Emelia had fallen fast asleep against the car's window sill and much to their surprise, she looked very well at ease. Due to the events of the last few days, Emelia hadn't gotten a blink of rest. Every time she closed her eyes, she was forced to relive some of the worst things imaginable and because of this, she did everything in her power to avoid it. None of them could recall the exact moment she fell asleep but it had to have happened fast. The car ride to Skull Rock was less than a fifteen minute drive, and she was asleep for the majority of it.

Once they arrived to their destination, the group had come to the unanimous decision that it was best to let her sleep. They knew how unlikely it was for her to fall back to sleep if they woke her up; based on the light drool that trickled from her open mouth, they figured they made the right decision. Instead of going with the others to retrieve Eddie, Max volunteered to stay back and keep an eye on Emelia while she rested. Seeing as she had been through a very similar situation, Max felt responsible for the older girl. She didn't want anymore blood on her hands, especially if she could help it.

When Emelia finally came to, it was pitch black outside. There was a gray, bomber jacket laying over her lap, and she figured Steve had given it to her in an attempt to keep her warm. Max was positioned against the side of the car with her eyes closed and headphones over her years. Based on the casual head bobs to the music and the way her head moved to scan for threats, Emelia knew she was awake. Max looked almost as tired as she did, the baggy circles underneath her eyes signifying how little sleep she was getting as well.

Emelia tapped her knuckles against the window behind Max before carefully slipping out of the vehicle. The last thing she wanted to do was scare the girl, especially considering how on edge they all already were. The thin jacket Steve had left had provided her with the perfect amount of warmth to survive the weather. It wasn't too cold but it was just enough to send a shiver down her spine. The morning had started rather warm, resulting in Emelia foolishly only dressing in a hoodie and jeans. Surely, if she would have known this was how her day was going to go, she would have came more prepared. Max slipped off her headphones, allowing them to hang loosely around her neck, and moved her way towards Emelia.

"How long was I out?" Emelia questioned, scanning the sky for any source of light. Trees ran for as far as she could see, the majority of the scattered limbs blocking her view of the crescent moon. There was a small body of water a few hundred yards away, alerting her that they probably hadn't traveled very far. The majority of the water around Hawkins connected somehow, all leading back to Lovers' Lake. A part of her always wondered whether that was just a weird coincedence or if it was something deeper.

"A little over four hours, I think," Max alerted, reaching into her back pocket and pulling out a few flashlights. She twisted hers to life, tossing the opposing object into Emelia's hands and gesturing she do the same. From where she was standing, she could just barely see the flickering of lights bouncing about behind a large bolder. It was only a matter of moments before Emelia recognized the structure as Skull Rock. She hadn't been here before but it was a popular party place amongst the school. There was still debris from previous events scattered amongst the ground, buried underneath the uprooted soil and moss. "Steve wanted to wake you up at eight o'clock, but I told him to let you sleep."

The pair shared a comical grin, chuckling quietly to themselves as they unspokenly made their way towards Skull Rock. Growing closer to Max served as a significant comfort to Emelia. Having lost her best friend left a gaping hole in her chest and even though it would probably never be completely sealed, sharing moments like these seemed to numb the pain for a little bit.

Almost as quickly as the joy had found her, Emelia's body was overwhelmed with a series of butterflies. Despite being around Eddie for many years, she had yet to have a constructed conversation with the man. The anxiety she felt about first introductions seemed foolish considering everything going on and yet, here she stood only feet away from the group – her chest burning with nerves. A part of her was curious what he was like. She had imagined this moment a few times, anticipating their clashing personas interacting for the first time, but now that she was finally here, everything she had pictured had flown out the window.

As they entered the small clearing, Emelia observed the group. For the most part, they seemed to be contributing to the same conversation but every so often, a pair of them would split off and began whispering about something else. It was clear who was closest to who based on how they interacted.

Max cleared her throat once they reached the group, attracting their attention almost immediately. The conversations they were having came to a half as all their eyes traveled towards the pair. Without even looking, Emelia could feel their gaze linger on her. Steve offered her a reassuring smile, his eyes travelling over her clothed torso and his posture immediately relaxing.

Despite the large group of people, Emelia could only seem to focus on the boy in front of her. All of Eddie's attention was placed on the open can of Chicken Noodle in his lap, his hand moving quickly to shovel spoonfuls into his mouth. From what she could see, his time in hiding hadn't been kind to him. His body was covered in dried mud and his hair was greasy from the lack of care. He was still wearing the same outfit he had fled with nights before and based on how the material clung to his body, she figured he had yet to get a proper cleaning, as well. It wasn't until his ears had registered the silence that he noticed the girl, the same captivating eyes locking onto hers just as they had before. His gaze steadied Emelia in her place and in that moment, she knew that she wouldn't be able to move even if she wanted to.

