Worlds Colliding (Stranger Things) Book 2

Chapter Two: Trick or Treat, Freak

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Flashback - Night of 1.08 "The Upside Down"

The Upside Down

Night - Hawkins Middle School - Classroom

At first, at the sight of a black screen, Eleven's voice could be echoing three times over the phrase, "Goodbye, Mike."

After Eleven had killed the Demogorgon with Niko's help and disappeared within it, Eleven woke up in the Upside Down version of the classroom. Vines and tendrils were covering the entire room.

∰

Hallway

Eleven walked through the hallway, looking around for her friends, looking scared and confused as to where she was, desperate. "Mike? Niko? Hailey? Nadia?" She screamed, running down the hallway desperately to look for a way out, around a corner onto the top of some stairs. "Mike! Niko! Hailey! Nadia!"

Eleven continued to call for them three more times, gasping for breath, whimpering, stopping at the top of the stairs for a moment to catch her breath. She heard soldiers shouting indistinctly, turning her head to follow the sound, walking down the hallway toward a glowing gate on the school wall down the hallway. She frowned in confusion at the sight of the gate, peering through it, seeing soldiers through the red gelato-like substance over the gate.

When soldiers shone their flashlights through, Eleven hid behind a wall, waiting for them to leave.

Eleven reached her hand through the sticky cover of the gate, out into our world in Hawkins, realizing that was her way out of here, since this was the same place that the Demogorgon who attacked school went through. She backed away from the gate, holding out her hand, using her powers to break bricks away from the gate, ripping it open even more, as her nose started to bleed.

∰

Hawkins

Night - Hawkins Middle School - Hallway

Eleven climbed through the stickiness of the gate, falling to the floor, looking up, breathing heavily, covered in the slime. She slowly stood, looking around to see that the bodies had been cleared away and the blood had been cleaned from the floor. She walked down the hallway to leave.

∰

Street

Eleven walked down the street toward the Wheeler house, only to see it surrounded by cop cars.

∰

Wheeler House - Kitchen

Karen and Ted were talking with a man.

"What about the Russians?" Karen asked. "What if they come looking for her, or for Nadia, Niko and Natasha?"

"They don't know where they are," the man told her. "And they can't contact you without us knowing." An entire team of people were going through every inch of their home. "The most important thing is for you to try to go on with your lives and to keep all of this--"

"Top secret," Ted finished. "Yeah. Understood. We're all patriots in this house."

∰

Living Room

Two people, a man and a woman, were interrogating Mike.

"Let's start from the beginning," the woman told him.

"I told you everything," Mike told them.

"I understand this is difficult, Michael," the man told him.

"You said that Dr. Owens wants you to keep Niko, Nadia and Natasha a secret, and let them continue living their lives here," Mike told them. "Without fear of being caught by the Russians. And that Hailey wouldn't end up like Natasha did. Is that true?"

"Yes, that is true," the woman answered. "The Rostovs will be able to carry on like none of this ever happened. Hailey will be left unharmed by us. We just need to know what happened to--"

"I don't know where she is," Mike told them. "And even if I did, I would never tell you. I would never tell you."

Outside, Eleven walked up outside the house, looking inside to see Mike being interrogated.

"If she contacts you, you must tell us," the man told him.

Mike sensed that they were being watched, looking toward the window where Eleven was watching, but he couldn't see Eleven.

"Otherwise, you're putting yourself and your entire family at risk," the woman told him. "Do you understand me, Michael? Do you understand?"

"Michael?" the man asked. "Michael."

The man looked toward the window.

∰

Outside

The group of people walked outside to look for Eleven, since they assumed that she had been the one spying, but Eleven was already long gone, hiding in the woods so they wouldn't find her.

∰

Worlds Colliding (Stranger Things 2)

∰

Now

Day One

Morning - Hopper's Cabin - Kitchen

Hopper was making breakfast, frying French toast on the stove. He looked behind him when he heard something, jumping when he saw Eleven covered with a ghost sheet. "Oh, Jesus."

"Ghost," Eleven told him.

"Yeah, I see that," Hopper agreed, finished with cooking, putting the toast onto plates.

"Halloween," Eleven stated.

Hopper took the toast over to their plates on the counter, putting the toast on top of Eggos. "Sure is. But right now, it's breakfast, okay? Come on, let's eat."

"They wouldn't see me," Eleven told him.

Hopper picked up their plates, carrying them over to the table. "Who wouldn't see you?"

"The bad men," Eleven answered.

Hopper placed their plates on the table, sitting down. "What are you talking about?"

Eleven walked closer. "Trick or treat."

Hopper looked at her in surprise. "You want to go trick or treating? You know the rules."

"Yes, but--" Eleven started.

Hopper stood, reaching out to grab the sheet. "Yes, so you know the answer."

"No, but they wouldn't see me," Eleven repeated.

Hopper led Eleven over to her chair. "I don't care."

"But they wouldn't see me," Eleven insisted.

Hopper crouched down to her level to look her in the eyes through the ghost cut holes in the sheet. "I don't care, all right? You go out there, ghost or not, it's a risk. We don't take risks, all right? They're stupid, and..."

"We're not stupid," Eleven finished.

"Exactly," Hopper agreed. "Now you take that off, sit down and eat. Your food's getting cold."

Hopper walked to his chair to sit down.

Eleven threw the sheet off in annoyance, sitting down.

Hopper poured them syrup on each plate to go with breakfast.

Eleven pouted. "Niko, Nadia and Natasha are free. Hailey too."

"Well, Niko, Nadia and Natasha agreed to help the new men that replaced the bad men fight the Russians for whenever they come to fight," Hopper replied. "Since they're trained, in fighting, weaponry, or powers. They agreed to be actual weapons if they left Hailey alone. They're basically at their beck and call, and you don't want to do that, do you?"

Eleven frowned. "No. I don't. But I want to be free."

Hopper sighed. "I'm working on it. All right, look... how about I get off early tonight, and I buy us a bunch of candy, and we can sit around and get fat, and we watch a scary movie together? How's that for compromise?"

Eleven stuttered in confusion. "Compromise?"

Hopper spoke slowly. "C-O-M-promise. Compromise. How about that's your word for the day? Yeah? It's something that's kinda in between. It's like halfway happy."

"By 5-1-5?" Eleven asked.

Hopper nodded. "5:15. Yeah, sure."

"Promise?" Eleven asked.

Hopper nodded. "Yes. I promise."

Eleven shrugged. "Halfway happy."

Hopper smiled, reaching across the table to ruffle Eleven's hair. Eleven smiled, chuckling. They started to eat.

∰

Byers House - Hallway

Joyce walked down the hallway toward Will's room. "Will?" She opened the door. "Come on, honey, up and at 'em."

Joyce was worried when she didn't see her son.

∰

Kitchen

Jonathan was making breakfast.

Joyce walked in. "Jonathan?"

"Yeah?" Jonathan asked.

"Where's Will?" Joyce asked.

"What?" Jonathan asked.

"Where's Will?" Joyce repeated.

"He's not in his room?" Jonathan asked.

"No," Joyce answered, trying not to freak out.

"Uh..." Jonathan trailed off worriedly, also trying to stay calm, knowing that it could be nothing. They heard a noise from the bathroom. "Will?"

∰

Bathroom

Will had just stopped using the restroom, and him lowering the toilet seat was the noise that his brother and mother had heard.

Joyce walked in without knocking. "What are you doing?"

Will frowned. "Peeing."

Joyce chuckled nervously. "Okay."

Joyce walked out of the room.

Will flushed.

∰

Will's Room

Now, Joyce helped Will finish dressing up in his costume, zipping it up. "Okay." She put on his costume pack. "Let's get this on." She noticed a wire was loose. "Oh, need some tape. Hold on." She walked to the desk to get tape, but paused when she noticed a drawing, picking it up, looking at a black and white drawing of the storm that Will had saw, along with a big shadow monster with long spidery-tendrily legs, humongous in size. She showed it to Will. "What's this?"

Will looked nervous. "Oh, nothing."

Joyce gave him a look. "Did you have another episode?"

"No," Will lied. "It's just a sketch for a story I'm writing."

Joyce placed the drawing down. "All right."

∰

Living Room

(Song:) Ghostbusters

Jonathan was holding his new camera, about to take a picture of Will in his costume. "Three, two, one." Will smiled as Jonathan took his picture. "Great. Hold up the proton blaster." Will held up the costume pack/proton blaster, so Jonathan could take another picture. "All right, now turn to the right."

Will turned to the right, aiming the blaster like he was facing down a ghost, just being silly and having a good time for the pictures, as Jonathan took the picture.

∰

Henderson House - Living Room

Claudia was taking pictures of Dustin in his costume as he held up the proton blaster. "Oh! I want to see those pearls!" Dustin smiled widely to show his teeth off. "Yeah!" Mews mowed from the couch. "Who you gonna call?"

Dustin smiled, raising his proton pack up high.

∰

Sinclair House - Outside

Lucas was in costume, posing for pictures for his mother Sue Sinclair, while his little sister Erica stood by their mother's side.

Sue smiled. "Adorable, baby. Just adorable!"

Lucas turned to the side, doing a pose with his arms flexing.

Erica raised her eyebrows skeptically. "God, you are such a nerd."

"Shut up," Lucas replied.

"No wonder you only hang out with boys," Erica told him. "And the one girl that does hang out with you, Hailey, doesn't go out with you."

"Erica," Sue chided.

Erica shrugged innocently. "Just the facts."

Sue continued to take pictures of Lucas. "Oh, my God. I love this costume. Keep it up."

Erica looked at Lucas, mouthing, "Nerd."

∰

Wheeler House - Living Room

Karen was taking pictures of Mike in his costume.

Mike was not having fun with pictures. "All right, that's the last one."

"No, just one more," Karen insisted. "Come on, please?"

Karen took another picture.

Mike placed his hands on his hips for a pose. "Can I go to school?"

Karen took another picture. "Wait, wait. Okay, say, 'who you gonna call?'"

Mike frowned, hands still on his hips. "No!"

