#bitch we’re d3 nobody gives a shit

[castles-in-the-eyre]

may the gods grant me the strength not to throttle my group project members by their thick republican athlete finance bro throats

[unfortunate-stranger-losers]

Right-Side Up AU, Part Three: It’s the End of the World {AO3} {tumblr} {Part One} {Part Two}

Chapter Nineteen → The Hospital

“I mean, you have to admit, from a technical standpoint,” Dustin said, “It’s an engineering marvel.” 

“How?” Steve asked, glancing over at him. “There’s no fire exits, no stairs-” 

“It all looks the same, too.” Will sighed. 

They’d been wandering the tunnels for hours. Dustin glanced over at Will, a bit concerned; he hadn’t said anything about feeling Mike’s presence- or anyone else’s, for that matter- since the elevator. He hoped nothing happened, and Mike could track them soon. 

“I don’t think this tunnel was designed for walking.” Robin said, glancing around. “Perfect for transporting cargo, sure. You drop the crates in the elevator, deliver the package, nobody’s the wiser.” 

“You think they built this whole mall just so they could transport that green poison?” Steve asked. 

“I very seriously doubt it’s something as boring as poison.” Dustin said. “It’s gotta be much more valuable.” 

“Like Promethium?” Robin asked. 

Will shrugged. “Maybe.” 

“What the hell is promethium?” Steve glared over at them. 

“It’s what Victor Stone’s dad used to make Cyborg’s bionic and cybernetic components.” Robin said. 

“Oh, thank God, it’s a comic thing.” Steve sighed. “I thought it was some other lab shit you hadn’t told me.” 

“I think we got most of it down.” Dustin said. “Will, anything you can think of?” 

Will shrugged. “Robin, do you believe us yet?” 

“I think I’m still processing.” Robin admitted. 

“But what I’m saying is,” Dustin said, “The green stuff is probably being used to make something, or power something.” 

“You think it’s a weapon?” Will asked. 

“Maybe.” 

“So we’re walking towards a nuclear weapon.” Steve nodded. “That’d be great.” 

“But if they’re building something, why here?” Robin asked. “I mean, it’s Hawkins. We’re a rest stop on the way to DisneyWorld at best.” 

Will flinched, stopping dead in his tracks. “Dustin?” 

“What?” Dustin’s eyes widened. “Is something wrong?” 

Will shivered a little. “You… you know how we thought that this all…” he gestured through the tunnel, “Might have something to do with us?” 

“With the Lab and our powers, yeah.” Dustin nodded. 

“What if… what if we were on the right track, but still… wrong?” 

“You’re losing us, buddy.” Steve said. 

Will opened his mouth, then shuddered again and shut his eyes. Dustin quickly ran over, putting his hands on his friend’s shoulders. “Will? Breathe. Breathe, okay? We’re okay.” 

“Maybe not for long.” Will shivered, before reaching up and grabbing one of Dustin’s hands. “Dustin… what if it’s the Gate?” 

Dustin froze. “Wh- no. No, Mike closed that.” 

“Maybe they want him to reopen it.” Will started shaking harder. “What if they’re after him? And I told him to come get us! I’m so stupid! Dustin, what-” 

“Calm down. Calm down. Just breathe. Everything’s gonna be okay. Alright. We’re gonna solve this. We’ll fix it. Look at me. Look at me.” 

Will finally met Dustin’s eyes, and after a moment, he took a deep breath. “One, two, three…” he began counting, under his breath. 

“Four, five, six.” Dustin nodded, speaking with him for a moment. 

“What are they doing?” Robin hesitantly asked Steve, eyes wide. 

“Seven, eight, nine…”

“It’s a calming-down thing.” Steve explained quickly, before making a shushing motion. 

“Ten, eleven…” 

“Me.” Will said. 

“You.” Dustin nodded, smiling. 

Will paused, then smiled, too. “Seven, Kali, Lucas, you-” 

“Me!” 

“Mike, me.” 

“Mike, you!” 

