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strangerficsxx · 1 month ago

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Chapter Three: The Monster and The Superhero

story: Midnight Rain wc: 3.8k jennifer, steve and dustin take max to talk to ms. kelley before traveling to the high school to retrieve answers on her condition and to find a way to help max.

[a/n: all characters, plot, etc. are not mine. The only thing I own is my original character. credit to gif owner.]

{ March 23, 1986 }

Jennifer sat between her brother and Max in the backseat. In front of her, Robin sits in the passenger seat whilst Steve sits in the driver's seat.

"Dustin, can you please scoot over?" Jennifer asks.

"If I keeping moving any further, my ass is gonna be out the car!" He exclaims.

"Oh, my God. You two are unbelievable."

Max earns a glance of annoyance from the Henderson siblings, rolling her eyes in the process. Jennifer holds two grocery bags full of various foods. From cereal to chips.

"Steve, how much longer?"

"A couple more minutes," He responds, glancing down at his wrist watch.

They arrive as Steve turns of the ignition. Dustin, Jennifer and Max slide out the backseat. Jennifer stretched her legs and body, feeling relief. However, the tension was still prominent in her head. She ignored it, reaching in and grabbing the bags from the backseat that she once had in her hands. The small group stayed at Steve's car, but Jennifer approached the little shack.

She checked through all the windows and decided that the coast was clear, quickly ushering from the house to the boathouse, slipping inside before the other's could see her.

"Eddie," Jennifer called, setting the bags down on a wooden stool.

Eddie appeared from under the tarp once again, the look on his face was between panic and relief.

"You look like hell, Munson."

"thank you." He smiled sarcastically at her. He playfully rolled his eyes, standing across from her and folded his arms to his chest.

A few moments of silence passed between them, but Eddie soon broke it. "Forgive me, for my meretriciousness. I should've asked if you were okay last night--"

"Eddie, it's okay. Really."

"Jennifer, if it's not, I'm a shitty person."

"Don't say that,"

"No, its true. You were my guest, and I should've treated you better. I'm really sorry for not being a better friend."

"Munson," Jennifer called. "I'm okay, you're okay. We're okay, and got out of there,"

"But you could be a suspect, and I don't want that for you."

"I exited out the back, and ran through some bushes so I wasn't seen. Who knows, I could've left prior."

"True,"

With footsteps approaching, Eddie was skittish. However, Jennifer forgot to mention that Steve, Robin, Dustin and Max were bringing in groceries. She felt bad for not mentioning anything. The door is thrown open as it collides with the wall behind it, creating a loud bang in the process. Eddie curses as the gang shows up with more bags.

"Delivery service," Dustin beamed, holding his bags up higher for Eddie to see.

Eddie exhaled, stepping toward Jennifer. Steve gently waved at the other male, setting the bags down.

"Jennifer, what happened back there? Why didn't you help us?"

"I'm sorry, Dustin. I wanted to see if your friend was alright, that's all."

"That's all?" Dustin asks. "Why were you with him?"

"Jesus, Dustin, give the interrogating a rest. Please! I wasn't with Eddie all night. I was with Steve really late at his house cause I was afraid of what happened to Chrissy might happen to one of us."

"They've been at since we picked them up." Steve mentioned.

Eddie nodded, grabbing a box of Honeycomb cereal. He sat down and opened the box and bag, grabbing a hand full and shoving it in his mouth. Chocolate milk in his other hand. They all gathered around the boat. Jennifer shared a nervous expression with Eddie then Steve.

"So we got some good news and some bad news." Dustin said, nervously bouncing his leg. "How do you prefer it?"

"Bad news first, always." Eddie spoke nonchalantly.

"Alright, bad news... We tapped into the Hawkins PD dispatch with Cerebro, and they're definitely looking for you."

Eddie's face dropped.

"Also, they're pretty convinced you killed Chrissy."

Max nodded, chiming in. "Like, 100% kind of convinced."

"And the good news?" Eddied questioned, still hopeful for himself.

“Your name hasn’t gone public yet.” Robin replied, an optimistic tone in her voice. “But if we found out about you, it’s only a matter of time before others do too. And once that gets out it's only a matter of time before everyone and their shallow-minded mother is gonna be gunning for you."

"Hunt the freak, right?" Eddie asked, fear prominent in his voice.

"Exactly," Robin nodded.

"Shit!" He sighed.

“So, before that happens, we need to find Vecna, kill him, and prove your innocence.” Dustin nodded, explaining his plan.

“That’s all, Dustin? That’s all?” Eddie grinned sarcastically.

“Yeah.” Dustin nodded eagerly. “Yeah, no that’s pretty much it.” He wasn’t picking up on the sarcasm in Eddie’s voice.

“Listen, Eddie, I know everything Dustin’s saying sounds totally delusional, but we’ve actually been through this kind of thing before.” Robin nodded. “Well, they have, a few times. And I have once. Mine was more human-flesh-based, and theirs was more smoke-related but bottom-line is, collectively, I really feel like we got this.”

“See, usually we rely on this girl who has superpowers. But those went bye-bye, so...” Steve shrugged.

“So technically we’re more in kind of the-“ Robin couldn’t find the right words to articulate what she was thinking right now.

“Brainstorming phase.” Max finished for her, Robin and Steve nodding in agreement.

“There’s nothing to worry about. We’re basically pros at this now.”

Eddie looked like he was about to explode at the statement. His eyes grew wide as he tilted his head at Dustin. His mouth opened to speak but he was cut off by the sound of sirens flying past the property. Anxiety and fear rose, afraid Eddie would be discovered.

Jennifer rushed to cover Eddie back up with Robin helping, laying the tarp over him as the other three tan to the window to see where they were headed.

"Who was it?" Jennifer questioned herself quietly.

Steve turned around, looking at Robin and Jennifer with a sense of urgency. “I think we should check it out.” He said, patiently waiting for one of them to agree.

“Yeah, let’s go.” Jennifer agreed before Robin even had a moment to discuss with her.

Dustin, Max and Steve were out the door before she could comprehend it.

“Eddie, we’ll be back!” Jennifer called, practically tripping over her feet in the rush to get out the door. “Lay low and use your walkie for communication, we’ll see you later!”

Jennifer slid in the backseat of the vehicle, squished between Dustin and Max. Steve drove off and followed as best he could behind the hoard of emergency personnel. Just a couple more miles, Steve was forced to stop, pulling off to the side of the road behind a police car.

The brunette scoured the area, seeing emergency first responders everywhere; cops, EMT's. firefighters, and reporters. And Nancy was right in the thick of it, being interrogated by a new police chief. The female thought it was weird, but since Jim died, she didn't think much of it. She prefered Hopper and didn't like Officer Powell or Callahan.

She examined Nancy's face. Fear was visible with panic, glancing over at Jennifer and the others, calming down immediately before practically sprinting toward the small group.

She fell into Jennifer's arms with hesitation, hugging her shoulders tightly.

"You guys have no idea how happy I am to see you." She mumbled into the brunettes sweater.

Jennifer embraces her back, trying to comfort her the best way possible.

"What the hell happened?" She questioned, soon pulling away from a shaken Nancy.

She stiffened up once again, eyes fluttering back and forth between the five of them.

"It's a long story," She shrugged.

“You wanna talk about it?” Jennifer asked, keeping a comforting arm wrapped tightly around Nancy's shoulders.

She looked to her, eyes softening. She nodded.

"Yeah. I think we should talk."

Nancy stayed close to Jennifer which she found a little strange since her and Nancy weren't the best of friends. However, she and the six of them weaved their way through the crowd of people, settling themselves on a picnic table in the middle of the trailer park.

Nancy went first, telling them everything that led up to her losing track of Fred in the trailer park. How they went to investigate Chrissy’s murder, ended up talking to Eddie’s uncle, and then he was gone. Nancy spent basically all night looking for him before she finally decided to go to the police about it, but by then it was too late, he was already dead. Dustin went next, accompanied by creative comments made by Steve.

Telling Nancy about how Jennifer and the other's searched for Eddie, they found Reefer Rick’s address through the video store’s database, and getting the real scoop from Eddie. And also their theory about how the murders were once again, linked to an Upside Down-related creature.

“So, you’re saying that this thing that killed Fred and Chrissy, it’s from the Upside Down?” Nancy asked, still unsure of what they were getting at.

“If the shoe fits.” Steve nodded.

“Our working theory is that he attacks with a spell, or a curse.” Dustin shrugged. “Now whether or not he’s doing the bidding of the Mind Flayer, or if he just likes killing teens? We don’t know.”

Jennifer glanced at her boyfriend uneased, bouncing her leg anxiously. Steve noticed as his hand rested on her thigh gently, making her stop tapping her foot. Her cold hand rested on top of his, gripping his hand.

“All we know is that this is something different. Something new.” Max chimed in.

“It doesn’t make sense.” Nancy shook her head.

“It’s only a theory.” Dustin responded.

Nancy shook her head again. “No, Fred and Chrissy don’t make sense. I mean, why them?”

“Maybe they were just in the wrong place.” Dustin shrugged. “They were both at the game.”

“And near the trailer park.” Max said.

Steve’s eyes widened a bit. “We’re at the trailer park… Uh, should we maybe not be here?”

They all became a little paranoid in that moment, each of them turning and looking over their shoulders in fear.

“There is something about this place.” Nancy said. “Fred started acting weird the second we got here.”

“Acting weird, as in?” Robin asked.

Nancy shrugged. “Scared? On edge, upset?”

“Max said Chrissy was upset too.” Dustin looked up at her.

“Yeah, but not here.” Max replied. “She was crying in the bathroom at school.”

“Why didn't anyone call and tell me about this?” Jennifer pressed.

“I don't know, maybe because we didn't know till after you got here?” Dustin questioned, attitude prominent in his voice.

Jennifer rolled her eyes.

“Serial killers stalk their prey before they strike, right?” Robin asked. “So, maybe Fred and Chrissy say this Vecman-”

“Vecna.” Dustin corrected, almost as if on cue.

“I don’t know about you guys but if I saw some freaky wizard monster, I would mention it to someone.” Steve said, shrugging.

“Maybe they did.” Max said. “I saw Chrissy leaving Ms. Kelly’s office… If you saw a monster, you wouldn’t go to the police. They’d never believe you.

“But you might go to your shrink.”

“Anyone know where Ms. Kelly lives?” Dustin asked, getting up from the bench and strapping on his backpack.

“Yeah, I think over on Elk Road.” Max nodded, also getting up.

“Okay then, it’s settled. Roadtrip.” Dustin grinned, walking eagerly towards Steve and Nancy’s cars.

Jennifer lead the way as Max followed closely behind him. Nancy, Robin and Steve not far behind her.

Nancy cut ahead of everyone, almost sprinting towards her car.

“Whoa, whoa, Nance!” Jennifer called, stopping her. “Where you going?”

Nancy looked like a deer caught in headlights. “There’s something I just wanna check on first.”

“Something you maybe wanna share with the rest us?” Dustin asked, clearly feeling left out.

Nancy looked down at the ground, as if almost embarrassed.

“I don’t wanna waste your time, it’s a real shot in the dark.”

“Yeah, okay… Are you out of your mind?” Steve scoffed. “Flying solo with this Vecna creep on the loose? No, it’s too dangerous. You need- You need someone to…”

Steve sighed, turning and tossing his car keys to Robin.

“Uh?!” Jennifer scoffed, shaking her head at him.

A burning sensation entered her heart, like someone tore it out of her chest and ripped it apart or stomped on it.

“Here, I’ll stick with Nance.” Steve smiled. “You guys take the car, check out the shrink.”

Robin looked at the keys like she didn’t know what to do with them. “I don’t think you want me driving your car.”

“Why?” Steve asked, confused.

“I don’t have a license.”

“Why don’t you have a license?”

“I’m poor-“

“I can drive.” Max perked up.

Steve’s faced paled. “No, no, never again, please! Anybody but you! No.”

Dustin grinned, winking at Steve. “No chance.”

Steve turned to Jennifer.

“You never liked me driving your car. And, I don't think you'll want someone as anxious as me to drive.” She shrugged.

Steve was shit out of luck.

“Okay, this is stupid.” Robin snickered, grabbing Dustin’s supercom out of his backpack pocket, and tossing Steve his keys back. “Us ladies will stick together. Unless you think we need you to protect us?”

Jennifer stayed silent as Max giggled at that as Steve’s shoulders slumped in defeat. Nancy and Robin turned, heading back to Nancy’s car.

“Be careful!” Steve called after them.

Max got into the car, Jennifer did too, beating Dustin to the front seat.

“You’re in the back, bud, don’t forget.”

She clicked her tongue at him.

“You gonna stand there and gawk?” Dustin snapped at Steve, from his seat in the back.

“Shut up!” Steve snapped, breaking himself from his trance and turning to get into the car.

Jennifer was becoming annoyed once again, rolling her eyes probably for the one thousandth time since she's been back. However, her mind was occupied by Steve throwing himself at Nancy, worried he may be falling out of love with her. Tears began welling up in her eyes, but she quickly dismissed it.

“Did you wipe your feet?” Steve eyed Dustin in the rearview mirror, wiping his feet inside Steve's vehicle. “On the outside, not the inside!”

He snapped, seeing Dustin’s mischievous smile. Her and Steve entered the car, him starting the engine.

“Always the babysitter. Always the goddamn babysitter!” Steve complained.

Jennifer wasn't complaining, but she was quiet due to the commotion she witnessed prior. Steve muttered incoherent complaints the entire ride across town to Elk Road. Max and Dustin sat silently in the back, Max staring out the window, lost in her own thoughts.

When they got to Ms. Kelly’s, Max barely waited for Steve to hit the breaks before she jumped out of the car.

“I won’t be long, okay?” She said over her shoulder as she crossed the street.

The three of them watched as Max rang the doorbell, and Ms. Kelly answered. Then Max went inside.

“Okay, she’s in.” Steve announced, as if they weren’t all watching the exact same sequence of events take place.

“I’m missing collarbones, not eyes.” Dustin mumbled from the backseat.

Jennifer stifled a chuckle, thinking what to say.

“So, we gonna talk about it?” Jennifer asked, visibly pissed off.

“About what?” Steve asked, clueless.

“Your temporary insanity earlier today when you basically threw yourself at Nancy Wheeler?”

Steve whipped around to stare at Jennifer. “Okay, first of all, that’s not what happened!”

“Pretty sure that’s what happened.” She spat back, eyes avoiding his as she stared toward Ms. Kelly's front door.

Steve turned back to her. “Okay?!” He snapped.

“Should I be here for this?” Dustin questioned nervously.

“No. Step out the vehicle. The adults need to talk."

“Jesus Christ,” He curses, opening the door and stepping out. He shuts it, awkwardly standing close by.

Steve rolled up his windows, shuffling to where he's looking toward Jennifer. She was still staring out the window before she actually made eye contact with Steve.

“It was pretty public. There were a lot of witnesses.” Jennifer shrugged, shaking her head.

“Are you implying I still have a thing for Nancy?” Steve scoffed, eyes switching between his girlfriend and Dustin.

“Not implying, I'm stating. It’s pretty much the only logical explanation. If you don't love me, Steve, then just tell me. Please! Maybe I shouldn't of left. Maybe if I stayed, then you probably would still be in love with me... but you aren't. Are you?"

"Jennifer, that's... that's not it." Steve begins. "I love you so much, and was a wreck when you left for university. Ask Robin. Look, I've never loved anyone as much as I loved you, Jen."

"Steve..."

"No, I'm serious. I know I've done and said that shit to Nancy, but I fell out of love after I slept with her."

"You don't need to explain."

He takes Jennifer's hand in his, gently gliding his thumb in soothing circles on her delicate skin.

"I saw the hurt in your eyes when you left my house that night in 1983. When you injured your arm in my backyard, and the other time when Wilhelmina died, and when Billy pushed you and made you hit your head and it began bleeding, and all the other times from the mall, Russians, other things. All the sympathy and yearning to comfort you filled my mind and body in ways that I can't understand or explain."

Tears well up in Jennifer's eyes as she knew the tone in Steve's voice was more resolute and sincere. He felt terrible, but owned up to his actions later on.

Jennifer used her other hand to snake it to the nape of Steve's neck. He softens at her touch as she does the same with him. Steve snakes his hand up to Jennifer's face, cupping her cheek gently. He then brings her lips to his. A few seconds pass before the pull back. A soft smile rests on Jennifer's face.

Suddenly Dustin enters the vehicle and a few more seconds later, Max reappeared. She raced toward the car. "Here she comes, here she comes!"

The red head got into Steve's vehicle.

"What'd she say?"

“Nothing, just drive.” Max said, slamming the door shut urgently.

“Nothing?” Steve asked.

“Steve, drive!” She snapped, warily urgent.

Steve put the car into drive, flooring it out of there before anyone could ask another question.

“Where am I driving to?”

“The school.”

The four of them weren't very far down the road when Dustin's intercom started crackling.

"Dustin, it's Lucas. Do you copy?"

“Lucas?” Dustin asked, frantically scrambling to dig the radio out of his bag. “Where the hell have you been?”

“Just listen!” Lucas said through the walkie. “Are you guys looking for Eddie?”

“Yeah, and we found him- No thanks to you!”

“You found him?”

“Yes, he’s at a boathouse on Coal Mill Road. Don’t worry, he’s safe.”

“You guys know he killed Chrissy, right?”

“That’s bullshit! Eddie tried to save Chrissy!” Dustin came to Eddie’s defense, yet again.

“Then why do all the cops say he did it?”

"This imbecile," Jennifer accidentally says aloud. She look around anxiously.

Max grabbed the walkie from Dustin’s hands. “Lucas, you’re so behind, it’s ridiculous, okay? Just meet us at the school, we’ll explain later.”

A few beats passed before Lucas responded. “I can’t… I think some real bad shit is about to go down.”

Kate’s eyes widened, she turned herself to face Max. “What are you talking about? What bad shit?”

There was no answer from the other end.

“Lucas? Lucas?”

Max looked at Jennifer, worry in her eyes.

“He’s fine, Max. He’s fine.” Dustin shrugged it off. “It’s Lucas, he’ll be fine.”

Jennifer knew deep down that Max couldn't shake off the looming feeling of dread for Lucas. It's scary not knowing the status of someone you love.

It was dark by the time they got to Hawkins High School. parking right out front. They exited the vehicle and approached the building. Steve tried opening the door but it was locked. Jennifer knew a way when she lost something and searched the grounds after it closed, finally breaking and entering. However, here wasn't much breaking which relieved her.

"Dustin, do you copy?" Robin asked through the intercom as they entered the school.

"Yeah, I copy."

"So, Nancy's a genius." Robin spoke. "Vecna’s first victims date back all the way to 1959. Her shot in the dark was a bullseye."

"Okay, that's totally bonkers, but I can't really talk right now."

"What are you doing?" Robin pressed, tone changing immediately as Jennifer can almost see her face.

"Breaking and entering into school to retrieve some confidential and extremely personal files." Dustin answered like he was discussing his nerdy game.

"Can you repeat that?"

"Just get your ass over here, stat!" Dustin ordered. "We'll explain everything."

Max was a ways ahead of them, already fumbling with the lock of Ms. Kelly's office. Jennifer approached beside her, flashing her light on the handle so Max could see. The door finally opened as the four of them pile inside. Max hded straight toward the filing cabinets in which Kelly stored her student's records.

"Its like a mini watergate or something," Dustin grimmaced, examining the tiny details of the counselor's office. "Hawkinsgate."

"Wait a second, didn't those guys get caught?" Steve questioned, following close behind the younger male.

"Holy shit," Max gasped, flipping through the files. "I founf Chrissy's file, but that's not all. Fred was seeing Ms. Kelly too."

Max grabbed their files, pushing past the other three to sit down at Ms. Kelly's desk. She opened the manila folders, browsing all the papers. Jennifer once again held her light over them, illuminating the paper. Side by side, the redhead laid the notes that Ms. Kelly had been taking during her sessions with the cheerleader and Fred. It appeared to be a list of symptoms.

Past trauma

Terrible sleeping

Difficulty sleeping

Headaches

The anxiety rose. "Max, what's the matter?"

"Max, what is it?" Dustin questioned too, but it was like she was stuck.

Jennifer blinked as Max was no longer in the chair, and Steve and Dustin were still with her.

"Max!"

The door to the office was no wide open. The brunette took her guts instinct to leave, entering the dark hallway. Walking down the long corridor, it was pitch black as he light illuminated the way. She rounded a nearby corner, seeing nothing.

"Max!" Jennifer shouted once again, but there was no answer.

She kept moving, rounding yet another corner before finally finding the girl staring straight up at the wall as if something was holding her gaze in one spot. She stepped toward Max, a sinking feeling entered her gut, knowing that it was something bad.

She couldn't see Max's face but approached her, calling her name once more. She finally saw the red-head's face. It was like she was in a trance, shouting her name again before frantically searching for her brother and Steve, not knowing what to do as she stood there with Max, shaking her almost violently.

Wake up.

#stranger things #stranger things fanfiction #stranger things fic #stranger things oc #stranger things original character #midnight rain #jennifer henderson #emily rudd #steve harrington x oc #steve harrington

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strangerficsxx · 1 month ago

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Chapter Two: Cursed

story: Midnight Rain wc: 4.5k while jennifer tries to tell her friends what happened, they quickly begin searching for eddie. that night, he reveals to the gang what happened.

[a/n: all characters, plot, etc. are not mine. The only thing I own is my original character. credit to gif owner.]

{ March 22, 1986 }

The next morning Jennifer continued to shuffle on the mattress and under the covers, waking up immediately. She stayed laying in her bed, eyeing Steve's uniform draped over his chair across the room.

That's when Jennifer realized that she wasn't her bedroom at the Henderson residence.

She needed this day to take it easy as to what she saw and felt the previous night. She wanted to go home and hide, however, with her having a limited amount of time before she leaves for California, she decided to push through. Jennifer moves her hand against the empty side, furrowing her brows as she sits up.

She slid out of Steve's bed, standing as she wears only an oversized shirt. Trying to distract her horrid thoughts, Jennifer throws on her clothes before walking out of the bedroom. She escalated down the flight of stairs, leaning against the entrance that leads into the kitchen. Strong aromas of bacon and eggs fill the room, watching as Steve makes two plates before picking them up and turning his heel. His gaze suddenly falls upon Jennifer.

"Jen, you're up. How'd you sleep?"

"Good for someone who witnessed a murder,"

"That's... good. Anyway, I, uh, made us breakfast. I thought why not do something special, right?"

"Yeah," Jennifer smiled, taking a step toward the table. "Thank you."

Steve sets the plates down, taking a seat along with Jennifer. They quickly eat before getting ready the rest of the way before leaving the room, and enter the living room.

"I'm headed to work, you need a ride."

"No, I'm good, I'll walk back to my place and grab my car."

He nods, grabbing his keys and steps toward Jennifer. She pecks him on the lips as Steve makes his way out of the house. After he shut the door behind him, Jennifer felt hesitant staying but also leaving.

She grabs the remote off the table as her mother enters the living room. Jennifer turns the television on as a female news anchor stands in front of Eddie's trailer. Her eyes widen, taking a step as the television brings her toward her chair, sitting and watching closely.

"We're in the Forest Hills trailer park in east Roane County. We don't have a lot of details now, but we can confirm that the body of a Hawkins high student was discovered early this morning. Police have not released the name..."

"Oh shit," Jennifer murmurs, knowing who the deceased victim is -- or was. "Chrissy."

"...Although we are told they're currently in the process of notifying the family."

With a sudden thought, she thinks about Robin as she is at Family Video probably watching the same thing. Jennifer knew Robin was possibly worried about her whereabouts, and if she's apart of the deceased victim.

Author's point of view.

Afte Steve enters Family Video, he quickly gets to work as he listens to the short-haired female recit last night's events at the Hawkins high school basketball championship. She continues talking, telling him that Vickie laughed at the muppet joke while he tells her that his muppet joke is always funny. However, he leans against the movie poster as it squeaks behind him.

"You should've seen the look on Jen's face today. It hurt when I had to leave,"

Soon, Robin stands beside him. She folds her arms to her chest, sighing before speaking.

"Oh, please. Just because your relationship is so perfect, doesn't mean you have to talk about it constantly. Meanwhile, my love life is shit compared to yours. All though..."

She then runs toward a shelf as she grabs a tape off the shelf.

Robin holds a double VHS tape of Doctor Zhivago.

"Ugh." Steve groans, arms folded. "You know I don't do double VHS."

He walks toward the cart, putting more tapes on the shelf in front of him.

"But it's about doomed love." Robin comments.

"Oh, well, that was relatable."

"Precisely. However, you have someone. Jennifer. I don't."

Steve nods, stepping toward the cart. "You'll get there,"

Robin grabs another VHS tape and stalks toward the opposite side of the store, Steve behind her with the cart.

"Also, Julie Christie is b-b-bonkers hot in this."

She steps behind the counter, grabbing the television remote. "Like, seriously, the most beautiful creature I have seen in my life."

"And besides, you just had to be there. Something just didn't look right in Jennifer's eyes, and an uneasy feeling just sits in my gut. I don't know."

Robin takes a step, grabbing the television remote as it flicks on. A female news reporter stands in front of a trailer. Various types of people (likely from the area) are crowded around the small building. Steve steps beside Robin to watch as well. Both have their brows knitted together.

