Steve sped all the way back to the mall, Christine gripping the handle on the dome for dear life as they drove. Robin was shouting at Steve for most of the ride, the boy gripping the wheel until his knuckles were white, his eyes wide as he concentrated on not wrecking. The drifted into the parking lot, Steve seeing Billy's car, the one that was revving it's engine very loudly at Nancy's car.

"Christine do you have your seatbelt on?" Steve asked, the boy holding his foot on the brake as he looked over at her.

"No I-"

"Put it on." He said seriously, the boy about to lift his foot off the break before hearing her speak again.

"But I-"

"Put the goddamn seatbelt on Christine! I'm crashing the car!" Steve yelled, Christines eyes widening at his serious tone and his plan. She quickly grabbed the seatbelt, pushing it across her body and into the buckle. Steve looked back at Robin for only a moment, giving her a nod before letting go of the brake, the boy pressing all the way down on the gas.

Christine held onto the handle as hard as she possibly could, Steve feeling like there was definitely no goin back now. The Wheeler girls hair was whipping around her, the wind feeling nice on her wounded face for a moment. Steve slammed into the side of Billy Hargroves car, Christine letting out a yell as Steve continued to grip the wheel. The car spun out, stopping a few moments later in a very dramatic fashion. He let out a few shallow breaths, the boy looking over at Christine who was panting beside him, her hand on her heart as she tried to calm her post crash nerves. When she met Steve's eyes she was stunned by the emotion in them, her eyebrows furrowing as he opened his mouth.

"I love you." The words dropped out of his mouth like bombs, blowing up everything around them and uprooting the world. Christine felt extreme confusion, it was almost like time stopped for a moment, her heart skipping a few beats at the words that came out of his mouth. She couldn't believe he had said that, and she had no idea what had possessed him to do so. Steve felt extremely relieved about finally telling her, a humongous weight lifting from his shoulders and his body seeming to relax. He didn't expect her to say it back or to even say anything at all, instead he looked back at Nancy and the kids who were in the car in front of them.

"What?" She asked in pure shock, Steves mouth opening to speak but the boy being cut off by loud pounding footsteps. They all stood from their seats, Christine staying in her seat for only a moment, her eyes glued to where Steve had been sitting, wondering how he could just move on after dropping such a relationship altering confession. She slowly unbuckled her seatbelt, the girl looking at the very large and equally terrifying melted body Mind Flayer, something that could only be seen in somebody's nightmares. Christine felt a bolt of fear run down her spine, a car horn making them all turn and look. Nancy yelled for them to get in, Christine halfway in before she became aware of  a noticeably missing few kids.

"Where's Mike? Where's El? Where is Max?!" Christine yelled in pure terror, Steve's words still sticking to her skin like glue but being momentarily pushed aside. 

"We don't have time! Christine get in the car!"  Nancy yelled from the drivers seat, Christine looking at her like she was insane. She turned her head towards the mall, the wind whipping through her hair as the creature crawled down from the top of it. She looked back at the car full of people who were screaming for her to get inside, Christine shaking her head and starting to close the trunk, without her in it.

"Christine no! Get in the car! No!" Steve yelled after her, the girl already taking off towards the Mind Flayer and towards the mall. She could hear the shouts still from behind her, but Nancy was a quick thinker, the girl laying on her horn and taking the Mind Flayers attention from the girl who was running directly towards it.

"I can't leave them!" Christine shouted directly to Steve, who was trying to get out of the car but was being stopped by Robin and being yelled at by Jonathan. Christine gave him a purely apologetic look, Steve's hands pressed against the glass as Nancy sped away. The monsters beastly head turned towards the car, Christine taking that as the go ahead to fully enter the mall, the girl running viciously through the place and screaming for the kids.

"Mike! El! Max! Mike!" She shouted, her heartbeat practically beating out of her body as she feared for their safety. She heard a door shut from inside the Gap store, the clicking of it echoing through the place and making her sprint towards the source. She felt an insatiable worry in her heart at the thought of something happening to the three kids. She ran through the Gap, the girl noticing the debris on the ground,  and heading towards the door that led to the employee hallway.  She pushed the door open catching sight of the three teens in the flickering lights, her anxiety melting away a bit as she ran towards them.

