DANCIN' ► DUSTIN HENDERSON [1]

2/4

ELEVEN WATCHED JASPER as the redhead paced the room. She could sense the adrenaline rushing through Jasper's veins. "That explains everything! I must've gotten my powers from her! But, why am I just finding out about them? What if my mom isn't dead?" The last question caused Jasper to freeze. Her blue eyes settled on the dusty floorboards. "What if she isn't gone?"

"Jasper," El reached out a comforting hand, placing it on the girl's wrist. "I can find her."

"You can?" Jasper exclaimed, whirling around to fully face Eleven. "Please, El! Please tell me you can!" she paused, realizing she was gripping the girl's arm tightly.

"I'm sorry," she mumbled, releasing El's arm. "It's just, I want to see my mom," Jasper whimpered, her voice faltering.

El said nothing, only nodding encouragingly. She approached the small tv set in Jasper's living room, switching it on. "Friends help friends," El murmured, glancing back at Jasper. "I'll find her."

Jasper watched as the girl sat cross-legged in front of the tv shutting her eyes. She didn't know exactly what El was doing, but she let the girl concentrate. After a prolonged moment of El sitting at the TV, her eyes finally snapped open again.

Blood trickled down both of El's nostrils as she looked at Jasper with glossy eyes. "She's alive," she muttered, the corners of her lips twitching upwards. "Papa has her."

"Papa. The mad scientist," Jasper declared, clenching her fists together. "Is she okay? Is he...hurting her?"

El flinched back, overwhelmed by the question from Jasper. Understanding this, the redhead calmly took a seat next to her. "What did you see, El?"

"Papa...he took her. She's alive...but she's not coming back," El told her, causing a sense of dread to fill Jasper.

A bittersweet smile appeared on Jasper's face. "I guess I should've known she wouldn't be coming back," the redhead whispered mournfully.

"I'm sorry, Jas," she murmured, sadness filling her brown eyes. She had never been so comfortable with someone before as she was with Jasper. They had formed a bond closer and stronger than ever. But not as powerful as the bond between Jasper and Dustin, that was for sure.

"I need to know more," Jasper suddenly spoke up, sounding determined. "This bad place you speak of...where is it exactly?"

"Here," El answered slowly, resting her hands in her lap. "The lab."

"Hawkins Lab?" Jasper recoiled in shock, her mouth flinging open. "My sister is there investigating with Hopper! She's looking for Will there! What if they hurt her too?"

Eleven's eyes widened in fear, sharing the same paranoia with Jasper. She wasn't sure what Papa was capable of, but she knew everything he did was out of hatred and malice.

"Wait," Jasper shuffled her legs out from under her, sitting crosslegged. "For there to be another dimension, there must be some sort of portal, or...a gate...to get there."

Eleven's body began growing tense. Jasper was solving more of the puzzle. What if she broke her promise and told the others?

"A gate. Is it...Hawkins Lab? The lab is the gate?" Jasper demanded, meeting El's gaze. She let out a small breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding when El gave her a curt nod.