After they reached the tip of Florida, One and James had decided to follow the coast until they came across the Mississippi River. This became their map as they traversed the dead land. The two had followed the Mississippi all the way up to St. Louis, where they made a pit stop at the Gateway Arch.

One and James were sitting on the grass looking up at the wondrous monument when loud explosions began to ricochet through the air. One's head shot up from where it had been laying on James' lap and her hands instinctively lit up bright blue.

"What the bloody hell is that?" James shouted over the noise.

"I don't know, but it can't be good," One answered, scanning the surrounding landscape. The bangs were followed by the pained screeches and roars of nearby monsters. "They don't like it either."

"Look!" James exclaimed, pointing up at the sky. They watched a faint rocket of light shoot up into the air and explode into an array of colorful sparks. Shortly after the one went off, another followed.

"Fireworks," One said in awe. The word just came to her, along with a memory of watching a similar spectacle from lawn chairs set up in the backyard of the brown house they had left behind ages ago. "It must be the Fourth of July."

"What is the 'Fourth of July'?" James asked.

"It's a holiday," One began to explain. "I don't really know what it's about but people celebrate with fireworks and barbecues and parades."

She was surprised at how much of this was coming back to her. They had been away from Dr. Brenner and his mind-erasing drugs for so long that the long-term effects must have been starting to wear off. She still couldn't remember her family, however.

"Sounds like a good time," James nodded along.

They watched for a while longer, trying to ignore the continuous screeching that was coming from around them.

"Do you think that means somebody else is here? Setting them off?" James asked as the thought popped into his head.

"No..." One responded slowly as she tried to contemplate their existence. "They're too faint, I think...I think they're coming from another world...our world."

"Does that mean that we can get back?" James asked hopefully.

"Maybe..." One decided to try another portal for old time's sake, but wasn't too surprised when a less than impressive array of sparks appeared before her and disappeared immediately. James put a hand on One's arm to comfort her and One returned the gesture with a half smile. "I'm sorry."

"What do you have to be sorry for?" James asked in disbelief.

"I'm the one who brought us here and now I can't even get us out," One sighed.

"You're the one who saved us," James argued. "Just think about what Dr. Brenner would have done to us if we had stayed." One gave a small nod in agreement but she still felt guilty. "This world may be a little creepy...and monster-infested...and grimy...but I don't care where I am as long as I'm with you."

One felt a few tears growing in the corners of her eyes and quickly wiped them away before James could see. She didn't know what she would do without James. He was her everything now, and if she ever lost him she would lose herself as well.

One leaned her head onto his shoulder and shut her eyes to take in the blissful moment. As was typical with her life, however, the blissful moment did not last long.

"Do you hear that?" James asked, startling One off his shoulder. "It sounds like they're getting closer..."

A loud roar from right behind them sent the two to their feet. A trio of demogorgons stood before them, screaming in distress and clawing at the air. The fireworks were driving them crazy. 

Immediately the two got to work and began brandishing their powers. This was nothing new for them. However, it was strange to see demogorgons travelling in packs. They were usually solitary creatures...

The demogorgons continued towards them and One sent a volt of electricity their way. This temporarily set them back but they still pressed forward. One continued to hit them with everything she had but it was not very effective. Usually they ran at this point...

"James!" One called out over the boom of fireworks and the screams of the demogorgons. "Any time now!"

"I'm trying!" James called back, trying to hone into his ability. He focused on one of the demogorgons and tried to force it to turn away but the demogorgon still continued on its path. He tried again and again, still with no success. "It's not working!"

"James, we need to run!" One yelled once she realized that they were being overpowered. "Now!"

One and James turned on their heel and were met with an unpleasant surprise: more manic demogorgons. The crazed monsters surrounded them and one thing immediately became very evident: they were screwed.

Name: Sarah Hopper

Hopper stood silently staring in shock at the paper in his hands. A mix of emotions swept through him and he didn't know which one he felt more strongly. He felt elation that his daughter was alive, but also a deep sadness that she had been through so much shit for over a decade and he hadn't been able to be there for her.

"Oh my god, Jim," Joyce said with her hand over her mouth. "You were right, she's alive."

Hopper slowly turned towards Joyce and collapsed into her open arms. He broke down and sobbed every last tear he had onto Joyce's shoulder. He hadn't cried in so long. It felt...good.

Grief quickly turned to anger when Hopper remembered whose office they were in. "When that piece of shit gets here I'm going to make him wish he had stayed with the Demogorgon," Hopper growled and pulled away from Joyce.

"Hop," Joyce warned. Her ears perked up when she heard something rattle outside Dr. Brenner's office.

"No, I'm serious, Joyce," Hopper continued, ignoring her. "I'm going to tear that asshole limb from limb. He took my daughter--"

"HOP!" Joyce shouted, silencing Hopper immediately. "Listen!"

The two quieted their breathing so that they could hear better. After a few moments of silence, Hopper picked up what Joyce had heard. The rattling was coming from the doorknob to Dr. Brenner's office. It was accompanied by the sound of heavy breathing or sniffing...like an animal. A big animal.

"Two birds with one stone," Hopper muttered as he reached for his gun. He slowly crept towards the panel.

"What?" Joyce whispered in confusion. She tried to follow after him but Hopper held out an arm to stop her.

"I think I figured out where the demo-monster went to," Hopper answered quietly. He turned to face Joyce and put a finger to his lips before he crept further into the office. Joyce just watched him in bewilderment. He had lost it!

When Hopper was across the threshold he quickly turned and shut the panel on Joyce. "Hop?" Joyce called through the panel. "Hop!"

She tried slamming on the panel a few times but Hopper wouldn't respond and she didn't want to alert whatever was out there to their whereabouts. "You've got to be fucking kidding me," Joyce sighed into the darkness.

She pressed her ear against the panel and felt her heart drop to her stomach as she tried to discern what was happening on the other side. Typical Hop. Thought he was invincible and that he had to do everything alone.

She heard the door knob twist and the door creak open...She heard Hopper's footsteps slowly enter the hallway...She heard what must have been the monster's low growl as it discovered Hopper...The scratching of claws on linoleum floor getting closer and closer...Three gunshots...And then silence.

Joyce stumbled back from the panel when she heard something moving towards it. It flew open and a bright light flashed in her eyes, temporarily blinding her. "Come on, let's move," Hopper's voice called into the secret room.

Joyce rushed out after him, looking down at the bloody body of a demodog on the floor as she passed it. Hopper had been right again. Two birds with one stone. They got their answers and found the monster all in one trip.

"That one is dead but there may be more," Hopper called back to her as he found his way back to the entrance of the Lab. "They usually travel in packs."

Joyce and Hopper booked it for the truck and once they had clambered in and shut their doors Hopper locked them. The two took a few deep breaths before they shared a look and burst out in joyous laughter. 

"Hop, Sarah is alive," Joyce smiled.

"I know," Hopper smiled back. "And we're going to go see her."

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