47. Invincible

[A/N: You guys! Ahhhh! I'm sorry for making you wait so long. I've been uber busy the past few weeks (I just got married! :O) and haven't had time to sit down and write. I just spent the entire day on a marathon writing this chapter and while we're SO CLOSE to the end, there's still a couple more chapters to go. I'm thinking I probably won't finish the story before season 2 comes out on Friday :/ Is that terrible? Will you guys still want to read this after Season 2 comes out? Ahhh, my goal was to finish this fic before S2 so I feel kinda bummed even though I'm BEYOND EXCITED for Season 2.

Anyways, thanks for sticking with me on this crazy ride. Please review and let me know what you think and I'll do my best to at LEAST post one more update sometime tomorrow if I can. You guys rock.]

Chapter 47: Invincible (by Pat Benatar)

"This bloody road remains a mystery, this sudden darkness fills the air. What are we waiting for? Won't anybody help us?"

. . . . . . . .

Jonathan and Joyce didn't have much to say as they drove through the quiet neighborhood streets of Hawkins. As they approached the road that would take them past Hopper's trailer, they made idle small talk, both of them lost in their own thoughts about everything that was happening. Joyce was becoming more agitated the longer she thought about the danger everyone was likely in and her uncertainty as to Hopper's ability to handle this mess on his own. Jonathan did his best to focus on the road but his mind swam with a myriad of thoughts - Was Nancy safe? What was Hopper going to do? What would they do if the lab people showed up and attacked them all? He tried to run through every scenario he could think of as they drove up a long, windy road that would eventually lead to Hopper's. Bands of trees lined the scarcely traveled road and being in the dead of winter, they could see straight through some patches of woods to the clearing where Hopper's trailer sat. Everything around them was dark except for the narrow path the headlights illumined but far across the woods on Joyce's side, they could make out what appeared to be car headlights - a lot of them. Hopper's porchlight was on but they couldn't see much else.

"That doesn't look good," Jonathan commented warily.

"They couldn't have…" Joyce let her voice trail off as she tried to see more but everything was too dark and they were just too far away. As they approached the turn-off that would take them directly to Hopper's driveway, Joyce's gut told her this just wasn't right. "Don't turn," She instructed firmly. "Keep going,"

"Are you sure?" Jonathan asked.

"Yes," She said vehemently. "Go, Jonathan,"

As he passed the turn, Joyce tried once again to see through the trees and darkness and while she wasn't able to see much, she could confirm that the lights they'd seen earlier were definitely from the headlights of at least a half dozen vehicles.

"When we get to the house," Joyce said, her mind whirring as she moved from anxiety to action. "I'll grab my car right away and you head over and meet Nancy and the Wheelers. Don't stop for anything and make sure you hurry. I'll pick up the boys,"

"You guys are gonna go to the lab alone?" Jonathan asked dubiously. "Without Hopper?"

"I-I don't know, Jonathan, but I'm not leaving the boys out there alone another second," She replied, a little too snappy, then composed herself again as Jonathan pulled into their own driveway. "There are too many cars at Hopper's house right now,"

"What does that mean?" Jonathan asked, turning the engine off. "Do you think they found him? Don't they think he's on their side or something?"

"I don't know," Joyce shook her head. "But whatever the reason, it's not good," She patted her jacket pocket to make sure she had her keys and wallet, then popped the passenger door open before turning to her son. "Listen to me," She said, taking his face in her hands and looking him in the eyes. "Be careful. You guys get up to Clarksville, get somewhere safe,"

"I will, Mom," Jonathan said, begrudgingly accepting the way she was holding his face so emphatically. "You, too,"

"I mean it, Jonathan," Joyce said, almost trembling. "Don't do anything stupid. Just get out of town and hide until I come get you, okay? Promise me,"

"I promise," Jonathan reluctantly obliged, his words slightly garbled by her hands on his cheeks.

"Okay," Joyce inhaled, pulling him to her to kiss his forehead before climbing out of the car and jogging over to her own.

. . . . . . . .

As he gradually came to, he could feel beads of sweating sliding down his clammy skin. His neck burned and ached from the dart and he was slumped over a cold, metal table. The air was just cold enough to be uncomfortable and he wondered what had happened to his jacket as he sat in nothing more than an open flannel and an undershirt that was soaked in sweat.

