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Quickly lunging over to the vent — Dustin caught one of the bats and started stabbing at it, ripping the tendrils that came off of it clean off. "Die! Die! Die!" Dustin yelled — Pauley quickly shut the vent and breathed heavily as she went back over to the one on the ceiling and closed it too. The sounds of the bats was still very clear outside — the three stood together, back to back as they circled around. Suddenly, a bat pushed through a vent they hadn't seen and began attacking — more began swarming in. They all yelled, Dustin was the first one over along with Eddie. "Pauley, we need you!" Dustin yelled and she dashed over, "Out of the way!" Doing as she said, Pauley now had enough accessibility to stab the living daylights out of the bat that was too stubborn enough to die. Stepping and ripping it apart, Pauley closed the vent — she looked between the two in front of her now.

"Very nice." Eddie praised her and Pauley nodded, "Thanks. Are there any other vents?" Eddie's eyes widened as he realized he had one in his room — "Oh shit!" He yelled as he quickly made his way over to it but it was too late as a large swarm came in. Dustin shrieked — Pauley held her shield out in front of her as she went into the room to help Eddie but there was too many bats that all they could do was run out of the room and close the door. "That's not gonna hold!" Dustin exclaimed and Eddie just pushed him away from the room, "Let's go! Let's go!" Pauley quickly followed behind — she thought of Steve's words. Eddie threw the mattress to the other side, "Come on! Quickly!" Pauley yelled as she saw the door cracking. Dustin threw his spear and shield to the other side before he climbed onto the makeshift rope and fell on the mattress on the other side.

"Eddie! Pauley! Come on!" Dustin yelled but Eddie wasn't moving — he was watching the door crack. Pauley went to climb the rope but stopped, "What is it?" She questioned, yet Eddie didn't answer her. "We have to go." She continued but Eddie shook his head, "No, you have to go." Pauley furrowed her brows, "What?" Eddie looked at her, "You have to go. I promise I'd get you home safe and sound — this is where we go our separate ways for now." Pauley scoffed. "No." Eddie sighed, "Lee please—" Pauley shook her head, staying still. "Both of you are so close! Come on!" Dustin yelled but neither of them looked. Pauley looked at Eddie, "I'm not leaving you." That's when she pulled down the rope fully into the Upside Down. "What're you doing? Pauley? Eddie? No!" Dustin exclaimed.

Dustin watched the couple, "What're you guys doing!" Eddie looked up at the teen, "Buying more time." The sound of Dustin's protests were clear but that didn't stop them from going out the trailer — "What's the plan?" Pauley questioned Eddie and he looked at her, "Buying more time, kill as many bats as we can." She nodded but before she could keep walking, Eddie grabbed her arm and pulled her to him — he kissed her, a kiss full of need, worry, passion, and love. Pulling away from her, he smiled, "I love you." The confession made Pauley grin, "I love you too Eddie." The couple made their way to an empty spot farther from the trailer before they began yelling, "Come get me you sons of bitches!" Eddie yelled out and Pauley laughed, "Come on!" She exclaimed and that's when the swarm began getting closer — "This is crazy." Pauley mumbled.

The bats began circling them, the two landed a couple hits and definitely killed some of them. Back at the trailer was Dustin — contemplating on wether or not he should jump through, "Shit." He mumbled before jumping through, landing on one of his ankles wrong causing him to yell out in pain. Eddie grunted as he slammed a bat down — the swarm had gotten larger, and the view that they could once see was completely covered. A thunderclap shot across the sky, Pauley felt her arms getting tired from holding the spear and shield and she couldn't help but let her guard down for a split second — but that resulted in a bat latching onto her leg and biting down, hard. She yelled out in pain as she stabbed it and flung it off her leg. "You okay?!" Eddie yelled and Pauley nodded, "I'm fine!" The two continued fighting as much as they could — "Eddie! Pauley!" Dustin's voice could be faintly heard over the chittering of the bats. "Eddie! Pauley!" He yelled again — and as he did, Eddie had a bat latch onto him. He groaned, "Shit!" He yelled as more bats began to latch onto him — Pauley turned and looked at him, "Eddie!" She exclaimed before she also had bats latching onto her, the feeling of their teeth was like knives.

