Saved

Nine

After walking for what felt like hours, Allison finally reached the rolling hills that overlooked Hawkin's Lab, her stomach dropping when she realized that all of the lights were off inside the building. As if the mere sight of the place hadn't been enough to give her goosebumps, the animalistic howls that she heard echoing through the night only added to the terror she was feeling. 

While she stood in the tall grass, trying to come up with a rescue plan, every light in the building came on, prompting her to duck down and observe from a safer position. She closed her eyes and steadied her breathing, trying to get a glimpse of what was happening within the walls of Hawkin's Lab.

Hopper came into view within seconds, he was running with something, or someone slung over his shoulder. Joyce Byers and Mike Wheeler were at his side, all of them running from an unseen threat. Allison felt a sense of relief as they reached the exit, but it didn't last long when she realized that they were still waiting for somebody else.

"Mike. Stay with Will.", Hopper instructed, lowering the person he had been carrying onto the back seat of his truck, before going back into the building.

Joyce was pacing back and forth with an anxious expression on her face, while Hopper stood behind her with a large gun held out in front of him. Suddenly, a man that Allison didn't know, came running through another set of doors, shutting them before whatever had been chasing him could get through. 

Allison was the only one that could sense an unknown threat approaching from the side. She screamed, causing the lights to flicker wildly above the heads of the others, but it was too late. A four-legged creature, with a face similar to that of the Demogorgon, leaped out of the shadows, attacking the man.

Hopper opened fire as the creatures multiplied, breaking down the doors and jumping onto the man. Joyce screamed as Hopper grabbed her and dragged her out of the building towards his truck. 

Allison's tear-filled eyes shot open as she heard Joyce's screams of anguish echo towards her. She jumped up and watched as two vehicles sped away from the lab, pausing briefly at the front gate, before continuing onto the main road. Terrified of what was inside Hawkin's Lab, she began to chase after the vehicles, following the taillights until they disappeared from view.

She continued to wander down the middle of the road, sobbing uncontrollably, struggling to come to terms with what she had witnessed. Just as her eyes were starting to adjust to the darkness, a loud roaring sound appeared behind her and she turned around to see if she could find its source.

A set of bright headlights came flying around the corner, heading straight towards her. Blinded, she held her hands out in front of her, hoping the driver would swerve before she had to use her powers. Sure enough, the car veered out of the way seconds before impact. 

The force of the air whipping past, spun her back around and she watched as the car skidded to a stop in the middle of the road. She held her breath as the driver climbed out and began to walk towards her, a dark silhouette, growing closer with each step.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?", a familiar voice thundered, as a strong pair of hands grabbed her by the shoulders and gave them a shake. She opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. "Holy shit. Allison?", Billy's face came into view and he loosened his grip.

"I need to find my dad and sister...I don't know where they are.", she tried to explain what was happening, but found herself dissolving into a puddle of tears, overwhelmed by everything that had happened and thankful to see a familiar face.

"I'll help you find them, but you have to stop crying, okay?", he gently caressed the side of her face and waited for her to nod in understanding. "Good. Now, let's get out of here before we get hit.", he quickly led her back to his car, keeping his arm wrapped around her the entire time. 

He opened the passenger door and helped her get inside, then went around to his side and climbed in, sitting down beside her. She watched as he put the car in drive and continued to speed down the road, staring straight ahead with a look of determination on his face.

"I hope I'm not ruining your plans for the night.", she broke the silence, pretending like she didn't already know what his plans had been.

"My stepsister already did that, and now I'm wasting my time looking for her, instead of-", he stopped himself mid-sentence, trying to hide what Allison already knew.

"Instead of?", Allison prodded, trying to see if he would tell her the truth about the date he had planned.

"It doesn't matter. How old is your sister?", he asked, expertly changing the subject.

"Thirteen.", she answered, annoyed at his refusal to answer her question. She couldn't help but wonder why he felt the need to be so secretive around her.

"Two thirteen-year-old girls in a small town? They're probably together.", he hypothesized, smirking in Allison's direction.

"It's possible.", she shrugged, unsure if Eleven was even in the town of Hawkins.

"Does your sister ever hang out with that Sinclair kid and his friends?"

"Lucas Sinclair? Yes, she does!", she gasped, her eyes lighting up excitedly.

"Looks like we're going to the same place. I'm on my way to the Wheelers right now. Wait. That's your Aunt and Uncle's place, right?"

"No! I mean...yes...but the kids won't be there."

"You sure about that?", Billy looked away from the road, raising his eyebrow in her direction.

"Trust me.", Allison urged, slamming her hand down on top of Billy's thigh, trying to emphasize the importance of her words. He glanced down at the placement of her hand and then up into her eyes as they came to a rolling stop at a bright red stop sign. "We need to go to The Byers.", she added, pointing in the direction they needed to go.

Billy nodded in understanding and then followed her instructions, letting out an audible sigh of disappointment as she moved her hand off of his leg. She let out a laugh and then scooched to the far edge of her seat to stare out the window, trying to ignore the sexual tension between them.