She couldn't sleep, her mind wouldn't shut up and it made her feel so annoyed. It was late and the sun wasn't out yet, meaning she'd have to sleep.

She sat up pushing the blankets off her. Being back here felt so weird, she was so used to that place.

She would spend so many days and nights there alone and terrified. And now she was back home. And she felt far more alone here.

She let out a huff as she stood up from her bed fully grabbing hold of her shoes and jacket.

She pushed her window open carefully stepping outside onto the ground. It was cold out but she knew she'd be alright once she started walking.

She didn't really know where she was going, but she knew she didn't wanna be home. She felt like everyone was treating her like a vase.

One wrong word or thing and she'd just break. But the truth was she was already broken, and she was slowly putting herself back together.

It didn't help that her mother was so out of it, she was so desperate in finding Will. Jamie knew her mother wasn't doing okay.

She let out a slow breath as she slowly walked into Steve yard. The pool is empty and no one is around.

She sat down on the edge of the pool letting her foot soak into the water as she blinked.

She felt so numb, and lost within her own body and thoughts. She felt like she could burst into nothing in a matter of seconds.

Behind her she heard a door open and she turned to see Nancy Wheeler walking out. She looked upset and annoyed as she held herself.

"Oh Jamie, what are you doing out here?" Jamie smiled softly "thinking, I've missed so much. I just wanted things to be normal".

Nancy walked forward "do you want me to walk you home? I mean I don't mind".

"It's okay, I'm gonna go home soon. I thought Steve was going to be awake. But he's probably sleeping, I don't wanna bother him".

Nancy smiled weakly "if you ever wanna like to hang out or anything we can, I can tell you all about what you've missed".

Jamie smiled "I'd like that" Nancy walked off leaving Jamie behind by herself. A shiver ran up her neck making her look at the water.

A girl laid dead the monster ripping into her flesh, when she blinked they were gone and all she saw was pool water.

She sighed deeply as she jumped into the water letting herself melt away into the coldness of it.

Steve let out a huff as he sat up from his bed rubbing at his eyes. He frowned at the sound of his pool water splashing.

He stood up nearing his window looking into his yard. Jamie emerged from under the water.

She pushed herself onto the edge of the pool sitting down and pushing her hands into her face. She looked so upset, making him grab his jacket and run out of his room.

"Jamie? What are you doing out here" she turned around sniffling as Steve wrapped a towel around her. "I couldn't save her".

"Save who?" Jamie looked at the pool "it took her, I tried saving her... it's angry".

Steve sat down beside her "it's freezing out here, come on I'll give you some dry clothes".

Jamie stood up weakly and Steve walked inside making sure she was following behind him.

She held herself tightly as she walked into his room, it looked so different from the last time she saw it. "Hey you still have Mr.Bear".

She walked towards his bed grabbing hold of a stuffed bear she gave him years ago.

"I hope you still have yours" she set it down smiling "of course I do, she's still on my bed".

Steve pushed his drawer closed turning towards Jamie "here these should fit you".

She grabbed hold of them "I'll wash your clothes so you can get them back in the morning".

She didn't wanna go home, not when she felt so scared of the thing inside the wall. It was waiting for her so it could take her back.

"Can I stay here tonight, I'll leave early in the morning so your parents don't see me".

"Okay, but are you sure your mom will be okay with this, I mean she doesn't like me much".

"It'll be okay, she's too busy worrying about Will, I don't want her worrying about me".

Steve walked towards his door "I'll leave you too change real quick" he closed the door.

—

   Jamie woke up early and sat up rubbing at her eyes as she yawned. She turned to look at Steve who slept peacefully.

He was so different, it was weird seeing him after all that time she spent alone. Everyday she practically thought of him, hoping one day she'd return to him.

Things would be normal again for them, and she'd heal herself. But he wasn't the same anymore and everything around her was changing.

She stood up putting her shoes on quickly. Steve shifted on the bed and he opened his eyes when he found his bed empty.

"Jamie?" he looked at her as she put her jacket on "I didn't mean to wake you, I was just gonna go home before my mom woke up".