Will giggled, and Dustin slowly moved his hands off of his shoulders, though he kept one locked with Will’s, letting their interlocking fingers swing at their sides. 

“And, hey,” Dustin breathed, “If it’s the Gate, we’ll take care of it. It won’t happen again.” 

“Not again.” Will nodded. 

The two of them then turned to the older teenagers. Steve looked Will over quickly to make sure his panic had ceased, before shooting them a thumbs-up. Robin, meanwhile, was staring hard at them. 

“So… you’re serious about this shit.” she said. “The superpowers, the Lab, the other dimension-” 

“Yep.” Dustin nodded. 

“Oh my God.” Robin ran a hand through her hair. “Holy shit. And Mike and Lucas-” 

“They’re our brothers, yeah.” Will nodded. 

Dustin’s heart skipped a beat, and without thinking he said, “Well, I mean, it’s not- we’re not, like, really brothers, just-” 

Will turned to him, a spark of fear in his eyes. “What do you mean?” 

“Well, it’s just-” 

“We’re not really brothers?” 

“I mean- we’re not, like, siblings, you know? We’re not related, and- and it’s not even like El and Max-” 

“Do you not like me?” 

“No! I mean, yes, I mean- of course I like you-” 

“Then why aren’t we brothers?” 

“Steve,” Robin said, “Please control your kids, we need to find an escape route before we starve to death.” 

“Okay, boys,” Steve said, holding up his hands to get their attention, “We do not have time for drama when the world’s gonna end, okay? Just get along and talk your issues out later.” 

“We don’t have issues!” Dustin tried. “I just-” 

Robin held up a hand to silence them, and then they all heard a faint mumble from her bag. She slid it off and opened it, pulling out the walkie-talkie they’d used to talk to Holly earlier; she held up the receiver, and then they heard it. 

“That’s the message.” Will said. “Russian. There it is.” 

“Wherever that broadcast is coming from-” Dustin began. 

“It’s close.” Robin nodded. “Meaning whatever’s going on-” 

“It’s close.” 

“Well, and, also, we can reach the signal that goes to the surface and contact a rescue team.” 

“And then we can stop Mike from coming.” Will said. 

Robin nodded. “Come on, let’s go.” 

Joyce pulled into the hospital, turning the car off as she parked. “Everyone alive?”

“More alive than we would be if Nancy was driving.” Mike said, smiling a little. 

The group walked in, then, with Hopper in the lead, glancing back to make sure everyone stayed together and didn’t wander off, as several of them were apt to do. Max kept grabbing onto El’s arm, who kept looking up at her Dad to make sure he was alright. Joyce shepherded Mike and Lucas in front of her, and as she put a hand on their shoulders, she noticed that Lucas was tensing up, and Mike was starting to shake.

They entered the cold, white hospital, and Joyce realized what was probably worrying them. She whispered, “Hey, are you two gonna be okay?” 

Lucas nodded, grabbing Mike’s hand. “It’s different enough.” 

“Yeah. Different enough.” Mike muttered, running his free hand through his hair. 

They walked up past the front desk, where the receptionist was on the phone; they thought this might be lucky, until she stood up and said, “Now, wait a moment, who are you?” 

They froze, glancing at each other. Hopper moved forwards and said, “Listen-” 

“No, don’t.” Joyce whispered to him, putting a hand on his shoulder. She guessed that playing the police card right now wouldn’t do them any favors, considering how ticked off this woman looked and how Hopper’d probably been reported by now. 

“Hi.” she said, smiling a bit awkwardly. “Um, we’re- we’re here to visit my Aunt. Doris Driscoll? We- we heard she was sick.” the woman looked over her shoulder suspiciously, and Joyce said, “Um, this is my… my family.” 

The woman looked to Lucas, who waved and said helpfully, “I’m adopted.” 

“Well, I’m sorry, miss, but the hospital rules are two visitors at a time.” 

“Uh, if we could just-” 

“Two at a time.” 

Joyce inhaled sharply, but they didn’t have time to argue. She spun on her heel and said, “Okay, who wants to visit Aunt Doris first?” 