"Welcome back, Chief Hopper," A voice said, dripping with arrogant disdain.

As Hopper's eyes fluttered open and he made sense of his surroundings, he realized he was in some sort of interrogation room in the lab. He recognized the two-way mirror and the lightweight metal table and chairs he'd seen in all of Eleven's experimentation videos. Similar to the rooms he and Joyce had been held captive in a few months ago, it was like deja vu being back in this place. A trio of guards flanked the space behind his chair and when he moved, he realized his hands were cuffed to the chair behind his back.

"What the hell is going on?" Hopper asked. He wasn't sure how much they knew so his first mode of action was to maintain the front that he was working with the lab.

Dr. Brenner was seated on the other side of the table and he reached for a pack of cigarettes that Hopper recognized as his own, tapped one out of the pack, and rolled it thoughtfully between his fingers. "Did you really think we wouldn't find out about your involvement with Eleven?"

Hopper watched with a silent glare, waiting for him to say more. It was safer that way.

"We've actually known of your deceit for quite some time," Brenner said nonchalantly. "In the end, however, I suppose I should thank you," He paused, Hopper's unlit cigarette resting between his fingers as he looked up at disheveled police chief. "Despite your plans, you still led us right to her. You and the Wheelers' boy," Dr. Brenner scanned Hopper's face for a reaction but when he got nothing, he looked back at the cigarette. "Between the two of you we were not only able to determine that Eleven had been recovered but that she was with friends and family in Clarksville of all places," Dr. Brenner set the cigarette down on the table and leaned casually on one elbow. "Really, for all of your efforts, to leave the one security tape showing you and those kids taking her from this lab," He tutted, shaking his head. "I would say I was impressed until that point,"

"What do you want?" Hopper growled, realizing there was no point in playing dumb - they obviously knew most, if not the whole story.

"Oh, I have what I want," Dr. Brenner chuckled, standing up. "Eleven is where she belongs and by morning, they won't be a soul in this state who even knows she exists,"

Despite the sinking feeling in his chest and the adrenaline coursing through him, Hopper maintained an even keel. "So what am I doing here? You could've killed me if you wanted to, so what do you want?"

Dr. Brenner looked down at him, the single hanging lamp above them casting shadows across Hopper's face. "In due time," He said darkly, then seamlessly lifted the menacing tone from his voice. "There is some information I'd like from you. It's not required; we have more than enough ways to figure out what we need to know and my men are out looking for them now so it's only a matter of time. However, if you cooperate, I could perhaps impart some information to you as well,"

"Such as?" Hopper said, unenthused.

"Such as what killed your daughter," Dr. Brenner said, eyeing him intently as he watched Hopper's cold, hard glare falter. "I thought so," He chuckled. "Now, I know you seem to be the ringleader of this whole ridiculous operation so I would assume you know the exact locations of everyone involved with Eleven's escape,"

Hopper's head was spinning at the mention of Sarah. What didn't he know? What was Dr. Brenner holding over him or was this just some sort of ploy to get him to talk? He shook his head, forcing himself out of his harried daze. "What do you know about Sarah?"

Dr. Brenner sat back down, enjoying this game of cat and mouse. "I know that she was terribly sick when you brought her to us for treatment," He said casually, crossing his ankle over one leg.

Hopper eyed Brenner with contempt. Everything inside of him was screaming with rage - the fact he was being held captive, the fact they'd found El and were doing god knows what to her, the fact that he had trusted these bastards with his baby girl only for her to die under their care, and the fact that he was still torn as to who to blame for his daughter's death.

"Your turn," Dr. Brenner said with a confident grin. "Names and addresses for Eleven's friends in Clarksville," One of the guards behind Hopper dropped a notepad and a pen on the table and the pen rolled a bit before stopping.

"What the hell am I supposed to do with these on?" Hopper growled over his shoulder, yanking on the handcuffs as the sound of metal grinding metal echoed in the small room.

"So you agree to the terms?" Dr. Brenner surmised and Hopper spun back around to face him.

After everything that had happened and the sacrifices he'd made, he couldn't do it anymore. He'd made countless mistakes over the years that he would never be able to take back and he'd lived with regret eating away at his stomach like a flesh-eating virus every day for as long as he could remember.

