"Sometimes memories are the worst forms of torture."
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"Well, if it's not frostbite, then what is it?"
"It's disgusting is what it is, Carol," Gwen scrunches up her face.
"Yeah, seriously. Listen to Pengwen and get it off the table. We're eating h...
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╔═══*.·:·.☽✧ ✦ ✧☾.·:·.*═══╗ I WAS NUMBER NINE ╚═══*.·:·.☽✧ ✦ ✧☾.·:·.*═══╝
Gwensits in Hoppers office, tapping her foot up and down and avoiding his gaze. They have been sitting in tense silence for a while, waiting for one of them to break.
Hopper sighs. "I know about you and the lab."
Gwen's wide eyes snap up to his, afraid that her worst fear is coming true. "I don't know what you're talking about," she shakes her head.
Hopper sighs again and leans forward with his elbows on his desk. "I was in the lab a few days ago. Saw your picture in some file. I didn't figure it out until today when I saw you again."
Now, Gwen can be a fantastic liar, but she doesn't know if she can exactly get out of this one. So, she sits still, trying to keep her tears at bay and her breathing steady. "I can't go back there," she whispers through a closed throat as her sinuses begin to burn.
"I'm not gonna rat you out, kid. I just need you to help me understand," he says as gently as he can when he notices her eyes glaze over with fear.
Gwen shakes her head, her chin starting to shake. "No, what I need you to understand, is that I cannot go back there. They will kill me. I am begging you. Please."
"Kid, you can trust me, okay?" Hopper says. "I can promise you, I'm not with the lab. I know they're behind Will. I know they like to kidnap kids. I know they're bullshit. Okay?"
Gwen stays quiet for a moment as she examines the man in front of her and gives herself time to think clearly. Hopper is helping Joyce find Will and he wouldn't be doing that if he was willing to work with the lab. Of course, he could be working with them already and purposefully sabotaging Joyce's hunt for her son, but he wouldn't be acting so determined and emotional if that were true.
He's telling the truth.
Gwen nods at him.
"So, what the hell is going on?" Hopper asks.
Gwen closes her eyes for a second, taking a deep breath before starting her story. "I was taken by the lab when I was born because I have... abilities. Other kids were taken too. Some at birth, others when they were still young and they got their memories wiped."
