melancholia. [ ALTERNATE SPIN-OFF ] [ BILLY HARGROVE ]

xxvi. CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

~*~
warnings: none

     The Impala slowly rolled up to the cabin that Mary had driven them out to, and she looked to see that El was looking around in confusion. Mary took the girls hand, making her look over in confusion.

     "I know you lost your powers back when everything happened at Starcourt, and I don't know what's happened with them since that whole week. So, I wanted to... It's better if I show you," Mary said, slowly nodding at El. She got out of the car, El following suit. Mary walked to the front door of the cabin, opening it slowly to be cautious. She motioned for El to follow her, then quietly shut the door. She walked to the kitchen, picking up the bottle of whiskey off the counter. "What would, uh, what would El say about drinking before five?!" There was a groan from one of the other rooms, El furrowing her eyebrows as it sounded familiar. Mary set down the bottle, turning as the footsteps got closer. 

     "She'd grill me about it," Jim said, sighing as he walked out of his room. Mary hummed in response, crossing her arms as he stopped dead in his tracks. 

     "You heard the man," Mary said, motioning for El to talk. "Grill him for it." 

     "Hop," El gasped out. She ran to him, Jim crouching down and letting the girl jump into his arms. El cried into his shoulder, keeping her arms wrapped around his neck. Jim shut his eyes as he had a tight grip on El, not wanting to let go anytime soon. Mary walked past them and through the house, seeing that there were two other rooms in use. She furrowed her eyebrows as there seemed to be a man and woman sharing a room, and another woman in the house. But no one else was home. 

     "Hop, who else is here?" Mary asked, turning to look at him. He stepped back from El, opening his mouth to talk and then slowly shaking his head. 

     "It's no one. Other people who are running away from the Russians. Kind of like a witness protection type thing," Jim answered, shrugging slightly. "They're all out right now. Two of them are at work, one of them's jogging. House isn't allowed to be empty in case someone finds it." 

     "You have friends?" Mary asked, raising an eyebrow at him. "Proud of you on that one." 

     "Actually, Dmitri set this up for us all," Jim told her. "He's been very good about all this." 

     "When did he set this up?" Mary asked, a bit confused with the timing. 

     "About a week ago. Right after my three other roommates turned up at Dmitri's house in LA asking for help, all of them victims of these bastards," Jim explained to her, opening the fridge and pulling out a beer. 

     "You've been alone?" El asked. 

     "Well, yeah, I was laying low," he told her. "But it's okay, because I know you're safe and I'm not worried anymore." Jim leaned down, hugging her again. "How are you feeling, kid?"

     "Better now," El answered, hugging him back. Mary let them have their moment, turning and sauntering through the house again. She went into one of the rooms, going through the drawers. She reached one that was locked, glancing to see she had time before Jim caught her. She used her power to open it, picking up the first picture that was on the top. Her eyes were wide as she stared at it, recognizing at least one person in the picture. Jackson Albright.

     The sound of a car pulling up made Mary turn around quickly, her heart beating faster at whoever that could be. She shut and locked the drawer, putting the picture in her back pocket. She walked back out to the living room to see Jim looking at the door. 

     "El, I think we should go," Mary said, hearing quiet chatter outside. 

     "But I just-" 

     "No, kid, she's right," Jim said with a frown. "Go out the back door. I'll tell them that you were the plumber, fixing the sink. I'll go get a tool box." Jim walked out, Mary turning to El. 

     "Go out the back door, wait for me on the side of the house," Mary instructed her. El nodded, turning and going out the back door. Jim walked back out, Mary taking the plumbing tools from him. "I'll keep a close eye on her for you." 

     "Thank you," Jim said with a nod. Mary grabbed a hat from the counter, putting it on her head. The two doctors walked into the house, looking at Jim and Mary quickly. 

     "Oh, Jim, it's just you," Oliver said, glancing back at Marley. 

     "Yeah, sorry I left the door open. Plumber was fixing the sink," Jim said, pointing to Mary. 

     "I get paid up front," Mary said, Jim looking down at her. He reached into his pocket, pulling out a wad of money. 

      "How much do I owe you?" he asked, slightly annoyed with her. 

     "Uh, for the sink being clogged and the shower drain, two hundred," Mary told him. He narrowed his eyes, the girl smiling up at him. 

     "You look a little clean for being under the sink," Marley said, Oliver shushing her. He laughed slightly, taking a step forward. 

     "What my wife was trying to say was that she's grateful for you unclogging the shower in... who's room?" Oliver asked, leaning forward slightly.

     "This guys. If you want to bring me back, I'll be happy to take a look at yours but I've got another appointment," Mary said, pretending to check her watch. "Yeah, already late." 

     "Two hundred, here," Jim said, holding it out to Mary. She smiled and took it from him, going to the door. She walked outside, glancing to the side of the house to see El peering around it. Mary nodded for her to come out, the girl rushing to the car quickly. Mary threw the tools in the back, starting the car and pulling away from the cabin quickly. She sped away, staring forward as El just stayed silent. 

     "Well, not only have we gained two hundred dollars, I've gained an enemy or three," Mary said, chuckling lightly. 

     "What do you mean?" El asked. Mary pulled the picture from her back pocket, holding it out to El who took it. "Who is this?" 

     "That is Jackson Albright," Mary said. "And a girl that we're going to hunt down." 

~*~

     Marley shut the door after Mary, turning to Jim as he stood in the room. She walked next to Oliver, crossing her arms as she gave Jim a disappointed look. 

     "What? Just the plumber, she didn't even know who I was," Jim argued with them. 

     "Where's Mandy?" Oliver asked.

     "The store, she should be back any minute now," Jim informed them. "Relax, I know what I'm doing. If the plumber was a threat, I would've fixed it myself but I don't have the right tools." 

     "Just tell us next time. We don't know when someone could drop by unannounced," Oliver told him, Marley still glaring at Jim. 

     "Yeah, sure," he nodded. They both turned and went to their room, Jim rolling his eyes and heading to his own room. 

-----

may i just say

i'm sorry for the late update

and

JIM HOPPER IS BACK

yes i kept him alive
can't live without our boy
also, part five is going to be way different
than all the other parts
it's my own writing,
not the duffer brothers
or netflix
it may be their characters
but my original characters
are gonna have backstory's and all

i really hope y'all enjoyed!