Bookworm & Toothless (Stranger Things AU) #Wattys2018

[21]

The static of the Supercomm is all that's being heard as El tried to find Will and Barbara.

Jess stood between Mike and Dustin, watching El twitch her closed eyes, the lights flickering on and off.

El opened her eyes, the lights staying on.

Jess widened her eyes as El's face became sad, defeated almost.

"¿Once?"

She looked up, her eyebrows furrowing in sadness.

"I'm sorry."

"What? What's wrong? What happened?" Joyce asked.

"I can't find them." El says, her voice breaking.

Jess immediately walked up to El and wrapped an arm around her, rubbing her shoulder.

El looked at her, her lips trembling.

"Follow me."

X

They were in the bathroom, El turning on the water faucet on the sink, Jess closing the door.

She turned to see El look in the mirror, tears running down her cheeks as she wiped her face with her hands.

"Hey, are you okay?"

El turned to Jess, disappointment clear.

"I failed."

"No you didn't El, you're just tired. You used too much of your power." Jess says, walking to her.

El sobs, hugging the Colombian tightly.

Jess hugged back, kissing the side of her head.

El looked to see the bath, her eyebrows furrowing.

"Jessie?"

"Yeah, Once?"

She looked at her.

"Another way. The bath."

Jess furrowed her eyebrows, looking at the bath.

Suddenly, she gasped, her eyes widening as a sharp pain occurred in her head...

She was wearing a suit of some sort, stepping up the stairs.

She got into the big tank of water and salt, a helmet placed on her head, her braid floating as she was lowered deeper into the tank.

She made eye contact with her mom, dad, an elderly man, and a little girl her age with a shaved head, waving at her.

Then it went black.

Jess gasped, looking at El.

"The bath, I remember."

El widened her eyes.

"I-It was one of my first tests, but, I remember how mom, dad, and an elderly man was waving at me. But...I saw you...except, you looked younger. Like around the age of 5."

El gasped.

"...I know it's important but, not right now. We need to find Will and Barbara. Will we be able to find them in the bath?" Jess asked.

El nodded.

"Yes."

X

They both walked out the bathroom, approaching the group.

"The bath." El says.

"What?" Joyce asks, turning to the girls.

"I can find them. In the bath."