Trigger Warning : Physical abuse.
El and Mike met at the middle of the room in an embrace. Both of them crying.
"Is that?" Max looked up at Charlie who nodded. His own eyes filled with tears.
"I never gave upon you. I called you every night. Every night for..."
El finished for him. "353 days. I heard."
"Why didn't you say anything? That you were okay?" Mike asked, confused.
"Because I wouldn't let her." Hopper spoke for El, who had came forward hugged Charlie.
"What the hell is this? Where have you been?"
Hopper asked.
"Where have you been?" El retorted.
"You've been hiding her." Mike said angrily.
While him and Hopper refrained to another room to talk, Charlie kneeled in front of El.
"Are you okay? Where did you go?" Charlie asked, scanning her face and wiping the blood under her nose.
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have left." She hugged him again. Charlie winced a little but hugged her back.
"It's okay. I should've been there."
They pulled back back and El trcae over Charlie's injured shoulder.
"It's fine, I'm fine." He told her.
"I missed you."
"I missed you too." The two smiled happily, finally able to be with each other again.
"Who is that?" Steve asked Charlie and he replied simply with
"My sister. Eleven."
El went to hug Dustin and Lucas and rudely ignored Max. Charlie smiled apologetically at her and placed a hand on her shoulder. El then hugged Joyce and asked if she could see Will and she took Charlie with her.
Will was lying motionless on his bed. The windows were open and cold air was blowing in. Joyce sat at the edge of the bed and El and Charlie stood near it.
"He's not doing well." said Joyce.
"I know." El glanced at Charlie.
"I saw him. And I saw you, that's why I came back." She told him. Charlie managed a weak smile.
"What else did you see?" Joyce asked and El led them to the table where the Morse code translation was.
Close Gate
"You opened this gate before, right? So can you close it too?" Joyce asked her.
El looked at Charlie, who was already looking at her. She gave him a reassuring nod.
They gathered around the table.
"Look it's not like before, it has grown. And that place is swarming with those dogs." Hopper explained.
"Demodogs." Dustin interrupted and Charlie ran a hand through his hair.
"What?"
"I said..uh..demodogs. Demogorgon and dogs. It sounds pretty badass."
"How is that important now?" Hopper asked, exasperated.
"It's not. I'm sorry." Dustin looked down. Charlie shook his head.
"I can do it." El said.
"You're not hearing me." Hopper disagreed.
"I'm hearing you. I can do it."
"Even if El can there's another problem. If the brain dies, the body dies." Mike said, and Charlie realized what he was getting on
"I thought that was the point." Max said.
"Yeah but if closing the gate kills the army, will is part of the army." Charlie looked at Mike.
"Closing the gar will kill him." Lucas added.
"And possibly Charlie." Dustin suggested. Hopper and El looked at Charlie who seemed least worried about himself.
Steve's was on Charlie's back again. Charlie looked at him and have a reassuring smile.
"I don't think, I'm a part of his army anymore. I can't feel him." Charlie said. "We just have to figure out how to save Will."
Joyce went to Will's room.
"He likes it cold. That's what will kept saying to me." Joyce went to the window and closed it.
"We've been hiving it exactly what it wants."
"So if it's a virus and Will is the host..." Nancy started.
"We have to make the host uninhabitable." Jonath finished.
"And if he likes it cold..."
"We'll have burn it out of him." Joyce looked at Charlie. The chances that it would hurt him too were high. The Hopper nodded in approval and said
"Only this time, we'll have to do it somewhere he has no idea where he is."
Hopper carried will, wrapped in a blanket, to Joyce's car. And Joyce and Jonathan got in. Hopper gave him instructions on where to go and on what channel he could reach him. Nancy was staying behind he, Charlie and Steve wandered about all the stuff taken out of the shed.
"You should go with him." Charlie said to Nancy.
"No I can't leave Mike."
"No one's leaving anyone, we'll watch the kids." Steve shrugged. Nancy raised an eye brow at the use of 'we'.
"Go on, Nance." Charlie told her.
"Okay...Just take care of yourself. Both of you." She said and walked to Jonathan's car.
Charlie walked to where his dad and El were.
"Alright, you guys ready?" He asked.
"Do we have a choice?" Hopper asked and Charlie shrugged.
"Be careful." Charlie said to his dad.
El hugged him and he kissed the top of her head.
"I will see you soon." She said and Charlie nodded. He walked back to the house and stood there with the others watching the two cars drive off.
