Mary hadn't lingered outside after her father drove away, being too awkward to even look at Jonathan. She had tried to kiss him — kissed him, even. Their lips had in fact touched and she was sure he was going to kiss her back. But still, that didn't matter, the timing was awful and nowhere near appropriate.

           So she relocated to the gym hall where the kids sat and instantly, Mike got a defensive look on his face and the rest of the kids tensed up. Mary held up her hands in surrender, "I come in peace." She announced, looking back and fourth between the children whom e. xchanged glances.

            She stopped by the bleachers where they sat, looking down at the kids, "I want to apologise," She told them, "Baby Wheeler, I'm sorry that I threatened you. It was wrong of me and I shouldn't have even done it." She apologised, sincerity on her face and in her voice — although, she had forgotten Mike's name in the already awkward moment.

           Her gaze traveled to Eleven who's head rested against Mike's shoulder before she crouched down to the little girl, "Eleven," She started and the girl stared at her like a startled animal, "Those things I said, the way I said them. I didn't mean it.

You do know what you're doing — I just didn't want to believe it... So, in conclusion, I'm really sorry." She told her kindly, reaching out to grasp the child's hand in hers.

           Eleven's mouth opened and closed, searching for words for a moment, her face timid, "Friends?" She asked after a moment, her voice small and Mary laughed through her nose, smiling with her teeth.

            She nodded her head, "Yeah, I'd like that." She said, earning a small weak smile on Eleven's behalf before Mary heard the sound of a door shutting and she quickly got to her feet, letting go of her hold on Eleven's hand in the process.

              Mary furrowed her brows, "Stay here." She ordered the kids before rushing out of the school and upon seeing Nancy and Jonathan rushing across the car park she narrowed her eyes and threw her hands up.

             "Are you two shitting me?!" She yelled after them in irritation, making them stop in their tracks and spin around, caught tying to run off. Mary hurried down the stairs, her steps heavy, "You were going to abandon me with a bunch of kids? What do I look like to you two, babysitter of the year or something?!" She exclaimed in annoyance, stopping at the bottom of the stairs and placing her hands on her hips.

           Nancy turned back around, not having the time to bother with Mary, "We need to kill the demogorgon." She said, her teeth gritted together in determination and Jonathan hurried after her.

             Mary hesitated for a moment with a flat stare before she jogged after them, "Kill it? What the hell are you going to do, ask it nicely to roll over and die?" Nancy stopped in her tracks, spinning around, ponytail hitting the side of her face.

              "You weren't really invited, Mary. So why don't you just take care of the kids? Someone will need to." She suggested, her tone cold and Mary found herself narrowing her eyes as Jonathan looked at Nancy in confusion, not understanding where her sudden attitude towards Mary had come from. Completely oblivious that it had everything to do with the pairs almost kiss.

           Mary laughed in Nancy's face, "No, no. I am not the baby sitting type here," She refused before offering a bitter smile, "What is your issue right now anyway? What happened to wanting to be friends?" She asked, throwing her hand out. The lamppost flickering from above them going unnoticed.

            Nancy chuckled humorously, "You threatened Mike —"

            "And apologised for it literally two seconds ago! Whilst you's two were doing the grand escape! What the hell is your problem, Nancy?!" Mary exclaimed, both girls faces inches apart, "Mike and Eleven forgave me for being an asshole! Jonathan forgave me for the thing with Steve and —"

            "Oh my god!" Nancy groaned, throwing her head back and her hands up, "You want to know my problem? It's you, Mary! Everyone forgives you for everything, you've got this stupid town wrapped around your finger — I mean even Jonathan —"

           "What about Jonathan?" Mary yelled over her as the boy stood at the side awkwardly, "He has nothing to do with whatever's got your god damn panties in a twist, Wheeler! Stop acting like such a child!"

            Jonathan quickly got in beteeen the heated pair as Nancy opened her mouth to retort, "We'll all go. They're smart kids, they'll be fine until we get back," He said before looking between the girls, "Alright?" He held up his hands, trying to keep the peace between the two teenage girls — Nancy seemed more unhappy with the agreement, but Mary seemed satisfied.

            She barged into Nancy's shoulder as she passed her and the girl huffed, "It's all I wanted in the first place," She said with a shrug as she began to walk ahead of the pair, going straight by the flickering lamppost, "And honestly, where the hell is that bitch with my god damn sports car when I need it?!"

