✓ Adventures In Babysitting / Steve Harrington ¹

𝙫𝙞𝙞. morse code

Close Gate.

The music shuts off and Nancy holds up the pad for the rest to see as they gather around her.  Abby stares down at the nine letters on the pad.  They all murmured the short phrase aloud, sharing looks.  It was so simple, so small, and yet Abby doesn't have an inkling of what it could mean.  Before anybody can say anything, the phone rings, suddenly, and shrilly.  

"Shit.  Shit!" Dustin exclaims as he runs for the phone.  He yanks the phone off of the wall and slams it back down, hanging it up.  They all breathe a sigh of relief as for a few blissful moments, silence fills the house once more.  And then the phone rings again.  Dustin reaches for the phone, but Nancy reaches it first and in a moment of pure panic and a spike of adrenaline, she rips the phone off of the wall and hurls it down the hallway.  It lands on the floor with a clatter and a small ring.

Alex says what they're all thinking as she collapses into a nearby chair and throws her arms up in defeat.  "Fuck."

"Do you think he heard that?" Max asks.

"It's just a phone," Steve shrugs.  "It could be anywhere, right?"

As if to answer Steve's question, a shrill screeching fills the air.  It knows where they are.  It's too late.  They aren't prepared for another attack, not when they had been so sure that this time everything would work out.  Of course, they have Steve and his bat and Hopper's guns, but she doubts that that's enough against the monsters.

"That's not good," Dustin breathes shakily.

Mike, Jonathan, and Joyce burst into the house with an unconscious Will slung over Jonathan's shoulder as Abby begins to pace the length of the room, looking for something, anything she could use to defend herself against the inevitable arrival of the monsters.  Finally, her eyes land on the metal fire poker that sits in its stand near the fireplace, and is quick to arm herself with the metal rod.  Hopper comes in next, guns blazing with a glint of determination in his eyes.

"Hey!" The chief barks as his eyes land on Alex, Lucas, Max, Dustin, and Mike who have all crowded on the old couch to peer through the curtains.  "Hey!  Get away from the windows!"  The five teenagers are quick to jump and scurry away farther into the room, searching for something to arm themselves with.  Hopper then turns toward Jonathan and holds out a shotgun to him.  "Do you know how to use this?"

"What?" Jonathan asks faintly.

"Can you use this?!" Hopper repeats.  There's an edge to his voice, desperation that Abby has never seen before.  There's a lot more to Jim Hopper than his rough exterior and drinking problems Abby realizes.  There's always a lot more to people than what's on the surface.

Nancy steps forward.  "I can."

Hopper tosses the gun to her without another word.  Standing beside Nancy, Abby brandishes the fire poker.  She only hopes that with enough force and a good enough angle, she'll be able to penetrate the monsters.  To the left of Abby, Steve twirls his bat and readies himself.  Beside him, Alex squares her fists with a determination in her eyes, and anger that is brewing in her eyes, ready to fuel her as if she expects her knuckles to be any use against the monsters—human monsters, maybe, but not this kind.  Steve only lets out a small exasperated sigh and pushes Alex behind him.  Hopper aims his gun at the window, anticipating the arrival of their attackers.  Together, the four form a shield for Joyce, Jonathan, and the remaining teens.  Lucas readies his wrist-rocket, Mike seems to be armed with a candle holder, and Alex stands protectively in front of a defenseless Max with her fists still squared and her jaw set, while Abby shields Dustin.  Joyce clings to Jonathan's jacket as she watches the windows.  

"Where are they?"  Nancy asks frantically.  "Where are they?"

Abby chews her lip as they wait.  She sees the lifeless body of Mews again, and she knows that that's probably how they'll end up.  Even with the weapons they have, it's not enough against the Demogorgons, not when half of the group remains unarmed and vulnerable.  But at least they won't be going down without a fight.

Abby's heart leaps in her chest as a loud growl followed by loud sounds from outside.  Joyce lets out a small yelp as the group whirls around in the direction of the commotion weapons raised, fists poised, breath quickened.  Abby clutches the fire poker tighter.  

"What are they doing?" Nancy asks, breathless.

The bushes rustle just outside the window and more thudding ensues followed by growling.  They let out screams and whirl around again as a router growl sounds from just outside the window.  Abby closes her eyes takes a deep breath, hoping to calm her racing heart, but even the 4, 7, 8 breathing method does nothing to calm her.  More screeching, more growling, more thuds, more rustling until, a pitiful squeal, and then silence.

Nobody lets their guard down.  They keep their eyes trained on the window, waiting for the silence to shatter and the Demogorgons to attack.  And then it happens.  One of the monsters breaks through the window, it sails through the air as shards of glass fly and scatter across the ground.  The group members grapple at each other as they let out screams of alarm.  Abby finds herself stumbling backward and trodding on Dustin's foot as the boy hisses in pain.  It soars over the couch and over the coffee table and lands with a pathetic thud in the corner of the room with its rancid, tooth-filled flowery mouth gaping open.  Slowly, Hopper approaches the Demogorgon, one small, evenly step at a time.  He holds his gun at the ready in case it springs up and attempts to sink its teeth into him. 

Dustin peers around Abby and brushes a strand of curly hair out of his face.  "Holy shit," he breathes.

"Is it dead?" Max asks tentatively.

Cautiously, Hopper reaches out a foot to prod the creature.  Its head moves limply with a sickening squelching noise.  But the creature does not move.  

Behind them, there is a creaking in the doorway and everybody whips around to face the source of the noise.  Abby stares wide-eyed with horror as the one-by-one all the safety parameters on the door become disabled.  The lock on the door twists with a loud snap.  The chain that holds the door shut slides before falling down limply.  Abby raises the fire poker once more as the armed members of the group slowly make their way towards the door.

The door slowly swings open and in steps a girl.

Abby hears Alex gasp softly when her eyes land on the girl.  She's dressed in a black jacket with slicked black hair and sloppy black eyeliner ringing her eyes.  A trail of blood runs from her nostril and there are tears of happiness sparkling in her eyes as she surveys that group assembled before her.  Abby glances around to see that their mouths are agape, and tears are sparkling in their eyes.

"Eleven," Mike breathes.

author's note: pfft i completely forgot to update this, so i'm sorry.  i also lowkey hated the steve and abby interaction, but what's done is done.  all steve and abby moments are just platonic tingz right now, but i love those two a lot.