∰

Reed House - Living Room

Niko's Costume:

Dressed up as Han Solo, Niko was doing some poses for Natasha taking pictures of his costume. "Mama, are we done?"

Natasha chuckled. "Excuse me for wanting to capture a moment where one of my children was acting like normal kids."

Nadia walked in from the kitchen, smirking. "Yeah, why are you wearing your costume to school?"

"Everybody wore their costumes to school last year," Niko answered.

"But you didn't, and neither did Hailey," Nadia pointed out. "From what I remember, you two called it lame."

"Well, Will basically begged me to wear my costume to school like the rest of the party, and Mike, Dustin, Lucas and Will played the 'you're in the party, you wear costume to school' thing with Hailey," Niko explained.

Nadia smirked. "Of course they did. Never knew that Niko Rostov and Hailey Harrington would be two of the nerds."

Natasha gave her daughter an amused look. "Nadia." The same time Niko said, "Bite me, Nadia."

The three chuckled.

∰

Harrington Mansion - Living Room

Hailey's costume:

Hailey was wearing the red and black tank top shirt with white, silver and black lines crisscrossing on her chest, a black lace skirt with red stripes, silver combat boots and silver arm cuffs, wearing a white Katana mask with a red dot in the middle of her forehead, and wearing a black wig with a red streak of hair, grabbing the toy katana for her costume, pulling on her black jacket, turning around to face Steve, sighing. "Come on, Steve, stop taking pictures."

"Hey, blame Mom," Steve told her. "She's the one that wanted pictures of you on Halloween since you were actually dressing up and going on, but she couldn't be here with our parents out of town again, Hailey."

"So you get to take Mom's place," Hailey told him sarcastically. "I should stop calling you 'Dad' and start calling you 'Mom'."

Steve gave her a sarcastic look. "Oh, very funny." Hailey smirked. "What are you even going to school dressed up for anyway? I mean, I know that last year, everyone but you and Niko did, so why are you two doing it this year?"

"Because Will begged Niko to and the boys, meaning Dustin, Mike, Lucas and Will, said that if I'm gonna be part of the party, I better, too," Hailey answered. "Bunch of dweebs, but they're my friends, so what can I do?"

Steve chuckled. "Mm-hmm. And the fact that your costume, minus the wig, mask and toy sword, looks a normal every day outfit for like gothic girls?"

"That's to avoid embarrassment," Hailey answered.

Steve nodded in amusement. "Got you. Come on, I'll drop you off."

Hailey smiled.

∰

Hawkins Middle School - Outside

Nadia and Steve drove their cars up to drop off Niko and Hailey.

"Bye, Niko," Nadia told him.

Niko waved to his sister. "Bye, Nadia."

Will, Lucas, Mike and Dustin rode their bikes up to the school, down the sidewalk, up to the bike racks, all dressed as Ghostbusters, singing the theme song. "Who you gonna call?"

Niko and Hailey walked closer. "Ghostbusters!"

"Don't let them drag you too deep into nerddom, Hailey," Steve told her.

Hailey nodded sarcastically. "Get the hell out of here, Steve."

The rest of the party and Nadia laughed.

"You heard Hailey, Steve," Nadia told him.

"Bite me, Nadia," Steve repeated.

The party waved bye to Nadia. "Bye, Nadia."

Nadia waved back, smiling a bit. "Later, kids."

Nadia and Steve drove away.

The party all called each other by their costume names, giving each other a hug.

Mike stopped when he noticed something about Lucas's costume. "Whoa, whoa, whoa."

"What?" Lucas asked.

"Why are you Venkman?" Mike asked.

"Because I'm Venkman," Lucas told him.

"No, I'm Venkman," Mike told him.

Will tried to stop a fight before it started. "Why can't there be two Venkmans?"

"Because there's only one Venkman in real life," Mike answered. "We planned this months ago." He looked at Lucas. "Hailey and Niko obviously couldn't be Ghostbusters since there's not enough, so Hailey's Katana and Niko's Han Solo, unless he wanted to be Louis Tully from the Ghostbuster movies, but he just was a wannabe Ghostbuster. But out of the Ghostbusters, I'm Venkman, Dustin's Stantz, Will's Egon, and you're Winston."

"I specifically didn't agree to Winston," Lucas told him.

"Yes, you did," Mike argued.

Hailey shook her head. "I don't think he did."

"No one wants to be Winston, man," Lucas told him.

Dustin shook his head in agreement.

"What's wrong with Winston?" Mike asked.

"What's wrong with Winston?" Lucas repeated. "He joined the team super late, he's not funny, and he's not even a scientist."

"Yeah, but he's still cool," Mike told him.

"If he's cool, then you be Winston," Lucas told him.

Mike shook his head. "I can't."

"Why not?" Lucas asked.

Mike stuttered nervously. "Because..."

Lucas stuttered to mock him. "Because you're not black?"

"I didn't say that," Mike told him.

"You thought it," Lucas replied.

Dustin looked around as students were let off of the buses.

"I didn't say that," Mike repeated.

"Mike!" Lucas complained.

"Guys..." Dustin trailed off. "Guys, guys! Why is no one else wearing costumes?"

The party started to feel embarrassed right away.

"Crap," Niko muttered.

The school bell rang.

∰

Inside - Hallway

As the party walked through the hallway and people were laughing at them, Hailey took off her mask/wig.

"When do people make these decisions?" Niko asked.

Will was confused. "Everyone dressed up last year. Except Niko and Hailey."

"It's a conspiracy, I'm telling you," Dustin told them.

"Just be cool," Mike told them nervously.

A boy called out to them. "Who you gonna call? The nerds!"

Hailey held up her wig/mask and toy katana. "Well, I'm just glad, that minus these, I look normal."

"Cheater," Lucas told her. "Hailey Harrington, cheater."

Hailey smirked, shrugging. "I didn't know that this was gonna happen, but at least I'm not like you guys."

Hailey walked down the hallway to her locker, doing the combination to open her locker and put the wig/mask and toy katana inside, looking into a mirror in the locker, fixing her messed up hair, and fixing her black jacket.

Max was nearby at her own locker, putting her skateboard inside.

"Hey, Max," Hailey told her.

"Hailey," Max replied. "You ready for a rematch on Dig Dug?"

Hailey smirked, shrugging. "Just tell me when."

Lucas and Dustin were standing down the hallway at their lockers, watching as Max and Hailey were talking at their lockers down the hall.

"We gonna do this?" Dustin asked.

"Not right now," Lucas answered. "We look like morons. I mean, Hailey's used to you looking like a moron, but Max isn't used to me looking like one."

"Hey," Dustin complained. Lucas smiled. "Hailey should be used to seeing morons, with you being in our group." Lucas laughed sarcastically. "And maybe Max likes Ghostbusters."

"Of course she likes Ghostbusters, but that's not the point," Lucas told him. "The point is, I'm dressed up and she isn't. And you're just too chicken to ask Hailey out."

"I didn't bring regular clothes," Dustin told him. "You?"

"No," Lucas answered.

"Then we have no choice," Dustin told him. "We gotta do this. It's now or never."

Lucas tried to motivate himself to do it now. "Right."

Dustin took a step forward. "Let's engage." They watched as Max and Hailey shut their lockers doors and walked down the hallway, the two girls laughing lightly. Dustin and Lucas lost their nerve. "We could ask them after class."

Lucas nodded in agreement. "Yup."

Dustin sighed. "Okay."

Dustin and Lucas closed their locker doors, walking away.

∰

Byers House - Outside

Natasha and Joyce were standing outside, comparing Will's drawing that Joyce had found earlier to the backyard.

"See?" Joyce asked. "It's an exact match."

Natasha held up the drawing again, comparing it, seeing that it was an exact match, but from the Upside Down point of view, with the shadow monster.

∰

Inside - Kitchen

Natasha was sitting at the table.

Joyce sat down across from her. "But why would he lie to me?"

Natasha sighed. "He's a kid, Joyce."

"I mean, you heard him describe these episodes," Joyce told her. "It's not like he's describing a nightmare. He talks about them like they're real."

"Yeah, because they're not nightmares, they're flashbacks," Natasha explained. "I used to have these things after my husband got me, Niko and Nadia free from the Russians experiments, back when I was brainwashed. And it feels like you're there, like it's happening."

Joyce showed her the drawing again. "Then what the hell is this?"

Natasha sighed. "Owens said it would get worse."

Joyce held her head. "Natasha... that place..."

"What do you wanna do?" Natasha asked. "You wanna take him back to Chicago?"

Natasha stood.

"Well, there's that guy in Boston that's supposed to be--" Joyce started.

Natasha chuckled. "They're not gonna be able to help anymore than Owens can. They'll all tell you the same thing, just cost you more money. I think he's right, about trauma. And we're coming up on a year, you know. I think everybody's on edge. Me, you, Niko, Nadia. Will most of all. I think we just gotta get through the next few weeks." She sighed. "Nothing's gonna go back to the way that it was. Not really. But it'll get better. In time."

Joyce nodded in agreement, sighing. "Thank you, Nat. For everything." Natasha nodded reassuringly. "God, I want this to be over."

Natasha sighed sadly. "I know. Me, too."

∰

Hawkins High School - Field

Behind the bleachers, Ruby was leaning against the stands to smoke a cigarette, sighing heavily, tilting her head back, releasing the smoke in the air.

Billy had come to smoke a cigarette of his own, only a little surprised to see Ruby there, pleasantly surprised, putting on a charming smile. "Oh, hi."

Ruby turned her head to look at him, raising an eyebrow. "Hi."

Billy leaned against the bleachers nearby. "Why am I not surprised you're a smoker? You look like a gang banger."

Ruby shrugged. "They say looks can be deceiving, but not about me in that way."

Billy smirked in amusement. "So you are in a gang."

"Was, before moving here," Ruby answered. "They called me Jinx."

"So that's where that name comes from," Billy realized. "You told the teacher you went off on yesterday to call you Jinx instead of Ruby."

"Yep," Ruby agreed, trying to light her cigarette again, but it wouldn't light. "Damn it."

Billy chuckled, offering his cigarette. "Here."

Ruby looked up at Billy, taking the cigarette. "Thanks." She took a drag, handing it back to Billy. "That brings me back to better times."

