***

(tw: mentions of abuse)

She didn't realise surviving small-town life in Indiana would be so stressful. It was enough surviving her father's vicious temper and Billy's snide remarks daily, but this was on a whole other level of extreme.

Once the military reached Hawkins, they seized control of the situation. Nearly everyone, except Eleven, was taken into custody. The group had their injuries checked over and luckily, Sophie's leg wasn't infected. 

Steve, on the other hand, had a more thorough check with army doctors assessing whether or not he had a concussion. She didn't see him for the rest of the night, but her sole hope was that he didn't notice her staring at his lips. Sophie didn't know what took hold of her down there in the tunnels, she was running on adrenaline.

The spores Dustin inhaled did raise some alarm, but, as it turned out, the Upside Down wasn't as toxic as it appeared. As long as someone didn't spend weeks in that horrid dimension, they'd be all right.

Will was okay too, despite the odds, released from the Mind Flayer's hold by his family. He was lucky to have them by his side. But with all he's been through the last year or so, Sophie couldn't see his life improving from there.

Their parents were called, fuming that their kids were out so late. But of course, they knew little to nothing about the ordeal they had all been through, and the US government were determined to keep things that way.

After she got her leg treated, she was almost free to go. Almost being the keyword since government agents were waiting outside to drag her into their makeshift interrogation in the room. Because of what they had all seen, those involved were questioned about their part in the events and forced to sign their special non-disclosure agreement.

"Shouldn't there be a lawyer or something present?" The room was grey, the table was off-white and slanted, and they only turned on a single overhead light which cast a spotlight over the teenager. "I'm not eighteen, so technically I shouldn't be left unsupervised, otherwise you guys would take advantage of me or make me say all the wrong things."

A pair of agents in pressed suits stared her down. One held a pack of files in their hand, and the other held a single piece of paper. Though they tried their best not to intimidate her, their natural aura unnerved her anyway. "We just need to ask you a few questions, and then we'll let you go on your way."

"Do I have to sign an NDA?" she questioned, nodding her head in the direction of the agent with the piece of paper. "I mean, that's what you're holding, isn't it?" The pair shared a glance, their brows raised. "Steve told me they all had to sign one last year, even the kids."

"Steve Harrington?" he asked.

Sophie narrowed her eyes. "Do you know any other Steves involved in this situation?"

The other agent, whom she dubbed "Silent but Deadly", sighed, gently laying the piece of paper on the table. He didn't talk the entire time, most likely saving his voice for something more serious.

"Yes, it is." The first agent presented her with a ballpoint pen as Silent but Deadly shoved the paper towards her. "Miss Hargrove, it is vital that none of this is revealed to the public. Otherwise, if this gets out-"

"- It'll put us all in danger?" she finished, tilting her head to the side.

"Sorta." The first agent said, tilting his hand back and forth. "But with this "gate" closed, this should be the last time we ever have to deal with something like this."

They were making this out to be an annual thing; she hoped it wasn't. "Do I get something out of this?"

"Like what?" he queried.

"Like compensation?" She nearly got her leg torn off -- she deserved something better than just being a survivor. "You know, since it would stop me from talking."

The agents eyed each other again, shocked and a little irritated by how persistent she was. "How much do you want?"

"Okay, first of all, I don't want any money. Other people out there deserve it way more than I do -- like the Byers." They would most likely need to pay for therapy, hospital bills and probably funeral bills in Bob's case. "No amount of cash is gonna shut me up."

His shoulders drooped and he pursed his lips. "Then what is it that you want from us?"

Her lips pulled upwards into a light smirk; she had them in the palm of her hand. If she was being completely honest, Sophie was still running on adrenaline after facing off against her brother earlier that night.

Once she had presented her list of demands to the government agents, they agreed and she signed her name on the dotted line. Then, they kicked her out, moving on to the next person involved.

She sat in the waiting room, casually observing those around her. Max and Lucas seemed to have formed a genuine connection with one another, chatting away and laughing at each other's jokes. Mike sat on his own, his leg bobbing up and down as if he couldn't stand waiting around for something to happen. He was most likely thinking about Eleven, wondering if she was okay and when he could see her again.