"Eddie," Dustin spoke, his voice coming off like he was trying to talk Eddie away from the edge. The boy's posture stiffened against the rock, and he lowered the can onto the ground. Pushing himself up from the ground, Eddie dusted his pants off and took in Emelia's presence. For the first time in a very long time, she didn't think she was being undermined. Eddie's expression didn't reflect pity or concern but understanding. "This is Emelia."

"They have been talking about you nonstop, so it's nice to finally meet you," he spoke, registering the same mutual knowing of the girl. All the nerves she had felt before seemed to diminish the moment he spoke. Their lives had been flipped upside down in a matter of forty-eight hours and the only ones who could really understand what the other had been through was themselves. He kept his hands at his side but didn't take his eyes off of her. His head tilted to the side as he analyzed the girl, his eyes offering some condolence to her. "Are you okay?"

"I'm alive, so I'd say so." she replied. Much to her surprise, Emelia remained composed. She was convinced that after today, she would never be able to cry another tear again. She shrugged, moving a bundle of sticks around with her foot. Her eyes lingered near the can by his feet for a few seconds before she made eye contact with him yet again. "Life could be way worse."

"But it could be better," he chuckled, reading Emelia's thoughts. She let out a small sigh, a slight laugh intertwined in her breath, and she nodded. She always liked to think on the brightside of things, convinced that if her thoughts lingered on the reality of the situation for too long, she would remain stuck there forever. Eddie's eyes followed Emelia's towards the empty can, and he seemed to be contemplating something. "Hungry?"

Upon the mention of food, Emelia's stomach growled. She hadn't eaten since early this morning, the events of the day causing her to be focused on much more important things. The hunger hadn't hit her until now, and she was certain she could eat absolutely anything at this point. Before she could even answer, Eddie began digging through a plastic bag near where he was sitting. He seemed to be looking for something specific, his tongue licking his bottom lip in focus, and upon finding it, he let out a slight squeal. Without warning, he tossed it in her direction and Emelia caught it with ease. She examined the can, the logo of the Spaghetti-O's beginning to peel away from the tin, and a smile rose to her lips.

"I know it's not exactly gourmet," Eddie spoke, folding his hands dramatically to signify a bow. Emelia laughed at his antics and a grin rose its way upon Eddie's face. All discomfort from the introduction had passed and they conversed like old friends. "But I figured you would prefer that over expired Pumpkin Filling."

Eddie glared at Dustin over his shoulder and in return, Dustin threw his hands up and said, "It's all I had!"

"It's perfect," Emelia spoke, gratitude clear in her tone. Not everyone would be so willing to give up the little food they had to someone they barely knew and for that, she was extremely grateful. She lowered herself to the ground, making herself comfortable in the patch of leaves beneath her, and propped the can up between her crossed legs. "Steve, could I borrow your keys?"

Steve glanced over to the girl, eyes beaming into hers in an attempt to read her mind. His moment's pause was enough time for Robin to reach around him and detach the lanyard from his belt loop. Not even a second later, the bundle of keys was flying through the air towards Emelia followed by a wink from Robin and a yell of rebellion from Steve. A slight smile played at the corner of Emelia's lips as she caught the keys, not taking her eyes of Steve for one second.

"Don't worry, Steve," she began, wedging the side of a key into the indent of the can. A small pop sounded from beneath her fingertips, and she leaned to the side to avoid any splatter from the now open can. Steve flinched from where he was sitting but once he assessed the damages, his posture relaxed quite a bit. She tossed the keys back in his direction and leaned against the rock once more. "If I was going to sabotage our escape, we'd all be dead by now,"

Despite having only been opened a few minutes, the aroma of the cold pasta was enchanting to Emelia. Her eyes flickered back and forth between the can and the group as she attempted to maintain a steady conversation. After everyone's eyes diverted away from her, Emelia wasted no time in digging into the makeshift meal. She ignored the sharpness of the side of the can and shoved her fingertips inward, sucking the remnants of the food off quickly after. She hadn't realized how fast she was eating until she turned to face the amused expression on her right. Eddie's eyes were stuck on her like glue, an amused smirk resting on his lips. Emelia had to do a double take before she realized the situation she was in. Clearing her throat, Emelia covered her mouth and swallowed the last bite she had taken before looking back at him.