"We're in the Forest Hills trailer part in east Roane County. We don't have a lot of details now, but we can confirm that the body of a Hawkins high student was discovered early this morning. Police have not released the name..."

"Holy shit." Steve curses, stepping away anxiously.

"Jennifer. What if it's Jennifer, Steve? She can't be dead."

"It's not Jennifer, okay? She's okay. She is at my house." Steve says.

"Steve." Robin begins. "I don't care. I'm calling Jennifer to make sure she's okay. I want to make sure she is alright.

"Alright, alright. Sure." He muttered sarcastically.

Jennifer's point of view.

Jennifer finally made it back to her house, entering before taking a seat in the living room. Her mother and Dustin are seated on the couch beside her, worried. Their pet cat meows lightly, purring loudly. She looks over at her brother, needing to tell him what happened as guilt and anger floods her system.

"My heart can't take it anymore. It just can't take it." Claudia sorrowfully speaks.

Suddenly the telephone rings as the three family members whip their heads around. Jennifer rises, answering it swiftly.

"Hello, this is the Henderson residence. Jennifer speaking."

"Jennifer? Thank God."

"See? I told you she was okay."

"Are you okay? Have you seen the news?"

"Robin, its okay. calm down. I'm fine. I just stepped into my house. I was with Steve last night and this morning. And yes, I saw the news. Did you... Did you see the news, too?" She asks, nervously.

"Yeah, I did. I just wanted to make sure you were alright, that's all."

"Okay. Well, if you need me. I'll either be there at my house or whatever happens next in my life. And, Robin, I'm okay, I promise. Tell Steve I said 'hi'."

Jennifer stood there, calm as she heard Steve's voice. Her heart skips a beat right when the doorbell rings abruptly, looking up and watches her brother rise to answer it. Max steps in with an earnest glance.

"Gotta go. Max is here for some reason. Bye."

Jennifer hangs up before Robin nor Steve could get a word out, walking towards Max and her younger brother. The three enter Dustin's bedroom, standing. Her younger brother paces the room.

"What's going on?" Jennifer questions.

"Chrissy Cunningham was found dead in Eddie Munson's trailer this morning."

"Chrissy Cunningham? You're sure it was Chrissy?"

"Yes, in her cheerleader outfit. Same thing she was in when I saw her with Eddie."

"Did you tell all this to the cops?"

"No," Max stammers. "No, but I... I can't be the only one who saw them together. They stood out."

"Eddie the freak with Chrissy the Cheerleader?"

Jennifer clears her throat, gaining the attention of Max and Dustin.

"If you didn't know, Eddie is--"

"I know who he is. I was there too." She began. "I saw what happened first hand. Her body... it just... it was deformed. Snapping. Oh, God. It was horrible. But I took off as fast as I could, so I wouldn't get caught. And, Eddie was speeding away in his van before I could ask for a ride home. I was there since he invited me, after knowing I am your sister.."

"I didn't know you met him." Max added.

Dustin chortles excitedly, grinning ear to ear.

"He your new boyfriend?" He asked, teasingly.

"No, but he... I don't know. Eddie had the same look Steve expressed when ."

"Anyway," Max started. "Exactly. You know, his name's not in the news yet or anything, but I guarantee you Eddie, and you Jennifer are suspects one and two now."

"That's crazy."

"He wouldn't do this. I was there. I saw what happened."

"Eddie and Jennifer didn't do this. No way. No way."

"We can't rule it out."

"Yes, we can," The henderson siblings say in unison.

"Guys!"

"You don't know him like I do, Max. Okay?"

Max rolls her eyes, annoyed. Jennifer stayed there silent sighing. Dustin begins talking on and on, bickering with the red head. He plops on the bed, sighing. He leans against his legs, fingers clasped together.

"Why haven't you told this to the police?"

"I don't... I don't know."

"You don't know, Max?"

The room fell silent as he young female stands there, arms folded and silent. She sighs before walking towards Dustin's bed, taking a seat beside her little brother. She glanced at the male then toward Max, waiting for an answer.

"After I saw Eddie, Jennifer and Chrissy go in the trailer, something else happened."

"The lights began flickering," Jennifer added. "I saw him leave too, Max. He left me there."

"Nothing that weird or anything. I mean, Eddie always drives like a maniac, and the power goes off at my place all the time. It's a piece of shit. But... This morning, I started thinking back, and... I don't know. The look on his and Jennifer's face. they were scared, Dustin. Really scared. Maybe they were scared because, they... they just killed someone--"

"Not true, Max."

"Max!" Jennifer exclaimed, rising from her seat and paces the room, almost offended.

She brushed it off though.

"OK. Or... maybe, um... maybe because. I don't... I don't know, maybe..."

"Something else killed her."

Dustin and Max crane their necks to look up at Jennifer, who stands above them nods.

"But that's impossible. Right?"

"I don't know. It should be." Jennifer says.

"The other person who knows what happened is... Eddie. He was there with me when this happened."

Dustin rises, grabbing his backpack as Max does the same. Jennifer leads them out of the bedroom.

"Did you tell anyone else?"

"No. I can't find Lucas or Nancy, and Mike's in--"

"California. Shit, shit, shit." Dustin curses.

Jennifer swipes her keys off the counter, grabbing the doorknob as the two kids follow behind.

"Where you going?"

"I'm taking them with me."

"You guys heard the news. It's not safe."

"Good point. We'll be extra careful. Thanks. We love you. Bye."

Dustin shuts the door behind them. Jennifer slides in the vehicle along with the kids, starting the car and they question where to go. Jennifer suggests Family Video since her boyfriend and Robin will believe her since they went through hell and back the last three years. Jennifer steps on the gas pedal, pretty much speeding through the small town of Hawkins.

Jennifer, along with Max and Dustin open the door as the bell rings. The kids entered in front of her, being the last one to enter Family Video. Dustin greeted the employees and same with the redhead. Steve greeted them before welcoming Jennifer. She makes eye contact with the tall brunette, holding his gaze.

"Hey, Steve."

"You see this?"

"How many phones do you have?"

"Someone was murdered."

"How many phones do you have?" Dustin asks one more time with a serious tone in his voice.

"Two. Why?"

"Technically three, if you count Keith's in the back." Robin mentioned.

"Three works."

Dustin throws his backpack off, chucking the bag across the counter and hoisting himself up and over the counter. In the process, he knocks down Steve's stacked VHS tapes. Jennifer and Max enter the right way.

"Setting up base of operation here."

"Base of operations?"

"Don't ask. Something my brother came up with to find his friend Eddie."

Steve nodded Jennifer, getting irritated at the younger Henderson sibling. "Get off!"

"I need it."

"Need it for what?"

"Eddie's friends' phone numbers."

"Oh, Eddie. Your new best friend. You think is cooler because he plays your nerdy game?"

"I never said that." Dustin argued back.

"How did you deal with this?" Max asks.

"I mostly tuned him out most of the time. Thank God, I work and have a life."

"Makes sense."

"Seriously, you guys, maybe on a Monday you can play around, but it's Saturday. It's our busiest day."

"Sorry, Robin. I didn't think he'd be this annoying."

"It's okay, Jennifer."

"Yeah."

"Robin, I empathize, but this cannot wait." Dustin vocalizes, holding a notepad.

"Oh, my God." Steve groans, assisting Robin with re-stacking everything on the counter.

"Yes, because calling Eddie's friends is an emergency?"

"Correct!" Dustin shouts.

Jennifer steps closer to the two, almost as annoyed. "Want me to strangle him or do you guys want to do the honors?"

"We could take turns." Robin suggested, half-serious and half jokingly.

"Can you fill them in while I do this? Jennifer, Max?"

"I'll do it," Jennifer says.

"Fill us in on what?"

"Chrissy Cunningham was found murdered in Eddie's trailer this morning by Max. Last night, she died from an unknown entity." Jennifer began to explain. "I was there, I saw what happened. If you all believed me, then you'll believe Eddie. I don't know how to explain this, but something or some kind of being was after her. God knows who it'll take next."

Later with Robin, Max and Dustin on the phones, Jennifer helped Steve around the store. The conversations overlap as it soon becomes inaudible to her, but continues on stacking shelves and assisting people around the store for VHS tapes. She wasn't supposed to be doing it, but did so anyway.

She watches as Dustin picks up the dry erase maker and marks out another name. With Steve conversating, Jennifer tries not to get involved as he follows her towards the entrance, but comes back as Max hangs the phone up.

"Hey, guys, I might have a lead."

Jennifer leans against the counter, listening to what Max has to say.

"Apparently, Eddie gets drugs from some guy named Reefer Rick, and sometime Eddie crashes there."

"Hmm... He never told me that, and we've known each other since October of last year."

"Wow, I'm surprised he never told you." Steve comments.

"Sounds promising. Where does Reefer Rick live?" Robin questions.

"See, that's the thing. No one knows. He's more of a... a legend than someone that people actually know."

"Last name?"

"I don't know that either."

"Bet the cops know the last name." Steve says.

"What?" Jennifer asked, annoyed.

"Cops."

They continue to stare at him as he continues placing tapes in the bin storage below.

"I mean, listen, if this reefer rick is actually a drug dealer," He starts, stepping towards the counter, leaning next to Jennifer. "I guarantee you he's been busted at some point. which means he's in the system."

"The cops? Really Steve?" Dustin presses. "That's your suggestion?"

"I think they should be filled in on what we know, what's going on."

"You think Eddie's guilty, don't you?" Jennifer queries sternly, glancing at him.

"Whoa. I believe in innocent until proven guitly, all that constitution shit."

Max and Jennifer make eye contact, the redhead furrows her brows, the brunette still annoyed.

Steve continues. "I just, you know, don't think we can rule it out."

"That's precisely what we're trying to do here, Steve."

"And maybe we'd have a little bit more luck if you spent less time complaining about everything and more time trying to find Eddie."

"Somebody has to attend to the customers."

"You could help me?"

"No, Steve. I don't even work here. I work at some shit movie theater job in... Never mind. You know Ican't work here."

"Jennifer's right," Robin nodded. "If she worked here without being hired on, and keith finds out were apart of it, then both us will be fired."

"See?"

"Unless, we don't tell him?" Steve suggests, raising his brows.

"Fine, I'll help."

Jennifer breaks herself away from Steve and steps behind the counter, approaching the computer and taking a seat on the chair. She gets the computer booted up.

"What are you doing?"

"Maybe we don't need a last name." She says, keys clicking under her fingertips. With a few more tussles on the keyboard, the computer beeps, listing various names on the screen.

Without noticing, Steve stands above, peering over her shoulder as he hand rest against the counter top. Her hand just inches away from his. She looks down, heart fluttering. She focuses, turning back to the desktop in front of her.

"Twelve Ricks have accounts here."

"That's a lot of Ricks."

"So, let's narrow it down."

Tapping a few keys, it pulls up one name.

"Rick Alderman's latest rentals are Annie and Dumbo."

"Chances our drug dealer has a family?" She asks.

"Not likely."

"All right." Jennifer clicks another name. "Rick Conroy. Sixteen Candles, Teen Wolf, Romancing the Stone."

Max, Steve, Dustin and Robin say no at the same time. Jennifer once again clicks another guy's name.

"Rick Joiner. Mask, Footloose, and Grease.

"Nah,"

"Rick Kimbrough. The Blue Lagoon and Splash."

They all chuckle.

"Definitely not," Max says.

"No way."

Another name gets pulled up. Jennifer reads the male's name. "Rick Lipton. Fast Times at Ridgemont High. Cheech & Chong's Next Movie. Cheech and Chong's Nice Dreams. Cheech and Chong's Up in Smoke."

"Bingo."

"Lipton?"

"Spelled like the teas. 2121 Holland Road."

"That's out by Lover's Lake." Jennifer mentioned.

"Middle of nowhere."

"It's the perfect place to hide."

With a wave of adrenaline, Steve, Jennifer and Robin along with Max and Dustin grab their things, remove their vests before exiting the store. Robin is last as she turns the sign that reads 'Closed' before locking up.

Jennifer glances at her car as she hates to leave it behind. She quickly makes sure it's locked before piling into the. backseat with the kids. Steve puts the keys in the ignition, revving the engine before taking off down the road.

On the way, Jennifer sits between Dustin and Max, fumbling with the keychain that's latched onto her keys. The ride was quiet, a little too quiet as she wanted to speak, but was unsure of what to say. Max had her walkman playing as her headphones rest against her ears, so she couldn't talk to her, Dustin was looking out the window in his own little world.

"So, why did you hang up on me so fast?"

"Max was standing at my door which was unusual, but I knew it was about Chrissy and her death, so I quickly hung up."

"Okay. Whatever. I just wanted to make sure you were okay, and wasn't the one who got murdered. That's why I called."

"Well, thank you Robin for checking up on me."

"Yeah, I just knew that with the recent murder and you being MIA, I thought why didn't you show up at family video. Why was that?"

"I didn't want to distract Steve whilst he worked. You know how he was when we worked together before, so I stayed at his house for a while before heading home."

Jennifer was tense as Robin slowly nodded as she stayed silent the rest of the drive there. She sunk in her seat, holding her legs together since she was cramped between two growing teenagers.

Night approached fast as Steve pulls into the open space in front of the house, parking.

They scramble out of his vehicle as Dustin hands everyone flashlights before approaching. Jennifer was hesitant, unintentionally standing beside Steve as she felt warm and safe beside him -- something she's felt since she first met him. She holds the torch as it illuminates the front door. The porch light was off and the house looked abandoned, but Dustin stepped towards the door anyway. He rings the bell, impenitently waiting. He rings again and again multiple times, getting frustrated.

"Okay. Well, that's settled. I guess he's not here."

"Eddie! it's Dustin."

"Great."

"Look, we just wanna talk okay? No cops, I swear. We just wanna help. Eddie!"

Jennifer approaches the door, pushing her younger brother to the side. "Eddie! It's Jennifer. We want to talk. Please."

"Shh."

Dustin pushes Jennifer back, making her lose her balance as she falls into Steve. He almost loses his grip on his torch, helping her stand straight. They stand there, faces inches away. Her breathing hitches in the back of her throat, not knowing what to say.

"Rick!" Dustin shouts, pounding his fist against the door. "Reefer Rick!"

"Don't scream that."

Inhaling, Jennifer smiles awkwardly before stepping off to the side as she watches Max step away. She follows after the redhead to keep her safe.

"Rick!"

"He's not here."

Dustin and Steve begin arguing like always.

"Hey, guys."

"What is it, Max?" Jennifer asks, the other's following her.

The lights shunned into the distance at a good sized boat house. Behind sits a body of water -- Lover's Lake -- peaceful and quiet, but eerie too. They stare at it before stepping up to the building, Jennifer grabs the door handle and twists the knob. She steps in, saying hello in the process.

"Is anyone home?" She asks.

The other's join, investigating the building.

"What a dump," Steve comments.

Dustin, Jennifer and Steve head to one side and Robin and Max on the other, searching for anything -- Eddie or Reefer Rick. Jennifer looks around before she watches as Steve turns off his flashlight and grabs an oar off the wall, stalking closer to the covered boat that sits in the water below. He begins nudging the tarp.

"What are you doing?" Dustin asks, startled.

"Steve?" Jennifer presses.

"He might be in here."

"So take the tarp off."

"If you're so brave, you take the tarp off."

Continuing, Jennifer stands there with her arms folded to her chest as her and Dustin exchange a look of annoyance.

"Maybe he heard us. Got spooked and ran."

"Don't worry. Steve will get him with his oar."

Steve continues poking. "I know you think you're being funny, but considering everyone in this room has nearly died a hundred times, personally, I don't find it funny in the slight--"

A figure abruptly jumps up.

Steve is panicked.

The male grabs Steve's shirt and pushes him against the wall harshly, holding a broken bottle against the flesh of his neck. Jennifer was almost rigid but jumped into action as she stood beside her brother.

"Whoa, Eddie! Eddie! Stop!" Dustin shouts.

Robin and Max quickly approach.

"Eddie! Eddie!" Jennifer yells. "It's me. It's Jennifer. This is Steve. He's not gonna hurt you, right, Steve?"

"Right, yeah."

"Steve, why don't you drop the oar." Dustin adds.

Without hesitation, he legs go of the oar as it falls to the floor. He groans when the glass gets pressed further, panicked.

"He's cool. He's cool."

"I'm cool, man. I'm cool."

"W-What are you doing here?"

"We're looking for you, Eddie." Jennifer says.

"We're here to help,"

"Eddie," Dustin begins. "These are my friends. You know Robin, from band."

Robin imitates a trumpet.

"This is my friend Max. The who never wants to play D&D."

"Eddie. We're on your side."

"I swear on my mother. Right, guys?"

"Yes. Yes. We swear."

"On Dustin's mother."

"Yeah, Dustin's... Dustin's mother."

Eddie backs away, looking tearfully at Jennifer. He slides down the wall. Dustin steps closer.

"We just want to talk," He says, reaching his hand out to grab the broken bottle.

Eddie startles, looking off to the side. Jennifer approaches, kneeling in front of him as well. She extends her arm but the male doesn't seem startled. Jennifer rests her hand on top of his, feeling him relax under her touch. Eddie stares in her eyes, holding her gaze. Tears begin welling up in his eyes.

Steve watched, feeling a wave of jealousy course through his body as Robin noticed.

"We want to know what happened." Robin says softly.

He sniffles. "You won't believe me."

He looks over at everyone as Jennifer stays knelt in front of him, holding his hand.

"Try us,"

"It's okay."

Everyone huddles around Eddie as he begins to recall the previous night and what happened to Chrissy. The grisly images flicker in Jennifer's mind, causing her to close her eyes for a few seconds before opening them. The first part of the story was inaudible to her since she felt upset. Beside her, Steve glances at her as she catches him.

"I'm fine," Jennifer mouths.

"Her body just, like, lifted up into the air and, uh... And she just-- just hung there. In the air. And her bones... Uh, she..." He explains, but a whimper cuts him short. "Her bones started to snap. Here eyes, man. It was like there was something, like inside her head, pulling. I didn't know what to do, so I... ran away. I left Jennifer there, I left Chrissy there. You all think I'm crazy, right?"

"No, they believed me when I told them what happened, Eddie. We saw the same thing. I've been through some... some crazy shit the last three years. You probably think I'm the crazy one."

"N-- No, I don't."

"We don't think you're crazy either."

"Don't bullshit me, man! I know how this sounds."

"We're not bullshitting you."

"We believe you and Jennifer."

Eddie exhales.

"Look," Jennifer starts. "What I'm -- we're about to tell you might be a little... difficult to take."

"Okay,"

"You know how people say Hawkins is... cursed? They're not way off. There's another world. A world hidden beneath Hawkins. Sometimes it bleeds into ours."

"Like ghosts and shit?" Eddie asks.

"There are some things worse than ghosts." Max says.

They sit there, pausing before Jennifer clears her throat.

"These monsters from this other world-- we thought they were gone. But they've come back before. That's why we needed to find you."

"If they're back again, we need to know."

"That night, did you see anything?" Robin questioned.

"Dark particles, maybe?"

Eddie shakes his head.

"It would almost look like dust, swirling dust." Dustin adds.

"No, man, there was nothing you could see or, uh... touch."

Steve snapped his head to face the shaken male, arms crossed with a serious expression plastered on his face.

"You know, we tried to wake her, man. She couldn't move. It was like she... she was in a trance or something."

"Or under a spell,"

The long haired male stared into her eyes once more.

"A curse."

"Vecna's curse."

Jennifer and her brother exchange a worried glance before looking back at Eddie.

"Who's Vecna?" Steve questions.

"An undead creature of great power I'm guessing."

"A spell caster,"

"A dark wizard,"

Jennifer begins begins to panic, taking a deep breath before exhaling. She looks at Steve, who is staring back at her. They exchange a nervous glance with everyone else, worried.

#stranger things fanfiction #stranger things #stranger things fic #stranger things oc #stranger things original character #midnight rain #jennifer henderson #emily rudd #steve harrington x oc #steve harrington

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strangerficsxx · 1 month ago

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Wilhelmina Byers | Familial Relationships

This post involves the familial relationships between Wilhelmina, her parents and brothers. The content was too long to put on her character bio. However, this post needs to be updated and is in need of touch-ups and editing. There will be slight spoilers and talk of past trauma, missing persons, death, pos father, shitty father-daughter relationship.

Jonathan Byers

Jonathan is Wilhelmina's younger brother (by a year) and had a deep and affective brother-sister relationship with her brother. She always supported him in various things and took a keen interest in his photography. Sometime they befriended Jennifer Henderson and became closer when they both expressed their interest in the older Henderson sibling. However, things turned when their father failed to be a good role model, and she became a substitute for him (and sometimes Joyce), After witnessing that Lonnie failed to take Will to a baseball game, she and Jonathan mustered the idea and gave Will a mixtape with what would become Will's favorite song, The Clash's "Should I stay or Should I Go". When she and her brothers heard Joyce arguing on the phone with Lonnie, Wilhelmina shut her bedroom door. Will asked if their father wasn't coming, and Jonathan asked is Will even liked baseball. Will said sometimes. Wilhelmina then asked if Will legitimately liked The Clash, and Will happily confirmed so. The brothers and sister turned up the volume on Jonathan's stereo and began jamming together. In 1982, the day Lonnie left the Byers' home permanently, she partaken with Jonathan ad Will to build Castle Byers together, using Will's drawings as blueprints. Jonathan found Will struggling to hammer funny, and the two continued to built the fort even after it began raining and got sick afterwards. In 1983, after Will went missing, Wilhelmina became infuriated and told Jonathan that she feared something was wrong. They blamed their father which prompted them to drive to Indianapolis to search Lonnie's house for Will which brought the siblings closer after they fell apart a year prior. She defended Jonathan against their father after their arrival after an incident when they went hunting as children which resulted in Jonathan crying for weeks after killing a rabbit. She told Jonathan to stand down after the physical altercation which made her search every little spot in his trailer. When they left, she apologized to him still for no doing something when they were children as he brushed it off. After being reunited with both Jonathan and Will after he was rescued from the upside down, she made it her job to try and protect both of her younger brothers. In 1984, when her and Jonathan were on good terms, she tried to get invited to Tina's Halloween bash, but declined since she would be stuck working and he taking Will trick or treating. After her death, when Jonathan received the news, he was up and frustrated. He almost blamed himself for her dying, instead of bringing her with him when he went with Nancy Wheeler to exposed Hawkins Laboratory. There was no mention of her death when in contact with their mom, Joyce, prompting to keep silent since she was already stressed and worried about other stuff. In 1986, after Wilhelmina confirmed herself alive and well, returned to the Wheeler's and finally tearfully reunited with her brother's and explaining why she was gone for so long. Later, when she, her brother's, Argyle and Nancy make their way to help clean and fix Hopper's cabin, she soon reunites with Joyce, Jim, and Eleven where she never felt so much relief seeing her mother.

Joyce Byers

Though Joyce deeply cared for her eldest daughter just as she did for Jonathan and Will, she felt guilty that she had been unable to support her more, due to her time-consuming job. Joyce admitted to Wilhelmina that "I hardly know what's going on with you" (and toward Jonathan too). After Will vanished, Joyce's sanity was tested, and in turn so was the relationship between her and her remaining children. However, Wilhelmina does care for her mother greatly, going as far as almost fighting Steve for insulting her family (after overhearing it from Jennifer). When Wilhelmina realized that her mother was telling the truth about Will being alive, she apologized and the two reconciled with Jonathan, where they managed to reunite with Will after his rescue from the Upside Down. However, Wilhelmina does care for her mother greatly, going as far as almost fighting Steve for insulting her family (after overhearing it from Jennifer). When Wilhelmina realized that her mother was telling the truth about Will being alive, she apologized and the two reconciled with Jonathan, where they managed to reunite with Will after his rescue from the Upside Down. In 1984, Wilhelmina continued to have a good relationship with her mother as they both (including Jonathan) became protective of Will though she was less protective of all her immediately family. However, she resented her mother's relationship with Bob Newby as she, like Jonathan, did not understand what she saw in him. Unfortunately before she could reunite with her brother's and mother, she died from a demodog bite and never found out that her younger brother was possessed by the Mind Flayer. In 1986, with no contact for two and half years, it was implied that her relationship would have gotten better if she hadn't "died." When she joined her brother (after he returned to Hawkins), after temporarily defeating Vecna, Wilhelmina was reunited with her mother and shared an embrace with her.

