Strange Things Are Happening. (Jonathan Byers x OC) Wattys 2017

23.

Jonathan's shoes thudded against the hospital flooring, ignoring as people stared at him.

"Will Byers' room," he said, slamming into the front desk, "Where is it?"

After hearing, he took off in the direction, seeing his mom standing outside of it.

"Jonathan," she said breathlessly, pulling him into her arms.

"How is he?" he asked, moving to look through the window into his room.

"Weak but alive. He's resting," she informed, placing her hand on his shoulder.

"And...and Samantha?"

Joyce smiled, "She's down the hall. Fine. Just a cut. She told us what you two were doing. Jonathan..."

"I know," he whispered, "But we couldn't just sit and let that thing get you and Hopper too."

Joyce sighed and pulled her son back into her arms. She didn't know what she would have done if she had lost him as well. "She found Will. Not us. She found him in that place."

"She pushed me out of the way. It should have been-"

"Don't," Joyce said firmly, "Don't you dare."

"I could have lost her," Jonathan whispered, looking through the glass into Will's room, "Could have lost both of them. Are her parents here yet?"

"Not yet," she shook her head, "Hopper's down the hall with her just now. She's getting some stitches."

"What is she going to tell her parents?"

"I don't know."

++

Down the hall, Hopper was sat in the chair by Samantha's bed, holding the girl's hand as she got the stitches to close up the gash on her face.

"You're very lucky you didn't impale yourself on it," the doctor said as he finished up.

She nodded mutely, not looking at him. She had said next to nothing since they had emerged from the Upside Down, only telling the doctor her name. Hopper had taken care of everything else; calling her parents to let them know that she was there.

He stood up as the doctor left, looking down at her, "Okay kid, listen. Your parents are going to be here any minute. We have to get our story straight. You don't want to tell them the truth, do you?" He sighed as she wordlessly shook her head. "What are you gonna say?"

"I don't know," she finally said, looking up at him but seeing the harsh gaze he had on her, she sighed, "Okay, how about...I was out taking photos in the woods? Something spooked me, they know I'm easily scared and then I tripped and got caught on the branch."

"And you're sure they'll buy that?" he asked, looking doubtful.

"I'm not a liar, Hop. Well, I never used to be." Samantha muttered, looking out of the window, "It'll be fine."

Ten minutes later, her parents rushed in, her father wasting no time in pulling her into a tight hug while her mom talked to Hopper.

She felt her eyes well up with tears as her dad whispered how scared they had been when they found out and she breathed in his reassuring scent.

"That's it," her mom said, leaning down to give her cheek a soft kiss once David had stopped suffocating her with hugs, "No more photoshoots in the dark."

"Agreed," Samantha whispered, finding herself turning into her father's side, seeking comfort in him like she did when she was younger. He had always been the one to chase away the monsters.