𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐲-𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐞

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And that possibility made him feel wracked with guilt.

It would be his fault alone if anything happened to them. Because he conveniently forgot to tell them that Y/N didn't want their help in the first place.

He repeatedly tried to ease his worries by trying to justify his reasons. He kept trying to tell himself that neglecting to tell the gang the entire truth, was going to help save Y/N and Hopper.

Knowing Y/N as well as he knew her, Mike knew she wouldn't be happy with him when she finds out that he went against her instructions.

He just hoped that his goodwill was enough to make up for that.

Billy smirked with spite when he saw Steve's annoyed face, chuckling to himself softly as to prevent shaking Max's head that was laying on his leather jacketed shoulder.

Steve turned to scowl at Billy, "What the hell are you laughing at, asshat?"

Billy shook his head, waving Steve off as he knew that Mike would bite Steve's head off the moment he opened his mouth. "You just got your ass chewed by a sixteen year old." Billy snickered, ignoring Steve's glare.

Suddenly, the gate seemed to flash, earning everyone's attention while the gate bummed louder, prompting everyone to stand up to their feet to prepare for anything.

It almost seemed like there was something bright flashing on the other side of the gate.

"El, what is that?" Dustin squinted his eyes questioningly, everyone looking at Eleven.

El shrugged, shaking her head to say that she didn't know.

It was then that everyone squinted their eyes at the glow got brighter before three people were sent flying through the gate—their yells echoing between each other.

Their yells all stopped as they fell to the ground with a few thuds, groans of discomfort soon followed.

What followed next for Billy and Will, was eerily familiar. Immediately after the three people entered through the gate, they both received familiar chills sent down their spine ; the chills that they used to get whenever anything from the upside down was near them.

They didn't understand why.

As for Mike and everyone else, their eyes widened with a mixture of surprise and shock.

"Holy shit!" Lucas cursed, his shout communicated the entire groups' reaction as a whole.

The group scrambled to go and assist the three people who just landed on roughly on their backs.
Everyone crowded them as they stared down with wide eyes as they finally realized who sat below them.

Mike identified that Joyce and Murray were laid beside each other—their hazmat suits torn and shredded in some parts of Joyce's—, trying to catch their breath after having just been thrown through a portal by some powerful unknown force.

Jonathan and Will kneeled down to check on Joyce and Murray ; they were obviously worried sick about their mother's safety. They helped her sit up, embracing each other in hugs seeing that she made it, and she was okay. 

          

"Mom.." Will breathed out shakily, his hands cupping either side of his mother's face, her eyes watery ; splatters of her own dried blood on her cheeks.

Jonathan eye's watered at the sight of the blood, immediately worried for his mom, only to have her shake her head with a breathy chuckle.

"It's okay, I'm okay." Joyce pulled in her boys for a hug, feeling their shuttering breaths immediately settle at the comforting hold of her arms. "We're okay.."

"You guys really cut it close on the time." Robin joked alongside Steve, helping Murray to his feet with a stumble.

Murray scoffed. "Yeah, tell me about it. I was the only sane one in there, Joyce almost killed me."

Steve chuckled, shaking his head as he nodded.

Thank God they made it through and back. Mike thought to himself.

Mike's eyes then drifted to the third person. The third person.

"Hopper.." Mike whispered, his eyes wide as he immediately kneeled down to check on his wellbeing.

Hopper shot up, his dazed state obviously worn off from being thrown and now replaced with worry. His eyes glanced at Mike, surprised to have seen him after so long.

It was almost surreal to see Hopper after so long. He looked so different, with his head previously buzzed and his hair now growing back, and the obvious tiredness embedded deep in his eyes.

There was something different about him.

But Hopper didn't seem to be able to focus on the long-awaited reunion at the moment.

His mind was elsewhere, and Mike could tell that he was deeply worried about something else. But his thoughts were cut shorts by a weak voice.

"Hop.." Eleven croaked, her eyes watery as she stepped forward with a unsteady limp. She was getting weaker from holding the gate open mentally.

Hopper turned to recognize the small voice, smiling softly as he was engulfed in a hug by Eleven. She clutched onto his tank top, as if she were unsure of her adoptive father was actually here.

"Hey kid.." He chuckled breathily, hugging her tightly. It had been a long time.

She pulled away, her eyes reddened with tears of bittersweet happiness. He smiled tiredly, reaching his thumb to gently wipe the tears from El's eyes.
Of course he was more than happy to see his adoptive daughter, she had grown up so much.

If the circumstances had been any different, where Y/N was not in perilous danger at the moment without her father, then this reunion would be very different.

However, his mind then seemed to wander elsewhere ; something obviously worrying him.

Even El could sense that something was wrong.

Hopper turned his head to gaze worriedly at the gate's fading glow, El's eyes following his gaze.

Mike then noticed the lack of the obvious person. The obvious fourth person that should have been here too, was not.

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