Lonnie Byers

Wilhelmina had a uncomplicated and benevolent relationship with her father, Lonnie. Unlike Will and Jonathan, Lonnie never forced Wilhelmina to either feminine or masculine activities, and supported her growing up in which when he took her brother (Jonathan) and her hunting, she never shed a tear or was upset when she killed a rabbit, unlike her brother who cried. That caused slight conflict between the father and daughter. It's implied that Lonnie and Wilhelmina have gotten in vocal altercations, as when her brother was pushed off Lonnie when searching his house for Will, she heard Lonnie commented that Jonathan had "gotten stronger". Upon her parents' divorce, Wilhelmina had a slight motherly role when it came to her younger brother Will and actively encouraging both him and Jonathan to like what people deem "not normal" and telling them that Lonnie was the last person tell what they should be like. In the fall of 1983, Wilhelmina and Jonathan took it upon themselves to investigate Lonnie's home in Indianapolis, frustrated over their father's lack of urgency that Will was missing and coldly gave her a missing flyer poster. When Lonnie returned to Hawkins for Will's funeral and tended to a seemingly mentally unwell Joyce, Lonnie sternly told Jonathan and Wilhelmina to stop encouraging Joyce's claims of a monster taking Will. When Joyce discovered that Lonnie only returned to Hawkins to get lawsuit money off of Will's death, Lonnie lied by saying they could use the money for Wilhelmina and Jonathan's college fund, only to reveal that he didn't even know that both Byers siblings wanted to go to NYU since they were six. In the fall of 1984, when Wilhelmina is in the restroom with Jennifer Henderson as she remices on the Halloween party, Wilhelmina confirmed that Lonnie was an asshole and was too blind by wanting the "perfect" father-daughter relationship, showing her ill will toward her father. Jennifer questioned if her hesitance stemmed from her trust issues, showing that she feared becoming both Lonnie and Joyce. In the spring of 1986, after a tearful reunion with Jennifer, she feared that if she continued down her current path, she'd end up like her parents -- mostly her father -- abusive and unloving.

Will Byers

Wilhelmina is Will's older sister by five years. Due to their father's absence, Wilhelmina and Jonathan became role models and a substitute father for Will. For her, it was difficult since she's not a boy. After Lonnie failed to take Will to a baseball game, Wilhelmina and Jonathan gave Will a mixtape with what would become Will's favorite song, The Clash's "Should I Stay or Should I Go". When they heard Joyce arguing on the phone with Lonnie, Jonathan shut his bedroom door. Will asked if their father wasn't coming, and Jonathan asked if Will even liked baseball. Will said he didn't but tried to say it was fun to go with their father sometimes. Wilhelmina than asked if Lonnie did what Will wanted to do, such as the arcade. She also added on to her brother and said that Will shouldn't be forced to like things because people tell him to, especially not their father. Jonathan then asked if Will legitimately liked The Clash, and Will happily confirmed so. The brothers turned up the volume on Jonathan's stereo and began jamming together. In 1982, the day Lonnie left the Byers' home permanently, Wilhelmina took part in helping her brother's built Castle Byers, using Will's drawings as blueprints. Wilhelmina found Will struggling to hammer funny, and the three continued to built the fort even after it began raining and got sick afterwards. In 1983, after Will never came home the night before after his D&D campaign, Wilhelmina, Jonathan and Joyce looked all through the woods for Will. That evening, Jonathan brought out photos of Will to make wanted posters. Joyce, noticing both Wilhelmina and Jonathan sobbing quietly, asked them what was wrong. the duo, through tears, said that the should have been there for his brother, but Joyce comforted him and told him it was not his fault. With not being present with Will's disappearance and her family, she was dealing with Jennifer Henderson's issues as well as her own working. When Joyce and Hopper finally rescued Will from the Upside Down, Jonathan reunited with his brother at the hospital. In the fall of 1984, Wilhelmina became protective over her younger brother including Jonathan, but not nearly as protective such as Joyce. She never knew about the drawings he made or the temperature change and fevers, the bullying, etc. feeling like she did something wrong by not being there like she should have as a sister, and aided in protecting him from what came at him. She later found out that Jonathan wasn't with Will whilst trick-or-treating, and that prompted her to keep an eye on him, knowing that he had "an episode" but never questioned it. Unfortunately, before she could understand what was going on with her little brother, she was later attacked by the demodogs, and took it to her grave that in her next life, she'll be a better sister. Her death wasn't mentioned to Will until after the events of season two, closer before the events took place in season three. In 1986, she and Will reunited in the Wheeler's driveway and vowed that she'll be a better sister, and was sorry that she wasn't there for him like she should have been prior. She briefly mentioned what happened to her after Will asked her why she was gone for almost two years, where she tells him the important details before reuniting with their mother Joyce at Hopper's cabin where she helped her brother's and them clean and fix the cabin.

#stranger things #stranger things fanfiction #stranger things oc #stranger things fic #midnight rain #stranger things original character #jonathan byers #jonathan byers' sister #will byers #joyce byers #lonnie byers #oc: wilhelmina byers #fc: sophie thatcher #the byers family

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strangerficsxx · 1 month ago

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Fade To Black || Masterlist

[I do not claim to, nor do I own Stranger Things; the concept, characters, plot, etc. All gifs used in each chapter of this series are not mine, and will be credited in each chapter.]

Genre: Sci-fi; Romance; Horror

Warnings: (heavy) sexual content; violence; fear; gore; anxiety/depression; swearing; alcohol and drug use; past trauma involving car accidents; bad sisterly relationship

Pairing: Steve Harrington x Fem!OC

Cynthia's biography *coming soon

Emelyn biography *coming soon

COMING SOON!

SEASON ONE

Cynthia is dragged in the middle of nowhere in Hawkins, Indiana with her older sister Emelyn and into a small mobile home. However, a young boy goes missing as she is pulled into the mystery that surrounds the case and the small town.

Vanishing

Party

Holly/Jolly

Body

Plans

Monster

To Kill

Upside Down

SEASON TWO

Life is normal for once, or that's what Cynthia believed. She never told her sister last years events, or her parents. Same shenanigans and terror return for another scare. This time, more serious than before.

Mad

Trick or Treat

Fears

Wise

Capture

Junkyard

Lost

Mind Flayer

Narrow Minded

SEASON THREE

Cynthia works as an intern at a shitty, sexist newspaper outlet named Hawkins Post. But when The Mind Flayer returns stronger, things are turned upside down once again as she and the others prepare for battle against the spider creature.

Shitty Job

Rats

Missing

Sauna

Flayed

Hospital

The Bite

Starcourt

SEASON FOUR

Cynthia’s sister is in grave danger after coming in contact with upside down villain, Vecna. With her life on the line, it up to Cynthia and her friends to try and stop him before it’s too late.

Haunted

Cursed

Monsters

The Letter

The House

dive

massacre

the four gates

attack

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strangerficsxx · 1 month ago

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Chapter One: The Hellfire Club

wc: 4.8k jennifer, who's back in Hawkins, gets wrapped up in basketball championships and spending time with Steve. However, when she gets invited to eddie Munson's trailer, she wasn't expecting to be a witness to a crime being committed by an unknown entity.

{ March 21, 1986 }

When Jennifer awoke it was almost eight thirty, so she quickly got up and dressed since she was used to quickly getting up for work and school. Steve had to drop Robin off at the school for an assembly, so he'll be there to swing by Jennifer's house, and pick her up.

Jennifer looks at herself in the mirror on last time, seeing the purple spots under her eyes. The jet lag was still prominent in her system.

Throwing on some makeup and fixing her hair, Jennifer quickly rushes out of the bathroom and throws on an outfit. She grabs her purse and ushers out of the house, almost forgetting that she left her car back in California.

A car sits under the carport in Jennifer's driveway. Steve and Robin sit in his 1983 BMW waiting. Jennifer slides in the backseat, greeting the two. She shut the door beside her.

“Morning, Robin. Hi, Steve.”

Steve smiles at her in the mirror above. Robin stays silent.

Robin has a snippy attitude, she overhears Steve talking about women and not even acknowledging that Jennifer’s in the vehicle. What a great start to the morning. It hasn’t even been five minutes and the air is awkward between the exes. On the way to the high school, Steve continues talking as Jennifer sits in the backseat, arms crossed and tries to ignore her ex talking about other women. Robin, who sits in the passenger seat, looks at herself in the mirror and delicately applies mascara to her bottom lashes, pretty much ignoring Steve too.

“Robin, are you listening?”

“Uh, yes.”

“What did I just say?”

“Something about sex with Linda."

“I'm not talking about having sex with anyone, besides Jennifer since the last time we did was a year ago.”

"Wow, Steve," Jennifer exclaims before being sarcastic. "Why don't you share with Robin our sex life even more, I'm sure she wants to hear the details,"

Steve rolled her eyes as she felt something in her gut, but ignored it and continued sitting in the back as she watched and listened to the two bicker even more.

“Cut me some slack, please.”

“Well—”

“Your love life is one of labyrinthine complexity. It is seven in the morning, we have a stupid pep rally, and I woke up looking like a total corpse.”

“You’re really worried about a basketball pep rally? Do you expect me to believe that?”

“Yeah? So?”

“So we all know what this is about, okay? I’m not buying that. This is about Vickie.”

“Absolutely not.” Robin denies.

“Ooh, who's Vickie, Robin?” Jennifer questions, earning an annoyed look from Robin.

"She's girl I know in band." Robin vaguely explains to Jennifer.

“You know what else?”

“I don’t care–”

“I think you gotta stop pretending to be someone else when you’re around her. You just gotta be yourself. I did that with Steve before we started dating. And it worked out... for the most part. At least.”

“Jen, you’re literally quoting me to me. You realize that, right? And, you were popular in high school, so it couldn’t have been that hard for you.”

“What she’s trying to say is that maybe you need to listen to yourself. Ever thought about that, smartypants? I listened, Look at me. Boom. Back in business.”

Robin closes her compact mirror, looking toward Steve.

“It's not the same thing, okay?”

“You ask out a girl and she says no. Big deal. Nothing happened. Maybe your ego’s a little bruised. But I ask out the wrong girl, and bam, I’m a town pariah.”

She closes the mirror above, looking forward.

“I’d buy that, except Vickie is definitely not the wrong girl from what I hear.” Jennifer says.

“We just don’t know that, do we?”

“She returned Fast Times paused at fifty three minutes, five seconds”

Jennifer lays against her seat, fumbling with her purse as she watches Robin spray something into her mouth. This time she looks annoyed because of Steve talking her ears off about some girl she (Robin) likes.

“You know who pauses Fast Times at fifty three minutes, five seconds? People who like boobies, Robin.”

“Wow. Boobies? Are we in the fifth grade, little Stevie?” Jennifer presses jokingly, laughing.

“Don’t call me that.”

“Ew! Gross. Don’t say boobies.”

“Boobies!” Steve pauses. “Not a big deal, okay? I like boobies. You like boobies. Jennifer doesn't like boobies. But Vickie, oh she definitely likes boobies."

Annoyed, Steve pulls into the busy parking lot of Hawkins High School before parking as Robin steps out of the vehicle, grabbing her trumpet in the process. Jennifer moves to the front seat as Steve sighs raucously. She looks over at him, closing the passenger door. She slides her seatbelt on and sits there, looking at him.

“Did you really have to do that?”

“Do what?”

“Sigh obnoxiously loud?” Jennifer asks.

“Oh, I’m sorry. Did that bother you?”

“Yes, it did. Jesus, we sound like an old married couple." Jennifer jokes, chuckling at herself.

Steve chuckles at Jennifer as he pulls out of the parking lot, speeding down the road.

The silence was very loud and awkward between them. Jennifer wanted to break it, but she was too tired to muster up a single sentence. Soon when they arrive, Steve parks in an empty spot as he holds the keys to the shop, getting out and approaches the door. He puts the metal in the keyhole before entering. She enterst Family Video behind Steve, taking a seat behind the counter before the lights turn on, sighing in relief as the anxiety died down.

“Oh, before I forget, there's a two thirty showing of Chopping Mall tonight. The poster made it look dumb, but I thought why not give it a try. And after, we could go out for pizza or something and crash at your house.��

“Yeah, let's do that. If you get scared, which you likely will, you can bury your face in my shoulder and hold my hand, OK?”

"Nothing really scares me anymore, Harrington. From the last three years of events, I'm not scared of anything." ”

He makes a face at the female. "Well, you're still scared of spiders."

"Yup, but other than that. Nothing scares me."

Jennifer smiled, staying in her spot before dropping her purse behind the counter. Ignoring Steve and the girls he tries to talks to them. Jennifer continues being bored, waiting as each second ticks by slowly. Just seven more hours and she'll be able to relax with Steve at a movie.

“Oh, Steve.” She calls.

“Just a sec,”

“Jesus christ,” Jennifer curses under her breath. “Steve!”

“What? I’m busy here.”

“With what? Trying to help the girls, or trying to flirt with them? Because you’re not getting anywhere.”

“What is it?”

“Can I borrow your car when I leave. Mine’s at the airport in California.”

“Yeah, just don’t crash it.”

“I won’t.”

Steve turns to face the blonde who stands in front of him. Jennifer stands behind the counter, staring at the two as she rolls her eyes and grabs her purse, stepping out from behind the counter.

"Excuse me, ladies."

The three females stare toward Jennifer.

"Instead of trying to flirt with my boyfriend, go check the shelves they have various films relating to romance and heartache which I think would be best for you since apparently you like to break things."

The females duck out of Family Video as Steve sighs in annoyance, stepping toward the counter. "We had customers, but you scared them off."

"No, I wasn't. I was being honest, and don't worry, you'll get more."

— —

Jennifer gets done with helping Steve add tapes to the shelves as she stands by the counter right when the telephone rings. She puts the phone up to her ear.

“Hello, this is Family Video. How may I help you?”

“Jennifer.”

“Dustin? Why are you calling? Shouldn’t you be at school?”

“I am at school.”

“Okay. Why are you calling though?”

“When did you get back to Hawkins?"

"Since yesterday. I guess you were distracted with things--"

"Do you wanna participate in Hellfire tonight?”

“No. You know I’ve never played that game. I was thinking of going to the movies with Steve, and crash at his place for the night.”

"You're unbelievable sometimes, you know that?"

"Oh, I know. Look, I love you. OK? But, I don’t want to watch a bunch of nerds play D&D. Good luck though. Hey, I gotta go, Steve is too busy and so am I. See you sometime tonight.”

Jennifer hangs up the phone on the receiver and checks the time on her wrist watch as it nears the time she’s supposed to leave. Walking toward Steve, Jennifer extends her hand.

“Babe. Keys, please?”

“Yeah, here.”

Rummaging through his pockets, Steve pulls out the set of keys and drops them into Jennifer’s hand. They exchange a quick peck before she steps toward the main entrance.

She quickly runs out of the store and enters the vehicle, putting the key in the ignition. She slides her seatbelt on. Driving down the road, Jennifer fumbles with the radio, tuning it to the right station as she sings along to ‘Everybody Wants to Rule the World’ by Tears For Fears.

Approaching the nearby woods that sit behind Hawkins High School, Jennifer stops long enough to decide whether she wants to check out the place her and Billie snuck off to get high and to have a break.

She turns off the ignition and pulls the keys out. Exiting the vehicle, she makes her way through woods as she approaches the lonely picnic bench. In place of seeing an empty bench, instead, Jennifer finds a male with long black hair sitting across from a blonde female who is most likely a cheerleader from Hawkins High School. Jennifer hides behind a tree, so she can listen in on the conversation between the two, wondering what's happening.

“So, how does this work exactly?” The blonde asks.

“Oh, just like any other old sale, except, uh, cash only and, uh, for obvious reasons, no receipts.”

The blonde stays quiet. Jennifer had a view of the male but not the cheerleader.

The long raven-haired male continues.

“I’ll do you a half ounce for, uh… twenty. What do you say?” He asks, holding a bag of a certain substance. “Plenty of bang for your buck. Should last a while.”

Jennifer shuffles her weight as her foot lands on a branch, snapping it into two. Panicking, she hides behind the tree. She holds her breath, squinting her eyes tight. She overhears the blonde gasp then a loud clang from the metal box that sits atop the table.

“Hey, uh.. We don’t need to do this. Just give me the word and I’ll walk away. Okay–”

“No, it’s not that I want you to go. It’s just… Do you ever feel like you’re losing your mind?” The blonde asks, fumbling with the table.

Jennifer turned around, peeking through the gap in the trees and continued listening.

“You know, just… on a daily basis. I mean, I feel like I’m losing my mind right now doing a drug deal with Chrissy Cunningham, the queen of Hawkins High.”

Chrissy Cunningham was the cheerleader's name as Jennifer started to question who the guy was. Soon after the two are done reminiscing about knowing each other growing up, things become serious once again as the silence rises between the two at the table.

“Do you have, maybe anything stronger?”

From Jennifer’s view, she sees him make a concerned face as she decides to make an entrance and begin to walk out when a school bell rings in the distance. Chrissy scrambles to leave as the male sits there alone. He cleans up the bag from earlier.

“Shit. I -- I wasn't expecting anyone to find me out here dealing. Please don't tell on me.”

“Like I would do that,” Jennifer says, keeping her distance. "I am a former student here, and came to this very spot with a close friend."

“Yeah? If you don't mind me asking, what did you do?”

“Get high, gossiped about bitches like Nancy Wheeler and judged my little brother's nerd game D&D,”

The raven haired male's face lit up as Jennifer mentioned both Nancy and Dustin, making eye contact with him and furrowing her brows at him. Jennifer approaches him as she leans against the table top.

“You know Nancy Wheeler and Dustin Henderson?” He asks.

“Yeah. Why?”

“I was just wondering.”

“Okay. Well, Dustin is my little brother.”

“Really? He never mentioned having a sister.”

“Weird. He talks shit about me and my relationship almost all the time.”

“If he doesn't mind, including you, I'd like to get to know you.”

Jennifer moves her arm so her watch is in view. Her eyes widen as a curse word slips from her mouth.

“What? Everything okay?”

“Yes, everything’s fine. Shit.”

Later, the night of the championship game approached faster than xhe knew it. She had no idea there was even a championship game.

Jennifer arrives with Steve as they enter the gymnasium, approaching the bleachers as she grabs his arm to keep herself balanced. They sit together side by side. Jennifer catches a glimpse of a short, curly haired female as she held a notepad in her hands. It was Nancy Wheeler. Beside her, a short, nerdy male who wears glasses as another male stands, holding a camera. Robin stands on the bleachers, playing her trumpet. A male comes by as everyone in the stands quiet down as the microphone squeals, sending slight feedback.

The students and visitors of Hawkins, Indiana rise, standing in their places including Jennifer, who stood beside her boyfriend. The male continues speaking.

"Singing for us tonight, we have a very special guest. All the way from Nashville, our very own Tammy Thompson!"

Everyone claps as someone shouts something positive towards the female. Jennifer watches as Steve exchanges a glance with Robin as he whispers something to her.

"Last year when Robin and I ran into the restroom to puke up the drugs the Russians gave us, Robin said that Tammy had a good singing voice. However, she is terrible at singing and can't hold a note for shit, and is apart of a Nashville thing, or something."

Jennifer nodded. "Okay,"

Tammy begins singing the national anthem as Steve and Robin glance at each other, him whispering that she sounded like a muppet which made Robin giggle.

Jennifer listened carefully as she basically cringes at her tone, barely holding a note. She snorts, trying to keep her composer. Looking over, she watches Steve in amusement as he tries to push through the pitchy singing. He looks over at Jennifer.

"Okay, I hear it now."

"See? Told you,"

Steve makes a face as it makes Jennifer smile. The female continues singing. Soon after the God awful singing, the game begins as Hawkins gets possession.

Jason dribbles the ball and passes to a teammate who send it back to him to make a basket. He jogs across the court before stopping and eyeing someone below as the other team scores. The crowd cheers.

By the entrance, Nancy stands writing in her notepad. Next to her, a tall, lanky male with square specks lean in and talks to her. But to Jennifer its inaudible to her. She manages to catch Nancy's attention, waving towards her as she waves back. A member of the opposing team knocks a Hawkins player down as Jason gets in his face, arguing. The player is held by two other players, aiding the limping student towards a nearby bench.

Soon Lucas rips off his jacket and sprints onto the court. Lucas avaids a defender, and passes the ball to Jason who brings them a score. The opposing team scored another point. Steve curses as Jennifer rolls her eyes. Soon enough, Hawkins gains another point as Robin cheers. Both Jennifer and steve watch with wide eyes, as a hawkins player earns a score. The game remains close. Jason catches the ball, calling a timeout. The team huddles up as the band plays a tune to keep the students and visitors entertained.

The two teams go back to the game, starting up again as the moment comes when the one teammate has the ball and tries to get a basket when the whole word seems as if it's moving in slow motion. The crowd cheers all around, waiting for the moment to end. Lucas grabs the ball as he swiftly moves, calculating his movements in order to get the ball into the basket above. He extends his hands, throwing the as it hits the circle above the basket, rolling around it. The timer counts down, getting closer to the end of the game.

With time ticking down to one second, and lucas' feet leave the court. As lucas takes the shot, the clocks run out as the ball flies through the air. Steve rises along with Jennifer, watching the ball closely. Their hands clasp together, staring intently.

The ball circles the rim as lucas's arms remained poised right as the ball falls through the hoop. The basketball fans cheer. Jennifer claps as she cheers on the Hawkins basketball team, looking toward Steve. Cheering happily, his teammates picked up Lucas, congratulating him on the victory he scored just a few minutes ago. The other students in the high school come and congratulate him as well.

Jennifer decides to leave as Steve follows after, clutching her hand before leading the way through a massive group of students, parents and visitors. They approach his BMW when Jennifer glances to the side, seeing Mike and Dustin, along with Erica exit the building as well. They are seen, cheering out of excitement as Jennifer continues watching.

"Jennifer," Steve calls.

She cocks her head over to look at him. "Yeah?"

"You ready?"

"Just a sec. I wanna do something real quick, but I'll see you tomorrow or late tonight."

"O...kay. Just call when you can, okay?"

She nodded, stepping away from Steve and approach the small group.

“Hey, Dustin. Uh, how did the D&D thing go?”

“Jennifer? What are you doing here?"

"I came to visit for spring break.

"Okay, to answer your second question, we did good. Erica beat Eddie. We won!”

“Nice. Congrats! We did too, but with a basketball not a dice.”

“Thanks. Yeah, congratulations.”

“Hey, uh, where’s Eddie?” Jennifer questions.

��Inside, cleaning up. He's about to take off, so I'd try to get him now. Wait. How do you know him? You left pretty early."

"Oh, I met him behind the school, in the woods at a picnic table."

Dustin nods. He points toward the entrance.

“Thank you, Dustin.”

“You’re welcome.”

Jennifer walks through the dimly lit and empty hallway, approaching the room where the Dungeons and Dragons game was held. She stands in the doorway, knocking lightly as Eddie looks up from his place.

“Hey,”

“Hi,”

"Did I catch you at a bad time?" She questions.

"No, not at all. I was about to head back to my place."

The female nodded, taking a further step inside the small room, folding her arms to her chest. He approaches the female, smiling tenderly. Something inside Jennifer clicked, she knew to keep her distance since she is dating Steve. However, she wanted to get to know the male.

"I don't want to indulge in you going home, but do you care if I hitch a ride?"

"Sure,"

Tilting her head to one side, they hold a gaze once more. But Jennifer, knowing better, quickly looks away. She wondered what Steve was doing. Was he still sitting in the parking lot? Or, is he now on his way home? The millions of thoughts leave her mind as she relaxes, knowing that he could be a nice person.

He locks up as they exit the school. The parking lot was practically deserted as a van sits not too far from her, looking very suspicious but goes through with hitching a ride. With the blonde from earlier approaching, Eddie motions for her to follow them towards his car. She opens the door, and steps up into the vehicle. Seated in the back, she looks down. Jennifer eyes the scattered papers, a metal lunchbox with a empty pack of cigarettes as well as a empty wrapper or two.

Once at his place, Jennifer hops down from the tall vehicle as Chrissy follows including Eddie. In the distance a dog barks as Jennifer whips her head back, uneasy. Inside, Eddie immediately cleans the wrappers and piled cups.

"Sorry for the mess," He apologies. "Uh, the maid took the week off."

"Hey, it's okay." Jenner reassures him, helping as well.

A smile forms on Eddie's face as they both place dishes in the sink and trash in the bin beside the counter.

"You, um..." Chrissy begins. "You live here alone?"

"With my uncle. But, uh, he works nights as the plant. you know, bringing home the big bucks." He explains, searching around his trailer for something.

With suspicion, Jennifer leans against the counter and raises a brow at Eddie. She wonders why he's acting suspicious until Chrissy begins to speak, knocking Jennifer out of her trance-like state.

"How long does it take?"

"Sorry?"

"The 'Special K.' How long does it kick in?" The blonde asks.

"Oh, uh, well, it depends if you snort it or not."

Jennifer shakes her head, almost ignoring Eddie as he exits the room only leaving her and Chrissy alone.

"So, Chrissy," Jennifer begins.

"Do I know you?"

"No, I-uh, graduated last year. But, uh, anyway... I was, uh, wrong about you and made an assumption about you and Eddie in the woods."

"Oh, it's alright. I get it. I, too, would be a little suspicious."

"It's because it is a little strange that a cheerleader and a freak would sneak around. But I'm guessing the two of you know each other? 'Cause I'm thinking, why in the world would a cheerleader, especially one from the Hawkins High School cheer team buy drugs, or whatever."

"Just some things are stressing me out. That's all."

Jennifer slowly nods, standing there with her arms crossed as her shoulder bag hangs. Suddenly Chrissy turns and looks out the window before closing the curtain and standing motionless as panic rises in the brunette.

"Found it. Peaceful bliss, just moments away." Eddie says, loudly as he enters the main area.

Eddie is surprised to find Chrissy standing motionless and unresponsive, in a trance-like state. He glances over at Jennifer who looks concerned. The tall male calls the blondes name, inching closer to the girl. He moves one of his feet to stomp, trying to get her attention. The lights soon begin to flicker as a panicked Eddie attempts to wake the girl up. Jennifer approaches the two, watching her eyes flutter erratically as she shouts the Chrissy’s name once again. Suddenly, the lights begin to flicker, causing Jennifer to furrow her brows in confusion right when she thinks back on the last few years.