Eddie collapsed quickly before Pauley fell down next to him — "No... no." She whimpered as she gave up on getting the bats off her body. From their victory, the bats left them — Pauley didn't want to look at her wounds or Eddie's but she knew they were bad. "Oh god, Eddie, Pauley!" Dustin yelled as he tried his best to get over to them as fast as he could. "Oh god." Dustin cried as he looked between the two, "Bad.. huh?" Eddie joked making Pauley smile. She felt the blood in her mouth and she couldn't help the tears that began to fall. "You two are going to be fine. Just gotta get you to a hospital, okay?" Eddie nodded as Pauley gave Dustin a smile, "Okay.." Dustin looked at Eddie's body and tried to lift him, that resulted in Eddie choking on the blood in his mouth. "I think I just need a second." He choked out and Dustin nodded, "Okay." The tears were now evident on his face. Pauley grabbed Eddie's hand, "I didn't run away this time, right?"

Dustin sobbed at his words, "No, no, no, no, you didn't run." Pauley couldn't help the sob that she let out — Eddie weakly squeezed her hand. "You're gonna have to look after those little sheep for me, okay?" Eddie said, "And you're gonna have to take care of Lee for me." Pauley looked at him — she cried. "No, you're gonna do that yourself." Dustin sobbed. "Nah, man. Say, 'I'm gonna look after them.'" Pauley sobbed at his words and he squeezed her hand again. "Say it." Eddie ordered and Dustin nodded, tears spilling from his eyes, "I'm gonna look — I'm gonna look after.." He couldn't finish the sentence without crying. Eddie gulped as he looked to the sky, "Good. 'Cause I'm gonna graduate," he chuckled weakly, "I think it's my year Henderson." His chest moved with ragged breaths as he struggled to breathe, "I think it's finally my year."

Pauley brought his hand up to her face and kissed his knuckles as she smiled tearfully. "I love you man." Eddie's eyes were filled with tears as he spoke to Dustin, "I love you too, Eddie.." Dustin cried as he spoke — Eddie looked over at Pauley, "I love you, Dustin's gonna get you home... safe and—" Eddie began to choke on his own blood. "Eddie?" Dustin sniffled, "Eddie!" Dustin sobbed as he watched Eddie stop choking — his eyes still open, hand in hand with Pauley, now dead. "Eddie... no.." Pauley cried as she squeezed his hand waiting for him to squeeze back but he never did. "Eddie!" Dustin wailed — waiting for him to stop the act, he was just lying, it was a joke, a sick joke, he wasn't dead.

But... he never did sit up and say it was a joke.

He was gone.

"Dustin.." Pauley breathed out — "We need to get out of here." Dustin looked at her and wiped away his tears, he nodded. Dustin helped her up — not before grabbing Eddie's necklace that had fallen off of him. The two walked back to the trailer, Pauley felt her eyes getting heavy, "Dustin... I need to sit down.." She choked out, blood spilling from her mouth. "I'm so tired.." Dustin shook his head, "We're almost there, I promise." Pauley looked up at the sky and she couldn't help but laugh — blood spurted out of her mouth, "It's gonna be over soon..." She mumbled, her body heavy. She was losing more blood than she thought she even had. Stepping into the trailer, Dustin leaned Pauley against the wall. Her legs felt like jelly — she didn't know how long she could stand. Setting the rope back up, Dustin quickly grabbed Pauley and helped her grab the rope, he gave her a boost which helped her get to the other side. She wailed in pain as she landed — Dustin quickly followed behind her, "We need to get out of here, now." He said as he helped her up again.

The two made their way out of the trailer and Pauley cried, her body felt like it was on fire, like she was being ripped apart. "I'm gonna do what Eddie said... I'm gonna get you back home with your brother, where you're safe, stay with me." Dustin pleaded as they walked. Pauley nodded, ragged breaths leaving her body — her eyes began to close, her legs going limp, "Pauley." Dustin said but she didn't respond, "Pauley! No.. no.. no!" Picking her up — as much as it hurt his ankle — Dustin did his best to run, "Help!" He yelled. "Somebody! Please!" He cried.

"Anybody! Please! Help!"

