The sun had just set and although Julian was tempted to head over to Hawkins High, where the town was meeting at seven to begin the search party, he felt the need to visit the Sinclair house before. Maybe it was because he needed some comfort, or the fact that it was always instinct to stay over when incidents like the one from tonight happened.

He rang the doorbell and it wasn't long before Sam opened the door, she smiled widely when she realized it was him at the door. And he attempted to smile in return, though he was sure that she could see through the act.

"Jules." Sam said with a smile that slowly began to fade as her eyes landed on the bruise on his cheek. He could see the worry on her face, but he was always grateful that she never asked any questions. She knew him, and how much he hated talking about it. Instead she opened the door wider and stepped aside to let him in. "Come in, we just had dinner."

Every time Jules found himself coming to the Sinclair house to escape from his father he always felt a little bit ashamed. Although the Sinclair always treated him like he was a part of their family, he was embarrassed that he had to ask for help.

Like it was his fault that his father was an abusive asshole.

"Julian." Mrs. Sinclair greeted from her usual seat on the couch. They were watching Family Ties on the television and Mr. Sinclair had his arm around her.

Julian always thought that the Sinclair's were the perfect family. He would say that he was jealous, but that wasn't true. All he wanted was to continue to feel included in their perfect family.

"Mr. and Mrs. Sinclair, hope you're having a nice night." He replied with a kind smile.

"We are." Mrs. Sinclair smiled as she studied his face. What Julian was forced to endure at the hands of his father was always something unspoken between them. "There's some left over lasagna in the fridge if you would like."

Mr. Sinclair nodded in agreement, and looking at the man in front of him Julian knew that he would never lay a hand on his wife or any of his children. "Please, help yourself son."

"Thank you that's very kind."

"You know you're always welcome here."

"Come on." Samantha said as she gestured towards the kitchen where she reached into the cupboard to get a plate. She began to talk about how she thought her chemistry test went as she served him some lasagna, setting the warm plate in front of him.

As he ate she continued to ramble on about everything and nothing at all. Julian knew that she was doing it as an attempt to get his mind off of his father and everything going on in his life. But she also had a tendency to talk a lot, not in a way that was annoying.

He found it charming. Sam was an open book and he wouldn't change one thing about her.

"How's Lucas?" Julian asked as they head upstairs to her room after he had finished eating.

Samantha sighed as she pulled her hair back into a ponytail. Some of the stands of her hair were coated with blue paint, she looked exhausted. "He's... quiet. But he still has hope. I do too."

There really wasn't much to say after that. The truth was that neither of them were entirely sure if they really did have hope for Will's return. It had already been two days and as far as he knew there were no leads on what could have possibly happened to the boy.

Sam's room was oddly comforting. With posters of Elvis and Prince on her wall, the box of her mother's old vinyls sitting in the corner and the smell of strawberry mixers with paint in the air.

There were paint stains on her hardwood floor from all the painting she does. The used canvases against the wall and the photographs scattered on her desk were proof of just how talented she was.

It wasn't long before they were both laying on her bed, staring at her ceiling and eating licorice with an old Elvis record playing in the background. This was incredibly familiar for the both of them, this was what they did so often and what felt so natural for them.

"Things will get better." Sam suddenly muttered softly.

"What do you mean?" Julian asked not sure if she was referring to Will or his situation.

"You know... next year we'll be applying for colleges. We'll get into NYU and finally get away from Hawkins." She said confidently, like there was no doubt that they would both get into NYU and leave Hawkins for good.  "All the bullying will be in the past. It won't matter."

"Yeah... it won't matter." Julian replied his voice void of any really emotion as he felt Sam place her hand on top of his. He knew she was only attempting to comfort him, for her words were meant to give him some kind of hope.

She thought that he only needed the reminder of the dreams that they had discussed multiple times before. But to him they were only dreams, even if he wished that they could be real on day. He just didn't have the heart to tell Sam that didn't actually see himself ever leaving Hawkins. Maybe he was just being pessimistic, but his reality was that Hawkins was his home.

In that sense Julian was a coward. He couldn't see himself ever escaping.

He turned his head to meet Sam's bright brown eyes. She was beautiful and even now he wondered what would happen if he kissed her.

Would he finally feel what he was meant to feel?

That spark that felt like magic. Maybe he was being too much of a romantic or maybe he was in denial.

He was confused in so many ways but he could never use Sam simply to clarify his confusion. It wouldn't be fair to her.

It would only make him cruel.

