chapter seven , the bathtub
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Mike Wheeler and Dustin Henderson walked into the Wheeler's basement with Eleven behind them. They sighed in relief. They had found Eleven, and she had saved Mike from jumping off a cliff after Troy and James jumped them
They stepped inside Mike's house, nearly jumping out of their skin to see Kennedy Dawn Theroux in front of them. She was in a hospital gown, covered in blood and mud. Her hair was damp and she had blood on her face. Eleven froze, looking at the teenage girl with wide eyes. Nobody knew what to do. Kennedy had tears running down her cheeks. She looked like she had walked right out of a horror movie.
"Holy shit." Dustin breathed, "What happened to you?" He wasn't scared of Kennedy, but he was scared about the fact she looked the way she did. She looked horrible, like she had walked through hell. In a way, she had.
"The bad men." Eleven said softly. Dustin and Mike turned to look at the girl, then Kennedy. The Theroux was silent, nodding. Eleven walked in between the boys, approaching the girl. Kennedy didn't flinch as Eleven grabbed her wrist, turning her palm to face the ceiling. Eleven pointed at the 010 newly tattooed into Kennedy's skin, and then pointed at her own wrist. 011. "Like me."
Kennedy felt her heart break. She smiled softly as she nodded. "Yeah. Like you." She hummed. Eleven put Kennedy's arm down, and the teenage girl let her hands land at her sides.
Dustin spoke up, "What powers do you have!?" He exclaimed, clearly excited his babysitter was like Eleven. Was it insensitive? Maybe. But was it a very Dustin thing for him to do? Definitely.
The girl with auburn hair clenched her jaw. "I, uh, grow fangs? And claws? I can hear better, smell better, see better. I, I don't know." She knitted her brows together, looking between Dustin and Mike awkwardly.
"Do you happen to growl? Bark? Anything like that?"
Kennedy frowned at Dustin's question. "Um. yeah, I growled." She confessed, still feeling weird about the entire thing. It was helpful. He wasn't asking about what she physically went through, and how she got covered in blood. No, they just asked her what she was now, no judgement in their voices.
Dustin's eyes light up. "Dude! You're a werewolf!" Kennedy shook her head, opening her mouth to disagree. "The only thing you haven't done is turn into a wolf!" Dustin gasped, "That would be awesome!"
Mike cut in, "Okay, can we talk about that later?" He asked the Henderson. Dustin's smile fell, and he clamped his mouth shut. Mike looked over. "We need to get you clothes. And a shower."
༺❀༻
Dustin had managed to sneak Kennedy some clothes from Nancy's room. She slipped into a pair of jeans and a plain light green long sleeve. Dustin had also found a pair of hiking boots Karen Wheeler owned, and they fit Kennedy perfectly. Kennedy had sneakily taken a shower upstairs while Mike and Dustin distracted the Wheelers, and she was back downstairs with Dustin.
"Have you ever seen An American Werewolf in London?" He asked the girl.
Kennedy shook her head. "No."
"Well, I have."
The Theroux tilted her brows downward as she frowned at the twelve-year-old. "Aren't you too young to watch those movies?" She asked him.
"Yeah, but we tell you it's a kids movie so you let us go see it while you and Jonathan go to the electronic store." Dustin deadpanned, causing Kennedy's to widen in surprise. Dustin scoffed and rolled his eyes, "Anyways, it's a horror comedy about, well, werewolves. They transform into these weird wolf-like creatures that are slightly more human," Dustin holds up a magazine, showing a photo from the movie. Kennedy scrunched her nose.
"I didn't look like that." She said as she studied the beastly creatures.
"No, but maybe you could." Dustin hummed. "In Wolfen, they turn into actual wolves. But in The Howling, they have golden eyes, fangs, and claws, and the beastly creature." Dustin holds up another magazine, including a photo of a werewolf girl with exactly that. The golden eyes made with bad contacts, claws coming from her hands, and a low snarl with fangs. Kennedy tilted her head, that was the closet to what she had looked like.
Kennedy shrugs, "So, what? I turn into a dog every full moon?" She asked him with a raised brow.
Dustin stuttered as he put the horror magazines away. "I don't know! There's, not another full moon until the 30th!" He exclaimed, knowing today was only November 12th. "But look! You even have super-healing!" Kennedy looked over herself, seeing all of her cuts and bruises were suddenly gone. She even pulled at the cuff of her jeans, seeing the blackened bruise was no longer there.
The two of them looked over at the supercom walkie-talkie on the table. Kennedy and Dustin shared wary looks as they stood up, walking over. "Guys!" Lucas's voice cut in and out as he spoke. He was yelling, but they couldn't make out what he was saying.
The Henderson looked up, "Can't you use your hearing!?"
Kennedy shrugged, "One, I don't know if it works that way." She pointed out, "And two, I don't know how to use this stuff in the first place!" She exasperated, talking with her hands. She sat at the table as she brought the walkie-talkie to her ear, "Go get Mike and El!"
Dustin ran to the bathroom to get his friends. Kennedy chewed on her thumbnail as she tried to make out what the Sinclair boy was saying. Dustin came rushing back with Mike and Eleven close behind him. "Do you remember how he said he was looking for the gate?"
"Yeah."
"What if he found it?"
Mike looked at the radio in Kennedy's hands, listening to the static and the ins and outs of Lucas's voice. "What's he saying?" He asked the two.
"We don't know," Kennedy confessed as she looked up.
"He's way out of range." Dustin followed up.
Mike took the walkie talkie away from Kennedy, hearing Lucas shout son of a bitch! Mike turned on the mike. "Lucas, if you can hear us, slow down. We can't understand you."
"Yes, I copy!" Is all they could hear. Lucas's signal cut in and out, and all they could hear was random sounds and words that didn't sound right.