"I can take you back, you don't need to walk" she was hesitant "are you sure? I mean I'm fine walking". Steve grabbed his jacket.

"I'm taking you home" Jamie nodded.

—

   Jamie was nervous for school, being back meant everyone would stare at her. After all she was the missing girl who mysteriously returned the same night her little brother went missing.

She stood beside Jonathan holding onto her backpack straps tightly. Being here was odd, and she could feel every stare.

"If you need anything ask the teacher to come get me" Jamie nodded and walked towards the doors.

She stopped when she felt a shiver run along the back of her neck. She turned around, her eyes locking onto Mikes.

He stood beside Lucas and Dustin, all three of them looking at her and talking. She walked towards them quickly.

They looked panicked and all began shushing one another as she stopped right in front of them.

"Where is the little girl?" they all looked worried looking around at everyone.

"Uh she's in my basement" Jamie looked at Mike "keep her hidden, don't let anyone know about her. She's the key to getting Will back".

She didn't say anything else and just walked off leaving  behind three confused boys.

—

   Jamie stood beside Jonathan as they walked out of the school, he seemed on edge making her worry about him as they kept walking.

"Hey, man" he grew tense as he looked at Steve and his friends. "What's going on?".

"Nicole here was, uh, telling us about your work" Jonathan let out a slow breath. And Jamie could tell he was on the verge of passing out.

"We've heard great things" a boy laughed "yeah, sounds cool. And we'd just love to take a look. You know, as... connoisseurs of art".

Jonathan gripped his bag tightly, his eyes locking with Steve's harshly, Jamie felt so out of place. She was also mainly just confused.

"I don't know what you're talking about" Steve moved forward "Oh, no?". He grabbed Jonathan's bag so fast making the boy sigh.

"Hey. Please, give me my bag" the three teens all gathered beside Steve laughing.

"Man, he is totally trembling. He must really have something to hide" Steve grabbed onto the photos. His friends were all trying to look.

"Let me see" Steve let her friends look at both of them glaring at Jonathan with disgust.

"Yeah, this isn't creepy at all" Jonathan was hesitant but he stood up for himself.

"I was looking for my brother" Jamie flinched when Steve poked his finger into Jonathan's chest roughly.

"No, this is called stalking" Nancy Wheeler appeared frowning deeply.

"What's going on?" Nancy looked at the photos in Steve's hands frowning deeply.

"Here's the starring lady" Nancy moved forward "what are you talking about?".

"This creep was spying on us last night. He was probably gonna save this one for later".

Nancy gasped quietly as she looked at the photos Steve handed her. When she was done he took them back glaring at Steve.

"See, you can tell that he knows it was wrong, but... Man, that's the thing about perverts, It's hardwired into 'em. You know, they just can't help themselves".

Steve moved forward Jamie gripped onto Jonathan's arm tightly, her body shaking with fear and worry.

"So we'll just have to take away his toy" he grabbed Jonathan's camera fast. Making him move forward and leaving Jamie behind.

"Steve, No, please, not the camera" Jonathan looked ready to sob at the sight of Steve holding his camera tightly in his grasp.

Everyone was laughing and Jamie was crying as she held herself.

"It's okay. Here you go, man" Steve reached the camera forward and Jonathan went to grab it.

But it slammed onto the floor shattering and breaking, making Jamie pinch her eyes close.

"Come on, let's go. The game's about to start" the photos fell towards the ground ripped. And Jonathan didn't care about them.

He eyed his little sister who was whispering to herself as she held herself tightly.

"Jamie" he ran toward her gripping her shoulders making her open her eyes. "It's okay you're safe, you're home.. it's okay".

She gripped his jacket tightly as she let out a heavy breath. In the distance Steve watched her, sighing deeply to himself as he looked away.

—
authors notes:
slowly getting to the point where I can actually write new things for this story, I was tempted to delete it since it's not a vibe much, but I really want to write for season three and four. Mainly three of course but still I'm gonna hold onto this and hopefully keep writing for it as time passes. I think the next chapter is the last one I had drafted before so after that it'll be fresh writing that's not shitty lol. Anyways enjoy.