Max held Charlie's wrist and he wiped blinked away his tears and looked at her. He passed her a smile and they all went inside the house. Mike seemed distraught. Charlie walked and sat near the boy.
"Look bud, I know you're mad at me for...hiding El. But we had to. You could hate me for it and I won't blame you." Mike looked up and shook his head.
"I don't hate you. Of course I don't hate you. You wanted to protect but... It sucks that she was there the whole and I couldn't see her. Though I know you had not her choice." Mike looked down again.
"She will be fine. They'll both be fine." Charlie patted his back and got up.
He felt dull pain in his head again and teh inaudible whisper that had almost vanished a few hours ago. He gulped, pushed down the dread in his gut went to the kitchen.
Steve and Dustin were trying to squeeze in a dead demogorgon into the fridge. All its content was on the floor. Charlie stifled a laugh and watched the boys struggle to close the fridge.
Once they did, Steve turned around and Charlie's face contorted in disgust. He took a washcloth and wiped the saliva of the creature from Steve's shirt.
"Thanks." Steve muttered.
"Most welcome."
Steve was about to speak when they heard Lucas and Mike yelling from the living room.
The three of them walked into the living room.
"The chief will take of her." Lucas said.
Max scoffed "As if she needs anyone to take care of her."
"Look a couch calls the game and you execute it, alright?" Steve through the towel on his shoulder and said.
"First of all this isn't some stupid sports game and secondly, we're not even on the game. We're on the bench." Mike said loudly.
"That's the point... We're on the bench.." Steve began and looked at Charlie who was frowning.
"We can't do anything." he stuttered out.
"That's not entirely true." Dustin said and Charlie turned to him.
"I mean if the demodogs have a hive nind, then in the park they were called off."
"So if we can call them off again.."
"we can keep them away from the gate"
"And Eleven can close the gate." Charlie concluded.
"An then we all die." Steve said loudly.
"That's one point of view." Dustin said.
Charlie promptly ignored them and went to the other room.
"Mike, is this were my dad dug the hole?"
Mike nodded. They both then came to the living room and reat followed them.
"And this is the hub, see it connects the rest of the tunnels." Mike explained.
"So if we set it on fire." Charlie suggested.
"Yeah, that's a no." They collectively ignored Steve
"The mind flayer will call off his army to stop us."
"And El can reach the gate."
"Hey hey hey!" Steve clapped his hands.
"This isn't happening."
"But Steve?" Charlie was immediately shushed by Steve.
"No, no buts. I'm not going to throw you to those things again, alright?" he said, his face softening.
"And you shot heads, I promised to keep you safe. So we stay on the bench and we wait for the starting team to do their job. Is that understood?"
Charlie looked away. He felt blood dripping from his nose. He immediately walked away from the others and wiped his nose with the sleeve of his shirt. The ringing in his ears got louder, something was wrong, he knew it.
A car engine roaring got their attention. Charlie would recognize that sound anywhere. Max and Lucas ran to the window and Charlie followed them.
"It's my brother. If he sees me here, he'll kill me. He'll kill us."
Max said, looking more scared than when they were fighting demodogs.
Charlie squeezed his eyes shut, to regain his balance and looked at Steve.
"I will talk yo him. Stay here and stay away from the window."
He instructed and went outside despite Steve's protests. He wiped his nose once again, as it was still bleeding.
"Billy." Charlie said mock cheerfully as he stepped out of the door. Billy looked surprised at first but he regained his composture immediately.
"Charlie Hopper. Fancy seeing you here."
"Could say the same about you."
Billy laughed. Not the charming, lively laugh, Charlie loved so much. This one was cold and fake.
"I didn't see you after our little encounter the other day. Have to say Harrington didn't look very pleased to see you get into my car."
Charlie frowned. As if on cue, Steve stepped out of the door, next to Charlie. Something sinister passed on Billy's face.
"Am I dreaming or is that you Harrington?" Billy asked, using the same tone Charlie had used to greet him.
"Yeah it's me, don't cream you pants." Steve said, looking bored. Charlie bit down a smirk.
Steve walked towards Billy and the blonde also took a few steps forward. Charlie hesitated at the door.
"I'm looking for step sister, Max. Charlie knows her. She's small, redhead, bit of a bitch."
Charlie's fist clenched when Billy said that.
"You know this whole situation..." Billy sid, blowing out smoke "it's giving me the heeby jeebies."
