Cyndi's pov- "I guess things went okay then huh?", I smile. "Better than that. I have you. I don't care if she likes it or not." I hug him tightly wrapping arms around his neck. He kisses the side of my head still holding me.
We watch the rest of them drive away leaving Steve and I with Max, Dustin, Lucas, and Mike who is teary eyed worried about El. I put my hand on his shoulder. "She'll be okay. She's fought worse remember?" He nods turning to go inside with the rest of us.
I stay in the living room for a second to make sure everyones okay. I notice Steve and Dustin aren't anywhere to be seen. Knowing both of them they're probably doing something stupid. I walk into the kitchen to see them shoving a demo dog in the fridge. "Ew ew ew.", I hear Steve grumble. I hold back my laugh.
I hear glass in the other room. "Hey hey whoa let me do that I don't want you guys getting hurt." "Cyndi it's just sweeping glass.", Lucas says. "I don't care I'm keeping you guys safe even if it's from a cut on the finger." Max rolls her eyes and hands me the dust pan. "Don't roll your eyes at me young lady.", I warn genuinely not meaning it. She sticks her tongue out at me. I do the same as we both start laughing.
Mike's still pacing the floor. I share a glance with Steve both of us feeling sorry for him. "Mike would you just stop already?", Lucas starts to snap. "You weren't in there okay Lucas? That lab is swarming with hundreds of those dogs." "Demo dogs!", Dustin yells from the kitchen. "The chief will take care of her." "Like she needs protection.", Max murmurs.
Steve starts talking. "Listen dude, a coach calls a play in a game bottom line, you execute it all right?" "Okay first of all this isn't some stupid sports game. AND SECOND we're not even in the game we're on the bench." "So my point is...right yeah we're on the bench so uh there's nothing we can do."
"That's not entirely true.", Dustin says, "I mean these demo dogs, they have a hive mind. When they ran away from the bus they were called away." "So if we get their attention.." "Maybe we can draw them from the lab." "Clear a path to the gate." "Yeah then we all die!", Steve says clearly not on board with the kids plan. Honestly I don't blame him this whole stop the demo dogs plan doesn't seem very promising. "Thats one point of view." "No, that's not a point of view man that's a fact." "I got it!", Mike exclaims running to the walls of Will's drawings. "This is where the chief dug his hole this is our way into the tunnel. So.. here right here this is like a hub. So you got all the tunnels feeding in here. Maybe if we set this thing on fire." "Oh yeah that's a no.", Steve declines. "The mind flayer would call away his army." "They'd all come to stop us." "Hey!", Steve raises his voice some. "We circle back to the exit." "Guys.", I say. "By the time they realize we're gone." "El would be at the gate." "HEY HEY HEY THIS IS NOT HAPPENING!", Steve yells. "But-" "No no no no no no buts. We promised we'd keep you sh!theads safe and that's exactly what we plan on doing. We're staying here ON THE BENCH and we're waiting for the starting team to do their job does everybody understand?"
"This isn't a stupid sports game." "I said does everybody understand that? I need a yes."
"Cyndi?", they all turn to me. "I'm with Steve on this one guys. This plan isn't very promising we can't just risk our lives right now." We hear an engine revving. All of us turn to look at window. Max runs closer to it. "It's my brother. He can't know I'm here. He'll kill me. He'll kill us."
Steve looks at me. "Billy?", he mouths. I nod. "Sh!t. Okay I'll take care of this stay inside all of you. AWAY from the windows.", Steve says going outside. Max practically clings to my side. "It'll be okay. Steve will take care of him.", I say. "No you don't know my brother he'll kill him." Her voice is shaky and scared. she wasnt the only one.
"Stay here okay. Your brother happens to have a crush on me. If any of us can get through to him it's me." I walk outside. "Am I dreaming or is that you Harrington?" "Yeah it's me don't cream your pants." "And who do we have here? Miss Cyndi Henderson." Steve whips his head around. "What are you doing? You're supposed to stay inside!" "Hate to break it to you Steve if any of us are gonna get through to this asshole it's gonna be me." Steve's nervous look at me switches when he turns to face Billy.