"What -" Emelia sputtered, her eyes widening at the droplets of sauce that spewed from her mouth. She reached her hand out as if she was going to catch the mistake, and Eddie keeled over towards his lap in an attempt to suppress his laughter. Emelia examined the boy for a few seconds and soon enough, she felt a similar hearty chuckle rise in her throat. Within a matter of seconds, their quiet snickers had turned into an all-out laughing fit. The group looked at them in confusion, glancing around them in panic for a few seconds as if someone was going to jump out and grab them before inevitably joining in on the laughter.

"I like this one," Eddie uttered between laughs, clapping Dustin across the back and pulling him closer to his side. Emelia felt an immense weight lift off her shoulders as she leaned against the rock, and she knew damn well that if wasn't from the sudden nutrition. In that moment, she had never felt more loved and welcomed into a group. She was no longer carrying this weight on her own. From now on, they were in this together.

As the night dragged on, the temperature began to drop. Eddie filled the group in on what he had been through in his previous hiding place, including the newest victim of the Upside Down. The basketball team had managed to trace his whereabouts and just as they were about to reach him, Vecna had taken the life of yet another one of Hawkins' teens. Emelia's heart broke for her friend. The pain of watching one person die like that was hard enough; she couldn't imagine how Eddie must have been feeling after having seen two.

Dustin suggested they call it enough, claiming that if was far too dark for them to see anything, but Emelia knew very well that he was using that as a cover-up. It was clear how fresh the wounds still were and in their condition, there was no way they would be able to make substantial progress. Despite how hard he tried to hide it, Eddie's exhaustion was seeping through every pore in his body. The feint purple that stained his lips matched the swollen bags underneath his eyes, bringing out the pigmentation in his brown eyes. Emelia watched as he bobbed his knee up and down, knowing painfully that he was doing it as a means to stay awake.

After a few minutes of shuffling, everyone had found a semi-comfortable spot to sleep for the night. Dustin and Steve had volunteered to keep watch, propping themselves up on opposing sides of the group as a mean of protection. Max and Robin were laying on their backs in the center of the group, having a quiet conversation amongst themselves as they watched the stars. Emelia and Eddie had remained in the same spots they had before, finding comfort in being surrounded by their friends and the scattered soup cans.

Just as Emelia had convinced herself everyone was asleep, an electronic shrieking sounded amidst the group. Her body shot up in panic, and she quickly curled her fingertips around an empty can beside her. Although it wasn't the best weapon, it would serve its purpose in distracting whomever her attacker was while she ran away. Instead of seeing something, Emelia had concluded the feedback was coming from Dustin's radio.

"This is Lucas! Does anybody copy?" a voice yelled through the machine, static interrupting his voice between words. From what she could gather, the boy was just as panicked as they had been. His breath was uneasy, and he was panting as if he had just run a marathon. "This is an emergency. I repeat – this is Lucas!"

"Lucas! Where are you?" Dustin responded immediately, clutching his radio tightly in his hand. The group was awake once again, all sitting up and anticipating a response from the walkie talkie.

"We were – Jason –" Lucas's voice cut out between takes, making it quite hard to distinguish what he was saying. Dustin's eyebrows furrowed as he tried to decipher his words. " – miles from – lake."

Dustin sat in silence for a second, mouthing something to himself, before his face lit up and he spoke into the device once again, "Lucas! Hold on. We'll be right there."

Before Emelia could process what was going on, Dustin threw himself to his feet and demanded Steve's keys once again. Steve muttered something under his breath once again before handing his lanyard over once more. Dustin looked at Emelia now, his expression generating a massive amount of urgency.

"Is there any place you can think of – any at all – that you and Eddie might be able to hide? It would just be for the night. We'd come get you first thing in the morning."

From her side, Eddie released a small sigh. They were going to be running once again, and she could tell this was beginning to bother him. Without breaking eye contact, Emelia cleared her throat.

"Just one."

--

Thank you all so much for reading.
I know this chapter isn't the longest or most interesting insert but just know, there is a lot in store for you all. I appreciate your constant support and patience during the production of this fanfiction.

I have almost finished writing the entirety of this work and just have to edit the chapters. I have cried several times while writing these last few chapters and it's not even done yet! Despite how sadistic it sounds, one of my biggest goals as a writer is to strike up enough emotion in the words to make my readers cry, so I hope I can achieve this.

I am moving into my dorm room in less than a week, and I am both excited and nervous. Upon moving in, I am going to be very busy with life on campus, but I will one-hundred-percent find time to come on her to post updates!

Thank you again for all the support and love you have been sending me on this book!

Thank you,
Rory xoxo