“Feel like it should be Dad.” El said, rocking slightly on her feet. “Since he’s, you know…” she waited until the secretary went back to her phone, and then whispered, “The police officer detective guy. He’ll know where to look.” 

“I don’t want to split up again.” Joyce sighed. “Maybe you can sneak after us?” 

“Doubt that’ll work.” Max sighed, crossing her arms. “Look, we’ll stay down here in the waiting area. You run up, set her loose, we’ll follow you out. Meet you in the car if need be.” 

Joyce sighed, turning to Hopper. He shrugged and said, “If you kids’ll be okay.” 

“We’ll be fine, Dad. We can take care of ourselves.” El smiled, before lightly punching his shoulder. “Let’s find the Mind Flayer, eh?” 

El and Lucas stood by the vending machine, as El showed him how to work it. “You put the quarter in,” she said, “And you press- D3, that’ll get us the KitKat. And then it just- son of a bitch!” 

The machine had whirled a little, and then gotten stuck. El kicked it, groaning. “Come on, you piece of shit!” 

“You said it dropped the food out for you.” 

“It does.” El sighed. “Sometimes it gets stuck. Help me hit it, might rattle it enough.” 

Lucas pushed it a little, and El continued kicking. Their assault on the vending machine only went on for a little while, though, as after a second, there was a slight vibration which made them step back, and then several bars and bags of candy burst forward, dropping from the door and towards the slot. 

They glanced at each other, and then over towards the magazine table, where Mike and Max were sitting. Mike was looking over, and quickly wiped his nose. 

Lucas shot him a thumbs-up and then went to grab the candy. El stiffened slightly, then said, “Thanks?” 

Mike nodded. 

El knelt by the candy, and as they collected it, Lucas said, “Max likes the chocolate, can you hand me that?” 

“Yeah, though she’s really into skittles.” 

“Yeah, I know, but she likes chocolate too, and I wanna give her something.” 

“Lucas, we’re waiting for my Dad and Will’s mom to release a possessed crazy lady,” El said, “Now’s not the time for gifts.” 

“But- do you think she’s still mad at me? I think she was mad about me telling Mike about Billy.” 

“She’s gotten over it by now, we’ve more important things to deal with.” 

“Are you sure? I don’t want her mad at me.” 

El sighed, then glanced to Max, who was boredly tossing a magazine back on the table. “You like her, right?” 

“I like all of you.” 

“Lucas, be serious.” El sat cross-legged on the floor, dumping her candy stash on her lap, looking over at him. “You know she’s got a crush on you. And you’ve got a crush on her.” 

“Crush?” 

“I know for a fact you know what that word means. Stop playing obtuse. Just ask her out. I mean, maybe not while we’re watching the world end, but like- just let her know.” 

Lucas bit his lip. 

“Come on. You guys like each other. Just… talk it out.” 

“It’s not… like that.” 

“Lucas-” 

“It’s just…” Lucas sighed, then sat across from El, holding out his shirt to dump his candy into. “It’s not like you and Mike.” 

“What’s that mean?” 

“I mean- we’ve only known each other a few months. You… you and Mike met and trusted each other and called for three-hundred fifty three days and always hang out and…” Lucas sighed. “I don’t understand things she says and things happening around me and I can’t- I sometimes think I’ll never understand and she… she deserves someone- and… and Mike and I both tend to protect. He thinks he has to protect everyone but I’m the shield, I’m the one who always kept us safe. And… and I don’t know if I can keep her safe. I want her to be safe so bad but she’s…” 

“Wild?” El guessed. “Untameable? Impulsive?” 

“I don’t know the word.” Lucas said. “I… I guess the word is Max. She’s… she’s free and strong but- but when things scare her, I don’t know how to help.” 

“You can figure it out.” El reached out, grabbing his hand. “Lucas, we’re fourteen. We can and will fuck up. Say the wrong thing, do the wrong thing- but we’ve got time. This isn’t the Lab. You can figure things out without getting hurt.” She flinched slightly. “I mean, yeah, monster from another dimension possessing her shit stepbrother, but… when that’s not happening, you can work it out. Hell, you can fucking ask her what she needs. You like spending time with her, right?” 