"Mad hen." Dustin shouted, "Does that mean anything to you? Like a code name or something?"
Kennedy shook her head, "I don't think that's what he's saying." She whispered. Her eyes were on the table while she listened to the sound of Lucas's staticky voice.
"The bad men are coming!"
"Bad men." Mike's eyes widened in realization. "Bad men!" Mike shoved the walkie-talkie back to Kennedy, who still sat at the table with Eleven. "Stay here."
Kennedy shook her head. "Um, hell no?" She said as she stood up. She placed the radio on the table and turned to Eleven. "You, stay here." Kennedy turned and ran up the stairs with Dustin and Mike close behind her.
The three of them ran into the living room, looking out the window. Kennedy's face paled as she saw the HAWKINS POWER AND LIGHT van outside of their house. "What's that guy doing?" Asked the Wheeler. Kennedy's eyes never left the window.
"You don't think," Dustin trailed off before Mike ran to the kitchen. The Henderson looked over at Kennedy. "Um, I don't like that look on your face."
The auburn-haired girl swallowed the lump in her throat. "Dustin, those were the vans in my house." She whispered. Dustin's eyes were wide as he looked back out. They watched as three, if not more vans came driving down the street. Kennedy and Dustin grabbed the curtains, swinging them shut. "We gotta go."
Mike Wheeler was arguing with Karen. The Henderson and the Theroux came stumbling in. "Mike!" Dustin shouted.
"One second," Mike held up a finger.
"MIKE!"
Everyone looked over at Kennedy and Dustin. "Kenny?" Karen said in confusion. As far as Karen knew, Kennedy was missing.
Kennedy's hazel eyes were wide as she looked at the youngest Wheeler. She didn't have time to explain what she was doing here. "We need to leave. Like, right now," She huffed to Mike. Dustin ran past her and Kennedy waved the boy along.
"Michael!" Karen shouted as Mike ran.
"If anyone asks where I am, I've left the country!" Mike retorted before running off.
Kennedy looked over, smiling awkwardly. "I'll take care of him!" She said before running after the two boys. Dustin and Mike slid on their jackets and grabbed their bags. Kennedy grabbed a random jacket and slid it on.
"Nancy's bike is still out here!" Mike called as he opened the back door. Kennedy and the three pre-teens ran out, grabbing their bikes and running off.
If you told Kennedy six days ago she'd be doing this, she wouldn't believe you. How was it already Saturday? Tomorrow would be the one-week anniversary of Will getting taken. She wished she could think of a better word choice.
They climbed on the bikes in front of the street. Kennedy and Eleven looked down to see a familiar group of men walking in their direction. Dr. Brenner, or, as Eleven knew him, Papa. Kennedy narrowed her eyes, and Eleven pursed her lips.
"Is that them?" Dustin called out.
"Go." Kennedy said as she sat on the bike. "Go! Go! Go!" She shouted as Mike and Dustin began to pedal. The men began to climb into their vans, speeding down the street.
Kennedy pedaled quickly, but she had to stay slow. Apparently, with her new werewolf-like powers, she could pedal very fast. So, to keep up with the kids, she tried to stay slow. Eleven clutched onto Mike tightly. Kennedy could hear a sound, causing her to look at Dustin.
She could hear Lucas on Dustin's headset. "Dustin! Do you copy!"
"Yeah, Lucas. They're on us!"
"Where are you?"
"Cornwallis!"
"Meet me at Elm and Cherry!"
"Copy. Elm and Cherry!"
Mike shouted, "Okay!" As he turned onto a patch of grass. Kennedy grunted as she followed, the three bikes speeding through neighborhoods and backyards.
Of course, Kennedy had a lot to think about. Like what would she have to do to keep these kids safe? Would she have to kill more people? Probably. But maybe it was worth it. To face off these people that had done horrible things to people like Kennedy and Eleven. If it meant that everyone else was safe.
"Shit!" Dustin shouted as two vans came in their direction. Kennedy whipped her head back, eyes wide.
"This way! Come on!" Mike called as they began to pedal up someone's driveway.
Two girls were doing a version of pattycake when Kennedy Theroux came speeding down on her bike. "Excuse us!" She shouted as the girls jumped back. Kennedy, Dustin, and Mike sped through the yard, cutting through to another driveway.
Lucas Sinclair came rushing down the street when he saw the three bikes. "Kennedy!?"
"Lucas!" Mike called as they all skidded to a stop. Lucas was out of breath and sweaty from coming all the way from Hawkins lab.
"Where are they?"
Mike shrugged, "I don't know!" He stammered.
"I think we lost them." Dustin sighed.
Kennedy shook her head. "You jinxed us." The three boys turned around to see the two vans once again. "Go! Go! Go!"
They began to pedal again, rushing down the street and screaming as a third van came down the street. Dustin was screaming and swearing. Lucas stood up on his bike in attempt to pedal faster. Kennedy felt the handle bars dig into her skin with how tight she was holding it.
A fourth van swung out in front of them. There wasn't time for the four bikes to stop. Dustin began to yell as Kennedy's eyes turned yellow. She didn't know what she was going to do, but she had to do something. Well, at least she thought that.
Just as the van was merely feet in front of the, Eleven snapped her head upward. The van flew through the air, all of the kids and Kennedy looking up to see the front of the car pointing down at them. The van flipped, landing upside down behind the group and in front of the other vans.
Eleven's nose was bloody. Everyone looked at each other and the girl in amazement and shock. "Holy shit!" Kennedy shouted as she looked back at the three vans that were now stopped. She gasped. "Holy shit!"
༺❀༻
"Holy shit!"
Dustin Henderson climbed off his bike as they had finally stopped at the junkyard. "Did you see what she did to that van!?" He asked in exasperation and amazement.
