Butterfly

009- The Bath

Nancy, Teddy, Jonathan, and Ms. Byers sat on the couch together, waiting anxiously for the return of Hopper with the party. As soon as the car lights flash through the window the four of them jump up, and rush out of the house. Teddy sees Cleo and Lane step out of the car and she quickly runs towards both of them hugging them close.

"Wow, two days away and I finally get a hug. I should have stayed away from you a while ago if I knew you were gonna be this affectionate," Cleo laughs as Teddy releases them.

Teddy smiles, "I'm just glad you're alright. That thing... it... I was worried."

Lane smiles, leaning against Cleo, "No need to be worried we know how to handle ourselves."

"Maybe you, but-" Teddy glances at Cleo.

Cleo smacks her on the arm, "Oh whatever, I'm always the one dragging you to the safety of a bed after a long night."

Teddy smiles, wrapping Cleo in a final hug. "Come on, let's get inside we have a lot to discuss."

Back inside the party quickly gets to explaining the Upside down and where this monster is and where it took Will. Mike and Lane take the lead, trying to explain the science and using weird DND terminology as it's the best metaphor they could possibly have. Nancy, Joanthan, Teddy, and Ms. Byers sit across from them on the couch. the rest of the party sits behind them, with Cleo sitting next to Eleven, holding the scared girls hand. Hopper stands to the side, watching everything with his arms folded across his chest.

"Okay, so, in this example, we're the acrobat," Mike begins, pointing at the piece of paper in Lane's hand. "Will and Barbara and that monster, they're this flea. And this is the Upside Down, where Will is hiding. Mr. Clarke said the only way to get there is through a rip of time and space."

"A gate," Lane says.

"That we tracked to Hawkins Lab," Lucas chimes in.

"With our compasses," Dustin says trying to get a word in.

The adults and teens stare blankly at the party still not quite understanding how they were able to track such a thing. Lane sighs, "Okay, so the gate has a really strong electromagnetic field, and that can change the directions of a compass needle."

"Is this gate underground?" Hopper asks.

"Yes," Eleven answers softly.

"Near a large water tank?"

"Yes."

"How did you know all that?" Dustin asked.

"He's seen it."

"Is there any way that you could reach Will? That you talk to him in this—"

"The Upside Down," Eleven says, nodding.

"And my friend Barbara can you find her too?" Nancy asks.

With a slight nod from El, that was all the gang needed to get started. It didn't matter how dangerous this monster was. They were going to find their friends and they were going to bring them back. Together.

Eleven sits in front of the Walkie Talkie listening to the static. After a moment she looks up and apologizes. She wasn't able to find them. She excuses herself from the kitchen and everyone else discusses how to help her. How to get her to be able to see them, and strengthen her. But there were no ideas, until El came back.

"The bath," she says. "I can find them. In the bath."

Eleven explains what she needs. Dustin smiles, and hops up to the phone. "I know exactly who we can get to help us build one."