Others wandered in and out, being called away constantly for observation or interrogation. The government was having a busy night in Hawkins, and they were probably hating every second of it.

In the corner of her eye, Nancy timidly approached her, wringing her fingers together. She sighed, her lips quivering. "Hey, Sophie."

She turned her head. "Hi."

The teenager looked terrible. Her hair was all over the place, though it brought out more of her natural curls. Despite the cold, she refused to wear a jumper, considering she'd just suffered through an artificial heatwave. Nancy sat beside her, asking. "How's it going?"

"Fine, I guess." There wasn't much Sophie could say to describe her emotions. "This has been the weirdest week of my life."

"Yeah, that's one way to put it." She'd chuckle, but it wasn't the right situation. Nancy tapped her fingers against the chair. "I'm sorry you got dragged into this."

"It's not your fault. I mean, you weren't even here for half of it." Would things be any different if she was? 

Nancy wiped the sweat off her brow, adjusting her posture. "If I knew what was happening, I would have stayed in town."

Sophie angled her head towards her, her brows furrowed. "Why did you go out of town with Jonathan?"

She opened her palm, rubbing a pink scar with her other thumb. It ran all the way from the beginning of her fingers to the edge of her wrist. "I was making up for last year."

Her thoughts were elsewhere as the other girl recalled the earlier tale. Sophie folded her hands in her lap. "Steve said you had this friend who disappeared." Nancy tilted her head to the side, her expression blank. "Were you trying to find her?"

The girl winced, her gaze wandering. "Can't exactly find someone who's been dead a year." Sophie's lips parted, her breath hitching. "The monster didn't just take Will, it took her too..." Nancy sniffed, struggling to withhold tears, "... and it killed her." She inhaled sharply, wiping her nose with the back of her hand. "I might not have been able to save her, but at least I've brought her justice." Nancy straightened up, lowering her voice as she eyed Sophie. "Don't tell them that, though. This breaks the NDA."

She returned a brief nod. "What was her name?"

The corner of her lip twitched upwards -- as if recalling a fond memory of her. "Barb."

Barb? As in Robin's old friend, Barb? The girl she thought had run away?

Sophie restrained her shock, swallowing it down and retaining a gentle tone. "I'm sorry you lost her."

She'd grown quiet, but respected Sophie's kindness, offering her a weak smile. "Thanks."

"Nancy?" Mike's approach had gone unnoticed by the pair until now. The girls stared back at him, their eyes wide. "Mom and Dad are here."

Nancy stood up, rapidly blinking to rid herself of any tears. "I'll see you at school."

"Sure." Truth be told, she had forgotten all about school. It was hard to believe she'd spent the weekend fighting monsters and was now expected to return to normal. The others must have been used to it by now. As the siblings began to walk away, Sophie piped up again. "Nancy?" They halted, Mike and Nancy pivoting over their shoulders. "You look nice with curls."

"Really?" She scrunched it, scraping a few fingers through her tousled hair. "Everywhere?"

"Yeah, with some proper haircare, you'd look very chic." She recommended.

A glimpse of consideration appeared in Nancy's expression, lowering her arm. "I'll, er, keep that in mind. Thanks."

Her gaze shifted to the younger boy. "And Mike-?"

He huffed, rolling his eyes. "Yeah, I'll let her in our party. Geez..."

As she watched the pair stroll out of the waiting room, her lips curved into a satisfied smirk. She crossed her arms, leaning back into her chair. Sophie reflected on past events -- how her life had wildly changed overnight. As she thought more about it, her smile began to fall.

God, she didn't know how Robin was going to react to the news. She really thought Barb got out -- but her body was six feet under. Or, in this case, lost in another dimension that was now closed off for good. No one deserves a fate like that.

***

Their dad was pissed -- they knew he would be. Sophie and Max had a reason, though. It was kindly granted to them by the government and was supported by falsified evidence that anyone of little intelligence would believe. 

