Invisible- Stranger Things Fanfiction

Chapter Fifty Three: His Return

*Nikki's POV*
   Dustin called his mom to let her know he was staying with us tonight. It seemed only fair, since I'd teleported us straight back to our apartment. Might as well invite him in after witnessing my new superpower.
Plus, he said something that made sense: my superpower was survival. Whenever things happened, I was able to fix them. Falling off the roof, Steve changing our course to go beat up Will... The invisibility I wasn't sure about, but I guess it showed up for some reason?
"Look at this." Dustin held up one of my files from the Lab, which Hopper had given to Steve before he left the day I found out about my time in the Lab.
I took the file from him, reading it out loud for Steve:
"Day 394,
Subject Number Two has shown potential for many different abilities. She appears to adapt to her surroundings, through no choice of her own, and provides for herself exactly what she needs."
That explains why I've done so well on my own for the past four years.
"Mon, do you know what this means?"
"It's now even more embarrassing that I can only 'cook' cereal?"
"No. You're a chameleon. But, ya know, a human chameleon. You can fix things when they happen to you. Like what just happened."
"And that day we went to the park!" I remembered both instances in which I felt I was flying: jumping out the window and off the swing. "Maybe I really was flying. My powers could've been bubbling up inside of me since the day we all started hanging out again."
   Steve looked between the two of us. "Were you ever gonna tell me about this?"
   "I thought it was just, ya know, me zoning out or some shit. I didn't think I really had superpowers, Steve."
Steve rolled his eyes, but nodded. "Whatever. We should all probably get some sleep. God knows it's been a long day."
   As Steve went to go get ready for bed, I went to get sheets for Dustin to sleep on. He followed me, awkwardly trying to help despite never having been to our apartment before.
   "I don't mind," I laughed. "I've got this."
   Dustin nodded, but took the peach fabric from me anyway. "It's the least I could do, given everything."
   "What the hell are you talking about?"
   "I made things worse today with Will, didn't I?"
   I shut the closet door, looking at him in disbelief. "Dustin, are you kidding me? You totally diffused the situation."
   "But- Will's upset with you now, and Steve got mad after you told him about Will. I should've changed the subject or something."
   "It's not your job to save me, Dustin."
   "I know," he said quietly. "But I still want to."
   Unsure of how to respond to this, I put the sheets on the couch. "You can do this, right? It's been a long day and I-"
   "Yeah. Sure." Dustin gave a weak smile, attempting to end this conversation on a good note. "Night, Mon."
   "Good night, Dustin."

   That night, I lay awake, staring at the ceiling in inescapable thought.
Why did Will like me now? Why was Dustin so insistent upon fixing everything? How had Sarah spent tonight while we were all at the hospital?

*Sarah's POV*
Hopper finally came home around 3AM, El and Max right behind him. He instructed me to act normally, so that's what I did.
"How did it go?"
"Nancy had twins. Boy and a girl. How was it around here without us?" Hopper asked.
"Funny you should ask." A man with white hair came up behind me, putting his hand on my shoulder and making me jump. "Chief Hopper, a pleasure."
El's eyes widened as Max looked super confused. She wasn't after my sister's next word: "Papa."