"Not a chance," Hopper's voice was gravelly and he matched Brenner's confident stare with one of his own.

Brenner eyed him carefully. "Very well," He glanced at the guards behind Hopper, gave a small nod of his head, and one of the guards slammed a taser into the side of Hopper's neck. The jolt caused him to shake violently and saliva dripped from his mouth as his handcuffs rattled against the chair.

. . . . . . . .

"You're sure about this, Will?" Lucas asked as the boys surrounded their friend in the woods by Mirkwood. They'd hidden their bikes under the cover of darkness and trees and now stood warily watching the lights from the Hawkins National Laboratory in the distance beyond the woods.

"Y-Yeah," Will stammered, determined.

"When you get in there, go downstairs," Mike instructed. "There's a lot of big white hallways and I think El's room is near these double doors that lead to the front of the building,"

"What if this doesn't work?" Lucas asked skeptically.

"It'll work," Mike insisted.

"How's he even gonna get her out, though?" Lucas pressed, then turned to Will. "Can you bring El through the Upside Down back with you? Can she escape that way?"

"I don't know," Will admitted, looking down as his heart raced. He was more than a little nervous but undaunted nonetheless. "It's worth a try I guess,"

"At the very least, he can talk to her and let her know we're coming," Mike said. "Maybe he can find out more about how to get her out once he's inside,"

"It's also a hell of a lot easier than Mike playing psychic Sleeping Beauty to get information," Dustin quipped.

"I'm just saying for the record, I don't think this is a good idea," Lucas said, crossing his arms.

"Noted," Dustin rolled his eyes, then clapped Will on the shoulder. "Ready?"

Will swallowed and nodded. "Yeah,"

Mike stepped closer to his friend. "You're sure you're okay with this?" He asked quietly and Will looked up at him earnestly.

"I'm sure," Will said sincerely and he could see the relief flash in Mike's eyes. "I'll see you guys soon," He said, then closed his eyes as his friends took a couple steps back. They weren't sure what to expect but figured they should give him some space.

With his eyes screwed shut, Will focused all of his thoughts on El. He thought about the stories he had heard of her time in the lab and everything Mike had said about how they were hurting her now. He combined his worry for El with thoughts of the Upside Down and the way his heart had raced as he held his breath, hoping the Demogorgon wouldn't notice him every time it passed. He thought about the terror he'd felt when the monster finally burst through Castle Byers and he was too tired and weak to run before everything went black. He thought about how devastated his friends would be, especially Mike, if anything bad happened to El. As he moved through these thoughts, working himself up more and more, he paused to open his eyes and saw the familiar floating particles dancing in front of his face. It had worked! He was alone in this desolate forest once again but before he could rejoice in his success, he felt his heart skip a beat. Several feet away he could see dozens of Demogorgons slowly dragging their elongated limbs through the woods. They were smaller than the one he'd hid from in November but they were still much larger than he was and there were so many of them! Glancing around, they seemed to be everywhere, emerging from the darkness like shadows coming to life. He heard the gut-wrenching croak of one of the creatures from behind him and he stood firmly in place, too afraid to turn around and see where it was before it passed by him without stopping. He remembered that the Demogorgon had been blind and these monsters seemed to be the same so he relied on silence and stillness to keep himself safe. However, the path to the lab was crawling with these things and there was no way he could walk among them unscathed. He'd hidden from one Demogorgon for a week before it caught him - there was no way he could boldly walk through throngs of them. The more he glanced around, he realized there were too many to count and the woods seemed to be overflowing with these miniature monsters. After a moment, he also noticed that they all seemed to be moving in the same direction, clustering at the lab beyond the trees.

He had to get back to his friends. There was nothing he could do in the Upside Down - not from the woods, at least. He stiffened as another Demogorgon stomped past him, only a few feet away, and he fought with everything in him not to scream or run. There wasn't anywhere to escape to in this place and he was surrounded by unwitting monsters who could destroy him in seconds.

Despite the way his heartbeat pounded in his ears, Will closed his eyes and tried to focus once again. He thought about his friends and being safely back with them. He thought about Jonathan and his mom and how good it felt to be home. His mind wandered, distracted by the anxiety of never getting out of this place and the smell of the monsters' breath in the air, but he brought himself back to a calmer place. He'd gotten out of here before - multiple times, in fact. He'd survived an entire week with a Demogorgon that was fixed on hunting him. He was Will the Wise and he could outsmart them - his mind, while not nearly on El's level, was his most powerful tool. He knew the best places to hide and he knew how to go unnoticed. He could think two steps ahead of the enemy and he could get himself out of this place. His mind had brought him here and he could get himself back home if he focused.

