Insane in the membrane-Stranger things

Chapter 35

Hawkins, Indiana, January, 1986, 2 months before the events of season 4

This chapter is based purely on Jess's first meeting of Steve's parents. This is not canon or belong to the duffer brothers, this is all make belief. It's just how I picture Steve's family based on how he describes his parents in the show. Just for clarification. We get a little bit more backstory on Jess's dad too.

Jess sat in the passenger seat of Steve's car, her fingers tapping at her bare legs. Today was the day she was meeting Mr and Mrs Harrington for the first time, her body tensed up as her heart beat in her chest and her fists turning clammy before she played with her fingers in the lap of the red lacy dress she had on.

''Don't worry, Jessie bear everything will be fine, I promise,'' Steve said, planting a kiss to his girlfriend's forehead before stepping out of his car as Jess did the same.

Jess took a hold of Steve's hand, and squeezed it hard as Steve walked her to the front porch. Jess had been here several times but not once had she ever come face to face with Steve's parents, his parents didn't give two shits if Jess existed or not but Steve thought it would have been a good idea for Jess to get to know them.

Steve balled his free hand into a fist before pressing it to the front door, giving a loud knock. Mrs Harrington unlocked it. ''Hi, Steven and you must be Jessica. Steven's told us so much about you, come on inside,'' Mrs Harrington said as Jess and Steve made their way inside.

Mrs Harrington went to the kitchen to finish up on her cooking of spaghetti and get some wine from the cupboard. Steve pulled out a seat for Jess to sit down in at the dining table and she thanked him before he took a seat himself, Jess twiddled her thumbs in her lap and Steve placed a comforting hand over the top of hers. ''Darling, dinner's ready,'' Mrs Harrington called to her husband. Mr Harrington just hummed in response as Mrs Harrington bought over the pot of spaghetti and red wine so she could drown her sorrows in it.

Mr Harrington took a seat at the table as Mrs Harrington started serving him a bowl of pasta but he swatted her hand away. ''I can serve myself, you bitch,'' he shouted.

''Okay hon,'' Mrs Harrington said so blankly as if not being bothered by Mr Harrington's rude insult.

Jess's hands were shaking like crazy in her lap, she played with the fork in between her fingers. It was bad enough hearing how horrible her boyfriend's dad was and now she understood why he hated him so much, she watched as he scooped up his spaghetti and dropped it into the bowl. ''Steven you piece of shit, can you tell this bitch to stop staring at me with her beady eyes?'' Mr Harrington shouted.

Jess squeezed her eyes shut and kept herself in place, she didn't want to start yelling now and as much as she wanted to she managed to control herself.

''So Jessica, how is everything?'' Mrs Harrington asked, taking a sip of her red wine.

''Mum don't call her Jessica, she hates being called Jessica, her name is Jess,'' Steve snapped.

''Don't talk to your mother that way, Steven,'' Mr Harrington said, scooping some spaghetti into his mouth.

Jess tried not to pay any attention to the conversation going on in front of her, she tried to dig into her spaghetti but her hands were shaking like crazy and her heart pounded in her chest. ''So, Jess I bet you're dating Steve for money, huh? Well if so that's stupid cause we all know Steven is as dumb as a bag of rocks and earns two bucks an hour at the fucking video store, but as I always say bang em' before it's too late. Am I right?'' Mr Harrington smirked.

''Shut the fuck up, dad she's not dating me for our money, she's not a fucking gold digger nor is she an object so stop fucking talking to her like she is one,'' Steve shouted, having the courage to stand up to his dad.

Mr Harrington just smirked and started laughing, he would have said something to Steve but he just turned to face Jess. ''So, Jess what does your dad do for a living?'' he asked.

Jess hesitated to speak, words were falling from her lips in more of a stammer. ''Well...my dad....he...well....'' Jess couldn't form the words, her dad was a very sensitive subject and Steve knew this very well and placed a warm hand behind her back and started rubbing it as she did her best to hold back the tears that were on the brink of falling from her emerald green eyes. Mr Harrington just laughed at this, not having a care in the world.

''I bet he was a fucking alcoholic and fucked other women behind your mother's back...I also heard you have a dumb as shit brother with a weird as fuck disease,'' Mr Harrington said.

Jess wanted to say something back, she wanted to say one of her witty and snarky comebacks but she was terrified of what Mr Harrington was capable of and what he could do to her so Steve spoke for her. ''He doesn't have a weird disease, he's actually getting surgery for it next week, right Jess?'' Steve asked.

Jess just nodded. ''Yeah...he...he's getting...uh surgery for it.''

''Psh whatever I don't care,'' Mr Harrington just rolled his eyes. Jess couldn't take any of this anymore, her eyes welling up with tears and getting up and running off. ''What's her deal?'' Mr Harrington shrugged.

Steve stood up from his chair, he threw his fork down at the plate and slammed his hands down onto the table, making his mum flinch. ''Look what you did, dad you scared her off. You know for once....just once I thought you could at least show some respect to the people I care about,'' Steve shouted.

''Don't you dare talk back to me like that, Steven,'' Mr Harrington shouted as he stood up from his seat at the table and walked straight up to Steve, grabbing his wrist and squeezing it hard. Now that Steve was a teenager his dad hadn't beat him up as much but he still gave him a few slaps here and there when he was home at least.

''I'll talk to you however I want, I hate you, you're always treating me like fucking shit and I'd rather die than spend another day under this roof with you,'' Steve snapped back, all the anger and rage flowing out of him that he had held onto for so many years about his dad.

''Then go, go ahead and leave but don't you fucking think about coming back ever.''

Steve pulled away from his dad's grip and rushed outside to see Jess sitting on the porch steps with tears trickling down her face. ''I'm so sorry, Jessie bear I never should have let you meet my parents,'' he exclaimed, intertwining his fingers with hers.

''Steve, there's something I haven't told you about my dad and the relationship we had, I left it out because I didn't want you to think less of me,'' Jess sobbed.

Steve placed a thumb to her now bloodshot eyes and wiped away her tears. ''You don't have to tell me if you don't want to but it's your choice and just so you know I could never think less of you,'' Steve said.

Jess just smiled and pushed Steve's hand away from her face and just grabbed a hold of it. ''No, no I can tell you now. My dad has always been a sensitive topic for me and not just because he abused me but he told me that I should leave and never come back. I wanted to leave everything behind and that's when I decided to do it, I nearly committed suicide. I could have died that day but luckily my mum found me and rushed me to hospital, I felt like a burden from my dad and being abused physically is one thing but he also tried to sexually touch me before Dustin was even born,'' Jess explained, tears falling from her eyes again.

''Oh, my god Jessie bear, I'm so sorry I had no idea. Your dad's a dick just like mine,'' Steve said.

''Yeah...can we just...can you just take me home?'' Jess asked.

''Of course, Jessie bear,'' Steve exclaimed, getting up and placing his hand out for Jess to grasp. She took a hold and the two headed to Steve's car and Steve drove down the road to the Henderson household.