38. Break the Connection

Steve panted heavily as he tried to drown out the noise of the teenager's screams from all around him. The room was completely pitch black; he couldn't see a damn thing. He frantically rummaged on the floor for the flashlight he knew had been near him. He could hear rustling around the room and realised it must have been Karmen trying to find a way out. Shit, they hadn't locked the door, Steve realised in a panic. Finally, his hand found the flashlight, and quickly turned it on, giving them a glimmer of light.

"Guys! Is everyone okay?" Steve cried, whipping his head around the room, trying to spot all the kids.

"Yeah…I…I think so…" Lucas mumbled, from where he had backed himself up against a nearby wall.

"Where is she?" Mike questioned, as his eyes slowly began to adjust to the dark.

Steve searched the room with the flashlight but still couldn't find Karmen and realised she must have been staying one step ahead of him. He would never be able to find her with the small source of light. Remembering that they had a group of lamps in the corner of the room, Steve dashed over and plugged them into the nearby wall socket. He whipped his head around when he heard a startled gasp and wished he hadn't. Karmen was standing a few metres away, the sharp edge of the broken handcuffs against Eleven's throat. El was putting on a brave face, but the tears in her eyes showed how terrified she was.

"Let her go" Steve announced, holding out his hand in a defensive position.

"Make me" Karmen smirked, pressing the metal closer against Eleven's throat.

Eleven whimpered as the metal broke the skin on her neck and a small line of blood began to drip down. Karmen wasn't bluffing that was clear. So why hadn't she already killed her?

"Please Karmen, don't" Eleven sobbed, as fear washed over her.

"Please Karmen, don't" Karmen mocked, in a childish voice.

"You really shouldn't have trapped us, El. Now we-" Karmen cut herself off when she heard a clicking sound from across the room.

Her eyes widened when she saw her boyfriend with a gun raised towards her, a furious expression on his face. Karmen had no doubt in her mind that Steve would be willing to kill for the kids, but kill her? That was another question.

"I can't let you hurt her" Steve exclaimed, as he hand holding the gun began to shake.

"…Do it" Karmen replied, making Steve frown.

"What?" He questioned, his gaze never leaving hers.

"Go on…Do it. Pull the trigger" Karmen goaded him on, as Steve realised that she really did want him to kill her.

"Just stop. Please!" Steve begged, gripping the gun harder in his hand.

"I won't. I won't ever stop" Karmen stated, flinching as Steve took the safety off the gun.

"You're not Karmen" Steve shook his head.

"Then what are you waiting for?! Shoot me!" Karmen yelled, as she threw Eleven away from her, and took a step forward.

"Who said anything about shooting you?" Steve retorted as Karmen frowned in confusion.

He raised the gun more to the left and pulled the trigger, as the bullet shot across the room, hitting the radiator valve. The kids jumped as hot steam began pouring from the radiator hitting Karmen in the back, who let out a loud scream.

"Grab her wrists. Tie her back up!" Steve insisted, as he rushed forward and grabbed the nearby rope, tying it against the other end of the radiator.

Mike bolted towards Karmen and grabbed her wrist as Steve threw the rope at him. The boy quickly tied it around her hand, careful to avoid the boiling steam as he did so. Just as he finished tying the rope, Karmen's other hand wrapped itself around his neck, as she began trying to choke him. She didn't get far, as Steve suddenly tugged on the rope and sent her colliding with the radiator. Eleven was able to use her powers to stop the steam pouring out of the radiator by pulling the metal together. Karmen tried to push herself up from her slouched position but had clearly been too injured. Steve grimaced as he could see the red marks covering her arm and neck, knowing there would be wounds on her back too.

"How long do you think you can keep this up, Steve? Keeping me as your pet. We both know there's only one way this can end" Karmen panted.

"Can we gag her again?" Mike announced as they all nodded in agreement.

"Do that and you'll never see your sister alive again" Karmen informed him, as Mike's head snapped around to meet her gaze.

"What did you say?" Mike gaped.

"I said…your big sister is probably being ripped apart as we speak," Karmen told him, watching smugly as Mike balled his hands into fists.

"She's bluffing" Lucas suggested, as Karmen closed her eyes and seemed to go into a trance.

"She's wearing a purple dress…your brother's there too, Will. Should we kill him? Or maybe I'll bite you and you can be the one to do it" Karmen grinned, opening her eyes to glare at the young boy.

"You can see what other flayed can see?" Max questioned, with a horrifying realisation.

"We're connected. All the time" Karmen nodded.

"Where are they?" Mike asked, as Karmen simply raised an eyebrow at him.

"Where are they?!" Mike insisted, becoming angry, as Steve placed his hand on Mike's shoulder.