As the thought of home and safety gradually calmed him, Will felt his tension relax, his breathing steady, and suddenly, he fell to the ground with his friends eagerly rushing around him.

"What happened?"

"Are you okay, Will?"

"What did you see?"

Will sat back on his haunches, ignoring the uncomfortable poking and prodding of sticks and tree roots on the forest floor as he caught his breath.

"Demogorgons," Will said sharply, panting. "They're everywhere. The woods are crawling with them,"

"Oh shit," Lucas murmured as Dustin clutched his head in his hands, his fingers tangling with his curls.

"This is not good," He muttered, pacing. "This is so. not. good! What the hell do we do now?"

"How many did you see?" Mike asked, still kneeling beside Will on the ground.

"There were too many to count," Will replied, then pointed at the outline of the lab beyond the trees. "They were heading toward the lab, though,"

"What the hell does that mean?" Lucas asked warily.

"It means we're in deep shit," Dustin retorted, still pacing anxiously.

"Wait a minute," Mike said, realization striking him. "If the portal's still open…"

All three boys' eyes widened.

"Yeah, we're doomed," Dustin said, nodding and pursing his lips.

"Shut up!" Lucas smacked him on the shoulder.

"What?!" Dustin exclaimed. "You're gonna tell me that a whole horde of Demogorgons parading their way to a portal to our world isn't the goddamn Demogorgon apocalypse waiting to happen?"

"Hold on," Mike said and Dustin wheeled around, waving his arms emphatically.

"Mike, do you realize -"

"Just hold on!" Mike cut him off. "El's still in there and standing around just freaking out isn't gonna help so… so let's just figure something out, okay?!"

"He's right," Lucas shrugged.

"Shut up, Lucas," Dustin deadpanned.

"No, you shut up!"

"Both of you, shut up!" Mike exclaimed, exasperated. "We need a new plan,"

. . . . . . . .

Flashback - 1980

The middle school gym was decorated with blue and white balloons and streamers that had been strung from corner to corner. Tinsel was taped to the base of some of the balloons on the wall and dangled freely, shimmering in the dimmed lighting. Music played from the corner of the room as groups of kids danced in the center of the gymnasium floor. Bleachers on each side of the room housed spatterings of students who either needed a break or were too nervous to get up and join their peers.Jonathan Byers sat on the edge of the highest bleacher seat, his suit with sleeves a little too long for him swallowing him up like a cocoon. In contrast, his pant legs were a little too short and while his mom had tried to reassure him that they gave him a "Michael Jackson-inspired look", he knew that he probably looked ridiculous. He wondered if people could look at him and immediately know without a word how broke his family was. It hadn't helped that he'd had a growth spurt over the summer that had only seemed to affect his height and nothing else. He hadn't been able to fit into his old suit jacket so Joyce had taken him to a thrift shop the day before and this had been the best he could find. It wasn't terrible but the shoulders bunched up and he had to keep pushing the sleeves back to free his hands as he looked at the object he held in his lap.

Almost directly across from him on the other side of the gym was Nancy Wheeler. Her long brown hair was pulled back into a half ponytail and her natural curls bounced over her shoulders as she looked around the gym at everyone dancing. Beside her, a larger girl with shoulder-length red hair pulled into a bun sat chatting animatedly, eliciting the occasional laugh from her friend.

Jonathan looked down at the photo in his hands. He'd started getting into photography last year when his art teacher did a unit on a subject. Knowing the Byers family didn't have much money and also being an old high school classmate of Joyce's, his teacher had taken it upon herself to buy him a camera for Christmas. It wasn't anything too expensive or elaborate but it gave Jonathan an outlet and he'd cherished it like nothing he'd ever owned before.He stared at the grainy image and an involuntary smile traced his lips. He remembered the day vividly - he'd gone over to the Wheelers' house to pick up Will. He and his best friends loved to play Dungeons and Dragons for hours on the weekends and their mom had instructed him to walk him home since he was only a little kid at that point and it was the best way to make sure both of them were home in time for dinner.

