answers. "So, instead of like, a robot, it looks like a spider made up of people in our town?" Paisley says, pressing her lips together. Brooke nods, "Sums it up."

   Steve blinks as best as he can with a swollen eye and shrugs, "Yeah, okay. I—Yeah, I'm just making sure."

  "We saw it first hand so, I mean—"

  "Was I saying any of you were lying? No, Windward—"

  "Shut up. Shut the fuck up," Brooke yells at them both. She used to think Casey was hostile towards Steve because it was another dude around Brooke but it's become very clear he just doesn't like the man and Steve doesn't like him. Pretty sure Casey was even allowed at Steve's house because Steve thinks Stella is cool and they're a package deal.

   Penelope's eyes bounce between Casey and Steve. Distaste and annoyance evident in her scowl and scoff towards the two. "It's always the cute ones that act like complete jackasses," Penelope insults them so casually, as if she's known them for years and simply doesn't care but Penelope literally just doesn't care. The insults Murray and Hopper and Cory had to endure during their field trip showed that. Not Joyce, Penelope actually likes Joyce.

   Casey chooses to shake off the girl's insult while Stella glares into her. "Are we sure this thing is still out there, still alive?" Joyce asks. "El beat the shit outta it but, yeah, it's still alive," Max says. The ambiance of the closed mall and the distant noise of electricity buzzing is an odd feeling no one can determine. Nostalgia or fear, they can't tell.

   "But if we close the gate again—"

  "We cut the brain from the body."

  "And kill it!"

"Theoretically," Danny finishes for Will, Max and Lucas. Everyone's thoughts are interrupted by a loud Murray shouting, "Yoo-Hoo! Yoo-Hoo!" Across the mall, papers rustling in his hands.

  To Brooke, Murray reminds her of a crazy science teacher with conspiracy theories and a concerning wardrobe but she has a good feeling about him. Penelope stomps her heel into the tile, "What an idiot," She says, still walking over to Murray. The group gathers around him, papers spread out. "Okay, this is what Alexei called the hub. Now, the hub takes us to the vault room," Murray taps against the paper.

   "Okay, where's the gate?" Hopper asks. "Right here. I don't know the scale on this, but I think it's fairly close to the vault room, maybe 50 feet or so," Murray guesses. Paisley lets out a laugh. That walk was not fifty feet. Maybe even more than 500 feet.

  "More like 500," Erica sasses, "What, you're just gonna waltz in there like it's commie Disneyland or something?" Paisley snorts which causes Steve to snort at the youngest's attitude. "I'm sorry, who are you?" Murray asks.

   "Erica Sinclair. Who are you?"

  "Murray.....Bauman," He hesitates to answer. "Listen, Mr. Bunman, I'm not trying to tell you how to do things, but I've been in that shithole for 24 hours. And with all due respect, you do what this man tells you, you're all gonna die!" Erica says. Snickers from the teens are heard through the silence from Murray. He finally speaks up, stunned by this girl, "I'm sorry, why is this four year old speaking to me?"

   "Um, I'm ten, you bald bastard!" Erica insults the man. Penelope smirks, already liking the attitude of this little girl. "Erica!" Lucas yells at his sister. "Just the facts!" Erica says.

  "She's right. You're all gonna die but you don't have to. Sorry, may I?" Dustin walks up to the paper. "Please," Murray says sarcastically. Dustin begins explaining the layout of the Russian base, telling Hopper that he and Erica can be their navigators but he immediately shoots down the idea. Too many risks. So, a plan is initiated.

  The adults would go down there while the teens stay at the mall.

  Everyone disperses but Brooke hovers around Hopper as he cocks his gun. "Hey, what's wrong?" Hopper gently asks, feeling the looming feeling of Brooke next to him. "Man, where do I start? First, who's Barbie is that?" Brooke says, pointing over her shoulder at Penelope.

   Hopper laughs a bit, "Penelope? Thought you'd like her."

  "Didn't say I didn't. Just confused. She's the weirdo's kid?" Brooke is just insulting both members of the Bauman family. Hopper shakes his head, "Sister."

Brooke cocks her head back. Sister? Sister?! She doesn't get to question it more because Hopper just turns away with a smile towards the kids. "Sister?" Brooke whispers to herself as she walks over to Robin, Steve and Paisley.

   Steve spots her and with glimmering eyes, he swings his legs over the counter, "Hi—"

  "Penelope is that guy's sister!" Brooke immediately tells them. Robin and Paisley both drop their jaws, she's so young, they think. Steve just laughs to himself. He missed her. He missed how her presence would surround him like a warm blanket. How even the slightest touch sends electricity through him. Brooke notices the quiet laugh, "What are you giggling at, Harrington?" A smirk forms on her face, stepping closer to Steve.

   The tension on the random food counter is enough to make the other two gag. Steve rolls his eyes, "Missed your bluntness. Maybe it would've been useful down there."

   "I think I would've died in all honesty," Brooke smiles. The two smile at each other. Different cuts or bruises are on their faces. The bruises from Brooke getting thrown around are starting to form and Steve doesn't know if he should dig into how she got them so he just frowns at the black and blue on her arms and legs.

