0 0 2 ━ [ 𝘚𝘵𝘦𝘷𝘦 𝘏𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘵𝘰𝘯 ]

𝙲𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝟷𝟹: 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝙷𝚘𝚙𝚙𝚎𝚛𝚜

Sarah and Amelia never became close friends, but they trusted each other to get the job done. After their first mission together, Amelia slowly came to recognize that despite the Earthly blood running through Sarah's veins, they were both one and the same. She had Sarah's back and Sarah had hers and that's all that mattered.

"Different heat signature," Daniel answered, leading the group across the park.

They didn't really need a team of five for this mission since they were tracking a lone demogorgon, but it was ceremonial. They had been through a lot together and they wanted to kill the last demogorgon as a team.

"Leo, you're up," Amelia announced, looking to the other new team member.

Leo jogged to the front of the group and glanced around once to make sure nobody was watching before turning invisible. The team listened for his footsteps as he cautiously followed the path of the demogorgon up ahead of them. His ability allowed him not only to physically disappear, but his scent and heat signature also became undetectable. The demogorgon wouldn't be able to sense him coming.

After five minutes, Leo reappeared in physical form before the group. "It looks like it's sleeping or resting or something," Leo informed the group breathlessly, his eyes darting around to each of them in turn.

"Let's go," Sarah instructed, taking the lead as the team made their way towards the demogorgon.

As Leo had said, the team found the demogorgon sleeping in a small cave dug beneath the roots of a towering tree. It began to move when they arrived, their scent stirring it from its slumber.

"Now!" Amelia shouted as the demogorgon emerged from its cave, towering over them with its sharp claws and teeth.

The demogorgon roared in pain as Sarah struck it with her electricity, momentarily stunning it before Amelia threw a ball of fire at it, immediately lighting it in a fierce blaze. It staggered around before them, attempting to get rid of the flame that was eating it alive, but the fire was too much and eventually the demogorgon succumbed. Rachel used her abilities to douse what was left of it and the surrounding plants with water before the whole park went up in flames.

"Nice job, team!" Daniel shouted with a smile, throwing his hand up in the air for the others to high-five.

The group took a moment to celebrate the success of their last mission before Sarah opened a portal back to the Diagonal for them to return home. As with their arrival, Sarah was the last to step through.

Amelia stopped when she noticed that Sarah had not moved from her spot. "You coming?" she asked.

Sarah stared off into the trees, her mind stuck on one thought: Hawkins. For the first time in a long time, she was finally back in her dimension. All it would take for her to get back to Hopper, Eleven, Steve, and the rest of the party was a bus ticket. In a few days she could be reunited with the friends and family she had never forgotten. She was so close.

But like her mother said, it wasn't time.

Sarah took one last glance around the area before turning back towards Amelia and the portal. "Yeah," she said. "I'm coming."