"What?" Billy asked.

"Sharing a cigarette with a rebel boy between classes,," Ruby answered. "Under the steps, behind bleachers. There was this teacher that caught us one time, and he was like, 'Hey, assholes'. We ran. We just ran."

Billy smirked, chuckling a bit. "Doesn't surprise me. Yesterday, first look, knew you were a troublemaker, getting off your bike."

"Yeah, right back at you, with that killer car and blaring stereo," Ruby replied. "Perfect song for the moment, by the way."

Billy chuckled. "Surprised that you're here today though. After the way that you went off on that teacher yesterday, figured they'd suspend you or expel you."

"Well, almost did, but the teacher got in trouble too, so they took leniency," Ruby explained.

Billy nodded in understanding. "Ah. Good. Only thing interesting around here was you yesterday. Guessing that could be an every day thing. Would suck if they got rid of Ruby Charlize that soon."

Ruby smirked. "I know that you know my name because of the teacher saying it in class yesterday." Billy nodded. "What's yours?"

"Billy," Billy answered, reaching out to shake her hand, holding it in both of his as he passed the cigarette to her, their eyes locked for a moment. "Billy Hargrove." Ruby chuckled, taking the cigarette from him. Billy noticed the burn on her wrist from the night before when they shook hands. "What's that?"

Ruby looked up. "Hmm?"

"The burn," Billy answered.

Ruby looked at her wrist, flashing back to when Aaron burned her wrist with his cigarette the night before when he threw her keys, sighing. "Nothing. Just an accident with the motorcycle."

Billy was not convinced, nodding sarcastically. "Mm-hmm." Ruby passed him the cigarette back. Billy put the cigarette between his teeth. "I didn't see you come in on your bike this morning."

"Yeah, foster father decided to throw the keys into a field to punish me for what I did in class yesterday," Ruby explained. 

Billy scoffed. "Mm. I know dads like that. Sucks."

"Yeah," Ruby agreed softly.

Billy blew the cigarette out, where it was no longer lit. "Guessing that means you'll be walking until you find the keys."

"Guess so," Ruby said.

"So does that mean you're not going to the Halloween party tonight?" Billy asked.

"No, I'll find my own way there," Ruby answered. "I just need to blow off some steam and drink tonight."

Billy smirked. "I know the feeling."

Ruby nodded sarcastically. "Mm, I'm sure you do. So guess that means we could see each other there."

Billy smirked a small smile. "Looking forward to it." He matched the end of his cigarette, unlit, to the burn on Ruby's wrist, seeing that it was an exact match, looking up knowingly. "Motorcycle incident, you said?"

Ruby took her hand away, crossing her arms over her chest, sighing, looking away. "How about we drop it?"

Billy shrugged. "Fine. Whatever you say."

Ruby looked at Billy sarcastically. "If you show me you don't give a fuck, I'll show you that I'm better at it."

Billy chuckled. "Mm, we'll see who's better at that."

Ruby waved her middle finger around as she backed away. "My middle finger salutes you. See you, Billy."

The tension between them was palpable, neither of them knowing if it was good or bad yet.

Billy watched Ruby walk away with a smirk, intrigued by her.  "See you later."

∰

Hawkins Lab

A man was suited up in a hazmat suit, walking through a door, toward the gate that was still open on the wall, going through it.

∰

The Upside Down

Hawkins Lab - Outside

The man walked outside the lab in the Upside Down, having a camera attached to his suit so that he could send a live feed back to the lab.

∰

Hawkins

Hawkins Lab - Gate Room

Owens and the scientist from 2.01 were standing behind the glass, watching the gate.

"How's it looking out there, cowboy?" Owens asked.

"Uh, you know, Doc," the man told him. "Just the usual. Nice and nasty with a chance of radioactivity." They could see him looking into electronic hooks up on the screen. "Oh, yeah, it's barbecued, all right. Anyone hungry?"

"And..." the scientist trailed off. When the man hooked up a new piece, the lights on the table board stabilized with a beep. "We're back on!"

The team around them cheered, applauding.

∰

Surveillance Room

Owens was watching videos on the montiors.

Will's video was playing, of his session in 2.01.

Will: (on video) "There was this storm."

Owens: (on video) "Okay. So how did you feel when you saw the storm?"

Will: (on video) "I felt frozen."

Owens: (on video) "Actually frozen? Cold?"

Will: (on video) "No, like how you feel when you're scared, and you can't breathe or talk or do anything. I felt... I felt this evil--"

Owens turned the video off.

∰

Hawkins High School - Library

Steve and Nancy were in the library, doing work.

Nancy's pencil broke, so she stood to go sharpen it, looking away, thinking she saw Barb at the library stacks, staring in shock and guilt and pain.

She could hear Barb's voice in her head. "Nancy? Nancy!"

Steve grabbed Nancy's shoulder, snapping her out of it. "Nancy. What's going on? Are you okay?"

Nancy looked toward the girl who she thought was Barb, just as the girl turned around, only revealing that from behind, she looked like Barb.

∰

Empty Classroom

Nancy and Steve were talking alone in an empty, dark classroom.

"I can't keep doing this," Nancy told him.

"Doing what?" Steve asked.

"Pretending like everything's okay," Nancy answered.

"What are you talking about?" Steve asked.

"Barbra," Nancy answered. "It's like everyone forgot. It's like nobody cares. Except her parents. And now they're selling their house."

"Nance--" Steve started.

"And they're going to spend the rest of their lives looking for her," Nancy cut him off emotionally.

"I know," Steve said, trying to calm her down.

Nancy looked like she could cry. "It's destroying them. And Nadia, she's acts like nothing can touch her, but this... this screwed with her so much. Seeing her like that, I can't even imagine."

"I know," Steve said softly. "Okay? I get it. But listen, there's nothing we can do about it."

"Yeah, we could tell them the truth," Nancy told him.

"Well, you know we can't do that," Steve told her.

Nancy sighed. "Well, we don't have to tell them everything."

"This isn't some game, Nance," Steve told her. "If they found out that we told any..." He walked up to the window, closing the blinds, walking back. "They could put us in jail, okay? Or worse, they could destroy our families. They could do anything they want. Okay? Just think about what you're saying. Hey. Hey, hey..." He sat down next to her. "Hey, it's... It's hard, but let's... let's just go to Tina's stupid party, wear our stupid costumes that we've been working on for a stupid amount of time, and just pretend like we're stupid teenagers, okay? Can we just do that, just for tonight?"

Nancy was not happy about it one bit, but gave in. "Okay."

Steve nodded. "Come here."

They embraced.

∰

Hallway

Nadia was at her locker, opening it, revealing a small Halloween candle inside, taking it out, looking at it curiously.

Ryan leaned against the lockers nearby, smirking. "Hey, Nadia."

"If you want to get less stalker points, I'd avoid breaking into my locker and leaving behind souvenirs," Nadia told him, closing her locker.

Ryan made a mock hurt face. "They're gifts, and they're good. Just to show you that I can't wait for the party tonight, and can't believe that you're going with me."

"Believe me, I can't believe it either," Nadia told him. "I'm not really open to the whole 'open to people' thing."

Ryan nodded sarcastically. "I've noticed. But you said yes. Why did you?"

"Maybe because I'm trying to be more open to being open to people," Nadia answered.

Ryan smirked. "Well, I'm glad that you are. And that you're coming with me tonight." They walked down the hallway. "What should we go as?"

"Oh, I am not dressing up," Nadia told him.

Ryan laughed. "Come on. It's a Halloween party. You're supposed to dress up."

"I'm sure a lot of teenagers will go tonight, not dressed up, and just looking for an excuse to get drunk," Nadia pointed out. "I will be one of those, except not actively looking to get drunk, though that could ease a lot of tension in my head right now."

Ryan turned to face her, smirking charmingly. "What kind of tension? I could try to help with that."

Nadia scoffed, giving him a look. "Oh, dream on. I'm going to the party with you. That better be enough for tonight, or I swear, there will be hell to pay."

Ryan chuckled. "All right. I'm still picking you up, right?"

"Duh," Nadia answered.

Ryan started to back away. "See you there, Nadia."

"Bye, Ryan," Nadia told him.

They headed their separate ways.

∰

Hawkins Middle School - Hallway

Max and Hailey were at their lockers again.

Max looked over Hailey's outfit. "Didn't figure you for the kind of girl to dress up for school, Hailey."

"I'm really not," Hailey answered. "This was actually for a costume, just looks like a normal outfit. Last year, everyone showed up in costumes on Halloween, except for me and my friend Niko, and this year, since we're friends with Will, Mike, Dustin and Lucas, they convinced us to wear costumes this year."

"What costume is yours supposed to be?" Max asked. "Goth chic?"

"Actually kinda," Hailey told her sarcastically. "Katana in a normal outfit." She showed Max the mask/wig and toy katana in her locker to prove it. "Since no one was dressed up, just figured to stash those in there and act like I'm not wearing a costume for today."

Max smirked, nodding. "Smart."

"Yeah, but the boys are kinda mad at me for being sneaky like that," Hailey explained.

"Oh, because Niko's wearing a Han Solo outfit, and Will, Dustin, Mike and Lucas are wearing proton packs?" Max asked sarcastically. "Ghostbusters, really?"

Hailey chuckled. "Yeah. Hey, I was talking with Dustin and Lucas last night. And you're new here, so you probably don't have any friends to take you trick or treating."

"Right," Max agreed.

"If you wanted, you could come with me, even if it's not with the party, since I'm not really sure how Mike, Niko or Will would react," Hailey admitted.

"If I wanted?" Max repeated. "Huh. Been a long time since someone asked what I wanted."

Hailey sighed. "Yeah, me too. It sucks, so just wanted to see if you would want to come. I know where to get the full sized candy bars."

Max chuckled in amusement, closing her locker. "I'll think about it."

Hailey smirked. "Awesome. Well, we're meeting at the Maple Street cul-de-sac at 7:00, in case you do decide to come."

"All right," Max sighed. "Later, Hailey."

"Bye, Max," Hailey said.

They walked away separately down the hall.