Billy, on the other hand, wasn't given the same treatment. She'd say he deserved it -- it was partially true. But Sophie didn't want a hurricane of abuse coming his way. Of course, she could do little to stop it. There was no trying to persuade Neil to give him a more lenient punishment; he wasn't the type to let bygones be bygones.

When she awoke the next day, normality made a swift return. A little sooner than she'd expected, albeit. The morning felt different but it wasn't a "bad" different. In her bed, she realised how uncertain the future was, especially since learning anything was possible. She could be attacked by a firebreathing dragon at school or threatened by an evil wizard. Though with the Upside Down's existence, she suspected they'd look a little more monstrous than the ones from her imagination.

For now, all she could do was continue her daily routine. Sophie couldn't worry about anything other than what shirt would go best with her high-waisted jeans or how her hair should look. She stuck on some music and brushed those otherworldly anxieties away. Surely, life wouldn't turn that crazy in Hawkins again.

Once she was ready to head to school, Sophie checked the time before grabbing her bag and swinging it over her shoulder. She brushed her braid out of the way, letting it fall down her back.

She opened the door, coming face to face with her twin brother. His hand was pressed against her doorframe, his knuckles noticeably bruised. His eyes were sunken and dark, which surprised her considering the long sleep he had. Was Billy just waiting for her to leave her room to confront her?

"What the hell happened last night?" he questioned.

Sophie shrugged with a neutral expression. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Billy stepped in front of her, halting her attempt to leave her bedroom. He grimaced, his muscles tensing in his neck. "Soph, don't lie to me. I know you plunged a fucking needle into my neck."

Her cheeks tightened slightly, though she retained a calm exterior. "I'll stop lying when you stop being a fucking jerk."

He blinked, suffering a momentary loss of confidence. Billy looked down on her, his lips pursed. "You can't talk to me like that."

"I can, and I will." She told him. His nostrils flared, and he took half a step forward. "Do you want me to get that bat out again?" Sophie witnessed a brief flinch, a flash of terror in his eyes. Sophie didn't have it with her, but it was somewhat nice to see him afraid this time around. "Don't try anything, Billy. You aren't the boss of me anymore." She gave his shoulder a light shove and, with little strength, she pushed him out of the way. Sophie wandered down the hallway. "Hey, Max," she stopped outside her sister's bedroom, peering inside, "you ready to go?"

Her door was wide open, Max's fear no longer getting the best of her. She stuffed a few books into her backpack. "Yeah, give me two seconds."

Sophie simpered, turning back to her brother. "Guess you'll have to walk to school today."

For his misbehaviour, Billy's car had been confiscated. It had been assumed by their father that, after he sent his son to search for the girls, he'd taken the car on a joyride as an act of rebellion. "Speak for yourself, you two haven't got a ride."

She cocked her head to the side as Max emerged from behind her. "Haven't we?"

The girls shared a look before heading towards the front door, their strides reeking of self-confidence. For once, they were unafraid of Billy's harsh demeanour and deriding comments -- they'd seen worse now.

They strolled outside, though their brother remained by the door. His eyes widened at the sight of two bikes, brand-new. They were one of Sophie's few requests from the government, granting the sisters the freedom to travel by themselves. Their parents certainly approved of the idea.

"Where the hell did you get those?" he asked, his voice going up an octave.

"You know, if you weren't such an asshole, then we'd tell you," Sophie said, grasping the handles. The girls mounted themselves on their bikes. His sister flashed him one final grin, her feet stuck firmly on the pedals. "See you at school."

The wheels curved, pulling the sisters away from the driveway and onto the main road. The breeze lifted loose hairs away from their faces as an autumn sun shone against the path ahead of them.

"Bitches!" Billy called down the street, though Sophie was unafraid, lifting her arm into the air and giving him the finger.

Max couldn't help but laugh, speeding up to join her sister by her side. "I am loving this colour on you."

"Ah, thank you, Max." Standing up to Billy filled her with immense pleasure, even though she knew it wouldn't last forever. Soon enough, guilt and regret would creep up on her like a vine, but she wouldn't let it affect her today.

"But I have to ask," Max squished her brows together. "why didn't you ask for a car instead?"

"Because then I'd have no reason to borrow his." She excused, which she followed with an ecstatic cackle.

