I Know The End ✸ Steve Harrington

ix. enraged redhead

After discussing that Eleven was the only one able to close the gate due to her abilities, they all came to a daunting realisation that closing the gate would kill Will. Currently, the group watched as Eleven and Hopper were about to leave for Hawkins Lab where the 'gate' was located all while Jonathan, Nancy and Joyce planned to take Will far into the woods to use the mind flayers weakness against itself by burning it out of him.

"Just be careful, alright? I can't lose you again." Mike and Eleven stood face to face before her departure, now saying their goodbyes.

Eleven shook her head, "You won't lose me." She assured the boy, her voice and words stronger than it was the first time Josie met her. She still couldn't believe that she had been under their noses this whole time.

"Do you promise?" Mike replied, his voice cracking with emotion as he feared for what was to come.

"Promise."

Before the two could lean their faces closer to each other's, Hopper's voice caused Eleven to jump back quickly. "El...Come on, let's go. It's time."

The girl turned back to face Mike, reluctant to leave him when they only had just reunited after a year with out seeing each other. Her eyes were tearful as she sighed deeply, spinning on her heel and walking towards Hopper's truck.

The group watched as the two vehicles got smaller and smaller as they drove into the distance before all piling back into the house, silent as they were held up in their own thoughts. Josie caught Mike still in his spot, tears still rolling down his cheeks.

"She'll be fine." Her words of assurance caused Mike to look up at the teenager. "She's a tough kid, she's been through a lot so a couple of demo-dogs are nothing. C'mon." She guided him into the house as there was nothing they could do now except only wait for it all to be over.

The duo walked through the door, closing it behind them and walked into Steve and Dustin attempting to fit the dead demo-dog into Joyce's refrigerator. The Harrington boy held the deceased creature in his arms, his face contorted in disgust. "Ew, Jesus—"

Throwing it into the fridge, it shook as the door was slammed. "What the hell?" The two boy's spun around at Josie's voice like a deer in headlights as they were caught. "Why didn't you just dig a hole outside and bury it?"

"Exactly." Steve put his hands on his hips, agreeing with her.

"Are you kidding? This is a scientific discovery from another dimension, how many times do I have to explain?! It's groundbreaking." Dustin scolded his older sister.

"Okay, jeez." Josie put her hands up in defence, "But you're explaining this to Joyce."

Cutting off their conversation, the three heard Mike's voice echoing from the living room, directing his words towards Lucas. "You weren't there, okay, Lucas? That lab is swarming with hundreds of those dogs."

"Demo-dogs!" Dustin corrected, turning the corner, followed by Steve and Josie, where Lucas and Max were cleaning up glass from the floor with Mike pacing back and forth anxiously.

Ignoring Dustin, the two boys continued to bicker. "The chief will take care of her."

"Like she needs protection." Max added quietly.