∰

Hopper's Cabin - Living Room

Eleven was sitting on the couch, watching TV in boredom.

Woman: (on TV) "How does it feel? Like pouring pure silk onto my skin."

Eleven used her powers to change the channel.

Man: (on TV) "Inhuman. Relentless. Arnold Schwarzenegger is... the Term--"

Eleven used her powers to change the channel.

Woman: (on TV) "Well, I'm stunned. I don't know what to think."

Man: (on TV) "Don't you love me?"

Woman: (on TV) "Of course I love you. It's just that it's so sudden. I mean, it's not like you."

Man: (on TV) "Erica, I am this way because of you."

Erica: (on TV) "Me?"

Eleven put a hand to her chest. "Me?"

Man: (on TV, kissing Erica's neck) "Mm-hmm. You have made me wild and impetuous, just like you."

"Impetuous," Eleven repeated.

Erica: (on TV) "People are going to be aghast."

"People are going to be aghast," Eleven mimicked.

Man: (on TV, laughs) "They're gonna love it."

Erica: (on TV) "I mean, it's gonna stun the whole town. The whole world!"

Man: (on TV) "Erica, tell me that you will marry me, in this house, tonight."

Eleven heard a noise from outside the cabin, standing, walking toward the window, opening the blinds to look outside, seeing a squirrel on the porch, chittering away.

∰

Flashback

Last Winter

Day - Woods

Eleven was camping out in the woods.

A squirrel ran through the woods.

Eleven used her powers to throw the squirrel into a tree, snapping its neck, walking closer, picking the squirrel up.

In no time at all, Eleven had started up a campfire, roasting the squirrel so that she could eat.

She jumped at the sound of breaking twigs behind her, turning around.

A man was standing there, hunting for food as well. "Hey. I'm not gonna hurt you. What's your name? What're you doing out here in the cold?"

Eleven used her powers to levitate the flaming, roasted body of the squirrel, hurling it at the man, knocking him out to the ground. She ran closer to take his jacket off of his unconscious body, pulling it on, and making a run for it.

∰

Now

Day - Hopper's Cabin - Living Room

Eleven, not happy by the reminder of what she had to do to survive that winter, closed the blinds.

∰

Police Station - Outside

Natasha was standing outside nearby her car.

Hopper pulled up in his car, pulling over, getting out. "Natasha."

"Hopper," Natasha replied. "Been seeing less and less of you lately. Not sure if that's good for me, bad for business, or both."

"Very funny," Hopper told her sarcastically. He stopped when he smelt something horrible, wrinkling his nose. "What the hell is that smell?"

"Hmm, your upper lip?" Natasha asked. "Should be getting used to it with all the--"

"Nat," Hopper interceded.

Natasha smirked, rolling her eyes, gesturing to the truck next to Hopper. "See for yourself."

Hopper pulled back the tarp on the truck, revealing many dead pumpkins in the bed of the truck.

∰

Inside - Main Room

Hopper was questioning a man, Eugene, while Natasha was getting coffee. "So you're telling me Merrill poisoned your farm, because he thinks you poisoned his, which, of course, you didn't?"

"No, sir," Eugene answered. "And I got me an alibi the night he accuses me. My Jenny and her boys were in town. I was with them all night."

"Did you actually see Merrill?" Hopper asked.

Eugene shook his head. "No need. That man done lost his mind. Went around slandering me, threatening all sorts of madness."

Natasha turned to lean against her desk, drinking coffee, chuckling. "A pumpkin conspiracy? Hawkins' very own Chinatown."

Hopper leaned against the desk he sat at, looking at Eugene. "Listen, Merrill threatening to do something and him actually doing something are two very different things."

"You got a better explanation?" Eugene asked.

Hopper shrugged. "Cold weather."

Natasha gave Hopper a look. "It's October."

Hopper nodded in agreement. "Yeah, it's a cold one."

Natasha rolled her eyes, taking a drink of coffee.

Eugene held up his hands. "You see these hands?"

"Yeah," Natasha answered.

"You know why they look like that?" Eugene asked.

"Because you're old?" Natasha asked.

"You're damn straight," Eugene answered. "And I've been doing this a long time. A long time. And I ain't never seen anything the likes of this. None of us have."

"None of us?" Hopper repeated.

"Oh, Merrill didn't just hit me last night," Eugene told them. "He hit damn near everyone."

"What are you talking about?" Natasha asked.

"Jack O'Dell, Pete Freeling, Rick Neary, the Christensens," Eugene answered. "All of their crops, dead."

Hopper, realizing that something bigger was definitely going on, took out a pen and paper. "Give me those names again."

∰

Hawkins High School - Outside

Max skateboarded from the middle school over to the high school, picking up her board, walking to Billy's car.

Billy was leaning against his car. "You're late again."

Max walked to the passenger seat. "Yeah, I had to get catch up homework."

Billy glanced at her. "Jesus, I don't care. You're late again, and you're skating home. Do you hear me?"

Billy took a hit of his cigarette, walking to the driver's seat.

(Song:) Wango Tango - Ted Nugent

Max and Billy got into the car, starting to drive away.

∰

On the Road - Billy's Car

Billy was speeding down the road. "God, this place is such a shithole."

"It's not that bad," Max told him.

"No?" Billy asked, rolling down her window, letting in the smell from outside, plugging his nose. "You smell that, Max? That's actually shit. Cow shit."

Max rolled the window up. "I don't see any cows."

"Clearly you haven't met the high school girls," Billy quipped. "So what, you like it here now?"

"No," Max replied.

"Then why are you defending it?" Billy asked.

Max looked over at him. "I'm not."

"Sure sounds like it," Billy stated.

Max looked away. "It's just we're stuck here, so..."

Billy nodded intensely. "Hmm. You're right. We're stuck here." He glanced at Max. "And whose fault is that?"

Max looked down, muttering. "Yours."

"What'd you say?" Billy asked.

"Nothing," Max lied.

"Did you say it's my fault?" Billy asked.

Max shook her head. "No."

"You know whose fault it is," Billy told her. "Say it." When she didn't, Billy spoke in a slight sing-song voice, but deeply, intimidatingly. "Max." In contrast, the next time he spoke was cold, clipped, stone hard. "Say it." Max stayed silent, staring out at nothing. Billy suddenly snapped, yelling as he glared at Max. "Say it!"

Billy put the pedal to the floor, speeding down the road, beating on the steering wheel, banging his head to the music.

Max was still looking ahead, leaning forward when she noticed that Mike, Dustin and Lucas were riding down the road on their bikes.

"Really, everyone dressed up last year," Dustin told them.

Max got worried. "Billy, slow down."

"Oh, these your new hick friends?" Billy asked.

"No!" Max denied. "I don't know them."

Billy shrugged. "I guess you don't care if i hit 'em, then, huh? I get bonus points if I get 'em all in one go?"

Max turned in her seat to face him, worried because she knew that with his insanity and anger, that he could really end up doing it. "No, Billy, stop. It's not funny."

Billy turned his head to look at her, banging his hand on the steering wheel.

Dustin looked b ack to see Billy's car speeding toward them. "Hey, guys?"

"Billy, come on, stop it!" Max pleaded. "It's not funny. Stop!"

Mike, Lucas and Dustin rode their bikes to the side of the road to try to get out of the way in time.

"Go, go, go!" Mike told them.

"Mike, you need to haul ass!" Dustin told them.

They reached the side of the road.

Max reached for the steering wheel to push it aside and steer the car away from the three boys. "Billy, stop it!"

Billy turned the wheel the rest of the way, driving away from the boys before they could hit them, tires squealing as he continued to race down the road.

Dustin, Mike and Lucas fell to the ground.

"Whoa!" Dustin said. "Shit, shit, shit, shit!"

Billy roared. "Yeah! That was a close one, huh?"

Billy laughed insanely.

Max was completely stunned by how crazy Billy was for this, looking back at the boys through the back window, making sure they were okay.

Mike, Dustin and Lucas were left stumbling to get up, watching Billy's car speed away.

"Was that..." Dustin trailed off.

Lucas nodded, breathing heavily. "Mad Max."

Max finally started to relax, breathing heavily.

∰

Pumpkin Patch

After driving up to the pumpkin patch, Eugene showed Hopper and Natasha all the dead crops.

Natasha looked around, taking in the sight, turning to face Hopper, giving him a sarcastic look. "Now, you try to tell me with a straight face that cold did this."

Hopper gave her a look, speaking to Eugene. "How far does it go?"

They headed into the woods, looking around, seeing the deadening crops spread all around.

Finding goo on a tree, Natasha used gloved hands to pick at it, disgusted. "Ugh."

They heard Powell's voice on the radio. "Hey, Chief, Natasha, you copy?"

Hopper grabbed his walkie talkie. "How's it looking over there?"

Callahan and Powell were at another patch, which was all dead too.

"Like a giant pissed all over Jack's bean field," Powell answered. "Smells, too. It smell over there?"

"Uh, yeah, a little bit," Natasha answered.

Callahan looked at Powell. "Smells like a nursing home, man."

"Listen, I want you guys to track the rot, see how far it goes," Hopper told them. "Just, uh, mark anything that's dead."

"Uh, that's gonna take some time," Powell told them.

Natasha nodded sarcastically. "Yeah. So take it. And look, we don't know what caused this. Could be poison." In the other patch, Callahan was tossing the rotted crops with no gloves. "So don't touch anything without gloves."

Callahan sniffed at the goo on his hands.

Powell rolled his eyes. "Copy that."

Natasha turned to Hopper. "You got any marking flags?"

Once Hopper brought out the marking flags, they were basically marking every tree in the forest nearby.

∰

Byers House - Living Room

Bob was dressed up as Dracula, trying to show Jonathan how to use his camera. "So you hit T to zoom in, and W zooms back out. See? Easy peasy. Just make sure to turn off the power to save energy there."

Joyce was getting Will ready to go. "Listen, stay close to your brother, okay? And listen, listen, listen. If you get a bad feeling or anything, you tell him to take you straight home. You promise?"

Will nodded. "Okay."

Jonathan walked closer. "Are you ready, bud?"

