Mike's POV

Hopper drags me to Joyce's room. He closed the door. "What? Why?" I asked full of rage. "I was protecting her. You would be in danger." He said. 

"Protecting her? Really? Let me guess, I should be thanking you then?" I asked. He stepped closer. "I'm not asking you to thank me!" He yelled, taking another step closer. 

"I'm asking you to understand!" He yelled. "I don't! I don't understand! Please explain since you're so smart!" I yelled back. 

"I just don't want you to blame her!" He said pointing at the wall. "I'm not blaming her! I blame you! I blame you for taking her away from everyone!" I yelled. 

"That's fine." He said trying to calm down. "Stop trying to act like this is okay!" I yelled punching him in the gut. 

He stepped back and closed his eyes. "Jeez..." He said. "Nothing about this is okay!" I yelled punching him in the chest.

"Okay." He said. I didn't listen. I kept punching over and over again with all my might. "You stupid, disgusting, liar!" I yelled. 

Every punch I threw at him, made him take a step back. He hit the door when stepping back. "Lair! You lying piece of shit!" I yelled. 

"Stop it!" He yelled. I started crying as I punched him. "Li-liar! Liar!" I yelled before him giving me a bear hug. He held me close so I couldn't punch him. 

I started sobbing out the word "Liar" every time he said it was okay. It was not okay... It was never going to okay...

Thirteen's POV

Hopper took Mike out into a room and shut the door. You could then hear them yelling at each other making us stand there awkwardly. 

"Thirteen." I heard making me look over. Dustin came over with a small smile. He engulfed me with a big hug. I smiled and hugged him back. 

"I missed you so much... but not as much as Mike." He said pulling away. "I know... I saw." I said looking down smiling sadly. 

"We basically talked about you every day," Lucas said coming over to me before giving me a small hug. "I know... Mike would say that on the super com." I said. 

"I missed you two just as much as everyone else," I said smiling warmly at them. I looked over at Lucas and saw he changed a bit. 

I then looked over at Dustin and thought he didn't change. I looked down and I saw his front teeth. I looked it over again before walking closer to him. 

I reached my hand out and touched his mouth making him step back. "Teeth," I said shocked. "What?" He said licking his lips confused. 

I touch my front ones. "Teeth... You have teeth." I said pointing at them. "Oh, you like these pearls?" He asked before purring. 

My eyes went wide at this and I stepped back. Then the girl with the red hair came over, catching my eye. 

"Thirteen?" She asked with a smile on her face. I looked at her up and down. "Hey, um, I'm Max." She said reaching her hand out. 

I looked down at her hand before looking back at her face. I rolled my eyes and teleported away from them I didn't want to see her after the other day. 

I stepped weirdly feeling drained. I sat down touching my head. I was overly drained. I needed sleep but needed to be on guard. 

I sighed and laid my head on the couch resting my eyes until I felt a hand on my shoulder. I opened my eyes and looked up to see Mike worried. 

"I'm sorry." He said. I grabbed his hand. "It's fine," I said wiping my nose. "Don't apologize. You need to rest." He said holding out his hand for me to take. 

I grabbed his hand and he helped me up to the couch. "Just... rest. I'll be right here." He said. I nodded and closed my eyes.

Mike's POV

I watched her close her eyes and soon she fell asleep. I looked over and saw they grabbed Will. "What's happening?" I asked Dustin. 

"After Thirteen said he likes it cold, Joyce got what she meant." He said. "Take Denfield!" Hopper yelled while Jonathan looked at him. 

"Then you'll see a large oak tree." He said before looking over at Thirteen. "Tell me... tell me when that thing is out of him so we can figure it out what to do next." He said. 

Jonathan nodded and got into the car. Hopper came over and grabbed Thirteen. "What are you doing?" I asked before hearing her groan. 

"She's not safe here," Hopper said. "What?" I asked. "Chief, don't we need to close that gate? She's the best we got to ever closing it." Dustin said. 

"What? No way!" I yelled, standing in front of Thirteen. "We're not doing that." I protested. "For once I agree with, Wheeler," Hopper said. 

