𝗨𝗚𝗟𝗬 // 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝘃𝗲 𝗛𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗼𝗻

026

Fireworks weren't the strategy I would've gone with, but I hadn't fought anything before, let alone something like this, so what did I know?

We're standing on the second floor of the mall, throwing lit fireworks onto the monsters head from below and there's a sense of pride inside of me as I watch them burst and glisten.

As I throw one, the monster turns my way, strange teeth bared and mutated mouth open wide but I don't freeze, instead I throw the firecracker as hard as I can, missing it's mouth but hitting the side of its head, still doing the job.

"Welldone Rubes!" Steve excitedly jumps from besides me and puts his hand up for a high five, which I gladly return, no longer unsure as to why he's giving me this attention.

Rainbow sparks fly throughout the blue lit room as we continue hitting the monster, watching as Billy begins to twitch with every hit. Steve lifts his arm, ready to throw a firework from besides me as the mindflayer stumbles closer and I'm reminded, just for a moment, of a song I love so dearly..

Life is a mystery
Everyone must stand alone..

The cracker goes off too close to where I'm standing and I fall to the ground, the noise startling me, my hands covering my ears as I feel my eyes blurring.

"Ruby!" His voice.

I hear you call my name
And it feels like home.

Steve is kneeling besides me in seconds, hands placed gently on the side of my face. His expression is one of fear, eyebrows furrowed and eyes darting around my head, looking for any signs of injury.
"Are you okay?"

I smile lightly at him, easing his anxiety and place my own hands on his, bringing them down. "I'm okay."
Steve leans over and places his forehead on mine, eyes scrunched tightly closed, "I'm so sorry."
But I just take his face in my hands, much like he had done before and keep smiling, "it's okay.."
I pull him away from me slightly and smirk, "now let's kill this thing."

***

Billy Hargrove was a monster.
That's what people said, that's what I believed.
He had never treated anyone with an inch of kindness, but now, he was standing in front of El, hands gripping the mind flayers teeth, stopping it from its feast.

And I was confused.
Was this the same boy that had pushed me against walls? That told me my life wasn't worth living?
I look down at my hand, at the small scar just below my thumb on the back of my hand.

Is this the same boy who gave me this scar?

Max screams out his name as he takes a breath, falling to the ground limp, arms spread out on either side of him.

Billy Hargrove was one of my main bullies.
He made my life torture, and now he was hurting.
And I was stuck wondering how to feel as this stupid game played out, the pawns being hit and the kings being checked.

But then the monster begins to squirm, jumping around and banging into the walls, Steve holds me as it crashes into the banister we stand next to and we fall back onto the floor besides Robin.

From below we see Max scrambling over to her brother, shaking him with her hands, watching as he speaks his last words, just loud enough for us to hear.
An apology.

Max's cries echo through the mall as we begin to get up from the floor.
As I try to move my ankle twists beneath me and I realise I must've injured it in the fall, Steve grabs my hand before my leg can buckle beneath me once more.
"You're hurt!" His eyes are filled with worry but I take a moment to reassure him. It's not me we should be worried about right now.

So we walk out of the mall, a group i'd never expected myself to be in. Mike holds El just like Steve is holding me and they give each other a nod of acknowledgment as me and her hop along, clinging to their chests.

Outside we're greeted with the bright lights of landing helicopters and fire engines. Officers of all kinds rush through the doors of the mall and I turn back, watching as one of them pulls Max away from her brothers body, the girl screaming and kicking, refusing to move.

Someone ushers me and Steve away, bringing us to the back of an ambulance as they sit me down and check out my ankle, much like they seem to be doing to El, wrapping her head as well.

We sit for a while in silence, smoking flames still rising overhead and I see officers covering the place with police tape. No one's entering now.
Erika and Dustin find their way to us soon after, sitting besides me in the back of the ambulance as Steve checks on Jonathan and Nancy. "You're okay!" Erika jumps up and hugs me, squeezing a bit too tightly for how tired I am and I can't help but laugh as I politely push her off, "Oof tight grip there!"

"We thought you guys were dead." Dustin pipes up, looking around the parking lot, eyebrows scrunched and face desperate.
"Well we're not."

At least not all of us

"And he's over there by the way," I giggle as I point Dustin to where Steve is standing, blanket on his back and tea cup in hand as he checks on his friends. I see the kids face fill with relief as he smiles and begins jumping over to the older boy.

"What a nerd." Erika remarks.

Robin passes him, dressed now in a similar way to Steve, towel over her back and cup in hand. "Hey you two." She places the cup on the floor of the ambulance's open back and jumps up besides me and the younger Sinclair sibling.

There's a comfortable silence for a bit as we sit there, contemplating the events that just took place, eyes tired and sleep creeping up on us.

"Do you.." Robin starts, seeming to stutter for a moment, "do you think anything's going to be the same?"

As she says these words I watch El looking amongst the crowd as the adults run through. Miss Byers locks eyes with her, a sad shake of the head creating a myriad of understanding.

"No.." I breath out sadly as I watch the young girl begin to break, "no I don't think they will."

***

A/N:
Don't worry, there's still much more to come ;)

Disclaimer:
I know like a prayer by Madonna was released in 89 but it works so well with the characters that I'm changing it's release date for this fic :)