"Yeah," Will answered.

Joyce and Bob walked Will and Jonathan to the door, watching them walk outside.

Joyce managed a small smile. "Be safe."

Bob, wearing vampire teeth, imitated Dracula. "I hope it doesn't suck."

∰

On the Road - Jonathan's Car

(Song:) Blackout - Swing Set

Jonathan was driving Will to go trick or treating with the rest of the party. "I just don't get what she sees in him."

"What?" Will asked.

"Bob," Jonathan answered.

"At least he doesn't treat me different," Will told him. "I mean, I can't even go trick or treating by myself. It's lame."

"What?" Jonathan asked. "You think I'm lame?"

"No," Will answered. "But it's not like Nancy's coming to watch over Mike, you know? Not like Nadia's coming to watch over Niko. Or Steve coming to watch over Hailey."

Jonathan, realizing that his brother had a point, sighed.

(Song Ends)

∰

Maple Street

The rest of the party was waiting.

Dustin smiled when Jonathan was dropping Will off. "Will, hey!"

Jonathan parked, sighing, looking at Will. "Hey, listen. If I let you go on your own, you promise to stay in the neighborhood?"

Will smiled excitedly, grateful. "Yeah! Yeah, yeah, totally."

"And be back at Mike's by 9:00," Jonathan told him.

"9:30?" Will asked.

Jonathan shook his head. "9:00."

Will smiled. "Yeah."

"Deal?" Jonathan asked.

Will fist bumped with his brother. "Yeah, deal."

"All right," Jonathan said. Will got out of the car. Jonathan handed Bob's video camera to him. "Hey, Will. Don't let any of your spazzy friends use this, all right?"

"Niko and Hailey aren't spazzy," Will pointed out.

"Then Niko and Hailey are the only ones that can use it, okay?" Jonathan asked.

Will took the camera, smiling. "Okay."

Imitating Dracula like Bob did earlier, Jonathan smiled. "I hope it doesn't suck."

Will laughed, closing the car door, running off to meet with his friends.

"Will!" Lucas said. "Egon!"

"Yeah!" Niko said. "You ready for tonight, man?"

After a moment of thinking, Jonathan pulled out the Halloween party flyer that Nancy had given him the day before, looking at the address, before driving off.

∰

Night - Halloween Party - Outside

(Song:) Shout at the Devil - Motley Crew

The teenage Halloween party was raging on.

Billy was doing a keg stand, while others, including Ruby, were counting. "38, 39, 40, 41, 42."

The crowd was chanting, "Billy, Billy, Billy!"

The two guys holding Billy up let him down, one of the guys being Tommy. Billy was still drinking, spitting up some of the beer, his jacket open, revealing he wasn't wearing a shirt, before he cheered. Everyone cheered.

"We got ourselves a new Keg King!" Tommy called.

"That's how you do it, Hawkins!" Billy called. "That's how you do it!"

Carol was standing by an ice luge drinking set up. "Who wants to go next to see who the Luge Queen is?"

Ruby shrugged, walking over. "I'll go."

"All right," Carol agreed. "Ruby, right?"

"Yes, Ruby," Ruby answered. "Ruby Charlize. But you guys can call me Jinx. Would prefer it if you did."

"All right, let's hear it for Jinx," Carol called. Everyone cheered. Billy stood back, watching curiously, smirking. "3, 2, 1, go!" Ruby sat down at the ice luge, drinking the alcohol from the bottom of the ice luge slide without making too much of a mess, and drinking the most she could. Each time Carol would pour more alcohol down the ice luge slide, which Ruby would drink without issue, there would be more cheers and exclaims, until Carol called it. "I think we have a new Luge Queen."

Everyone cheered, chanting, "Ruby, Ruby, Ruby!" or "Jinx, Jinx, Jinx!"

Ruby stood, turning to face the crowd, smirking, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand.

Tommy took Billy and Ruby's hands, rising them up like winners, as everyone chanted, "Billy, Billy, Billy!", "Ruby, Ruby, Ruby!" or "Jinx, Jinx, Jinx!" over and over.

Billy looked over at Ruby with a smirk, but Ruby rolled her eyes and walked inside, smirking. Tommy led Billy inside as well.

∰

Inside

Ruby made her way over to a drinking table.

Billy pulled at a roll of toilet paper from the ceiling, using it to wipe the beer from his mouth, pushing through the crowd toward the drinking table, pulling the cigarette out of his mouth, seeing Ruby getting a drink from the table nearby Nadia, Ryan, Nancy and Steve.

Tommy walked up to them, looking at Steve. "Got ourselves a new Keg King and Luge Queen, Harrington."

"Yeah, that's right," another boy said. "Yeah, eat it, Harrington."

Steve pulled off his sunglasses, and even though the introduction between him and Billy was short, it sparked up a rivalry.

Ruby looked at the guy serving drinks. "What's in this?"

The guy stopped drinking for a moment. "Pure fuel! Pure fuel!"

The guy walked away.

Ruby shrugged, using the ladle to pour her a cup.

"Didn't you get enough to drink outside, Jinx?" Billy asked in amusement.

Ruby shook her head. "No such thing as enough, Billy."

Ruby started to drink.

Nadia looked at her curiously. "Ruby, right?"

"The name's Ruby, yeah," Ruby answered. "Ruby Charlize. But I like to go by Jinx."

"All right," Nadia agreed. "Name's Nadia. Nadia Reed."

Ruby gave her a thumbs up, but clearly drunk enough to not care the moment. "Cool."

"Why don't you slow down and stop before you wind up dead in a ditch somewhere?" Ryan asked, already pretty drunk himself.

 "Go deep throat a cactus," Ruby replied. Others laughed around them, including Billy, Tommy and more guys. Steve, Nadia and Nancy couldn't help but smirk. Ruby looked at Ryan. "'Cause you're already so drunk I can barely understand what you just said to me. You're the reason this country has to put directions on shampoo. By the way, I checked my receipt, and I didn't buy any of your bullshit."

"Fuck off, Ruby," Ryan told her.

Ruby smirked, looking at Nadia, before looking back at Ryan. "And I'm sure that you're only here trying to get laid with Nadia. But the only way you'll get laid is to crawl up a chicken and wait. Is your ass jealous of all that shit coming out of your mouth? Don't tell me how to drink when you can't even handle your own liquor. So goest and fucketh yourself."

There were cheers from the ones that had been listening, including Tommy and drunk other students, while Billy was laughing. Ruby held up two peace signs, taking a little bow, walking away. Nadia, Nancy and Steve watched her go, not really sure how to react to everything she just said, but were just relieved that it was all to Ryan and not them.

Nadia looked at Ryan suspiciously.

"What?" Ryan asked. "Don't buy into her bullshit. Ruby doesn't know what the hell she's talking about."

Nadia nodded, a little sarcastic. "I'm sure."

Nancy rolled her eyes, pouring herself a drink.

Steve reached out to stop her from pouring too much. "Hey. Whoa, whoa. Hey. Whoa, whoa, whoa. Take it easy." Nancy was already drinking. "Nance, Nance, Nance."

Nancy shrugged. "We're just being stupid teenagers for the night. Wasn't that the deal?"

Nadia sighed, using a cup to get herself something to drink, starting to drink, tilting her head back, sighing, wiping her lip, walking away.

(Song Ends)

∰

Byers House - Living Room

(Song:) Islands in the Stream - Dolly Parton, Kenny Rogers

Still in costume, Bob put a record in the player to play the song, smiling, dancing his way over to Joyce.

Joyce chuckled, but knowing that Bob was trying to get her to dance with him, smiled and shook her head. "No, no, no."

Bob took her hand. "Come on, yes. Yes, yes, yes, come on." He pulled Joyce up and they started to dance. "Oh, there it is. You playing Frankenstein on my Dracula? Come on. You're stiff as a board. Relax."

Joyce leaned her head on his shoulder. "I'm sorry. It's..."

Bob knew that she was worried about Will. "He's fine, okay? Jonathan's with him."

Joyce sighed. "I know, it's just every time he's away from me, it's like I can't function. I know it sounds silly."

"No, it's not silly," Bob answered. "It's not silly. What if we were to move out of Hawkins, together?"

Joyce looked at him in surprise. "What?"

Bob chuckled. "I know. Whoa, Nellie, right? No, I just... I've been thinking about what you said. About how we've got all these memories here, and you wish you had enough money to move. Well, my parents are selling their house in Maine. There's a RadioShack nearby. I'm sure they'd take me on. We could just... My turn to be silly now."

Joyce sighed. "Bob..."

"No, it's fine," Bob told her. "Wine makes me crazy."

Joyce shook her head. "Oh, it's just so hard to explain. It's just this... this is not a normal family."

Bob looked at her longingly. "It could be. It could be." They continued to dance for a moment before the doorbell rang. "Finally." Bob put his vampire teeth in. "Huh?" He imitated Dracula. "Victims."

Joyce chuckled as Bob went to get the door.

(Song Ends)

∰

Street

The party, in their costumes, were trick or treating, seeing an older lady open her front door, smiling. "Trick or treat."

The lady smiled. "Oh, well, aren't you cute? Little girl goth, kid in a vest and little exterminators."

The party was completely stunned that she had no idea who they were dressed up as, taking the candle in the bowl, walking away.

Lucas sighed. "If I get another 3 Musketeers, I'm gonna kill myself."

"What's wrong with 3 Musketeers?" Dustin asked.

"What's wrong with 3 Musketeers?" Niko repeated skeptically.

Hailey chuckled. "No one likes 3 Musketeers."

"Yeah, it's just nougat," Will told them.

"Whoa, just nougat?" Dustin repeated. "Just nougat? It's top three for me."

"Top three?" Mike asked skeptically.

"Top three," Dustin answered.

"Oh, God, give me a break," Lucas told him.

"Seriously, I can just eat a whole bowl of nougat," Dustin told them. "Straight up."

Max, in a Michael Myers mask with a toy knife, jumped out at the party, growling, making them jump. Mike, Will and Dustin screamed, and Lucas squealed. Hailey and Niko just gasped, both unconsciously getting ready for a fight if need be, like it was instinct.