"What are you doing here amigo?", Billy asks. "I could ask you the same thing...amigo." "Looking for my stepsister. A little birdie told me she was here." "Huh that's weird I don't know her." "Small? Redhead? Bit of a bitch." "Doesn't ring a bell sorry buddy." "We don't know her. We'll let you know if we see her.", I say. Billy takes his cigarette from his mouth. "You know I don't know, this...this whole situation..I don't know. It's giving me the heebie jeebies." "Why's that tough guy?", I ask. "My 13 year old sister goes missing all day and then I find her with you guys in a strangers house...and you lie to me about it."
Steve chuckles nervously. Neither of us look back. "Man were you dropped too much as a child or what? I don't know what you don't understand about what we just said she's not here." I know this is definitely the worst time but hearing him talk like that gives me butterflies. "Then who is that?", Billy asks motioning towards the window. "Sh!t.", I mutter. "Listen-", Steve starts before Billy punches Steve in the gut causing him to fall. "I told you to plant your feet." He kicks him this time. "Hey leave him alone asshole!", I yell.
Billy grabs my hair. "You know Henderson I don't know where this attitude came from but it's making me really start to hate you." I spit in his face. "good." He throws me against the ground next to Steve. "Are you okay?", I ask. "Go to the kids.", he groans still holding his stomach. I hesitate but end up running after Billy into the house.
When I walk in Billy is holding Lucas up against the wall. I stomp over and grab his hair this time. "LEAVE HIM ALONE!" I scream punching him in the nose. "I didn't think you had it in you Henderson.", he laughs before slamming me up against the same wall he had Lucas on. "CYNDI!", the kids scream. "Get off of me Hargrove." "What was that princess?" "I SAID GET OFF OF ME!", I knee him in the groin he releases his grip on my shoulders and holds himself in pain for a minute. "YOU ARE SO DEAD CYNDI HENDERSON SO DEAD!" He starts to throw a punch at me when Steve grabs his shoulder. "No. You are!", he punches him square in the face.
"Steve!", Max exclaims. Billy starts laughing "Looks like you got some fire in you after all huh? I've been waiting to meet this King Steve everybody's been telling me so much about." "Get out.", Steve flares.
A moment of silence before Billy throws a punch at Steve missing the first time. The two continue to go at it. "KICK HIS ASS STEVE!!", Dustin yells followed by Mike yelling "Get him!" "MURDER THAT SON OF A BITCH!" Billy takes a plate from the dishes. "STEVE WATCH OUT!", I yell a little too late. "BILLY!" The fight continues. Steve clearly losing at this point. Billy gets him to floor. Throwing punch after punch to his face. "BILLY STOP YOU'RE GONNA KILL HIM!!", I scream. Max shoves us out of the way with something in her hand. A needle. She sticks the needle in Billy's neck. "The Hell is this?", he asks Max, "you little sh!t what did you do?" He falls to the floor. Max see's Steve's bat and walks over to her brother. "From here on out you leave me and my friends alone. Do you understand?" "Screw you." She slams the bat down. "SAY YOU UNDERSTAND! SAY IT! SAY IT!" "I understand." "What?" "I understand.", he mumbles before passing out.
I run over to Steve who's also unconscious. "Steve. Steve wake up!", I cry shaking him. Max grabs keys out of Billys pocket. "Lets go." "Whoa whoa whoa. Not a chance." "We have to leave before my stupid brother wakes up." "we can't leave Steve here." "Who says we're leaving him. I can drive." "Um no no you're not." "No really my dad taught me how back in California. Steve will need you when he wakes up. You gotta trust me here." I hesitate. I can not spend getaway time arguing with a 13 year old. "Fine. One time. No reckless driving understand? And remember I didn't let you do this." "YES! WE ALWAYS KNEW YOU WERE THE COOL PARENT!!", Dustin exclaims. "What?" "You know cause you and Steve are like the babysitters and he's like our mom and you're our dad." "Why's he the mom?" "Because he says no to every idea we have." "I would say no if it weren't for him right here waking up any minute able to kill all of us." "Okay Cyndi now is not the time to argue what role in the family you have. Because as you said Mr. Billy here could wake up at any given moment and potentially kill us all."
