A life less ordinary ||~~Elax/Elmax~~||

The truth

"They're just getting dressed" said Nancy, plonking herself down at the table. Surveying her mom and Joyce, and their slightly disheveled appearance, she asked "so, er, what happened after I went to bed last night?"

Joyce just groaned in reply and took a large gulp of strong coffee. Karen replied "we had a few more drinks...I think we ran out of whisky, then gin, but I found a bottle of vodka, soooo yeah..."

"I fell asleep on the couch at some point" said Joyce, "and your mom was on the la-z-boy when I woke up earlier." Karen groaned whilst trying to stretch her back out.

Hopper was just watching in fascination, Karen and Joyce were unexpected drinking buddies, and Nancy also looked a little bleary eyed. "So, uh, drinking session last night hey?" They all nodded in reply, nursing their coffees. He shook his head slightly, three women getting drunk together, he knew better than to ask the reason, and definitely not to ask what they talked about.

Max and El made their way downstairs and found Karen, Joyce, Nancy, and chief Hopper sat around the table, all nursing large coffees. They knew that with Hopper around Karen wouldn't mention what happened yesterday, despite the awkward look Karen and El exchanged, it was a conversation for another time.

"El, Dr Grant called yesterday, he wants to get the new studies underway" Hopper said, "he said the sooner we get going, the sooner we could potentially find a way to control the nightmares, and hence the quakes."

Max watched El look away, she was scared and Max knew it so she gave her hand a squeeze, not caring who could see. El looked at her and gave her a small smile. Whilst Karen, Hopper, and Joyce were discussing the new studies and when would be convenient for El's next trip to the hospital, Max's thoughts drifted back to El's earlier nightmare.

"She's not causing them" she said, voicing the thoughts running through her head.

Everyone stopped talking and looked at her, including El who was frowning and shaking her head, convinced that she's to blame. "El's not causing the earthquakes?" Hopper asked for confirmation.

"No, I don't think she's causing the tremors, or whatever they are" Max said, working it through in her mind, "you said that the nightmare starts and then the tremors, but this morning I saw her, I saw that the tremors start a good 10 seconds before she reacts and they stop before she wakes up."

"What are you saying?" asked Joyce.

"I think she's reacting to whatever is causing the tremors, not causing them" stated Max, "and...and I think the tape they showed you from her sleep study was tampered with, the timings, to make it seem as if she's responsible."

*~~~~~~~~~~~~*

"Dr Grant...yes, El will be available for further studies tomorrow...yes we'll see you then, goodbye."

*~~~~~~~~~~~~*

Hopper waited patiently outside the hospital for hours. He watched as Dr Grant made his way to his car, followed him at a discreet distance as he drove to an office building just at the outskirts of Hawkins. Hopper parked across the street, observing as Dr Grant went inside. He knew this was the building commissioned by the USGS.

He waited for over an hour before seeing Dr Grant leave, taking a folder with him. He obviously wasn't used to this clandestine life as he wasn't subtle in the slightest about looking around and making himself look incredibly suspicious. Hopper rolled his eyes.

As he drove away, Hopper got out of his truck and stretched his legs, checked his weapon, and donned his hat. Approaching the building, he found the entrance and let himself in. "Hello?" he called, looking around the room at the same time. It was a squarish room, reasonably large, with tables arranged around the edge, all covered in all sorts of scientific looking equipment.