Mike helped Eleven sit on the ground. "No, Dustin, we missed it." Mike said sarcastically.
"I mean, that was," Dustin began to stutter as he looked around.
"Awesome." Lucas finished. Eleven looked back, her nose still bloody as she saw Lucas. "It was awesome."
For some context that Dustin gave Kennedy earlier, Lucas and Mike had gotten into a fight cause Eleven was trying to keep them from finding the Gate to the Upside Down. It involved Lucas and Mike fighting, wrestling each other, and Eleven used her powers to throw the Sinclair boy back. And then they got into another fight this morning.
Lucas walked over to Eleven, kneeling in front of her. He was still breathing heavily, but he leaned on one knee as he began to speak. "Everything I said about you being a traitor and stuff," Lucas sighed as he pointed to himself. "I was wrong." Kennedy rose a surprised brow as the Sinclair boy pursed his lips together. "I'm sorry."
Eleven was silent for a moment, watching Lucas put his hand on her shoulder. "Friends," Eleven shook her head. "Friends don't lie." Kennedy looked over at Dustin and Lucas in slight confusion. "I'm sorry, too."
"Me, too." Mike said, causing Lucas to look up. The Wheeler held out his hand. Lucas stood up, looking at the boy and his hand. Dustin and Kennedy smiled as Lucas took it.
Dustin clasped his hands together. "Great, we're all friends again, now let's talk about the fact we have two girls with superpowers!"
Lucas looked over. "What?" He asked in blatant confusion.
"Kennedy was taken by the bad men! She became a werewolf and escaped!" Dustin explained loudly.
"I'm not a werewolf," Kennedy cut in as she rolled her eyes. She huffed as she crossed her arms. "I just happen to have fangs and claws." She muttered softly.
Lucas shook his head. "Tell us everything."
Kennedy didn't know where to start.
She started in the woods with Nancy and Jonathan. After thinking things through, she tried her best to not include much. She included fighting the demogorgon, and even. She included how she ran from the men, and then everything she remembered after that. She concluded her story with showing them the new 003 tattoo on her wrist, putting her hand in her lap.
"This is insane." Lucas breathed. "I mean, you're literally a superhero!"
The girl with auburn-hair shook her head. "I don't even know what I can do."
"Does it matter?" Mike asked, "You killed a bunch of bad guys and escaped a highly secured facility!" He exclaimed as he threw up his arms. "Whatever we know you can do is awesome enough!"
Kennedy sighed as she looked at Eleven. The girl with a shaved head gave a small closed mouth smile. Kennedy returned it, and looked at the boys. "Okay, we need to make a plan. And we need to do it fast." She explained as she wiped her hands on her jeans. "We don't know how much time we have until they narrow down where we might've gone."
༺❀༻
"This is Randolph Road, right here." Lucas Sinclair dug a stick through the ground, "The fence starts here, and goes all the way around." He points to the sticks he had formed in a way, then placed a can in the middle. "And this is the lab right here. The gate's gotta be in there somewhere."
Kennedy shook her head. "But what if I found a different smaller gate?" She asked, looking up. "The ones that come and close?"
"Maybe the one at the lab stays open? LIke a main door." Suggested Mike.
Dustin spoke up, "Well, who owns Hawkins Lab?" He asked. Kennedy shrugged her shoulders. Before this week, Kennedy hadn't batted an eye at the lab in town. She was so focused on her friends, and cheer, and babysitting. That all seemed so small now. Like they didn't matter.
"The sign says Department of Energy."
"Department of Energy? What do you think that means?"
Mike spoke up, "It means government. Military." He answered.
Dustin tilted his head. "Then why does it say Energy?" He asked blandly.
"Just trust me, all right? It's military. My dad's told me before."
Lucas counts in. "Mike's right. There's soldiers out front."
"And that's where I was taken." Kennedy added on as she looked around the group.
"Do they make, like, light bulbs or something?"
Mike scoffed at Dustins question. "No, weapons, to fight the Russians, and commies and stuff."
"Weapons." Lucas pointed out as they all looked at each other.
"Oh, Jesus, this is bad." Dustin muttered.
"Really bad."
Kennedy shook her head. "The place is like a fortress. I barely got out of there alive." Kennedy explained as she looked at the group.
"Well, what do we do?" Dustin asked, trying to find a solution. They needed to find Will. They had to!
"I don't know, but we can't go home. We're fugitives now." Mike Wheeler explained to the group. Kennedy snapped her head up at the sky, hearing something.
Dustin frowned in confusion, until he looked up. "Guys? Do you hear that?"
Kennedy looked around, "It's a helicopter." She whispered. Lucas and Mike looked around. Surely enough, there was a helicopter out in the distance. "We gotta go!"
The kids began grabbing their bikes, shoving them underneath the rusty bus. Kennedy grabbed Eleven, scooping the girl in her arms. Everyone shouted as they rushed. Mike pulled ipen the door to the bus, letting Kennedy run inside with Eleven first. The boys ran close behind.
"Get down!" Lucas shouted as he flung himself in a space where a seat should have been. Everyone crouched and stayed quiet as they looked up. Kennedy leaned onto the wall as she brethed heavily.
Dustin sighed as he looked around. "Mental."
Kennedy shakes her head slowly. "I'm so getting fired after this."
Meanwhile, a wounded Steve Harrington sat on the back of his car. His face was bloodied and bruised. "You own mw $1.20." Tommy Hagan said as he handed Steve pain killers and a coke can. Steve didn't say anything as he took the medicine. "Don't worry, he'll need more than asprin when we're done with him."
"Yeah, if the creep ever gets out. The cops should just lock him up forever." Carol Perkins snapped, "Did you see the look on his face?" Carol scrunched her face as she began to light hit Tommy's chest.