In 1985, whilst working at Scoops Ahoy, the power went out after they were strobing for a few seconds before turning back on. In 1983 when Jennifer was in Steve’s backyard, the lights did the same thing when whatever took Barbara. But in this case, the flickering bulbs don't stop.

"Chrissy, wake up now!"

They both clap and shout her name, but again nothing happens. Eddie tries to wake her up again, clapping and shaking her shoulders as if she is a snow globe being shaken around by a little kid. He is horrified as Chrissy's body begins to levitate before slamming against the ceiling. Eddie loses his balance as his body goes limp, collapsing to the floor as he shouts a curse word. Jennifer stands there rigid, eyeing her as Chrissy's joints bend in horrifying angles, her jaw cracks sideways, and her eyes gouge out as she and Eddie watches, they scream, trying to process what had happened. Jennifer is still on her feet watching in horror as she helplessly stands there.

Without thinking, Jennifer exits as fast as she can but quietly too. But for Eddie, he leaves not too long after her before she gets in his car and speeds off, leaving the brunette alone as she sneaks out of the trailer park. Shaken by what happened, Jennifer walks back home. Tears cloud her vision as she stumbles before stopping by a payphone.

Raising her arm, her fingers shake as she begins to dial a number but begins crying in the process as she decides to hang up and rush home. She finally makes it back, ushering inside and closing herself off in her bedroom. She slowly slides down her door, the room darkened as the moonlight shines bright through her curtains. Jennifer sits there, horrified as she tries to process what just happened at the Munson trailer. But the question was: why did Eddie take off, leaving her there when she took off too?

Jennifer's seen a lot of shit through the last three years, but this was something different, something more sinister that she can't wrap her finger around.

She prays that whatever is happening doesn't happen to either her or the people she loves.

“Steve,” She whispers.

Jennifer crawls toward her nightstand and quickly sweeps the telephone in her hands, dialing Steve’s number. With a few rings, someone picks up on the other end.

“Hello,”

“Steve?”

“Yeah. Jennifer?”

“I- Are you okay?”

“Yeah, why?”

“Something happened,” Jennifer begins, her voice cracking as she attempts to finish the sentence. “Someone died,”

“Who died?”

“Chrissy Cunningham. She was a cheerleader at Hawkins High, and me and her were at Eddie Munson’s trailer.”

“You were with Dustin’s D&D friend? Jennifer, I was worried about you and you call me telling me you were at his place with a cheerleader from Hawkins High?”

“Steve, I called for you. I was so freaked out from what happened, I needed hear your voice again and make sure you’re okay and not dead.”

“Well, I’m here talking to you. So I’m fine.”

“I’m sorry for going with him, I wasn’t thinking.”

“Before you left me, I was gonna ask if you wanted to crash at my place and watch a movie.”

“Do you have the time for me?”

“Jennifer, you know I do. I’ll come pick you up. I was dick earlier and I feel bad about it.”

“Thank you, Steve. But you need to make it up to me.”

“How so?”

“A lady never reveals her secrets, Harrington.”

“I’m gonna grab a change of clothes. Come get me.”

“Alright. Be there soon. Love you.”

“I love you too.”

Jennifer quickly hangs her phone up and grabs a change of clothes before checking herself out in the mirror. She sees dried mascara under her eyes, quickly wiping it away before sobbing once more.

Wiping the tears away, she quickly removes her makeup before tossing the wipe in the bin beside her. Jennifer grabs a pen and paper and writes a note for her mother.

‘Staying at Steve’s tonight. Be back sometime tomorrow morning. Love you.’

Jennifer sets a salt shaker on top of the torn piece of paper to hold it in place, glancing at the closed door that lead to her mother’s room. She quickly throws the door open and steps outside, quietly closing it behind her.

A BMW pulls under her carport, shutting off the lights as Steve exits the vehicle. She rushes toward him as he brings her into his embrace. Hsi hand rests on the small of Jennifer's back, rubbing soothing circles as tears roll down her cheeks.

"It was awful, Steve."

"What was?"

"Her death. Her bones snapped, her jaw broke to one side, and her eyes were sucked out of her skull." Jennifer sobbed.

"I'm sorry,"

They stayed there for a few extra seconds before pulling away and get into his vehicle, buckling up as he puts his car in drive. He drives back to his house, pulling into the driveway. Steve turns of his vehicle, stepping out as Jennifer does the same, holding her clothes close to her body. The two walk inside and head up to his room. A small lamp sits atop a wooden nightstand, illuminating the midsize room.

"The bathrooms--"

"I know, I've been here before that night in 1984 when I was drunk, and you let me sleep here after we kissed at the party"

"Yeah, I'm surprised we both remember considering we both were tipsy that night. You were drunk."

Jennifer chuckles before taking a seat on Steve's bed, whilst he rummages through his closet finding one of his shirts and handing it to her. She rises and steps into the nearby bathroom, quickly changing before slipping under Steve's covers, snuggling against his chest eventually falling into a deep slumber.

#stranger things #stranger things fic #stranger things fanfiction #stranger things oc #jennifer henderson #stranger things original character #midnight rain #emily rudd #steve harrington x oc #steve harrington #jennifer x steve #stranger things season 4 #stranger things season four #stranger things 4

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strangerficsxx · 1 month ago

Text

Prologue IV

Story:Midnight Rain WC:2.7k Jennifer is finally moved to California, and in with a random roommate, who she didn't fully trust. However, she is unaware of the great terror approaching Hawkins as she returns to the deaded town, save the world again... or so she thinks.

[a/n: all characters, plot, etc. are not mine. The only thing I own is my original character. credit to gif owner.]

{ November 4, 1984 }

Author's point of view.

With a lifeless Phoebe laying on the ground, the air was filled with silence. A stranger appears, kneeling and examines the body. Without hesitation the male check for a pulse with his two fingers resting against the skin of Phoebe's neck. Her pulse is weak as be begins performing CPR.

After a few attempts, her eyes flutter open. She begins a coughing fit, looking around panicked prior to seeing the male above her. Phoebe's chest rises and falls heavily, cursing. Pain seeped into her frail body whilst he helps her up and away towards Hawkins Memorial hospital.

The doctor's wheel her into a surgical room where she will stay for the next few hours before getting transferred to a recovery room. An unconscious phoebe's body settles in the bed beneath her. A heart monitor beats rhythmically beside her, her arms bandaged, her face bruised and scratched. Eventually, Phoebe gains consciousness as she begins panicking, unaware that she is safe and is getting the help she needs. Phoebe tries to speak, but all she can do is gurgle and whimper. She pushes the nurse's button, afraid she might die.

Soon a nurse responds, removing the tube from her mouth as she heaves. "Wh-Where am I?"

"You're in the hospital. You were attacked,"

"By what?"

"A wolf, maybe? There were unusual bites, but you're safe now. Is there anything you'd like?"

"Yeah, c-can you call The Byers residence, please?"

The nurse nods, stepping out the room as Phoebe lays her head against the pillow behind her. She had no idea that there was no one at home, but that didn't stop the joy from filling her body. The nurse returns with a sad yet soft look. "I couldn't get a hold of anyone."

Those word hurt Phoebe deep down, knowing that they were probably busy fighting those creatures that attacked her. But what if they were in trouble? So many thoughts ran through her tired mind as she eventually dozed off without realizing it.

After a week in the hospital, Phoebe was discharged, not knowing where to go. She stumbled through the town of Hawkins as people around her stared at her unpleasantly, but she continued and made it to the Henderson residence where she steps up to a bedroom window, peaking through. She watches Jennifer rummage through belongings that were shared with Phoebe as tears streaming down her best friends cheeks, knowing that her "death" hit the brunette hard. Phoebe had hot tears prick at her eyes as she continues on.

Is she gonna be okay knowing that her own best friend is heartbroken?

Phoebe holds her hand against her stomach, feeling the patch that lies against her healing wound. She needed a place to stay as she continued on, walking towards Maple Street. She sees the two story house in the distance as she continues toward the front door. Stepping on the front porch, she rings the doorbell as a brunette answers. Nancy Wheeler.

"Phoebe? I thought... I thought you died. That's what Jennifer told me at the Hawkins Laboratory."

"I did, yes, but was helped and went to the hospital for two months. I hate, uh, to ask this but do you have any extra clothing I could borrow till I have my own?"

"Yes, come on. My mom and I have a bunch of clothes in storage."

"Nancy?" Mrs. Wheeler called. "Who's at the door?"

"Oh, uh, it's just Jennifer. She came by to check up on me 'cause of what's happening on the news."

"Oh, okay."

Nancy quickly leads Phoebe up the stairs and into her bedroom. She takes off her dirty shoes, and clothing as the blonde gets handed some new clothes. She quickly throws them on before looking Nancy in the eyes.

"Don't tell Jennifer I was here, okay? I don't want her to know--"

"That you're alive?! You should tell her."

"No, no, no, I can't. Not yet...at least. Give me the next year to process my plan, OK? Please, don't say anything about me, not even where I was."

"Okay, I swear not to tell her, jeez."

Phoebe leaves quickly, swiftly stepping down the steps before leaving the Wheeler house entering the dimly lit neighborhood. She heads for her grandfather's hunting cabin, a place she hasn't been for many years as she hopes and prays someone will be there. And sure enough, her father was there stepping out of the wooden refuge, locking up.

"Dad,"

The tall male stiffened up, arms dropping to his sides before turning his head slowly. They made eye contact with each other as he hurriedly runs down the few steps and toward his daughter, scooping her in his arms. Phoebe wraps her arms around his waist, sobbing into his shirt.

"Oh, my girl, my beautiful girl."

"D-Dad, I'm here."

"Where the hell have you been?"

"Lost,"

"Oh honey, I'm so sorry. You could've called me for help. The police station would've helped too."

"I-I know, Dad. I didn't want to scare anyone."

"I was scared, thinking you were dead." He sobs.

Phoebe held onto him tightly. Her face buried in his chest, weeping. They stand there for a long while before she pulls away from her father, looking him in his teary eyes. She could tell he was in pain as she was in pain too.

How does she explain that Hopper's little girl died and came back to life?

He brings her into the cabin, sitting at the small table in the kitchen. They sit opposite of each other. Phoebe clears her throat, sniffling.

"What happened?" He asks.

"Well, when I was in the junk yard with Steve Harrington and Jennifer Henderson, and the kids and I got scared, and ran away. Without thinking, I kept running unaware of the creatures -- the demodogs. And, t-they attacked me." She stops, sniffling. Her voice became shaky. "I died, technically. Somehow, someone found me. They brought me back, and took me to Hawkins Memorial. But here I am, Dad. I'm here. And I promise to be here, if you promise to be here with me."

"I promise,"

He brings his daughter into his arms after she stepped onto the wooden planks. It creaked beneath her foot. And they kept those promises until the unthinkable happened later in 1985.

{ the journal of phoebe hopper - 1985}

Phoebe sits, hunched over a table at the food court, writing in her notebook.

'Today is June 30, 1985 and here I sit in Starcourt Mall by myself drowning in the dark thoughts that cloud my mind.

Across sat various shops as one keeps me distracted: Scoops Ahoy. The place where Jennifer Henderson works at. She still doesn't know where I am or what I am doing since the last time she saw me was when I died a year ago.

My father has kept me a secret from everyone we knew. As I hope no one reveals that I had survived being attacked by monstrous creatures in the junkyard, I will keep fighting and one day I will reveal to my best friend where I was and what I did for a year.

I sit here, trying to process the right things to do or say, not wanting to be a stalker when it came to spying on my best friend. But to others it looks like it, as I try to keep low. Most people knew about my death, but many didn't know I came back from the dead and am haunting Hawkins.

To Jennifer, I hope you understand why I am doing this. This is for your own good. Its so I can process what happened, and to try and figure out how to make things right after you find me.

And someday you will just not at the moment. Jennifer Henderson, wait for me in '86. I'll make sure to explain everything.'

She closes her notebook as she rises walking away from the table, leaving the mall and never looking back. Throughout the summer of '85, she felt as if the world was about to end. Phoebe had nothing to go off of, if her friends were okay, if her dad was alright. Unfortunately, her father kept the promise all the way to July 4. The day her father perished under Starcourt Mall.

———

Days turned into weeks...

Weeks turned into months...

Months turned into a year...

The current year is 1986, and the blonde had no intention searching for her best friend, and gave up. Things to her were different, she hid from everyone still in her father's cabin in the woods, as Phoebe knew her dad was never coming back, so she is left to attend a damaged cabin herself from the events of last year. She didn't know what broke the ceiling, but thought it was a fallen tree that had been ran into and has been removed since, but she was way off.

The few things she wasn't aware of was that a creature from the another dimension is terrorizing students, a freak being blamed for the murder of a cheerleader, a girl trying to fight off the terror of a horrific event, the byers family moving to another state, her father being captured by russians, and so much more.

Today was March 20 as she read on the news paper she had came across on her trip into downtown Hawkins to retrieve more groceries. Phoebe fell into a dark state of depression, but continued as she was coming to terms with confronting Jennifer.

And that was what she planned on doing, she will do it in the next few days...

