There's No Place Like Hawkins//Stranger Things. SH

TWENTY ONE

The Upside Down

Catherine sat in the waiting room of the hospital, covered practically head to toe in stitches. Her head leaning on Steve's shoulder as her eyes closed. She wasn't asleep, even though she was exhausted. In fact, she didn't think she would be able to sleep for a very long time. Her leg was propped up on a chair, a completely new cast on it as she had fucked up her leg even more at the Byers' house. "I heard you stopped me from cracking my head open when I lost consciousness earlier."

Steve looked down at her as she pushed her hair out of her face. He hummed in response, not knowing what to say.

"Thank you. I don't think I would have coped with anymore stitches." She looked up at him.

The taller boy looked down at her and sent her a small smile. "You're welcome, Henderson."

Cat let out a soft chuckle. "You save my life and we're still on a last name basis?"

Steve shrugged.

"Remember when we were in middle school and we used to hang out all the time?" Steve nodded. "We used to be best friends but then high school happened and you became friends with Tommy H. and Carol but they didn't want me around. You were desperate to be popular so you hung out with them all the time and left me."

Steve wrapped an arm around her shoulder, not sure what to say to his former best friend. "It should have taken me longer to realise that being popular wasn't as good as hanging out with you."

"I know. Nothing beats hanging out with me." Cat chuckled.

"And with what happened with your dad..." Cat closed her eyes, her dad was still a topic that she wasn't ready to talk about. "The point is, I should have been there for you. And I wasn't. You were really struggling and I'm pretty sure that Tommy and Carol bullying you didn't help."

"No. No, you're right. They didn't help at all." Cat looked over to Dustin who was leaning on Lucas' shoulder, the two fast asleep. She frowned, remembering what they had told her about Eleven and how she saved the boys from the Demogorgon and disappeared in the process. She felt guilt start to eat her up inside. She should have stayed in the school with them and helped keep them safe, not gone off with Jonathan and Nancy.

Jonathan opened the door and entered the room. At the sight of her friend, Cat sat straight up, her hair hitting Steve round the face. She looked up at the tall boy, a hopeful look on her face. It had to be good news right? Jonathan simply nodded at Mike who shot up from his seat and began waking his two sleeping friends.

"Guys. Guys, he's up. Will is up. Guys, Will's up." He shook the shoulders of both Dustin and Lucas. Lucas instantly pushed Dustin off his shoulder as they followed Mike into Will's room. "Guys, come on."

Catherine grabbed her crutches and reached out her hand towards Jonathan. "Mind helping me up?" She asked. Jonathan smiled and helped the girl stand, leaning on her crutches for support. "Wait for me, guys." She called out to the boys as she slowly followed them into Will's room.