Can't Get Use to Losing You- Max Mayfield

The Battle of Starcourt

Everyone is startled watching as something is writhing around in Elevens leg.
"It's, uh... You know, it's not actually that bad. There was a... The goalie on my soccer team, Beth Wildfire, this other girl slid into her leg, and the bone came out of her knee, six inches or something, it was insane." Robin blurts out.
"Oh my god! I remember that story. Coach Tresscott would tell it every year." TJ adds on, pointing at the girl.
Steve looks between both of them, "Robin, TJ! You're not helping."
"Sorry." Robin awkwardly says.
"Yep. Sorry just trying to ease the atmosphere." TJ grimaces out.

Johnathan hurries back over with a knife, he then holds it to El's leg preparing to get whatever's in there out. Once the the deep cut is made Johnathan reaches into El's leg, the group collectively groan at the sight. TJ is sat squirming, over the last two years he's seen some horrific things but this...this has topped it off.
El stops the eldest Byer sibling telling him she can do it herself. She hovers her hand over her leg, then lets out an ear piercing scream smashing the window behind her. As the glass shatters TJ covers Max making sure none hits her.
"You okay?" He asks the girl.
"Ask me tomorrow?" She replies to him.

El finally gets the thing out of her leg and flings it across the room, everyone who has seen the Mind Flayer recognises what it is as it's squelching and scurrying away.
TJ hears a loud food step and looks up to see Hopper has stood on the mini monster, with Joyce and a man in vest and shorts either side of him.
"Oh thank the lord and the high heavens above." TJ whispers out, never feeling so grateful to see the police chief.

As everyone is reunited sitting around the water fountain. TJ watches as Mike and Max explain the events that their group have been through and how the Mind Flayer wants to destroy El. TJ runs his hand through his hair, feeling very, very overwhelmed with it all. The group are interrupted by vest man, running over rustling some papers at them, "You-hoo!"

Vest man, Joyce and Hopper are looking at some plans that a Russian man named Alexei had drawn out for them.
"Do you not find it crazy? That they kidnapped a man?" TJ whispers to Steve and Robin, who both look at him gone out.
"More like 500. What, you're just gonna waltz in there like it's commie Disneyland or something?" The youngest Sinclair sassily tells the adults.
TJ laughs but stops when Hopper looks at him, turning it into a cough.

Erica and Vest man now known as Murray are having a very heated exchange of words, as everyone watches on.
"I would not like to get on the wrong side of young Sinclair. She's impressive." TJ says out loud.
"Um, I'm ten, you bald bastard!" Erica states.
"Oh this is fucking brilliant." TJ declares, laughing his head off. Murray looks at the boy, as if he's about to rip his head off. TJ decides he doesn't need anymore enemies so apologises,
"Sorry Mr Murray. I really like your Jorts, if that makes you feel any better."
"Jorts?" Steve asks TJ, while Dustin is now explaining how to infiltrate the Russian base to the adults.
"Jean and shorts equals jorts. Jorts? Come on Steve! Jorts it's great." TJ answers the Harrington boy.
"Okay! Okay jorts I get it!" Steve exclaims.

TJ sits on the side watching as the original party reunite, he smiles down softly happy that the four boys still have each other. He looks up as he can feel eyes on him and gives a small smile to the redhead watching him.
"You okay?" She mouths at him. He nods back as the two remain their eye contact.
It's decided that the Scoops troop made up of Dustin, Erica, Steve and Robin will take the car 'Todfather' up to cerebro so Dustin can navigate the adults.

"Hey man! Stop making googly eyes with the feisty redhead and come say goodbye." Steve tells TJ.
"Stay safe okay man!" TJ tells the older boy.
"Will do! And when this is over... we're having a good old chat about you and Mayfield." Steve tells TJ as the younger boy waves him off.
"Henderson! You got this man. I believe in you." TJ shouts at the curly haired boy getting into the car.