mercy ; peter ballard

29. d o o m d a y s

jonathan began to carefully unlock the door with the spare keys she had given to them previously.

bea wanted to comfort will but she knew he felt how terrified she was. where the fuck was peter?

her head perked up at a knock on her bedroom window.

"bea, i'm sorry about this but you have to come out!" joyce's voice muffled through the walls and windows.

nancy looked up at the sky as it darkened. "we gotta do this now!"

jonathan burst through the door with mike and eleven following closely behind. bea held her breath as they stormed the house. will tried to silence his whimpers when they walked into the room.

this was it. they were fucked.

it was silent for a moment. bea closed her eyes, hoping they just decided to leave.

the closet doors were thrown open. mike grabbed will's arm as eleven began pull bea out. eleven held her telekinetic grip around bea's throat. she knew if she couldn't breathe, she couldn't focus hard enough to use her powers. bea scratched at her throat as she was lifted off the ground. eleven threw her to the floor and dragged her by her neck with her abilities.

eleven dragged her outside the trailer and threw her on the ground near the front door. she fell to her knees, holding herself up with her hands on the ground. bea gasped as she felt air fill her lungs. eleven threw her against the side of the trailer.

"fuck," she groaned, holding her side.

her vision was blurred from the tears that stained her cheeks. the more the pain burned, the more she wished she could just curl up and die.

the group surrounded her as she tried to catch her breath. mike held will back as he called for bea. they were armed and bea felt weak from having her breathing restricted for a period of time.

"bea!" will yelled, struggling in mike's grip. "let go of me, you son of a bitch!"

"will," she strained, reaching a hand to him. she tried to help but she was too weak in the moment. she gave up. they were closing in. she rolled to her back, looking up at the sky.

she squinted her eyes. the sky was dark grey. in the corner of her eye she saw a stray bat.

"peter," she whispered as her eyes began to fall. she heard the muffled panic from the group as the bats neared. she was kind of tired. she thought a nap would be nice for a second then she'll get up and help peter.

"get out of there now!" dustin yelled over the walkie. lucas, dustin, and erica were scouting the whole confrontation and saw him approaching.

the bats began to swarm the armed. mike began to swat at the bats around him causing him to release will. will ran to bea who was passed out.

"help!" will shouted, signaling to peter where they were.

peter walked out of the gate with an army of more demobats. the group was overwhelmed. steve tried lunging for him as peter made his way to bea and will, but steve was thrown backwards onto the ground.

everyone tried their hand at getting him but were either caught up with the bats or peter brushed them aside. he never strayed from the straight line to bea and will. he may have been weaker than he usually was, but he was definitely stronger. he also slowly losing patience.

as much as he wanted to snap their necks right now, the little voice in his head told him it wasn't the right time and bea was more important at the moment.

"that's enough!" his voice boomed. the fighting froze at the sound of his terrifying voice. "i suggest you all leave. now!"

they were beat up and bruised. they couldn't risk this mission right now. everyone looked to
hopper who gave them a hesitant nod to leave.

peter fell to his knees next to will and bea. he lifted his hands, signaling for the demobats to surround them as he checked on his wife.

peter looked up to will, giving him a small smile. "lucky, i got here when i did."

he sighed, picking her up. "come on, kid. let's go home."

peter pulled the sheets over her shoulder. she was exhausted. he healed the wounds she got from falling on the ground and from the impact of being thrown into the trailer. he walked towards the boys who hovered near the door.

"alright, boys. let her rest," peter said, closing the door to their room. eddie and will waited outside in the hallway. eddie returned shorty before will and peter arrived with bea. since they came back, eddie and will refused to leave their door. "i can show you where your room is. you guys are going to have to share until we can make another room, is that alright, children?"

eddie smiled, nudging will. "yeah! i don't mind having a cool roomie!"

bea sat up, holding her aching back. "jesus."

she felt like she got hit by a bus. she swung her legs off the side of the bed. she took in her surroundings for a second. she was home. she cursed, realizing she left the bag in her closet. it was too late now. she pushed herself onto her feet. she opened the bedroom door and followed the sounds of laughter down the stairs.

peter sat at table with the two boys. will and eddie smiled as peter tried to grasp the concepts of dungeons and dragons. she smiled as the boys looked genuinely happy for the first time in a while.

she threw her arms around peter's shoulders from behind the chair. she rested her chin on his shoulder as he held her hands.

he brought the back of one of her palms to his lips and plants a kiss on it. he smiled, looking to her. "feeling better?"

"better than i'll ever be," she laughed, looking down at the game in front of them. "what are you guys doing?"

eddie laughs, "still trying to teach the old man how to play dungeons and dragons!"

"yeah!" will joined in laughing.

bea pulled up a chair next to peter. her eyes twinkled as she smiled. "great. now you guys can teach me too."

peter looked at her, studying the way she watched the boys. she loved them as her own. they were like their own children now. they, too, had be outcasted and shut out, but here, they were loved.

he felt truly at home. he felt human.