***

Sophie travelled through the crowd of wayward students, clutching her books close to her chest. She should have asked for a bike chain or something because the fear of her transport being stolen was creeping up on her. Sure, this was a small town where there were little to no criminals, but it still worried her.

As she turned a corner, she froze. At the other end of the hallway, Robin Buckley was retrieving some items from her locker. Sophie inhaled, deeply. She held her breath for a couple of seconds before releasing it from her mouth.

One foot stepped forward, followed by the other as Sophie rubbed her hand against her thigh. She fought back the desire to flee, knowing she owed Robin some kind of explanation for her antics. She couldn't say much, of course, so when Sophie finally reached her, she started with a, "Hey."

Her timid greeting contrasted with Robin's monotone voice. "Hi."

"I'm so sorry about Billy." She apologised.

Robin shut her locker, twisting the combination before slouching her side against it. "He's really scary, by the way. But, like, in a subtle way." She elaborated further, folding her arms. "He has this subtle way of threatening people."

"Yeah." Sophie rubbed the back of her neck, grimacing. "Honestly, I had no idea he'd even find your house. I don't even know where you live, so that's just mortifying." 

"Apparently, I have a dead cat who got mauled to death?" she replied.

Her eyes squeezed shut, bowing her head as an awkward smile formed on her face. Sophie placed a hand on her forehead, her fingers travelling towards her hairline. "Yeah, the whole thing's a long story. You wouldn't believe it."

"Try me." She took it like a challenge, her lips pressing into a scrunched smirk.

"No, I'm serious," she giggled, scraping her fingers through her hair, "you wouldn't." She opened her eyes, patting her legs. "Anyway, I just wanted to say I'm sorry because I shouldn't have used you as an excuse for doing other things, and I don't want you to think I'm a bad friend because of it."

To her surprise, Robin shook her head. "No, I don't think you're a bad friend."

Tension began to ebb away, her face relaxing. "You don't?"

"Not in the slightest!" she scoffed, her expression upturned. "Look, your brother's a scary dude, I get it. I heard he beat up a guy because he was hitting on you."

She grimaced, scratching her temple. "Uh, yeah, he did. He did do that."

"But I'm kinda glad you considered me for your excuse. Not everyone remembers my name." Robin shouldn't be pleased with something like that. Sophie put her at risk and that was unforgivable in her eyes.

"No, it just came off the top of my head." Sophie didn't understand her friend's joy. She should be angry with her; it's how she thought this would go down. Her arms gained some vitality, opening her palms. "I really didn't mean for this to happen -- honest!"

"Soph, it's fine." Robin grasped her wrists, holding her still. Her expression twisted into that of disgust, wrinkling her freckled nose. "But you should know that he did try to hit on me."

Her arms went limp, falling by her sides as she took a step back. Sophie cringed, hanging her head back. "Oh, my god..."

"Yeah." The memory of it sickened her, goosebumps spreading across her flesh. His flirtatious smile made her want to gag.

She covered her face, dragging her fingers downwards. "Of course -- of course, he did."

"But don't worry, I fought him off," Robin informed her. The other girl froze, her eyes wide. "Not literally, of course." She stammered, chuckling. "I mean, how could I? You've seen those muscles."

"Yeah, he lifts weights every weekend." Along with blasting music that sent vibrations through the entire house -- the neighbours were yet to complain. "Speaking of," Sophie started, tucking her hands into her pockets, "do you wanna hang out with me this weekend?"

Robin glanced around the hallway, scanning the hallway with an anxious gaze. "You promise Billy won't come looking?"

A satisfied grin spread from ear to ear. "Oh, he won't be checking up on me anymore. I've let him know that my sister and I should be allowed to live our own lives.

"Good on you, standing up for yourself. Wish I had that kind of willpower with these shitheads." She retorted, glaring at a passing couple. "Hey, they just opened the ice rink in the park, so if you want, we can go on Saturday?"

"Yeah, that sounds great. I'd love to."

"Cool."

She used to find her friends in the books she'd read, but now Sophie had a proper one -- a genuine friendship with someone who wasn't using her to gain her brother's attention. This was something that could last forever.