...Her story begins again.

~~~

{ January - February 1986 }

Classes were a struggle to Jennifer since she had the urge to leave for spring break since it was approaching quickly. She found the courage to buy a plane ticket since she had enough after saving up from working at nearby movie theater, where she fills buckets of popcorn and cleans up after people when the movies end. In Jennifer's life, there was no fun.

However, she found a support group that was hosting every day in the afternoons, so she decided to go.

Most of her time was either spent in the program for people who lost someone important to them, or college or work. That was her therapy. She also attended because she's been having problems drinking and smoking, afraid her friends and boyfriend may judge.

With worry, she didn't say anything and kept quiet. The only thing she told her mom was that she was working hard and saving money to return for Hawkins during spring break, and to tell people that she's okay. She wanted to explain things to Steve, but was hesitant.

{ Friday, March 20, 1986 - early Saturday, March 21, 1986 }

It's been almost two years since Phoebe passed away in 1984, and she has never been better. After seeing a shrink for the last few months (after the violence and terror at Starcourt Mall), Jennifer has been able to cope with her emotions toward the PTSD. Now happy as well, she's hoping this year -- this spring break won't bring anymore surprises from the Upside Down.

Not after the last three years; from Will going missing to battling demodogs, to a spider-like creature at The Starcourt Mall. She is able to put her stress aside.

Today, though, Jennifer returned to her previous life in Hawkins.

She entered the airport with her bags in hand as well as her plane ticket that reads departure to Hawkins, Indiana -- flight time 8:30PM. Arrival 12:30 AM. She wasn't thrilled about the times, but that was the only ticket available since all other flights were sold out.

Four hours after arriving in Hawkins, she stepped out and felt the air. It was tense to her as she looked at her watch. It read 12:47 AM, and here she is, standing in an empty car port, waiting for someone to get her. Suddenly, her mother pulls up . Jennifer tosses her baggage in the backseat as she enters the passenger seat, sliding her seatbelt on.

The following day, Jennifer was bright and early so she can make sure that she looks just right to surprise Steve. She made her way out and toward Family Video, where she stood almost hesitant. Jennifer forces her leg forward, stepping inside the video store.

At the counter, Steve and Robin are too busy to notice as she says hello to them.

"We'll be with you in just a sec," Robin says.

Jennifer steps up to the counter, waiting for someone to notice her. Steve glances at her then what he was doing before making a double take, looking toward her with excitement rise. He hops the counter swiftly, making his way toward her. They bring each other into a hug, holding one another close before pulling away and planting his lips on hers.

A few seconds later, she pulls back, hands resting on his chest as they smile at each other. He stands with his arms crossed and Robin gives the brunette a serious look. Robin notices, hugging Jennifer as well.

"For some reason, something brought me back to Hawkins, and here I am."

"You came here for your super good looking boyfriend."

"What's going on with you? How's school going? Anything new?" Robin cuts in, shifting her stance but this time her arms are folded against her chest.

"Its..." She trails off. "It's good, studied hard and managed to save up enough money to come back to Hawkins."

Jennifer gave them a wide grin.

They all stood there before approaching the counter. She swallows as the corners of her mouth mouth dips into a frown. Her eyes lower to the floor, trying to find the right words to say.

"That's good. Anything else going on?"

"I've been getting help for my problems. I fell into dark depression, and went to an emotional support group, or group therapy." Jennifer fesses up about her issues.

"What?" Robin and Steve ask in unison. Steve was mostly worried, but Robin, she wasn't sure how to respond.

"Yeah,"

"Jesus Christ, Jen. Why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't want to worry anyone and thought no one cared since everyone had their own problems, and I was in California."

"I think we all share each other's problems. Especially last year when we fought the spider creature at Starcourt."

"Yeah, and you and me, especially. We've been through fighting a demogorgon, demodogs, the mind flayer, and your friend dying plus the spider creature."

"Okay, well, you both can get back to work and just forget I told you guys this?"

The two nodded as Robin got to work, but Steve stood there and stared at her. "I am happy you're back, Jennifer. However, please tell me what's going on next time. No more secrets, ok?"

"Yes," She plants her lips on his, stepping back as he turns and walks away.

She stepped through the store, glancing at the various tapes on the shelves. Some of them were recently released films, however, none she was familiar with since most of the movies were new to her.

Jennifer enters the back of the store and pulls out a VHS tape that reads Nightmare on Elm Street Part II: Freddy's Revenge. She was originally supposed to go see it sometime, but never got the chance to since she was swamped with tests and working late night shifts at the movie theater. She carefully sets it back on the shelf, walking toward a nearby shelf, browsing through the tapes carefully, reading the backs of each tape.

She turns her head, glancing at Steve, who talks to a girl as he shows her various VHS tapes. Ever since she moved, things have been awkward between the two. But since she's back, things felt like she was here for the last year.

That night, things began to feel different.

It felt uneasy for Jennifer as she stepped into her house. Shutting the door behind her, the brunette makes her way towards her bedroom where she dresses from her day clothes to pajamas. Jennifer removes her makeup and unpins her hair. She quickly freshens her breath before settling into her bed.

"A new day. I hope."

Unfortunately, the next week will be anything but normal for Jennifer Henderson as something mysterious and more sinister comes back to Hawkins for another scare.

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strangerficsxx · 1 month ago

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Epilogue | season three

story: Midnight Rain wc: 1k jennifer says her goodbyes to steve before she makes her way to california for college.

{ August 1, 1985 }

Jennifer walks away, forcing her tears back as she steps toward the door, grabbing her coat that laid against the peg of the coat rack. She slides on her jacket before picking her keys from her pocket before walking out the door, shutting it behind her. Hot tears pour from her eyes. Jennifer puts the keys in the ignition as she starts the engine. Driving, she wipes away droplets of salty water, but the tears keep coming, staining the delicate skin of her cheeks.

Jennifer stops beside Steve's house, eyeing his driveway as she pulls herself together and enters the pavement. She puts the car in park, stepping out as she closes the door behind her. Jennifer approached his front door, hesitant to knock before going through with it. She knocks then stood there as she waited, the door opening to reveal Steve. He stood wearing his Family Video attire, concern plastered on his face when he saw Jennifer's tear stained cheeks.

"What brings you here, Jen? I thought you left for UC-Berkeley."

"I'm heading there now, I got my car back and now I'm driving there. But first, I wanted to see you and say goodbye."

Steve's shoulders dropped, a certain expression forms as it's unreadable to Jennifer. He almost avoids eye contact with her, glancing towards the ground then back at her, concerned. Without saying anything, she steps forward, planting her lips on his. After a few seconds, she pulls away. He quickly brings Jennifer's lips back to his, picking her up and closing the door.

Steve brings her into his kitchen, sitting her on the counter top and using his hands to unbutton her blouse, sliding it off her shoulders. He lips then collide with Jennifer's neck, making her lean her head back slightly. She quickly pulls off his vest, throwing it to the floor before moving to the hem of his tucked in shirt.

They break apart long enough for Jennifer to slide Steve's shirt over his head, letting go of the fabric. Her hand runs down his bare chest, the hair pricks at her fingertips. He kicks his shoes off, bringing Jennifer to lay on the counter so he can pull her shoes off in one tug. He proceeds, sliding his hands up her covered legs, tugging at the button of her jeans. He basically slips them down with no problem, letting go. She wraps her arms around his waist before feeling her legs move under her, following Steve to his couch.

Jennifer pulls away as she pushes him against the fabric seat. She climbs on top of Steve, straddling his lap as she grinds against him. He lets out a deep groan, resting his hands on her hips.

“Ah, shit.” Steve curses before grabbing your waist and effortlessly throwing you lightly on the sofa before he hovers over you, looking you up and down.

He leans down and presses his lips against hers, grinding against her center. Steve pulls himself away, sliding his underwear down. His finger hooks the hem of Jennifer's panties, swiftly sliding them off within seconds before entering her. She bites on her lip and grips his back, digging her nails into the flesh of his toned back as he bucks his hips, causing friction. Steve’s lips brush against the curve of Jennifer's neck, pampering her with soft kisses. He pulls away to adjust himself, bringing her closer, leaning forward as his hands rest on both sides of her head. He places a couple kisses on Jennifer's lips and cheek before burying his head in the nape of her neck before looking down then moaning softly.

The pressure inside begins to build as Jennifer begins to whimper under him, moaning his name. He goes deeper as her head leans back, closing her eyes and enjoying the penetration between her legs. Steve groans as he scrunches his nose, biting lip. Jennifer stares at his eyes then lips and begin to sit up and kiss him, but she feels the knot in her stomach loosen rather quickly.

The two of them quickly move positions, him pulling out before sitting bare on the seat. She sits oppositely on his lap, slowly sliding it inside her. Steve grabs her hips and begins grinding them against his. Their moans mix together, creating a symphony as she feels herself getting closer, knowing he likely is too. Steve presses his lips against her bare shoulder, removing one hand and snaking it around. He gropes her breast.

"S-Steve, I think,"

"Me too,"

Within seconds, they come together as her thighs tense up before jerking slightly. Jennifer's head falls back, leaning on Steve's shoulder, panting. His hands rest against her thighs before she moves, basically falling on the couch. She quickly finds her clothes before dressing herself whilst Steve does the same. They walk toward his front door as she opens it, stepping out before Steve stops her.

"Jennifer,"

"What?"

"Are we still together?"

"Yeah, we are. No cheating, okay Harrington?"

"Sure, yeah. Got it. No cheating."

"Steve,"

"I won't cheat, I promise."

Jennifer stops in her tracks, glancing back at Steve. She turns and presses her lips against his.

His hands cup her face, staying there longer than a few seconds. After a while, they lean their faces against each other as Jennifer bites her bottom lip nervously.

"I love you," She whispers.

"I love you too," He murmured.

Jennifer pulls away, and steps toward her vehicle as tears prick at her eyes. She flashes him one last smile. However, it was a sad leer. She opens her door and slides in the driver's seat, shutting it before starting the car before driving off. She makes her way down the road, speeding past the sign that says now leaving Hawkins, Indiana.

Keeping her eyes on the road, she sobs quietly as the song Every Breath You Take by on the radio. It makes her even more sad as she shuts it off, not wanting to hear anything that reminded her of Steve or anyone else she was leaving.

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strangerficsxx · 1 month ago

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Chapter Eight: The Battle of Starcourt

story: Midnight Rain wc: 5.2k the teens and kids prepare for war as they regroup with joyce, hopper and newcomer murray bauman.

[a/n: all characters, plot, etc. are not mine. The only thing I own is my original character. credit to gif owner.]

El screams and wails in pain as she grabs at Mike's hand. Something continues crawling around under her skin. The flesh sizzles in the process.

"There's something in there."

The skin moves again. "Keep her talking. Keep her awake."

Jennifer rises and sprints toward one of the food court before jumping the counter, and yanking a drawer open. One was filled with forks and wrapped up plastic forks before pulling open another drawer and finding a wooden cooking spoon, exhaling sharply. She grabs a couple pairs of plastic gloves before opening another drawer and rummaging through the sharp knives, pulling out and looking at it.

"This'll do," She mutters.

Walking toward the stove, she turns the knob on high before holding the knife over the flames. The metal heats up quickly before turning the stove off and ushering toward the huddled group.

"All right, El. This is gonna hurt like hell, okay?"

Eleven nods, sobbing.

"I need you to stay real still."

She slides a pair of plastic gloves on before picking up the wooden spoon. She sighs shakily.

"Here, you're gonna want to bite down on this, okay?"

Jennifer hands the wooden spoon to Mike, who places it in Eleven's mouth as she bites down on the wood. She whimpers as Jennifer picks up the large knife, bringing it down slowly before digging the blade into the swollen and irritated skin. El screams, gritting her teeth against the wooden spoon. Nancy exclaims as Jennifer drops the knife before looking at the open wound, closing her eyes for a moment and breathing.

Reaching in and feeling around inside the flash, Eleven screeches in pain as Mike exclaims, everyone else groaning in disgust whilst El whimpers once more, crying. She screams.

"Jennifer!" Nancy yells.

"Stop talking!" She shouts back.

Using her two fingers and feeling around for whatever is moving around inside El's leg, causes her to scream once more. She screams for Jennifer to stop as she does, pulling her hand away. Eleven groans, sitting up. The group exchange nervous looks as she raises her trembling hand, wailing. The thing inside her leg moves around more as she screams, the glass beside them breaks as they cover themselves right when the creature from under the skin is floating before she throws it across the mall. Across from the group, Jim Hopper stands with Joyce Byers and a random guy as they look at the kids with serious expressions.

Everyone gets to a spot by the water fountain and huddle around each other.

"The Mind Flayer, it built this monster in Hawkins, to stop El, to kill her and pave a way into our world." Mike explains.

"And it almost did. That was just one tiny piece of it."

"How big is this thing?" Chief Hopper asks.

"Big," Jonathan says. "Thirty feet, at least."

"Yeah," Lucas begins. "It sorta destroyed your cabin."

Hopper looks in the distance, defeated but annoyed. Steve stands in between Jennifer and Max. The brunette had dropped the first aid kit as she stands there with her arms crossed, free from the contaminated gloves that were used to try to get the small creature from her wound.

"Okay, so, just to be clear, this... this big fleshy spider thing that hurt El, it's some kind of gigantic weapon?" Steve questions.

"Yes,"

"But instead of screws and metal, the Mind Flayer made it's weapon... with melted people."

Robin sits on the side of the fountain, knees to her chest and looks over at Steve.

"Yes, exactly."

"Yeah, okay. I-- Yeah, I'm just making sure."

"We sure this thing is still out there, still alive?" Joyce asks.

"El beat the shit out of it, but yeah, it's still alive."

"But if we close the gate again--"

"We cut the brain off from the body."

"And kill it. Theoretically."

Hopper sighs.

"Yoo-hoo!" Murray shouts from a distance, rustling papers and waving his arms.

Everyone gathers around a table, a map is drawn out of the paper as it sits on the table. Murray points to a spot.

"This is what Alexi called 'the hub'. Now, the hub takes us to the vault room."

"Okay, where's the gate?" Hopper asks, hands on his hips and leaned forward slightly.

"Right here." Murray says. "I don't know the scale on this, but I think it's fairly close to the vault room, maybe 50 feet or so."

"More like 500," Erica cuts in. "What, you just gonna waltz in there like it's commie Disneyland or something?"

Hopper raises his brows as Jennifer shifts her weight to the other leg, arms still crossed.

"I'm sorry, who are you?"

"Erica Sinclair. Who are you?"

"Murray... Bauman."

"Listen, Mr. Bunman, I'm not trying to tell you how to do things, but I've been down that shithole for 24 hours. And with all due respect, you do what this man tells you, you're all gonna die."

"I'm sorry, why is this four year old speaking to me?"

"Uh, I'm ten, you bald bastard!"

Jennifer chuckles quietly.

"Erica!" Lucas yells.

"Just the facts!"

"She's right. You're all gonna die, but you don't have to. Excuse me. Sorry, may I?"

"Please."

Dustin takes a seat, grabbing a small pencil from the pocket on his vest before putting it to the paper.

"Okay, see this room here? This is a storage room facility." He begins, circling a part of the paper. "There's a hatch in there that feeds into their underground ventilation system."

He leads a drawn line to the top right corner of the paper, circling that side in the process.

"That leads you to the base of the weapon. It's a bit of a maze down there, but between me, Jennifer and Erica, we can show you the way."

"You can show us the way?" Hopper asks, sarcastically.

"Don't worry, you can do all the fighting and the dangerous hero shit, and we'll just be your... navigators."

"No," He says.

"I second that. Dustin, we almost died down there. Those two doofuses almost got killed by the evil Russians. We are never going back in there."

"Nope." Hopper agrees with Jennifer, but disagrees with Dustin, shaking his head as his hands rest on his hips.

He leaves the group and walks over to a gun before cocking the assault rifle. Jonathan and Nancy stand on the stairs leading toward the water fountain. Robin sits on the counter of one of the food stations as Steve and Jennifer sit a couple feet away from her, trying to find the right words to say to each other. On the fountain, Max sits beside Eleven as Mike, Lucas and Dustin stand there. Erica approaches them. Joyce and Murray walk around aimlessly.

"So, about the whole thing."

"About what?"

"Our relationship,"

Jennifer begins, rising and grabbing Steve's hand and entering the kitchen of one of the small food places. She stands against one of the metal counters, holding his hand loosely. Jennifer stands there as silence falls over them, causing her to look away.

"Jennifer,"

"I just need a hug,"

Steve looks into Jennifer's eyes, holding her gaze before bringing her into his embrace, holding her close. Her arms wrap around his torso. She pulls away, bringing her lips to his before pulling back.

"You know I threw up like, a while ago, right?"

"I know, that's why I have gum."

Jennifer reaches in her pocket and retrieves the package of gum, handing him a piece as he opens the wrappers and places the stick in his mouth. After chewing it for a few seconds, he brings Jennifer's lips back, planing them on his. He pushes her against the counter behind her, lifting Jennifer up as Steve sets her down. She wraps her legs around his waist, bringing him closer as he begins a trail of kisses from her lips to her neck. Jennifer tugs at the hem of Steve's shirt, bringing it over it head before dropping it.

Steve reaches to her Scoops Ahoy shirt and swiftly pulls it over her head, dropping it and cupping her face. He deepens the kiss. Jennifer moves her hands down to unbuckle his belt, pulling his pants down as she hops off the counter long enough to slide her shorts off. She stepping out.

Now, Jennifer in her bra and panties and Steve just in his boxers, continue kissing as his hands sneak down to the hem of her panties, sliding them down to her ankles. Jennifer's panties hang on her shoe as Steve slides his boxers down enough to get him inside her. Bucking his hips, Jennifer gasps before looking toward the entrance of the kitchen. No one has entered, so Steve quickens the pace as his hands rest on her hips, moaning softly into his lips. He pulls away.

"Keep quiet, or they'll hear us." He says softly.

Nodding, Jennifer bites her bottom lip as she feels herself getting closer. Chills run down her spine as she rides her high, her hand grips the edge of the counter. Knees weak, panting and wanting more, she looks him in the eyes as they stay there. Scurrying to pick up their clothes, Steve plants a kiss on her forehead. They quickly get dressed before stumbling out of the kitchen, sitting and acting like nothing happened.

"Well, looks like you two are still together from what I heard."

"We were silent, nothing came from us."

"You came"

Robins makes a face and rolls her eyes, groaning. Jennifer smacks Steve on his arm as he grunts from the slight stinging.

"No, seriously, I heard all the little moans and grunts, whimpers and everything."

Embarrassed, Jennifer looks up at Steve as he tries to look somewhere else. Across from them, she watches as Chief Hopper approaches the group of tween boys. He tosses the talkie to Dustin.

"Hey, heads up. You can navigate, just from someplace safe."

"It's not that simple,"

"The signal won't reach!" Jennifer shouts from across the food court.

"Not with this. You need something with a high frequency band to relay with the Russians' radio tower. But for that to work, you need someone who has both seem their comms room and has access to a super-powered handcrafted radio tower one preferably already situated at the highest point in Hawkins. Oh wait. That's me." He says, continuing. "If you want us to navigate, you got us. But we need a head start."

Grabbing her keys, Jennifer looks toward Steve then her younger brother. They, including Robin, Dustin and Erica exit the mall and walk toward her Chevrolet Citation. She sits in front of the wheel as Robin sits beside her as Steve is seated between Erica and Dustin in the back. Backing up, she reverses the car before putting it in drive. The tires squeal as she pushes the pedal, speeding across the parking lot before getting on the main road, keeping a steady pace.

Continuing, they drive and drive. Jennifer begins to get annoyed about how far they are driving as Steve sighs in annoyance.

"Jesus, how far is this place, man?"

"Relax, we're almost there."

"Suzie must be pretty special, huh? I mean you built this thing and lugged it all the way to the middle of nowhere just to talk to her?"

"I mean, nobody's scientifically perfect, but Suzie's about as close to being perfect as any human could possibly be."

"She sound made-up to me. She sound made-ep to you?" Erica asks.

Jennifer stalls, answering the question.

"Why are you hesitating, Jen?"

"I'm-- I'm-- I'm not! I'm not! I think she sounds real. You know, totally, absolutely real."

"Left. Turn left."

"There's not a road here."

"Turn left now!"

Jennifer grabs the wheel from above, yanking it to the left as the car runs off the road. It hits a fence, continuing up a hill. The engine begins to strain as Jennifer puts the car in park. They exit the vehicle and approach the hand-made radio tower. They get to the radio as Dustin and Erica kneel as Robin stands beside Jennifer while Steve paces back and forth. The younger Henderson sibling grabs the speaker, uttering.

"Bald Eagle, I repeat, this is Scoops Troop, do you copy?"

"Yes, I copy."

The small group chuckles in relief. Dustin cranes his neck and looks in Jennifer's direction before turning back. The three older teens lean on their knees, getting closer to hear what's happening.

"Call sign?"

"Bald Eagle."

"Please repeat."

"Bald Eagle. This is Bald Eagle."

"Copy that." Dustin vocalizes. "Good to hear you voice, Bald Eagle. What's your 20?"

"We reached the vent. I'll contact you when I need you. Until then, silence."

"Roger that, Bald Eagle. This is Scoops Troop, going radio silent. 10-10, over."

He sets the radio down as Steve pats Dustin's shoulder, smiling.

Sitting in the grass and waiting silently for anything new, Jennifer rises and walks toward Steve as she feels the cool breeze on her skin. She shivers.

"You cold?"

"Yeah,"

"Do you have--"

"I have a jacket in the backseat of my car."

Steve nods, walking away to retrieve the jacket. Whilst Jennifer stands there she overhears Murray speak. She folds her arms to her chest, waiting. Over the speaker, the male sighs in agony.

"Scoop Troop, this is... Hm. Bald Eagle. I've reached another junction."

"This is what?"

"The fourth junction."

Steve approaches Jennifer with her jacket as he helps slide her coat on, zipping the jacket up. She leans against him with her arms crossed. Steve gently rubs her arm, warming her slightly.

"All right, so if the memory serves, this is right after the My Little Pony thesis."

"We went left, so he has to go right." Jennifer adds.

"Fly right, Bald Eagle. Fly Right."

"Roger that, flying right."

Steve and Jennifer pull away as something catches their eye, stepping closer to try and get a better look.

"Hey guys!"

The other's join, looking over the city the lights begin flashing as they rush back to the radio tower, falling to their knees.

"Griswold Family, this is Scoops Troop! Do you copy? Over! Griswold Family, I repeat, this is Scoops Troop. Do you Copy?"

On the other end, a creature shireks on the radio. Dustin looks at the other's before coming back to the intercom, speaking once more.

"Griswold Family, do you copy? Do you copy?!"

Over the radio the creature roars into it as everyone stares helplessly. Dustin tries one more time. pushing the button before uttering again.

"Are you en route to Bald Eagle's nest? Please confirm your safety!" He shouts.

From the snarling on the radio and the concerned look on Jennifer and Steve's face causes her to confirm that something seriously wrong. Jennifer sprints to the car as Steve follows close behind.

"Where are you guys going?!"

"To get them the hell out of there!" Jennifer shouts.

Robin is quick to catch up as Jennifer and Steve are already in the car. She slides into the back, starting the engine and puts the car in reverse, rolling down the hill. Stepping on the peddle, she turns so the car is back on the road, speeding. Her knuckles begin to turn white whilst she grips the wheel.

Approaching the mall, Jennifer takes another way as she watches a familiar camaro sits across from Nancy and her station wagon. It speeds toward Nancy as he holds a handgun, pulling the trigger. Panicked, Jennifer steps on the pedal below as the speed accelerates the vehicle forward. The other vehicle gets closer and closer to Jennifer's as she smashes into the side of Billy's camaro, causing it to spin out as the impact makes them lean to the side before stopping completely. Jennifer breathes heavily, still holdin onto the helm.

On the side, Billy's car sets ablaze. Focusing on her and the other's, she looks at Steve then Robin in the back.

"Everyone okay?" She asks.

"Ask me tomorrow?"

Above, the creature snarls and growls as they step out of the vehicle. It stands on the roof of Starcourt Mall, roaring in the night sky. A car horn breaks the three away from the monster as Nancy's station wagon pulls beside Jennifer's car. "Get in!"

Jennifer, Steve and Robin climb into the very back of the station wagon before it takes off through the parking lot. Behind them, the monster follows behind. Nancy pulls onto the road as fear and anxiety rises when two voices over the radio, looking at it.

"Dusty-bun, you copy?"

"I copy, Suzie-poo. It sounds much better now, thanks."

"Suzie," The three of them say at the same time.

The two kids continue talking until it begins to turn into a slight argument as Dustin begins singing the song from Neverending Story. Jennifer furrows her brows, looking over at her boyfriend then Robin before exchange the same glance at Will and Lucas. After the little performance Dustin and Suzie put on, Jennifer looks back as the creature stops in its tracks before turning around, shrieking.

"It's turning around." Steve states.

"What?"

"It's turning around!" Jennifer shouts.

"Maybe we wore it out." Lucas suggests.

"I don't think so. Hold on."

When Jonathan yanks the wheel, the station wagon harshley spins around before facing the opposite direction. Jennifer groans as she her back hits the side of Nancy's vehicle. Jonathan steps on it, losing sight of the Mind Flayer. When they get back to Stacourt Mall, Lucas redirects everyone to the fireworks he collected at the store prior. They take their positions on various sides of the mall-- Nancy and Jonathan and Jennifer, Lucas and Will, Steve and Robin.

A firework explodes against the monster as another one hits the monster once again. It screeches in pain, knocking it off balance as Jennifer lights one of the strands and throws the explosive , smashing against the creature before exploding.

Hitting the monster from various angles, it screeches once again as the room lights up in multiple colors such as green, blue, purple, pink, and many more. Jonathan and Nancy throw fireworks next as it hisses. The sound of crackling is loud throughout the mall, but Jennifer ignores it watching as Steve tosses one next. Below, El leans against her elbows as Billie loses his footing, groaning and grunting front the pain. The Mind Flayer wails as from multiple angles, everyone keeps chucking explosives.

Beginning to run out, Jennifer curses under her breath as she grabs the second to last one, throwing it at the creature. Nancy extends her arm toward the firework. She looks toward Jonathan as he lights the detonator before throwing it. The colors ware out, the only thing that remains is the mind flayer and smoke filling the air. From above, Jennifer watches the creature face Billy and Eleven before something extends from it's mouth, lunging toward Max's older brother. He stops it with his hands, shouting. Whatever the monster felt, it seems like Billy can feel it too.

The creature screeches as he screams out in pain when another claw bites into his left before his right. He lets goas multiple claws extend, penetrating the weak male.

From the radio, Dustin shouts for the gate to close when the same talon from earlier, pouces Billy's chest as Max (who stands in front of Scoops Ahoy) watches everything unfold. She shouts his name as to Jennifer, everything felt like it were in slow motion. Bloodied, Billy's body collides with the mall floor. The monster screeches before flailing around, running into the railing in front of Steve and Robin before dying.

Everyone above, including Jennifer, look at the carnage left behind from the damaged scene. Unsure of how to react to the death, Jennifer and Steve reunite, hugging one another as the anxiety barely slips away.

"Thank God, it's over."

"Yeah,"

After the events, the older teens and kids get taken outside. As military and first responder vehicles surround Starcourt Mall, Jennifer sits in the back in an ambulance. A blanket hugs her frail body, staring at the ground. Beside her, Dustin and Mike Sit with El while Steve stands close to the brunette.