Steve didn't say anything, he put the coke can on the side of his face. "He probably had that same look whenever he killed his brother, right?"
"Oh, God, I just got an image of him making that face while he and Kennedy are screwing." Carol said as she laughed.
"Carol, for once in your life, shut your damn mouth!"
The couple looked over in surprise. Steve was staring at the ground, clearly annoyed. "What?"
"Hey, what's your problem, man?" Tommy asked with a frown.
Steve put the can down, turning to look at Tommy and Carol. "You're both assholes. That's my problem." Steve jumped off the car, shoving Tommy back.
"Are you serious right now, man?"
"Yeah, I'm serious. You shouldn't have done that."
"Done what?" Tommy asked as Steve started walking to the front of his car.
"You know what."
Tommy tilted his head. "You mean call Nancy out for what she really is? Oh, that's funny, because I don't remember you asking me to stop." He recalled as he glared at the Harrington.
"I should've put that spray paint right down your throat."
Carol tosses up her hands. "What the hell, Steve?" She snapped in disbelief.
"You know, neither of you ever cared about her. You never even liked her, because she's not miserable like you two." Steve ranted as he looked at the,. "She actually cares about other people."
"The slut with a heart of gold."
Steve pointed at the redhead girl. "I told you to watch your mouth!"
Tommy shoved Steve back into his car. "Hey! I don't know what's gotten into you, man, but you don't talk to her that way." He glared.
"Kennedy is missing." Steve bellowed. He looked between them. He looked at Carol. "Your best friend is missing and you don't even care."
"I care!"
Steve scoffed. "Oh yeah? You didn't care last night when she didn't answer my calls. You said, and I quote, maybe she's having a three-way with them. Kennedy was always been a bit of a sleaze." Carol pursed her lips together tightly. "Didn't you say that? Or was that a fever dream I had?"
Tommy shook his head, "Knock it off, Steve-"
"And you!" Steve pointed at Tommy's chest. "You spent the last two years trying to get Kennedy to sleep with you! And every time she said no you told her you'd tell Carol it was all her!" Carol looked at Tommy with blatant confusion. "And you called her a slutty bitch, right?"
Tommy shoved Steve again. "Keep your mouth shut!"
"Get out of my face." Steve shoved the Hagan boy back.
Tommy grabbed Steve's collar, shoving him into his car. "Or what?" He huffed. "Or what?" Steve tried to push Tommy away from him. "You gonna fight me now, too? Huh? You gonna fight me now, too? Because you couldn't take Jonathan Byers," Tommy looked at Steve's battered face. "So I wouldn't recommend that." As Tommy let Steve go, he watched as the Harrington opened his car door. "Here, let me get the door for you, buddy." Steve slid into his car and shut the door, Tommy slamming it. Steve started the engine, ignoring Tommy's shouts. "That's right. Run away, Stevie boy! Run away! Just like you always do. That Nancy's turning you into a little pussy!" Steve's maroon car sped down the street. "That's right, Harrington, run away!"
༺❀༻
Tons of Hawkins Lab's men came in and out of the Wheeler home. From afar, Jim Hopper watched from binoculars. He and Joyce had returned to the station to find Nancy and Jonathan. The two had been honest about everything. The monster, the other dimension, Kennedy going missing. However, after the boy named Troy came in saying he got his arm broken by a girl with superpowers, and there were reports of a girl with red hair in the woods running around covered in blood, the four of them began to piece things together.
"I have to go home." Nancy Wheeler said.
"No, you can't."
My mom and my dad are there."
Hopper shook his head. "They're gonna be okay." Nancy gritted her teeth as she went to walk around the Chief. Hopper grabbed her arm, pulling her back, "Hey! Listen to me. Listen to me. The last thing in the world we need is them knowing you're mixed up in all this."
"Mike is over there-"
"They haven't found him." Hopper looked up at the sky. "Not yet, at least."
Confused, Nancy followed Hopper's gaze as he pointed up. There, Nancy could see a helicopter swarming the sky. Her jaw dropped as Hopper pulled her back. "For Mike!?"
Nancy and Jonathan sat in the backseat while Joyce and Hopper were in the front. The adults turned. "Look, we need to find them before they do. Do you have any idea where he might have gone?"
"No, I don't," Nancy exclaimed.
"I need you to think."
Nancy sighed as she shook her head, "I don't know. We haven't talked a lot. I mean, lately," The brunette closed her eyes tightly, throwing her head back in frustration.
"Look, is there any place that your parents don't know about that he might go?" Asked Joyce Byers.
Jonathan looked out the window in thought. "I don't know."
"I might." Everyone looked at the Byers teen. "I don't know where he is, but I think I know how to ask him." He informed.
The Byers house was waiting for the group of four. Jonathan ran in first, Nancy close behind. The Wheeler girl stopped to look around. There were Christmas lights everywhere, furniture destroyed, and a hole in the wall that had been boarded up. "Whoa." She whispered as Hopper and Joyce walked past.
Jonathan ran into Will's bedroom, opening drawers as he began to search. Joyce ducked under the desk. "I got it." She called out as she grabbed a walkie-talkie.
Out in the junkyard, Kennedy sat with the group of kids. Nobody talked much, scared if they did the bad men would find them. Kennedy looked out a bus window, looking out at the helicopter in the sky. She wondered what people thought. Kennedy was supposedly missing, at least until Karen saw her. She wondered if Jonathan knew now. Or Nancy, or Steve. She wondered if anyone had called her grandmother yet. Diana was supposed to be home tomorrow.
"Mike, are you there? Mike?"
Everyone looked around in confusion. The faint sound caused Kennedy to sit up straight. "You guys hear that?" Asked Dustin, wondering if he had lost his mind.