They began to walk down the hallway, side by side. Sophie didn't know which class her friend was going to, but she didn't care. Robin was someone she could count on; she was sure of it.

Walking in the opposite direction, with bruises and stitched cuts colouring his face, Steve Harrington entered her view. For a moment, Sophie assumed she would be ignored -- that he would just forget everything that happened the last few days.

But then he saw her, and the world slowed down. She caught the gleam in his eye as his lips curved into a slight smile. She returned the gesture, offering a single nod. They would talk later -- she could tell. As he strolled past, Sophie could practically feel his body heat radiating from his skin, even though he wasn't that close in proximity.

Robin's gaze was also fixed on him, though she was more concerned than her friend. "Jesus Christ, what happened to him?" she uttered. Robin blinked, having a double take. "Wait, did he just smile at you?"

"Maybe." Sophie tilted her head away, hiding her blushing cheeks. "A lot's happened in the last few days."

Robin raised her eyebrows, her voice cracking. "Oh, god. Did you sleep with him?"

Her head snapped back to face her, her mouth falling open. "No! No, we're just..." she swallowed, hesitating, "... we babysit the same kid." Yeah, she definitely wasn't telling her she slept over at his house. Babysitting with him was all Robin ever needed to know.

She narrowed her eyes. "Together?"

"Yeah."

"At the same time?"

"Mm-hm."

"What, is the kid too much to handle?" Too many to handle at once, more like.

"Something like that," Sophie answered. "You know kids, right?"

"Yeah, right terrors. Glad I wasn't one." Robin remarked to Sophie's silent confusion. "You know, I don't really see Steve Harrington as a babysitter."

She laughed, her cheekbones raised. "Oh, you'd be surprised. There's a lot more to him than meets the eye."

Robin's brows furrowed, clenching her mouth. "I doubt that."

***

Discovering the Hellfire Club was a happy accident. A flyer of theirs was discarded behind a bin, sticking out like it was waiting for someone to throw it away properly. To its luck, the flyer caught Sophie's eye, and when after school rolled around, she found herself wandering the empty hallways of Hawkins High with scrunched paper in hand.

She checked the room number repeatedly, her gaze darting back and forth as she searched the halls. A light flickered above her head and she stopped, her blood running cold. Her breath hitched as she stared at the lightbulb, waiting for it to dim again.

No, she assured herself, the gate's closed. We're safe.

"A storm approaches." A voice spoke from nearby. She turned her head to the right, noticing a classroom door that was slightly ajar. The room was dim, yet as Sophie took a step towards it, she acknowledged a group of people gathered around a table. Only one stood, a teenage boy with a mop of tangled brown curls. "You watch it moving across the land, growing nearer." He raised an arm, spreading his palm and floating it over the board. "From the looks of it, the rain's the shade of blood, and there are scorch marks on the ground." The boy pointed at one of his classmates, the other teenager flinching. "Sir Dagon, your action."

Sophie crept inside, not wanting to startle them. "Hi-"

Before she could get a word in edgeways, a club member shot up from his seat. "Retreat, dude!"

The teenage boy, whom Sophie presumed to be Sir Dagon, responded. "Uh, I raise my shield and block the rainfall."

"Hello?" she raised her voice a little, though it wasn't enough to get anyone's attention.

The dungeon master rolled his dice, checked his notes and sighed. He smacked his lips together, shaking his head. "The metal burns the second it touches a drop of the blood-water, and your companions aren't safe either." The group huffed and released short, irritated cries. The boy's head snapped towards another member. "Clarence, hope lies with you."

"Excuse me?" She tried again to no avail.

"I, er..." The pressure was already weighing down on "Clarence's" conscience, knowing one wrong move could be the end for all of them. Figuratively, of course.

"The storm's gaining on you." The dungeon master informed him.

He slammed his fists on the table, shouting. "I lead my men to retreat!"

