There's No Place Like Hawkins//Stranger Things. SH

FORTY FOUR

"Of course." Steve smiled, placing a quick kiss on her cheek. "How was El?"

"Great. She's really learning. That is until Mike turns up and they start making out. That's not something I enjoy accidentally walking in on." She pretended to gag before bursting into laughter, which made Steve laugh along with her.

***

Mike, Will, Lucas and Max walked into 'Scoops Ahoy' and Mike rang the bell on the counter repeatedly. "Hey, morons," Robin, who was working the front of the shop, called to the back, "your children are here."

Cat pulled away from Steve, the two pausing their little make-out session. "They're not our children." She yelled back. "And we're not morons."

The two teens untangled themselves and made their way over to the window that separated the backroom from the main shop. Steve pulled it open and sighed. "Again? Seriously?" The kids stared at the two teens in the back, Max raising her eyebrows at Cat's messy hair, as Mike rang the bell once more. Cat and Steve led to the kids to the back door, allowing them to sneak through the off-limit corridor.

"I swear, if anybody hears about this-" Steve called after them.

"We're dead!" The young teens all called back, finishing the older teen's sentence.

Cat giggled, fixing her hair. "I think they know, Stevie. You have reminded them a lot this summer."

***

Cat was sat on the back counter by the window, her legs swinging back and forth as she ate a small tub of ice-cream as Steve and Robin served the cold treat to paying customers. She jumped slightly as the mall electrics suddenly cut out and the lights flickered off. It might have been a year since their last adventure with Demogorgons and the Upside Down, but she was still pretty scared of the dark.

"That's weird." Steve commentated as Cat froze in her seat. He went over to the light switch, flicking it up and down to try and turn the lights back on.

"That isn't gonna work, dingus." Robin told him, going over to stand next to Cat.

"Oh, really?" Steve asked, continuing to flick the light switch back and forth really quickly.

Unbeknownst to the three teens in 'Scoops Ahoy', the power hadn't gone out in just the mall. The whole of Hawkins was out.

A few moments without power later, the lights all came back on and everyone resumed their business in Starcourt Mall. Steve hit the light switch one more time, the lights instantly turning back on. "Let there be light." He shrugged at the girls.

"Wow. Steve. You're such a genius." Cat said to him, sarcasm dripping from her words.

Steve walked over to his girlfriend and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, which was now healed and no longer hurt. Instead, there lay giant claw marks, of which were slightly faded. "You okay?" Steve asked her, his voice gentle compared to her sarcastic one. "I know how much you dislike the dark."

"I will be." Cat shrugged, eating a small spoonful of ice-cream.

***

The next morning, Cat awoke to Steve shaking her awake. She had spent the night there as her mother had driven up that evening to pick Dustin up from his science camp and she didn't want to be alone after the power cut. "Kit-Cat, wake up. We're gonna be late."

"What?" Cat grumbled, rubbing her eyes as she sat up.

"The clocks weren't reset after the power cut. We're gonna be late."

"What's even happening today?" Cat asked, sitting up and covering her hand over her mouth as she let out a yawn.

"Dustin's coming home, remember?" Steve reminded her. "You're meant to let the others into your house so they can surprise him."

"Oh..." She climbed out of bed, finally waking up properly. Her eyes widened as she slipped a fresh t-shirt over her head (she kept some of her clothes in Steve's wardrobe). "Shit."

Hurriedly, the pair raced to get ready, rushing down the stairs and hopping into Steve's car. Steve drove them to her house where she rushed out the car and to her front door where five young teenagers were stood waiting for her. She waved bye to Steve, fumbling with her keys as she unlocked her front door. "Sorry I'm late." Cat apologised, finally unlocking her door and pushing it open.

"Isn't this your house?" Lucas asked. "How can you be late if this is your house?"

"Because I stayed at Steve's last night and we forgot to reset the clocks after that power outage." She glanced around her house as the teens began to set everything up. "Unlike my mom who seemed to actually do it."

***

Dustin placed his bag on his bed, letting out a sigh as he sat down next to it. "At least someone's happy I'm home." He said to his turtle. "Catherine's not even here to greet me. She's probably off sucking face with Steve." He sighed again.

Suddenly, one of his robot toys lit up and began talking. It walked across the room, more toys joining it- one of them being a robotic R2-D2. The electronic toys that were on the floor and were able to move, began to leave the room, Dustin following behind them- but not before he grabbed the bottle of Faberge hairspray from his cupboard.

"It's just a dream." He mumbled to himself as he followed the toys down the hall towards the living room, can of hairspray in hand, ready to spray anything who attacked him. "You're dreaming." He told himself. He continued down the hallway towards the living room, passing by the wall where his friends and older sister were hiding.

The teens all shared a look before Cat whispered to El. "Now!"

El opened her eyes, blood dripping from her nose, as she powered down the toys, stopping them in their tracks. Dustin stood in the entrance to the living room, staring confusedly at the electronic toys. He knelt down by the R2-D2 and picked it up to examine it.

The others crept round the wall silently, grouping together in the living room entrance. Lucas held up the sign as the others prepared to blow the streamers and surprise Dustin. Max held up her fingers and counted down from three. They blew on the streamers, causing Dustin to scream as he turned around, accidentally spraying the hairspray in Lucas' eye.

"Welcome home, Dustin!" Cat yelled, running over to her brother and pulling him into a giant hug. "I've missed you!"

***

Edited: 08/07/2020

Edit 2: 10/9/2021