They'd been wrapped up in a campaign when Mrs. Wheeler let Jonathan into the house and guided him to the basement steps. From the top of the staircase, he could hear the commotion of chatting, laughter, and strange noises coming from the people below. As he plodded down the steps and entered the basement, he saw his little brother with his friends seated around a small table as well as Nancy, Mike's older sister, dressed up as what he could only assume was some sort of elf. She had pointed tips on her ears and a long green cloak as she held a toy bow and arrow at her side.

As Jonathan reminisced on the day, the quick, candid snapshot in his hands, he couldn't help but smile. He'd always thought Nancy was pretty but seeing her playing D&D with their little brothers and their friends made her almost approachable. Almost.

Jonathan looked up from the picture and returned his gaze to Nancy. She was still talking to Barb and while he knew Barb was nice, it still took every ounce of courage he could muster to stand up from his spot on the bleachers and begin his descent down to the gym floor. He'd rehearsed what he would say over and over all afternoon. He'd give her the picture as a gift and ask her to dance. It was so simple so why did he feel like someone had punched him in the stomach when she was still so far away?

As he crossed the gym, throngs of dancing students stepped in and out of his way, halting his progress. He pushed through the crowd of kids, murmuring his words to himself as he could feel his palms getting sweaty. He swapped the photo back and forth in his hands so he could wipe his palms on his pants legs.

"Hey Nancy!" He called out when he thought she was in earshot but everything was still too loud and a couple people stepped in front of him, unaware of his presence. He felt like an idiot but he kept walking.

He had almost reached her when a few girls approached her on the bench, blocking his view. "Nancy, I -" He started to say as he pushed past another student but by the time he squeezed through the last few people in the crowd, it was too late. He watched as she walked away, flanked by friends, and he discreetly stuffed the photo into his pocket.

. . . . . . . .

The ride up to Clarksville was awkwardly quiet as Nancy's parents sat in the backseat, squeezed in on either side with Holly's car-seat in the middle. They'd gradually given up on asking questions since their daughter had hastily ushered them out of the house and into the family car. While she hadn't been expecting to see Jonathan pull into the motel parking lot just after she and her parents had unlocked the key to their room, she couldn't say she wasn't relieved.

"What exactly is going on here?" Karen had asked, a question that had been repeated at various times by her and her husband ever since their daughter had come rushing down the stairs talking about needing to leave immediately.

"There's no time but we're all in danger," Jonathan had said as he jumped out of his car and threw the door closed behind him. "We've gotta get out of Hawkins; I'll explain in the car," He guided Nancy, gently but firmly, away from the outdoor motel door.

"Young man, I don't think -" Ted had started to protest but Nancy interrupted.

"He's not kidding!" She exclaimed. "I told you; there are some very bad government people after us and everyone who knows Eleven. We need to get as far away as we can! Her dad is completely psycho and the chief said we need to -"

"So why Clarksville?" Karen asked, adjusting Holly on her hip as the young girl started to fuss. "Shh, it's okay, sweetheart,"

"El has friends up there who are in danger, too," Jonathan explained hastily, yanking his car door open as Nancy scurried over to the passenger seat. Her parents had no choice but to follow, despite their hesitation. "You'll be safer the farther away you are from Hawkins but I need to get up there to warn them,"

"Nancy, this all seems -"

"Mom, just get in the car!" Nancy exclaimed, frustrated, as her mother blinked in surprise at her daughter. "I mean," Nancy exhaled sharply. "Ugh, please, just get in the car,"

For most of the drive, everyone sat in mildly uncomfortable silence. Nancy and Jonathan explained the majority of the situation to her parents, leaving out the part about El's powers, and they seemed to understand the gravity of the situation. Nancy was in the front passenger seat, furiously searching for addresses in the phone book Jonathan had grabbed from his house before he left. The overhead light in the car provided just enough dim illumination to guide her reading and the dog-eared page Mike had left made it easy to find Trish's address.

