MAROON ; MILEVEN AU

44.

"so?" el walked up to the door when hopper walked through and he slowly shook his head.

a small breath escaped and she walked away, walking upstairs as she bit back her tears.

hopper was about to follow but mike shook his head. "she needs to be alone,"

el walked into her room, finding daisy and xander's toys on her bed from the morning and she instantly let out a loud sob.

"can you track his location?" max asked lucas as lucas typed on his laptop, using the footage from the rink to find the car.

"does a number work?" max asked as lucas nodded. "a phone number."

"yeah, doesn't el have it?"

"but does it still work?"

"all this is illegal," hopper eyed lucas as max rolled her eyes. "he took computer shit in college. i assure you, they have done worse,"

"okay, it doesn't work like that—"

"do you want to find them or not?" mike remarked. "this is the only way. we have to find them quick before he flees,"

hopper stayed silent before nodding. "i know the people down at the station. i can call them for help if needed,"

mike nodded and looked up when he heard el's cries from upstairs.

tears welled in his eyes and he couldn't help but walk out to find her.

alone time was over in his mind.

"sunshine, come here," he whispered, entering her room to find her sitting on her bedroom floor, her head buried into his knees.

"hey, lucas is tracking i'm down," he told her as she looked up and allowed him to see the sheep and monkey toy in her lap.

"i need them. i need to feed vada. i need to hug my daisy, i need to kiss my xanny to sleep..." she began to breathe heavily.

he sat down and hugged her tightly. "don't worry, el. hey, how 'bout let's take a nap? they have it covered," he whispered and she shook her head. "i can't sleep. not now,"

he brushed her hair away. "then let me hold you. you don't even have to talk," he murmured and she nodded, hiding into his embrace. "i'm scared he hurt them. i'm so scared,"

"if he ever ever touched them... i would make it my personal mission to make him hurt," he whispered to her and she hugged onto the two stuffed toys.

"do you have his number? lucas says he can track him with a number perhaps," he whispered and el nodded. "yeah... i blocked it but i memorised it," she murmured and he nodded.

"i can't believe... i'm sitting here... and they're.." her voice cracked as she wiped her tears. "i can't just sit here. i need to do something, i need to—"

"but what can you do, el? lucas can help and he will. just wait, i promise you, they will be in our arms tomorrow. hawkins is small—"

"and if they left hawkins?"

his smile dropped. "no. el, don't. don't even think that," he shook his head. "el, i'm serious. we will find them."

she nodded weakly and turned away. "i hope so..."

+++

"i found his location."

that's all it took to catch el's attention.

she looked up from his lap and lucas turned the laptop. "i can't read that..." her voice was extremely soft as he looked at the screen before nodding.

"right, sorry. he's at this old house off the side of hawkins." lucas explained and el instantly stood up.