Max pulled off her mask, smiling, laughing. "Holy shit. You should have seen the look on your faces." Hailey sighed, relaxing. Max looked at Lucas. "And you? Who screams like that? You sound like a little girl."

Hailey walked down the street with Max. "Hey, Max. Glad you showed."

"Glad you asked, Hailey," Max replied. She looked back at the boys. "Hey, you guys coming or not?"

"Oh, we should hit up Loch Nora," Hailey told them. "That's where the rich people live."

Dustin and Lucas exchanged a look, realizing that they had more chances to ask Hailey and Max out, both cheering. "Yeah!"

Dustin and Lucas followed Hailey and Max. Will and Niko exchanged an amused look, chuckling, shaking their heads, following. Mike, not happy at all, started to follow.

∰

Woods

Natasha and Hopper were still marking the dead trees.

"Can't believe that we're doing this on Halloween night when anybody else we know has stuff to do," Natasha admitted. "Besides let work rule their lives. Joyce and Bob are at the Byers house giving out candy. Nadia surprisingly went to a Halloween party with a boy, and to hang out with Jonathan, Steve and Nancy. Niko, Hailey, Will, Mike and Dustin went trick or treating."

Hopper chuckled. "Yeah." Because Natasha just brought up trick or treating, he remembered his compromise with Eleven, cursing himself. "Oh, shit, shit, shit, shit, shit, shit, shit. Natasha, can we hurry this up? I got somewhere to be."

Natasha turned to face him, nodding sarcastically. "Oh, yeah, sure. You got super speed to get this done faster? Got a hot date or something?"

"No, not like that," Hopper answered. "It's just..." Natasha raised her eyebrows. "I forgot I was supposed to be somewhere and didn't remember it until just now. Okay?"

"That's not secretive," Natasha told him sarcastically. "You've been keeping a lot to yourself lately, Hopper. Taking off suddenly without explanations. Got a secret, Hop?"

Hopper felt little guilty about the secrets, sighing. "Don't worry about it. Let's just go."

"Hey," Natasha said. "I might be working with more in the police station, but we agreed that you sure as hell weren't gonna be my boss. I don't take orders from you."

Hopper sighed. "I know. Sorry, Nat."

They headed back to the barn.

Natasha stopped when she heard something, looking around. "Do you hear that?"

A little boy in a cowboy outfit jumped out at them from behind a truck, aiming a toy gun at them, which made gunshot noises, causing the two to gasp slightly. "You're dead."

Natasha chuckled, thinking that was cute. "Yeah, you got us, kid." The little boy aimed the toy gun up at the sky, shooting, laughing. "Happy Halloween. Later, Hopper."

"Bye, Natasha," Hopper told her. They both got into their cars, starting to drive away. Hopper stopped when he remembered that he didn't have any candy, pulling his car back up to talk to the little boy, while Natasha was driving off. Hopper leaned his head out the passenger window of his truck. "Hey, kid. Give me some of that candy, would you?"

The little boy shook his head. "No way."

Hopper pulled out a five dollar bill, holding it up. "All right, how about now?"

∰

Hopper's Cabin

Eleven was sitting, watching movies on the TV. She heard the radio go off using Morse code, standing, running over to the radio, using the International Morse Code posted on the wall to translate. "L... A... T... E. Late."

Eleven looked down sadly, remembering.

∰

Flashback

Night - Woods

Eleven walked through the snow covered woods, finding the snow covered box that Hopper had left food for her in, walking toward it, kneeling down, opening it, finding Eggos and the tub of food inside, looking around, grabbing the food quickly, before running off.

∰

Now

Night - Hopper's Cabin

Eleven was now very irritated at the broken promise and having to remain stuck in the cabin.

∰

Loch Nora Neighborhood

(Song:) Monster Mash - Bobby "Boris" Pickett

Hailey and Max were trick or treating, with Dustin and Lucas right behind them, and Will, Niko and Mike trailing behind.

"Another full size," Dustin told them. "Like, seriously, rich people are such suckers." Hailey hit Dustin over the head. "Minus you, Hailey."

Max looked at Hailey in amusement. "You're rich?"

"Duh, she's a Harrington," Dustin answered.

"Max is new, Dustin," Lucas pointed out. "She wouldn't know that Harringtons like Hailey are rich."

"You don't act like you're rich, Hailey," Max told her.

"That's because rich doesn't make you better than everyone else," Hailey told her. "Especially if you're considered a nerd like these dweebs."

"Hey," Dustin complained.

Hailey and Max smirked.

Hailey looked at Max. "No, I used to get bullied a lot, so Niko's older sister Nadia, and their mother Natasha, they all taught me to fight and defend myself. Taught me the bigger picture."

Max nodded in understanding. "Got it."

"You're not rich, right?" Lucas asked.

"No, I live up Old Cherry Road," Max answered. "It's fine. I mean, the street's good for skating."

Dustin was snacking on candy. "Yeah, totally tubular. What? Did I say that right? Or is it, like, tubular?"

Lucas imitated a surfer. "It's like, totally tubular."

Dustin did the same thing. "Totally tubular."

Hailey and Max looked between the two weirdly in amusement, exchanging a smirk.

"What a gnarly wave, dude," Lucas said.

"Totally brodacious, bro," Dustin said.

Max chuckled. "Stop. My ears are hurting."

Hailey laughed. "Like I said, dweebs."

Behind them, Will was filming Niko and Mike.

"Did you two agree to this?" Mike asked.

"What?" Niko asked.

"To her joining our party," Mike answered.

"It's just for Halloween," Will told him.

"You should have checked with me," Mike told them.

"Not everything has to go by you, Mike," Niko told him in annoyance.

"Hailey got excited about meeting a friend that is a girl and that is outside our party, so she invited Max to come trick or treating with her, not the entire party," Will explained. "She asked me, Niko, Dustin and Lucas if it was okay, but you were at home working on your radio and Hailey never got the chance to ask you."

"And it's not like Hailey invited Max into the party," Niko added. "It was just them two hit it off at the arcade and they wanted to hang out more. Dustin and Lucas obviously want to ask Hailey and Max out and that's why they're hanging around them so much."

"I guess we thought you'd be okay with it," Will told him.

"She's ruining the best night of the year," Mike told them.

"Who, Hailey?" Will asked.

"No, not Hailey," Mike answered. "Max."

Will and Niko were both annoyed by Mike's attitude. They all went to catch up with Hailey, Max, Dustin and Lucas.

Will stopped for a second to check on the video camera, letting the group get way ahead of him in the process.

(Song Ends)

A boy jumped out to scare Will, wearing a mask. "Watch it, Zombie Boy."

A boy wearing a Jason Vorhees costume jumped out. "Trick or treat, freak!"

A killer clown jumped forward. "Boo!"

Will became so scared he fell to the ground, having another Upside Down episode. He looked around, pushing himself up, calling out. "Niko! Niko? Niko!"

Hearing a chittering sound, Will looked around, and became terrified when he saw the shadow monster rising up, starting to run away, taking cover behind a brick wall to hide.

In the real world, Niko grabbed Will's arm to snap him out of it, very worried and concerned. "Will! Will, what's wrong? I couldn't find you. Are you hurt?"

Hailey, Mike, Dustin, Lucas and Will ran closer.

"Holy shit," Dustin said.

"Is he okay?" Hailey asked worriedly.

"I don't know," Niko admitted. "I'm gonna get you home, okay?" Will nodded. "I'm gonna get you home. Hold on."

Mike stepped forward. "All right, take it easy."

Niko helped Will up, as Will was clinging onto his arms. "I got him."

"Niko?" Dustin asked.

"Keep trick or treating," Niko told them. "I'm bored anyways."

Niko led Will away.

Max looked at the others in concern. "What's wrong with him?"

They didn't know how to explain.

∰

Halloween Party

(Song:) Girls on Film - Duran Duran

Jonathan had arrived, getting out of his car, heading inside.

Ruby was nearby, smirking, a little drunk. "Nice costume."

Jonathan turned to face her. "Huh?"

"Nice costume," Ruby repeated sarcastically.

Jonathan nodded nervously. "Oh, uh, yeah. I'm going as a guy who hates parties."

"I'm going as a girl who hates the world," Ruby told him.

"Ruby, right?" Jonathan asked.

Ruby smirked. "Heard that question three times now tonight. Ruby, yes. Ruby Charlize. But I like to be called Jinx."

Jonathan nodded in understanding. "I'm Jonathan."

Jonathan looked around, seeing Nancy dancing with Steve, looking sad and jealous.

∰

Hallway

Nadia was walking through the hall alone.

Ryan walked out of the bathroom, seeing her, smiling drunkenly. "Nadia! Wanna dance?"

"I don't dance," Nadia told him, trying to walk around him to the bathroom.

Ryan stepped in front of her, making her stop. "Or, you know, we could do something a little more fun."

Ryan walked closer.

Nadia backed away. "You're drunk, and I don't know you that well, and by the way you're acting, I don't really wanna know you."

"Come on, don't be like that," Ryan told her, making Nadia back into the wall, grabbing her waist, kissing Nadia deeply, drunkenly.

Nadia pushed Ryan back, grabbing his arm off her waist, twisting it to hurt him, making him release his other hand from her waist as he groaned in pain. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Ryan replied in pain. "Let me go!"

"Not in the mood to have 'fun' anymore, are you?" Nadia asked sarcastically, frowning in confusion when through her empathy, she sensed something when her skin was touching his, since she had his arm twisted back. "Okay, why do you feel competitive right now?"

"What?" Ryan asked. "What are you talking about?"

"Your emotions, I know you're literally competing for something right now," Nadia answered. "Don't ask why, you won't get it." When her nose started to bleed a little because she was using her empathy power, she let Ryan go, pushing him into the wall, wiping her nose with her sleeve. "Tell the truth. What Ruby was saying about you only wanting to sleep with me tonight, the reason why you asked me here. That true?" Ryan didn't answer, so Nadia grabbed his wrist and twisted. "Is that true?"

Ryan groaned in pain, giving in. "Yes! It's true. It was a bet. I was trying to prove that I could sleep with you tonight. The loner Nadia Reed with me tonight, and I wanted to show them that I could."