"I found a couple listings that could be Emma's and Gabby's but I'm not sure," Nancy said with a sigh as she lifted her gaze from the phone book. She was starting to get car sick from reading for so long and when she looked up, she saw a sign that said Clarksville was only three miles away. "I know Gabby lives near Becky's house so I think this might be her address," She said, more to herself than to anyone else since she was the only one who could see the book at the moment. "But Emma's a coin toss,"

"Once we get to Trish's we can check with her," Jonathan said calmly as he merged onto a main road. "She should know where her friends live but we've gotta stop at a motel first and drop your parents off,"

"Excuse me?" Karen spoke up from the backseat, leaning forward. "We're not leaving you guys!"

"Mom, there isn't room in the car for us to pick up El's friends and have the three of you stay with us, too," Nancy reasoned patiently, turning around in her seat to look at her mom. "We'll be fine, okay? Just, please, trust us?"

Karen opened her mouth to protest but Ted put a hand on her shoulder and gave a small shake of his head as Holly looked between the two of them with a confused expression.

"It's okay, Holly," Karen said soothingly to her youngest child. "I know you're tired; we'll be there soon," She said, gently caressing the top of Holly's head as she warily glanced back at Nancy.

. . . . . . . .

They went unnoticed at first. It was night, after all, and most of the employees who were still on the clock were out looking for any and all of El's known contacts. In the nursery lab, the remains of the lone researcher were strewn across the linoleum floor amidst a large pool of crimson blood. In their excitement, the other monsters had managed to break and mangle their cages enough to escape and were wreaking havoc on the lab in their attempt to leave the room and find more food. Shelves came down and glass beakers were shattered across the floor as the creatures croaked and bellowed their frustration.

By happenstance, another researcher had come to the small lab, nonchalantly whistling as he swiped his keycard and a little ding signaled his entry. Within seconds, he was pummeled by three of the monsters without even having the chance to scream. His limbs were torn from his body and blood sprayed over the walls as they greedily sucked his bones dry. With the door now open, the monsters leapt to freedom, pausing in the hallway as they waited to catch the scent of fresh prey somewhere in the vicinity.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the portal, dozens of Demogorgons were making their way toward the entrance into the lab. They could smell the blood from the various violent incidents that had occurred in the lab and the scent had drawn them right to it. Researchers studying the portal paused at the sound of their otherworldly moans and chirps before the first clawed arm reached through the portal's fleshy membrane, tearing open a hole large enough to pull its whole body through.

"Hit the alarm!" One of the men yelled up to the control center just as one of the monsters tackled him to the ground, slime oozing from its mouth as it hovered over him. His screams were drowned out when the monster clamped its flower-like mouth over his head as the other lab employees scrambled to get out of the room to no avail.

. . . . . . . .

El's feet were wet and she recognized the dark void she was standing in, though she'd made no conscious attempt to get there and she didn't think she was in the bath.

You need to wake up, sweetheart.

El whipped her head around to see Terry standing before her, her blue nightgown flowing about as it dipped into the water at her ankles. "M-Mom?" El's voice was hoarse and the word seemed foreign on her lips but somehow no other term seemed appropriate to express the relief she felt at seeing this woman. "Alive?" She quickly closed the space between them, wrapping her arms around Terry in a tight hug.

Yes, I'm alive. Terry nodded, rubbing El's back. But you need to wake up.

El shook her head vehemently. "Want to stay," She protested, pouting. "With you,"

I know, baby. Terry said, reaching out and touching El's head, gently caressing the raw spots on her scalp where the clippers had cut her. But you aren't safe. You're passed out and the lab is swarming with monsters. You need to escape.

El paused. "How… how did I find you?"

They gave me a medication. Terry explained. They knew you'd try to contact me so they put me to sleep.

El shook her head, confused. "Talk to Mike, when he's sleeping," She said, pointing to her chest as she looked up at her mother.

I know, Jane. Terry said patiently. It was a different kind of sleep but the medication wore off and you found me. Now you need to leave. Wake up and find a way out of this lab before one of those monsters finds you. Don't stop fighting. I need to know you're gonna be safe.

"You too?" El questioned, looking up at Terry's stoic expression. "You come, too,"

Terry pursed her lips and gave a gentle shake of her head. You need to get out first. I'll be okay.

"No," El said, taken aback. She pulled away from Terry's embrace and looked up at her stubbornly. "You come, too,"

No, sweetheart.

"No!" El exclaimed emphatically, her brow fixing in a frown.