"Nance will be fine, okay? Jonathan will protect her" Steve told him.

"Then who'll look after him?" Will exclaimed, looking conflicted.

"They're at the hospital. Fourth floor. You better hurry if you want to get there in time" Karmen announced.

"Guys, this is a trap. The flayed will know we're coming!" Steve pointed out.

"My sister's in danger, Steve. I'm going" Mike retorted.

"I can fight them" Eleven added, as Steve looked conflicted.

"We can't just leave Karmen here" Max stated, pointing to the teenager on the floor.

"Steve can stay with her" Mike scoffed, as he went to storm out of the room.

"You could get yourself killed-" Steve started, but Mike cut him off.

"It's my sister! You might have lost the only person you cared about, but I'm not going to" Mike retorted, ripping the door open and storming out.

"I'm sorry, Steve. It's my brother, I can't let him down" Will sighed, quickly followed behind Mike.

The others joined them, avoiding Steve's gaze as they did so, until it was only him and Max left in the room. Steve turned back to his girlfriend who had a smug look on her face, clearly having got exactly what she wanted.

"You better go if you want to catch up with them" Steve muttered.

"I want to stay…if that's okay?" Max replied as Steve nodded gratefully.

"The more the merrier, right Stevie?" Karmen grinned, making Steve roll his eyes.

"Can you get me some cold water?" Steve asked Max, who realised what he wanted it for quickly and left the room without saying a word.

"Want me all to yourself, huh?" Karmen teased.

"What can I say? I'm a glutton for punishment" Steve shrugged, as he took a step forward and crouched down to sit opposite her.

He didn't miss the way Karmen's lips twitched for a moment, seeming to find the comment amusing. Any humour quickly disappeared as the adrenaline from the last few minutes drained away, leaving her in agony from the burns on her back. She was pretty sure there wasn't a part of her body that didn't hurt.

"Don't look at me like that" Karmen spat out.

"Like what?" Steve scoffed, crossing his legs.

"Like you feel sorry for me. I don't need your fucking pity" Karmen insisted, her lip curling up.

Before Steve could reply Max came back in with a bucket of water and a tea towel, and seemed to notice the tension in the room, as she rushed to make an exit. Steve brought the bucket of water forward and didn't miss how Karmen flinched as he got closer. It appeared that she didn't trust him an inch either.

"I'm not going to hurt you" Steve stated, coming to sit beside her.

"I think it's a bit late for that, don't you?" Karmen retorted as Steve pressed the soaking towel against her shoulder which was a bright red colour.

"I had to do something. You gave me no choice" Steve pointed out, pressing the cloth further down her arm.

"I know there's some part of you still in there, Karmen. You could have killed Eleven twice today. And you didn't. You could kill me now if you really wanted…" Steve trailed off, as turned to glare at him.

"Don't tempt me" She warned.

"When does this stop? The killing, the flaying?" Steve shook his head.

"Why should it stop?" Karmen questioned, a dark look in her eyes.

"Because it's wrong. Wake up, Karmen!" Steve insisted.

"Don't you get it? I don't care" Karmen growled, emphasising the last words.

"I don't believe that. I can't. I still need you, Karmen. Please…" Steve begged, placing his hands against her face to turn her to look at him.

"It's too late," Karmen told him.

"As long as you're still breathing it's not too late. You can fight this. I can help you" Steve pleaded, leaning forward.

Karmen backed up against the burning heater instinctively, not caring how much it hurt or how it made the Mindflayer scream in her head. She needed to get away from Steve. She felt out of focus around him. Karmen opened her mouth to tell him to go away, to hurt him, but suddenly his lips were pressed against hers and everything stopped. Just for a moment. The screaming in her head disappeared for the first time in days, the pain in her back stopped, all she was focused on was Steve. It was a chaste kiss but all accounts, only lasting a few seconds as Steve pulled away, his eyes searching hers. Karmen frowned as images began to flash before her eyes, memories which the Mindflayer had taken from her.

"About what Billy said…well, uh…he just…and then you…" Karmen stuttered.

"Okay, enough is enough. You love him and he loves you. Say it" Dustin announced, standing in front of the pair.

"Dustin, we-" Steve began, but he cut her off.

"Say it!" Dustin insisted.

"Oh, what the hell?" Karmen mumbled, as she grabbed the collar of Steve's jacket and brought his lips crashing against hers.

Steve's eyes widened in shock for a moment, before he quickly began to respond to the kiss and lowered his hands to Karmen's hips. Karmen pulled Steve closer to her, as her own hands began to trail through his soft hair. As they pulled away, the expression on Steve's face made her heart flutter, his brown eyes boring into hers.