"We did it... again. We survived another crazy night in Hawkins."

"Yeah, I'm just happy we're safe and alive."

"Me too."

Jennifer rises and throws her blanket off before being brought into Steve's arms. Looking over, she watches as Eleven limp toward Joyce as Murry is there but Jim Hopper is nowhere to be found. Something back happened, and Jennifer is unsure of what to make of it. Even though it was upsetting that the chief was gone, Jennifer was relieved knowing her and Dustin made it out.

THREE MONTHS LATER.

Jennifer sits in her living room, watching the news as the usual fanfare play through the speakers. Cutting Edge, the title says as it cuts to downtown Hawkins. She rolls her eyes as the propaganda rises once more.

"Welcome to Hawkins, Indiana, a wonderful place to grow up, to raise your family, to walk your dog. But then..." The male reports trails off as sirens wail. He continues. "...on July Fourth, everything changed. A tragedy struck this small town. But this was not this small town's brush with tragedy..."

Jennifer continues listening at the male reporter, annoyed at the fact that people thinks Hawkins is bad because the mysterious deaths ( including Bob and Barbara), government cover ups? Bizzare chemical leak. What? That's not what even happened in Hawkins. If most people heard the story, they'd think Jennifer is crazy. of some nerdy game her younger brother plays -- Dungeons and Dragons -- causing satanism. Jennifer reads the screen, 'Horror in the Heartland.'

"Stupid bullshit propaganda. Most of that didn't even happen." She mutters to herself.

The telephone rings on the table shelf, a few steps away from the television as she pushes the button, turning it off. Rising, she pulls the phone off the reciever and puts it up to her ear.

"Hey, Jen. It's Robin. Uh, Steve gave me your number and I wanted to let you know that Steve and I will be there to pick up, so we can go to our job interview."

"Okay, thanks for letting me know. I'll be here, waiting."

Sitting in the back of Steve's BMW, he pulls up to Family Video before parking in front. Jennifer opens the passenger door and steps out, eyeing the large sign that sits atop the video store. Here we go... again. This time, let's hope nothing bad happens in Hawkins.

"You put your mom down as a reference?" Jennifer asks.

"Yeah. Why not? She's, like, super well-respected."

Steve hops on the pavement, holding the door open for Jennifer and Robin.

"You're such a dingus." Robin comments.

Steve jogs in behind the two girls as the three of them stand in front of the counter.

Robin leans against the counter as Steve rests his elbows atop the table. Keith stands across from them, lowering the paper and eyeing Jennifer as she steps closer to Steve, grabbing his arm. A bag of cheetos sit as the puffs lay against the counter, grossing the older Henderson sibling out.

"Just to be clear, we weren't fired, you know." Robin begins. "The mall burned down and, like, killed a bunch of people."

"Thanks for sharing. Didn't know." Keith says, tossing the papers down. "Three favorite movies. Go."

"Uh... The apartment, Hidden Fortress, Children of Paradise."

Keith points at Jennifer. "You, go."

"I-- I'm not... I'm not here for a job."

"Now you,"

"Favorite movies?" Steve asks, unsure.

"Did I stutter?"

"Uh... Animal House, for sure. Um..." Steve trails off, glancing at Jennifer.

"Eyes on me, Harrington."

"Yeah. Uh... Star Wars."

"A New Hope?"

"A New what-now?"

"Which Star Wars?"

"The one with the teddy bears. Duh." He responds, squealing like an Ewok.

Robin lowers her head and sighs as Jennifer shuffles her stance, crossing her arms. A crossover bag sits on her shoulder while she looks at her boyfriend. Even Jennifer has seen Star Wars because of Dustin.

"No? Uh... Oh, the one that just came out. The movie that just came out. The one with the Delorean and Alex P. Keaton, and he's trying to bang his mom." She chuckles. "The time... Yeah, those are my top three. Classics."

"You two start Monday." Keith points to Robin.

He then puts his attention back on Steve. Steve looks down at the counter.

"You start never."

Annoyed, Steve looks at Keith then glances at his girlfriend.

"Will you just, um... Will you give us a minute?" Robin asks. She leans into Steve.

Backing up, Steve yanks the resume aggressively as Jennifer follows after him as they walk around the video store. They stand there, eyeing the VHS tapes on the shelf. Beside the shelf is a poster of a movie that is lit up like a Christmas tree.

"Hey, it's... it's okay. Not everyone gets the job they want."

"I know, it's just I picked this because it's the only place I'm interested in."

Steve stands there, hands resting on his hips. Jennifer smiles sadly before stepping toward the counter with Robin, listening on the conversation."

"...But the dingus has other qualities,"

"He's a douchebag of the highest order, Robin."

Steve turns to Jennifer. She stood there, a look of guilt sets on her face.

"What?"

"Steve, I applied to the University of California, Berkeley sometime before we got stuck in the russian elevator, and depending on what happens..." She trails off. "I may have to move -- to California."

Steve was silent as Jennifer knew he was processing everything since you told him something so sudden.

"N-No, you're here. You will be here. H-How did you get into college?"

"I studied, even though the shit we went through still haunts me to this day... I pray nothing else happens, but God knows with this town--"

"Jennifer,"

Jennifer whips her head, staring at him. "Yeah?"

"If you get accepted, you can move out there. It's okay. really. If you want, we can keep in contact -- call each other when we can."

"Steve, you know long distance relationships never work out. I don't want to hold you back from a life where you're tied down, getting a call every so often from a girl you barely knew for a couple years."

"No, I want-- I want to, please?"

"Steve,"

He turns away from Jennifer about to take a step when suddenly, he bumps into a cardboard cutout of Phoebe Cates from the movie Fast Times at Ridgemont High. He curses before looking at the cutout in awe. Robin watches too before turning back to Keith. Jennifer covers her mouth, stifling a laugh.

"We're, uh.. we're just friends."

"We're not, though. I'm his girlfriend."

Robin smiles. The the two girls look back at Steve.

"Oh!" He says, holding the cutout of Phoebe cates. "Fast Times. Fast Times. Ever heard of it?"

Jennifer snickers before releasing a set of giggles.

"Top three for me, Keith."

"Oh, I gotta get going." Jennifer announces. "Steve. Can you?"

"Yeah. Where are you going?"

"Jonathan's."

Nodding, Jennifer and Steve climb into the vehicle as he quickly drives at a steady pace toward the Byers' residence. He stops long enough for his girlfriend to peck him on the cheek and exit the vehicle.

Steve pulls away as Jennifer walks toward the one story house, watching Nancy and Jonathan load a mattress into the back of a U Haul truck. A for sale sign sits in the yard, greeting the couple. She ducks inside, hearing singing coming from the living room. Max and Lucas recit the song 'A Never Ending Story' while Lucas sang with Dustin as he stares at them in annoyance.

"Wait, did we get that verse right? It's 'unfold behind the clouds'?"

"Yeah, but you're butchering it, co could you please stop?"

"So then join in, Dusty-bun." Lucas teases, blowing a kiss through the air.

"Yeah, come on, Dusty-bun, why don't you join us?" Jennifer asks, teasingly.

The kids look at Jennifer as Max shares a cheeky smile with her before the kids turn to face each other.

"You guys are so funny, you should be on Carson."

"Can't we just hear your rendition?" Jennifer questions.

"No, Jennifer."

"Please? Just one verse?" She playfully begs.

"No way. It's reserved for Suzie's ear alone."

Lucas, Max and Jennifer exchange glances before the two kids begin singing as Dustin flips them off, shouting for them to stop. Jennifer drops her purse at the entrance of the house before coming back, walking past a room where Joyce sits, packing a box.

"Hey, sweetheart. What brings you here?"

"I wanted to help, but also say goodbye."

"Thank you, that means a lot."

"Oh, I'm sorry about Hopper, Mrs. Byers."

"Thank you, honey."

Joyce rises before bringing Jennifer into her arms, hugging her tightly. After, Jennifer rejoins Lucas, Dustin and Max in the living room. She sits beside Max.

"Hey,"

"Hi,"

"I, uh.. wanted to see how you were doing, you know, with your brother."

"It's... hard, but I'm pushing through like a warrior."

"Like Wonder Woman?" Jennifer asks.

Max smiles. "Yeah,"

Later when everything's packed, all of them join outside the empty house. Tears are shed as hugs are exchanged. Many emotions run through Jennifer at once. She brings Jonathan into a hug.

"Good luck out there. Don't get into too much trouble, doofus."

"Gee, thanks. Good luck with college, and let me know if you get accepted. When you get accepted, you can crash at our place till you get your own place."

"We'll see about that, Byers."

She chuckles then hugs Will and Eleven at the same time, now sobbing.

"I'm sad to see you go. El, we just got reunited and now you're leaving again. We need to catch up again, maybe. Depending if I get accepted into college. We go out for ice cream, my treat."

"Yeah,"

"And Will, you've been such a good kid from what I heard."

Now hugging Joyce one last time, she cries as Mrs. Byers tries not to cry herself. Nearing the end of the moment, everyone gets situated in both the truck and Jonathan's car as they take off down the dirt road. Jennifer, her brother, Max, Lucas and Mike stand there watching. The kids grab their bikes and ride off as Dustin lets his sister joins him on his bike.

Entering Erica and Lucas' house, Dustin holds a box as Jennifer enters as well. The kids stand at Erica's bedroom door, knocking before the young girl appears. Dustin gets down on one knee, holding up the box as she grabs it, closing the door. The Henderson's leave and head back to their house.

Closing her bedroom door, Jennifer opens his shoulder bag and grabs the folded up resume. She sets it on her dresser before taking a seat on her bed, unable to process the emotions running through her.

"Jennifer," Claudia calls.

"Yeah, mom?" She asks, rising and opening the door ever so slightly.

"You have a letter from UC-Berkeley. You might want to open it."

Jennifer rushes into the other room, basically snatching the letter from her mother's hand. She tears the envelope open, reading carefully. The corners of her mouth curve into a big grin, looking up at her mother and now brother, who entered the room a few seconds prior.

"What?"

"I got in. I got in! I got in!"

"Holy shit!"

"Dusty,"

"Sorry,"

Claudia and Dustin bring Jennifer into a hug, tears well up in her eyes as she feels the urge to pack. She was ready to start new not in Hawkins.

Time to begin a new chapter.

A new life.

1 note · View note

strangerficsxx · 1 month ago

Text

Chapter Seven: The Bite

story: Midnight Rain wc: 2.3k the teens and kids prepare for war as they regroup with joyce, hopper and newcomer murray bauman.

[a/n: all characters, plot, etc. are not mine. The only thing I own is my original character. credit to gif owner.]

The alarm continues to blare as Jennifer starts the car, turning hard around a corner as the two in the back groan. Steve curses, but she can't think of anything else then to get everyone back to safety. Robin, however, begins to speak but it starts of slurred.

"Yeah, what it this, like, the Indy 500?" She asks.

"It's the Indy 300."

"No, dingus, it's 500!"

"It's 300!"

Erica looks back at the two, judging. Steve and Robin begin laughing hysterically.

"What's wrong with them?"

"I don't know," Dustin says,

"I know what's wrong with them."

Not paying attention, Jennifer accidentally runs the car into a bunch of stacked barrels, causing everyone to get jerked forward including Steve and Robin who groan from the impact. Rushing out of the vehicle, she along with Dustin and Erica rush to the back, unhooking the slot before opening the door. Without moving, Jennifer and the two kids shout at them and force Steve and Robin out of the back. She looks at Steve's battered face, frowning at the injuries.

"God, what did they do to you."

Dustin holds a keycard up to the keypad as it beeps, motioning for Jennifer and Erica to step onto the elevator with the drugged teens. The door closes as Jennifer hits the close door button, it shoots up the shaft quickly and not calmly. Whilst the elevator is rising in the hoistway, Steve stands on a a metal flatbed truck and acting as if he is surfing as Robin holds the he handle. They shout and whoop giddly at the same time.

"Hey! You look like you're surfing!" Robin shouts.

"Surfing! Yeah!"

Jennifer shakes her head, annoyed. She stands behind her brother and Erica.

"They seem drunk,"

"Why would they be drunk?"

"I'm a natural! Check it out!" Stee shouts, loosing his balance and hitting the elevator floor.

Robin laughs as they begin laughing even more. She takes a seat as Jennifer kneels beside her boyfriend, resting her hand on Steve's forehead, feeling the heat on her cold fingertips.

"He's hot."

"You're hot,"

Dustin kneels, grabbing Steve's face and trying to open his eyes only to hurt him in the process. Jennifer sees the redness in the whites of his eyes, looking back at her brother with concern.

"His pupils are super dilated."

"Maybe he's drugged."

"That's exactly what these two dinguses are. They've been drugged by those shitty Russians."

"Ugh. Boop!" Steve says, booping the tip of Jennifer's nose as she tries to get him to look her in the eyes, barely holding a gaze.

"Steve, are you drugged?" Jennifer asked even though she knew the answer.

With his head resting on the box behind him, Steve begins. "How many times, Dad? I don't do drugs. It's only marijuana."

"This isn't funny, okay? I need to know what they did to you."

"Dustin, they drugged him. Robin too. What else do you think they did?"

Steve boops her nose again before picking his nose slightly with his sailor tie, laughing.

"Are they gonna die?"

Jennifer looks toward Robin who is twiddling her fingers in her hair.

"We all die, my strange child friend. It's just a matter of how... and when."

The brunette looks back at Steve, trying to find the words before getting a thought. Her keys were left on the counter in the back room at Scoops Ahoy.

"We'll take my car, ok?"

Dustin nods.

"Ooh, and we stop by the food court."

"I would kill for a hot dog on a stick."

"Ooh!"

"Yes, you can have as much food as you want."

They continue laughing as the elevator stops on the main ground where they open the door, stepping onto the pavement. It felt good for Jennifer to be back on the ground and not in an underground experiment to open the gate to the upside down. Sighing a breath of relief, she looks back at Robin and Steve. The two have their tongues out tasting the air around them when abruptly the gate in front of the group opens and two guards strom through, wielding their large guns and coming towards them.

"Shit." Jennifer curses.

Jennifer grabs Steve by the hand and drags him toward the double doors as Dustin opens them. Erica pushes Robin inside, shutting the door behind them. They run through the back of the mall, the corridor that leads to various stores especially Scoops Ahoy. Approaching a door, Jennifer cracks it open and sees that the coast is clear before her and the others scurry out and into the theater that is currently playing Back to the Future.

Everyone was fixated on the film as Dustin now leads the way, down the aisle dragging a drugged Steve and Robin over to two empty seats closest to the screen.

"You two, sit."

"No, no, no! These seats are too close!"

"Dude, these seats blow."

"Then don't watch the movie," Jennifer exclaims.

"We want to watch it."

"Then watch it!"

The two of them sit down. Some male shushes them as Robin shushes him back then turning to face the kids and the screen.

"Whatever you do don't... go... anywhere."

"Fine, Mom."

Robin snickers as Steve holds a few pieces of popcorn in his hand then putting the popcorn in his mouth. Jennifer sighs, shaking her head before she, Dustin and Erica move to three unaccompanied seats. Dustin sighs.

"Okay, it's official. I'm never having kids."

"What are we doing here?" Jennifer asks.

"We're laying low. Cooling off. Like Oswald."

"Oswald was found in a theater and shot to death."

"A week later."

"The point if, his plan didn't work."

"All right, enough you two. Shut it."

A woman behind them shushes them as the three of them shush the woman back, getting irritated.

"All right, you guys watch Tweedledee and Tweedledum. Make sure they don't go anywhere."

"Where are you going?"

"To find my keys in the parlor, so we have a ride."

Jennifer rises as Dustin follows behind, walking into the room where the film is playing the movie. The older Henderson sibling exits the theater and walks through the mall, towards the shop but keeping an eye out for any guards.

She enters Scoops Ahoy, pushing through the door and into the back room, seeing that everything was the way it were yesterday. She approaches the little shelf and looks through the items before seeing a pair of keys.

Exclaiming with excitement, Jennifer extends her arm and yanks the keys off the table before leaving the ice cream place. She quickly strides across the mall, entering the movie theater and seeing that Dustin has returned to his seat next to Erica. He's asking her about batteries, then a plan B as Jennifer looks over and sees the two are gone from their seats.

"Where... are they?" She asks.

Erica and Dustin glance at the empty seats as well, rushing out of the theater and looking for them. The entrance to the theater is deserted. Something feels off with the air around them before questioning the two kids.

In the bathroom, Robin lays on the floor as her feet are perched on the stall door. Steve, who's in the stall over, sits beside the toilet before flushing. He groans.

"The ceiling stopped spinning for me. Is it still spinning for you?" Robin questions.

Steve looks up.

"Holy shit. No." He responds. "You think we puked it all up?"

"Maybe. Ask me something. Interrogate me."

"Okay, interrogate you. Um... When was the last time you, uh, peed your pants?"

"Today."

"What?"

"When the Russian doctor took out the bone saw,"

He laughs. "Oh, my God."

"It was just a little bit, though."

Robin laughs, pushing herself to where she's sitting against the tiled wall.

"Alright, my turn."

"Okay. Hit me."

"Have you... ever been in love?"

"Yep. Starting, Nancy Wheeler then Jennifer Henderson. First semester, senior year." He says, imitating a gunshot before chuckling.

"Oh, my God. She's acts like a priss."

"Yeah, not really."

"Are you still in love with Nancy?"

"No. I think it's because I found someone who's a little better for me. It's crazy. Ever since Dustin got home, he's been telling me 'find your suzie. Find your suzie."

"Wait. Who's Suzie?"

"Some girl from camp, I guess his girlfriend. To be honest with you, I'm not 100% sure she's even real. But that's not-- that's not really the point." He says.

"Oh, Steve?"

"Yeah?"

"A few days ago, when Jennifer was upset in the backroom while you were tending to the female customers, Jennifer was in tears, talking about your relationship. She told me that she wasn't sure if she wanted to still be in the relationship, wanting to break up... with you."

"What? She doesn't..."

"But then Jennifer said that you both have been through so much, and that kept her from leaving because she never had chemistry like she had with you."

"What.. I don't-- I didn't know she felt that way."

Robin was silent, causing Steve to furrowed his brows and tap on the bathroom stall.

"Robin, did you just OD in there?"

"No," She sighs. "I am still alive."

He sighs deeply as Steve slides himself under the stall and in the same one with her.

"The floor's disgusting."

"Yeah, well, I already got a bunch of blood and puke on my shirt, so... What do. you think?"

"About?"

"The girl."

"She is awesome. And what about the guy?"

"I think he's on drugs, and he's not thinking straight."

"Really? 'Cause I think he's thinking a lot more clearly than usual."

The girl, Jennifer is currently looking around the mall with her younger brother and Erica. She steps into the shop and grabs the first aid kit from one of the stores. She exits and continues looking. They continue to search for Steve and Robin. She hears faint laughing as she follows it, motioning her brother towards the bathroom.

Dustin pushes past and barges into the restroom. The two are still laughing and smiling until the three of them stop in their tracks.

"Okay. What the hell?"

They continue laughing before he stops looking toward Jennifer. He gives her a serious expression before rising. She gives him a saddened look before turning her heel and stepping away, holding the first aid kit still.

"Jen-- Jennifer. Come on, look at me."

"No, you know what I told Robin the other day. If-- If you want to then let's... end it."

"Jennifer, please. No."

Dustin cracks open the door, looking out and scanning the outside entrance to the theater. Soon the other's are behind, looking out too.

"And... blend."

They exit the bathroom and into the middle of the crowd of movie goers. Jennifer keeps calm and continues on, grabbing Steve's hand in the process whilst still holding the first aid kit for his wounds.

"Well, shit, that worked."

"Course it worked. We just have to get to Jennifer's car, and home sweet home, here we come."

"Uh, Dustin."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah, we might not wanna go to your house."

"Why?" Jennifer asks.

"Well, I might've told them yours and Jennifer's full name."

"What is wrong with you?"

"Dude, I was drugged.

"So?" Jennifer asks.

"So?"

"You resist. You tough it out. You tough it out like a man."

"Oh, yeah, it's easy for you to say."

"Guys?"

Robin and Jennifer stops everyone, looking towards the two Russian guards standing across the from them. One of the men look over as they run back and towards an escalator. They slide down before trying to figure out where they should hide. Jennifer signals them behind the counter at a nearby restaurant. They pant as Jennifer grabs her boyfriend's hand, squinting her eyes. The car that's blocked off with red rope -- the alarm begins wailing as they stay still. The sound of metal clings as it drags the russian guards away, killing them instantly.

The car crashes against the counter of one of the food stalls. Pulling her hand away, Jennifer and the other's peek over the counter, standing behind it and eye the downed guards. Their gaze drift confusedly toward the car then at the second floor where Jonathan, Nancy, Mike, Max, Lucas and Will gather around Eleven. A smile begins to form on Jennifer's face.

The two groups meet on the main level. Dustin hugs Eleven and Mike.

"Erica?"

"What are you doing here?"

"Ask them. It's their fault"

"True, yeah. Totally true. It's absolutely our fault."

"I don't understand what happened to that car."

Everyone continues talking as Jennifer greets Jonathan and Nancy, thrilled to see they are still alive before smiling at Max.

"I'm sorry, who are you?"

"I'm Robin,"

"She's the one who help crack the secret code."

"Yeah, which is how we found out about the Russians." Jennifer adds.

"Russians? Wait, what Russians?" Jonathan asks.

"The Russians!"

"Those were Russians?"

"Some of them,"

"What are you talking about?"

"Didn't you hear our code red?"

"Yeah. Wouldn't understand half of what you were saying."

"Goddamn low battery."

"How many times do I have to tell you with the low battery?"

"Well, everything worked out, didn't it, Steve?"

"Worked out? We almost died."

"YEah, but we didn't. Did we?"

They continue talking as Jennifer notices Eleven taking a few steps away from the group. Remicing, she covers her ears and squeezes her eyes closed tight. Suddenly, Eleven collapses. The group notices before rushing toward her, some of them kneeling.

"What's wrong?"

"My leg."

Jennifer nods as she peels away the gauze, revealing the worsen wound. They all exclaim in disgust as her stomach churns but keeps her composure. They groan and gasp as something moves beneath El's skin as she grits her teeth, grunting. She wails in pain as Mike calls out her name. The other's watch helplessly before El screams a loud.

0 notes

strangerficsxx · 1 month ago

Text

Chapter Six: E Pluribus Unum

story: Midnight Rain wc: 1.2k with robin and steve trapped by russians, jennifer, her brother and erica stage a daring rescue.

[a/n: all characters, plot, etc. are not mine. The only thing I own is my original character. credit to gif owner.]

Steve looks at Dustin and Jennifer takes a step back, unsure of what to think about the gate being opened. Even though she witnessed this last year, it was new to her seeing the slightly opened portal causing a huge amount of anxiety. She wonders if the demodogs who attacked her best friend will come back and finish the job.

"The gate." Dustin says.

Stepping down the steps carefully, Jennifer stumbles as Steve helps down the rest of the way.

"I don't understand. You've seen this before?"

"Not exactly."

"Then what, exactly?"

"All you need to know is it's bad."

"It's really bad."

"Like, end-of-human-race-as-we-know-it kind of bad."

"And you know about this how?"

"Um, Steve? Where's your Russian friend?"

They look down, the male is gone as a blood puddle lingers on the floor. An alarm blares above while Steve rushes toward the door, opening it before shutting it back.

"Shit."

The four of them to the same spot as earlier, entering the room with the gate slowly opening as everyone inside stares in their direction. They run down a small flight of stairs before stopping as whirling beside them, distracts them before Steve directs them another way. Jennifer pushes past a guard as he yells in Russian. Steve curses as he knocks a pile of barrels on the two guards who rushed towards them. They run into an empty room as Steve holds the door shut along with Jennifer, looking toward her boyfriend.

Erica opens the grate and she climbs in. Robin rushes toward the door and helps hold it shut as Jennifer grabs Steve's face. She plants her lips on his,pulling away after a few seconds. Jennifer pulls back and rushes behind her younger brother. He shouts for Jennifer and the kids to go. The guards yell as she pushes her brother in, grabbing the grate and pulling it down above them. They sit in an air vent, crawling through.

For what it felt like an eternity, the make it to a large fan as it blows cold wind. They sit there whilst Dustin fumbles with the screws on grate which leads to a control panel. Her younger brother continues about the events of the last two years, causing Jennifer to get annoyed.

"Um, you need help with that?"

"No,"

"Well, I mean, it's taking a while, so--"

"Yeah, no shit, Sherlock."

Jennifer stays quiet, fanning herself and begins to wonder if Steve and Robin are okay. She leans against the metal duct, fanning herself with her hand.

"All right, so if we don't find a more efficient method to stop those fans, we're never gonna find help, and your ice cream buddies are screwed."

"Yeah, with that attitude, they are. Jee-zus!"

"I'm just being realistic. I mean, we've made it about point-three miles in nine hours. Then we had to walk three hours down that tunnel, so I'd estimate ten miles back to the elevator which should approximately twelve-and-a-half days."

"Did you just do all that in your head?"

"I'm good with numbers."

"Holy shit. You're a nerd."

"Come again?"

"You... are... a... nerd."

"Okay, you better take that back, nerd."

"Can't put the truth back in the box." Jennifer says.

"But its not the truth."

"Let's examine the facts, shall we? Fact one: you're a math whiz, apparently."

"That was a pretty straightforward equation."

"Fact number two: you're a political junkie."

"Just because I don't agree with Communism as an ideology--"

"Fact number three: you love My Little Pony."

"And what does My Little Pony have to do with this?"

Jennifer roles her eyes, wishing the guards would've taken her so she's not sitting in a vent under the mall she works at and listening to her brother speak about how his friend's sister is a nerd. Dustin then speaks about My Little Pony as she stares at her brother in annoyance before he pulls the chord as the three of them crawl through the vent even more.

They continue crawling once more before Jennifer leads them, stopping and removing the grate above. She stands there before her and the two kids climb out. Around them, large capsules hold the vials of the green substance they saw earlier. Dustin rushes down the few steps and toward the small car.

"Do you even know how to drive?"

"How hard can it be?"

"No, no. You're not driving." Jennifer says.

Her and Dustin search around for the keys as Erica stalks away, looking toward something before she asks Dustin about the Demogorgon. To the side, a box on the wall captures Jennifer's attention as she asks her brother to pry it open. He gets the door open as Jennifer eyes her brother then the keys, grabbing them before he can. Looking back Erica is nowhere to be seen until loud zap crackles behind the Henderson siblings, jumping back as Erica holds an electroshock prod.

"What the hell is that?!"

"A deadly weapon. Could be useful."

The prod crackles, causing Dustin to hold his arms out, almost scared of his friend's younger sister.

"For what?"

"What do you think? Taking out Commies, saving your friends."

"Thought you were more realistic than that, nerd."

Erica rolls her eyes, stalking away.

"We don't even know where they are," Jennifer adds. "And even if we did, there are a million guards up there with weapons way deadlier than that."

Dustin walks toward the car, Jennifer and the younger kids walk toward the car, getting in.

"The best thing we can do for them is to get out of here and find help." Dustin says.

Erica loosely holds the electroshock probe.

"Careful with that." Jennifer says. "And no, we will find a way to save them. Our chance of surviving, and theirs, rises substantially. Just trust me on this. Please?"

The kids stare at her as she puts the key in the key hole, turning it as the electric car turns on. The engine powers up, taking down the hallway.

What felt like an eternity driving through the long corridors of the underground Russian base, they pull over as Jennifer holds the keys in her hand. She takes out a guard when an alarm blares, dropping one of the vials of green liquid. Getting to a door, Dustin grabs the electroshock prode from Erica as Jennifer looks over at her younger brother, concern forming on her face.

"Do you know how to use that?"

"Hard hard could it be."

"Just be careful, OK? I don't want to explain to mom why you died."

He sticks his tongue out at Jennifer as she rolls her eyes, grabbing the handle of the door and opens it. Dustin rushes in, screaming before sticking the prod to the Russian doctor's chest, zapping him as his body shakes with impact. He falls to the ground unconscious as he drops the electro prod, rushing over with Jennifer to untile Steve and Robin.

"Hey, Henderson's. That's crazy I was just talking about you."

Jennifer unhooks the strap from Robin as she looks back at Dustin, shouting in excitement. Something was wrong with two, something she couldn't put her finger on.

"Get ready to run," Jennifer says, making eye contact with Robin.

Robin's pupils were dilated as if she came from the optometrist, speaking nonsense before sluggishly hanging all of Jennifer, hugging her in the process. She giggles, Steve rises too as they stumble before running out of the room.

"Jesus. What's wrong with them?" Dustin asks.

"I have a theory," Jennifer responds. "We need to go. Now."

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strangerficsxx · 1 month ago