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"This is only the latest tragedy to befall this once-safe town. Most recently, a string of high school students were killed in a series of ritualistic murders, which have been linked to a local satanic cult known as Hellfire. Eddie Munson — the leader of this cult and prime suspect in the murders has been missing since the earthquake and is presumed dead. But this offers little comfort to the people of Hawkins, who are scared, angry, and searching for answers. Why their town? What have they done to deserve so much suffering? A growing chorus believes the two recent tragedies are linked, claiming the Munson murders opened a doorway between worlds. A doorway to hell itself." Nancy rolled her eyes at the reporters words coming over the radio. "Great. More hysteria. Just what we need." Robin shrugged, "Well, it's the news." Pauley limped over with a box of things, "Now indistinguishable from the tabloids." Robin took the box out of her hands. Dustin walked over with a box of clothes, "Here." He placed it in the trunk of Steve's car.

He walked over to Pauley, "How're you feeling?" The blonde shrugged — she had lost a lot of blood but luckily she didn't have to spend that much time in the hospital — unlike her brother. The earthquake was most definitely not an earthquake, it was a break between both worlds which ended up with a lot of people killed or injured — amongst the injured was her brother, he had lost his legs from the break, he had also lost the house to the break. "I'm okay, still sore." Pauley answered Dustin with a smile. "Good, y'know my mom's gonna make you take your meds when we get home." Dustin's mother had been generous enough to take Pauley under her wing and was currently taking care of her. Pauley nodded, "I know." She pulled his hat brim over his eyes making him swat her hands away. As the two talked — a horn blared. A car was approaching, "Anybody order a pizza?" Dustin asked and Nancy looked over — having been talking to her mother, "Pizza?" Everyone watched with a questioning look as the door opened and out stepped Mike Wheeler, "Mom!" He exclaimed as he sprinted over to her, hugging her tightly.

Next stepped out Jonathan Byers, "Hey!" He exclaimed before he ran over to Nancy — the two being reunited again. Will Byers then stepped out, Dustin hugged him, "Where's Lucas?" He asked and Dustin answered, "He's at the hospital."

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Although Max survived Vecna's attack, she was in a coma. Pauley hated going into the hospital — she knew it wasn't her place to enter Max's room so she waited outside. She fiddled with the ring Eddie gave her — she couldn't help but smile as she thought of him. "Lee.." A voice said from behind her yet when she turned around, there was no one there. "Hello?" Pauley called out — no one responded. "Lee... I love you." She froze. She knew whose voice that was... but there was no way he could actually be alive. She saw him die, she felt him die, Eddie was dead. "Let's go." Dustin tapped her on the shoulder. Pauley couldn't help but flinch, "You okay?" Dustin asked and Pauley hesitated before nodding, "Yeah, just thought I heard something.."

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They had made a center in the gymnasium to help people — that's where Andrew was staying, he didn't have enough money to stay in the hospital 24/7 — so here he was amongst people who were also injured or were getting sick from strange particles. Pauley walked over to him, "How're you feeling?" She asked with a soft smile — he gave her a weak one back, "I'm not in that much pain today." Pauley nodded at his words, "That's good." She grabbed his hand. "I thought you were dead." Andrew confessed making Pauley chuckle, "I thought you were dead." Now it was Andrews turn to chuckle. "Can I ask you something?" Andrew questioned and Pauley nodded, "Where'd you get that ring?" He motioned to the large metal ring on her thumb, "Oh, Eddie gave it to me." Andrew nodded, "Like, an engagement or..?"

Pauley felt a blush come on her face, "No, it wasn't like that it was just — if anything happened to him... I'd have this to remember him." Andrew nodded, "I wish I had gotten to meet him sis." Pauley sniffled, "You guys would've gotten along so well. He actually swore that he would get me back home cause of you — cause he found you pretty intimidating." Andrew laughed, "You're lying." Pauley shook her head, "I'm telling the truth — I swear." Andrew playfully scoffed. After a few moments of silence, Pauley spoke again, "He was a good person, I don't know how people believe some psycho jock over a dorky guy... but.." She sighed. "I'll be right back." Pauley said to Andrew before she got up and walked over to Dustin.