As Karmen came back to the present time, she realised Steve had the same expression. And her heart was still beating madly in her chest. She felt something. She wasn't sure what, but it was there. She flinched away from Steve a moment later, her hand hitting the part of the radiator that was still half broken and allowed a small amount of steam to come out. She yelped in pain, as Steve reached out for her hand, worry clear on his face. She was about to pull away, expecting the Mindflayer to scream in her mind to stay away from him, but nothing happened. In fact, she couldn't feel its presence at all.

"Karmen?" Steve questioned, as he went to place the cold towel against her aching hand.

"No, stop" Karmen exclaimed, stopping him before he could soothe the skin.

"What's wrong?" Steve frowned, as she turned around towards the radiator.

Steve's jaw dropped as she ripped a tube connected to the radiator off the wall effortlessly, as he could see sparks coming off the metal. Karmen grimaced as she held the object, as Steve realised it was hurting her.

"Hey, stop that-" Steve began, but she cut him off.

"I can't hear it" Karmen announced, a look of awe on her face.

"The Mindflayer?" Steve guessed, watching her nod quickly.

"What broke the connection?" He queried, as she raised an eyebrow at him.

Steve's mouth morphed into an O shape, as he realised it was the kiss. He had got through to her. But how much of her was left?

"And the pain keeps it away?" Steve suggested, watching the conflict grow on her face.

"I…I shouldn't…I'm supposed to listen…I need to listen…" Karmen stuttered, looking like she was ready to drop the metal to the floor.

"No! No, you need to think clearly. Without the Mindflayer controlling you" Steve insisted, placing his hand over her own.

"I don't know what I'm supposed to do" Karmen mumbled, looking so lost it was breaking Steve's heart.

"What do you want, Karmen? Not what the Mindflayer wants, not what I want…what do you want?" Steve questioned.

"I…I don't want them to die" Karmen frowned, making Steve's eyes widen.

"Nancy and Jonathan?" Steve inquired, as she nodded.

"It doesn't feel…right. Letting them die" Karmen explained.

"You could help. You can save them" Steve went on, as Karmen started to shake her head.

"No. I can't fight the Mindflayer. It's a part of me" Karmen retorted.

"It's stolen your memories, Karmen! It's been manipulating you" Steve exclaimed.

"My memories made me weak. I'm stronger than ever now…you…you don't want to help me. You hurt me" Karmen cried, pulling her hand out from under his.

"And I'm so sorry. But I know you. This isn't what you want. You don't want to hurt people. You're a good person" Steve insisted.

"Not anymore" Karmen spat out.

"Then let the Mindflayer back in. Let it go back to controlling you" Steve muttered, as he pushed himself upright to loom over her.

"You're wrong, you know…" Steve trailed off, as Karmen looked up to him in confusion.

"You're not stronger now. You're weaker than I've ever see you" Steve informed her, before turning around and walking over to the door.

"…Wait!" Karmen announced suddenly, just as Steve's hand reached from the doorknob.

"The flayed at the hospital…the ones that are going to attack Nancy and Jonathan, they're just a distraction" Karmen told him, as she slowly pushed herself up from the floor.

"A distraction from what?" Steve frowned, whipping his head around.

"Billy. He's going to kill Eleven" Karmen warned him, as Steve gulped nervously.

Karmen was confused as he then walked over to the remnants of the broken handcuffs on the floor and marched towards her. Karmen backed up a step, worried for a moment that he was going to hurt her. He pulled her wrist towards him and cut the rope with the sharp edge of the metal, not letting go of her wrist as the rope fell to the floor.

"Can I trust you?" Steve asked, as Karmen's eyes snapped up to his.

"No" Karmen shook her head, making Steve let out a sad laugh.

"Am I going to regret this?" Steve inquired, as Karmen looked a little amused.

"Probably" Karmen nodded, as they shared a look.

"Well, that was an awkward drive" Karmen announced, as Steve parked outside the hospital.

"Well, you did try to kill us a couple of hours ago" Max pointed out.

"I guess that could be a conversation killer" Karmen nodded, sarcastically.

"So, what's our game plan?" Steve inquired, as he opened the car door.

"Don't die" Karmen replied, hopping out of the car and walking towards the hospital.

"I'll keep that in mind" Steve muttered, as they followed behind her.

"Steve, are you sure this is a good idea? What if she turns on us?" Max whispered.

"She didn't have to tell us about the trap. She wants to help…I hope" Steve replied, as they entered the hospital, earning a few looks due to Karmen's injured appearance.

"You know I can hear you both right?" Karmen rolled her eyes, approaching the lifts nearby.

"Do you know where the flayed are?" Steve queried, as the lift doors opened, and they walked inside.