                        ———

            The trio would have arrived at the Byers house sooner, but they had to stop by the police station to collect the box full of weapons Nancy and Jonathan had bought to fight the demogorgon. And stop by actually meant sneak in — curtesy of Mary whom distracted the night shift officer, Roland whilst Nancy and Jonathan retrieved the goods.

            And so, after much time, they had got Jonathan's car and later arrived inside the Byers residence. Where all of the lights had individually been taken apart — and so of course, they had to put them back together again, as a warning sign of when the demogorgon would be approaching.

           They then set up traps, their main one being the animal trap in the hallway, where they had poured a line of gasoline onto. In hopes that they'd catch the monster and be able to set it alight and send it back to wherever it came from — Mary was sure it was hell.

            Jonathan had opted for Nancy's bat, in which he had hammered nails onto, which would be a much more powerful weapon against the monster than just a plain bat. Nancy stuck with Jonathan's father's gun which she had fully loaded and Mary silently cursed herself for giving Corina her car containing her own gun.

          And so, she settled for the axe in Joyce's shed. She wasn't fond of using it and would have much preferred her father's gun. But the axe would have to do. And besides, it made it more personal if she could actually cut into the god damn beast that had taken Charlie.

             The three had realised they'd need to draw the demogorgon out via blood, which was why they stood centre of the living room with knives in their hands, ready to slice through their own flesh to lure the creature in.

             Nancy counted, "One, two —"

             "You's don't have to do this —"

            "Jonathan, stop talking." Nancy interrupted, holding the blade against her skin and trying to prepare herself for what she was about to do.

             "Yeah Jonathan, shut up." Mary agreed, liking her dry lips as her leg jittered, the metal of the knife against the palm of her hand.

              "I just mean —"

              "Three!" Mary and Nancy chorused and together, the trio cut deep into their skin, wincing at the pain as they did so, thick blood oozing from their broken skin.

              "Son'ova bitch." Mary grunted as she bunched her hand into a first and squeezed, dropping blood onto the carpet below them as the cut stung.

             Mary sighed as she watched the red substance from their hands drip onto the carpet, turning it an awful shade and most likely luring in the creature that had taken the people they loved the most.

            "I'm gonna get this cleaned up. Back in a min." Mary quickly excused herself, leaving to go to the bathroom as Jonathan and Nancy sat on the couch, beginning to wrap up their bleeding hands.

             Mary locked the door behind her and instantly headed for the sink, turning on the cold water. She found her reflection in the mirror and realised she couldn't quite look away.

          She didn't really recognise herself, not really. She looked exhausted with bags under her eyes and her skin paler than it had ever been, even for living in Indiana. But she also felt relived and grateful, in the tragic week she had been a part of she found that she had changed — maybe not a lot, but maybe she was becoming a better person.

          She ran her hand under the tap, watching as the red turned to pink in the sink. The cold water eased the pain from the cut a little as it cleaned it out, drawing the blood away.

           The light from above her flickered and she reached to turn the tap of before a wave of realisation and remembrance washed over her and her hand hesitated on the tap, the water still running.

             She could remember a frightened Joyce, crying to her father that she had spoken to Will through the lights and at the time they had assumed the grieving woman was mad, crazy even. But she knew the truth now, she knew what was lurking and that little boys were abducted by monsters — she also knew that they spoke through lights.

         She slowly sat up straighter, looking at the light in the reflection of the mirror before she dared asked the question, "Charlie, is that you? Are you here?" She called out hopefully, her voice a small whisper before she exhaled deeply, shutting her eyes momentarily, remembering Joyce's words, "One blink for yes, two for no..." She trailed off, staring intensely at the light from behind her for what felt like forever.

          She sighed, turning the tap off before suddenly the light flickered once and she gasped, her hands covering her mouth as she spun around, "Is it really you? Are you alive?" She asked in disbelief, staring up at the light.

             It flickered once again, "Oh my god," She cried through laughter, tears burning in her eyes as she smiled hugely, "Charlie, I'm going to find you — I'm going to bring you back. I promise, I —" Her words stopped in her throat when the light flickered twice.

           "No? What do you mean no? Charlie, I need to find you — I will find you," She insisted before nodding in determination, "Just hold on, Charlie. I love you. I'm coming for you." She rushed to the door, unlocking it quickly before rushing down the hallway.

            She opened her mouth to tell Nancy and Jonathan the news before she came to a halt in the doorway, her words caught in her throat. Nancy and Jonathan were holding onto each other's hands, their eyes locked and Mary found herself flexing her jaw, feeling a deep pit in her stomach.