"Mike, it's me, Nancy." Everyone began to gather around as Mike grabbed his backpack. He unzipped it, pulling open his walkie-talkie. "Mike, are you there? Answer. Mike, we need you to answer."
Lucas furrowed his brows together. "Is that your sister?"
"This is an emergency, Mike." Nancy's voice came through the radio. Kennedy rose her brows as she thought. "Do you copy? Mike, do you copy?"
Dustin rose a brow. "Okay, this is really weird." He muttered as he sat between Kennedy and Eleven.
Lucas grabbed the walkie-talkie, but Mike snatched it back. "Don't answer."
"She said it was an emergency." Lucas pointed out.
Mike shook his head. "What if it's a trick?"
"It's your sister!"
"What if the bad people kidnapped her? What if they're forcing her to say this?" Mike asked as she gestured to the radio. Nancy spoke again, and Kennedy frowned.
"It's like Lando Calrissian," Dustin said in realization. Everyone looked at the boy with a lisp. "Don't answer."
"We need to know that you're there, Mike."
Kennedy shook her head. "I can't hear anything." She whispered as she tried her hardest to hear other sounds in the background of the radio.
"Listen, kid, this is the chief. If you're there, pick up." Hopper's voice caused the group of five to freeze. "We know you're in trouble, we know about Kennedy, and we know about the girl." The Theroux's eyes widened as she looked over at the kids.
"Why is she with the chief?" Lucas asked.
"How the hell does he know about," Dustin trailed off as he looked at Eleven.
"We can protect you, we can help you, but you gotta pick up. Are you there? Do you copy? Over."
Kennedy shook her head. "We have to answer." She said softly. "They wouldn't let Hopper in on this, there's no way." She explained as she looked at the walkie-talkie. "Answer it."
Mike pursed his lips together as he sighed. He extended the antenna on the walkie-talkie, clicking a button. "Yeah, I copy. It's Mike. I'm here." Mike looked around the group, "We're here."
༺❀༻
"Hey, do you guys think I'd be a good waitress?"
Dustin paced the bus back and forth, Lucas sat on a seat, so did Eleven, and Mike sat on a stool. Kennedy sat in a metal chair, looking at herself in the window reflection. She ran her fingers through her hair as she thought about what jobs she's have to do after this. Maybe a cashier? No, she hated counting money. Maybe a maid? No, too kinky. Maybe a dog sitter? Yeah! Dog sitting would be better than watching kids with superpowers!
"Will you stop pacing?" Snapped Mike as he looked up at the heaving Dustin.
"It's been way too long," Dustin exclaimed. "You know what? Maybe you're right. Maybe this is all a trap and the bad men are coming to get us right now!" He ranted as anxiety flooded his bones.
"It's not a trap. Why would the chief set us up?" Asked Lucas as he held out his hands. "Nancy, maybe, but the chief?"
"Lando Calrissian."
Lucas rolled his eyes. "Would you shut up about Lando?" He snapped.
Dustin continued to pace as he shook his head. "I don't feel good about this. I don't feel good about this!" He exclaimed to the group.
"When do you feel good about anything?"
Kennedy shook her head. "Guys! Car!" The group all looked out the front bus window. They all ran to it, seeing two unfamiliar cars.
"Shit!"
"Go, go, go, go." Kennedy ushered the kids to the back of the bus. Mike and Eleven hid behind the farthest seat, Dustin and Kennedy hid behind the one in front of them, and Lucas was on the other side.
Dustin panted as he looked over at Lucas. "Lando." He said, believing this was a trap after all.
"You think they saw us?" Asked Lucas.
"Both of you, shut up." Mike hissed.
Kennedy swallowed the lump in her throat. "I can take them." She whispered as she craned her neck to look out the window. "Three men in suits? Hell yeah."
Dustin grabbed onto the girl. "I'd like you in here. With us. ALIVE!" He was shushed by Mike and the group all sunk further into their hiding spots. Kennedy closed her eyes tightly, wishing she was anywhere but here.
She wished she was back home. Wearing nothing but socks and one of Jonathan's shirts as she danced around her room, singing Madonna as loudly as possible. She wished she was at school, laughing at something stupid Tommy Hagan said while Carol leaned onto her and Steve stole her food. She wished she was back at that party, and she had done something more to help Barb. She wished she was at the Byers's house, playing a board game with Will while Jonathan took photos.
All of that felt so long ago. Like Kennedy didn't know anything different than running from the government and monsters. Like all she knew what to do now was how to protect these kids. And she'd do it until her dying breath.
The bus door opened, and the kids cowered in fear. Kennedy balled her hands into fists as she inhaled deeply, waiting. She'd get the upper hand. She had to. As she waited for the man to step inside, she paused as someone else came. They slammed the but of their gun into the man in the suit's head, knocking him unconscious. The group all froze as they heard shouts, fighting, grunting, and someone falling. Again. They jumped as something hit the bus and silence. The door creaked and someone stepped inside.
Jim Hopper.
Everyone stood up, looking at him in disbelief. Hopper saw all of them, right where they said they'd be. "Alright, lets go." Everyone stood there, unsure what to do. "Let's go!" Everyone grabbed their bags and ran for the bus door. Kennedy grabbed Eleven's hand as she pulled her along.
Kennedy looked around the outside of the bus. There were unconscious men lying around. She tried not to think too much about it. But all she could think about was what if Hopper was two minutes late? Would she have had to kill those men? Would she have been able to control whatever powers she had unlocked only this morning? The Theroux didn't have time to think about the what-ifs, she realized as she climbed into the passenger seat of Hopper's car. She only had one thing on her mind.
How to stop whatever the hell was going on in Hawkins.