“Yeah.” 

“And being with her makes you happy?” 

“Really happy.” 

“Well, guess what?” El said. “She’s happy to be with you. So, go over there, give her the candy. I think this stressful-ass situation basically has granted you an olive branch.” 

“A… what?” 

“Just go, loverboy.” El giggled. “And do yourself a favor, do not follow Steve’s girl advice.” 

“Um, okay?” Lucas slowly stood, his arms still full of candy. “What about-” 

“I’ll talk to Mike, so it won’t be awkward or anything.” El said. “You go.” 

As she stood, and Lucas started walking over, El glanced over to Mike and sighed. She felt the candy in her hands, and wondered if maybe he’d given her an olive branch, too. She walked over, and said, “Hey, Mike, come here a sec, let’s sort through this?” 

Mike nodded, and they moved to the side-chairs, dumping the bags and bars out. She glanced over her shoulder, to see Lucas sitting beside Max, and then turned back to Mike, taking a deep breath. “Mike?” 

“Hmm?” 

“Look, I… I do trust you, okay? I believe in you-” 

“Is this about my powers?” 

“I just want to say- I’m just worried.” El said. She sighed, and looked over to him. “I really… really don’t want you getting hurt. Because you’re the bravest, kindest, sweetest, most wonderful person I know, and if anything happens to you I-” she shut her eyes. “Look-” 

“El,” Mike said, and he slowly sat down on a chair, staring at nothing. “El, I… I think you’re the coolest person in the world. And I have to protect you- and Lucas, and Max, and Dustin and Will and- and everyone. I have this… I can do these things, I should be able to use them to- and now the Shadow is doing this because I didn’t do a good enough job closing the Gate-” 

“This is not your fault, Michael Wheeler.” El said. She slid onto the seat next to him, grabbing his hand. “Look at me. Not the Gate, not the Monster, nothing. Who made you open the Gate?” 

Mike sighed. “Papa. And the Bad Men.” 

“And who’s the one eating people?” 

“Demogorgon.” 

“It’s not you. It was never you.” El sighed. “If I had that power, and they’d kidnapped me, the same thing would happen.” 

Mike’s eyes hardened, and he squeezed her palm. “If they took you, I’d rip the lab apart brick by brick.” 

El smiled, and then said, “And if someone takes you away, I’ll do the same, powers or no powers.” 

He smiled, and then looked over at Max and Lucas. “El? Are they okay?” 

“Hey.” Lucas said. 

“Hey.” Max said. 

They sat beside each other as Mike and El left, and then Lucas handed out a fistful of candy. “Do you want some?” 

“Uh, sure.” Max glanced over at him, holding out her hand. 

He put some Skittles packs onto her open palm, and said, “El said you have an olive branch.” 

“What?” 

“I don’t know.” Lucas bit his lip. “I was hoping you knew?” 

Max thought a moment, and then laughed a little. “El, oh my God.” 

“What is it?” 

“An olive branch is a symbol of peace after anger.” Max said, swiveling around in the chair to face him, tossing her ponytail over her shoulder. “And I’m not mad.” 

“You were before.” 

“Well, a lot has happened. Put things in perspective.” Max sighed. “I just… didn’t want to believe Billy could be-” she shut her eyes. “Did I tell you that he’s been my stepbrother since I was… maybe around six?” 

“Really?” 

“Yeah. He’s… basically my brother.” Max sighed. “Even if he only acts like it sometimes.” 

“He hurt you.” 

“People hurt each other.” Max whispered. “And… and people hurt him.” 

“People hurt me.” Lucas said. “And you. And we’re not hurting anyone else.” 

Max sighed. “I guess. I just… it used to be easier.” 

“Easier?” 

