Becoming More Than Strangers

Chapter 16: The Last Days

Before the cast knew it, they were coming up on their last week of filming and it was haunting them all. They each had been talking about how hard it was going to be because they didn't know a life after Stranger Things. The Friday before the final week began, they decided to all have a giant sleepover on set. Jess and Maya had left earlier to go get snacks and drinks at a nearby grocery store. The rest of the gang all lay around the break room playing cards and blasting music. Caleb began to playfully twerk on Noah which caused Sadie and Millie to screech with laughter. Joseph was busy throwing cheese balls in people's mouths and everyone was taking in the glorious moment. Then, the music playing on the speaker was cut off by the ringing of the phone. Gaten picked it up and said, "Hello? Shouldn't you guys be back already? I want my ice cream sand—" He raised his eyebrows, very obviously being yelled at which prompted everyone to turn their heads, eagerly waiting to see Gaten get mouthed off to. To their surprise, he handed the phone to Sadie who confusedly took it. "Hello?" Maya's voice rang through the speaker, "Sades! I called you like 5 times and you didn't pick up!" "Sorry, Maya. The music was—" "It doesn't matter! You guys need to get down to the ER on Peachtree Rd. I'm here with Jess." Sadie collapsed back onto the couch, unable to stand. Everyone looked at her with concern. "Wha—what? Maya, what happened?!" Natalia sat up and scooted closer to Sadie, reaching for her hand. Maya continued, "I can explain more later but...basically there was this thing. This woman passed out while she was driving and Jess ran to push someone in the crosswalk out of the way. I mean she saved him but she got hit..." Tears welled up in Sadie's eyes. She was beginning to hyperventilate, the cast now pleading to know what was going on. "Maya, is she okay?" There was silence on the other end of the phone. Sadie breathed harder, unable to compose herself as her throat tightened. Finally, Maya's voice broke through. "I don't know, Sadie. It's not good. You gotta get down here fast. And maybe call her family." Sadie dropped the phone and she dropped to her knees, sobbing. Gaten quickly grabbed it and began talking with Maya as Millie and Natalia tried to convince Sadie to control her breathing patterns. Gaten quickly grabbed his head and exclaimed, "Oh shit!" as he was updated by Maya. He quickly got off the phone and told the rest of the group what was going on. Joe grabbed his keys and yelled, "I can't take everyone in the car. Who's coming?"

Before they knew it, Joe, Sadie, Millie, Noah, and Caleb all pulled up to the emergency room. Millie and Noah were busy reaching Jess's family and Caleb was busy talking to the production team. Sadie's red face slowly got out of the car as she tried to steady her unstable breath. As they walked in the doors, they were quickly greeted by Maya whose jeans were covered in blood. Sadie's eyes widened at the sheer amount. She thought about how little blood would have been left in Jess. Maya pulled her in for a hug and Sadie sobbed in the crook of her neck. Joe walked over and said, "Hey guys. We're gonna need to go someplace else before people come in and recognize us." Maya nodded and said, "They stabilized her so we can go back there really quick but she's going into surgery in the next few minutes. I convinced them to wait so you could talk to her, Sadie."

Sadie hesitantly walked into her ER room and tried to keep her dinner down. There sat Jess, unconscious with an oxygen mask. Two nurses were fervently working around her. Sadie's voice crackled, "Can I touch her?" One of the nurses turned to her and said, "For now, just her right hand. Be cautious." Sadie walked around the bed and delicately ran her thumb over her girlfriend's hand. Sadie said, "I'm here, bubs. I'm here. Please, please hang on." Tears streamed down her face like a river. "Please, Jess. I love you." Jess briefly opened her eyes, fighting the sedation. Her eyes found Sadie's and she gave a tired wink before drifting back into unconsciousness. One of the nurses unplugged her heart monitor and said, "It's time for us to take her in for surgery." Sadie's lip trembled unbelievably. She nodded and kissed Jess's head as lightly as she could. She whispered, "Fight it, Jess. Please. I can't live without you." And before she knew it, the room was missing her girlfriend and the bed she was laying on.

She walked towards the waiting room, her body exhausted from the heartbreak. She slumped next to Millie who was seated by Caleb. They both had hoods, face masks and glasses on to cover their identities. Sadie put her hood on as well. Millie said, "Joe and Noah went with Maya to get new pants." Sadie's eyes welled up with tears again. She whispered to Millie, "Why the fuck do we have to care? Why can't we just privately live through trauma?" Millie reached over and hugged the girl saying, "I know, babe. I know. It's really hard. And stupid. And not fair." Sadie hugged Millie back and sobbed out, "I'm just so scared. I can't lose her. Not now, not ever." Caleb leaned in to hug the two and said, "You won't. She's a fighter."

By the time Gaten, Natalia, Finn and some others had shown up to switch shifts with Joe and the others, Sadie had just awoken from her uncomfortable nap on the chair. She uncurled her body and stood up to greet everyone. Natalia handed her a bag and said, "Picked up some things from the apartment. Just a change of clothes, laptop, charger and a few other things." Sadie hugged her and said, "Thanks Nat. So much." Natalia responded, "Of course. I knew you'd refuse to leave." Sadie tried her best to smile and shrugged sheepishly. As the first group was leaving, everyone's phones began to go off, prompting everyone to know what was going on. All the major media outlets had begun to publish stories about the accident. "Stranger Things Star Saves Boy But Gets Hit By Car", "Jessie Jordyn: Run Over", "Jess Jordyn of Stranger Things: Is She Still Alive?" Sadie rolled her eyes and tried to shake it off. Just then, a surgeon called out, "Family of Ms. Jordyn?" Everyone raised their hand which startled the doctor. She cleared her throat and said, "Closest family members to Ms. Jordyn?" Everyone's eyes looked to Maya and Sadie who nervously stepped up. The doctor said to them, "Ah okay. So here's the thing..." Sadie's foot nervously tapped and she squeezed her hands so tight that she couldn't tell if she was drawing blood or not. "Jessie has suffered quite a bit of injuries so these next 24 hours are critical: we were able to repair her brain bleed as well as her intestinal lacerations. She suffered a few fractures: a few ribs and an arm. If she can make it through the next day, we'll have to go back in and even then, we can't guarantee that she'll wake up." Both Sadie and Maya's eyes welled with tears. Sadie tried to hold back her crying and said, "Can I—can I see her?" The doctor said, "Yes but the ICU only allows one visitor at a time. We can get you a cot in there if you'd like?" Sadie said, "Yes please." The doctor said, "I'll get a nurse to come get you. I am terribly sorry for what happened." Sadie nodded and turned as the doctor walked away. She walked right through the eager crowd of the Stranger Things family and out the door where she collapsed on the ground and began to choke on her sobs. She held her chest in pain and wailed in misery, asking why this had happened. It felt like the world was burning and all she could do was watch.

When she finally regained her composure, she walked back in and wiped her nose with her sleeve. A male nurse ushered her forward and she followed him to the ICU room in which Jess laid.