༺❀༻
Nancy Wheeler sat next to the Byers family on the couch. Night had fallen, and silence had surrounded them. They waited for Hopper and the others. They waited, and waited, and waited. What if they were too late? Or what if Hopper couldn't take on whatever he'd be faced with? So many worries flooded each of their minds.
Car lights caused them all to stand up. Joyce ran to the front door with the two teens coming behind her. Jim Hopper stood at his car as Mike and his friends came piling out. "Mike! Oh my, god, Mike!" Nancy exclaimed as she ran to her little brother.
"Kennedy," Jonathan breathed as he jumped off the porch steps. Kennedy sighed in relief as the Byers boy's arms wrapped around her tightly. She closed her eyes, trying to fight back tears. She thought she'd never see him again. She thought she'd never see any of them again. Jonathan's strong scent caused Kennedy to visibly relax. This was it. She liked him and she knew it. But was she going to say anything?
Nancy held Mike by his shoulders. "I was so worried about you!" She scolded.
Mike looked up at his sister, unsure how to react. "Yeah, uh," He scratched his nose awkwardly. "Me too."
Kennedy pulled away from Jonathan, pushing her hair out of her face. "I told you I'm a good babysitter." She joked, trying to make light of the situation. Nancy looked over, walking around Mike to wrap her arms around the Theroux. Kennedy sighed as she hugged Nancy back.
Nancy smiled softly, but stopped as she looked at the girl with the shaved head. She pulled away from Kennedy, everyone following her gaze. Eleven stood there awkwardly as Nancy looked her up and down. "Is that my dress?"
The entire group had ended up in the livingroom. "Okay, so, in this example, we're the acrobat." Explained Mike as he held up a sheet of paper. "Will and Barbara, and that monster, they're this flea." Kennedy sat next to Nancy, listening to the youngest Wheeler. "And this is the Upside Down, where Will is hiding. Mr. Clarke said the only way to get there is through a rip of time and space."
"A gate." Added Dustin.
"That we tracked to Hawkins Lab." Lucas hummed.
Dustin looked over, "With our compasses." Everyone stared at the three boys, unsure. "Okay, so the gate has a really strong electromagnetic field, and that can change the directions of a compass needle."
"Is this gate underground?" Asked Jim Hopper. He sat in a chair, looking at the kids.
"Yes."
Kennedy looked over at Eleven. Hopper spoke up. "Near a large water tank?"
Yes."
Dustin looked at Eleven, then up at the Chief of police. "How do you know all that?" He asked.
Mike looked at the piece of paper on the table. "He's seen it." He affirmed. Kennedy chewed on her lip as she looked over at Hopper again.
"Is there any way that you could," Joyce began to speak to Eleven, "That you could reach Will? That you could talk to him in this—"
"The Upside Down." Eleven finished. Joyce mumbled, nodding her head. Eleven nodded silently, saying yes.
Nancy chimed in, "And my friend Barbara? Can you find her, too?"
Eleven gave a single nod.
Dustin cleared his throat. "But that's not all." He said as everyone looked at him. "Kennedy's a werewolf."
Suddenly, all eyes were on the girl with auburn hair. She scoffed. "I am not a werewolf!" She shouted as she threw up her hands.
"You escaped the lab by clawing the security to death! Sounds like a werewolf!"
Nancy turned to the girl. "Wait, they took you?"
Kennedy shrugged sheepishly. "Yeah, after you guys dropped me off, they were waiting for me." Kennedy explained as everyone looked at her. Kennedy rubbed her hands together. "They said I was supposed to be there, like Eleven. They said I was the only successful subject who got tested with a specific drug." Nancy looked down, watching Kennedy pull up her sleeve.
010.
Nancy's eyes became sad as she felt sympathy for her friend. She reached over and locked her fingers with the auburn-haired girls. Kennedy swallowed the lump in her throat as she recalled what happened only hours ago. "I don't know what happened. I...I snapped, and," Kennedy's eyes met Hoppers as her mouth hung open. "I killed them."
Eleven sat in front of the photo Jonathan took of Barb and the static of the walkie-talkie. Everyone stood around the Byers kitchen table, watching anxiously. Kennedy kept an arm linked with Nancy, watching. Things felt different now. After Kennedy confessed what had happened, she could feel that something was off. Other than the kids, Joyce, Hopper, Nancy, and even Jonathan looked at Kennedy differently. Jonathan hadn't really looked at Kennedy since she confessed what had happened in the laboratory.
That wasn't Kennedy's fault. Jonathan knew he was avoiding her gaze and her touch. It wasn't only because he was letting the fact she was no longer the same Kennedy he knew a few days ago sink in, but it was something else. A feeling had sparked within him and he didn't know what to do about it. He felt guilty, like this was his fault.
He had fallen in love with Nancy Wheeler.
He couldn't pin point exactly when this happened. After all, he always thought maybe he would have a chance with Kennedy. But something changed after the night Will disappeared. Something within him, and something within his relationship with Kennedy. Maybe that made him a bad person, he didn't know. He just couldn't quite piece together what he was feeling anymore. That terrified him. It made him angry.
The lights above the dining table flickered before Eleven opened her eyes. The brown color held sadness within them as she spoke. "I'm sorry."
Jonathans hand was on his mom's shoulder. Joyce rose a brow, "What? What happened?" She asked softly.
Kennedy stood up straight as she saw Eleven's face. "I can't find them." The little girl whimpered out. Jonathan turned away from the group and it was evident everyone was disappointed.
The auburn-haired girl walked around the able to the obviously distraught girl. "Hey, let's get you washed up, alright?" Kennedy whispered softly. Everyone was silent as Kennedy lead the girl wearing the dirty pink dress to the bathroom down the hall.
