𝐝𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐥〡STEVE HARRINGTON

33

Frantically, he yanked it from his pocket. "Yeah, I copy."

"Close it."

Then for the first time Andy saw the gate.

The rickety elevator lowered them deep into the ground and Andy's entire view was taken up by the monstrosity in front of her. The gate was way bigger than she had ever imagined, more than she could ever comprehend, and her whole body swept with chills. Fluorescent red shone out of it, blinding them all but yet they couldn't look away. It was everywhere all at once.

The elevator came to a halt, sending them all stumbling a few inches forward but never losing balance. Eleven let go of her father and sister's hands, instead raising it to face the deadly force. This was it.

Andy took a couple of steps back to give Eleven the space she needed and looked to her father. Hopper nodded at her. She had one job to do. Keep Eleven safe. Andy would do it no matter what it took.

Blood dripped from Eleven's nose, the red of the room casting a glow of crimson over her entire face. The edge of the gate cracked, inching nearer and nearer together.

Then with a large bang above them, the lift shook. One was on the roof. It swung down and with two shots by Hopper, it was gone with a shrill scream of agony.

But then they all came at once.

No amount of training in the yard of the cabin could have prepared Andy for this. The demodogs came from every angle, lunging at them hungry for blood. However, something inside of her spurred her on. Her focus sharp and chest tightened with determination. She thought of all the things that had made her emotions run wild and channeled the feeling into her actions.

Her mom sending her to Hawkins, being forced to leave New York.

Arguing with her father.

Punching Steve when he broke Jonathan's camera.

Losing Steve.

Losing Eleven.

Those emotions no longer made her weak. They made her strong.

Andy screamed, it tore through her like a shard of glass, throat stinging from the mere power of it. Her body ricocheted with force from firing the gun but one by one the bullets leaving her weapon hit the demodogs and with a final shriek they fell to the pits of hell below.

The gate sealed up. The hot red of the space changed into a peaceful blue. Andy dropped the rifle to the floor, panting frantically but gradually calming. She looked to Eleven, who had blood not only pouring from her nose but ears and eyes too, and pulled her in close. She sobbed into the top of her head and Hopper ambled over, wrapping his arms around his two girls.

They had done it.

***

Despite all she had just been through, Andy ran out of the lab. Not to get away from the terror inside, but to get to something else the other side. Although it wasn't something else, it was someone else.

She hadn't, however, expected to see him so soon.

Andy had been prepared to run all the way back to the Byers house, or to wherever she needed to go in order to find Steve, but fortunately for her; and her exhausted body, he was already waiting for her.

He leant against the open door of his car, hair coming into focus first through the darkness and appearing to be yelling at the five kids who sat inside the vehicle. "No, I said wait in the car you dipshits."

With an agitated and exhausted huff, he slammed the door shut and turned to walk to the lab, instead eyes landing on the very person he was there for.

Andy sprinted from her spot, feet pounding across the pavement as she ran. She basically threw herself onto Steve when she reached him. Arms around his neck, bodies pushed as close together as they could manage. She always felt safe in his arms, but at that exact moment she wasn't just safe, she was complete.

When Andy pulled away from the embrace she finally saw the injured state of Steve's face. Even in the darkness, with moonlight as their only source of light, it was clearly bruised around both eyes and lip. He even had a small, children's plaster on his right cheek.

"What the hell happened to your face?" She asked, moving her hands to the base of his neck to hold him still and get a better look.

"Long story." Steve breathlessly laughed, a giddy smile on his face. "One that involves Billy Hargrove."

Andy's face was now wiped of content and instead replaced with worry. "Are you okay?" She asked in concern, but Steve just rolled his eyes. "I'm fine, Andy, honestly."

He took her hands from his neck and affectionally held them between them. "In fact, I'm better than okay, but there's something I've been needing to tell you for a long time and I'm going to need you to stop talking, just for a second, so that I can say it."

Andy's mouth opened to reply, she never knew when to give up and just be quiet, but before she could speak Steve raised a finger to her lips and said, "Andy Hopper, I love you."

Even though Andy had known Steve cared for her, hearing him say he loved her was something she could never imagine the pleasure of. From the tips of her toes, all the way to the hairs on the top of her head was filled with pure happiness. A smile spread across her face and she easily replied with, "I love you too."

The grin on Steve's face grew even bigger. "You do?" He responded, so overwhelmed with joy he couldn't quite believe it to be true.

"Of course I do, stupid." She laughed in reply. "You're an idiot, but I love you nonetheless."

Steve placed his arms around Andy's waist, picking her up effortlessly and spinning her round as they hugged. Her blonde hair flew out behind her, laughing happily and wrapping her arms back around Steve's neck. When her feet touched the ground, Andy looked up at Steve. "If I kiss you is it going to hurt?" She asked.

"Probably," Steve chuckled. "But I don't care."

Standing up on the balls of her feet so he wouldn't have to move, Andy pushed her lips against Steve's and sighed. The blissful sensation she had so long yearned for had returned. Full of passion and affection the two embraced, cheeks flushed and limbs tangled together. All oppositions and doubts they once had to their love had gone far away.

They were back together at long last.