*Max's POV*
"Hello, Eleven," the white-haired man said in a soft, dangerous tone. I stepped in front of her, holding her hand tightly in case he tried anything.
"Brenner?" Hopper asked. "How are you alive?"
"That's your first question?" Sarah asked incredulously. "He broke in, Hopper. He wants to take us back."
"Oh, not only you, One. I'm collecting Two as well."
Hopper's expression turned dark as he drew his gun and grabbed Sarah. "I swear to God, if you so much as look at my kids-"
"Eleven and Two belong to me, Chief Hopper. One was yours to begin with, I admit, but she escaped from me. You never came to claim her."
I saw a twinge of pain in Sarah's eyes, but she shook it off, raising her hand threateningly. "Don't come any closer."
Brenner simply chuckled. "And what do you think you're going to do, One? I've known you most of your life, nothing you do can surprise m-"
He was cut off by El screaming. She had her hand out, focusing desperately on Brenner. Nothing happened, other than her nose gushing blood.
"What's going on?" I asked.
"I am immune to your powers, Eleven. You cannot hurt me."
El's eyes widened. Sarah looked at her sister, then at me. I ran out of the house, confusing everyone. Quickly, I grabbed my skateboard out of Hopper's car, staying out for a second longer to make them- especially Brenner- think I'd left.
"...she's useless to me anyway," I heard Brenner say.
"Use this, mouth breather!" I ran back in, fast as my feet would carry me. Without thinking any more, I whacked Brenner behind the knee with my skateboard, causing him to crumble to the ground.
"Let's go." I ran out of the house, he three Hoppers following me out.
Hopper started his squad car, then sped down the road, blaring his siren and going as fast as he damn well pleased.
We were going down the wrong road. "Hop? This is the way to Will's house."
   "Yep. We're picking up Will and Mike. They're going to want to know what's going on."
   "What about Lucas?"
   "We'll burn that bridge when we get to it, Max."
   Before we even stopped, El ran out of the car, banging on Will's door. When Joyce opened it, El ran past her, shouting, "NO TIME!"
   A second later, Jonathan, Mike, and Will all came out.
   "What are you-"
   "They're gonna need help," Jonathan said.
   "But Nancy-"
   "My mom's there, Max." The boys piled in, Mike putting El on his lap.
Sarah glared at Will, then put him in her lap. "This is just so we have space," she muttered.
When we got to Lucas's house, I didn't even explain anything to him. I pulled him into the car, then sat on his lap as Hopper kept driving.
"What the-"
"Nikki's in trouble."
"Then why didn't you get me sooner?"
I smiled lightly at him, holding onto him as Hopper came to an abrupt stop a block away from Nikki's apartment. "Just in case Brenner followed us," he explained.
We all ran as fast as we could, rushing into the apartment building and screaming for Nikki. (None of us knew which number was hers.)
"Would you shut up?" We heard from across the hall.
"Dustin?"
We all stared at Dustin, who stood in what we could only assume was Nikki's doorway.
"They're after her," Will said. "Brenner's back. He's trying to take the girls away."
"Except me," Max clarified, making us all stare at her. "Just making sure he knows all the facts."
Dustin let us all in, and we crammed into the two-bedroom apartment.
Nikki came around the corner, staring at us all wide-eyed. "What the hell are you all-"
"Mon, Brenner's coming for you. And El and Sarah."
"He says we belong to him," Sarah added. "We've gotta do something."
Nikki stood there, trying to process everything. "You guys came back for me?"
El nodded. "That's what sisters do."
"But, Jonathan, your kids. Nancy."
"They'll be fine without me for now. You three need my help tonight."
"Indeed they do."
Again with the creepy appearing out of nowhere!
Nikki froze as she looked at the white-haired man. "Brenner."
He grinned at her. Not maliciously; almost... warmly. "Two. You remember me. After all these years."
This time, everyone took a step in front of her. "If you want her, you'll have to go through us first," Dustin said.
Sarah and El groaned. Clearly, that wasn't the right thing to say.
"Oh, I will," Brenner said, "there's no doubt about that. I would just rather spare as many innocents as I can."
Nikki's eyes widened even more. "Guys, don't be heroes. Please."
   "Ah, Two." Brenner grinned at her. "Always the selfless one, weren't you? Now, you and the other two with me, and none of your friends will be hurt."
   Nikki glanced at each of us, trying to figure out what to do. "No."
   "No?"
   "No," Nikki repeated. "El and Sarah stay. I'll go."
   Brenner raised an eyebrow at her. "You're willing to come back with me?"
   "Like hell she is." Dustin grabbed Nikki by the hand that wasn't holding mine. "You've already lost, the girls are back with us now. Where they belong.•
   "Tell me this," Brenner said, speaking to Dustin and Nikki. "Have unexplainable things been happening? Have certain... abilities been showing themselves suddenly?" No response. "You're dangerous, Two. At least until you have proper control over your powers. Everything you have been since you were a child. It's all coming back. Who knows what else you'll do?"
   Nikki looked straight at the floor. "If you leave El and Sarah, I'll g-"
   "No, she won't." El finally spoke up, turning to Nikki. "He doesn't really know which powers you have," she whispered. "Wait for the right moment, then use one."
   Nikki blinked twice, acknowledging El without drawing attention.