"Mike! Thank God you're okay. I didn't know what happened they didn't say anything ab-"

"Christine what are you doing here?! Why did you come back?!" Mike asked as Christine came to a stop in front of them, the three younger kids still feeling a bit better about the situation now that she was there.

"Well I-I couldn't leave you here alone." Christine said, looking between the three and hoping they'd accept what she had to say, because she had missed the opportunity to leave this time.  They all stood there for a second, breathing heavily and looking up at the older girls bloody face, trying to understand why she would come back for them when she had the opportunity to get out safely. Max let go of El, the girl pushing into Christines arms as she pressed her cheek against Christine shoulder, letting out a relieved sigh that the girl was there for them, even in the face of danger.

"Thank you." El said to Christine, the girl giving her  a genuine nod of thankfulness. Christine gave her  a determined smile, the girl looking between all of them and then immediately speaking.

"Listen we gotta get out of the mall! Let's go! This way!" She said, pointing in the direction of the exit. They all nodded, the kids limping away in the direction of the exit and Christine backing them, her head turning frantically as she looked around. She knew the monster was gone, but this was eerily similar to her dream she had had months before, so if she had anything correct, Billy would be here. They ran out of the exit, Christine going in front of them to see if she could find a car or some way to get out of here. She spotted Steve actual car from a good distance away, her eyes widening as she saw Billy Hargrove standing near his car that was currently on fire.

"Shit!" Max said, immediately starting to turn away from Billy.

"Go! Go, go, go, go ,go,go!" Mike said, Christine pushing them back through the gate and running towards the door. Max ran back and pressed the button for the gate, Christine sprinting to the door and reopening it for them. They headed back inside, Christines breaths heavy and her body filled with fear at the fact that one of the most terrifying people to her was after them. She knew what he was capable of without being under the control of the Mind Flayer, so she couldn't possibly imagine it now.

"In here. Come on!" Mike said, reaching for the elevator button and pressing it frantically. Christine was looking around for anything that she could possibly use as a weapon, but the walls were bare, and there was nothing.

"Billy." Max said, Christine turning her head lightning fast as she saw the red headed girl standing in the doorway. "Billy you don't have to do this. Billy, your names Billy, Billy Hargrove."

"Max..." Christine warned, her hand lifting so she could grab the girl as she heard the daunting footsteps.

"You live on 4819 Cherry Lane. Billy please! I'm Max! I'm your sis-" Max was cut off by Billy hitting her across the face, Christine gasping as Mike immediately sprung into action. Billy threw Mike into the wall the boy going out cold. Christine pushed herself in front of El, looking her fear right in the eye as she dropped down to try and push him away. She wrapped her arms around his waist, Billy bringing his elbows down into her back, the already injured girl feeling this reverberate through her broken ribs. She coughed as he pulled her up by the back of her hair, Christine speaking in the face of evil.

"El run!" Billy brought his fist down onto her face, Christine groaning as his knuckles connected with her mouth. She grimaced as her lip split again, Billy pushing her back with all his force and making her hit the wall, her body slumping to the floor as he turned to El. Christine struggled to catch her breath, coughing and watching as Billy pushed Els head into the wall and then threw her, the girl too weak already to fight anymore. Christine pushed herself onto all fours, spitting the blood out onto the floor beneath her and letting out a few shallow breaths. She could no longer breath any harder than that, due to the terrible condition of her rib cage and the unbearable pain that came with breathing.

"Billy." She gasped out, the man turning his head with a viciously haunting look, Christine somehow pushing herself up from the floor. She looked between him and El who he was about to grab from the floor, her eyes fighting to close as she stood up completely straight. It was strange seeing him this way, covered in black veins and such evident torture behind his eyes. She balled her fists up, the girl ready to fight until she couldn't anymore. They stood at a standstill for a few moments, Christine not wanting to watch him take El and Billy just staring back at her blankly, as if he didn't even know her at all. She made a move towards El, the man finally springing into action as whatever conflict he was having decimated and the Mind Flayer took him over again. She leaned down to get El, Billy's boot lifting in an almost cinematic way, connecting with her chin and sending her finally into unconsciousness. Billy let out a few deep breaths before he reached down, scooping El up from the floor and walking away from the three on the ground.