0 0 1 ━ [ 𝘚𝘵𝘦𝘷𝘦 𝘏𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘵𝘰𝘯 ]

𝙲𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝟹𝟽: 𝙷𝚊𝚙𝚙𝚒𝚕𝚢 𝙴𝚟𝚎𝚛...𝙰𝚏𝚝𝚎𝚛?

"Here," Hopper called to Joyce after slamming the back door of his truck cab. Joyce instinctively held her hand out without looking and felt the heavy bulk of a gun placed in her grip.

"A gun?" Joyce asked, staring down at her hand in confusion. "What the hell is this for?"

"While I'm driving," Hopper began to answer as he hopped into the front seat. "you keep it pointed at him."

Joyce joined Hopper in the passenger seat and looked back at their third companion: Dr. Brenner. He was still unconscious, thanks to a heavy dosage of sedatives. Hopper had given him a bit too much in the hopes that he would never wake up again, but unfortunately he was still breathing.

"I don't think he's going to be a problem, Hop. You dosed him pretty hard." Joyce was skeptical of Hopper's plan but she still trained the gun on Dr. Brenner's sleeping body.

Hopper pulled the truck out onto the road and began their journey for the Lab. One had wanted to come with but James had started stirring right before Hopper and Joyce were about to depart. One decided it would be better to stay with him to make sure he was okay but she gave Hopper and Joyce a very detailed description on how to find her old room. It was important to her that Brenner was imprisoned in her old cell and Hopper and Joyce were more than content to fulfill her wish.

As the snow-capped scenery passed by, Joyce felt the need to say what had been bothering her from the start. "I'm glad Sarah is okay and that she found her friend. I'm glad that we got Dr. Brenner and that we're going to lock him up once and for all. But didn't that all just seem...too easy?"

Hopper stared tight-lipped out the windshield. He didn't want to admit it, but he agreed with Joyce. With everything they had been through...they were used to putting up more of a fight. What if this was all a hoax? What if that wasn't even Brenner in his back seat?

"We'll take extra precautions," he answered.

☆ ★ ☆

Back at the cabin, the party had swarmed around a now-waking James. One sat protectively next to him on the couch while the others gathered a little too close. The only one who kept their distance was Steve, who was becoming unsure of where he fit in the picture with this new addition.