0 0 1 ━ [ 𝘚𝘵𝘦𝘷𝘦 𝘏𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘵𝘰𝘯 ]

𝙲𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝟸𝟾: 𝙱𝚕𝚞𝚎 𝙷𝚊𝚒𝚛 𝚃𝚒𝚎

One had immediately begun tracking James and the demogorgons from the moment she could stand. She followed the trail for as long as she could detect it and then still continued after it faded away.

She was intent on following through with her promise, but each time she felt the trail getting warmer she became more and more concerned about what she would find at the end of it. This lasted for a year.

The day One gave up was the day she broke completely. Not even Dr. Brenner or the Upside Down had destroyed her spirit this badly. She had convinced herself that she could feel James' life force and this is what had kept her going for so long. But when she let reality, not hope, guide her thoughts, the truth became more apparent.

James was dead.

There was no way that James could have survived a pack of demogorgons, even if his mind-controlling abilities had kicked back in. He could only focus on one being at a time and there had been seven that had dragged him off. It was useless to continue to hope for something that was so impossible and this killed her.

One honored James by wearing the leather jacket she had ripped off of him in the fight. She refused to ever take it off. It was the last thing she had to remember him by. She also continued to dye the tips of her hair red whenever she cut her hair.

The demogorgons must have had the same idea that James and One had because they continued to follow the Mississippi north. Even after the trail went completely cold, One still followed the river all the way to where it ended in Minnesota.

She found an abandoned cabin in Itasca State Park and decided to take refuge there until something found and killed her. She didn't really care if she survived or not anymore. What was the point? She didn't have James.

She didn't have anyone.

One and Hopper collapsed into each other in a long-lost hug. They relished in the feeling of warmth and family that the hug evoked. Both had been alone for so long that they had forgotten what it felt like to have family.

"I want you to have this," Hopper said as they pulled away. He took the blue hair tie off his wrist and held it out for One.

One held up her wrist and allowed him to slip it on. Her hair was a little too short to put up in a ponytail but she appreciated the sentiment. She admired the hair tie until another thought popped into her mind. "Mom?"

Hopper hesitated before speaking. A selfish urge within him told him not to answer but he pushed past it. She deserved the truth. "Her name is Diane. We divorced shortly after you died--shortly after we thought you died."  Hopper corrected himself. "She stayed in New York and married a guy named Bill. They have a kid of their own."

One gave a solemn nod. She wished she could have a reunion with her mother as well but she was glad to have even one parent.

"So what is this about you having a date with Harrington?" Hopper asked after he felt confident that the topic of One's mother was over.

One couldn't help but roll her eyes. They had been reunited for all of two minutes and he was already stepping into the overprotective dad shoes. "You know I'm like twenty-one, right?"

"Yeah, but you were seven when I last saw you," Hopper argued with a smile. The smile quickly faltered when he remembered that he had missed out on so many key milestones in her life. He didn't get to cheer her on at high school sporting events or teach her how to drive...He didn't get to vet her prom date or drop her off at college...But then again, she didn't get to do any of those things either.

"We're...getting dinner," One answered slowly. She had thought it felt awkward telling Hopper about it before, now it was even stranger talking about it with her dad. "Tomorrow night...at seven."

"Goody, I'll put it on my calendar," Hopper said.

One couldn't tell if he was being serious or sarcastic. She didn't get a chance to clarify because just then Eleven came bursting into the living room.

"What are you guys talking about?" Eleven demanded. She had been trying to eavesdrop from the kitchen and while she couldn't hear much, she had picked up a few key words that evoked her curiosity.

"Well, One is moving back in with us," Hopper answered.

"Really?" Eleven asked, her face lighting up in a huge smile. She looked to One, who couldn't help but match the smile. Eleven's smiles really were infectious.

Eleven's eyes glanced down and caught sight of the blue hair tie around One's wrist. "Sarah?" Eleven gasped and looked to Hopper for confirmation. Hopper gave her a small nod and a smile that sent Eleven careening into the two of them on the couch.

Joyce watched the big family bear hug from the doorway with a warm smile and a hand over her heart. She was so elated for her friend. Just a few years ago Hopper had been all alone, finding company in bottles of pills and booze. Now he had two daughters and she had never seen him so happy.

Once One and Hopper had managed to redistribute Eleven's weight enough so that they could breathe, a serious look overcame One's face.

"What's wrong, honey?" Joyce asked, picking up on the sudden change in her demeanor.

"There's something I need to tell you guys," One said solemnly. She felt as though she couldn't keep the secret about James from them any longer. Eleven had literally seen him out in the yard. What would she do if he returned?

"What is it?" Hopper asked, a note of concern leaking into his voice.

One took a deep breath and looked each of them in the eyes before explaining. "I wasn't alone when I escaped the Lab."

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