The dungeon master tossed the dice again, the object bouncing against the wood. "You and your men-" The sole girl coughed, glowering at him, "- Sorry, your party make a daring escape, fleeing back into the caves. But do not relax, my friends..." he leaned in, growing quiet, "... for you are not alone here-"

As a last resort, Sophie drew a balled fist to her mouth and coughed loudly, clearing her throat. The group froze before slowly turning their heads, eyeing the lone girl. "Hello."

"Er," the club's leader hesitated, breaking out of his role, "hi?"

She did a light wave, her smile brief. "I'm Sophie."

"Cool." He pointed at the door. "Cheerleading tryouts are down the hall."

"No, I'm not..." She took a glimpse at her own outfit, composed of soft pinks and whites. Sophie could understand their confusion. "... This is the DnD club, right?" The group shared a few stunned looks with one another, but the leader's eyes were glued to her. "Hellfire?"

He leaned back, opening his jacket to reveal a red devil with yellow eyes. The boy ran his fingers across the words. "You can read, right?"

She scratched the back of her head, questioning whether this was a good idea or not. "... Oh, yeah. I see now."

The boy kicked his legs, leaping onto his feet and striding over. "What did you say your name was?"

"Sophie." She gulped, nervously. "Sophie Hargrove-"

"No," he stopped in front of her, "I meant your character name."

She wrung her fingers together, her anxious smile twitching. "Oh. I don't have one." 

"Shocking." One of the members sarcastically chimed in from the table. The girl next to him smacked him on the back, snarling.

The boy rolled his eyes as Sophie stammered. "I'm sorry -- I've never actually played before, but I wanna try it out." He lowered his brows, examining her. "If that's okay with you, um..."

"Eddie Munson." The boy introduced himself. "Current Dungeon Master and Ruler of Hellfire." He outstretched his arms, stepped back and bowed. "Pleasure to be at your service, m'lady."

"So..." she glanced at the other members, bobbing her leg, "... does that mean I can join?"

"We're in the middle of a campaign, at the moment," he looked over his shoulder, "but you're welcome to stick around and learn from the very best." Eddie gave her a wide grin, his dark-brown eyes shimmering in the light. "Welcome to Hellfire, Sophie. You're the second girl to join the club."

A punk-ish girl shot up, punching her fists into the air and yelling. "Women fucking rule!"

"That's Ronnie." Eddie gestured behind him with his thumb. "You'll get used to her."

***

It was getting colder by the day, white frost rippled across the grass and climbed the trees, spreading like fire. It was kinda pretty how it stuck to the wood, shimmering in the light. By midday on a chilly Saturday, it hadn't yet melted. Almost a week had passed and as winter was beginning to settle in, so did the full return to normality. 

She sat on the hood of an old car in the junkyard, near the dreaded Demodog circle. The meat was all gone now, most likely eaten by the less vicious of Hawkins wildlife. It wasn't so eerie in the daylight now.

Eddie recommended a few books to inspire the creation of Sophie's DnD character, and after mentioning her love for fairy tales, he told her to start with The Mists of Avalon, a recent historical fantasy novel that focused on the women of Arthurian legend. It was a good start, to say the least. So, as she waited in the junkyard, Sophie read the first chapters of the novel.

"Hey." She glanced up from her book, spotting Steve a little further away. He raised his arm, displaying a folded piece of paper lodged between his fingers. "I got your note."

"I can see that." Like some awkward teen, she posted it through his locker. Sophie just needed to speak to him, and she wasn't sure how to go about it. Since his fall from popularity, she'd hardly seen him around school. "I didn't think you'd come."

Steve narrowed his eyes, tucking the note in his jacket pocket. "Why not?"

"I mean," she slipped a bookmark between the pages and closed the novel, "this is the place we almost died."

"We almost died in those tunnels, too." He mentioned, nudging his foot against a stone loosely embedded in the dirt. "And I think I saw my life flash before my eyes when Billy was beating me to death."

Sophie settled her book against the intact window, sliding off the car hood. "You okay, though?"

"Yeah, it was just a minor concussion." Steve scraped his fingers through his hair, assuring her. "All good now, though."

She grimaced, walking towards him. "I'm sorry you had to go through that."

