MARLEY // Max Mayfield

You

The road was a long and endless thing, filled with an oppressive silence that had settled since Marley had told Hopper, Eleven and Kali (?) everything they had missed, including everything Dr Owens had told her -- she wondered, though, if the Kali girl even understood or cared for who got lost where and when the world was going to end. From the looks of her face, she didn't much care for anything; she hadn't spoken a word since they'd started on the road and focused more on the outside than any of the other occupants in the car.

Marley sat tense in the passenger seat, huddled up in a blanket covered in some sort of animal hair which smelled faintly of gunpowder and blood. Marley didn't know where Hopper had gotten the car, just that its previous owner didn't clean it much and that they had a serious addiction to Peterson's Hunting magazines which were stuffed full to bursting in the glove compartment.

Hopper suddenly spoke, his tone disbelieving, low, as if he didn't want to believe his own head had tricked him. "I think I'd remember going to high school with a lunatic like Henry."

"Clearly, you don't," Marley replied, quick, her jaw clenching as she shrugged the blanket off of her shoulders and winced, her arm aching. She tried to think, to come up with anything that might convince him. "...What did you catch me stealing the first time I was arrested?"

"What?" Hopper said, his brows furrowing in confusion. He glanced at Marley and shook his head. "What are you talking about?"

"Answer the question."

"Well, I..." Hopper trailed off, blinking rapidly as he tapped his hands on the steering wheel and tried to think. He shrugged, shaking his head as he stroked his unkempt beard. "I don't know. I don't remember. Why?"

"Because Owens said everyone would forget me too," Marley murmured, and the car lurched, stalling as Hopper froze and pulled the handbrake up with a rough click, his look of confusion turned into something serious. He sat there, silent.

"I can remember," He said, the car in park and Marley frowned.

"We're wasting time, just drive," Marley tried to shift the gear, but Hopper shook his head, eyes closed. Marley scowled, staring at the side of his face. They were stopped in the middle of the road, surrounded by trees that could hide God only knew what, with a few miles left to the Squawk. "Hopper!"

"I'm not forgetting you, kid," Hopper said firmly, eyes still closed, his lips in a solid line. Marley sighed, glancing in the rearview mirror to see Eleven staring at her curiously. She tried to offer her a smile, but it didn't seem to land; Eleven's expression was turning, her eyes glassy.

"I will forget you?" Eleven said quietly.

"No, no one's forgetting anyone," Hopper said quickly as he opened his eyes and pointed at Marley. "Hustler."

"...yeah," Marley said, her jaw clenching as she looked out of the window. Hopper seemed quietly satisfied with his answer, smiling to himself as he put the car in gear and drove on. Playboy Magazine. It was a Playboy. Hustlers had been too much even for Marley's eyes, but it was close enough. Enough to let Hopper have it to stop them from stalling any longer.

They made it to the tower. Marley had been silent the rest of the ride, brows twitching, fingers drumming across her knee. Hopper hadn't noticed; Kali didn't know her well enough to care, and Eleven was staring into space. It didn't matter. Not her, not right now. What mattered was those kids. What mattered was making sure Vecna didn't get his slimy hands on Hawkins and the rest of the world.

Marley felt two soft hands cupping her cheeks and blinked. The door was open, and the car had stopped moving. Eleven was standing in front of her with her hands cradling her face, and Marley found herself leaning into them, sighing softly. "I'm all right."