𝐄𝐌𝐎𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐀𝐋 𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐂𝐔𝐄! ✽ 𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗼𝗻

5

𝐀𝐅𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐃𝐀𝐍𝐈 𝐃𝐑𝐎𝐏𝐏𝐄𝐃 𝐎𝐅𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐁𝐎𝐘'𝐒 𝐀𝐓 𝐌𝐈𝐊𝐄'𝐒, hopper insisted she show them this mirkwood place the kids were rattling off about. "i understand where you guys are coming from, thinking it's made up," the ginger stated as she sauntered towards the officers, her head bowed as she watched her shoes.

the group parked along the edge of cornwallis, preparing to head into the woods to scrape up just about anything they could find. "you stay right here," jim hopper ordered of dani, interrupting the conversation she had just attempted to spark. the girl huffed in annoyance but complied nonetheless. as the three officers headed down into the mess of bare trees and leaves that littered the mulch, sheridan rested against betsy's grill. she crossed her ankles, nabbing her smokes from her coat pocket in attempt to pass some time. the stick balanced between her lips as dani used her large, sparkly elton john-esque sunglasses to push her wild, wavy mane from her face. she lit her cigarette with ease before she pushed the marlboro reds back into their rightful pocket.

after moments of silence that seemed never-ending, dani perked up at the sound of hopper's voice. "hey! i got something!" there was a sense of urgency in his holler, and the crunching of leaves beneath the officers' feet. her brows furrowed as she exhaled a drag, attempting to peer over their shoulders to see what exactly it was that they found.

"that his bike?" callahan questioned.

"yeah, he must've crashed," hopper responded to the obvious inquiry. the chief began to glare around the woods in search of any other objects or clues that could lead them to will byers.

"what'd you guys find?" sheridan loudly asked before taking another drag. after moments of quiet conversation between the police, and of silence altogether, jim hopper approached dani with their biggest lead.

the cigarette fell from the girl's hand, her breath hitching in her throat once it had dawned on her just what hopper had found.

✽

𝐀 𝐅𝐄𝐖 𝐒𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐋𝐄 𝐓𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐒 𝐑𝐎𝐋𝐋𝐄𝐃 𝐃𝐎𝐖𝐍 𝐃𝐀𝐍𝐈'𝐒 𝐂𝐇𝐄𝐄𝐊𝐒 as she drove betsy towards her home. the foliage was a blur as she sped by, despite the cops following her. the quiet sound of the stones' opening lick to "paint it, black" fell on deaf ears over the sound of sheridan's brief sniffles. she hastily wiped her eyes and her nose with her coat sleeve. she didn't want to see herself in this state, let alone anyone else.

it only took a few minutes for dani to pull into her driveway, hopper close behind. she watched as her mother and brother dashed onto the porch. she figured they expected the cops to show up with good news, an answer as to where will could've run off to.

sheridan exited her car, along with jim and phil. her eyes were wet, a fresh gloss coating them and tears soaking her lashes, but her expression dropped. sherrie had to retain her stone-cold exterior, especially in her family's moments of weakness. "dani, where were you? i've been worried sick-" her question was cut short as she followed her daughter's gaze to the chief's truck. from the hatch, they pulled out a familiar bike, browning leaves entangled in the tired.

joyce clasped a hand over her mouth in shock. tears pervaded her eyes, just as they had her daughter's moments before. she trotted down the steps and into sheridan's arms. the red-haired girl ran a hand up and down her mother's back as she cried into her coat. her heart felt as though it had physically shattered beneath her ribs, her heartstrings tugged to the point of tension, but she needed to stay strong. it was the only choice she had.

✽