He shook his head, causing a muscle in his neck to twinge. "No, it's fine. I was protecting you." Sophie paused, her feet shuffling to a quick stop. Momentarily, Steve's eyes bulged and he stuttered. "And the kids, of course. Couldn't let them get hurt."

"Yeah." Sophie bowed her head and picked at the dirt under her fingernails. "He's never tried to hurt me before..." Billy was as savage and bloodthirsty as those demodogs that had attacked them.

"Why is he like that?" Steve continued to rub his neck, tilting his head slightly to locate the pain Billy caused him. "Why's he so rough with people?"

"He wasn't always." She needed him to know that -- to understand what they had been through. "William Hargrove used to be the sweetest little boy in San Diego. I mean, that's who I thought he was or wanted him to be -- I don't know." Sophie scratched the ridge of her nose, taking a swift breath.

He didn't want to ask before. It didn't feel right to pry -- until now. "Then what happened?"

Slowly, she turned away from him, her eyes landing on their decaying makeshift base. It had been ripped and gnawed at by sharp claws and teeth. Her upper lip quivered. "My dad beat it out of him."

"Does he-" his breath hitched, hesitating for a moment. "- Does he, um...?"

"He gave me that bruise you asked me about, yeah." She confessed, confirming his suspicions. "He said if I told anybody, they wouldn't believe me."

Even though she was confirming it now, Steve always had a niggling suspicion that her home life was worse than his. "I believe you."

"But that's not enough, is it?" Sophie followed the trail of Demodog footprints, leading towards the wrecked bus. "I called the police on him once." She mentioned. "It was anonymous, though, so he never found out it was me." Upon reaching the broken door of the bus, she crouched and traced the scratches in the metal with her fingers. "But when the cops came around, they didn't believe it." Sophie sighed, letting her arm fall. "My family and I know how to pretend everything's perfect."

"I'm sorry." He didn't really know what else to say -- no one's ever been this open with him before.

"Billy's turning into him, and I thought..." she closed her eyes, her face tightening. Her voice trembled. "... I really thought I could save him."

"Sophie, you saved yourself." The words slipped from his mouth without much thought to it.

Her throat pulsated, briefly choking on saliva. Sophie crooked her head, looking back over her shoulder. "What?"

"No, I didn't mean that in a selfish way," he fumbled, "but you're different from your family."

She scoffed sarcastically, straightening up. "Because I've survived my dad's abuse for this long?"

"No, because you're a good person." He believed.

Her mouth fell open, yet his comment reduced her to silence. Sophie's chin dropped to her chest, avoiding his gaze. "I don't know what I am, Steve."

"You did anything you could to keep those kids safe." He moved closer, his voice rich with emotion. "You threatened Billy with a gun, and you stopped him from killing me."

Not that she wanted to do any of that. "Steve-"

"You made sure Dustin was above ground when those Demodogs were coming. Not everyone would do that." It was a selfless act that didn't lead to a kid losing his life. "So I don't care what the hell your dad's made you think about yourself -- you're a good person."

"Do you think you're a good person, Steve?" she asked as she tilted her head upwards, staring back at him with glistening eyes.

"I think," he began, tucking his hands in his pockets, "if I wasn't careful," he gradually spun over his shoulder, lightly kicking his foot upwards, "I would have turned out like Billy."

Her forehead creased. "What do you mean?"

Steve created distance between them, walking with his head bowed. "I don't know if you've heard but my reputation as a douchebag precedes me."

She glanced off to the side. "I was told you were an asshole," Sophie stepped toward him, "and to be honest, when we first met, I kinda thought you were." She met his poignant gaze again. "But after the party, I just felt sorry for you."

He squinted, pursing his lips. "Why me?"

"Big house," she said, "no parents." Steve had definitely heard that before. She heard him click his tongue in response before pinching the ridge of his nose. "I know what it's like to feel alone." He didn't say anything. Sophie edged closer, rubbing her thumbs together. "Listen, Billy said you did some..." she swallowed, "... things last year." 

Really, really shitty things that she didn't quite believe, at first.

