Even Stranger Things

And. . . They're Back

One opened the door, sighing when she saw who was on her doorstep.

"Steve, it's a school night," she said, glancing at the kids behind him. "They should be in bed. What are you doing all the way out here?"

"This is important," Dustin said.

"We need your help," Steve explained. "It's about El."

"Where is she?"

"Well, we aren't entirely sure," Dustin hesitated.

"Come in," she instructed.

One then turned on her heel and everyone walked into her kitchen. She leaned her hands on the counter, facing Steve and the kids.

"Start from the beginning," she said.

"Ever since you left, things have been different," Dustin explained.

"Different how?" One asked.

"With Eleven," Dustin continued. "According to Hopper, she hasn't been the same. She doesn't sleep, she barely eats. She's been really quiet. It's kind of like how she was before she warmed up to all of us. Standoffish."

"Hopper told us that she's been having nightmares," Steve added. One's head snapped toward his with wide eyes.

"What?" One gasped. "What kind of nightmares?"

"Nightmares about you," Mike explained.

"She's been having flashbacks about you and her," Steve explained. "About what you guys went through."

"What exactly is she seeing?" One asked.

"She's been telling us about how she failed an experiment and was about to be punished," Steve said. "But you stepped in."

"No," One whispered, her whole demeanor changing as she took a step away from the counter.

"What?" Steve asked, subconsciously moving closer to her.

"She hasn't had those in years," she mumbled. She ran her fingers through her hair, breathing shakily.

"One, talk to us," Steve said gently.

"Wait," Mike hesitated. "Those dreams about her watching them torture you. . . They were real?"

One's breathing sped up. She ran her fingers through her hair again, forcing down a sob.

"This can't be. . . It happened. . . I told her to shut her eyes."

Steve caught her when her knees gave out. She tucked into his chest, struggling to hold back her sob. The kids didn't know what to do so they watched as Steve slowly led One to her couch.

He let her go as he slowly and carefully sat her down. He sat next to her as the kids followed them. Steve reached up and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear, his hand staying on her cheek.

"Talk to me," he whispered, slowly lowering his hand. "What happened?"

"A few years ago," she started off shakily, "Brenner was running tests on El. They were. . . They were too much. They were weakening her. Hurting her. . . Killing her. They were killing her, Steve."

One's voice broke as she remembered that day. Steve looked down and saw her playing with her hands, roughly rubbing them together like she was putting on lotion. He wrapped his arm around her waist and reached over with his other hand, putting his hand over her's.

"I tried to stop them, Steve," she said, her voice breaking. "I swear, I tried. They wouldn't stop. So I. . . I had to do it. . . They were killing her."

"What did you do?" Dustin asked softly.

"I destroyed the machine," One confessed. "I used my abilities to destroy the machine they were using on Eleven. They knocked me out and I woke up a few hours later. . . strapped down."

Steve subconsciously tighten his arm around her when the shakiness in her voice got worse.

"They tortured you," Steve whispered.

"The worse part. . ."

"Worse?" Lucas mumbled.

"The worse part," One continued, "is when I looked over and saw Eleven strapped to a chair."

"They made her watch." Mike said shakily.

"Dr. Brenner made her watch as they tortured me," One said, finally letting out the sob she was holding back. Steve instantly pulled One into his chest.

One choked on her sob, struggling to calm herself down as memories came flooding back.

~•~

"No," One whispered. "Please. Don't make her watch this, Brenner. Please!"

"She needs to see it," he said too calmly.

"No, she doesn't!" One tried to fight to get out of the restraints.

"She needs to understand what happens when you disobey me," Brenner said as he snapped his finger. Another guard walked over and tazed her. Before she blacked out, she heard Eleven screaming for her.

~•~

One tucked into Steve's chest, burying her face in his shirt. He tightened his arms around her as he glanced up at the kids. They all had the same, soft look on their faces.

When she finally stopped crying, she took a shaky breath and pulled out of Steve's embrace. She stood up and started pacing back and forth. She ran her fingers through her hair, taking shaky breaths. She stopped pacing but didn't turn toward the group.

"Where is she?" She asked, her voice soft.

"We aren't sure," Steve said, glancing at the kids.

"All we know is that she's been thinking and talking a lot about you," Dustin added.

"And the lab," Mike mumbled.

"Son of a bitch," One said her anger and adrenaline building. She briefly walked away, grabbing her keys, before coming back.

"Let's go," she instructed.

"Do you know where she is?"

"What's going on?"

"Where are we going?"

"Did you connect with her like she can?"

"Do you want to save Eleven or not?" She cut them off.

"Of course we do."

"Then stop asking questions and get in the car."