"I... I can fight." Thirteen said getting out of Hopper's hands. "No, I can't lose you again," I said. "You won't lose me." She said looking between me and hopper. 

[Skip To The Car]

She somehow got us to agree. Hopper got everything into the truck while I tried not to cry. This could be our final moments together. 

I hugged her tightly. "We'll talk after this... alright?" She said. "About what?" I asked. "Why... why I've been gone and couldn't show you I was there all this time." She said. 

"I know it's not your fault... I'm not mad at you." I said. She gave me a small smile before leaning in kissing me. 

I closed my eyes and kissed her back with so much passion. "Ahem!" We heard pulling away quickly. Thirteen looked down shyly. 

"We need to get going," Hopper said. "R-right..." She said looking into my eyes then looking away. "Be safe," I said. 

"I will." She said kissing my cheek and leaving. I watched closely as the truck started moving away. I sighed as it left my view. 

Thirteen's POV

I looked outside the window as it was silent in the car. "So... Were not gonna discuss why you look like an MTV punk rocker?" Hopper asked. 

"A what?" I asked glaring. "Punk... it's loud music and people that usually listen to it are dressed like that." He said. 

"So, I'm bitchin'?" I asked looking over at him. He snorted. "Yeah. You're bitchin." He said. It was silent once again. "I'm sorry I... I was stupid." I said. 

"It's... It's fine... You may have broken a rule but I did too." He said. "We're so stupid," I said trying to fight the tears with laughs. 

He laughed. "Yeah, we are." He said. I looked over at him and grabbed his hand. "I'm sorry, kid. I shouldn't get so worked up but... I don't want to lose you like Sarah." He said. 

I closed my eyes and saw warm memories of Hopper with a little girl. It soon got dark. "I never..." I wiped my eyes. 

"Save your energy." He said wiping his eye. "That's why... that's why I'm so protective. I want you to be safe." He said. 

Mike's POV

I paced the room over and over again thinking about Thirteen. "Mike..." Lucas said, but I ignored him. "Mike." I heard making me look up. "What?" I asked annoyed. 

"Can you help us clean?" Lucas asked. "Later," I said. "Thirteen is fine when she's with Hopper," Lucas said. "Oh, come on, Lucas. You never saw all those... dogs-" 

"Demodogs!" Dustin yelled, cutting me off. I huffed in annoyance. "We need to help her," I said. "Uh, no we don't," Steve said coming into the living room. 

"When a coach calls a play in a game, bottom line, you execute it, alright?" He said. I glared. "What? This isn't a stupid sports game and we're not even in the game..." I said looking at him. 

"We're on the bench," I said bluntly. He stammered as he tried to think of something. "Ye-righ-yeah, right... so... my point is..." He stopped. He's got nothing.

"We... yeah, we're on the bench so there is nothing we can do." He said. "Not exactly," Dustin said giving us hope. 

"I mean... those Demodogs have a hive mind. When we were attacked at the bus, they were called away." He said gesturing with his hands. 

"So, what you're saying is... if we..." Max started out. "If we get their attention-" Lucas said. "We can draw them away from the lab," I said. 

"And clear the way to the gate for, Thirteen," Dustin said. "Then we all die!" Steve said. "Well, that's one point of view," Dustin said. 

"I got it!" I yelled looking at all the papers on the floor trying to find where I was looking for. "Chief dug a whole... here! That's how we're going to get in." I said getting up.

"And... right here. This is where it all comes together. Maybe if we set this on fire-" "Uh, yeah, that's a no." Steve said cutting me off. 

"The mind flayer will tell his army to stop us," Dustin said. "We then circle back to the exit..." I said. "And... Thirteen would be at the gate." Max said. 

"Guys!" Steve said clapping next to our ears. We all looked at him. "This is not happening," He said putting the rag over his shoulder. 

"But-" "No, no, no, no, no, no. No but's. I'd promise to keep you shitheads safe and that's exactly what I'm going to do." He said. 

We all groaned and huffed in annoyance. "Were sitting on the bench till the team ends the game." He said. 

