afterlife ➳ stranger things [2]

Chapter 12: Reunion

Joyce opened the door for Erin, Dustin helping her walk. Erin had troubles still with walking as she was weak, and still very very tired. The house was completely silent, everyone thought that was odd.

Erin's bags under her eyes had disappeared with rest, and she also was feeling even better then before. She was just happy to be home, even if she was in bed rest for the next month. Maybe even grounded, for not telling Hopper.

The couple and Joyce walked past the hall, realizing why the entire house was quiet. Joyce and Dustin noticed first, before Erin walked forward and noticed who was sitting behind Hopper. A blonde girl and Kali were leaning against the wall, next to Nancy and Jonathan. Max was smiling before looking up and seeing Erin, and everyone stood up as they all realized she was home. Sounds had toned out for Erin, as the last person to stand up was someone she thought she was dead.

Her sister.

She flung out her arm and forced Cassidy to fall backwards, surprising everyone. There was yelling, but Erin didn't pay attention. She was angry. Not just angry, furious.

"I see you made your move just as I left." Cassidy said, equally as angry.

"No," Erin said in a very strong voice, voices coming back to her. "You don't have a right to be angry."

"Erin, think about what your doing." Max's voice echoed in her brain as he spoke.

"Don't tell me what to do," Erin whipped her head to face Max, scaring everyone in the room. She looked back at Cassidy, who now had fear in her eyes. "You cant just come back here and expect that I would hold back my life just because I lost a part of myself."

"I'm just saying you knew I liked him-" Cassidy started.

"I started dating him because he was there when you weren't!" Erin's voice rang, Max realized that Erin was now crying. "You left Cassidy. And now you just expect me to be okay with that?" Erin's voice was now cracking as she was close to breaking into sobs. "You left me when I needed you the most. You left all of us! We were all a family, and then you had to leave and just ruin it all. God you really had to take the dramatic way, didn't you? Faking your death?"

"Erin-" Kali tried, before Erin whipped her head to look at her.

"Don't forget that you were involved in this too," Tears rolled down her cheeks, before she turned back to Cassidy. "Why the hell did you leave? Did you not consider any of our feelings? Did you not consider the fact that I would cry for hours and push everyone I loved away? No you didn't. Because you only think of yourself," Erin said, before breaking into sobs. "I just wish you weren't so selfish."

Cassidy pushed off the floor and hugged Erin as she sobbed into her shoulder. Everyone took a deep breath now that the yelling was over.

About an hour later, everyone had calmed down. Dustin and Cassidy had reunited, and Erin took about a half hour to stop crying. Everyone was now sitting around the couch, talking about what the hell was happening, everyone asking random questions.

"So, you two," Hopper paused. "Three, went to Baltimore."

"Yeah." Cassidy nodded.

"No offense, but who even are you?" Max looked over at the blonde who was right next to Kali.

"You don't see the resemblance?" Cassidy turned to her, everyone was shocked.

"You guys are triplets?" Max asked, what Cassidy meant flying right over her head.

"I don't think that's what she meant, Max." Erin looked at her, then at Hopper.

"Oh." Max said, becoming to a realization.

"My." Will looked between the girl and Hopper.

"God." Hopper softly said, standing up.

"Thirteen years," Sarah bounced off the wall. "And I thought I was an orphan."

Hopper pulled her into a hug, the two hugging for awhile. They released, holding onto each other Sarah smiled, you can see the tears streaming from both faces. The two let go, and Sarah turned to look at Erin.

"When did you get back?" Erin asked, standing up.

"A couple hours ago, if you mean back to Baltimore, a few months ago." Sarah explained.

"You two know each other?" Hopper asked.

"Yeah, we escaped from Boston together." Erin explained.

"That's how you-" Kali came to realization.

"Yeah. That's how I recognized you guys." Sarah nodded.

"Why didn't you tell us?" Cassidy stood up together.

"I didn't think it was important." Sarah shrugged.

"Guys this isn't the point." Max looked over at Erin, it's obvious the two have shared whispers.

"Why are you here? After you had left?" Erin turned to her sister.

"We came because of you." Cassidy nodded.

"Why'd you fake your death in the first place?" Will folded his arms.

"I did what I had to. I had to find out things about Brenner and if he thought that I was dead, I could do anything." Cassidy nodded.

"What did you find?" Erin asked in a low voice.

"I found," Cassidy paused. "I found our father. And our mother."

"You- You met them?" Erin asked.

"I didn't meet our mother, but I know our father. We know our father." Cassidy nodded.

"Who is it, Cassidy?" Mike asked, stepping forward with El.

"Yeah who is it?" Lucas asked.

"Brenner." Cassidy stated.