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Chapter Five: The Flayed

story: Midnight Rain wc: 1.9k after falling down the elevator shaft, the scoops troop make their way through the russian base as they come across the gate being reopened.

[a/n: all characters, plot, etc. are not mine. The only thing I own is my original character. credit to gif owner.]

As the elevator flies down the shaft, everyone inside screams in fear as they try find something to keep themselves from falling.

"We're going down! We're going down!" Steve shouts.

"Yeah, not shit, Harrington!" Robin shouts, holding onto the shelf behind her.

"Why don't these buttons work?!"

Erica rushes toward the curly haired kid, shouting. "Press the button!"

"What do you think I'm doing?!"

"Come on, press something! Just press the button!" Jennifer shouts.

Dustin screams until the elevator hits the bottom of hoistway. Everyone groans when Robin hits the back of her head and Jennifer landing on the floor below. A box fell on top of Steve as he complains before shifting.

"Is everyone okay?" Robin asks, holding the back of her head.

"Yeah, I'm great, no that I know Russians can't design ekevatos!" Steve shouts, pushing Dustin out of the way.

"We've clearly established that those buttons don't work."

"They're buttons. They have to do something."

"Yeah, if we had a keycard."

"A what?"

"It's an electronic lock." Jennifer comments, walking toward Steve and the buttons. "Same as the loading dock door. If we don't have a keycard, it won't operate meaning--"

"We're stuck in here."

Steve runs his hand through his hair and shuts the door annoyed.

"Just so you nerds are aware, I'm supposed to be spending the night at Tina's, and Tina always covers for me. But if I'm not home for Uncle Jack's party tomorrow." She commends as Robins hugs herself and Steve leans against the box on top of the table, Jennifer stands straight, keeping her footing.

"And my mom finds out you four are responsible, she's gonna hunt you down, one by one, and slit your throat."

"I don't care about Tina! Or Uncle Jack's party! Your mom's not gonna be able to find us if we're dead in a Russian elevator!"

"Hey," Dustin gets everyone's attention before pointing at the little door above. "What if we climbed out?"

Standing on the box, Dustin opens the little door above and climbs onto the top of the elevator as Steve follows behind along with Jennifer. She exhales, feeling uneasy as Steve grabs her hand and helps her up. They stand side by side, looking up at the long, dark hoistway above.

"Jesus," She mutters under her breath.

Dustin scurrys down to retrieve his walkie-talkie, coming back up and standing in the same spot as earlier. Jennifer sits opposite of Steve as she wonders what day or time it is, looking up before glancing at her brother.

"This is a code red, I repeat, code red. Does anyone copy? This is a code red, I repeat, code red. This is a code red, I repeat, code red. We are innocent children trapped under Starcourt Mall. The Red Army has infiltrated Hawkins, and if we are found, they will torture and kill us."

"Hey."

"You gotta take it easy on that thing.. Gonna drain the battery."

"The mall just opened,"

"So?"

"So someone could be in range."

"What do you think, Petey the Mall Cop is gonna rappel down here and save the day?" Steve asks.

"All right, why are you a cranky pants today?"

"Jesus christ."

Steve rises, walking around and looking above him. Jennifer remains seated.

"While you kids were sleeping, we were trying to find a way to open the door."

"After eight hours, we're still exactly nowhere, which is, you know probably just a little bit of the reason why I'm feeling just... a tad cranky."

Steve steps in front of the wall, unbuckling his belt before unzipping his pants.

"What are you doing?"

"What does it look like I'm doing? I'm taking a leak. Look away. Look away!" He shouts, voice echoing.

Dustin turns away, looking toward Jennifer as Steve scoffs.

"Why aren't you looking away?"

"I'm his girlfriend, and an adult.""

Below, Robin shouts at Steve. "Can you redirect your stream, please?"

The sound of clanging is heard as Erica and Robin argue about the liquid in the bottle. Suddenly, Robin appears as she pokes her head up at the other's.

"We've got company."

Jennifer, Dustin and Steve look at one another as Robin and Erica join them above. They are knelt as Steve is seen watching what's happening below as the anxiety builds inside Jennifer, anxious, holding her breath without her knowledge. Steve looks toward the liquid container in Erica's hands, mustering an idea. Once when the small vehicle leaves, Steve jumps down and slides the large tube under the door, holding it long enough for the other's to scurry down. Erica then Dustin then Jennifer, Robin and finally Steve as the vial begins to crack. It breaks while the substance melts away the floor below.

"Jesus Christ."

"Ooh!"

They huddle around the green substance.

"You still wanna drink that?"

"Holy mother of God."

Jennifer stands straight, looking down the long ass tunnel.

"Well.. hope you guys are in good shape." Steve says, walking past them. He pats Dustin's chest. "Looking at you, roast beef."

Steve trudges on as Jennifer follows behind him. Robin, Erica and Dustin follow behind them. They continue down the long corridor. It felt like Jennifer been walking for an eternity, feeling her legs carrying her as she wants to go home and sleep.

"I mean, you have to admit, as a feat of engineering alone, this is impressive."

"What are you talking about? It's a total fire hazard. There's no stairs, there's no exit, there's just an elevator that drops you halfway to hell."

"They are commies. You don't pay people, they cut corners."

"To be fair to our Russian comrades, I don't think this tunnel was designed for walking."

"I mean think about it, they develop the perfect system for transporting that cargo."

"It all comes into the mall like any old delivery."

"And then they load it up onto those trucks and nobody's the wiser."

"You think they built this mall so they could transport that green poison?" Steve asks.

"I very seriously doubt it's something as boring as poison. It's gotta be much more valuable, like promethium or something."

"What the hell is promethium?" Jennifer questions.

" It's what Victor Stone's dad used to make Cyborg's bionic and cybernetic components."

"You're all so nerdy, it makes me physically ill."

"No, no, no. No, don't lump me and Jennifer in with them. We're not nerds, all right?"

"Why so sensitive, Harrington? Afraid of losing cool points to a ten-year-old child?"

"No, I'm just saying I don't know jack shit about prometheus."

"Promethium." Dustin corrects. "Promethium is a Greek mythological figure, but whatever. All I'm saying is, it's probably being used to make something.

"Like a nuclear weapon?"

"Totally."

"Walking towards a nuclear weapon. That's great. That'd be great." Jennifer curses.

"But if they're building something, why here? I mean, Hawkins. Seriously. Of all places. At our very best, we're a toilet stop on you way to Disneyland, maybe that it. Maybe it's our very.."

Robin's voice becomes faint to Jennifer's ears as she stops in her tracks, looking back at Steve and Dustin talking. The sound of their faint voices capture the attention of Robin and Erica.

"I'm sorry, is there something you'd like to share with the class?" Jennifer asks.

The two look at her then at each other, then back at Jennifer, Erica and Robin again right when the walkie-talkie hisses static. A man speaking Russian plays out on the radio. The two run toward them as they all kneel, Erica pulls out the radio as the man continues talking. They gather as Robin holds the talkie in her hand, speaking Russian.

"It's the code."

"Wherever that broadcast is coming from--"

"It's close." Jennifer finishes.

"And if there's one thing we know about that signal..."

"It can reach the surface."

"Let's go."

They rise, continuing on as excitement has filled Robin from what Jennifer sees from her view. They hide behind a furnace, waiting for the time to clear out.

"Okay, clear." Steve quietly mutters. "Come on, let's go."

"Okay, that was close."

"Too close."

"Relax." Jennifer says, continuing. "All right? Relax. Nobody saw..."

Coming across a large interior, Jennifer is astonished as the other's join her. A female voice is heard speaking Russian on the PA, various men are in various suits as the Russian chatter is indistinct. One soilder holds a large gun. Two other men wear tactical suits. A guard above looks over as they all duck behind a large container.

"Red Dawn."

"I saw it." Erica whispers. "First floor, northwest."

"Saw what?"

"The comms room."

"You saw the comms room?" Jennifer asks, turning to peak around the corner.

"Correct."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive. The door was open for a second, and I saw a bunch of lights and machines and shit in there."

"That could be a hundred different things."

"I'll take those odds."

Steve shakes his head and sighs. The five of them peak around the corner before coming back.

"All right. We're gonna move fast, we're gonna stay low. Okay?"

"Okay."

One by one, they follow behind Jennifer quietly as the move behind a large tote before moving behind a metal machine. She watches as Steve tucks his hair behind his ear as she smiles softly, in complete awe. The door panel beeps as a male in a white coat exits, holding a folder of some kind and looking through it. Rising, they stay low and continue before entering the room. Robin, Jennifer, Erica and Dustin stand up straight, shocked and frozen in place. Steve, who is hunched over shocked, looks over at the guy still holding the door handle. The Russian male moves his hand toward the holster as Steve stands, frozen. Robin tries to distract the male with her Russian, failing completely as he begins to grab his gun.

Steve charges at him whilst yelling, talking the guy against the desk as the two males grunt. The soldier pushes Steve back and lunges for his face as he ducks away, advoicing the fist. But the male gains the upper hand and grabs Steve's collar and throws him against the desk before grabbing the back of his shirt. Steve elbows the man in his thigh, catching him off guard as he grabs the telecom microphone and turns around, hitting the male with it as he smacks his face on the other desk before falling towards the floor unconscious. The male pants while he pushes his hair back. Jennifer doesn't know how to react as she stands there, grabbing onto Robin.

"Dude. You did it! You won a fight!"

Steve looks toward Jennifer as she pulls herself away. He smirks at her as she smiles. Dustin rushes over and begins to unhook the keycard from the Russian's pants.

"What are you doing?"

"Getting us our ticket out of here."

"You want to walk all the way back?"

"Well, we can hang out for a little but, relax, have a picnic maybe."

"Have a picnic? We came here for the radio."

Distracted, Jennifer follows Robin up a flight of stairs, a blue hue sets the stairway. They look through the glass on the door before rushing back down. They all get through the door and look through the glass. Across from them are generators, generating energy towards a small opening in the wall. Shocked, Jennifer stands there, grabbing her boyfriend's hand, unsure of what will happen next.

"What the hell is that?"

"I don't know, but it can't be good."

They are unable to turn away, continuing to stare at the partial portal being created across from them. Something about the whole thing makes Jennifer uncomfortable for some reason, causing the anxiety to rise once more.

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strangerficsxx · 3 months ago

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Chapter Four: The Sauna Test

story:Midnight Rain wc: 2.2k after robin finds a useful map of starcourt mall, her, jennifer, steve and dustin bribe erica with 'free ice cream for life' as she crawls through startcourt's ventilation system. later, she opens the lynx transportation door, and the small group comes down from the roof to join her as they try to figure out why russians are under starcourt mall..

[a/n: all characters, plot, etc. are not mine. The only thing I own is my original character. credit to gif owner.]

Sitting in the back at Scoops Ahoy, Dustin gave more detail on the entrance of the small interior they were looking into the night before. Robin fumbles with the bracelets on her wrist as Steve twirls his sailor hat on his finger.

"That keycard opens the door, but unfortunately, the russian with this keycard also has a massive gun. Whatever's in this room, whatever's in those boxes,"

Jennifer sits in the chair as Steve's foot rest against it, in between her thighs. She rests her chin on the palm of her hand while her other hand rests on her boyfriends shin. Dustin paces back and forth, continuing his sentence.

"They really don't want anybody finding it."

"But there's gotta be a way in."

Steve blows into his hat, dropping it onto the table.

"Well, you know.." He leans against the table. "I could just take him out."

"Take who out?" Jennifer asks.

"The Russian guard."

Robin nods in disbelieve, lips pursed. Jennifer snickers and looks his way.

"What? I sneak up behind him, I knock him out, and take his keycard. It's easy."

"Did you not hear the part about the massive gun?"

Steve looks toward Dustin.

"Yes, I did. And that's why I would be sneaking."

"Well, please, tell me this, and be honest, have you ever actually... won a fight?"

"Okay, that was one time--"

"Twice. Jonathan. Year prior."

"Listen, that doesn't count."

Robin and Jennifer look at each other, smiling and wanting to laugh. Jennifer turns toward him, clearing her throat.

"Why wouldn't it? Because it looks like he beat the shit out of you." Jennifer adds on, earning an annoyed look from Steve.

Soon Dustin chimes in, beginning to argue with Steve as Robin looks over at the whiteboard. Jennifer follows her gaze towards the board, confused. "That just might work."

Robin grabs her bag and rushes out of the back, and scooping the cash from the tip jar.

"Robin. Jennifer. Hey, guys! Hey, what-- what are you doing?"

"We need cash."

"Well, some of that is mine. Where're you going?"

"To find a way into that room, a safe way. In the meantime, sling ice cream, behave, and don't get beat up. We'll be back in a jiff."

Her and Robin rush out and toward the entrance of the mall, and toward Robin's bike.

"Why don't I give you a ride. I have a car."

"Okay, let's go."

The two girls hop in the car and take off down the road toward the County Recorder's Office. They park and exit the vehicle, walking toward the office. They enter the little room, and Robin speaks to the woman at the counter. Eventually, someone was able to give them a blueprint of the vents and stuff at Starcourt Mall.

"I can't believe we actually got something like this."

"Well, for twenty dollars, we'll take it. Let's get back and show the boys, and figure this out."

The two girls get back to the mall, rushing in and toward Scoops Ahoy. The four of them step into the back room.

"It is fascinating what 20 bucks will get you at the County Recorder's Office." Robin speaks, setting the blueprint down.

"Starcourt Mall. The complete blueprints." Jennifer tells, extending the Rest of Robin's sentence.

"Not bad,"

Robin points at the paper. "So, this is us, Scoops. And this is where we want to get."

"I mean, I don't really see a way in."

"There's not if you are talking exclusively about doors."

"Air ducts."

"Exactly."

"Turns out, this secret room needs air just like any old room." Jennifer walks toward the white board and grabs the marker before returning to the table. "And these air ducts lead all the way.."

She trails a red line with the marker down the paper, leading to the bottom left corner of the page. "Here."

Jennifer, along with Steve, Robin and Dustin look toward the air vent."

Steve exits the room and comes back with a step ladder as he sets it up before grabbing a screwdriver, stepping up the ladder and unscrewing the small screws. He takes the vent down, handing it to his girlfriend.

"Flashlight." He says, muffled.

Jennifer hands him the flashlight as he thanks her before taking the screwdriver out of his mouth and handing it to her as well. Steve turns the light on, and shine the torch in the air duct.

"Yeah, I don't know, man. I don't know if you can fit in here. It's, like... uh, super tight."

"I'll fit." Dustin speaks. "Trust me. No collar bones, remember?"

"Uh, excuse me?" Robin asks, surprised.

Steve hops off the ladder as Dustin scurry's up the metal.

"Oh, he's, uh... Yeah, he's got some disease. Chry, uh... It's chrydo, um. Something. Yeah, I dunno."

"Oh, my God." Jennifer groans, earning a look from both Steve and Robin. "He has cleidocranial dysplasia. You should've asked me. I'm his sister."

Robin stands, eyes flickering between Jennifer and Steve, then keeping them on the other female and nods.

"That's it. He's missing bones and stuff. He can bend like Gumbo." Steve says.

"You mean Gumby."

"I'm pretty sure it's gumbo."

"Just shut up and push me!" Dustin exclaims from above, half way out of the air vent.

Steve walks toward the ladder, climbing up and begins to push on Dustin's lower half as Robin snakes closer to Jennifer.

"What do you see in this dingus?"

"Lots of things. But, it's not excusing his stupidity."

"Well, you're not wrong about that."

Steve continues pushing as the two females watch as Robin furrows her brows. Jennifer rolls her eyes, lowering her head and pinching the bridge of his nose, annoyed.

"Not my feet, dumbass. Push my ass!" Dustin exclaims.

"What?"

"Touch my butt! I don't care!" Dustin shouts.

Steve begins pushing on Dustin's ass.

"Come! Harder! Push harder!" The curly haired kid shouts.

"I'm pushing!"

Dustin's lower half rests on Steve's shoulders as he continues to push the kid in further.

"You're playing with my legs."

"I'm not playing, I have terrible footing."

Jennifer shakes her head as Robin does the same.

"Come on!"

"I'm gonna shove you, ready?"

"Just shove me?"

"One, two.."

Steve shoves the child with a push as it doesn't work. In the vent, Dustin curses out loud.

"That work?"

"One more time."

from the front, a dinging bell is heard as both Jennifer and Robin turn to look at the little girl in front of the counter outside.

"Ahoy, sailors! All hands on deck! Ahoy!"

The girl keeps complaining as Robin looks toward the brunette.

"You thinking what I'm thinking?"

"I think so, yeah,"

After bringing the girl into the back of the room, the little girl climbs the ladder, shining the flashlight in the duct. Stepping down, she turns to face everyone. The four of them are leaned against the counter, Robin has her elbows perched on the table, Steve's crossed arms, and Dustin's hands in his pockets as Jennifer stands with her hands on her hips. They all look at Erica.

"Yeah, I don't know."

"You don't know if you can fit?" Dustin asks.

"Oh, I can fit. I just don't know if I want to."

"Are you claustrophobic?" Jennifer asks.

Erica snickers. "I don't have phobias."

"Okay, well, what's the problem?"

"The problem is, I still haven't heard what's in this for Erica."

Steve smacks his lips, dumbfounded and doesn't know what to say next. They get Erica seated as they crowded around her as various types of fancy ice creams surround the table. A nautical tune plays above as Steve pushes a banana split towards Erica. She pushes it away, asking for more fudge. The other's sit there silent as Steve becomes annoyed before he rises. Jennifer and Robin are alone with Dustin and Erica. Jennifer grabs the blueprint, holding it as Robin points her finger to the paper.

"You see this? This is the route you're gonna take. Then we just wait till the last delivery goes out tonight."

"Than you knock out the grate, jump down, open the door."

"Then you find out what's in those boxes?"

"Exactly."

"And you say this guard is armed."

"Yes, but he won't be there."

"And booby traps?"

"Booby traps?" Jennifer asks.

"Lasers, spikes in the wall?"

"What?"

Erica turns to Dustin.

"You know what this half-baked plan of yours sounds like to me? Child endangerment."

"We'll be in radio contact with you the whole time--"

"Ah, ah. Ah! Child endangerment."

"Erica? Hi. Uh.." Dustin begins. "We think these Russians want to do great harm to our country. Great harm. Don't you love your country?"

"You can't spell 'America' without 'Erica."

The child slurps the drink obnoxiously loud.

"Uh, yeah. Oddly, that's, uh, totally true. So, so, don't do this for us. Do it for your country. Do it for your fellow man."

The slurping continues as Robin raises her brows. Jennifer takes a long and slow blink, obviously annoyed.

"Do this for America.. Erica."

She sets the cup on the table.

"Ooh! I just got the chills."

Dustin smiles. Erica finishes her sentence.

"Oh, yeah, from this float, not your speech. Know what I love most about this country? Capitalism. Do you know what capitalism is?"

"Yeah,"

"Yes,"

"It means this is a free market system. Which means people get paid for their services,"

Robin and Dustin meet eye contact and exchanging it with Jennifer as well.

"Depending on how valuable their contributions are. And it seems to me, my ability to fit into that little vent is very, very valuable to you all. So, you want my help? This USS Butterscotch better be the first of many. And I'm talking free ice cream for life."

She takes a bite of the cherry off the stem, sassily.

Even though the day was full of sass and people buying ice cream, the malls eventually closes as Robin, Steve, Dustin and Jennifer sit on the roof and in the same spot prior. Radio static pops as Jennifer presses down on the button. Dustin looks out his binoculars.

"Erica, do you copy?" She asks.

"Mm-hmm. I copy. You nerds in position or what?"

"Yeah, we're in position." Jennifer responds. "It's all quiet here, so you've got the green light."

"Green light, roger that." Erica utters. "Commence Operation Child Endangerment."

"Can we maybe not call it that?" Jennifer asks, Steve leaned in close to her.

"See you on the other side. Nerds."

Jennifer and Steve glance at each other before he looks away, she in another direction, praying that it'll be safe for Erica. They wait while Jennifer chews on her bottom lip nervously, waiting before a sound sparks their attention.

"All right, nerds I'm here."

"Do you-- Do you see anything?" Robin asks.

"Yeah, I see those boring boxes you're so excited about."

"Any guards?"

"Negative."

"Booby traps?"

"If I could see them, they'd be pretty shitty traps, wouldn't they?"

"Thank you for that."

"I'm in,"

"Oh, God." Steve exclaims, sighing and running his fingers through his hair.

Suddenly the door opens as Jennifer smiles, impressing both Steve and Dustin as well as Robin. Erica stands there with her hand on her hip, her other hand next to her mouth.

"Free ice cream for life."

The other's get up and make their way towards the entrance as Steve grabs a pocket knife, cutting the box open as he opens it. Robin helps as well. A metal container sits in the Imperial Panda cardboard box as Steve reaches in, grabbing the handle and switches it. The container hisses as air spreads out from the opening. He pulls the top of the box off, steam flowing out of the box as the three teens along with Erica and Dustin stare into the box. Four more latches sit there. Steve furrows his brows.

"That's definitely not Chinese food." He says, setting the top down beside him and looking at the others. "Uh, maybe you guys should, you know stand back."

Erica steps down from the box and takes a step back along with Jennifer and Robin. Dustin stands beside Steve.

"Just step back, Dustin." Jennifer pleads.

"No."

"Oh, my God. You're unbelievable."

"Step back. Seriously."

"No! No!'

The three older teens, including Erica look toward the kid.

"If you die, I die."

Steve stares at Dustin for a few seconds before getting fed up. "Okay,"

He reaches in and turns the knob, air hissing as he lifts it, eying the container of green substance. Jennifer was worried it could be radioactive, unsure if she should intervene.

"What the hell?"

"What is that?"

There's abrupt rumbling as the room shakes around them.

"Was that just me, or did the room move?"

"Booby traps." Erica whispers.

"You know what? Let's grab that and go." Robin states, grabbing the substance from Steve.

Jennifer watches as her younger brother walks over to the buttons that control the shaft while steve continues investigating the other container inside the box. Dustin pushes the button as nothing happens, pressing it fast each time his finger presses the button. It seems to do nothing.

"Which one do I press, Erica?"

"Just press the damn button, nerd."

"Which one? I'm pressing the button, okay?"

"Press 'open door'."

"I'm pressing 'open door'."

Steve turns, walking toward the kid.

"Just open the-- Press the other button!" He shouts, stepping in front of the control pad.

"Out of the way so she can push the button--"

"Would you stop?"

"I'm trying."

"Would you let me just do it? Would you stop?"

They continue pushing each button, looking over at the door, panicked.

"Just open the door!" Jennifer shouts.

Something clangs as the door slams shut, closing the kids inside. They stand there frozen in their steps. Jennifer shuffles as Robin screams. Everyone loses their balance, trying to hold onto something nearby. Steve holds on the wall with one hand as the other holds Jennifer. The small box slides down a shaft as the lights flicker, getting faster.

"Oh, shit." Steve curses.

Jennifer keeps holding onto Steve, tighter. It slides down the shaft farley quickly as it feels like Jennifer is going to lose her footing and lay against the top of it due to the fast pace. But she tries her hardest to bare down on her footing, ascending down the shaft.

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strangerficsxx · 4 months ago

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Chapter Three: The Case of The Missing Lifeguard

story: Midnight Rain wc: 1.8k jennifer, steve, and dustin keep a look out for russian spies in the mall as she begins to feel somewhat better.

[a/n: all characters, plot, etc. are not mine. The only thing I own is my original character. credit to gif owner.]

{ June 31, 1985 }

The next night, Jennifer spends time looking through newspaper to find a shrink who can help her with the dire mood she's been in since her best friend died last year -- 1984. She does, however, find a shrink down the road from where she lives as well as the number for her practice listed below the woman's name.

She stands, grabbing the telephone off the table beside the television and sets it down on the coffee table. Picking up the receiver, the dial tone plays as Jennifer then begins typing the number down in the keypad. It was only 4 in the afternoon, so the practice had to be open still. Finally after four annoying rings later, a woman picks up.

"Hello."

"Hi, uh, this is Jennifer Henderson. I wanted to ask of you take in young adults around eighteen, or so."

"Yes, I do. Why?"

"I... I just need someone to talk to and since I'm not in high school anymore, I need a shrink who can help. When is a time that you have opened? It could be tonight, tomorrow. I do not care when it is."

"I have an opening at six tomorrow night, are you available for that time?"

"Yes, I am. Thank you, buh-bye."

{ July 1, 1985 }

The next day arrived faster and Jennifer begins to feel somewhat better after talking as she grabs the photobox from her closet and gets rid of the photos of her and Billie. The anger builds inside, not wanting to throw out the polaroids of them together but does so anyway. Tears form in her eyes as Jennifer puts the lid on the box before shoving it back in her closet.

"If she cared for herself a little more, this wouldn't of happened. God, you're so stupid Billie." Jennifer sneered.

Jennifer doesn't want to admit that she has survivor's guilt, but she's come to the conclusion that she needs to get through the emotions fast so she can live freely like before her best friend's death. In the doorway, a tall brown haired male with big hazel eyes looks her way. Jennifer looks back and almost startling at his sudden appearance.

"I came by to see if things were better?"

"It's a vice versa thing at the moment, but I do know what I have. I may have survivor's guilt, and a little angry about how she just ran out of the bus like an idiot, getting herself killed."

"Good, you're getting those emotions out. Now come on, we have work to do."

"Work? No, you're the one working."

"Not today. Me and Dustin and you, if you're interested, helping us out. And it'll give you something to do beside sit around in the back."

At Scoops Ahoy, Jennifer and Robin are left alone together as Steve and Dustin begin to leave to lookout for an evil Russian. Without hesitation, the older male grabs his girlfriend's hand, pulling her along with him and Dustin.

"Hey, she's supposed to be here helping me."

"Sorry, Robin." Jennifer shrugs, giggling.

They exit the ice cream shop and lunge toward a bush, hiding behind it as Dustin pulls out a pair of binoculars. Jennifer grabs them, looking through the lens.

"You see anything?"

"Uh, I guess I don't totally know what I'm looking for." Jennifer says.

"Evil Russians."

She brings the binoculars down, looking over at her boyfriend and brother. "Yeah, exactly. I don't know what an evil Russian looks like. Steve?"

"Don't ask me."

"Tall, blond, not smiling."

"Mm-hmm?"

"Also, look for earpieces, camo, duffel bags, that sort of thing."

"Right, okay, duffel bags."

Jennifer hands the binoculars over to Steve, looking up at another level of some girl and a tall skinny male.

"Oh, you've gotta be kidding me."

"What?"

"Anna Jacobi's talking with that meathead Mark Lewinsky."

"If your not gonna focus, just gimme or Jennifer the binoculars."

"Aw, Jesus Christ, whatever happened to standards? I mean Lewinsky never even came off the bench"

Jennifer, who's on the other side of Steve, looked over at him before shoving her elbow into his side enough to get him to stop drooling over other women as he grunts in pain before apologizing to his girlfriend. She rolls her eyes at him.

"You're a dick," Jennifer says, rising. "I'm gonna go back and sling ice cream with Robin."

"Dude, you are the worst spy and boyfriend in history, you know that?"

Steve makes a face at Dustin before glancing up at his girlfriend, extending his hand to a now standing Jennifer. "Come on, Jen. I'm sorry."

Dustin yanks the binuclars away from Steve. He sighs in annoyance. The kid continues talking. Jennifer exhales then crouches down beside him, keeping some distance between her and the two males.

"I don't get why you're looking into other girls. You have the perfect one in front of you."

"Jennifer?"

"Yeah, I mean even though she's my sister. She's perfect for you."

"She is." Steve says, glancing at Jennifer as he flashes a quick smile. She couldn't help but look back at him, giving a half smile. She turns to face the other people in the mall.

"Now that you're out of high school, which means you're technically an adult, don't you think it's time you move on from primitive constructs such as popularity?"

"Oh, primitive constructs? That some stupid shit you learned at Camp... Know... Nothing?"

"Camp Know Where, actually." Dustin speaks. "And no, it's shit I learned from life."

"Hm."

Jennifer ignores the two as she looks around a little bit more, trying to find something out of place or a person who is blonde, tall and not smiling. The two guys bicker back and forth like a bunch of buffoons, ignoring them and continuing.

A few hours later, the three of them (Dustin, Jennifer and Steve) continue looking around as Jennifer's brother holds the binoculars and scopes the area.

"Target acquired."

"Where?" Steve and Jennifer say in unison.