Nadia scoffed, letting him go, pushing him into the wall. "You're a pig. Stay the hell away from me."

Nadia walked away down the hallway.

∰

Living Room

The party was still going strong.

Nadia walked in, walking by Jonathan and Ruby to grab her jacket from nearby the door. "Hey, Jonathan. Ruby."

"Hey, Nadia," Jonathan told her. "What's going on?"

Nadia grabbed her jacket, pulling it on, shrugging, turning to face them, holding out her arms sarcastically. "Oh, nothing. I just got reminded why I don't do big parties like this."

Ruby smirked in amusement. "Oh, is this about what's his name? Your date?"

"Ryan, and yes," Nadia answered. "You were right, Ruby, so enjoy that while you can. I'm going home."

"Later, Nadia," Ruby told her.

Before Nadia could leave, they heard Steve trying to stop Nancy from getting more drink since she was so drunk. "No, no, no."

Nancy pushed him off. "Get off."

Steve tried to pull her away from the drink table. "No, you've had enough."

"Screw you!" Nancy told him, going back for her drink.

"Nance, I'm serious," Steve told her. "Hey! Hey, hey, stop. No, I'm serious." He tried to take the cup from her. "Put it down."

"No!" Nancy argued.

"Nance, put it down," Steve told her.

"Steve, stop!" Nancy complained.

Steve lost hold of the cup. "Stop. Stop."

Nancy gasped as the contents of her cup were spilled all over her shirt. Everyone in the room was now watching, all exclaiming.

Nancy looked at Steve in annoyance. "What the hell?"

Nancy stormed off.

Steve followed. "Nance."

Nadia looked at Jonathan and Ruby. "Another reason why I don't do parties. See you guys at school."

Jonathan nodded nervously. "Yeah. Bye, Nadia."

Ruby waved. "See you, Nadia."

Nadia walked out.

(Song Pauses)

∰

Bathroom

Nancy walked into the bathroom to wet a washcloth and clean her shirt.

Steve followed her in, closing the door behind them. "Nance, I'm sorry. That's not coming off, Nance."

"It's coming," Nancy replied stubbornly.

Steve stepped closer. "Come on, let me just take you home, okay? Come here. Let me take you home. Come on."

Nancy slurred her words drunkenly. "You wanted this."

"No, I didn't want this," Steve told her. "I told you to stop drinking."

"It's bullshit," Nancy told him.

"No, it's not bullshit, okay?" Steve asked.

"Bullshit," Nancy snapped.

"No, it's not bullshit, Nancy," Steve told her.

Nancy turned to look at him. "No, you. You're bullshit."

Steve frowned in confusion. "What?"

"You're pretending like everything is okay," Nancy told him. "You know, like we didn't--like we didn't kill Barb. Like, it's great. Like, we're in love and we're partying. Yeah, let's party, huh? Party. We're partying. This--this is bullshit."

Steve looked hurt. "'Like we're in love'?"

Steve cupped Nancy's cheek for a second, stroking back her hair.

Nancy looked him dead in the eyes. "It's bullshit."

Steve shook his head. "You don't love me?"

"It's bullshit," Nancy replied.

Steve was heartbroken, opening the door, walking out of the bathroom, slamming the door behind him.

Nancy continued to try to get the stain out of her shirt like nothing happened.

∰

Living Room

(Song Resumes)

Ruby was dancing in the crowd, clearly a little overly drunk, but not as bad as Nancy.

Billy walked through the crowd, seeing Ruby dancing, smirking.

Another guy was trying to dance with Ruby.

Ruby pushed him off. "Row, row, row your boat, gently the fuck away from me."

"I just wanna dance," the guy said.

"Yeah, well, that's your story," Ruby told him. "There are two sides to every story, but you're a douche in both of them. Too bad you can't fix an ugly personality. Some people think they are champagne in a tall glass, when actually, they are more like lukewarm piss in a plastic cup." Overhearing this, Billy couldn't help but start laughing. Ruby waved sarcastically to the guy. "Buh-bye."

The guy walked away.

Billy laughed lightly. "Can take care of yourself, can't you, Ruby?"

"Mm-hmm," Ruby answered. "What you doing, Billy?"

"About to leave before the old man gets home," Billy answered.

"Keg King saying bye to the Luge Queen?" Ruby asked. "Only time a dick like you is being charming with a girl is if you're trying to hook up with her, and not gonna happen, Billy. I may be drunk, but not drunk enough to hook up with a guy I barely know. Not like the other girls you can easily con into hooking up with you."

Billy chuckled. "Well, maybe that's why I like you."

"Well, you shouldn't," Ruby told him. "I'm a freaking basket case. Run away, Billy. Run far away. I'm damaged goods."

"Well, that's good, because I am too," Billy replied. "Regular people are boring."

"Are you saying that you're a basket case, or that you're damaged goods?" Ruby asked.

"Both," Billy answered.

Ruby nodded. "Well, talking about things like this requires a little liquid courage. I have mixed drinks about feelings."

Billy raised his eyebrows. "Mm. Know the feeling. Need a ride home? You're without your bike this time, and you're drunk off your ass."

Ruby shrugged, tilting her head. "As long as it's just a ride. Don't feel like walking to the middle of nowhere drunk."

Billy smirked.

(Song Ends)

∰

Outside

Nadia was walking away from the house, incredibly annoyed after what had happened with Ryan inside, going to be on her way, stopping when she walked by Ryan's car, getting an idea, smirking, backing up to face the car, chuckling, opening the gas lid on the car to the gas tank.

Steve, also annoyed from getting into a fight with drunk Nancy, stopping when he saw Nadia. "Nadia?" Nadia looked up. "What are you doing?"

"Shut up and get over here," Nadia told him. "I don't want anyone to see us and think we're behind this."

"Behind what, exactly?" Steve asked, walking over.

"My revenge on Ryan for bringing me here because he made a bet with his friends that he could sleep with me tonight," Nadia answered.

Steve was surprised. "That dick."

Nadia chuckled in agreement, amused by how Steve said it. "Yeah."

Nadia let her hand glow purple with psychic energy, sprinkling some of it into Ryan's gas tank.

"What the hell are you doing?" Steve asked.

Once sure that she put enough, Nadia closed the gas lid to the gas tank, backing away, grabbing Steve's arm as she did, pulling him away from the car. "I'll tell you what we're both gonna be doing right now. Running."

"What?" Steve asked. Nadia started to run, still holding Steve's arm, making him stumble slightly before he regained footing and ran with her. "Whoa! What the hell, Nadia?"

Nadia pulled them behind Steve's car far away from Ryan's. "Duck."

They both ducked behind Steve's car.

"Why are we doing this?" Steve asked.

Nadia smirked. "Wait for it..."

The psychic energy in Ryan's gas tank surged up into a mini explosion, causing the party to be stopped and many people to scream, even though the noise, the sound and the flames weren't that bad. The flames died down nearly as soon as they started. Nadia smirked, satisfied.

Steve looked at her in shock. "That's your idea of getting even with a guy? Remind me to never piss you off."

Nadia scoffed. "Oh, you have pissed me off, Steve. Just not as badly as Ryan did."

"Well, remind me to never piss you off as badly as Ryan did," Steve corrected. "Don't you think that was going a little overboard?"

Nadia shrugged. "Maybe. But after a year of being on the down low because of having to hide more of who we are now more than ever, and after the fight tonight with Ryan, I really needed a release, and doing that was just the thing I needed."

Steve could somewhat get it because of the way he felt after talking to drunk Nancy, nodding, chuckling. "Yeah. I get it." Nadia and Steve watched the dwindling flames of Ryan's car from where they were hiding behind Steve's, both exchanging a look, chuckling, nearly laughing. "Well, you didn't bring your car, and you just blew up your ride. Want me to take you home?"

Nadia smirked. "Sure. I'll take a ride. Even though you can be a dick, I need one now."

Nadia stood, walking around the car toward the passenger seat.

Steve stood, nodding sarcastically. "Yeah, you're welcome."

Nadia turned to face him when she stood at the other side of the car, smirking, winking sarcastically. Steve couldn't help but chuckle, using the keys to unlock the car, getting in, unlocking the passenger seat door. Nadia got in. Steve started the car and drove them away.

Ruby and Billy were walking outside to Billy's car, seeing the dwindling flames on Ryan's car after hearing the mini explosion.

Ruby couldn't help a laugh, watching the flames as they disappeared entirely. "What the hell? Nice show."

"Impressed by a car blowing up and watching it burn?" Billy asked in amusement. "Nice."

"Hmm, not like you're any better," Ruby replied. "Can we just go?"

Billy smirked. "Sure."

After having seen the car burn and the flames fade, Ruby and Billy smirked, before getting into his car and drive away as well.

∰

Reed House - Niko's Room

(Song:) Outside the Realm - Big Giant Circles

Will and Niko were sitting together, having been eating candy. Will was looking more calm.

"Do you think you got some good footage before those idiots showed up?" Niko asked.

Will was checking the camera. "Yeah, look."

Will showed Niko some footage that showed Niko laughing and smiling, as well as Hailey, Mike, Dustin and Lucas.

"What about you?" Niko asked.

"I'm not in the video," Will answered.

"Why?" Niko asked.

"I was recording and I didn't want to be on it," Will answered.

"Well, we can't have that, can we?" Niko asked, taking the camera from Will, starting to record him.

Will put his hands in front of the lense. "What? No, stop. Niko."

Niko laughed. "Come on, smile."

Will laughed, putting his hands down, smiling to humor Niko. "This is stupid."

"Yeah, there you go," Niko said to make him feel better. "Show off that perfect face and smile." Will blushed a little at that, looking down. "Come on, let's see it."

Niko put the camera down.

Will moved closer so they could see the footage. "My face looks so weird and ugly."

Niko gave him a serious look, his hand reaching up unconsciously as they looked each other in the eye. "Hey, stop putting yourself down like that. If you ask me, I think you're perfect, William."

"Really?" Will asked, looking down, seeing Niko's hand was close to his own.

"Definitely," Niko answered without hesitation.