Remember what I told you. Terry said, taking a step back. The bond between a mother and her baby can never be broken. She cupped El's face in her hands as a tear escaped El's glistening eyes and her scowl faltered. We don't always know our own strength until we find something worth being strong for. I need you to be strong right now.

El shook her head weakly as her lip trembled and more tears slid down her cheeks.

Wake up, Jane. Terry wiped a tear from El's face before her image started to disappear like a smokey mirage. Wake up.

. . . . . . . .

She could still hear the sounds of the Demogorgon screeching and groaning amidst the rapid machine gunfire outside the classroom door. She remembered being surrounded by her friends, doing everything in their power to protect her, but knowing it wasn't enough. They'd never be able to defeat this monster. She remembered Mike's promises of a new bed all her own and going to the Snowball. She could still feel the soft warmth of his lips on hers when she thought about their quiet moment in the cafeteria before all the chaos.

She'd known there would only be one way to end this - to end the pursuit of the bad people, to end the savage destruction by the Demogorgon. It all started and ended with her. She knew blood attracted it. She knew the way it hunted and the way it feasted. She knew this creature in ways she wasn't sure of and it both frightened and empowered her.

So she'd killed the bad men, killed the evil lady who'd killed her friend - her real father, Benny. She'd squeezed their little brains like play-doh until they popped inside their skulls and blood drained from every orifice in their heads - their eyes, their ears, their noses. And when they all fell down around them in a bloody heap, she knew they were safe. Her friends were safe, but the Demogorgon was coming. She had to be ready; she just needed a little rest.

She remembered someone lifting her off the floor and Mike's frantic voice as she jostled against the person carrying her. Was it Dustin? Yes, Dustin put her down on the table - it had to be Dustin. She remembered the quiet moments of tentative peace as she listened to the remaining agents' attempts to take down the monster. Gunfire and screeches, croaking and yelling. When everything got quiet, she hoped it was over, despite herself.

She didn't flinch when the Demogorgon burst into the room. She'd been waiting, breathing, gathering every last ounce of strength she could muster for one more fight. She was exhausted and everything hurt. Her head was spinning and throbbing and her limbs felt wobbly and weak. She remembered her friends screaming and Lucas launching rocks at the Demogorgon but they were nothing against the monster's thick, armor-like skin.

She remembered rolling off the table and approaching the monster. She remembered the stunned look on Mike's face when he realized what she was doing but she couldn't focus on him now. She had only one objective. She'd brought this monster to their world. She'd brought this monster to this school. There was only one thing standing between her friends and safety and she had the power to destroy it. Sometimes you don't know your own strength until you find something, or someone, worth being strong for.

As El's eyes gradually fluttered open, she took a moment to realize what was happening. She was still strapped to the bed and her body ached with an intense pain that took her breath away. Her arms and legs were covered with raw, open wounds from the electric shocks she'd received and before she could linger on the pain for a moment longer, she looked over at the machine beside her and turned the shocks off. Her body shook with the final, lingering electric current that was sent through her body and as she panted, catching her breath, she could hear screams from the hallway outside her room.

Free from the threat of shocks, she ripped the straps off of her wrists and ankles with her mind before yanking each wire electrode from her body. Some places hurt more than others but she ignored the stinging pull of the adhesive against her skin - it was nothing compared to what her body had been through over the past few hours. She wiped the trickle of blood that dripped from her nose as she clambered out of the bed.

Her heart sank into her stomach as she heard the familiar sound of monsters groaning and croaking outside her door. Men were yelling and she could hear the sound of heavy footsteps running but she wasn't sure if that was the bad men or the monsters. Inhaling deeply and wincing against the pain from her injuries, she gingerly stepped toward the door. When the hallway quieted, her hand trembled as she reached for the handle and slowly turned it, cracking the door the slightest bit. Her breathing shallow and her eyes wide with trepidation, El poked her head out of the door to scan up and down the hall. There was no one in sight but bloody footprints lined the floor and a pool of fresh blood glistened at the end of the hallway. Some of the overhead lights flickered and several ceiling panels had fallen out of place, hanging by wires. She eyed the footsteps outside of her room - larger than any man's and certainly not human. With another deep inhale, El steeled herself, threw open the door and bolted down the hallway.

. . . . . . . .

"We can't afford to be innocent, stand up and face the enemy. It's a do or die situation. We will be invincible…"