"This isn't a stupid sports game," I said getting frustrated. "We're staying. Understand?" He asked. We stared at him until he looked at us with a stern look. 

"Do you understand!?" He snapped. I rolled my eyes until we heard a car. It was loud. They couldn't be done now. 

Max ran up to the window and looked out. Lucas followed and hopped on the couch looking. We all walked slowly up behind them and looked out the window. 

"It... it's my brother... he can't know I'm here. He'll kill me. He'll kill us." She said looking at Lucas. Steve walked over to the door and opened it. 

"Move!" I said hopping on the couch. Dustin did the same and we all watched as Billy drove up to the Byers home. 

He stepped out of the car blowing out his cigarette smoke. "Am I dreaming or is that you Harrington?" Billy yelled out to Steve. 

"Yeah, it's me. don't cream your pants." Steve said. Billy walked up close to him. I then couldn't hear them anymore. 

They talked for a moment as Billy kept sticking his tongue out weirdly. I cringed. Billy then looked over at us. 

We all stared at him horrified. Steve then looked at us making us duck down. "Shit! Did he see us?" Dustin asked. 

"No! He totally was not giving us direct eye contact a second ago!" I said sarcastically. We got off the couch and went away from the front door. 

Max's POV

Billy opened up the door frightening us. I looked at him as he laughed. "Well, well..." He said walking towards me. 

"It's Sinclair. What a surprise." He said. I stepped out a bit. "I thought I told you to stay away from him?" He asked. "Billy..." I said frightened. 

"You disobeyed me, Max. You know what happens when you disobey me." He said making his hand go into a fist. I looked away from his eyes trying to be ready for his beating. 

He raised his fist up and grabbed Lucas by the collar. "I break shit!" He yelled throwing Lucas against the wall. 

We all yelled for Billy to stop. Not like it was going to do anything. He never listened. "Since Max never listens. I'm hoping you will." He said pushing Lucas back up on the wall. 

"Stay away from her." He said. Lucas gave him a look. "I said get off of me!" Lucas yelled before kicking Billy in between the legs. 

Steve came in and was rushing over to Billy. "You're dead!" Billy yelled. "No, you are," Steve said. Billy turned around to get a fist to the face. 

"Steve!" I yelled. He might be an ass but it's still my brother. Billy only laughed like he actually liked getting punched. 

"Finally! I get to meet this king Steve everyone won't stop talking about!" He yelled. "Go," Steve said not wanting to fight for my sake. 

Billy softened before throwing a punch at Steve, only for him to dodge it and hit Billy is the face again. His teeth were covered in blood. 

Steve kept throwing punches left and right before Billy grabbed a plate and smashed it over his head. Steve fell back holding his head. 

"Billy!" I yelled. Billy came charging at him and started punching him. "Stop!" I yelled. He threw him down and got on top of him, punching him until he became unconscious. 

I looked over and saw a needle. They used that to make Will unconscious. I grabbed it and took off the protective cap. 

I pushed Mike and Lucas out of the way before walking over to Billy and grabbing him by his hair. I pulled his head back and stabbed the needle into his neck. 

Everything stopped. They yelling, the hitting... Everything. Billy got up off of Steve and pulled out the needle. "Max... what did you do?" He asked before collapsing. 

He started to laugh hysterically. I looked over and saw the bat with nails. I walked over it and grabbed it. My hands tightened around the end as I held it above my head. 

"From now on, you leave me and my friends alone, got it?" I asked. He looked at me with a dazed look. "Screw you." He said sleepily. 

I threw down the bat right between his legs. The boys behind me gasped. "Billy looked up and lazily raised up his hand before giving up. 

"Is it gone?" He asked. "It will be if you don't tell me you understand," I said sternly. "I... I understand." He said shifting uncomfortably. 

"What? I couldn't hear you." I said wanting him to say it louder. "I understand!" He half shouted. "That's what I thought," I said dropping the bat and grabbing his keys. 

I looked back at the guys. They looked very shocked with uncomfortable expressions. "Let's go," I said walking to the door, opening it. 

"And... we should probably get Steve too."