Shadows of the Night •a Stranger Things story•

Who's He?

November 2nd, 1984
Hawkins, Indiana

Chris stands outside of the Byers' house on November 2nd wearing nothing but a thin, long-sleeve shirt. She's burning up a little bit this morning, but didn't mention it to Steve when he left to go to school. Chris isn't in school, she's waiting for Joyce or someone to open the front door so she can see Will.

Joyce opens the door just as Chris is about to knock again. "Chris, hi."

"Hi." Chris gives Joyce a gentle look. "I hope it's not a bother I dropped by. I wanted to see Will."

Stepping aside, Joyce ushers Chris in with a wave of her hand. "Aren't you cold? Wearing just a shirt?"

Chris shrugs slightly, internally frowning at the mention of not being cold. "No, I guess not."

Joyce gestures to Will's bedroom. "He's in his room. He might still be asleep." Joyce starts talking a little faster. "I can't get ahold of your father. Is Hopper in today? He should be already at work, shouldn't he?"

Chris furrows her eyebrows together. "I, uh, um. Yeah, he should be...people have been having issues with their pumpkins lately." Chris stops herself, realizing how lame that sounds. "He should be in soon."

Joyce huffs, not convinced. She waves it off a moment later, turning back toward the kitchen. Joyce doesn't pay much attention to Chris after that. She is staring at drawings, debating on calling the police station again.

Will shuffles down the hallway. He's exhausted, it doesn't take much to figure that out. He's wearing pajamas, his hair is disheveled. He squints, rubbing his eyes. Chris gives him a wide smile, relieved that he's still standing.

"Hey. How you feeling, sleepyhead?" wonders Joyce, her voice soft. Her focus is no longer on the scattered paper in the kitchen.

"Any better?" asks Chris.

Will shakes his head.

Joyce frowns. "Same as last night? Still weird?"

"Yeah," he mumbles, quiet.

Joyce sighs. "All right." She moves around the kitchen, grabbing a thermometer. She shakes it in her hand for a moment and turns it on. She gestures to Will. He takes the thermometer, sticking it in his mouth. The three of them wait for a second or two before it goes off. "Okay, let me see."

Will hands it back to his mother. "Is it a fever?"

Joyce furrows her eyebrows together at the temperature. "No. Uh, actually, it's cold. Do you feel cold?"

"No," he replies, looking between Joyce and Chris. "Just a little out of it. Like I haven't really woken up yet." Joyce and Chris share a quick look of interest. Will catches this exchange. "You promised no doctor."

Hastily, Joyce replies, "And I meant it. No doctor." Joyce straightens herself. She passes between Chris and Will, reaching for Chris's elbow quickly. She gives it a squeeze, and Chris's eyes flicker to Joyce, hoping that the mother understands that Chris is here for her. She'll help with whatever Joyce needs because this is little Will. Even though Jonathan and Chris hardly talk anymore, and the time spent at the Byers' home is fewer, Chris still loves each one of them deeply. Joyce understands this; she knows that Chris would come running at an instant if anything were to happen to them. Joyce knows that sometimes people grow apart and it doesn't have to be a bad thing; she just hopes that Jonathan and Chris will continue to be understanding towards one another and only want good things for each other. They share common ground with Will and Joyce.

"You know what? I'm gonna run you a nice bath and it'll warm you up and hopefully get you feeling better. How's that sound?" wonders Joyce.

"Okay," mumbles Will.

Joyce leaves Chris and Will in the kitchen. Will sits down at the table. Chris watches him closely. She opens her mouth, hesitates, then asks, "Why didn't you tell me the episodes were coming back?"

"I didn't want you to know."

Chris frowns, staring at Will, who is slumped forward a tiny bit. His shoulders are hunched, almost like he's in defense mode. "Why not?"

"You don't understand it."

Chris tilts her head. Her eyebrows knit together for a moment. She's confused, and she doesn't want to overwhelm the boy but she can't help asking more questions. "I wouldn't understand it?"

"No."

"Will, I...I think I would understand it. I Shadow Walk through the Upside Down." Chris bends her knees, squatting down to Will's level. "Why don't you think I'd understand?"

"He doesn't want you there," Will mumbles.

Chris furrows her eyebrows, leaning in slightly. "What do you mean, Will?" Chris stares at Will, who's eyes have gone a bit passive. "Will? Who's he?" She tries to think of any plausible person that he could be. Dr. Brenner comes to mind briefly, but he's gone. Dr. Owens wouldn't do this. Would he? No. Her father seems to trust Dr. Owens enough. So who is he?

"Okay," Joyce breathes out, coming back into the kitchen. "Honey, the bath is all ready to go." Joyce gives Chris a little glance as Will rises from his seat. The girl shakes her blood red hair towards Joyce, the two of them frowning as they watch Will make his way toward the bathroom.

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