Eleven couldn't stop the tears from rolling down her face when Kennedy closed the bathroom door. Kennedy sighed as she kneeled to the ground. "I'm sorry." Was all Eleven could whisper. Kennedy clicked her tongue and shook her head as she pulled the young girl into her arms
"You did amazing, El." She reassured the crying girl. Her hand raked over Eleven's buzzed hair. "You've done so much today. I mean, you flipped a van with your mind. That was pretty cool, huh?" Kennedy could feel Eleven have a small chuckle as she hugged the Theroux. "And you saved Mike and Dustin from those mouth breathers, right?" Eleven nodded. "You just need some time. A break."
"I need to find-"
Kennedy nodded as she pulled away from Eleven. "And you will. We will," She told her. Eleven clamped her mouth shut, pressing her lips together tightly. "But we need to make sure you're better first." Eleven looked over Kennedy's shoulder, looking a the Byers bathtub.
"Whenever she uses her powers, she gets weak." Mike Wheeler explained to the adults and teens.
"The more energy she uses, the more tired she gets." Dustin Henderson added.
Lucas nodded in thought, "Like, she flipped the van earlier." He recalled to just a little while ago.
"It was awesome."
"But she's drained." Mike pointed out as he looked over at Joyce.
"Like a bad battery."
Joyce stuttered as she tried to process everything. "Well, how do we make her better?" She asked the boys.
Mike shrugged his shoulders. "We don't. We just have to wait and try again." He informed the mother of two.
"Well, how long?" Nancy asked a she leaned forwards. Mike shrugged his shoulders again, he didn't have an answer because he had no idea.
"The bath."
Everyone turned around to see Eleven standing there, Kennedy close behind. Joyce leaned onto the back of her chair. "What?"
Eleven looked back at Kennedy, who gave her a reassuring nod. Eleven looked around the group, "I can find them." She affirmed, looking at Joyce. "In the bath."
Kennedy speaks up. "We need a sense deprivation tank. Or, we need to make one." She explained as she stepped into the kitchen. "That way she can hone in on her powers and then maybe she'd be able to find Will and Barb." Kennedy looked around the group, noticing Jonathan wouldn't make eye contact with her.
"Okay, but how do we do that?" Nancy asked, her arms resting on the dining table.
The three pre-teen boys shared looks. "We have an idea."
༺❀༻
At this point, Mr. Clarke should be part of this club they have going on.
Dustin called his science teacher and got all of the information they needed on how to make a sense deprivation tank. The one thing they needed? Salt. And a lot of it. At first, nobody had any idea what to do, until Jim Hopper remembered the de-icing salt at Hawkins Middle School.
So, Hopper and Jonathan grabbed the ice, Dustin and Lucas set up the pool in the school gym, and the Wheeler siblings grabbed as many hoses as they could from the storage. Kennedy was with Joyce and Eleven in a science classroom.
To get rid of sight, Joyce found a pair of goggles and began to wrap them in duct tape. "This will keep it dark for you," Joyce explained as she did so. "Just like in your bathtub." Kennedy looked over at Eleven, who nodded softly. Joyce thought about everything this little girl had gone through. The torture and the emotional trauma she must have been put through tested on like some rat in a cage. Joyce sighed, "You're a very brave girl. You know that, don't you?" Kennedy pursed her lips together, leaning on a counter. Eleven looked away, not so sure she believed what Joyce was saying. "Everything you're doing for my boy, for Will," Joyce shook her head and shrugged, "For my family," Joyce sniffled as she tried her hardest to hold back tears. "Thank you." Eleven didn't speak. She gave a small sad closed mouth smile. Joyce grabbed the girl's hands, "Listen. Kenny and I are gonna be there with you the whole time. And if it ever gets too scary in that place, you just let us know, okay?"
Eleven looked over at Kennedy. The girl with auburn hair gave a small smile. She wanted Eleven to know everything would be alright. No matter what happened. Eleven looked back at Joyce. "Yes." She whispered.
Kennedy walked over, standing in front of Eleven as she held out her hand. "Ready?" There was a shaky breath from Eleven as she sat up. She looked at the hand in front of her, looking up at Kennedy one more time.
"Ready."
Kennedy was silent. She watched as Eleven pulled off her socks, handed Mike the watch on her wrist, and took the blacked-out goggles from Joyce. Kennedy wished she could do this for Eleven, but she didn't even know if she could.
Everyone circled the pool as Eleven floated in it. The cold salt water surrounds the girl. Almost instantly, the lights above them began to flash. It was only a moment before the gymnasium went dark completely. Kennedy sat next to Joyce, looking down at Eleven.
Kennedy tried to imagine what Eleven felt like, but she couldn't. She couldn't begin to fathom what Eleven could possibly be going through. She had dealt with the lab for a few hours, Eleven had been dealing with them for twelve years.
"Barbara?"
Nancy tensed up at the sound of her friend's name. Had she found her? Had Eleven found Barb? Kennedy watched as Eleven's breathing quickened. Kennedy could hear Eleven's heartbeat speeding up. Kennedy tilted her head as the lights around them began to flash.
"What's going on?" Nancy asked, looking at the boys.
"I don't know." Said Mike.
Nancy looked over. "Is Barb okay? Is she okay?" She asked the girl with powers. Kennedy felt her heart sink as Eleven's heart beat even faster. Eleven shook her head multiple times.
"Gone. Gone. Gone."
Kennedy was frozen as Nancy covered her mouth. Joyce tried to soothe Eleven, who continued to shout over and over again. "Hey, it's okay," Joyce cooed. Kennedy felt tears roll down her face as she reached for Eleven's hand in the pool. "It's okay, we're right here. We're right here, honey."
Wherever Eleven was, Kennedy knew she could hear Joyce. Eleven's breathing slowed and so did her heartbeat. Eleven visibly relaxed, letting go of Kennedy's hand. Kennedy looked up at Hopper, who was only a few feet away from her. He waited.