“Hating him. Just pure hate. Not thinking about… his feelings. Especially when he’s a sexist, racist piece of-” Max cut herself off. “I just… maybe it’s the two years he was gone. Maybe it numbed me. Or maybe I got older and realized things were happening to him, too. And… and seeing him get exorcized- or attempted, it- I know how it feels, to have that thing inside you. Rotting, spreading… making you do things… and then you’re burning…” 

She shivered and then put her head in her hands. Lucas grabbed her arms in a gesture of comfort, and she laid her head on his shoulder. “Are you okay?” 

“No.” she admitted. “No, I’m not okay. I- I want to hate him.” 

“Max…” 

Lucas glanced back, to see that Mike and El were looking over at them. Mike started standing up, about to come over. He sighed, and said, “Max, we’re all here for you.” 

“I know…” 

Mike and El started over, and Max must have heard them, cause she pulled away a little, wiping her eyes on her sleeve. She glanced over, and El said, “Is everything okay? We can go back if-” 

“No, I…” Max swiveled a bit, so she could face them all. “I wanna talk to Mike and Lucas about…” she sighed. “This is gonna sound really bad.” 

“Say whatever you need.” Lucas said carefully. 

Max looked down at her lap, and then said, “Do you ever miss Brenner?” 

El stiffened, and Lucas flinched. Mike clenched his fists, about to answer a resounding no, but before he could, Lucas asked, “Why?” 

Max hugged herself. “Because… I know he was a dick. He was the worst, he kidnapped and tortured you and- but… but he was your Dad, for a long time.” 

“He was never our Dad.” Mike said. “Dads take care of you.” 

“But you thought he did.” Max turned to him, and he noticed her eyes had gone a bit red. “He raised you. And… do you ever… do you ever think of good things about him and then- and then feel bad because he sucked?” 

Lucas bit his lip, and then said, “When I was younger, he used to do nursery rhymes with me. And he brought me books when the other scientists told him it wouldn’t do anything, it would just make me… restless. He taught me how to read.” he smiled a little, and then frowned a lot. “I forgot about that. But… you’re right. It’s… complicated.” 

Mike wasn’t meeting any of their eyes, but then he whispered, “We had a clapping game. And he gave me… these headphones, for when the alarms went off and I was in my room. And the noise got too loud.” He shook his head. “But that doesn’t make up for anything. And he’s gone, so-” 

“But…” Max shivered. “Is it bad if you miss him?” 

El squeezed Mike’s hand, and then said, “Max, what’re you getting at?” 

“I… it’s hard. To remember that… the same guy who broke my skateboard and pulled my hair… he also taught me basketball, and told me when Neil was getting drunk so I could go to El’s. And he also… he took me swimming and tried to show me how to surf while we were in California and I’d cheer him on, but then he also tried to keep me from having friends, and wanted me to be miserable.” She started rocking back-and-forth in her seat, the words rushing out. “He called me so many things, and- and I’d yell back, and then he’d- he’d throw me into the wall, and say it was my fault for disrespecting- and then I’d see the same thing happen to him, when he talked back to Neil. I hid his cigarettes for him and he convinced Mom that going to the Arcade wasn’t bad for me. And then he’d lock me out of the house and forget to pick me up and get blackout drunk and I’d have to climb in a window or sleep on the porch. We’d patch each other up, and then I’d have to listen to him and Neil talk horribly at the dinner table about- about anyone different from them. And I knew they meant it and it was awful, I wanted to throw up, I still do.” 

Lucas squeezed her arm as she kept going. “And I know he hurt me but… but sometimes he’d stand between me and Neil, or make excuses for why I was late, and I’d feel so confused because he’d hit me and scream at me and make me feel like garbage, and I know he’s not a good person at all… but then he’d still be nice sometimes. And… and I just don’t know what’s worse.” 

“Max…” 

“What’s worse? To…” Max finally burst into tears. “To cry over a monster, or not to mourn your big brother?” 

Lucas moved out of his chair, and jumped onto Max’s so that he could pull her into a tight hug. El and Mike moved forwards, too, all hugging her close as she tried to calm herself down. 

“It’s okay.” Lucas said. 

“We get it.” El muttered. 

