Young and Menace the companion book

🔎🖤: Reunion

  "Well there was the whole nuclear snow thing yesterday." Mike began. "And the whole city being ripped apart and then-"

  "Slow down, Mike." A woman's voice cut Mike off. Liza felt like her stomach had risen into her throat as tears prickled her eyes. The kids parted to reveal Joyce, the woman was smiling as she looked at the group. "I'm back! Oof!"

  Joyce staggered a bit as Liza launched herself at the woman. They both hadn't realised how much they needed the other until this moment. Joyce wrapped Liza in a tight hug, stroking the girls hair as she held back tears. She knew leaving for California was smart for her kids but it didn't make it any easier leaving the kids that she thought of as her own. Only hearing Liza's voice wasn't enough sometimes especially during the month where Liza barely spoke to anyone.

"Holy fuck, I've missed you so much. You're not allowed to go back to California, you have to stay here." Liza huffed, pulling her face from Joyce's neck to speak who laughed and nodded. Liza was just about to pull her back into a hug where she looked over the woman's shoulder as something moved in the other room. "What was that?"

  "What was what?" Joyce asked, a smile on her face. Liza backed away from the woman, apprehensive of the woman's happiness at the moment. What could possibly be in the room that would make her that happy.

  "I told you, trap." Eddie whispered to Steve. They both shared a look of worry before looking to the blonde who stood Infront of them. "If shit goes sideways take her and run."

  The door to the other room slowly swung open. Steve grabbed Liza, pulling her back behind him while Eddie stood infront of Robin and Dustin. While they all could fight and had shown that they could, Steve and Eddie knew that Liza was exhausted mentally and physically. She wasn't in any shape to fight at the moment and neither was Dustin with his leg.

  "Surprise."

  If Joyce made Liza's stomach rise then this made the floor fall from underneath her. Liza pushed past Steve and Eddie, ignoring their protests as she walked up to the man. He wasn't like how she remembered. She narrowed her eyes as she took him in, skinnier, shaved head, no facial hair, an actual smile on his face. The blonde poked his chest as if to make sure he was real, he huffed and rubbed at the spot.

  "You broke your promise." Liza stated, tears were starting to fall. "You promised neither of us would die and you broke your promise."

  "I technically didn't, cause if I died I wouldn't be here." Jim Hopper said, looking down at the blonde. She let out a choked sob, falling forward into the man's arms. He looked up at Joyce with worry but she just shrugged and motioned for him to hug the girl. "Didn't think you'd miss me that much, kid."

  "Shut up. Of course I fucking missed you." Liza cried making Hopper chuckle. "I even went to your funeral. We all did."

  "Did you cry?" Hopper joked.

  "No, I knew you wouldnt have wanted that." Liza sniffled. Hopper looked over to the group Liza had brought with her. They all looked stunned as they took in the scene infront of them, there was a new face among them though. One that he instantly recognized. "What's he doing here?"

  Liza pulled back to see who he was talking about, she wasn't exactly sure who the 'he' was. Was he told about her and Steve's break up or was she referring to Eddie. Liza looked back to Hopper for the context but he gave her none.

  "Jimbo! You look pretty good for a dead guy." Eddie chuckled nervously. Liza snorted as she realised why Hopper was so confused. "Where were ya? Heaven, hell, or was is limbo?"

  "Russian prison." Hopper stated. Eddie gulped and slid behind Steve, he figured he was safer behind him. "Why are you here?"

  "I'm sorry, can we go back to the part where you said that you were in a Russian prison?" Robin chimed in, taking a step forward. "Not that I'm not glad you're back, y'know for El and everyone's sake but like, that doesn't exactly sound, escapable? How the hell did you get out?"