Will looked up. "I think you're perfect too."

Niko blushed a little, looking away. "Thanks."

Will frowned. "You confused me."

"Right back at you," Niko replied.

"What?" Will asked.

Niko looked confused. "What?"

"I was talking about that I thought you were gonna ask me right away about what happened," Will clarified.

Niko nodded awkwardly. "Oh, yeah, I mean that's what I was talking about, too."

Will raised his eyebrows. "Really?"

Niko cleared his throat. "Yeah, definitely."

"Okay," Will said, confused. "Thanks for not worrying, Niko."

"Oh, I'm worried," Niko told him, making Will chuckle and nod as if he was waiting for that. "But you know I'm here for you when you're ready. I trust you."

Will sighed. "You're the only one."

"What?" Niko asked.

Will shrugged. "It's just everybody else, my Mom, Jonathan, the party, they all treat me like I'm a baby, like I can't handle myself, like I could just break down, and you don't treat me like that. You treat me like I'm strong."

"'Cause I know you are," Niko told him. "I mean, you're William freaking Byers. World/dimension traveler and Upside Down survivor."

Will shook his head. "I'm so not all that."

"You're everything for me, and I'm being honest, trust me," Niko told him. "I think you're the strongest person."

Will smiled. They noticed how close they were, but looking like they didn't care, smiling a little.

"I wanna tell you, about what happened," Will admitted.

"Really?" Niko asked.

"Yeah," Will answered.

Niko nodded in understanding, knowing that it was going to be hard for him. "Okay, take your time."

Will was trying to explain. "It's like... like I'm stuck."

"Like--like stuck in the Upside Down?" Niko asked in concern.

Will sighed. "No. You know on a View Master, when it gets, like..."

"Caught between two slides?" Niko finished.

"Yeah, yeah, like that," Will answered. "Like one side's our world, and the other... the other slide is the Upside Down. And... and there was this noise coming from everywhere. And then I saw something."

"A Demogorgon?" Niko asked.

"No," Will answered. "It was like this huge shadow in the sky. Only, it was alive. And it was coming for me."

"Nothing is going to get you, Will," Niko told him. "It'll have to get through me first."

"But that's the thing, Niko," Will told him. "You can't stop this thing. I don't think anyone can. And the way it gets to me, you wouldn't be able to see it coming. Only I would be able to."

"Then we'll figure some way to stop it together, okay?" Niko asked. "If it's real or not, I'm not gonna let anything happen to you again."

Will managed a small smile. "Just... just please don't tell the others, okay? I mean, Hailey might understand, but Mike, Dustin and Lucas won't."

"You're right, Hailey would understand," Niko agreed. "She always did, even when she first found out about all of this. About me, Eleven, Nadia and Mama, the Upside Down. Just like you always understood. Hailey's actually the reason why we knew that you were in another dimension."

Will managed a small smile. "Yeah. I did thank Hailey for that. And for Dustin to basically find out the dimension I was in, or something like it. And Natasha, Hopper and Mom for getting me out. And for you to never give up on me."

"I would never give up on you," Niko agreed. He looked down sadly. "I miss El, though."

Will took his hand. "I'm sorry. I know she was important to you guys."

"It's just, I don't know," Niko admitted. "I mean, I got saved, and so did my Mama and Nadia, thanks to my Papa. I really wanted the same for her. I promised her we'd be a family and I failed her."

"It's not your fault," Will reassured.

"If I hadn't been so weak..." Niko trailed off.

"Don't do that to yourself, Niko," Will told him. "You tried your best, just like you always do. You never give up like when you didn't give up on me. Your dad..."

"What?" Niko asked.

Will sighed. "Sorry, just it's weird hearing you say it. You and Nadia never talk about him. Natasha rarely does."

Niko considered this for a moment. "Can I tell you something crazy?"

"Think we've past that a while ago," Will pointed out.

Niko chuckled. "Sometimes, I feel like I'm just gonna wake up one day and see him making breakfast with Mama and making jokes with Nadia and that we'd just be a normal family, that he's gonna come back and we'd be together, you know? Now ever since El's gone, it's like the same thing. I don't know. I feel like I'm crazy."

Will nodded in understanding. "Me too."

"You do?" Niko asked.

"Yeah," Will answered.

"Well, in that case, if we're both going crazy, then we'll go crazy together," Niko told him. "Would you like that, William?"

Will managed to chuckle. "Yeah, Nikolai. Crazy together."

Though upset, Niko and Will managed small smiles as they looked at each other sadly but reassuringly.

∰

Outside

Steve parked outside to drop Nadia off.

Nadia got out of the car, turning back. "Thanks. You sure that Jonathan got Nancy home all right?"

"Yeah," Steve answered. "I asked him too. Nancy didn't wanna see me after saying everything is bullshit, including me and our relationship, and I didn't know if I could deal with any more of that tonight."

Nadia nodded, a little awkward. "Right. Sorry, Steve. But thanks for dropping me off."

"It's no issue," Steve told her. "Besides, Hailey's in this area. Gotta pick her up and take her home. Night, Nadia."

"Night," Nadia replied, walking toward the house.

Steve drove away.

∰

Wheeler House - Outside

Jonathan had driven a drunk and nearly passed out Nancy home from the party after it had ended due to Nadia blowing up Ryan's car. He walked around the car to get Nancy, pulling her carefully out of the car, leading her to the house, but when Nancy tripped and almost fell, Jonathan caught her, lifting her up in his arms and carrying her the rest of the way inside.

∰

Inside - Nancy's Room

Jonathan put the drunk and nearly passed out Nancy into bed, taking off her boots for her, tucking her in.

Nancy, stirred awake, reached out to grab his arm, looking at him in confusion. "Jonathan?"

Nancy soon fell back to sleep. Jonathan awkwardly put his hands in his pockets, walking to the door, walking out, closing the door behind him.

∰

Street

Dustin and Hailey were walking down the street after finishing trick or treating.

"I get that Niko had to take Will home, but Mike, Lucas and Max are lame for ditching early," Dustin told her. "Guess it's a good thing that it's just us, Hailey."

"Hmm, why, so you can tell me more about how much you love nougat?" Hailey asked sarcastically.

Dustin chuckled sarcastically. "Ha ha. No. So that I could..."

Dustin didn't have the courage to ask her out yet, especially when Steve pulled up in his car to pick her up.

Hailey sighed, walking toward the car. "About damn time, Steve."

"Hilarious, Hailey," Steve told her sarcastically. "I've had a hell of a night, so can you just get in and give me a break? Why do you always gotta start with me?"

"Why do you always gotta me so easy to start with?" Hailey replied. Steve laughed sarcastically. Hailey turned back to say bye. "Bye, Dustin."

Dustin waved awkwardly, nervously, mentally kicking himself for not having the courage to ask her out. "Bye, Hailey."

Hailey got into the car. Steve drove them away.

∰

Street

Billy drove down the road to drop Ruby off.

Ruby lied as to where she lived, pointing to a nice looking house. "There."

Billy pulled over, not convinced. "This is where you live?"

"It's where I'm telling you that I live, because I don't feel like getting into a fight with my foster father when he sees a guy dropping me off," Ruby answered. "Aaron's a dick that way. More of a dick than you actually, and you're a pretty big dick."

Billy scoffed. "Whatever. Night, Ruby." Ruby got out of the car, closing the door, peaking in through the window to give him a look. Billy smirked and corrected himself. "Jinx."

"See you, Billy," Ruby replied, walking away.

Billy chuckled, shaking his head, driving away.

(Song Ends)

∰

Hopper's Cabin - Outside

Hopper drove up to the cabin, getting out of his truck, walking up to the cabin, trying to open the door, but it was locked. He knocked his secret knock, hoping that Eleven was awake and would let him it, and hoping that she wouldn't be mad at him, trying to make it up to her. "Hey, kid, open up. All right? I know I'm late. I got candy here, all right? I got all the good stuff." He knocked on the door loudly. "Please, will you open the door? I'm gonna freeze to death out here."

∰

Inside - Living Room

Hopper heard the door being telekinetically unlocked, opening the door, walking in. He didn't see Eleven in the living room, but followed the cord trail with his eyes, which led to Eleven's room. He walked up to Eleven's room, knocking. "Hey, kid, open up, will you? I got, uh... stuck somewhere, and I lost track of time. And I'm sorry. El, would you please open the door? El?" He sighed, walking toward the couch, sitting down. "All right, I'm just gonna be out here by myself, eating all this candy. I'm gonna get fat. It's very unhealthy to leave me out here. Could have a heart attack or something. But, you know, you do what you want."

Hopper ate a piece of candy, shaking his head at himself.

∰

Eleven's Room

Eleven was watching TV, before using her powers to turn it to static, tying a blind fold onto her head, creating a makeshift sensory deprivation system.

∰

The Void

Eleven appeared in the Void, looking around, finding Mike in his basement sitting within Eleven's fort, walking toward him.

Mike spoke into his radio. "It's day 353. I had a bad day today. I don't know, I... I guess I wish you were here. I mean, we all do. If you're out there, just please give me a sign."

Eleven knelt next to him.

Mike seemed to sense her, looking up.

"Mike," Eleven whispered.

Mike frowned in confusion. "Eleven?"

Mike couldn't see or hear Eleven, but seeming to sense her there, even if he didn't understand or really know.

Eleven reached out toward Mike.

Mike, thinking that he was going crazy, shut the radio off, standing, walking out of the fort.

Eleven turned her head to watch him go and disappear within the Void.

∰

Hopper's Cabin - Eleven's Room

Eleven took off the blindfold, her nose bleeding, as she started to cry.

∰

Henderson House - Outside

Dustin drove his bike up to his home. "Tubular. Tubular. Tubular." He heard a chirping and a growling within a trash can, turning to face it. "Mews, is that..." The trash can shook violently. Dustin realized that it wasn't his family's cat, grabbing the hose to his proton pack, walking closer. "Shit, shit, shit, shit." He got to the trash can, screaming, lifting up the lid, throwing the lid aside, aiming the hose of his patron pack into the trash can, shocked to find what he saw there. "Holy sh.."