"My sister goes missing all day and then I find her with you and Charlie Hopper of all people, in a stranger's house."
"You were dropped way too many times as a kid. She's not here."
"Then who is that?" Billy pointed his cigarette at the window. Charlie's and Steve's heads snap towards the window, as four little head disappear from there. Charlie cursed under his breathe, before he could register, Billy had tackled and kicked Steve to the ground. Charlie stepped down and walked towards Billy who harshly pushed him away. Charlie approached Steve and helped him up. They both went inside and saw Billy had Lucas against the shelf by his shirt.
Anger bubbled inside Charlie and he harshly grabbed Billy by the shirt and pulled him off the boy.
"You're so dead Sinclair." Billy said, ignoring Charlie completely.
"No you are." Steve said turningmh Billy around and punching him in the face. The kids cheered and Billy laughed psychotically. Charlie frowned. He had never seem Billy so unhinged.
"Seems like you got some fight in you after all Harrington. I've been waiting to see this king Steve everyone's been telling me so much about." Billy yelled.
"Billy, just go." Charlie tried.
"Get out." Steve growled.
A second of pause and Billy swung. Steve dodged and punched Billy again, who only laughed in response. Steve threw another punch and another.
"Steve don't." Charlie tried again as he made sure the dmkids were at a distance. But the Billy broke a plate Steve's head and kicked him down.
"Steve!" Charlie yelled. He pushed Billy back wards, the blonde staggers a little. He quickly regained his balanced and slammed Charlie again the wall, his injured shoulder harshly came in contact with the wall and it started to bleed again. Charlie groaned. His head grew dizzy.
Charlie's voice brought Steve back but before he could get up, Billy was on him again. He punched Steve over and over. Meanwhile Charlie got uo and pulled him off Steve and punched him in the jaw. Billy swung but Charlie dodged it. His back hit the wall again and Billy grabbed his shirt.
"....Billy..." Billy paused, both of them panting heavily.
There were unspilled tears in Charlie's eyes and Billy's grip loosened. Regret filled his face and he looked as of just out of a trance.
Suddenly Max Mayfield stabbed Billy in the neck with a needle and he turned to look at her. He swayed on his feet and collapsed.
Charlie rushed to Steve's side. His face was bloody and he was unconscious. Charlie tried to call his name but to no avail. He looked back and saw Max with the nailed bat raised above her head.
"From now on you leave me and my friends alone. You understand?"
She yelled.
"Screw you." Billy muttered. Max, to prove her point, hit the wooden floor between Billy's legs with the bat.
"Say you understand. Say it."
"I understand." Billy muttered and Max turned to Charlie who had already looked away. Regardless of the situation, he couldn't bare to see Billy like that.
"We proceed with the plan, boys help me carry him."
Charlie spiek as Max took the keys to Billy's camaro. They put Steve in the back seat and Charlie went back to get the axe.
Billy was still on the floor, unconscious. Charlie kneeled beside him, hurt filling his face.
"I'm sorry but you tried to hurt my kid." Charlie whispered as he brushed a hair from Billy's forehead. He took his axe and ran back to the car. Max was already in the driver's seat.
"What no! You're not driving." Charlie said.
"Charlie, you're bleeding and you can barley stand on your feet. I will drive." Max said firmly and Charlie got into the back with a huff.
Steve started to wake up and before he opened his eyes, he asked for Charlie.
"Lee?"
"Hey baby. Hi? I'm here." Charlie said, carefully holding Steve's face without hurting him.
"What's going on?" Steve asked and Charlie couldn9answer with Mike and Dustin bickering on both his sides.
"Don't freak out, okay?" Charlie tried to sound calm, but with an underage girl on the driving seat, it wasn't easy.
"Stop the car." Steve yelled and Charlie sighed.
"I told you he'd freak out." Yelled Mike as Max sped up.
"Stop the Car!!!"
"Everybody shut up, I'm trying to focus." Max yelled louder. Charlie cringed.
"Make a left! Make a left." Lucas instructed and Max took a sharp left. Everyone crashed into one another.
When they finally reached their destination, Charlie breathed out a sight of relief. But he could feel that pull. Some invisible chain pulling him towarsmds it.
"Incredible." Mike complimented.
"I told you. Zoomer." Max replied.
They all got out, ignoring Steve's protests. Charlie helped Steve lean against the door and went to help the kids.
"Hey, I made it clear. We're not going in that hole." Steve yelled.