            Mary knew that look, the one she could see on Nancy's face. She had wore it many times when with Charlie. Nancy had feelings for Jonathan — and that wasn't what bugged Mary, not at all. She had kissed Jonathan in a moment of despair, she didn't think she even had feelings for him or maybe she did but that wasn't the point. The point was that Nancy was supposed to be Steve's girlfriend — even after everything.

            Mary was finally ready to speak when there were suddenly loud bangs at the door and she jumped in surprise, as did Jonathan and Nancy, "Jonathan? Are you there, man? It's Steve! Listen, I just wanna talk!" Mary blinked in surprise before exchanging glances with Nancy and Jonathan.

          Nancy got up and opened the door, only halfway, "Steve, listen to me —"

           "Hey, Nancy. What —"

           "You need to leave." Nancy told him as Mary hung back, well hidden on the other side of the door as she clutched onto her cut hand that had thankfully stopped bleeding.

            "I'm not trying to start anything —"

            "I don't care about that. You need to leave." Nancy tried shutting the door, but Steve kept it open and Mary exchanged a glance with Jonathan timidly.

            "No, no, no. Listen, I messed up, okay? I messed, I messed up, ! Okay?" He stammered, desperate for Nancy to not slam the door on his face, "I just wanna make things right, okay? Please, please — hey, what happened to your hand? Is that blood?" Mary felt her heart skip a beat, shrinking back a little further from the door, hoping Steve would just leave.

           "Oh my god, are these idiots going to let us in or what?" An obnoxious voice groaned and suddenly, Mary couldn't hang back a second after and she rushed to the door, popping her head out beside Nancy's.

            "Corina. You're not welcome here, get the hell off Jonathan's property." Mary demanded, scowling at the girl whom despite it being night time still had her heart sunglasses on top of her head.

            Steve stuttered over his words at the sight of his best friend, "Whoa, wait, what the what?!" Steve exclaimed in confusion, "Mary, what the hell are you doing here? You — wait, is your hand cut too? What the hell is going on in there? Did, did he do this? Did he do this?!" Steve was suddenly barging in, despite Mary and Nancy's efforts to stop him.

           He came to a halt in the middle room as Corina stepped inside slowly, her red lips slowly opening, "What is, what the —"

            Mary blocked Steve's view of the weapons around the living room as she got in front of him, "Steve you have to go, please. You can't be here right now. You've gotta go —"

           Steve grasped Mary's shoulders, his eyes frantic, "What's going on here? Tell me, Mare. Are you alright, has he hurt you, has he hurt either of you?!" He demanded as Jonathan stood in the middle of his own living room, looking out of place.

           Corina's hand rested on her hip as she smirked, "Wow, this family really is nuts — apparently you are too Mary —"

          The dirty blonde spun around to face the irritating red head, "Corina, do us all a favour and shut your damn mouth for two minutes!" She yelled at her, looking and sounding exactly like her father when he yelled at her.

             Corina scrunched her face in mock offence as Nancy pleaded Steve to leave, "Jeez, is that what I get for bringing your car back to you —"

           "Corina, I swear to god. If you don't stop talking I'm going to punch you in the god damn throat." Mary threatened, the flattest and sternest of looks on her face however, Corina just chuckled in amusement.

             Suddenly, Nancy was raising her gun towards Steve and Corina and instantly the whole room burst into chatter, "Nancy, what the hell are you doing?!" Mary exclaimed in horror as the girl continued to aim between Corina and Steve.

              "You have five seconds to get out of here!" Nancy yelled over at the two and for the first time, Mary saw a flicker of fear in Corina's eyes whom hastily took a step back as she held her hands up.

             "Steve lets go before one of these psychos go all psycho on us." She said, tugging on his arm but still, Steve refused and continued to beg Nancy not to shoot as she began counting down from five.

              Mary hesitantly turned around when she began to hear the faint humming of the lights above as they began to spark and she swallowed hard, "Guys," She said, but everyone continued yelling at her as the flickering sped up, "Guys, I think its here." She said a little louder and Jonathan looked up as everyone fell silent, looking at the lights.

              "It's here." He announced and Mary clutched onto her axe, stepping back towards Nancy and Jonathan whom stood back to back as they all looked around frantically.

             Suddenly, the ceiling from above them was turning to slime and Mary looked up in horror as the demogorgon began slipping through with a screech, "Run!"

                             ———

           It all kicks off next chapter ya'll!