"Castle Byers."
Joyce looked at Jonathan in shock. Kennedy swallowed the nervous lump in her throat. Was Will alive? What if he was? What if he wasn't? Kennedy wanted to throw up as she thought of any and all possibilities.
"Will?"
Joyce gasped. Everyone mouths hung open, silence in the air as they waited for something. Joyce spoke up, "You tell him, tell him I'm coming." Joyce told Eleven. "Mom is coming."
Kennedy felt tears roll down her cheeks as she thought about the boy. How scared he must be. How confused. "Your mom, she's coming for you," Eleven said softly. Kennedy slowly looked up, waiting.
"Hurry,"
The voice came from the radio. It was Will. Kennedy let out a breath as Joyce continued to talk. "Okay. listen, you tell him to stay where he is." Joyce told Eleven. "We're coming. We're coming, okay? We're coming, honey."
Kennedy looked at Eleven as she reached for the little girls hand. Eleven's heart quickened it's pace and the girls breathing became ragged. The radio began to make sounds, whimpering of sorts. Suddenly, Eleven shot up, ripping the goggles off. Joyce wrapped her arms around the little girl and Kennedy wiped the tears from her face. Eleven cried as she felt Joyce comforting her. Nancy stared at the pool in shock, realizing that her best friend was dead.
༺❀༻
Kennedy stood with Jonathan outside of the Gym in the hallway. Eleven was being wrapped in towels and Nancy had excused herself. "Hey," Kennedy whispered, causing the boy to look at her. Kennedy chewed on her lip as she tried to sort out her thoughts. "Did I do something?"
"What?"
"You've been acting weird ever since I came back," Kennedy said softly as she looked at the Byers. "I thought maybe it was the Will stuff or even the lab, but," The Theroux bit her lip again, sighing as she blurted it out. "I like you, Jonathan." The boy's face paled, but Kennedy didn't notice. "And I know this really isn't the time, but I really like you and I don't know if we're gonna survive the night but if we do," Kennedy looked up. "I want you to know that I like you way more than I said I did."
Jonathan didn't know what to say. What was he supposed to say? He felt like he wanted to barf with anxiety. The girl waited for a response. Perhaps a I like you too, or even a kiss. But neither of those came. Her nervous smile fell into a solemn frown as Jonathan inhaled deeply.
"Kenny," The Byers trailed off. "You have been the only person in town to ever treat me like a real human being. And you're the first girl that I ever liked, the first girl I ever fell for." Kennedy felt her heart race for a moment. Jonathan didn't respond to her eyes lighting up. "But I can't. I'm sorry."
Jonathan began to walk away, heading towards the gym. "What did I do?" She called out. Jonathan stopped, turning to Kennedy. "What did I do wrong?"
He turned back towards her, shaking his head quickly. "Kennedy, you didn't do anything." He said as he began walking over. "You are the most amazing person in Hawkins. You're beautiful, you're smart, and you're extremely talented, and brave, and the most loyal person I've ever met." Jonathan listed off as he watched her eyes glaze with tears. "But after everything, I can't go there with you."
Realization struck through Kennedy. Jonathan had a love for Kennedy, she knew that. But Kennedy Theroux would forever be tied to the night Will disappeared in Jonathan's mind. While Will ran for his life from this monster, Jonathan was spending his time with Kennedy. He had chosen a girl over his brother. In a way, Jonathan blamed himself more than anything, but no matter what he would never be able to erase that fact from his mind.
"I'm sorry."
Kennedy felt the hot tears rolling down her face as Jonathan Byers walked away. The world became shades of gray and she looked at the ground. Confession? Kennedy had never been rejected before. Usually, she didn't have to be the one to push first because she had people at her feet at all times. Is this what it felt like? Cause it really sucked.
She sniffled as she wiped her eyes. She sucked in a breath as she looked around. Her mind was racing, she wanted to throw up.
Kennedy let out a scream of frustration as she flung her fist at the wall. The boys in the gym jumped at the sound of the gym shaking. They all shared looks, knowing it had to have been Kennedy.
She sunk to the ground, her hand covered in blood and obviously broken. The hole in the wall was evidence of that. She looked up at the sight of someone. Nancy Wheeler. Kennedy scrunched her face as she turned to her knees, trying to fight back tears. The Wheeler, who was unsure of Jonathan's feelings towards her, pursed her lips as she rushed over, pulling the Theroux into her arms.
The two girls cried. A mixture of emotions flooded them. They missed Barb and Will. They missed the days when they only had to worry about Carol Perkins being a bitch. Nothing was the same anymore, and they knew it.
When Jonathan Byers came back inside from saying goodbye to his mom and Hopper, he saw both girls sitting on the ground. He moved, sitting on the other side of Nancy. Kennedy didn't look at him anymore. No, she stared at her bloodied hand that had already healed.
"We have to go back to the station."
Jonathan and Kennedy looked at Nancy. "What?"
Nancy was hugging her knees. "Your mom and Hopper are just walking in there like bait." She explained, looking at the tiled floor. "That thing is still in there. And we can't just sit here and let it get them, too. We can't." Nancy's voice was soft and ragged. She was done. She was done losing people and she was done with this monster ruining their lives.
"You still wanna try it out?"
Kennedy looked over at Jonathan and Nancy in confusion. Nancy spoke. "I wanna finish what we started." She said as she looked up at Jonathan, a vengeful look in her sad eyes. "I want to kill it."
The two teens looked over at Kennedy. The girl let out a sigh as she looked up at the ceiling. "Well, at least we have a bit of an advantage now." Nancy and Jonathan frowned in confusion. Kennedy waved her hand, claws replacing her nails in front of Nancy and Jonathan's eyes. The Theroux smirked as she looked over. "Like the new manicure?"
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