The kids help me get Steve in the car which is a harder task than it looks. Every ounce of his body is pure muscle which is way heavier than fat. I get in the back with him holding his head in my lap.
"Okay Max hands 10 and 2 keep your eyes on the road at all times try not to go over the speed limit okay?" She gives me a thumbs up as she starts the car.
I comb my fingers through Steve's hair. His face bloody and swollen. I pick one of his hands up to see his knuckles bloody as well. I rub my thumb on his hand gently drawing little shapes in his palm. "You really love him huh?", my brother says. "I'd be lying if I said I hadn't always." "You owe me money for this." "Are you serious?" "Hey a bets a bet." I roll my eyes. "Remind me when we get home." He grins giving me an ice pack for Steves head.
A bit later Steve starts to stir. He looks to Mike first. "Nancy?" Mike gives him a judgmental look. Steve starts to touch his face when Dustin grabs his hand. "No no no don't touch it. Hey buddy shh it's okay you put up a good fight. He kicked your ass but you put up a good fight." "Dustin.", I start. "Cyndi?" "Yeah?" "My face hurts.", he mumbles. "I know I know. But you did good.", I reply combing his hair with my fingers carefully. "Then you're gonna make a left on mount Sainal.", Lucas says to Max. "What's going on?" When he sees Max driving he starts to move a little more. "Just relax she's driven before." "Yeah in a parking lot.", Mike says. "WHAT?!", I exclaim. Steve flinches. "Sorry.", I whisper to him. "Max you said you knew how to drive." "I do.", she replies, "I haven't crashed have I?" "No but you lied to me." "I didn't lie I know how to drive that's what I told you." "Stop the car. Slow down!', Steve starts yelling. "I told you he'd freak out!" "STOP THE CAR!" "EVERYBODY SHUT UP! I'M TRYING TO FOCUS!" "MAKE A LEFT!!" Max whips the wheel taking out a mailbox all of us screaming. Steve holding onto my waist screaming into my shirt like his life depends on it and in all honesty it kinda does. Max pulls over stopping the car sharply. "Hello!", I yelp. "Told you. Zoomer."
The kids start to get out of the car. "Steve. you gotta let go. Kids are gonna get theirselves killed." He starts to losen up to where I can wriggle out of his grasp and get out of the car. He follows wincing in pain. "Jeez your face is really swollen.", Max says.
"Wait where do you think you guys are going? hello? are you deaf?" "Steve." he looks at me. "They know what they're doing." "I thought you were on my side." "I was and still kinda am but we don't have anywhere to keep them put now."
I start to put on the gear. "Cyndi?", Steve starts. "Yeah?" "Just in case we die I want to ask you this before we go into that death trap. You know how I said I was crazy about you? Well I really mean it and wanted to ask you if you wanted to officially be my girlfriend?" I stare at him for a second. "You know what? it's okay. that was stupid I-" I cut him off by placing a kiss on his lips. "I'd love to be your girlfriend Steve." he gives me a smile. clear his face is still killing him. "Hey lovebirds stop dilly dalling we have some demo dogs to kill!", Dustin hollers at us. "You heard him Harrington we got some demo dogs to kill."
We climb the rope down the kids already leading the way. "I'm pretty sure it's this way!", Mike yells. "Pretty sure?" "I'm 100% sure. Just follow me and you'll know!" "Whoa whoa whoa hey hey hey hey I don't think so" "What?" "Any of you little shits die down here Cyndi and I are getting the blame got it dipshit? from here on out I'm leading the way come on lets go!" "We should've left him home.", Max grumbles. "And let your brother kill him when he wakes up? absolutely not.", Dustin replies to her.
