𝐇𝐈𝐓𝐒 𝐃𝐈𝐅𝐅𝐄𝐑𝐄𝐍𝐓 - 𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐯𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐨𝐧

17. snowball

ONE MONTH LATER

The Lab was shut down, thanks to the tape Jonathan, Nancy, Nick, Bea, and Murray had organized and released.

Barb got peace. Her family got peace. They held a funeral, it was beautiful.

Will was free of the Upside Down. He was healthy, he was safe.

Eleven was now officially Jane Hopper. Daughter of Jim Hopper and Terry Ives, per her birth certificate thanks to Doctor Owens.

She was still not quite allowed out yet, at least not for a year. But the cabin was fixed up and her, Hopper, and Aubrey lived happily together again.

Oh, but she was allowed to go to the Snow Ball, of course.

"Yeah, you got it. See?" Joyce told Will as they danced hand in hand in the Byers living room.

"Mom!" Will was so over it and so embarrassed.

Aubrey chuckled, standing beside Jonathan who recorded the two.

"Wow!" Joyce laughed, the two dancing happily to Jingle Bell Rock.

Jonathan turned the camera to Aubrey, "Come on, get in there!" he teased her.

"God, no, turn that away." She pushed the camera back to her mom and Will, snickering.

"Do you always have to be filming everything?" Will asked Jonathan.

"No, no. Just the good stuff." Jonathan chuckled.

"Are you sure people still dance like this?" He asked their mom.

"Yeah. It's just what's happening." Joyce smiled.

Will looked at Jonathan and Aubrey, "Is it what's happening?" he asked.

"Yeah, yeah." Jonathan agreed.

"Totally." Aubrey snickered, then looked at the time. "I've gotta go help El get ready." she said, grabbing her coat, "See you guys later."

"Bye, drive safe, honey!" Joyce told her, Will and Jonathan waved her bye as well.

She smiled, grabbing her keys and hurrying out to her car. She drove over to her father's and raced inside, "Sorry, I'm late."

"Just in time, it's alright." Hopper told her, "She is very impatient though." he said.

Aubrey chuckled then knocked on El's door, it opened for her, "Hey, I'm here!"

"You're late."

"By like five minutes." Aubrey shut the door behind her, "Which dress are we going with?" she asked El. The week beforehand Hopper handed over his wallet and Aubrey went and picked out a few outfits for El, along with some age appropriate makeup.

El pointed to the blue one with pink polka dots, "That was my favorite too." she smiled, "Okay, get into it and then we will do hair and makeup."

"Make-up?" she questioned Aubrey.

El got into her dress and then Aubrey styled her hair, "Whatcha think?" she showed her in the mirror.