As if he read her mind, Steve added. "Yeah, things I'm not proud of." His teeth dug into his bottom lip as he peered at the sky. "I still don't understand how Nancy could forgive me. I was a shit boyfriend." He released a self-deprecating scoff. "When Billy beat me up, it was like looking in a mirror. I saw the guy I used to be -- the one who picked fights and didn't care who he was fucking." Steve wiped his chin, dragging on his skin. "I could've turned into that."

"What changed?" she wondered.

He pivoted to face her, popping his mouth. "I faced a monster," he stated, "and I stopped running."

Steve was who she wanted Billy to become. He knew the error of his ways and that some actions cause life-changing consequences -- and maybe she'd helped him a little along the way. If only Billy could know how much it hurt Sophie to see the brother she loved slipping away.

Sophie wandered towards the loose barrels they didn't use, standing upright just outside the centre of the junkyard. "I guess I faced one, too."

His feet stayed rooted to the ground. "Yeah, we faced several." Never again, he swore to himself. Steve had enough of fighting monsters and nearly getting killed. "Why did you ask me to come here?"

"Because I almost died here." Using her upper body strength, she pulled herself on top of one of the barrels. "And so did you." She could hear the metal settling under her rear, but it was thick enough to hold her for now. "And I just feel like you're the only person I can talk to about this."

He chuckled. "Don't wanna talk to the kids again, huh?"

She shook her head.  "No, it's just-"

"You don't have to explain. I get it." Steve laughed as he approached a second barrel, almost adjacent to the first one. "I'm kinda glad you slipped that note in my locker." He pulled himself up, sitting opposite her. "I was always kinda out of the loop with Nancy and Jonathan, so it's nice to have someone I can share this with."

Sophie nodded, smiling a little. "Me too."

"If you ever need a place to stay for the night or you just wanna get out of that house," he offered her an earnest expression, "just give me a call."

"Thank you." In the back of her mind, something kept telling her she was undeserving of his kindness. But she knew he wouldn't be here if he didn't have a shred of goodness within him.

He kicked his legs against the barrel, his heels lightly smacking the metal. Steve pinched his lips together, looking around. "So, are we just gonna sit here then?"

"It's kinda peaceful, you know." She expressed, gazing out at the barren landscape of dead vehicles. "You know those books and films that describe, like, apocalyptic dystopias?"

Steve crossed his arms, his tone uncertain. "Er, yeah?"

"I feel like this is what it would look like." Her posture relaxed and she joined her hands together on her lap. "Just chunks of metal and wood scattered around..." she leaned forward, raising her arms and placing her chin on her connected knuckles, "... and it's just so quiet. You could make the tiniest sound, and it would be the loudest thing out here." Noise draws in predators, of course, but she didn't want to think about that.

"I guess it would be kinda peaceful at the end of the world." It was a strange thought for Steve to consider. "But then again, it would still be the end of the world -- the end of everything. I doubt it would be nice for everyone."

"Yeah, but I'd rather it go out like this." Her eyes prickled with tears. "Sometimes it's nice when it's quiet."

As T. S. Eliot wrote in his poem The Hollow Men, 'This is how the world ends. Not with a bang but a whimper.'  At the end of the world, all is quiet.

***

One more chapter left and then this part is finished (and i'm hoping to finish it by the end of this month). This chapter's mostly filler because I wanted to explore what happened between when the gate was closed and the night of the Snow Ball. Because the government must have swooped in to cover everything up and some of them must have gone to the hospital, like Steve and Will. And since the kids were in the tunnels, they must have been checked whether or not they had been contaminated.

Also, this was last minute, but I slipped in Eddie and the Hellfire Club. Since she had shown interest in DnD earlier, I thought it was only fair for her to start playing. But we're not gonna see much of them since the next part takes place during the summer. I added a couple of references from The Flight of Icarus as well.

I literally came up with the junkyard scene while making cheesecake. Like, I blew my own mind. It did go through a few rewrites, but I got there in the end. We've got one more Steve and Sophie bonding session in this part, and then we've got plenty in part two.

Thank you for reading, and I'll see you for the final chapter of part one. Don't forget to leave a vote or a comment. Thank you for 15k reads xx

- Alice.