"Ten o'clock. Sam Goody's."

"Give me that."

Jennifer grabs the binoculars and looks through, seeing a tall long blond male in all black carrying a duffel bag.

"Shit. Duffel bag."

Jennifer removes the binoculars as Steve and Dustin look at each other.

"Evil Russian," They say at the same time.

The male exits at the top of the escalator as Steve, Jennifer and Dustin follow after him, climbing the stairs. They walks past various people on the second story, rushing by people.

"Slow down."

"We're losing him."

"You're getting too close." Jennifer says.

Suddenly Steve runs into someone as the other male curses at him, giving him a nasty look before continuing on. The tall blonde male stops in his tracks, looking back as three of them find a way to hide. Dustin grabs the phone off the wall as Jennifer brings Steve towards her, kissing his lips. His hands rest against her waist, bringing her closer. Turning and peaking at the male, he continues walking as she pulls away from Steve as he and Dustin follow behind before stopping behind a pillar in the mall. From top to bottom; Steve, Jennifer, and Dustin.

The guy walks into an aerobics class, unzipping the duffel bag and pulls out a boom box as she furrowed her brows in annoyance. The guy unzips his coat and removes it off his shoulders as Jennifer, who stands below her boyfriend watches the women moving their hips. She looks up and sees Steve ogling at the women when she feels something pressing against her lower back. She looks up at him.

"Steve, uh, you're uh.. look."

Steve looks down, seeing his shorts bunched up on his groin. He covers it with his hands, embarrassed as Dustin rolls his eyes. Steve glances at her, and wiggles his brows and nodding his head toward a nearby restroom. Annoyed, Jennifer didn't want to, but deep down she felt weak in the knees. She gives in, telling Dustin to wait as she follows Steve into a large family bathroom.

A couple minutes later, the young adults sneakily make way out of the restroom as hey act like nothing happened. Jennifer fixed her hair, and slide her vest on, fixing the nametag while Steve did the same but adjust his shorts. They approach Dustin, who is eyeing something in a nearby store when he notices them.

"You guys are gross."

"What? What did we do?" Steve asks.

"Uh, you and Jennifer having--"

"Scoops Ahoy!" Was the only thing Jennifer could say to cut her brother off from finishing the sentence, only to be given a weird look by both Dustin and Steve.

"Why'd you shout Scoops Ahoy?"

"I had to say something to cut him off from finishing the sentence about us, and was trying to say was that we need to get back to Scoops Ahoy."

"Okay,"

They eventually get back to the main level as the three of them walk up to Robin who stands on the stone leading towards the small fountain.

"Robin, what are you doing?" Jennifer questions.

"I cracked it."

"Cracked what?"

"I cracked the code."

That night, the rain pours heavily over Hawkins as the thunder claps. Jennifer along with Robin, Steve and Dustin sit on their knees on the roof of Starcourt Mall, peering over as her younger brother holds the same binoculars from earlier. They all are dressed in raincoats.

"Look for Imperial Panda and Kaufman Shoes." Robin states.

Jennifer wipes the raindrops from her eyes. Her lashes wet with water droplets.

"They're with that whistling guy, ten o'clock."

"What do you think's in there?" Jennifer asks.

"Guns, bombs?"

"Chemical weapons?"

"Whatever it is, they're armed to the teeth."

Thunder roars again. Looking over, Steve now wipes the water droplets from his eyes, squinting them in the process. they all continue watching from afar.

"Great. That's great."

"Hey, what's in there?" Robin asks.

"It's just more boxes."

Steve reaches over and grabs the binoculars, trying to pry them from Dustin's grip.

"Let me check it out."

"No, I'm still looking."

"Lemme see it."

"Hang on!"

They drop the binoculars as the thunder claps once more above. The guys down below look above, pulling their weapons out. The four of them duck, gasping. They continue laying there as Steve and Jennifer's fingers have laced together, breathing heavily whilst the rain pours over them heavily. Holding his hand made her feel better in many ways, regarding what's going on. However, she needed to focus on keeping her head and not to get shot as she rises with her brother, Steve and Robin and walk toward the entrance that led down to the backrooms. They manage to get inside the mall, walking through the hallway leading to the back of Scoops Ahoy. Steve leads the way as Jennifer, Robin and Dustin follow behind.

"Well, I think we found your Russians."

They continue walking together. The suspicion rises in Jennifer as she leaves for the night so she can dry off an get into warm, dry clothes.

#stranger things #stranger things fanfiction #stranger things fic #jennifer henderson #stranger things oc #midnight rain #stranger things original character #emily rudd #steve harrington #steve harrington x oc #dustin henderson's sister #dustin henderson #robin buckley x oc #robin buckley #jennifer x steve #stranger things 3 #st3 #stranger things season three #stranger things season 3

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strangerficsxx · 4 months ago

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Chapter Two: The Mall Rats

story:Midnight Rain wc: 2.3k with a sudden power outage, jennifer begins to suspect something bad is coming, suspecting the gate has been opened, things turn upside down when she go through a bought of depression -- hiding her feelings from steve.

[a/n: all characters, plot, etc. are not mine. The only thing I own is my original character. credit to gif owner.]

{June 29, 1985}

The next morning, Jennifer woke up in a dire mood as she lays in her bed. She stares at the ceiling before sighing, getting up and starting her day. Jennifer drove to the mall and entered, opening Scoops Ahoy before Robin and Steve arrived as she turns the lights on above, throwing her keys on the table in the back. Once when the mall open completely, people of different ages storm through and by the time Jennifer knows it, the mall is packed.

Leaning against the counter in between rooms, she watches as Robin hands off two cones to a man and woman as they turn to leave. Suddenly, Dusting shows up.

"Hey, someone's back from camp. How'd it go?"

Dustin looks around the female, glancing at his sister. "Good."

He looks at Robin.

"Hi,"

"Hi. I'm Dustin."

"I'm Robin,"

"Pleasure to meet you. Uh, is -- is he here?"

"I who here?" Jennifer asks.

Steve bursts through the door as he greets the younger boy, cheering and explaining but acting as a little kid. It makes Jennifer furrowed her brows, rolling her eyes before turning away.

"How many children are you friends with?"

Steve sighs in annoyance as Jennifer can tell just from hearing it from afar, walking out and towards Dustin as he greets her. They quickly hug before pulling back.

At a table, the three get situated as Robin continues at the counter. Jennifer sits on the end of the seat as she's beside Steve. Dustin plunges the spoon in a banana split, talking about how hot is girlfriend is plus how she looks like Phoebe Cates.

"Hotter than Phoebe Cates? No."

"Mm-hmm."

Dustin's eyes widen a like a little kid in a candy store as he continues on about this girl he was with at summer camp. Jennifer shifts, glancing toward her younger brother.

"Brilliant, too. And she doesn't even care that my real pearls are still coming in. She says kissing is better without teeth."

Steve nods, disgusted as he and Jennifer look at each other as she cringes. The silence is loud as the conversations around them are indistinct.

"Wow. That's great. Proud of you, man. That's ro-- That's kinda romantic."

Jennifer goes into her own world as she fumbles with Steve's sailor hat on the table, thinking as Dustin speaks. The sounds of a someone clearing their throat makes Jennifer come back to reality.

"Jennifer. you okay?" Steve asks as him and Dustin look at her with concern.

"Yeah, yeah I'm fine. Did you say something, Dustin?"

"Yes, you working anywhere?"

"No, taking a break from stress."

He nods. "What about your relationship, Steve?"

"Good. We're still going strong."

"So do you really just get to eat as much of this as you want?"

"Yeah. I mean, sure. It's not really a good idea for me, though. I gotta keep in shape for the lad-- For Jennifer."

"Yeah, and how's that working out for you?"

"Ignore her."

"She seems cool."

"She's not. Where are the other knuckleheads?"

"Steve," She nudges him with her elbow.

"They ditched me yesterday,"

"No," Jennifer says.

"My first day back. Can you believe that shit?"

"Whoa. Seriously?"

"I swear to God. Mm. They're gonna regret it, though, big time, when they don't get to share in my glory."

"Glory? What Glory?" Jennifer asks.

Dustin scoots closer to Steve. "So, last night, we're trying to get in contact with Suzie.."

"Oh. Mm." Steve hums, looking at Jennifer as she smiles softly at him.

Dustin looks around. "I intercepted a secret Russian communication."

"What?" Steve and Jennifer say in unison.

Dustin clicks his tongue, inhaling deeply before exhaling before speaking softly. "I intercepted a secret Russian communication." Whilst covering his face.

Jennifer furrows her brows.

"Just speak louder."

"I intercepted a secret Russian communication." He speaks, louder this time as everyone in Scoops Ahoy looks at the three of them.

"Jeez, shh. Yeah, okay, that's what I thought you said."

They look around as Jennifer feels slightly embarrassed to be next to her brother and boyfriend. Steve leans against the table.

"What-- What does that mean?"

"It means, Steve, we could be heroes. True American heroes."

"Huh."

"Mm-hmm?"

"American heroes?" Jennifer asks, pretending to be excited.

"American heroes. You could have all of Jennifer you want and more."

"More? No, I have-- I have Jennifer. She's all I need."

"Oh."

"Why did you stammer?" Jennifer asks.

"I did-- I didn't."

"Yes, you did. And you did it again."

"Yeah, you did." Dustin adds.

Steve and Dustin lean in further to one another as Jennifer leans in as well.

"What's the catch?"

"No catch, I just need your and Jennifer's help."

"With what?" Jennifer questions.

Dustin doesn't say anything as he turns to his bag and unzips it, pulling out a small booklet and showing the two adults. It reads 'Romanov's Russian - English, English - Russian Dictionary'.

"Translation." Dustin smiles.

"Seriously Dustin?"

"Yeah,"

"How the hell are we gonna do that? It's gonna take forever since none of us know how to speak Russian, even if we do read the book. It's takes awhile to learn a new language."

"We can try,"

"Jesus,"

Jennifer and Steve rise as Dustin grabs his bag and follows after them into the back room. Behind the counter, she overhears Robin and a little girl. The female calls out to Steve, who is in the back room with Jennifer and Dustin. He paces back and forth as he takes a bite out of his banana as the voice of a male speaks in Russian on the recording. The recorder sits beside a book as Dustin is seated in a chair as well as his sister. A familiar tune plays as well. The kid stops the recorder.

"So what do you think?"

"It sounded familiar."

"What?"

"The music. The music right there at the end." He says, mouth full.

"Why are you listening to the music, Steve?" Jennifer asks.

"Listen to the Russian. We're translating Russian!"

"I'm trying to listen to the Russian, but there's music--"

"All right, babysitting time is over. You need to get out there."

Dustin and Jennifer stay in their places as Steve steps back. Robin walks toward her dry erase board.

"Hey, my board. That was important data, shitbirds."

"I'm not the one who cleared the board. Don't look at me,"

"Not you. Those two."

"I guarantee you, what we're doing is way more important than your data."

Steve nods, tossing the peel on the table below.

"Yeah? And how do you know these Russians are up to no good anyways?"

Dustin cranes his neck, looking at Steve. Jennifer lowers her head, pinching the bridge of her nose in annoyance almost wanting to side with Robin. She sighs.

"How does she know about the Russians?"

"I don't know."

"You told her about--"

"It wasn't me."

"It wasn't me either, doofus."

"Hello, I can hear you. Actually, I can hear everything. You both are extremely loud."

"I agree with that. I kept trying to quiet them down."

"You think you have evil Russians plotting against our country, on tape, and you're trying to translate, but haven't figured out a word because you didn't realize Russians use an entirely different alphabet. Sound about right?"

The room was silent. Robin leans into grab the recorder as Steve swoops in and yanks it away.

"Woah! What do you think you're doing?"

"I wanna hear it."

"Why?" Dustin and Steve ask at the same time.

"Cause maybe I can help. I'm fluent in four languages, you know."

"Russian?"

"Ou-yay are-yay umb-day."

The boys are immersed by Robin speaking another language as Jennifer sighs, lowering her head once again.

"Holy shit."

"Dustin,"

"Sorry."

"That was Pig Latin, dingus."

Steve smacks Dustin with his banana peel with one hand whilst holding the recorder in the other.

"Idiot."

"But I can speak Spanish and French and Italian and I've been in band for 12 years. My ears are little geniuses, trust me."

"Uh.."

"That's why you look familiar."

"Yeah." Robin says, glancing at Jennifer before the two boys. "Come on, it's your turn to sling ice cream, my turn to translate. I don't even want credit. I'm just bored."

She reaches toward Steve with the ice cream scoop. He sighs and the bell in front dings atop the counter. Steve exchanges the recorder for the scoop as she smiles.

With listening and trying to comprehend the Russian language and the stance in the tape, Robin paces back and forth listening intently as Jennifer holds the recorder. The catchy and familiar tune plays once again. She stops, pointing at the recorder.

"Wait, that last part, just one more time."

Jennifer nods and rewinds the tape as the sentence repeats.

"Okay, that word. Um.. That word which is pronounced as Dlt-nna-ya.. which is spelled..."

Robin sighs, taking a seat beside Jennifer and grabbing a pen.

"D... D, D, D..." Dustin says, rising and walking toward the whiteboard. "The-- The chair. The chair-looking thingy."

"Yeah, okay." She says, writing the Russian letter down.

Jennifer stands and rushes toward the window, sliding it open and seeing Steve, who holds two cones in his hand.

"We got our first sentence,"

"Oh really?"

"Yeah."

Robin saunters over as Steve leans against the counter. She speaks in a russian accent. "The week is long."

"Weel, that's thrilling."

"I know. But, progress."

Robin turns and walks the other direction as Steve stands straight and brings over the two cones to Max and El. She closes the window shut, going back to the table.

Late that night, Steve and Jennifer as well as Robin and Dustin stand in front of the whiteboard, staring at the newly formed sentence written on it.

"The week is long, the silver cat feeds, when blue meets yellow in the west."

"Okay that's a little odd."

They exit as Robin grabs her belongings as Jennifer holds her keys in her hands, waiting behind for Steve who locks up the shop for the night. They begin walking through the mall together.

"I mean, it just... it can't be right."

"It's right."

"Honestly, I think it's great news." Dustin says.

"How is this great news?" Jennifer questions. "I mean, so much for being American heroes. It's total nonsense."

"It's not nonsense. It's too specific. It's obviously a code."

"What do you mean a code?"

"Like a super secret spy code."

"That's a total stretch."

"I don't know, is it?"

"You're buying into this?" Jennifer asks Robin.

"Listen, just for kicks, let's entertain the possibility that it is a secret Russian transmission. What's you think they were gonna say, 'Fire the warhead at noon'?"

"Exactly."

"And my translation is correct. I know that for sure, so... 'The silver cat feeds.' Why would anyone talk like that unless they're trying to mask the true meaning of their message."

"Exactly," Dustin says once again.

Behind them, Steve and Jennifer follow as they stay silent. She laced her fingers with his, standing closer to him as they walk.

"Why would anyone mask the true meaning of their message unless the message was somehow sensitive?"

"Exactly."

Steve makes a face, silently mocking the two.

"So I guess that confirms your suspicion."

"Evil Russians."

"I can't believe I'm about to agree with this strange child, but, yeah, totally evil Russians."

"So how do we crack it?" Jennifer asks.

"Well, I guess we translate the rest and hopefully a pattern emerges."

"A pattern. Right, like maybe 'silver cat' is a meeting place?"

"Or a person."

"Or a weapon."

"It's probably gonna take a super genius to crack it, but... Where's Steve and Jennifer?"

She looks back at the two as they stand in front of the horse ride as Steve frantically searches his pockets for change. Coins clatter on the floor as Robin calls out his name.

"What are you doing?"

"Uh, it's a quarter. I need-- Do you have a quarter?"

Robin and Dustin approach the couple, standing behind them.

"Sure you're tall enough for that ride?"

"Quarter!"

Jennifer grabs her wallet and opens it, pulling out a quarter as Steve grabs it. He slides it in the coin slot as the rise moves and the familiar tune plays out as she recognizes it. Steve knelt on the floor, brows furrowed.

"You need help getting up, little Stevie?"

Dustin chuckles as he shushes the two.

"Would you two just shut up and listen?"

Everyone stays quiet as the songs continues playing as Dustin's calm exspression turns into an estatic one.

"Holy shit," He says. "The music."

"Yeah, it sounds very familiar."

Dustin throws off his back before kneeling in front of it and unzips the bag, pulling the recorder out and playing the tape. A male speaks over the tape as the same song plays in the recording. Dustin cranes his neck, looking at Robin.

"I don't understand."

"It's the exact same song on the recording."

"Maybe they have horses like this in Russia.

" 'Indiana Flyer'? I don't... I don't think so. This code, it... didn't come from Russia. It came from here."

Jennifer, Robin and Dustin stare at the ride intently.

Outside, Steve and Jennifer stand at her car as she leans against the vehicle. His hand rests gently against Jennifer's hip.

"Do you believe any of this shit?"

"No, but who knows. There could be evil russians under the mall, you never know."

"Jennifer,"

"Yeah?"

"Are you sure you're okay? Ever since Wilhelmina's death, you've been sluggish lately. I know the anniversary of her death is nearing a year, but I wanna make sure you're not gonna hang yourself tonight when you get home."

"Ste- Yes, I've been sluggish. And no, I wouldn't hang myself over something so.. so.."

"Jen, please just talk to someone about this. I'm worried about you."

"I will do that."

"Please, do."

Jennifer unlocks the car and begins to slide in when Steve stops her, pressing a delicate kiss to her lips. They pull away after a few seconds before she enters the vehicle and closes the door behind her. She puts the keys in the ignition, pulling out of the lot and driving down the road.

#stranger things #stranger things fanfiction #stranger things fic #stranger things oc #jennifer henderson #midnight rain #stranger things original character #emily rudd #steve harrington #steve harrington x oc #stranger things x reader #stranger things season one #stranger things 1 #st3 #dustin henderson's sister #dustin henderson

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strangerficsxx · 4 months ago

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Chapter One: Suzie, Do You Copy?

story:Midnight Rain wc: with a sudden power outage, jennifer begins to suspect something bad is coming, suspecting the gate has been opened, things turn upside down when she go through a bought of depression -- hiding her feelings from steve.

[a/n: all characters, plot, etc. are not mine. The only thing I own is my original character. credit to gif owner.]

{ June 28, 1985 }

Coming back from the restroom, Jennifer puts on her Scoops Ahoy sailor hat as she enters the shop. She walk past Robin, leaning against the counter and sees a group of kids walking up to the counter of the ice cream parlor as she watches from afar. Jennifer recognizes the group of kids from the events of last year, smiling at Max who smiles back. Robin leans against the counter as a raven-haired kid rings the obnoxious bell that sits by the register.

"Hey, dingus. Your children are here." Robin calls.

"Again? Seriously?" Steve asks from the staff room.

Annoyed, Steve lets the kids through anyway as they trudge through the white vague corridor. Jennifer steps behind the counter, helping two teens select their ice cream before handing them the cones. They pay before walking out of the shop, looking back she watches her boyfriend bring the group of kids with him. He sneaks the group of kids in through the back of the mall, coming back into view as he smiles at his girlfriend.

"Wow, such a good mom," Jennifer jokes.

Steve rolls his eyes, annoyed.

"Well, when you've been doing it for the last two years, you get experience."

Smiling, Jennifer walks in the room and sits down, fumbling with her keys as her eyes well up with tears. Steve approaches and kneels in front of the brunette as they make eye contact.

"Are... Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm-I'm fine."

"No, you're-"

"Dingus. Get out here, there's a group of girls that are annoying me,"

"Okay, just a second. I'm a little busy here."

"Making out with Jennifer? No. Hurry up, dingus."

Steve rolls his eyes as he looks back at Jennifer. The peck their li[s before rising, standing behind the counter. He takes another order, beginning to scoop ice cream when suddenly the lights flicker Jennifer glances down at her arm, seeing the scar that she got from her boyfriend's backyard in 1983. The lights then shut off completely. Looking up, she watches as Steve walks over to the light switch, flipping the knob up and down.

"That isn't gonna work, Dingus."

"Oh, really?" He asks, flipping the switch at an even faster pace.

Suddenly, the light turn on in the mall. A nautical tune plays from the radio as Steve glances at the lights above then looking at Robin and Jennifer.

"Let there be light,"

Even though Jennifer couldn't see Robin's face, she knew she was making some kind of expression toward Steve. The three employees get back to work as Jennifer counts down the hours of work before being able to go home and crash.

——

{ June 29, 1985 }

Jennifer suddenly awakes, looking over at the clock. She sees it sitting ten after eight as the realization sets in, she forgot to reset the clock the previous night due to the power outage. Not only that, but she's very late for work. Throwing the covers off, Jennifer stumbles out of bed and over to her closet where she throws on her Scoops Ahoy uniform and does some light makeup since she'll sweat the makeup off later that day.

Grabbing her keys off her shelf, she leaves without eating before exiting the house. Sliding in the driver's seat, Jennifer puts the key in the ignition as her vehicle starts. Pulling out of the car port and drives down the road and towards the mall, parking in an empty spot as she removes the keys from the ignition and her seatbelt from the latch as she hops out of her car. Striding towards the entrance the sweat forms on her hairline as well as her chest. She walks in and towards the entrance of Scoops Ahoy. Robin notices the sweaty brunette as she smiles, Jennifer smiles back. Steve enters from the back door and greets his girlfriend with a kiss. Pulling away, Jennifer smiles at him as the short haired girl stares at them in disgust.

"Alright, love birds break it up."

"What? It's not like we're making out, or having sex." Jennifer says.

"I don't care, you're abusing company policy."

"Fine, we'll just greet each other like two friends."

"Okay.."

Jennifer rolls her eyes, stepping behind the counter as she holds her keys as she watches as Robin slings a single scoop of ice cream into a cone, handing it to the person. Later, the brunette sits in the back as Robin straightens up and Steve is slinging ice cream in the front. Jennifer overhears his conversation with two girls.

"Alrighty, one scoop of chocolate. That's a buck-twenty-five." He says. "Ooh, Purdue. Fancy."

"Yeah, I'm excited,"

The girl chuckles.

"Yeah, you know, I considered it, Perdue, but I was like, you know what? I really think I need some real life experience, you know, before I hit college, and see what it feels like." He rambles, continuing on. "Kina, like uh, I don't know, see what it's like to earn a working man's wage."

The register beeps as Jennifer giggles, continuing to listen. Steve apologizes to both girls.

"I think that's really important."

"Yeah, totally."

"Yeah, anyway, its so fun. We should kind of like, you know, I don't know maybe hang out this weekend or-- oh, sorry about that. Uh.." The change clatters as it hits the counter.

Jennifer's smile begins to fade as she hears her boyfriend ask a girl out. The awkward male continues talking as the girl turns him down. Robin grabs the white board filled with tally marks and sets it on the counter top.

"Another bites the dust," She says. "You are 0 for 6, Popeye."

"Yeah, I -- I can count."

"It means you suck," Robin comments.

"Yep, I can read, too." Steve says.

Jennifer rises, standing next to Robin as Steve approaches them.

"It's this stupid hat. I am telling you, it's blowing my best feature."

"Yeah, company policy is a real drag." Jennifer responds.

"You know, it's a crazy idea, but have you considered... telling the truth?" Robin asks.

"Oh, you mean, that I couldn't even get into Tech and my douchebag dad's trying to teach me a lesson, I make three bucks an hour, and I have no future? That truth?" He asks.

Jennifer notifies them that a group of girls are approaching as Steve and Robin look towards the entrance. Steve turns to face the two brunettes again.

"You know what? Screw company policy." He says, taking his hat off and tossing it past Jennifer.

"Oh, my god, you're a whole new man."

He turns away and approaches the group of women. Jennifer begins to think about breaking up with Steve as she begins to feel sad, almost on the verge of tears as Jennifer turns away. A stray tear falls from her eye, wiping it immediately. However, Robin notices.

"You okay?"

"Oh, me? Yeah, I'm fine."

"No, you're not. What's going on? Are you... jealous?"

"What? Jealous? Me? No. No, I'm not. I've been... I've been struggling, wondering if I should even keep going with the relationship. I'm beginning to think about breaking up with... him."

"Oh, my God."

"Oh, please. Don't act like you care."

"I do care, or I wouldn't be asking if you were okay. And, wouldn't be standing here listening to you talk about how you want to leave the relationship."

"I mean... should I though? It's just we've been through so much, and that's something we have in common. But, the other part of me wants to end it and see what else is out there."

"You do what feels best to you, okay?"

Jennifer nods, tears streaming down her pale cheeks before wiping them away. Steve notices and rushes toward her, wrapping Jennifer into a hug.

"Steve, I'm fine."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah,"

"Okay, I just wanted to comfort you."

"I know, but this... this really isn't a good time. I.. just need sometime to think." Jennifer says, pulling away from Steve and rushing out of the shop and into a nearby Girls bathroom.

——

That night, Jennifer finishes up for the night as she makes her way out towards out of Scoops Ahoy, pulling the cap off her head. She walks toward the entrance of Starcourt Mall as Steve catches up to her, stopping Jennifer in her tracks.

"What is it Steve?"

"Earlier... you seemed upset, and I wanted to make sure everything's fine."

"Everything is.. is okay. I promise,"

"Okay,"

Jennifer walks out to her car and enters, closing the door beside her. She puts the key key in the ignition as the car starts, blowing out cold air. Jennifer turns the AC off as she sits and stares in the distance in front of her. Tears cloud her vision, the anxiety creeping up on her as she sobs into her hands as the radio begins playing the soft tune of 'I Wanna Know What Love Is' by Foreigner. With tear stained cheeks, Jennifer slides her seatbelt on and pulls out of the parking lot and drives to Roane Hill Cemetery.

Walking toward Wilhelmina's headstone, Jennifer sits in the dry grass and stares at the stone in front of her. Tears stream down her cheeks as a graduation cap sits atop the headstone, the tassel blows in the musty wind. Jennifer sniffles before clearing her throat. Though, she couldn't say another word, Jennifer lays down and cries to herself quietly before drifting off to sleep.

——

Jennifer stands in the bus with Wilhelmina and the kids as the doors on the bus opens and Steve steps off, wielding the bat. Metal creaks around him as he spins his bat before holding it close. He creeps through the junkyard, chittering continues. Steve swivels around and sees two creatures fanking him as they growl. Dustin opens the bus door, shouting for him to abort. Dart charges as Steve rolls across a car’s hood. One falls through the windshield as he hits another one with his bat. At the bus’s door, Jennifer, Max, Lucas and Dustin motion to steve as he scrambles inside, but Billies pushes past them and runs for her life but gets attacked by one of the demo-dogs.

Jennifer is still in shock and panic, not knowing what to do next until she sees Billie lying lifeless on the grass. She rushes toward her and sees the massive pool of blood forming under her body. Tears well up in Jennifer's eyes as they meet with Billie's.

"Je.. Jennifer?"

"I'm here, I'm here. I'm gonna get you to the hospital, just hold on."

"N-no, I... this is my time, Jennifer." She sniffles. "Don't wait for me, go. Save everyone I... I'll be... okay."

"Billie, don't say that. I'm getting you help." Jennifer cranes her neck. "Steve! Help me."

Steve rushes over, telling the kids to stay on the bus before dropping to his knees.

"Jennifer," He says.

"No, no. We... we have to save her. She's... she's gonna die. Steve, please?" Jennifer pleads, tears running down her cheeks as the air feels thicker with each breath she takes.

Jennifer picks Billie up and rests her body on hers, blood seeping into her shirt. She makes eye contact with the blonde.

"Jennifer... Jen... It's okay, let me fly with the angels. I... love you." Billie says, her head rolls to the side.

"Billie," Jennifer calls. "Billie. Wilhelmina, please, wake up. No!" Jennifer cries, holding a dead Wilhelmina close.

As Jennifer gently places Wilhelmina on the ground, she cries harder as Steve brings her into his embrace. The kids begin to approach as they feel saddened by the moment.

——

Suddenly Jennifer wakes up as she starles before looking around in the twilight. The moon is full and the heat is wet. Sweat forms on her forehead and her breathing is ragged. Craning her neck, Jennifer sees her boyfriend Steve down on one knee. She calms down a little as tears stained her cheeks.

"Steve?"

He brings Jennifer into his arms as she sobs silently in his chest. She wraps her arms around him.

"I'm here,"

"I-- I had -- I wasn't meaning to fall asleep. I was trying to say goodbye to B--Billie, but I slipped into a slumber."

"It's alright,"

"No, it's not. I-I wish she were still here."

"I know. but she's gone, and you couldn't help that."

"I know,"

Her and Steve stay there for a little bit longer before pulling away, helping Jennifer to her vehicle before she takes off down the road as she wipes away the tears that stream down her cheeks.

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