"I'm going to say the fourth floor…" Karmen trailed off, pointing to the blood-stained number four on the lift controls.

The lights were flickering down the corridor when the lift doors opened on the correct floor, as Steve grimaced at the blood-covered walls. It looked like a massacre had happened and not long ago. Karmen closed her eyes, seeming to go into a trance-like state, as her head whipped to the left.

"They're this way. Come on" Karmen announced, rushing down the dark corridor.

She came to a sudden halt a minute later, pushing both Steve and Max behind her, as she peaked past a nearby wall. She gulped when she could see Billy storming down the hallway, a knife in his hand, making a beeline for the group of kids. They were all looking inside a room, as Eleven waved her arms around, most liking fighting against the flayed inside. None of them noticed the teenager who was only metres away.

"Billy!" Karmen shouted, as she jumped out from behind the wall.

The blond frowned as he slowly turned towards her, tilting his head as he did so. He couldn't understand why she was there. Neither could the Mindflayer who screamed in his head. He couldn't reach her. Something was wrong.

"What did you do?!" Billy yelled, gripping the knife tightly in his hand.

Suddenly Billy was raised off the floor, hovering in the air for a second, before he was thrown into the wall, hitting his head as he did so. Karmen looked behind him to see Eleven with her arms outstretched, an angry expression on her face. The next moment, a bloody tentacle attached itself to Eleven's leg and tried to drag her into the room, as the kids grabbed onto her arms. Karmen dashed forward, picking up the knife that Billy had been holding and threw it towards the Flayed's limb. It sliced through the meaty flesh, it's grip on Eleven's ankle being relinquished.

"Watch where you're throwing that thing!" Mike screeched, as the knife had barely missed his head.

"Oh, I'm sorry for saving your girlfriend's life, I'll just let her be mauled to death next time!" Karmen exclaimed as she slid to a halt in front of the kids.

"Karmen's back…kind of" Steve announced, as they all raised an eyebrow at him.

"Nancy!" Jonathan cried, distracting the group as they saw the creature was still advancing on Nancy.

"Holy shit…" Karmen trailed off, now having a proper view of the flayed creature in front of her.

It was a smaller version of the Mindflayer that had attacked her in the warehouse but seemed to be just as deadly, as it screamed at Nancy. Jonathan bravely marched forward and stabbed one of the creature's legs with a pole he had been holding, making the creature hiss in pain. It whipped around furiously, raising one of its uninjured legs towards Jonathan. Steve saw the attack coming and pushed the teenager out of the way, baring the full force of the limb instead, as he flew into the wall with a thud.

"Hey!" Karmen cried, holding out her free hand, the other still occupied by the sparking metal she gripped tightly.

Instead of an orb growing above her palm like normal, it instead began to grow underneath the creature. The group watched in awe as the blue orb crackled around the creature until it had completely engulfed it. The strain of creating so much energy was clear on Karmen's face, as she grimaced in pain. Balling her hands into fists suddenly, the large orb sparked around the flayed as it got smaller and smaller, breaking apart the creature inside. With a flash of light, the orb exploded, as did the lights in the room, leaving them engulfed in darkness. Steve's jaw dropped as he looked around and saw that all remnants of the flayed were gone. Karmen had destroyed it. She could kill the Mindflayer, Steve realised.

"Karmen, you did it!" Steve exclaimed as he pushed himself upright with a grin.

His smile quickly faded when he saw she was no longer standing where she had been moments ago. He looked around the room frantically, but she was nowhere to be seen.

"Karmen?!" Steve shouted, terror in his voice.

Further down the corridor, Billy heard Steve's scream, as he pressed the button on the lift and walked inside. He looked down to the unconscious Karmen in his arms, as he heard the Mindflayer's orders clear as day in his head.

Bring her to me.

Author's Notes: I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Sorry this update took so long, but work has been crazy recently. So, Steve got through to Karmen more in this chapter, but what will happen now that Billy has her? Please leave a review:)

NicoleR85: Thank you for the review, glad you're still liking the story! A very late Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you too, haha.

RoseAmeliaSarahNoblePond: Aw, thank you so much! It's been very interesting writing Karmen in these last few chapters. I can't give any spoilers, but the showdown at the end of the season will probably affect you for weeks, haha.

Angryfanfic: I hope you like this new update!

Guest: I'm glad you like them together:) Enjoy this new chapter!

zaneri0t: Wow, that's such a compliment that you waited to binge them together, thank you! I don't think I'd have the same self-restraint, haha. I really appreciate all your kind words:) Happy New Year to you too!

Guest: Here's the new chapter, I hope you like it!

Guest: Aw, thank you! I plan to keep writing this story for a long time yet, don't worry:)