"Need any help?" Her questioned made Dustin smile, "No, I'm fine, just folding this before I need to help Steve." Pauley chuckled at his words before she stopped — Eddie's uncle was a few feet away, replacing the vandalized missing poster of Eddie — Dustin looked back at him too, he remembered Eddie's necklace in his pocket. He walked over to the older man, Pauley following behind him, "Mr. Munson?" The older man looked at the two, "I'm Dustin Henderson, this is Pauley Barrymore. Can we talk?" The older man sighed, "I can't imagine we got anything to talk about. My nephew is innocent. He's still missing. I'll put up as many posters as I need until he's found. Good day to you." Before he could walk off, Dustin stopped him, "We were with him. We were with him when the earthquake hit." The older man looked at the two with a questioning gaze, "And where is Eddie now?"

Dustin couldn't help but feel the tears, Pauley placed a hand on his shoulder as she spoke — even though she was also on the verge of tears, "We're... we're so sorry. Me and Dustin both wish people had gotten to know him... really know him... because they would've loved him." The older man nodded, his emotions overtaking him, "Mr. Munson. They would've loved him. Even in the end.. he never stopped being Eddie. Despite everything, I never saw him get mad. He could've run, he could've saved himself but he fought. He not only saved me and Dustin, but this town — he died protecting this town that hated him. He isn't just innocent — Mr. Munson... Eddie's a hero." The older man nodded as he weeped. Dustin sobbed as he pulled out the necklace and gave it to the man — he looked between the two, "Thank you."

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"You sure you can get to the cabin yourself? I can help." Dustin asked as Pauley got into her car, "I'm okay Dustin, stay here and help Steve and Robin, I'll be at your place later on, okay?" The teen nodded at her words, "Okay, drive safe." Dustin gave her a smile and she returned it before driving off.

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Mike, Nancy, Jonathan, Eleven, and Will were all inside the cabin when Pauley pulled up — all except,

"Argyle?"

Honestly, she didn't think that it was her childhood friend from long ago but sure enough it was — "Is that Pauley?" The long haired male questioned with a grin and if Pauley could've gotten over there faster, she would've definitely attacked him in a hug. "What're you doing here? I didn't even recognize you." Pauley said with a smile which Argyle returned, "Just helping out my bro Jonathan, his brother, this other dude, and this supergirl. Kinda crazy." Pauley nodded, "I still can't believe I'm seeing you after so long — you'll have to meet up with Andrew, he'll be so happy." Argyle nodded, "For sure, for sure." Pauley nodded before giving him another hug, "I'll see you around." He returned the hug, "See you 'round dude."

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After helping clean the cabin some, Pauley went over to the girl who Argyle had nicknamed supergirl — it was Eleven, "Excuse me." Pauley said as she tapped her on the shoulder, she looked at Pauley — "Are you El?" Pauley asked and she nodded. Pauley gave her a soft smile, "Thank you... for helping us get rid of Vecna. I'm really glad I could meet you after all this time — I know that um, Eddie... my boyfriend... he would've really liked to meet you." Eleven smiled, "I would've like to meet him too."

The sound of a car pulling up outside made everyone freeze, Jonathan spoke, "Government." Eleven quickly went to her room and hid as everyone else watched who was to come out of the car — it was Jim Hopper and Joyce Byers. Pauley couldn't help but smile when she saw the reunion, "And who's this?" Joyce questioned Jonathan, "Oh, this is Pauley, she's friends with the others." Waving shyly, Pauley gave the older woman a smile. Joyce came over to her, "Nice to meet you Pauley. I'm Jonathan and Will's mom, Joyce." Pauley nodded at her words before Joyce pulled her in for a hug. "I'm a hugger, sorry." The two laughed before pulling away from each other.

"Dudes, is it just me — or is it snowing outside." Argyles words caught the attention of everyone else. Going to the windows, everyone saw those particles that came from the Upside Down. They all went outside and followed the direction from where it was coming from — that's when they all saw that Hawkins wasn't okay after all — the grass was dying as the Upside Down bled into it. Pauley breathed heavily as she saw the sky thunder into that blood red. "Pauley.." Turning around, that same voice that caught her attention before spoke. "I'm still here." Pauley gulped.

"I'm still here."

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