two

PJ was sitting on the floor behind the counter, watching A New Hope on the small tv that was on one of the shelves. The store had been deserted for hours-so when you work in a Blockbuster and want to pass time, what better way than watching movies? She'd microwaved some popcorn in the break room, grabbed her coke from the fridge, and set herself down behind the counter an hour ago-and still, no one had come in. She only had three hours left on her shift-and she could only wish for someone to come in.

She was really getting into the movie now, with Obi-Wan having just sacrificed himself during a duel with Darth Vader so Luke, Han, Leia, C-3PO and R2-D2 could escape the Death Star on the Millennium Falcon. She didn't even hear the door open and the bell chime.

"Hello?" Robin called. PJ froze for a second, what was she doing here? And then she remembered that everyone came to this Blockbuster, it's not weird that Robin's here. She hoped to make it look like she'd just come out of the back room-and hadn't been sitting on the floor-but Robin was standing right in front of the counter.

"Hey Robin." PJ smiled awkwardly.

"Oh, hey dude. I didn't know you worked here." Robin leaned against the counter, a small smirk playing on her lips. "So, uh, what were you doin on the floor?"

"Oh, you know..." PJ trailed off. "Just...fixin stuff."

"Really? Can I see?" Robin asked, leaning over the counter. "I'm good with my hands."

"No! It's—" PJ blurted out, her face flushing. "Okay, I wasn't fixing anything, I was watching A New Hope." Robin raised her eyebrows, a full smirk now present on her lips. "Look, the stores been dead all day! I figured, fuck it, no one's here anyway."

"Hey, no judgement here." Robin chuckled. "Wish I could watch movies at work."

"Technically I'm not supposed to." PJ said, rubbing the back of her neck. "So, you know, don't tell anyone."

"I won't, promise." Robin smiled. "Your Star Wars watching secrets are safe with me."

"Cool, thanks." PJ smiled. "So, uh, what brings you in today?"

"Oh, right!" Robin said, reaching into her backpack and taking out a copy of Alien. "Three days overdue, what's the late fee again?"

"It's fine, don't worry about it." PJ said, taking the tape and checking it it was rewound-which it was. "Three days is like, nothing."

"You sure?" Robin asked.

"Yeah, totally." PJ nodded, tossing the tape into the crate of returned tapes that need to be reshelved. "It's cool."

"Thanks." Robin smiled. PJ knew this was her chance.

"Hey, uh, I don't know if you're doing anything-but it you're not-wanna join me?" PJ asked, pointing down to the tv. "I'm only like an hour into it.

"Shit, I wish I could." Robin sighed. "I gotta get to work."

"Oh, yeah." PJ tried to hide her disappointment.

"Rain check, though?" Robin asked.

"Yeah." PJ nodded.

"Cool. See ya later, PJ." Robin smiled one last time before exiting the store. The large frown on PJ's face didn't seem to go away, even as she sunk back to her spot and continued to watch the movie.

•••••

PJ had ten minutes left-and then Jessica should've been there to relieve her from work. It was still empty, and PJ had long since finished A New Hope. The only brevity was the phone suddenly ringing.

"Hello this is PJ, how can I help you?" She answered, trying her best to sound pleasant.

"PJ! Hey, it's Robin!" Robin's voice sounded quick, like she was anxious or something. "Hey, I need you to come to the store-we need you to come to the store?"

"We? Who's we?" PJ asked, seeing Jessica out of the corner of her eye.

"Me, and Steve and Dustin." Robin said. "Look, it's too dangerous to explain over the phone. Steve just told me to tell you that you need to come over here because we need your help. He said you helped out last year and he thinks you could help again. Whatever that means."

"Oh, oh shit. Uh, okay." PJ's heart rate must've kicked up by a hundred. Last year. Last year was the demodogs, the Mind Flayer, and the gate. But El sealed the gate? So why would it be happening again. "Yeah, I'll be there in like ten minutes."

"Good, and hurry." With that, the line went dead. PJ put the phone down and rushed to the back room, grabbing her keys and her bag before coming back out. "Jessica, you're starting early, I gotta go!" PJ called out to her coworker, who was-no doubt-making out with her boyfriend behind some shelves.

•••••

PJ finally came into Scoops Ahoy, slightly out of breath from running through the parking lot and mall, but she was here. She saw Robin manning the counter.

"They're in the back." She said as PJ approached the counter. PJ nodded, rushing to the back to see Steve and Dustin sitting at the table, looking at blueprints.

"I got here as fast as I could." She breathed out, slumping into a chair. "What's going on?"

"We found out that Russian spies have invaded Hawkins, and they have a secret room in the mall which we can only access through air ducts." Dustin started. "So, I tried to get through but I couldn't so we thought maybe you could get through the ducts and open the door on the other side so we could all get in."

"Are you shitting me?" PJ asked. "I thought this was about the Upside Down and the Mind Flayer and shit!"

"Why?" Steve asked.

"Because you told Robin to tell me that I helped out last year and you could use my help again!" PJ exclaimed. "Do you not remember what happened last year?"

"No, I do. I just thought it might be too dangerous to say, hey, Russian spies have invaded Hawkins, can you come help us?" Steve rolled his eyes.

"Hey! Now is not the time for arguing!" Dustin said as PJ opened her mouth to speak. "PJ, do you think you can fit through there?" He was pointing up at the air vents. She looked, and shrugged.

"I dunno, maybe." She said.

"Good enough, come on." Dustin said. "Steve, grab the ladder."

"Wait, right now?" She asked, and the door opened-there was Robin.

"Yes, right now." Dustin nodded. "Russian spies, PJ! This is a very urgent mission."

"Fine." She sighed. Steve had set up the ladder, so she climbed up. "Are we sure this is a good idea?"

"Just do it!" Steve exclaimed.

"Fuck, okay!" She shot back. "Don't get your panties in a twist."

"Oh shut up." Steve huffed.

"Stop arguing!" Dustin shouted over them. "God! PJ, get in the vent. Steve, shut up."

"Yes mom." The Harrington Twins both muttered, and Dustin sighed, rolling his eyes. They were much more alike than they wanted to admit. PJ was able to kind of get in the vent, but her shoulders were just too wide to fit.

"Fuck, this isn't gonna work." She sighed, climbing back down the ladder. "Do you wanna radio one of the others?"

"Nah, they're all assholes." Dustin huffed.

"Why? What happened?" She asked.

"They all ditched me, on my first day back." He said.

"Oh, I'm sorry Dustin." She frowned. "Well, hey, at least you've got us!"

"Yeah, I guess." He said. "But how are we gonna get through the vent now? The armed guard at the door isn't gonna just give us the key."

"Why don't you try again?" Steve suggested.

"What? Why would I suddenly fit this time?" Dustin asked.

"I dunno, why not?" Steve shrugged. The two boys started to argue, PJ got distracted by the Russian translated message on the white board, and Robin heard the bell at the counter start ringing. Looking over, she saw it was Erica, and an idea came to her.