  "Hey," Hopper yells at them, "Take him to his tower shit," He tosses Brooke the keys and she stumbles to catch them. She dangles the unfamiliar keys in her hands, "Who's car is this, Hop?"

   "Toddfather," Hopper answers. Brooke just shrugs and puts the keys in her pocket. She walks up to Hopper, "You trust me driving?"

  "No, God, no but I'm not giving Steve the keys," Hopper jokes and ruffles Brooke's hair. Brooke smiles, cheeks so high her eyes disappear, "Okay, kids, be good. We will be back. Everyone be safe, please," She shouts and then looks over at Hopper, "Love you!" Brooke says and drags the assigned group out to the parking lot.

   Hopper is stunned. Love you. His heart swells, glancing at El and then Brooke, his kids. "Love you too," Hopper says just above a whisper, not sure Brooke even heard it.

    Steve swings open the doors to the mall, gasping at the sight of the TODDFATHER in front of them, "Oh, man, now this......this is what I'm talking about!"

   "Oh, please," Brooke regrets even hands Steve the keys for funsies, "Give me the fucking keys," She snatches it from him. "Toddfather?" Robin reads off the ridiculous license plate.

    Steve rolls his eyes, trying to get the keys back, "Oh, come on. Screw Todd! Steve's her daddy now!" Brooke and Paisley fully stop in their tracks at Steve calling himself daddy. They glance at each other, cringing hard but as Steve tries to get in the driver's seat she runs over and stops him, "Hey, Steven, I got the keys—"

   "I don't know why. You suck at driving," Steve scoffs, scooting over to the passenger seat. Brooke doesn't even unlock the door, she hops in and the red leather seats immediately make her feel like a badass. The car is beautiful and Brooke is hoping Hopper somehow lets her keep it. "She gets driving privileges because you called yourself daddy," Paisley fakes a gag.

   Brooke puts the key in the ignition, "Where to, Dustball?" Dustin sighs, deadpanning at the name before going on, "Weathertop."

  "What's that?" Steve asks. "Just drive!" Dustin yells. "So aggressive," Brooke scoffs, reversing the car at a speed no one in the vehicle appreciates. The tires squeal as they pull out of the parking lot.

   Casey and Stella, as per usual, fear like the odd ones out. Their only proper friends have been assigned something else, away from them. All they know is that they go where Jonathan and Nancy go. Penelope couldn't give a shit less. She said goodbye to her brother, she doubts he'll die anyway.

   Casey steps closer to Stella, "How's the pretty girl doin'?" Stella looks around, looking for someone that isn't her. "I've called you pretty before, Stella," Casey rolls his eyes. "Not in a life or death situation," Stella rolls her eyes, a small smile as the butterflies flutter in her stomach.

   Casey steps in front of Stella, forcing her to look at him. Doesn't take much anyway, Stella could stare at him all day. "Well, if death is the latter, I want you to know that I love you and I'm sorry I didn't say it until we're on babysitting duty," A smug smile on Casey's face hides the anxiety and shaky breath he takes, at least he hopes.

   "What—"

  "Hey, my sister's ex and Stella, let's go!" Danny yells at them, crossing his arms and catching up with Will.

  They all pile into the car as Stella is left speechless and Casey is left wanting to puke his nerves up. As if shit couldn't get worse, the car will not start. The engine sputters the more and more Nancy tries. "You can't be serious. Come on!" Nancy yells. "Didn't your mom just buy this car?" Lucas quietly asks. "I mean you tell me this thing isn't ancient?" Penelope judges the station wagon she's stuck in. Major downgrade from car given by daddy for her 18th last year.

   "Yes. I'm sure it's fine," Nancy tries to reassure them. "Did you leave the lights on?" Will asks. "Windshield wipers?" Danny suggests. "What? Danny, it didn't even rain!" Max yells. Danny throws his hands up, "Alright, it was a suggestion, Mayfield!"

  "No—I didn't do any of that!" Nancy yells in frustration. "Is there gas?" Casey asks but Nancy yells YES so aggressively that Casey just slumps down into his seat, low key scared of the Wheeler girl now.

   She tries again but Jonathan yells at her stop and pop the hood. Stella opens the door, tired of not knowing what the hell is going on and walks over to Nancy and Jonathan, "What's wrong?"

   Jonathan is flabbergasted as he stares at the engine, "The ignition cable's gone." Casey runs over as well, "Ignition cable?" He questions. They all stare at the engine, confused as to why the whole cable is gone.

   The sound of a car engine revving makes them all jump, turning to see who it could be. The bright lights of Billy's Camaro shine on the group, continuously revving the engine.

   "It's Billy," Casey says. Nancy runs over to the kids, "Back in the mall. Everyone, go!" Nancy orders them.

   "Wait, let me see if I can kill him—"

  "Penelope, right? No time. Let's go!" Nancy says and rushes the kids in. Penelope grinds her teeth, this girl has no idea what Penelope can do. Underestimated by everyone, as per fucking usual. Penelope squints towards the Camaro. There's a small connection that she can feel within this Billy guy's bloodstream but he's too far for her to do any proper damage. So, as she is rushed in by these strangers, a headache makes Billy wince and stop his car from revving. A small distraction of pain.