"Charlie, listen to me." He grabbed his wrists to make Charlie look at him.
"This is insane."
"Maybe, but it's the least we can do to make sure, my dad and El are safe." Charlie spoke firmly.
"They're all I have and I'm not losing anyone else."
He released his hand and put on his bandana and glasses. Dustin now turned to Steve.
"Steve I know you're upset. But a party member requires and we're going to provide. Now I know you promised to keep us safe... So" he handed Steve his bat "keep us safe."
Steve grabbed got armed and carefully got down with the others.
"I'm doing because you're doing this." He said to Charlie. "You'll never be on your own, again"
Charlie smiled, knowing Steve can't see it and, nodded.
"I'm pretty sure, it's this way." Mike said or yelled.
"Are you pretty sure or are you certain?" Dustin called back.
"I'm a 100 percent sure. Just follow me you'll know." Mike was about to walk ahead but Steve stepped up.
"Hey. Hey. Any of you shithead die down here, I'm getting the blame. From here on I'll lead the way."
He took the map and turned back. "Charlie come on."
So much for protecting the kids.
Steve held Charlie hand as they walked ahead. The Hopper on the other hand kept glancing back at the kids. His head was being split in two, the pain made him grip Steve's hand a little tighter. Steve glanced back with worry.
"Jesus, what is this place?" Max said with disgust.
They all walked ahead and Charlie almost had a heart attack when he heard Dustin scream. They all rushed back to him.
"Shit! Some of it got in my mouth." Dustin choked out and started coughing up. After a few seconds he looked up and said
"I'm okay."
Everyone collectively groaned.
"Henderson, I swear..." Charlie stopped half way and they kept moving.
"Well I think we found you hub, wheeler." Steve announced.
All the tunnels came to tjsi junction and it was the perfect place to start a fire.
"Drench it." Mike said.
Everyone got to spraying kerosene all over the walls and floor of the hub. Charlie had this feeling that something was going to him. The coil of dread he felt everytime they bad happened. It wasn't his head ache or rapid breathing it was this sinking feeling.
"Everyone ready?" Charlie asked.
"Let's light her up."
Steve got the lighter and said as set fire to the hub.
"I'm in such deep shit."
And run. They speeded from there immediately. Charlie felt a sharp pain in his chest and he just knew that he was out of Will. He almost stumbled and Steve caught his hand.
They took another turn and Mike stumbled down. A vine wrapped around his angle. Steve immediately started hitting the vine and it split in half releasing Mike. However before they could flee they hurt a loud roar behind them.
"Holy shit." Charlie cursed.
Dustin carefully moved towards the demodog. Everyone tried to call him back.
"Dustin come back."
"Henderson!"
"It's okay. Just trust me."
Dustin kneeled in front of the creature. Everyone grew quiet.
"Dart, hey buddy. It's me Dustin your friend. Will you let us pass."
Dart snarled and Dustin cringed back.
"Yeah buddy, I'm sorry about the storm celler. It was a pretty douchie thing to do."
He took something out of his pocket.
"See, I brought your favorite, nougat."
Dart got to munching it as Dustin added more. He gestured everyone to aoss and they did. Dustin stood their for another second.
Charlie felt bad for Dustin and the creature. Charlie Hopper had a sympathetic heart and that may just be the death of him.
A rumble made them all losse balance and they could hear the many number of growls behind them. They kept running an saw their passage. Steve and Charlie hurriedly helped the kids up. But before either of them could get out, they saw multiple shadows of demogorgons.
"Steve, leave." Charlie yelled.
"I'm not leaving you. Ever." Steve said. And they got ready to take on as many as they could. They could hear the kids yelling for them.
But the demodogs didn't stop fro the. They just sprinted past. Charlie and Mike realized at the same time.
"Eleven."
Steve helped Charlie climb up. The headlight of the camaro lit up.
As soon as he was on the ground, Charlie felt the air had been knocked out of his chest. He fell to the floor, gasping for air, his skin burned. He was staring at the dark sky. Soon enough Steve Harrington's terrified face came into view. He was saying something but Charlie couldn't hear anything with the ringing in his ears. His chest burned with the lack of air in his lungs. Steve cupped his face and was frantically yelling something to the kids. Charlie slightly turned his face as his vision got darker. Max was on his other side, she was talking to him, also looking terrified. Darkness filled his senses and he felt numb. And the agony was finally over when the world went dark around him.