He loved her in too many odd and complicated ways. He could never ruin something that was already so perfect between him. Samantha Sinclair was his best friend.

Julian had never been in the woods of Hawkins. He was a bookworm who never really left his room except to go to school and visit Sam.

Walking through the dark trees with a flashlight in hand barely illuminating the ground in front of him was unsettling. But the thought of finding Will was the only motivation he needed to get through the night. No matter how cold it was, he could only be thankful for the fact that it wasn't raining tonight.

He had no idea how Lucas and the other boys were able to do this all on their own last night. They were certainly a lot braver than he was.

"You're Michael Becker's boy aren't you?" An unfamiliar voice questioned causing Julian to stop in his tracks. Looking to his right he realized that it was Sheriff Jim Hopper.

"Yes, sir." He replied as he took the sheriff's hand, giving him a polite smile. "Julian."

"Nice of you to be out here on a school night." Sheriff Hopper commented only to be met with silence from Julian who didn't know what to say in response. "What happened?"

"What?" Julian questioned suddenly feeling a spike in his anxiety, talking to people didn't come easy to him. It was something that he and his father were ashamed of. He wished he was the type of person who conversation came naturally, but that simply wasn't the case.

"You're eye?" Hopper clarified as he pointed at the right side on his own face. "Get in a fight at school?"

Julian could almost laugh at idea of himself in a fight. He just didn't have it in him to get involved in one.

"Umm.... no. Just fell." Julian replied quickly his response short and his discomfort was clear. From the way that Hopper looked at him her could see that understanding in the man's eyes.

It was well known that Michael Becker was an alcoholic, much like it was known that Sheriff Hopper had a drinking problem too. However, unlike Mr. Becker there was a kindness in the sheriff's eyes, in those same eyes Julian saw pity. Sure, it wasn't known that Michael Becker had a tendency to beat his son, but the sheriff was a smart man and he could read the signs. Even if he decided to turn a blind eye to them.

Silently the sheriff began walking in a different direction, effectively ending their conversation. Julian couldn't help but feel relieved, not only was the man intimidating but he simply preferred to be alone. He was never good with small talk, he much preferred to lose himself in his thoughts.

A light rustling had Julian stopping him his tracks as he shined his flashlight in the direction of the sound. Instinctively he began walking towards the sound a short distance away only to jump as he caught a quick glimpse of what seemed like a deer being pulled through the muddy leaves.

He didn't see what had pulled the dead animal, but what he did know was that the deer was gone. It was like he had disappeared within the trees.

Every bone in his body was screaming for him to run in the other direction, that investigating any further would result in him getting into trouble. Turning away was the reasonable thing to do, but maybe Julian had a bit of a death wish because next thing he knew he was walking towards the mysterious tree.

Shinning the light on the blood coated leaves he kneeled down in front of the tree where the trail ended. And Julian almost felt his heart stop in his chest as he looked at the base of the hollowed out tree where the blood trail continued. There was a thick substance coat the opening of the tree trunk and Jules knew he had officially lost his mind as he crawled through into the opening.

"Will?" He called out as he pushed through the weird vines and a thick slime quickly began coating his hair and clothes. Once he finally made it to through he assumed that he had just made it through the other end of the tree but he was wrong.

Everything seemed wrong. The air was thinker and had almost an opaque quality to it. White particles were moving through the air like ashes and Julian felt disoriented as he took in his surroundings.

What had he done?"

Everything around him looked familiar, but was disturbingly wrong. The woods would have looked like the woods that he was in only second before. But dark and thick vines were running through the ground and up all the trees. The vines almost looked alive as they seemed to pulse under his feet.

The fear quickly began to sink in as he realized that he wasn't in Hawkins anymore. It didn't seem like he was on earth anymore. He had read about other worlds in books but he never considered it to be something that actually existed.

"Sam!" He yelled hearing his voice echoing through the night. Nothing else could be heard except his deep breaths that he attempted to control, because he couldn't shake the feeling that he was being watched or that there was something out there.

Julian wasn't sure why he called out for Sam, she was safe at home and he wouldn't want her in here with him. He was terrified and the only person who ever helped him was Samantha Sinclair.

But Sam wasn't here. And the reality was the Julian was alone and trapped in a hellish nightmare that seemed to have no escape.

A/N: After season 4 I'm very inspired to keep writing this story. Because come on season 4 has to be the nest season of Stranger Things and I just have so many ideas for all these characters. For season one Samantha will be the main character who we will follow with some chapters from Viviane and Julian. And although romance will be light for season one I will definitely make it up to you all for season two.