When they pulled away, Mike grabbed Max’s hands, and waited until she looked at him, and then he said, “It’s okay to be sad.” 

“But-” 

“And…” Mike swallowed, and then said, “Sometimes I… I miss people and things I shouldn’t. But I still miss them.” 

Lucas nodded, as Max let out a small smile. “So, we’re all fucked up?” 

“All fucked up.” Mike nodded. 

They smiled, but just as they did, El heard a distant, muffled sound of a door slamming. 

She whipped around, and felt a dread start to rise in her. 

“Guys?” 

The elevator dinged, and as the door opened, Joyce said, “How exactly are we going to do this?” 

“Well,” Hopper said, looking down the halls for the right door, “I was thinking we open the door, and tell her to take us to the fucking shadow bitch or I shoot her in the fucking head.” 

“Hop.” 

“I mean, hopefully she’ll be up for it.” 

“You can’t just… waltz in there and expect her to be able to escape without a plan!” 

“I have a plan. Let her escape.” 

Joyce glanced nervously at a flashing light above them. “Why do I still hang out with you?” 

“Because we have no choice.” Hopper found the door, and threw it open, slight panic and impatience clouding emboldening him. “Rise and shine, Driscoll! We’ve got a- oh shit.” 

Joyce followed him in and quickly saw what there was to oh shit about. Driscoll’s bed was empty, the covers in disarray, and there was an overturned pot of flowers on the bedside table. 

“Where is she?” Joyce said. 

“I don’t know.” 

“Is this the right room?” 

Hopper moved to a file on the table, flipping it open. “Either it is or her medical history’s been dropped in some other patient’s room. I don’t see her getting released on here.” 

“Did she-” Joyce began. 

Then they heard a chilling voice behind them. “She’s gone home.” 

The two whipped around, to see Tom Holloway standing in the hall, cocking his head slightly to watch them. He raised a hand, dripping with thick, red blood, and then he smiled, “Nice of you to bring us our prize.” 

He grabbed the door and swung it shut. Hopper instantly shouted and ran for it, only to find it was stuck- something had been jammed against it. 

“Hopper, what did that mean?” Joyce said, even as she knew what that meant. “What did that mean?” 

“It means we need to get the hell out of here!” Hopper stepped back, and now the fear was showing. “We need to break down this door, now! Now!” 

El stood, creeping a bit towards the noise. Mike quickly followed her, and Max and Lucas at his heels, grabbing each other’s hands. El peered around a corner, and thought she saw a flash of a leg as someone disappeared behind a door swinging shut- the stairwell. Were those the pants that Joyce had been wearing? 

“Ms Byers?” she called. 

No response.

“Should we go after her?” Max asked carefully, still wiping her eyes on her sleeve. “Maybe they need help.” 

“We shouldn’t be sitting here anyway.” Mike muttered, bouncing his leg. “We should be helping.” 

“We don’t want to get separated, and they told us to wait here.” Lucas said. 

El took a deep breath, and then said, “Party vote. All in favor of following someone who might be Ms Byers up the stairs?” 

Max and Mike raised their hands. Lucas sighed and then raised his. 

“Unanimous then.” El said. She gestured, and they moved to the stairwell. Max held open the door for them, and they went up, listening for the sound of footsteps above them- while they were too far behind to see who they were following, a mistake they should have noted, they could hear her traveling, and eventually they heard a door swing open and shut. El judged the distance and then took them to the door that the woman had likely disappeared into. 

Once they got in the hall, though, Max froze, standing stock-still, and then she doubled over. 

“Max!” El ran over, grabbing her sister’s shoulders, while Lucas let out a startled yell and put an arm around her, trying to help her up. “Max, what-” 

“He’s here.” Max said, her voice raspy as more tears sprang to her eyes. “He’s here.” 

“Well,” said a bright voice, “What are you kids doing here?” 

They turned, and saw Heather Holloway watching them, a smirk at the corner of her mouth and suspicious red stains up her arms. 

She looked straight to Mike and said, “Hello, Eleven.”