*Nikki's POV*
   With all eight of us in my living room, it was pretty crowded, so Brenner didn't hear what El had to say. He continued to monologue for a bit, talking about how I was broken and wounded and other shit.
   But I wasn't broken. I wasn't wounded. Not anymore. I had friends who looked past all of that and helped me become a normal teenager again. Well, as normal as our friend group could be.
   Anger bubbles up inside me as Brenner continued. I focused on my anger, channeling it.
This man wants to hurt my friends. And I'm gonna stop him.
   As I kept my gaze on Brenner, everyone watched as he slowly began to levitate. He hardly noticed until his head bumped the ceiling.
   "Control your powers, Two," he snapped at me.
   "Oh, I am." Without another thought, I stopped focusing as quickly as possible, causing Brenner's body to slam against the floor. Everyone stared at me, awe-struck, as I smirked triumphantly.
   That is, until Brenner stood up.
   "You're going to have to do a little better than that, Two," he said, brushing himself off. He still maintained that quiet, calm voice. "Try again."
   How could I not? I wracked my brain for any sort of answer.
   Wait a minute.
That's your superpower: survival.
   Dustin's voice echoed in my head. All I had to do was survive. My powers would do the rest. I shut my eyes, hoping something would happen.
   Nope.
   "Impressive, Two," Brenner laughed sarcastically.
   Steve ran to the closet, grabbing something. "Sorry, Nik. I tried to let you handle it." My big brother ran at Brenner with the baseball bat adorned with nails, probably silently thanking God for the tee ball games our parents forced us to participate in.
   Before Steve could actually make contact, he was thrown to the side by an invisible force, hitting the floor hard.
Brenner has powers too.
   "Steve!" I started to run to him, but Dustin pulled me back.
   "He's baiting you," Dustin whispered. "Steve's gonna be fine."
   I shook it off, trying to figure out what to do. Talking might help. "It's been twelve years, Brenner. Why do you just now decide that you own me or something?"
"Two, your powers have resurfaced. You need help controlling them. Who else is going to help you?"
"El and Sarah have been helping me. They've been helping me become a person, not a weapon like you and your cronies did at the Lab. Why don't you just give up?"
"I won't give up until you three are back with the others."
El froze. "Others?"
"Yes, Eleven. We have all of the others. You three are the only ones missing from the set."
He's lying, I heard a voice say. Don't believe him.
My nose began to run. No, not run, bleed. I was reading his mind.
"Tell me, Brenner. Where did you put them all, seeing as the Lab's closed down?"
Brenner looked at me blankly. "They're all... Don't you worry, Two. You'll find out soon enough."
"Another question: where did you find Kali? We don't even know where she is, so how would you?"
"Two, that is none of your-"
"Oh, but I think it is." I looked at El, who was suddenly realizing why I was being so casual. "Brenner, you don't have any of the others. We're all you've got, aren't we? You're hoping El, Sarah, and I can lead you to the other kids you experimented on. We're not your blood hounds."
Brenner looked at me for a moment, then grinned. "I thought you'd say that."
   Before I could even have time to be confused, Jonathan was ripped away from the group, suspended in mid-air by Brenner.
   "Now," he said, "let's see what happens when you refuse to come home."
   God, no.
   "Stop, please!"
   But it was too late. Jonathan let out a strangled noise. Brenner could do more than levitate.
   "Stop it!" I tried again, but Brenner wouldn't listen. Will was watching in horror as Brenner strangled the life out of his brother. "Brenner, please!"
   Brenner looked at me, not even focusing on Jonathan and still managing to hurt him. "You need to be taught a lesson, Two."
   "Then take this all out on me!" I begged. "Just leave my friends alone."
   Brenner dropped Jonathan, causing Steve and Hopper to rush to catch him. They succeeded, thank God, but Jonathan was motionless.
   "Oh my God." Everyone else ran to him, watching his breathing slow dangerously.
   "I'm so sorry," I managed to whisper. "This is all my fault."
   Jonathan looked at me, weakening by the second. "It's not... your fault."
   "Jonathan-"
   "Take care of... Nancy." As he said this, his eyelids fell, making us all believe the worst.
   Will grabbed his brother's hand. "J-Jon-Jonathan?"
   No response. Looking at their hands, I saw Jonathan's hand squeeze Will's, then fall limp. None of us dared to say it, but we knew: Jonathan was gone.

A/N: Hey, guys! I know this chapter is super dark. I'm gonna try and finish the story before ST3 comes out tomorrow. Wish me luck, and thanks for reading. Love you all!