"HEY A LITTLE HUSTLE!", Steve yells from the front. We keep moving when we hear Dustin scream. "AHHHH SHIT SHIT HELP HELP HElP" I run back to him Steve close behind. "What what happened?", I ask. "IT'S IN MY MOUTH SOME GOT ON MY MOUTH SHIT" He keeps coughing but then gets up. "I'm okay.", he says. "Damn it Dustin you scared the shit out of me.", I say slapping his shoulder.
We continue on our little journey. "Alright Wheeler I think we found your little hub.", Steve says. "Drench it.", Mike commands. We pour and spray gasoline all around. We stand back to our exit. "Alright you guys ready?", Steve asks. "ready.", we all say. He flicks the lighter. "We're in such deep sh!t" He throws the lighter the little tunnel going up in flames.
"LETS GO LETS GO!", Steve and I both yell pushing the kids. "THIS WAY THIS WAY!!" "HELP HELP!", Mike yells. I turn aroun running back to him. A vine pulling his ankle. "STEVE YOUR BAT!", I yell trying to pull Mike up. He hits the vine/snake thing with his bat it eventually releases allowing us to pull Mike up and start to continue running when we come face to face with a demo dog.
"Dart.", Dustin starts stepping towards ir. "DUSTIN GET BACK!", we start yelling. I grab his wrist. "Trust me please.", he says, "Hey it's me, it's your friend. It's Dustin. You remember me? Will you let us pass?" Dart snarls. I jump close to Steve who puts his arm around me instinctively. "Okay okay, I'm sorry. I'm sorry about the storm cellar that was a pretty douchy thing to do. you hungry? yeah?" "Is he insane?", Lucas whispers. "Shush.", we all say Max slapping his chest. "I've got our favorite. See? Nougat." Dart grunts Steve and I both flinch a little. Dustin breaks off pieces for him. "eat up buddy." he motions his hand for us to walk by. We walk quickly and quietly by Dart. "there's plenty I got more.", he says breaking off more. "Goodbye buddy."
We continue to our exit rope when the ground and walls start to rumble followed by roaring monsters."what was that?", Max asks. "They're coming...RUN!', Mike yells. We all take off as fast as we can to the rope. Steve and I help each kid up the ladder it's down to him me and Dustin. "HURRY DUSTIN!!", I yell the growling growing closer. Steve pushes him up. "Okay Cyndi you're up.", he says. "What no you're going." "Cyndi Nicole Henderson I swear to god get your ass up that rope you ARE NOT dying down here!" A close growl comes by. We whip our heads around to see shadows. Steve grabs his bat pushing me behind him. "GUYS COME ON!", the kids yell. The demo dogs charge at us. "AHH!", Steve and I both scream. he holds his arms around me trying to shield me from the demo dogs that run by us. "eleven."
Steve and I climb up the rope before Dustin tackles me to the ground with a hug. "I thought you were dead. you're so stupid go first don't wait on Steve I don't care how much you love him you're my big sister I can't live without you." I ruffle his hair laughing underneath him. "I'm not going anywhere idiot." He gets off of me and reaches his hand out to pull me up.
When I get to my feet the car light starts to shine brighter we all shield our eyes. The plans actually working. The light dims. It's over right. "Holy shit we did it.", I mumble. "WE DID IT!", we all yell. Steve wraps me in his arms in a really tight hug.
"Listen to your brother. I don't care how much you love me if we're ever in a life threatening situation again. You're getting to safety first. You're such an idiot." I laugh again. I pull back away from his hug when he kisses me. "Get a room!", my brother yells making us break the kiss with laughter before kissing each other again.
AN- the end of yet another chapter. i hope you all have enjoyed the story!