Chapter Fifteen

The leaves under my feet crunch loudly as Steve, Max, Lucas, Dustin, and I walk along the train tracks in the woods. I worriedly glance down at Steve, who didn't seem to be fazed by this at all.

"You're positive that was Dart?" Lucas questioned his best friend as Steve was in front and I was at the back, we were making sure that the kids had guidance and that no one was left behind. All though there would be nothing more than I want right now is to be cuddled up next to Steve for comfort.

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

"He was tiny two days ago," Max added. I'm not even surprised she saw him as a baby.

"Well, he moulted three times already," Dustin speaks knowingly.

"Malted?" Steve asked turning to Dustin and I smiled a little at his stupidity.

"Moulted," Dustin corrects Steve. "Shed his skin to make room for growth like hornworms."

"When's he gonna moult again?" I questioned, worried. If he moults again soon, I have this strong feeling he is going to be big.

"It's gotta be soon," Dustin answered. My hands grip holding the flashlight, Steve had one as well. "When he does, he'll be fully grown, or close to it. And so will his friends."

"Yeah, and he's gonna eat a lot more than just cats,"  Steve comments making me giggle a little bit at his dark humour.

Lucas holds out a hand and stops Dustin from walking. "Wait, a cat? Dart ate a cat?"

"No, what? No." Dustin lies and I rolled my eyes. So, he didn't tell his friends that Dart ate his cat? Jesus.

"What are you talking about? He ate mews." Steve spoke, clearly not understanding that Dustin was trying to lie.

Max looked up at Steve. "Mews? Who's Mews?"

"It's Dustin's cat," Steve nods over at Dustin.

"Well, dead cat," I correct and Steve smirked over at me; nodding his head. The secrets are out now, there's no point in hiding them.

"Steve! Juno!" Dustin whined.

"I knew it! You kept it!" Lucas exclaimed, shoving Dustin a little bit.

"No!" Dustin blurts out and Lucas gave him a look. "No. No, I... No, I... He missed me. He wanted to come home!"

"Bullshit!" Lucas yelled.

"I didn't know he was a baby Demogorgon, okay?!" Dustin throws his hands in the air.

"Oh, so now you admit it?" I sighed at this useless argument.

"Guys, who cares? We have to go." Max tells the boys.

"I care!" Lucas snapped and glares over at Dustin. "You put the party in jeopardy! You broke the rule of law!"

"So did you!" Dustin points at Lucas.

Lucas looked taken back. "What?!"

Dustin puts the flashlight on Max. "You told a stranger the truth!"

"A stranger?!" Max explodes, taken back and I rolled my eyes. Can we get this argument over with already?

The boys and Max continued to argue. I, on the other hand, looked over at the small hill. In the distance, I could've sworn I heard a growl... Or a shriek. It was definitely one of the two.

I stepped closer to the sound. "Jun," Steve spoke but I ignored him as the kids did. He ran up to me and pulled on my arm gently, stopping me from going any closer. "Hey, guys?" My eyes widen at the sound. "Guys!"

They stopped arguing and looked back at Steve and I. Ignoring Steve, I ran towards the sound. We were at Hawkins' lookout point. Steve, Dustin, and I point out flashlights ahead of us. Some city lights glow on the ground of Hawkins.

"I don't see him," Dustin comments, eyeing Hawkins carefully. We may not be able to see him, but we sure can hear them.

Lucas brought out his binoculars and peered through. "It's the lab," Lucas speaks. "They were going back home."

︾ 

After a great hike down the hill, we eventually got to the lab that Steve, Lucas, and Dustin had been talking about on the way there.

I still don't think that the lab should be where the Demogorgons live. But, I guess it makes sense as they were experimented there or something.

Some people are truly just sick.

My eyes fall on Nancy and Jonathan. I thought I had heard someone shout out at us in a demanding tone, it must've been Jonathan.

"Steve? Juno?" Both Nancy and Jonathan's eyes widen at the sight of their friend.

"Nancy?" Steve and I questioned, confused as I walked over to her. No, I ran to her and threw my arms around her as she did the same for me.

"I'm so sorry, Nancy!" I practically wept. "I didn't mean to yell at you I just—"

"No, I'm sorry, Juno." Nancy rushes out, squeezing me tight. "I was wrong, and stupid, and you are my best friend, I know that. We're fine, everything's fine."

"Thank God." I pulled away from her, looking at her pretty little face. "That was the longest 48 hours of my life."

"Me too." Nancy admitted. "Never split up again."

"Deal. Unless it has to do with this." I pointed over at the lab.

"Okay, now that that's out of the way," Nancy turned to me angrily. "What are you doing here?!"

"What are you doing here?" Steve fires back.

"We're looking for Mike and Will," they others had met us halfway. My eyes fall on the closed gates that don't seem to be moving any time soon.

My eyes then looked passed that and saw that the lights were off. "They're not in there, are they?" Dustin questioned.

"We're not sure,"  Nancy softly said.

"Why?" Jonathan asked. I flinched when I heard a loud shriek behind us, this time, everyone looks over at the lab.

Well, that answers Jonathan's question.

Suddenly, everyone breaks into arguments. We were discussing how we could get in there and save them over top of each other.

My eyes still stayed in the lab. Suddenly, the lights turned on and I gasped. I pushed passed them. "The power's back on!"

Everyone was silent and looked over at the lab. I took a sprint to the guard booth, everyone following me. Jonathan easily made his way, abruptly pushing me out of the way, and repeatedly the open button.

I turned to the gate sharply. It's still not opening. Why is it not opening?! I get that the powers off, but like... Isn't there a backup power, or something? Don't they have that in the guard booths?

Dustin jumps into the booth. "Let me try," Dustin insisted to Jonathan.

"Hang on—"

"Let me try, Jonathan!" Dustin snapped, shoving him out the way in the small guard booth. Dustin continued to push the button and I rolled my eyes.

"It's not going to work, guys." I point out; but of course, they ignore me.

"Son of a bitch!" Dustin curses. "You know what..." And he continued to press the red open button. As if a miracle shines over us; the gate opens. "Hey! I got it!" Dustin exclaimed, chuckling.

The gate slides open. "Okay," I clapped my hands together, turning to face the group. "Jonathan and Nancy, you'll come with me to go and get whoever the hell is inside. Let's go!"

I eyed Jonathan's car and went to make a move for it, but Steve quickly puts a grip on me, pulling me back to him. "Hey, what about me?" Steve questioned.

"You're a pretty good babysitter," I pulled him closer to me; we're extremely close to each other, our chests together and my hands gripping onto his t-shirt tightly. I kissed him softly, the other kids groaning in the background.

"There are children here!"

I pulled away and smiled innocently. "Stay safe."

He sighed, looking at me softly. "You too." I then pulled away from him and climbed into the car.