Unhinged | S. Harrington| B. Hargrove | Stranger Things

It's Over

Trigger Warning : Physical abuse.

El and Mike met at the middle of the room in an embrace. Both of them crying.

"Is that?" Max looked up at Charlie who nodded. His own eyes filled with tears.

"I never gave upon you. I called you every night. Every night for..."

El finished for him. "353 days. I heard."

"Why didn't you say anything? That you were okay?" Mike asked, confused.

"Because I wouldn't let her." Hopper spoke for El, who had came forward hugged Charlie.

"What the hell is this? Where have you been?"
Hopper asked.

"Where have you been?" El retorted.

"You've been hiding her." Mike said angrily.
While him and Hopper refrained to another room to talk, Charlie kneeled in front of El.

"Are you okay? Where did you go?" Charlie asked, scanning her face and wiping the blood under her nose.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have left." She hugged him again. Charlie winced a little but hugged her back.

"It's okay. I should've been there."

They pulled back back and El trcae over Charlie's injured shoulder.

"It's fine, I'm fine." He told her.

"I missed you."

"I missed you too." The two smiled happily, finally able to be with each other again.

"Who is that?" Steve asked Charlie and he replied simply with

"My sister. Eleven."

El went to hug Dustin and Lucas and rudely ignored Max. Charlie smiled apologetically at her and placed a hand on her shoulder. El then hugged Joyce and asked if she could see Will and she took Charlie with her.

Will was lying motionless on his bed. The windows were open and cold air was blowing in. Joyce sat at the edge of the bed and El and Charlie stood near it.

"He's not doing well." said Joyce.

"I know." El glanced at Charlie.

"I saw him. And I saw you, that's why I came back." She told him. Charlie managed a weak smile.

"What else did you see?" Joyce asked and El led them to the table where the Morse code translation was.

Close Gate

"You opened this gate before, right? So can you close it too?" Joyce asked her.

El looked at Charlie, who was already looking at her. She gave him a reassuring nod.

They gathered around the table.

"Look it's not like before, it has grown. And that place is swarming with those dogs." Hopper explained.

"Demodogs." Dustin interrupted and Charlie ran a hand through his hair.

"What?"

"I said..uh..demodogs. Demogorgon and dogs. It sounds pretty badass."

"How is that important now?" Hopper asked, exasperated.

"It's not. I'm sorry." Dustin looked down. Charlie shook his head.

"I can do it." El said.

"You're not hearing me." Hopper disagreed.

"I'm hearing you. I can do it."